Scaring people sh*tless....
by Aaron Weingartner · in Game Design and Creative Issues · 06/03/2007 (9:45 pm) · 23 replies
Oki, so I am not a programmer....or 3d artist...or anything else particularly helpful to actually making the game...BUT! I do have a concept! And am working on a story and the research necessary....slowly....It's hard to convince a psychiatrist that I'm not crazy when talking about insanity...
Any-who. I was wondering if anyone liked this idea, there's one particular aspect of gameplay that I'm not really willing to share, but if I can get a team together and make the game then they will surely know. :P
Demens-Sanitas (dementia-sanity in latin...cheesy, I know >.> but I like it dammit!)
This is more or less just a horror game, purely with my personal attempt of seeing just how far you can push a player before they truly question their own sanity.
Plot: (not groundbreaking here, just trying to find something technically plausible) Recently a scientist working for the military has happened upon a virus that at it's most basic form causes insanity, but also evolves rapidly and can incorporate aspects of other viruses, bacteria, and some chemicals to form a new unique form of the base virus. A facility designed as a mental asylum was built to house 'patients' as test subjects in order to examine the virus and it's possible uses as well as how to control it.
Mistakenly the virus came into contact with airborne bacteria and mutated to spread throughout the facility through the ventilation and other means, infecting all within.
The facility is quickly put on lock-down while the local police are alerted of strange noises and screams from within the facility.
As people go insane inside, the original scientist discovers his own form of insanity, holding a strong desire to break free and infect the world.
Player's view: The player starts as a patient who only has the beginning form of the virus. Their initial goal is to discover what's going on and why they are stuck inside the facility. As the game progresses they learn about the virus and how it affects people, and themselves, and must get to work trying to subdue the virus long enough to escape the facility. This task becomes increasingly difficult as the NPCs around them become more insane and dangerous, their own level of insanity constantly increasing so they have to fend off their imagination, and they also learn of the scientist's intention to escape and spread the virus which means they are in a footrace to escape and warn the world of the scientist's intentions (which in the current iteration of the story, you actually fail at...).
To keep things unpredictable, people around you will have variable amounts of time it takes them to go totally mad, so can never trust when they will stop saving you and start trying to eat you or think you're a giant killer koala.
Your player as well is always becoming more and more crazy, and it become harder to discern what is real and not real in terms of where you are and what is going on. You may eventually come to a point where everyone looks like some kinda inanimate object if you aren't careful to how your character is behaving. o.0
More to come when I can think.....
Any-who. I was wondering if anyone liked this idea, there's one particular aspect of gameplay that I'm not really willing to share, but if I can get a team together and make the game then they will surely know. :P
Demens-Sanitas (dementia-sanity in latin...cheesy, I know >.> but I like it dammit!)
This is more or less just a horror game, purely with my personal attempt of seeing just how far you can push a player before they truly question their own sanity.
Plot: (not groundbreaking here, just trying to find something technically plausible) Recently a scientist working for the military has happened upon a virus that at it's most basic form causes insanity, but also evolves rapidly and can incorporate aspects of other viruses, bacteria, and some chemicals to form a new unique form of the base virus. A facility designed as a mental asylum was built to house 'patients' as test subjects in order to examine the virus and it's possible uses as well as how to control it.
Mistakenly the virus came into contact with airborne bacteria and mutated to spread throughout the facility through the ventilation and other means, infecting all within.
The facility is quickly put on lock-down while the local police are alerted of strange noises and screams from within the facility.
As people go insane inside, the original scientist discovers his own form of insanity, holding a strong desire to break free and infect the world.
Player's view: The player starts as a patient who only has the beginning form of the virus. Their initial goal is to discover what's going on and why they are stuck inside the facility. As the game progresses they learn about the virus and how it affects people, and themselves, and must get to work trying to subdue the virus long enough to escape the facility. This task becomes increasingly difficult as the NPCs around them become more insane and dangerous, their own level of insanity constantly increasing so they have to fend off their imagination, and they also learn of the scientist's intention to escape and spread the virus which means they are in a footrace to escape and warn the world of the scientist's intentions (which in the current iteration of the story, you actually fail at...).
