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Unknown's scares
Power_Infinity Offline
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#1
Unknown's scares

I hope Unknown continues the Penumbra-esque type of horror built around atmospheric suspense and dread. I don't want Unknown to use any cheap "boo!" scares that games like Doom 3 use. A monster popping out of the dark right in front of you all the time gets old fast. Suspenseful fear is difficult to create, but incredibly deep.
09-25-2009, 11:16 AM
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Sexbad Offline
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#2
RE: Unknown's scares

Oddly enough, Doom 3 was the only other game I've played that was able to scare me, but not through the monster closets, and much, much more by the environment and all the ambient noise that made it feel like the place was falling apart around me. Monster closets are of course a giant negatory for Unknown.

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09-25-2009, 11:42 AM
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graykin Offline
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#3
RE: Unknown's scares

Monster closets aren't necessarily a BAD thing...as long as it makes actual sense. I mean, technically, there IS a monster closet in Black Plague...

Spoiler below!
In that bathroom area outside the medical center (If I remember correctly). You pass by it the first time, hearing noises, like someone was rummaging through something. The next time you come out, the door bursts open and out pops a Tuurngait, making you jump and run with shear terror. It's not just a plain ol' rectangular room like the ol' Doom monster closets, and its not filled with hoardes of the Tuurngait for absolutely no reason. The presence of the Tuurngait in that room, although not fully understood, is entirely believable

So monster closets aren't all bad...just as long as it isn't filled with them, and as long as the logic behind the monster closet is sound.

09-25-2009, 03:42 PM
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Power_Infinity Offline
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#4
RE: Unknown's scares

Doom 3 had some good atmosphere, don't get me wrong. But it had too many boo scares as well. Dead Space was the same way. A great game, but often featured monsters leaping out of nowhere right next to the player. Once I discovered how regular those scares were, I was prepared for them and both games lost a chunk of their scariness. I had some of my greatest scares ever in Penumbra where I knew the danger was near me, but couldn't see it (or was running for my life lol).

On another note, I hope Unknown has no weapons. My first time through Overture, I found myself hunting down all the zombie dogs and killing them with my pickaxe. But in Black Plague it was a whole different story. I was constantly terrified because I couldn't kill everything at will. Only specific monster traps would save me. It was awesome like that Smile
(This post was last modified: 09-26-2009, 02:31 AM by iliaarpad.)
09-26-2009, 02:30 AM
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graykin Offline
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#5
RE: Unknown's scares

The FG guys have mentioned, at least in older posts, that Unknown is going to have some form of combat. They haven't mentioned specifics, but the plan is to give you some kind of defense whilst trying real hard to make it so you won't just plow through everything in your path. How well this will work out remains to be seen; I'm sure they've learned something from Overture to make combat work only as a last resort. But I agree that the weaponless method in Black Plague definitely increased the scare factor.

09-26-2009, 03:48 AM
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Sexbad Offline
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#6
RE: Unknown's scares

I believe that Dead Space not only faulted because of monster closets, or rather, monster ventilation shafts, but more to the fact that it resorted to try to scare the player with technical limitations. You walk slowly, you run slowly, you turn (fucking awfully) slowly, and the camera is extremely limited. The scares constantly consisted of backing you up into a corner, locking all doors saying there was some sort of contamination, and then throwing hordes of enemies at you while you move so slowly that you can't even aim. Parts that were supposed to be scary were only frustrating to me and I consider it one of the worst games ever. (Plus the voice acting reminded me of Scott Bakula)

Penumbra, on the other hand, portrays you as a human being, with all the head-bob and perspective and strength perfect for a skinny English professor, and instead of introducing some sort of technical limitation, it introduces realistic limitations about how you are a badass motherfucking skinny English professor. As said before, the one monster closet people can remember is tangible, and most of the plot devices don't suck (though that maze with the security cameras was bordering on silly, but I do consider the encounter with the Tuurngait before it the scariest part). I found Overture's clunky combat controls nice, and it is probably how I would be able to attack things down there if suicide was out of the question (against the rules, eh?).

No defense is really cool, but I'm open to certain things that would probably have less of an emotional impact but still maintain "holy shit."

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09-26-2009, 05:31 AM
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Kedjane Offline
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#7
RE: Unknown's scares

I still haven't played through Doom 3, only once with noclip thoughout the entire game. Fuck that game is scary, too scary in fact. I didn't find Dead Space that scary, but I haven't played it through. In fact I think I'm going to sit down with Dead Space tonight before I forget the plot, I think I know how to get past the place I got stuck in last winter.

Anyhow, jump-scares are pretty much the only scares nowadays. When gaming was relatively new it was scarier and thanks to poor graphics and not clearly seeing things on the screen for example the Silent Hill series turned very scary - in fact for the same reason Doom 3 is scary, it's dark and the whole "fear for the unknown" kicks in. But nowadays we're completely spoiled and when a game gets too dark or too scary we moan about it and developers no longer dare to make games like back in the day.
Perhaps it's just me, but I haven't felt actual fear in a game in ages. Games are too bright, too clear, you always know what's going to happen and where you're going to go etc.

Worst regards, Kejdane.
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09-26-2009, 09:24 AM
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Power_Infinity Offline
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#8
RE: Unknown's scares

Interesting point, Kedjane. I think that most devs of today just don't understand what really makes a scary game. As H.P. Lovecraft himself once said, fear of the unknown is the greatest fear mankind has. I think that's very true. Most horror games of today explain too much. Penumbra didn't and that's something I love about the game.

If Unknown does have weapons, I hope they're done like some of the weapons from a little known horror game called Nosferatu Wrath of Malachi. In that game, the player used period weapons from the late 1800s, including a single shot musket. There was a great sense of panic and fear when you saw a monster, shot, missed with your one bullet, and ran around desperately reloading for another single shot.
Frictional, PLEASE use period weapons from the 1700s if you use weapons. No machine guns, shotguns, rockets, lasers, missiles, or grenades. But really, I would prefer no weapons at all anyway Smile
09-28-2009, 08:58 AM
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Thomas Offline
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#9
RE: Unknown's scares

No lasers? Sad

*goes back to drawing board*
09-28-2009, 02:39 PM
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Sexbad Offline
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#10
RE: Unknown's scares

I do believe that it would be a very feasible idea to have something like a musket if there is to be any defense, but it would be worth it only if the ammo was scarce, the reload time was realistically long (very complex process), and some realistic ballistics were added (a little gravity and maybe wind direction).

I, however, do not support guns in Frictional games.

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09-28-2009, 08:20 PM
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