View source for Crimson Skies

{{short description|Tabletop and video game franchise}}
{{for|the album by Cloudscape|Crimson Skies (album)}}
{{Italic title}}
{{Infobox media franchise
| title = Crimson Skies
| image = CrimsonSkies.jpg
| creator = [[Jordan Weisman]]<br>Dave McCoy
| origin = ''[[Crimson Skies (board game)|Crimson Skies]]'' (1998)
| owner = [[Xbox Game Studios]] {{small|([[Microsoft Gaming]])}}
| books = [[#Books|List]]
| games = 
{{Plainlist|
* [[Crimson Skies (board game)|Board game]] (1998)
* [[#WizKids collectible miniatures game|Miniatures game]] (2003)
}}
| vgs = 
{{Plainlist|
* ''[[Crimson Skies (video game)|Crimson Skies]]'' (2000)
* ''[[Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge|High Road to Revenge]]'' (2003)
}}
}}
'''''Crimson Skies''''' is a tabletop and a video game [[media franchise]] created by [[Jordan Weisman]] and Dave McCoy, first released as a board game in 1998 and then as a PC game in 2000.

The series' [[intellectual property]] is currently owned by [[Microsoft Corporation]] through its [[Xbox Game Studios]] division. Weisman's former company, [[Smith & Tinker|Smith & Tinker Inc.]], had announced in 2007 that it had licensed the electronic entertainment rights to the franchise, but no new titles were developed.<ref name="S&T News">{{cite web|year=2007 |title=Smith & Tinker – News |url=http://www.smithandtinker.com/news/ |publisher=Smith & Tinker Inc. |access-date=2008-07-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080420110556/http://www.smithandtinker.com/news/ |archive-date=2008-04-20 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
The ''Crimson Skies'' trademark was renewed in 2013 by Microsoft for video games, although the trademark for other related media has been abandoned.<ref name= "US Patent and Trade Office-Crimson Skies" >{{cite web|year=2019 |title=Record List Display|url=http://tmsearch.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=toc&state=4809%3Agj3ru0.1.1&p_search=searchss&p_L=50&BackReference=&p_plural=yes&p_s_PARA1=&p_tagrepl%7E%3A=PARA1%24LD&expr=PARA1+AND+PARA2&p_s_PARA2=Crimson+skies&p_tagrepl%7E%3A=PARA2%24COMB&p_op_ALL=AND&a_default=search&a_search=Submit+Query&a_search=Submit+Query|publisher=USPTO |access-date=2019-06-03}}</ref>

The series is set within an [[Alternate history#Video games|alternate history]] of the 1930s invented by Weisman and McCoy. Within this divergent timeline, the United States has collapsed, and air travel has become the most popular mode of transportation in [[North America]]; as a result, [[air pirate]]s thrive in the world of ''Crimson Skies''. In describing the concept of ''Crimson Skies'', Jordan Weisman stated he wanted to "take the idea of 16th century Caribbean piracy and translate into a 1930s American setting".<ref name="IGN Preview">{{cite web | year=2000 | author=Butts, Stephen | title=Crimson Skies Preview | url=http://pc.ign.com/articles/134/134175p1.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020417172906/http://pc.ign.com/articles/134/134175p1.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=April 17, 2002 | publisher=[[IGN]] | access-date=2008-03-03}}</ref>

''Crimson Skies'' was first conceived as a PC game known as ''Corsairs!'', but was released first as a [[board game]] from [[FASA]]. The franchise has since expanded to include a [[collectible miniatures game]] from [[Wizkids]], a [[Miniature wargaming|miniature wargame]] from [[Ral Partha Enterprises|Ral Partha]], as well as a series of books. The series also includes two [[arcade flight]]-based video games published by [[Microsoft Game Studios]] – ''[[Crimson Skies (video game)|Crimson Skies]]'' for the [[Personal computer|PC]] and ''[[Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge]]'' for the [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]]. Both games were well received by critics, though only the second was commercially successful.