To keep things unpredictable, people around you will have variable amounts of time it takes them to go totally mad, so can never trust when they will stop saving you and start trying to eat you or think you're a giant killer koala.
Your player as well is always becoming more and more crazy, and it become harder to discern what is real and not real in terms of where you are and what is going on. You may eventually come to a point where everyone looks like some kinda inanimate object if you aren't careful to how your character is behaving. o.0
More to come when I can think.....
About the author
#2
Read/watch "One Flew Over The Cucoo's Nest" for some good reference material!
Just some kind criticizm for you! I have plans for a sanity-based game but it's quite far off and it focuses on both the player's and the character's sanity and emotions as a weapon. Feel free to check out what I have posted on it in my projects page.
Understand me though, you do have an intriguing concept!
- Ronixus
06/04/2007 (1:43 am)
Kind of interesting, it'd probably make for a better full-blown book/movie rather than a game seeing as you have to retain your sanity (which means not only a more linear atmosphere but less action and killing). Besides, though an asylum sounds like an interesting environment, it's not anything too captivating and, in terms of realism, it's actually a very boring and secure place. The terrifying atmosphere is definitly there though (a good example of it used well enough in a game is Redneck Rampage). The game Alice was similar in overall concept but it sucked! As for your idea, maybe some measure of entering the situation (being brought there) could help achieve a smoother transition, and some work on creating a more active gameplay situation within and/or around your overall plot could spice it up to a more player active game design.Read/watch "One Flew Over The Cucoo's Nest" for some good reference material!
Just some kind criticizm for you! I have plans for a sanity-based game but it's quite far off and it focuses on both the player's and the character's sanity and emotions as a weapon. Feel free to check out what I have posted on it in my projects page.
Understand me though, you do have an intriguing concept!
- Ronixus
#3
And I had originally considered making it a movie, but I really wanted to have the person watching to have more attachment to what is going on. As said I'm also trying to test just how far you can push the player's sanity. >:)
As for the asylum atmosphere. I was thinking it may be a good choice because how flate it's design is as a base. Simpler underlying design means that the subtle effects of the dementia as well as the more dramatic ones can have a much wider impact on the player because they don't compete with an environment that may be a little too much. I was considering however to add unique things like Escher drawings, the slanted paintings that look like the people's eyes are following you, puzzles that mess with people's eyes, and curiosities like a vase that just ever so slightly of which ends up making people stare at it trying to figure out why it doesn't look right (actually an interesting thing that hapens there, because we assume the general shape of a vase in our mind, when it's barely off we end up glazing over the flaw in the actual object, but still perceive that something is off o.0). Then I could always do the things like mostly clean walls with dirt piled up in the corner or broken through walls and such.
My full intention is that an overlying layer which would be the players dementia would end up influencing and adding greater depth to the world in unpredictable ways.
I was thinking of adding a short thing before the actual game start a little intro where you hear a bit of info about the asylum, and take an interview with a psychiatrist before they tell you to wait for processing, at which point eiher you get drugged and dragged off, or the facility is put on lockdown.
When ya got a locked facility and everyone's nuts I dun think that secure feel lasts very long... :D
EDIT: One of the main things Iv'e been considering with this game is how to be innovative in a game where so many things have been done to death. Trying to add something unique to the game as far as physical things there really isn't much left to exploer. :P So I'm currently taking the approach of 'wat can I add on a psychological level?'.
That being said, my current plan is to make it so the characters have an extra level to their AI and behavior patterns based entirely around their state of mind, this will also transition over to the player's character and will effect things visually as well as tweaking the controls depending on the situation. What I'm aiming for is to make it so there's a second variable layer to the game that can change the entire feel of the game not only from each time you boot it up, but that constantly morphs as you progress deeper into the game and your madness.
