development on the coaster began in "1994/95". when theme park designer john wardley designs the idea of a dive coaster as to be a successor to his 1994 coaster nemesis. he realised that the coaster was too ambitious for its time. so wardley waited until the "1997/98" to test out his new machine. the first design of the ride was oblivion at alton towers, opened in 14 march 1998.