''Crimson Skies'' is an example of the [[dieselpunk]] genre,<ref name="Chronologia dieselpunku">{{cite web| first=Janicz| last=Krzysztof| title="Chronologia dieselpunku" (in Polish)| url=http://steampunk.republika.pl/chrono04pl.html| year=2008| access-date=2012-10-17| archive-date=2012-02-09| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120209022342/http://steampunk.republika.pl/chrono04pl.html| url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://dieselpunksencyclopedia.wordpress.com/6-2-dieselpunk-and-the-gaming-industry/|title= 4.2 Dieselpunk and the Gaming Industry |date= 6 December 2011 |publisher= dieselpunksencyclopedia.wordpress.com |access-date=2012-10-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shacknews.com/article/73305/jordan-weisman-hopes-to-resurrect-crimson-skies |title= Jordan Weisman hopes to resurrect Crimson Skies |date= 12 April 2012 |publisher= shacknews.com |access-date=2012-10-17}}</ref> though it predated the genre name.

==Development history==
According to series creator Jordan Weisman, the original idea for ''Crimson Skies'' came after he had completed research on the early years of aviation; the era and historical characters inspired him to create a game about the period. For their game, Weisman and Dave McCoy settled on a post WWI European setting revolving around the "knights of the air". However, a game with a similar idea came out then; Weisman and McCoy subsequently moved the setting to the U.S. and changed the concept to placing [[air pirate]]s in a modern setting. From there, they crafted an [[alternate history]] to simulate the conditions that gave rise to [[piracy in the Caribbean]] in a 1930s setting.<ref name="IGN Interview">{{cite web | year=2000 | title=Crimson Skies Interview | url=http://pc.ign.com/articles/083/083122p1.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020222014416/http://pc.ign.com/articles/083/083122p1.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=February 22, 2002 | publisher=[[IGN]] | access-date=2008-03-02}}</ref> Weisman later said about the development of the universe: <blockquote>Whenever I create different universes—''[[MechWarrior]]'', ''[[Shadowrun]]'', ''Crimson Skies''—to me, it's all about looking at 'What are the fantasies that excited us when we were 5?' And if we can find a new and more sophisticated way to tap into that fantasy [...] ''Crimson Skies'' is just combining two classic male fantasies: You get to be a pirate; you get to be a pilot.<ref name="Whatever happened">{{cite web | access-date=2008-07-27 | url=http://www.1up.com/news/happened-crimson-skies | title=What Ever Happened to Crimson Skies? | publisher=[[1UP.com]] | date=2008-05-21 | author=Leone, Matt | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604043414/http://www.1up.com/news/happened-crimson-skies | archive-date=4 June 2011 | url-status=dead}}</ref></blockquote>

Work on ''Crimson Skies'' began under the name ''Corsairs!''. Development started for [[Virtual World Entertainment]], and was later moved to a PC game when Virtual World merged with [[FASA|FASA Corporation]]. Although the ''Corsairs!'' project was shelved, Weisman and a group of FASA employees worked outside of business hours to create the ''[[Crimson Skies (board game)|Crimson Skies]]'' board game. According to Weisman: "The board game was borne purely out of the fact that I needed to get this universe out of our heads and into the world, and it was the best venue to do so quickly".<ref name="IGN Interview" /> Developer John Howard has stated that the board game was built to "showcase the Crimson Skies property, with an eye towards expanding on it in other ways".<ref name="MS Interview">{{cite web | title=John Howard: Lead Designer for Crimson Skies | url=http://www.microsoft.com/games/crimsonskies/johnhoward.aspx | publisher=[[Microsoft Game Studios]] | access-date=2008-07-27 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080509174814/http://www.microsoft.com/games/crimsonskies/johnhoward.aspx | archive-date=2008-05-09 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

When FASA Interactive became a part of [[Microsoft]], Weisman and his team were able to start a new game, and work on the [[Crimson Skies (video game)|PC version of ''Crimson Skies'']] began; the game was developed by [[Zipper Interactive]]. The game utilizes [[arcade flight]] mechanics, focusing on action, as opposed to a realistic portrayal of the physics of flight.<ref name="IGN Interview" /> The game's relaxed physics as well as its focus on [[barnstorming]] led [[GameSpot]] to comment that "''Crimson Skies'' is very much based on a 'movie reality' where if it's fun and looks good, it works".<ref name="GS Preview">{{cite web | url=http://www.gamespot.com/pc/sim/crimsonskies/news.html?sid=2574890&mode=recent | title=Crimson Skies (Preview) | access-date=2008-05-25 | author=Geryk, Bruce | date=2000-05-23 | publisher=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref>