06/04/2007 (8:35 am)
Seen the movie for Cucoo's Nest. ^_^And I had originally considered making it a movie, but I really wanted to have the person watching to have more attachment to what is going on. As said I'm also trying to test just how far you can push the player's sanity. >:)
As for the asylum atmosphere. I was thinking it may be a good choice because how flate it's design is as a base. Simpler underlying design means that the subtle effects of the dementia as well as the more dramatic ones can have a much wider impact on the player because they don't compete with an environment that may be a little too much. I was considering however to add unique things like Escher drawings, the slanted paintings that look like the people's eyes are following you, puzzles that mess with people's eyes, and curiosities like a vase that just ever so slightly of which ends up making people stare at it trying to figure out why it doesn't look right (actually an interesting thing that hapens there, because we assume the general shape of a vase in our mind, when it's barely off we end up glazing over the flaw in the actual object, but still perceive that something is off o.0). Then I could always do the things like mostly clean walls with dirt piled up in the corner or broken through walls and such.
My full intention is that an overlying layer which would be the players dementia would end up influencing and adding greater depth to the world in unpredictable ways.
I was thinking of adding a short thing before the actual game start a little intro where you hear a bit of info about the asylum, and take an interview with a psychiatrist before they tell you to wait for processing, at which point eiher you get drugged and dragged off, or the facility is put on lockdown.
When ya got a locked facility and everyone's nuts I dun think that secure feel lasts very long... :D
EDIT: One of the main things Iv'e been considering with this game is how to be innovative in a game where so many things have been done to death. Trying to add something unique to the game as far as physical things there really isn't much left to exploer. :P So I'm currently taking the approach of 'wat can I add on a psychological level?'.
That being said, my current plan is to make it so the characters have an extra level to their AI and behavior patterns based entirely around their state of mind, this will also transition over to the player's character and will effect things visually as well as tweaking the controls depending on the situation. What I'm aiming for is to make it so there's a second variable layer to the game that can change the entire feel of the game not only from each time you boot it up, but that constantly morphs as you progress deeper into the game and your madness.
#4
Breaking that fourth wall is something that you will have to deal with if you plan on pushing the player's sanity. The Guinea Pig films from Japan did something similar for film, only it was an extension of how far the viewer could watch. 70's Italian exploitation horror worked in a similar vein. Usually, however, the viewer was rarely more than squeamish.
You need to find a way for your players to invest themselves in the world and then figure out how change their investment. The environments in Fatal Frame, Silent Hill, and Kuon were excellent at this, but the gameplay mechanics (camera, slow running, strange item/spell system) often got in the way of the atmosphere. Of course, it made them better games than simple creepy virtual environments.
06/04/2007 (8:51 am)
I think the closest thing that "played with the player's sanity" were things like the BSOD or memory card erase screens from Eternal Darkness between rooms. It broke the fourth wall of gaming, throwing what most people call immersion and such to the wind, but it actually had you going "WHAT THE HELL?" the first time it happened.Breaking that fourth wall is something that you will have to deal with if you plan on pushing the player's sanity. The Guinea Pig films from Japan did something similar for film, only it was an extension of how far the viewer could watch. 70's Italian exploitation horror worked in a similar vein. Usually, however, the viewer was rarely more than squeamish.
You need to find a way for your players to invest themselves in the world and then figure out how change their investment. The environments in Fatal Frame, Silent Hill, and Kuon were excellent at this, but the gameplay mechanics (camera, slow running, strange item/spell system) often got in the way of the atmosphere. Of course, it made them better games than simple creepy virtual environments.
#5
The concept of player immersion is actually what I am trying to address with another system which I just don't really feel like sharing until I have my research on it done. :P Let's just say I'm trying to get into your head.
06/04/2007 (9:48 am)
Was hoping to have as interactive of gameplay as possible in terms of picking up anything and either throwing or trying to beat someone with it. Would prolly play close to a slow-medium paced tactical fps.The concept of player immersion is actually what I am trying to address with another system which I just don't really feel like sharing until I have my research on it done. :P Let's just say I'm trying to get into your head.
#6
06/04/2007 (12:50 pm)
Pick up Penumbra. It's physics interaction with the environment is a few score million times more immersive than pick-up/throw systems ala Dead Rising. It didn't make DR any less fun, but the way in which they worked it, worked...better...for me in Penumbra. Of course, you could take a similar route and go with Cthulhu Dark Corners of the Earth, and have threatening interactive environments. Of course, after escaping from the hotel, everyone I know was horribly pissed at the dev staff... Mostly because it was so linear, so particular, and had irritatingly small triggers (say targeting the lock on the door rather than the door itself to open it and let the ax-wielding throng inside).
