Descent III
Are You Ready for More Roller-Coaster, Upside-Down Action?
by Tahsin Shamma
Descent has always been known for claustrophobic spaces, but that should change with Descent III. The action that made Descent fun will return, but there will also be some very nice changes, courtesy of developer Outrage (one half of the company formerly known as Parallax).
As the "Material Defender," you pilot your craft over planets and asteroids seeking to destroy virus-infected mines. After learning that Dravis (the corporate executive who hired you in Descent I) sabotaged your warp drive, leaving you stranded in space, you start off on your quest for revenge.
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Developer: Outrage
Publisher: Interplay
Target Release Date: Q4 1998
Engine: Proprietary
Synopsis: As in Descent II, you'll pilot a vehicle in full 360-degree movement through familiar Descent-style tunnels, but you'll also fight new robots and visit new open areas.
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Descent III's most awesome feature is the combination of outdoor environments and the claustrophobic tunnels that made the first so popular. As you're flying up above a planet, you'll be able to dive down into buildings that stretch deep below the surface.
FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELTS This is an early look at the engine-in-progress. It should feature much more interactivity and seamless level transitions. |
Interaction with objects will also be improved. Environmental objects such as ventilation fans and volcanic fissures will provide new obstacles to avoid or to use as traps. Enemy AI is also slated for improvement. Enemies will utilize terrain to their advantage, such as the vicious stalkers who will leap down from above and drain victims of energy. Outrage is determined to make each enemy as memorable as Descent II's thief bot.
What's also adding to our anticipation are the new physics. Different worlds will now have different gravity and atmospheric effects. Weather will even affect certain weapons. Combine this with three ship types and ten new weapons, and the tactical nature of play looks even more promising.
All this information is very preliminary. It's still very early in Descent III's development, but when we hear more, we'll bring you a bigger preview.
Next: Advanced Level Design 