The [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]] game ''[[Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge]]'' was later developed as a [[Video game developer|first-party]] title for [[Microsoft Game Studios]] by [[FASA Studio]]. Like the previous game, arcade flight elements were incorporated in order to focus gameplay on action instead of flight mechanics. Early in the game's production, developers decided upon a "playable movie" concept, but found that gameplay would be restricted by this approach. Consequently, the game's release date was pushed back by approximately one year to allow the development team time to retool the game.<ref name="FASA Interview">{{cite web | author=Procter, Keith | title=Interview With FASA Studios | url=http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/c/crimsonskies/themakers.htm | publisher=Xbox.com | access-date=2008-03-03 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080222135852/http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/c/crimsonskies/themakers.htm |archive-date = 2008-02-22}}</ref> The results of this extra development period include more open-ended gameplay features and [[Xbox Live]] support.

After development concluded on ''High Road to Revenge'', the developers moved to work on another ''Crimson Skies'' title for Microsoft; development, however, was cancelled shortly into the project.<ref name="Whatever happened" /> When FASA Studio was later shut down, Microsoft retained the video game rights to ''Crimson Skies'', although it had no immediate plans for the [[intellectual property|IP]].<ref name="FASA Studio KIA">{{cite web | year=2007 | author=Thorsen, Tor | title=FASA Studio KIA | url=http://www.gamespot.com/xbox/action/crimsonskieshighroadtr/news.html?sid=6178722 | publisher=[[GameSpot]] | access-date=2008-07-27}}</ref> Weisman's latest company, [[Smith & Tinker]], later "licensed from Microsoft the electronic entertainment rights" to ''Crimson Skies''. Although the company has made no formal announcement as to its plans with the franchise,<ref name="S&T News" /> Weisman has assured fans that there will be a new entry in the series.<ref name="Whatever happened" />

==Universe==
[[Image:Crimson skies map.png|thumb|Map of North America in the ''Crimson Skies'' universe. In ''Crimson Skies'', the U.S. and Canada have broken-up into a number of smaller polities.]]

===Backstory===
The ''Crimson Skies'' series takes place in an [[alternate history|alternate]] 1930s in which the U.S. has broken apart into a number of independent [[nation state]]s. According to series creator Jordan Weisman: <blockquote>I needed to create a geo-political situation that would result in air-pirates, so I looked at the real political situation that gave rise to the [[Piracy in the Caribbean|pirates of the Caribbean]] in the 16th and 17th centuries. We needed a [[Balkanization|balkanized]] era so that pirates could escape quickly into another country's territory, we needed things of value to be moved by air, and we needed a constantly churning political environment so that things did not settle down quickly. [...] It took only three little changes in the history of the United States to get us the dynamic world of ''Crimson Skies''.<ref name="IGN Interview"/></blockquote>

This alternate timeline incorporates both fictional and actual historic events. According to the series' official backstory, the divergent timeline begins after [[World War I]], when a "[[Regionalism (politics)|Regionalist]] movement" gains popularity in America following the [[Spanish influenza]] pandemic, rallying behind an [[United States non-interventionism|isolationist]] platform. Meanwhile, [[Woodrow Wilson|President Wilson]]'s authority was undercut when [[Prohibition in the United States|Prohibition]] failed as a [[Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution|constitutional amendment]] leaving the matter to be decided on the [[U.S. state|state level]]. The nation soon became polarized between "wet" and "dry" states and checkpoints became a common sight on state borders to stop the flow of alcohol into "dry" states. As the decade progressed, state governments [[States' rights|seized more authority]], encroaching into areas formerly the responsibility of the [[Federal government of the United States|federal government]], and formed regional power blocs.
 
