To Infinity, and Beyond: 'Dark Void'

Most people have at least once dreamed of hurtling across powder blue skies wearing a jetpack, trailing a streak of fire and broken hearts behind them. From retro helmeted hero The Rocketeer to James Bond in Thunderball, this tantalising technology has long captivated people, even though the actual device has yet to truly materialise. So, while waiting for your real-life jetpack, Crimson Skies developer Airtight Games has created new title Dark Void for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360. Released early next year, this blockbuster title will see players dive into a parallel universe with only a rocket pack and a stern constitution to save the day. Digital Spy therefore caught up with lead producer Morgan Gray to talk vertical combat, sky-jacking and the joys of individual flight.

In the game, players will take on the role of "regular guy" Will Grey. After his dishonourable discharge from the air force, Grey travels to Nassau in the Bahamas to set up a cargo-running business. However, on a routine flight through the infamous Bermuda Triangle, he is somehow teleported to a strange alternate world called The Void. In this parallel universe, an alien race called the Watchers have enslaved the remaining humans, known as Survivors, in their iron grasp.

"At first glance, they look like robots, but the Watchers actually reside within their exoskeleton suits," says Gray. "In truth, the Watchers are an ancient race of serpentine creatures. They exist in multiple evolutionary states, and their technology far surpasses anything seen on Earth. Without spoiling too much, let's just say the Watchers have had their hand in directing the course of mankind for centuries. As to their eventual plan, it doesn't include making friends."

To combat this formidable threat, save the day and also return to Earth, Grey must get some serious kit. After hooking up with the Survivors early on in the story, he is introduced to inventor Nikola Tesla - one of the early pioneers in the development of electricity - who hooks Grey up for battle, incorporating the game's signature feature, the jetpack.

"Tesla is literally the man behind the machines," said Gray. "He makes Will's guns, his gear, and the all-important jetpack. Tesla is integral in the Survivors' struggle against the Watchers, and Will's fight to escape the Void."

In conception stages for the game, the team took inspiration from fiction but also non-fiction sources, which drew them to the likes of Tesla and the Bermuda Triangle. As with many eminent science fiction writers, they aimed to meld fact and fiction together into a potent storytelling force.

"For Dark Void, some of our fiction has definitive non-fiction roots, so it was even more important for us to fully investigate the realm of existing media," say Gray. "More than that, though, we weren't just trying to retell stories other people had already told; we put our own fiction out there, added real people and events, and suddenly, a mishmash of ideas began to take shape. A jetpack was added, and the Dark Void we know today was born. We think the end result is characters that are really easy to connect with and environments that are as functional and interesting as they are visually distinctive."

Despite the cavernous space of The Void, the game will not take on an open-world structure but rather be "a 500kph rollercoaster". It was, however, still important for the team to create the feeling of space, especially as the game will offer an intriguing balance of third-person action mixed with flight simulation. Gray says the first challenge was to create something "cool and unique", but then it was a matter of helping the player to enjoy the experience in the best way possible.

"As a gaming world, it was important for us to convey the sense that The Void is a place where time, space, and even gravity have no consistent meaning. Even though we're not an open-world title, in Dark Void we wanted to allow players freedom of movement, play-style and exploration, as well as huge environments and wide open spaces to play in. You have a jetpack, after all. We want you to use it."

He adds: "Well, jetpacks are always cool, right? But there's no shortage of games that tack on a jetpack like it was some shallow sidearm. The real challenge is in designing gameplay that makes real use of it. We decided early on that we had to make the jetpack the central character - it is literally essential in Will's success and the success of the resistance. And yet, we're not a flight game, so we had to figure out how to make a jetpack make sense in an on-foot action/shooter. I think that is the stumbling block for most - how do make a game with a jetpack that's not a flight game? I think we've figured it out."

Gray pointed out that the "average shooter fan" is used to working in two dimensions - forward, back, left, and right - but not up and down. However, the jetpack brings a third dimension into play, enabling "genre-changing" 360-degree combat. This means that fights can not only be waged along the ground, but also up walls, inside cylinders or wherever there is a surface to be climbed. In turn, the oft-used shooter cover system can also be given a new vertical dimension.

"I think when we first conceived the idea of vertical combat, we didn't know what an amazing idea we had on our hands," explains Gray. "As we delved into it, it was clear that conventional design precepts - enemy placement, scripting - were not going to work. We literally had to change the way we thought about these basic game development tenets in order to create Dark Void. Now we want players to make that same leap."

Alongside the hover combat, players can also spread their jets and take flight. As the Watchers are a pretty advanced race, they have some nifty aircraft which can be a pest to anyone taking a leisurely jetpack ride. Therefore, Airtight has enabled the player to skyjack the jets by landing on their wings and then performing a quick-time sequence.

"Skyjacking allows Will to attach to an enemy aircraft, take out the pilot, and then jack his ride mid-flight," Gray explains. "Different aircraft have different strengths, so players can choose which vehicle will work best in a situation, or they can always just go vehicle-less."

The game was originally slated for release last month, but publisher Capcom opted to shift it to January 2010 in order to avoid the ferocious competition in the closing 2009 market (Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, anyone?). Along with freeing up more time to "play test the heck" out of the game, the delay also enabled the team to introduce a new hover-up function for the jetpack. Previously, the hover mode was only a gradual descent, but now players will be able to gain altitude without actually shifting to full flight.

"On paper, it seems like a small change, but it has significantly affected gameplay," remarked Gray. "Players can now pick off enemies from the air and navigate with unprecedented precision. Enemies also take an accuracy hit when you attack them while in hover, because hitting a fast-moving target is tough. Dark Void's hover combat is completely unique, and players will find it to be a new and compelling way to play."

Adding to the package is a score penned by Battlestar Galactica composer and avid gamer Bear McCreary. Recorded with the 63-piece Hollywood Studio Symphony, Gray says that the game "wouldn't be the same kind of experience without Bear's sublimely skilful compositions and carefully orchestrated moments". Alongside extra items and side challenges to boost replayability of the single-player campaign, Gray strongly hinted that downloadable content will be launched shortly after the game's release, and that a playable demo will be available soon.

"There's plenty of the world to explore, so I don't expect players will be able to find all there is to find in a single playthrough," he says. "As for DLC, we're not officially announcing anything at this time; but Dark Void is a top-tier AAA title and Capcom is known for supporting its top-tier AAA titles after ship with DLC. Take from that what you will. We haven't announced a demo yet, but stay tuned. Something could be on the horizon."

Dark Void will be released in the UK for PS3, PC and Xbox 360 on January 15, 2010.