#7
When I said secure, I meant locked-down! There is no secure feeling to an asylum (albeit Final Destination 2, lol)! ;)
It's tough trying to involve players in gameplay that is based on keeping sanity instead of losing it unless you can achieve a realative balance with both the story and the player that the player will conform to. In your game, the player is supposed to retain that sanity (I'm assuming) as it's being lost throughout the game. Most players will immediately want to just run around and kill everything! The key to achieving this is to envelop the player into the character's presumed state of mind before they gain control and take it into their own hands. A balance is required or they will run off from their goals or ignore them completely, hence my comment on the linear aspect of your game. What will enable your audience to conform to the story and the rules?
With Eternal Darkness, most interaction is with objects and enemies untill later on. Your game assumes that, considering the setting, orderlies are niether friend nor foe and you are confined or detained in some fashion. Now who going to want to abide by those rules in a game?! It seems this may mess with your head quicker than you can mess with anyone else's!
Just a heads up!
- Ronixus
btw, if you want, I can share with you some things I'm planning with Mouxhim!
06/04/2007 (5:12 pm)
Quote:
When ya got a locked facility and everyone's nuts I dun think that secure feel lasts very long... :D
When I said secure, I meant locked-down! There is no secure feeling to an asylum (albeit Final Destination 2, lol)! ;)
It's tough trying to involve players in gameplay that is based on keeping sanity instead of losing it unless you can achieve a realative balance with both the story and the player that the player will conform to. In your game, the player is supposed to retain that sanity (I'm assuming) as it's being lost throughout the game. Most players will immediately want to just run around and kill everything! The key to achieving this is to envelop the player into the character's presumed state of mind before they gain control and take it into their own hands. A balance is required or they will run off from their goals or ignore them completely, hence my comment on the linear aspect of your game. What will enable your audience to conform to the story and the rules?
With Eternal Darkness, most interaction is with objects and enemies untill later on. Your game assumes that, considering the setting, orderlies are niether friend nor foe and you are confined or detained in some fashion. Now who going to want to abide by those rules in a game?! It seems this may mess with your head quicker than you can mess with anyone else's!
Just a heads up!
- Ronixus
btw, if you want, I can share with you some things I'm planning with Mouxhim!
#8
I assumed to make a beginning section to setup the back story and concept of the game for players actually take control anyways, I'm not one for dropping people in the middle of nowhere with a spoon and saying "Have at it!". o.0
I was taking the approach as well that when you first gain control most people are still acting normal as well, it's only as time progresses for a little while that things start going freaky on the player. The virus is progressive, so it doesn't just hit the people like a freight train, which helps with the game mechanics of weaning the player into the game and getting accustomed to the controls and how to interact or react to the people around them. And yeah they are stuck in the facility, but that's kinda part of the plot with them breaking out, they ain't in any kinda straitjacket(though I think it would be fun to run around head butt people while in a straitjacket...).
Would be interesting to hear some of your concepts. :)
06/04/2007 (6:25 pm)
The main point of my game with the sanity system I'm really not willing to explain right now. I still have to interview some psychiatrists, patients, and medical experts at some mental institutes first to make sure my concept works right. so ya gotta wait on that main enabler. :PI assumed to make a beginning section to setup the back story and concept of the game for players actually take control anyways, I'm not one for dropping people in the middle of nowhere with a spoon and saying "Have at it!". o.0
I was taking the approach as well that when you first gain control most people are still acting normal as well, it's only as time progresses for a little while that things start going freaky on the player. The virus is progressive, so it doesn't just hit the people like a freight train, which helps with the game mechanics of weaning the player into the game and getting accustomed to the controls and how to interact or react to the people around them. And yeah they are stuck in the facility, but that's kinda part of the plot with them breaking out, they ain't in any kinda straitjacket(though I think it would be fun to run around head butt people while in a straitjacket...).