The optimism of the [[Roaring Twenties]] was upset in 1927 when an outbreak of a deadly strain of [[influenza]] in America prompted states to [[Quarantine|close their borders]], further dividing the Union. Though not as deadly as the 1918 pandemic, the epidemic had immense political fallout, bolstering regionalist "strong state" views and decreasing voter turnout in the [[1928 United States presidential election|1928 election]]. Shortly after the [[Wall Street crash of 1929]], Texas [[Secession|seceded]] from the United States, reforming the [[Republic of Texas]] on January 1, 1930. [[New York (state)|New York]] was the next state to secede, and persuaded [[Pennsylvania]] and [[New Jersey]] to merge with it to form the Empire State. [[California]] followed suit, creating the Nation of Hollywood, as did [[Utah]], which had already come in conflict with the federal government after the establishment of the Smith Law in 1928 that made [[Mormonism]] the state religion. [[Washington, D.C.]], essentially powerless, was unable to stop the country from falling apart. The federal government made its last stand against the "People's Revolt" of the bread basket states. When the [[United States Army|US Army]] was defeated by the People's Collective (formerly the [[Midwestern United States|Midwest]]) forces in 1931, the fate of the United States was sealed, and the rest of the country dissolved into independent nations by the end of 1932 with the last legal remnant of the US being the neutral nation of Columbia in what used to be whatever area around Washington could be seized.

Though not directly affected by the Texas Secession, Canada found itself dragged down by the collapse of the U.S., with [[Quebec]] [[Quebec sovereignty movement|seceding]] in 1930 and the rest of the provinces siding with their nascent southern neighbors: [[New Brunswick]] and parts of Quebec joined the Maritime Provinces of [[Maine]], New Hampshire, and [[Vermont]]; [[Newfoundland and Labrador|Newfoundland]] joined Quebec; [[Manitoba]] joined the People's Collective as did parts of [[Saskatchewan]], with the [[Lakota people|Lakota]] nation laying claim to the rest; [[British Columbia]] merged with [[Oregon]] and [[Washington (state)|Washington]] in the [[Pacific Northwest]]; and [[Alaska]] claimed the [[Yukon]] territories. The core of the former Canadian government established the Protectorate of [[Ontario]]. While [[Ottawa]]'s authority technically extends to [[Alberta]] and the [[Northwest Territories]], these areas are mostly no-man's land, while [[Nova Scotia]] and [[Prince Edward Island]] comprise a self-governing body, commonly referred to as the Northumberland Association.

In 1931, the [[Territory of Hawaii|Territorial Government of Hawaii]] was left defenseless in the wake of the fragmenting country and was overthrown in favor of reestablishing the [[Hawaiian Kingdom|Hawaiian monarchy]] with [[Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole|Jonah Kūhiō]] as its king. Likewise, America's territorial holdings overseas were surrendered following the nation's formal collapse and the formation of the Federal Republic of Columbia on March 1, 1932.<ref name="ReferenceA">Hartford, Chris; "The Airman's Gazetteer"</ref>

The resulting nation states that formed were no longer unified—distrust between them strained diplomatic relations to the point that several small-scale wars broke out.<ref name="ReferenceA"/><ref name="MS Story">{{cite web |title=Microsoft Game Studios – Crimson Skies – Story |url=http://www.microsoft.com/games/crimsonskies/story.aspx |publisher=[[Microsoft Game Studios]] |access-date=2008-07-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080412024022/http://www.microsoft.com/games/crimsonskies/story.aspx |archive-date=2008-04-12 }}</ref>

After the dissolution of the United States, the country's interstate [[Rail transportation in the United States|railroad]] and [[Interstate Highway System|highway systems]] fell into disrepair or were sabotaged as they crossed hostile borders. Consequently, ground-based vehicles such as the [[train|locomotive]] and [[automobile]] were replaced by [[aircraft]] such as the [[airplane]] and the [[zeppelin]] as the leading mode of transportation in North America. Europe soon followed this fascination with aviation to make its own strides into the new, aerially-dominated market. Gangs of [[air pirate]]s formed in turn to plunder airborne commerce. Although air militias formed to counter the threat, rivalries between the nations of North America reduced their capacity to effectively address this issue, and even encouraged the countries to [[Letter of marque|sponsor]] pirates as privateers so as to direct their illegal operations against opposing nations. In Europe, privateers and other mercenary groups were widely adopted by nations who wished to avoid another world war, especially in the case of the [[Spanish Civil War]].

