[LVL ED] How can i create a good atmosphere?

[lolboy9797]

can anyone teach me how? i'm new to making levels and all that stuff.

[junkfood2121]

Don't spam jumpscares, and make the tension build up really good untill you have one. Also don't use too many monsters.

You can refer to this thread for more info:
http://www.frictionalgames.com/forum/thread-14887.html

[lolboy9797]

(06-04-2012 02:39 PM)junkfood2121 Wrote:  Don't spam jumpscares, and make the tension build up really good untill you have one. Also don't use too many monsters.

You can refer to this thread for more info:
http://www.frictionalgames.com/forum/thread-14887.html

i was thinking lights etc. but thanks!

[Theforgot3n1]

(06-04-2012 02:42 PM)lolboy9797 Wrote:  

(06-04-2012 02:39 PM)junkfood2121 Wrote:  Don't spam jumpscares, and make the tension build up really good untill you have one. Also don't use too many monsters.

You can refer to this thread for more info:
http://www.frictionalgames.com/forum/thread-14887.html

i was thinking lights etc. but thanks!

The best tip I can give you, is to always check how they did in the original game, and then take inspiration from there.
You can learn alot by just seeing what they do.

[Traggey]

Designing a level is all about making fun gameplay and a good atmosphere.

Alot that should go into designing your levels is firstly logic, why is this barrel here? Why is this dead man on the floor, will it make sense?
Play with lighting and search around the internet for a basic course in colour knowledge, using high and low contrasted colours in the right situations is a very important thing.

So to put it simply, use logic, things need to make sense.

[SilentStriker]

Good gameplay, no jumpscares, build atmosphere with right lighting, good particles, good sound and good visual maps, a lot of detail.

[Traggey]

''No jumpscares'' NEWPNEWPNEWP! There is NOTHING wrong with jumpscares, aslong as you use them sparingly and make sure that they make sense. The Amnesia standard of ''Teleporting Naked men'' is a bad verision of a jumpscare, however things like slamming doors, falling bodies etc etc can be really great jumpscares aslong as you make a proper reason for these things to act the way they do.

[SilentStriker]

(06-04-2012 03:12 PM)Traggey Wrote:  ''No jumpscares'' NEWPNEWPNEWP! There is NOTHING wrong with jumpscares, aslong as you use them sparingly and make sure that they make sense. The Amnesia standard of ''Teleporting Naked men'' is a bad verision of a jumpscare, however things like slamming doors, falling bodies etc etc can be really great jumpscares aslong as you make a proper reason for these things to act the way they do.

Yes, sorry I wrote it wrong and quickly, Jumpscares are good if they make sense and are used right that's correct

[Acies]

I usually place the models first. Don't just spam rooms, make each room feel as if it has a purpose. It's better to spend more time on a few rooms than spending time on spamming stuff. Avoid long corridors! :>

After that I create the lighting. Remember to have stronger lights where you place items and stuff important to the player. I don't like boxlights, work mostly with pointlights. Remember to not light up the whole room completely, have some dark corners; create contrast.

After that it could be nice to place some billboards if required, as well as particle effects. Lastly place decals on walls and floors (don't go for the usual blood everywhere!). You could take some decals from here:
http://cgtextures.com/ ----> Click "Decals".

Decals are a way to avoid repetition and create a story with your environment (I usually don't bother with these :> but I model stuff so I can adapt textures etc.).


Try creating rooms with interesting shapes, use welders and don't mix models which doesn't fit together. I'd recommend creating something other than the mansionbase/castlebase --> seems like the most used assets.

Most important, Have fun!

Quality > Quantity --> One map which has a lot of time spent on it is something I value more than 3 generic castlebase maps.

You could try making an interesting sewer environment. Browse the developement assets for custom models.

[failedALIAS]

To make a good atmosphere always ask yourself, "What makes a child afraid to go to bed at night?".
The simple answer is Imagination. It allows the player to fill those dark areas (figuratively and literally) with what they fear the most. Appropriate music is also very necessary; it's what sold me in White Night.
Make the player do things they know they don't want to: descend down a dark staircase, venture into a room with a trail of blood leading in (though this is an example, remember cliques), or follow the sounds of scratching; chain rattling; etc.
Don't make things too dark. If there's going to be something scary, let it be seen. Remember that dark staircase I told you about? Well, try to add a bit of pale illumination, coming through in streaks. God, I love fucking people up with streaks.
Lastly, make sure everything makes sense. Feel free to scare the player, but always stay true to this rule. Every scare should (be fucking mature about this word) penetrate (if I see you making any rape monsters after this I will FUCKING KILL YOU) the player. Strive to not just throw the player out of their comfort zone, but make them run from it.