Custom Story suggestions/comments/general constructive criticism

[Anxt]

Unfortunately, after playing, as you say, every custom story, well, things aren't going to be new any more. Sure, there can be some original stuff. But let's face it, there is just no way to make everything completely unique. And I understand where you are coming from on the jump scares bit, but again, someone like me who works with the engine and editors every day is just not affected by the atmosphere anymore. Really, I'm not. So the only way that people who have become numb to the atmosphere will be scared is to surprise them.

Everything is going to be cliche after playing the custom stories out there. Locked door, hidden key, moving bookcase, etc. There is only so much one can do to make things completely original, and even then, it won't be original in a few weeks once everyone else decides to do it.

So, again, I understand where you are coming from on the majority of your points, but the fact is, we aren't professional game developers here. Most of us are limited by what the game already has, like entities and items and their own little functions. Those who make their own models have the ability to do things never before seen.

There are, of course, the unforgivables such as flickering walls every 3 feet, things not making sense (like using a glass jar on a door to unlock it, or stabbing a bookcase with a knife to make a door open, random things like that), monsters spawning every 3 feet to the point of becoming an annoyance, etc. But don't hold the custom story makers to such a high standard. The majority of them are only doing it for fun in their free time, like myself. Not every map is a masterpiece. Not everyone really cares to take things to the level of detail that Frictional did.

But that's just my opinion on the subject. I realize you are trying to be constructive, but this is simply a hobby for most people, so they just do things the way they want. Nothing wrong with a thread like this, just try not to make others feel bad if they make their story with the elements you described above.