By the end of 1937, North America was a "hotbed of conflict", with multiple pirate gangs and air militias battling for control of the skies. Europe was no better, as [[Nazi Germany|Germany]] jockeyed for power while [[French Third Republic|France]] and Britain looked the other way. The Russian States continued to fight their [[Russian Civil War|civil war]], which threatened to spill over into the Eastern European nations and Alaska. Asia, too, was on the brink, with [[Empire of Japan|Japan]]'s [[Second Sino-Japanese War|recent invasion]] of [[Nationalist government|China]] and the continuation of the bloody civil war in Australia.<ref name="ReferenceA"/><ref name="MS Story"/>

===Aircraft and technology===
The planes of ''Crimson Skies'' are fictional designs created to fit within the ''Crimson Skies'' universe.<ref name="Olson Interview 2">{{cite web | url=http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/c/crimsonskies/themakers1-2.htm | title=Robert Olson Interview, Part 2 | author=Leigh, Violet | publisher=[[Microsoft Game Studios|MGS]] | access-date=2008-03-03 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080217094243/http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/c/crimsonskies/themakers1-2.htm |archive-date = 2008-02-17}}</ref> Although some planes were modeled after actual 1930s era [[experimental aircraft]]<ref name="spy Pre E3">{{cite web | year=2000 | author=Keefer, John | title=Crimson Skies pre-E3 sneak peek | url=http://archive.gamespy.com/legacy/previews/crimson_c.shtm | publisher=[[GameSpy]] | access-date=2008-03-03 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090325110649/http://archive.gamespy.com/legacy/previews/crimson_c.shtm | archive-date=2009-03-25 }}</ref><ref name="GS Best of E3">{{cite web | year=2000 | title=GameSpot Presents: Best of E3 2000 | url=http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/pc/e3_bestof/p3_06.html | publisher=[[GameSpot]] | access-date=2008-03-03}}</ref> and other "bizarre and outlandish designs" from the early years of aviation,<ref name="IGN Preview"/> they still take significant departures from conventional aviation design.<ref name="IGN Preview" /> Jordan Weisman has stated that the planes in ''Crimson Skies'' are designed to be the "hot rods of the air".<ref name="IGN Preview" /> According to [[IGN]], "the planes in CS are built for style and not function with their redundant wing positions and rear propellers".<ref name="IGN Xbox Preview">{{cite web | author=Boulding, Aaron |author2=Hilary Goldstein | year=2002 | title=E3 2002: Hands-On Crimson Skies | url=http://xbox.ign.com/articles/357/357300p1.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020606091740/http://xbox.ign.com/articles/357/357300p1.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=June 6, 2002 | publisher=[[IGN]] | access-date=2008-03-03}}</ref> For example, the Devastator aircraft features a [[Pusher configuration|pusher propeller]] and a [[biplane]] design.

Because of the history of the world of ''Crimson Skies'', especially given that the nation states of North America are constantly at war with one another and that air travel is the primary means of transportation, advancements in both aircraft and weaponry technology would have proceeded at a faster pace than had actually happened in the same time period.<ref name="Olson Interview 2"/> [[Zeppelin]]s with hangar launch bays that can accommodate escort fighters are featured prominently in ''Crimson Skies''; in actuality, only a few zeppelin-based [[airborne aircraft carrier]]s saw service. Zeppelins in ''Crimson Skies'' are also armed with broadside cannons and are also heavily armored.<ref name="Aerial Torpedo">{{cite web | year=2000 | author=Kern, David | title=Crimson Skies Dev Diary V | url=http://archive.gamespy.com/articles/september00/crimson_dev5/ | publisher=[[GameSpy]] | access-date=2008-03-03 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080302190735/http://archive.gamespy.com/articles/september00/crimson_dev5/ | archive-date=2008-03-02 }}</ref> Radio-controlled rockets are also available in the ''Crimson Skies'' universe, which can be controlled remotely after launch.<ref name="RC VG CS2">{{cite video game | title=[[Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge]] | developer=[[FASA Studio]] | publisher=[[Microsoft Game Studios]] | date=2003-10-21 | platform=[[Xbox (console)|Xbox]] | level="Send 'Em Packing", "The Puzzle of the Sun Circle" }}</ref>

