WHO hasn’t dream’t of stepping back in time and seeing what Southampton was like over 100 years ago?
Well now that could become reality thanks to an ambitious new Titanic video game which aims to recreate Southampton of 1912.
Titanic: Honour & Glory is being made by American game designer Tom Lynskey and his team.
They are hoping to raise money from people keen to play the game so they can recreate as much of the 1912 town as they can.
The adventure revolves around the fictional tale of an Oxford graduate who is framed for murder, who is in Southampton trying to clear his name and ends up on the doomed vessel.
During the game, players will encounter many of the historical figures who were on board the ship.
Thomas said: “Titanic is one of those subjects that seems to grab certain people and refuse to let go.
“We all grew up studying the stories of those on board, researching the technical arrangements of the ship, and always wished to know what it would be like to walk the ship and talk to those on board.”
Captain Smith in the game
He says he was inspired during a visit to the city from his native Southampton in Pennsylvania, USA, for the Titanic’s centenary commemorations in 2012.
Thomas said: "I was in Southampton on the 100th anniversary of Titanic’s departure and met a friend there who showed me a tour of the city.
"He took me to a lot of the historical sites and gave me a brief background on some of the details that inspired me to want to see this city recreated as well. It played such an integral part of Titanic’s story."
Already Thomas and the team at Four Funnels have released a video giving an idea of what Southampton will look like in the game – with Oxford Street recreated.
Players can even go inside The Grapes pub or take a stroll through Queen’s Park – but of course the centrepiece will be a fully explorable version of Titanic herself.
The ultimate goal is to recreate as much of central Southampton – from what is now Ocean Village to the Polygon – but that depends on how much cash they can raise.
Thomas added: “It’s an expensive task to produce a game, especially this one, which very well may set records when it's complete.
“We’ve been getting some generous donations coming in, but we are also going to be looking to secure grants and ultimately investors.”
A key factor to consider for Thomas and the team is how a game about such a devastating tragedy will be received by relatives of those who perished in the mid-Atlantic.
The Titanic in the game
“He said: We also are working with descendents of many survivors and victims, and after discussing the project at length with them, we’ve also received unanimous support from them.
“We are working with them to make sure that this project is a fitting tribute to the story of the ship and those on board.”
- To find out more about the game, visit titanichg.com.
- To donate to the campaign visit indiegogo.com.
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