PHANTOM: COVERT OPS - Crash Sites
Crash sites have been a long running theme and visual back drop since the early concept of Phantom - Covert Ops.
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The Cold war history of the Voldat's location is littered with military history, soviet MIG interceptor scramble points are spread through the facility. The original aerial bombing in 1960 rendered the site destroyed, inoperative and derelict. Remnants of that era still prevail within flooded waters in and around Voldat.
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With General Zhurov, the main antagonist, and Colonel Watts, one the key protagonists both being air bound and masters of their own craft, a new round of aerial combat was inevitable.
"Aftermath"
Post a failed evac' attempt, turned CH-48 down, you awake impaled and scorched, only just surviving the impact.
"Failed Evac"
Zhurov's reach is far and vengeful. After 30 years Zhurov enacts his revenge on Watts.
Zhurov’s nemesis is gone, your mentor is now dead. It's up to you to finish what Watts started.
Phantom's tone has always been more cinematic than simulation.
These hi-impact moments were conceived to offer relief from the tension of stealth to allow the chance to roleplay the "movie experience" of a covert operative.
"Failed Evac’ Storyboards"
Early workings showing our exploration of set piece moments.
"Dawn of a new beginning"
Zhurov's demise set against the dawn of a new era.
A theatrical scene where Zhurov’s delivers his death rattle, to no avail as his fate now lies in your hands.
"Death Rattle"
An interactive scene where Zhurov's taunts test your morale grit.
Will you rise to the bait, become his executioner to extract vengeance for Watts? Or rise above a bitter old man’s sinical feud from the past?
"A tailored Death Rattle"
This scene had to be implemented in a way that catered for multiple types of player interaction.
The script, animation, performance and VFX outcomes where dynamic based on your specific choice of interaction.
Crash sites, air to ground, or ground to air, impacts zones run throughout Phantom’s development DNA.
It was great way to extend the players reach beyond one’s own arsenal, as much as introduce a new dimension of threat.
"Lazing the target"
One early permutation of this sequence (illustrated previous) was the failed airstrike.
If the player didn't take out the SAM-Sites before calling in air support, the NATO Tornado GR1 meet its demise before delivering its payload.
"Story, mood and tone"
The original demo set the benchmark when it came to narrative through exploration.
It was a ongoing creative challenge to encourage the player to interact with as much scale and structure within the confines of the waterways.
"A cinematic experience"
The world you explored told the story, set the scene and established the threat.
Accentuating the mood, dramatic sense of scale and presence, whilst giving context to the perils around you made for true excellence in VR.