Other technologies are exclusive to the world of ''Crimson Skies''. Magnetic rockets have the ability to track planes or weapon emplacements over a short distance.<ref name="Magnetic">'''On-Screen Instructions:''' Your Devastator aircraft carries magnetic rockets that track for a short distance.{{cite video game | title=[[Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge]] | developer=[[FASA Studio]] | publisher=[[Microsoft Game Studios]] | date=2003-10-21 | platform=[[Xbox (console)|Xbox]] | level="The Morning After" ([[tutorial]]) }}</ref> Aerial torpedoes are similar to sea-based [[torpedo]]es, but are specifically designed to take out airships.<ref name="Aerial Torpedo"/> Beeper/seeker rockets are designed to work in tandem. The "beeper" rocket attaches to a target and emits a [[emergency locator beacon|homing]] signal; the "seeker" rocket follows the homing signal, destroying the target.<ref name="Beeper/Seeker">{{cite book | author=Nylund, Eric S. |author2=Michael B. Lee |author3=Nancy Berman |author4=Eric S. Trautmann  | title=Crimson Skies Tie-In | pages=276–77 | edition=1st | author-link=Eric S. Nylund}}</ref> The Choker rocket disables the target's engine by bursting into a fireball that burns all oxygen around it. The Tesla cannon is a [[tesla coil]]-style weapon that fires a bolt of electricity at a target, disabling it.<ref name="Xbox Game Manual">{{cite book | editor=FASA Studio | title=''Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge'' Instruction Manual | page=19 | publisher=Microsoft Game Studios }}</ref> Also featured in ''Crimson Skies'' is the wind turbine, a [[weather control]] mechanism designed to generate storms.<ref name="Wind Turbine">'''Nathan:''' What is it? '''Dr. Fassenbiender:''' A wind turbine. [...] '''Nathan:''' What exactly does this turbine do? '''Dr. Fassenbiender:''' It simulates extreme weather conditions by actively manipulating tropospheric convection currents. '''Nathan:''' It generates storms? {{cite video game | title=[[Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge]] | developer=[[FASA Studio]] | publisher=[[Microsoft Game Studios]] | date=2003-10-21 | platform=[[Xbox (console)|Xbox]] | level=cutscene before "Send 'Em Packing" }}</ref>

==Games==
===FASA board game===
{{Main|Crimson Skies (board game)}}
The ''Crimson Skies'' board game was released by FASA in 1998. The base game came with card stock, assemble-yourself airplanes included, but later metal miniature planes were offered separately. While the focus was on fantasy over fact, many of the planes in ''Crimson Skies'' were modeled after real experimental aircraft of the era.

The complex universe of ''Crimson Skies'' earned many devoted fans, as dozens of different weapons, planes, nations, air forces, bands of pirates, and characters were all given detailed pasts, and several additional supplemental campaigns were published.

===Microsoft PC game===
{{main|Crimson Skies (video game)}}
The [[PC game]] ''Crimson Skies'' was developed by [[Zipper Interactive]] and released in [[2000 in video gaming|2000]]. The game's storyline is framed around a [[radio drama]] that chronicles the adventures of Nathan Zachary and the Fortune Hunters pirate gang during their rise to fame and fortune.<ref name="NYT Game Theory Retro">{{cite web | date=2000-11-30 | author=Marriott, Michel | title=Game Theory; Fly in a Retro World Under Crimson Skies | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/03/01/technology/game-theory-fly-in-a-retro-world-under-crimson-skies.html?pagewanted=all | work=The New York Times | access-date=2008-09-12}}</ref> Gameplay centers on the control of one of the game's playable aircraft, which the player can customize with different parts to alter performance. The game's flight mechanics were designed to be a compromise between realistic and arcade flight.<ref name="MS Interview" />

One of ''Crimson Skies''' unique gameplay features was the inclusion of "danger zones"—challenging areas through which the player can fly for various effects.<ref name="PC Game Manual">{{cite book | editor=Zipper Interactive | title=''Crimson Skies'' Instruction Manual | pages=4–5, 7 | publisher=Microsoft Game Studios }}</ref> The game's focus on [[barnstorming]] and relaxed flight physics led [[GameSpot]] to comment that "''Crimson Skies'' is very much based on a 'movie reality' where if it's fun and looks good, it works".<ref name="GS Preview"/> However, the game's original release was plagued with numerous technical problems, most notably the unreliability of the player's saved game files. Though a [[Patch (computing)|patch]] was released to remedy this issue, the game still retains many technical issues such as long loading times and sluggish menu screens.<ref name="PC GS Review">{{cite web | year=2000 | author=Geryk, Bruce | title=Crimson Skies for PC Review | url=http://www.gamespot.com/pc/sim/crimsonskies/review.html | publisher=[[GameSpot]] | access-date=2008-02-26}}</ref><ref name="PC IGN Review">{{cite web | year=2000 | author=Butts, Stephen | title=Crimson Skies Review | url=http://pc.ign.com/articles/164/164175p1.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020218043528/http://pc.ign.com/articles/164/164175p1.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=February 18, 2002 | publisher=[[IGN]] | access-date=2008-02-26}}</ref>

===Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge===
{{main|Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge}}
''Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge'' is an [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]] game developed by [[FASA Studio]] and released in [[2003 in video gaming|2003]]. The game centers on Nathan Zachary and the Fortune Hunters, in their crusade to avenge the death of a close friend, Dr. Fassenbiender, at the hands of the ''Die Spinne'' organization. Developers decided early on in the game's production cycle that the game would not simply be a [[Porting|port]] of the PC title,<ref name="HR Dev Diary 1">{{cite web |url=http://archive.gamespy.com/devdiary/may02/cshrtr1/ |title=Dev Diaries, Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge – Volume 1 |access-date=2008-07-27 |author=Pondsmith, Miike |date=2002-05-28 |publisher=[[GameSpy]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071210153722/http://archive.gamespy.com/devdiary/may02/cshrtr1/ |archive-date=2007-12-10 }}</ref> and by the end of the development cycle, many of the story elements that linked the game to the PC game had been excised.<ref name="HR Dev Diary 4A">"When I started work on the game we had a cut scene heavy, convoluted storyline that was weighed down by its perceived obligations to the past. [...] Every change they wanted to make had to be triple-checked with the story to make sure they didn't break it, and even then things would slip through".{{cite web|url=http://archive.gamespy.com/devdiary/september03/cshrtr4/ |title=Dev Diaries, Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge – Volume 4 |access-date=2008-07-28 |author=Brunner, Matt |date=2003-09-24 |publisher=[[GameSpy]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080706184323/http://archive.gamespy.com/devdiary/september03/cshrtr4/ |archive-date=2008-07-06 }}</ref>

Although the game is similar to the PC game in that gameplay centers on controlling an aircraft, a new feature is the ability for the player to switch aircraft or man fixed weapon emplacements during a mission.<ref name="IGN Top 10 Xbox">{{cite web | author=Perry, Douglass C. and Hilary Goldstein | year=2004 | title=The Top 10 Best Xbox Games | url=http://xbox.ign.com/articles/506/506934p2.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040612230813/http://xbox.ign.com/articles/506/506934p2.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=June 12, 2004 | publisher=[[IGN]] | access-date=2007-09-24}}</ref> The game's mission structure also features a number of other open-ended elements that have led to comparisons with the sandbox gameplay of the ''[[Grand Theft Auto]]'' games.<ref name="IGN Review">{{cite web | author=Boulding, Aaron | year=2003 | title=IGN: Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge Review | url=http://xbox.ign.com/articles/455/455722p1.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031127034211/http://xbox.ign.com/articles/455/455722p1.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=November 27, 2003 | publisher=[[IGN]] | access-date=2007-08-13}}</ref> The game additionally boasted a number of online gameplay modes over [[Xbox Live]].

===WizKids collectible miniatures game===
In 2003, Wizkids released the ''Crimson Skies'' [[collectible miniatures game]]. The game utilizes collectible figures featuring both planes and pilots from the ''Crimson Skies'' universe. These miniatures use WizKids' [[Clix system]], by which a character's or plane's statistics and abilities can be altered during gameplay by way of an adjustable dial located on the base of the figure.<ref name="Combat Dial">{{cite web|year=2003 |title=Wizkids – Crimson Skies – What is a Combat Dial? |url=http://www.wizkidsgames.com/crimsonskies/cs_article.asp?cid=37676 |publisher=[[Wizkids]] |access-date=2008-03-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080112173958/http://www.wizkidsgames.com/crimsonskies/cs_article.asp?cid=37676 |archive-date=2008-01-12 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The ''Crimson Skies'' miniatures game comprises two separate games, each with its own set of rules. The gameplay in ''Crimson Skies: Aces'' revolves around pilots battling each other on the ground, while the gameplay in ''Crimson Skies: Air Action'' focuses on [[dogfight]]ing between squadrons of aircraft.<ref name="CS CMG Info">{{cite web|year=2003 |title=Wizkids Games Company Information: Crimson Skies Collectible Miniatures Game |url=http://www.wizkidsgames.com/wk_article.asp?cid=37438&frame=company |publisher=[[Wizkids]] |access-date=2008-03-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030621141000/http://www.wizkidsgames.com/wk_article.asp?cid=37438&frame=company |archive-date=June 21, 2003 }}</ref> Figures were sold in "squadron packs" and "ace packs", which were formatted in [[blisterpack]]s as opposed to the random packaging format used in other Wizkids games.<ref name="CS CMG Info" />

==Books==
In addition to the [[Tabletop game|tabletop]] and video games, the ''Crimson Skies'' series also features a number of tie-in books and short stories.

