Inspirations found in Black Plague

[jammer]

i've found some very strong references to the other games and movies throughout the game. let me point out some:

- getting into our nightmare reminds a lot the reality change in silent hill
- lady's voice explaining the rules, left messages and so on remind me beloved system shock 2
- dogs' yard is a perfect copy of the one from carpenter's 'thing'! i was really impressed since i love this movie the general cold atmosphere also brings back memories from the movie

have you found any other associations?

[Kedjane]

Yeah, the nightmare reeked Silent Hill long way - and after you got out of it at least I had a real Silent Hill feeling - which is good. In gamer-laungage "Silent Hill atmosphere" is the best possible atmosphere in a horror game, and for a while Black Plague really had it for me.
The System Shock 2 reference really is weak, and hardly only in System Shock 2.
The movie being set in an arctic landscape and having dogs was probably inspired by The Thing, yeah, that was the one that struck me already in Overture. Sometimes I wish they would remake the old The Thing game.

The Silent Hill and The Thing I think are the only associations I've found. The artifacts remind me slightly of the movie Desperation but I can't think of alot else.

EDIT:
Yay! Viva La Penumbra! 260's the charm.

[Thaliur]

jammer Wrote:- lady's voice explaining the rules, left messages and so on remind me beloved system shock 2

This part reminded me more of Portal. Especially the rules themaselves ("Dead workers are inefficient workers")

[jammer]

Kedjane Wrote:In gamer-laungage "Silent Hill atmosphere" is the best possible atmosphere in a horror game, and for a while Black Plague really had it for me.

to be honest, black plague creeped me out much more than sh series silent hill was scary at the beginning (sh2 was the first one i played an imho the best of the series) but later i found it rather eerie and confusing rather than geuinely scary and making your heart beating twice as normal still i love sh series in terms of good scare my all times is system shock 2, right then black plague and later stalker

[Kedjane]

Thaliur Wrote:

jammer Wrote:- lady's voice explaining the rules, left messages and so on remind me beloved system shock 2

This part reminded me more of Portal. Especially the rules themaselves ("Dead workers are inefficient workers")

Yes, the dark (pitch black) humor is lovely in Portal. Only the bit in the beginning worked in Black Plague - and well, Clarence attempts to make you kill yourself are quite amusing. "I think he's all claim now, why don't you open the door and see?"

jammer Wrote:

Kedjane Wrote:In gamer-laungage "Silent Hill atmosphere" is the best possible atmosphere in a horror game, and for a while Black Plague really had it for me.

to be honest, black plague creeped me out much more than sh series silent hill was scary at the beginning (sh2 was the first one i played an imho the best of the series) but later i found it rather eerie and confusing rather than geuinely scary and making your heart beating twice as normal still i love sh series in terms of good scare my all times is system shock 2, right then black plague and later stalker

Well, at their time Silent Hill and Silent Hill 2 were considered great. Nowadays, they've really aged. Hopefully Silent Hill V will change it, but I doubt it.

[NemaN]

in black plague there are references to H.P. Lovecrafts works like Cthulhu mythos like the Aunt Cthulhu chicken soup and i think there was a book in the library called necronomicon also H.P. Lovecrafts book.

[Penumbra]

Well, towards the beggining of Black Plague I kept thinking that it was like I Am Legend.

[NemaN]

The movie being set in an arctic landscape and having dogs was probably inspired by The Thing, yeah, that was the one that struck me already in Overture.
That's true but there is also It's a Wonderful Life movie references since Clarence was a character from that movie

[Kedjane]

Penumbra Wrote:Well, towards the beggining of Black Plague I kept thinking that it was like I Am Legend.

Well... no.

[Petike]

Well, I personally found these inspirations for the game's story, style or atmosphere :

Literature :
- the works of H. P. Lovecraft (needless to say)
- some horror short stories of E. A. Poe - e. g. The Pit and the Pendullum
- danish novelist Peter Hoeg's well known novel Smilla's Sense of Snow (1992) - a thoughtful detectivesque thriller which gradually becomes the solving of a sci-fi mystery in the wastelands of Greenland (bizzare ancient meteorite pulsing with energy, that can alter the DNA of living beings + a shady organisation wanting to use it for their own profit and power)

Film and TV :
- The Thing by John Carpenter (1982) - a brutaly great blend of alien disease, survival horror and the mystical icy deserts of Antarctica
- at least two episodes of The X Files (1. "Ice" 2. another one about an alien starship burried in Antarctica) - less frightening, but still decent arctic sci-fi horror

When it comes to inspiration taken from already existing games, the elements of gameplay in Penumbra remind me of Thief (the emphasis on stealth and luring the enemy away - the way how well it works), Silent Hill ("the horror, oh, the horror !") and System Shock (a mysterious guide you known only by his/her voice). And it is of course reminescent of a few well made mystery adventure games from different periods as well...

Well, that's my list... Good night everybody !
P.S. And don't forget your glowstick, flashlight and spare batteries when you go to bed... ;-)