'''''Spicy Air Tales''''' was published by FASA in 1999. The two-volume series featured short stories that originally appeared on the Crimson Skies website and supplemental material for using characters and planes from the stories with the boardgame.

*'''''Volume I'''''
*''Fortune's Hunt'', by [[Michael A. Stackpole]]
*'''''Volume II'''''
*''The Great Helium War'', by [[Robert E. Vardeman]]
*''Manhattan Mayhem'', by [[Loren L. Coleman]]

'''''Wings of Fortune: Pirate's Gold''''', by [[Stephen Kenson]], was published by FASA in November 2000. It introduced Nathan Zachary and his famous band of air pirates, the Fortune Hunters. It follows Zachary's air exploits and daring escapes during his early days as a war pilot, and recounts a climactic confrontation with his nemesis.

'''''Wings of Justice: Rogue Flyer''''', by [[Loren L. Coleman]], was published by FASA in December 2000. It follows the transformation of Trevor Girard from a law-abiding security agent to a pirate with a heart of gold.

'''''Crimson Skies''''' was published by [[Del Rey Books|Del Rey]] in October 2002 to promote the future release of the Xbox game. It features three novellas, two originally published on the ''Crimson Skies'' website, one previously unpublished. Each story is preceded by a brief history lesson about the ''Crimson Skies'' universe that acts as the prelude to the following story.
*''The Case of the Phantom Prototype'', by [[Eric Nylund]] – Paladin Blake must fly a top-secret aircraft into the Mojave Desert.
*''"The Manchurian Gambit'', by Michael B. Lee – Jonathan "Genghis" Kahn, the leader of the Red Skull Legion pirate gang, rescues a lady in distress and fights air battles from Manhattan to Manchuria with, surprisingly, no plunder in sight.
*''Bayou Blues'', by Nancy Berman and Eric S. Trautmann – Nathan Zachary and his "Fortune Hunters" square off against a Cajun sky-thief, a crooked businessman, and a pair of star-crossed lovers in a high-stakes, high-altitude con game.

==See also==
* ''[[Crimson: Steam Pirates]]'', a mobile game developed by Weisman owned studio bearing stylistic and plot similarities to the ''Crimson Skies'' universe.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Broida |first1=Rick |title=Best iPad game you've never tried: Crimson: Steam Pirates |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/best-ipad-game-youve-never-tried-crimson-steam-pirates/ |publisher=[[CNET]] |access-date=26 August 2022 |date=26 September 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Squires |first1=Jim |title=Crimson: Steam Pirates Preview |url=https://www.gamezebo.com/upcoming/crimson-steam-pirates-preview/?__rmid=lyne-review-384306630.html |website=[[Gamezebo]] |access-date=26 August 2022 |date=23 August 2011}}</ref>
* ''[[Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow]]'', a film that bears stylistic and plot similarities to the ''Crimson Skies'' universe.<ref>{{cite web
 | title       = Sky Captain And the World of Crimson Skies
 | url         = http://pulp.mindchamber.net/article.php?article=9
 | access-date  = April 17, 2009
 | url-status     = dead
 | archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20071204055354/http://pulp.mindchamber.net/article.php?article=9
 | archive-date = December 4, 2007
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
 | last = Schorn
 | first = Peter
 | title = Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow
 | date = 22 January 2005
 | url=http://dvd.ign.com/articles/582/582095p1.html
 | access-date = April 17, 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web
 | title = Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge – Second Opinion
 | url=http://www.gamecritics.com/node/2656
 | access-date = April 17, 2009 }}</ref>
* ''[[Dark Void]]'', a spiritual successor developed by former FASA Studio members.

==Notes and references==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://firedrake.org/roger/csarchive/ MIRROR SITE of the ''Crimson Skies'' official site]

{{Xbox Game Studios}}

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