Would be interesting to hear some of your concepts. :)
#9
I didn't think you would just drop players in, but that wasn't quite what I was talking about, either. I was talking about what fundemental gameplay mechanics will immerse the player into a sense of actually being there as opposed to just playing another FPS. Besides, a spoon wouldn't work, it has to be a spork!
Uh, what is normal in a mental institution anyways?! Remember, things should already be wierd! You have the guys that seem sane enough to be normal that just have a couple of slightly noticable quirks, then you have the rest which range from the guy who's always angry and upset about something to the guy that fears everything, to the guy that fears everything he thinks is there, to the guy that screams every five minutes (not to leave out the everywhere masterbator)! That, sad to say, is normal!
Don't forget the slightly insane staff! ;)
So, why are the police called again? I thought this was a disguised illegal laboratory?! Besides, the screams should be considered normal! It would take a death (in the form of at least a murder) to get the cops out there, and I'm guessing from the special research that that wouldn't happen.
Psychology is a very touchy subject in any form of media and you'll have to have much more of an understanding of cause and effect on the human psyche as well as institutional activities than what you have so far. Just being honest! :D
You were on the right track with the interactivity though! Details are very important in a thinking game such as this.
In my game Mouxhim, every detail is important, from the first dimension to the fifth and then some! My design will utilize the very nature of both the character and the player, cohesively and within an almost entirely non-linear environment, all story driven and involving an innumerable amount of circumstances and emotional interactivity. Read: lot's of testing!! Now you know why it's so far off! ;)
At the centre of Mouxhim's gameplay, characters are an interesting form of superhero, their powers evolving through both time and emotion. After I created the initial design elements I eventually saw a movie that captured a fraction of the gameplay - The Butterfly Effect! One of the other aspects of the game involve altering past events the main characters have already experienced, inspired by the Final Destination movies! In short, this title will be able to claim it plays the player!
Is your head sore yet? ;)
- Ronixus
06/04/2007 (8:45 pm)
Make sure you converse with the lowly orderlies and staff at those places as well and reflect on their experiences as being more honest in comparison to the so-called "experts" and psychiatrists (they have less to hide and less of a reputation to uphold, lol).I didn't think you would just drop players in, but that wasn't quite what I was talking about, either. I was talking about what fundemental gameplay mechanics will immerse the player into a sense of actually being there as opposed to just playing another FPS. Besides, a spoon wouldn't work, it has to be a spork!
Uh, what is normal in a mental institution anyways?! Remember, things should already be wierd! You have the guys that seem sane enough to be normal that just have a couple of slightly noticable quirks, then you have the rest which range from the guy who's always angry and upset about something to the guy that fears everything, to the guy that fears everything he thinks is there, to the guy that screams every five minutes (not to leave out the everywhere masterbator)! That, sad to say, is normal!
Don't forget the slightly insane staff! ;)
So, why are the police called again? I thought this was a disguised illegal laboratory?! Besides, the screams should be considered normal! It would take a death (in the form of at least a murder) to get the cops out there, and I'm guessing from the special research that that wouldn't happen.
Psychology is a very touchy subject in any form of media and you'll have to have much more of an understanding of cause and effect on the human psyche as well as institutional activities than what you have so far. Just being honest! :D
You were on the right track with the interactivity though! Details are very important in a thinking game such as this.
In my game Mouxhim, every detail is important, from the first dimension to the fifth and then some! My design will utilize the very nature of both the character and the player, cohesively and within an almost entirely non-linear environment, all story driven and involving an innumerable amount of circumstances and emotional interactivity. Read: lot's of testing!! Now you know why it's so far off! ;)
At the centre of Mouxhim's gameplay, characters are an interesting form of superhero, their powers evolving through both time and emotion. After I created the initial design elements I eventually saw a movie that captured a fraction of the gameplay - The Butterfly Effect! One of the other aspects of the game involve altering past events the main characters have already experienced, inspired by the Final Destination movies! In short, this title will be able to claim it plays the player!
Is your head sore yet? ;)
- Ronixus
#10
I wanted to keep most of what I'm trying to develop right now to myself purely because I'm still going through the design. Hoping that once it's done I can actually release it as a separate system for educational purposes as well without the game.
The police thing I was figuring because local authorities are not directly tied to federal authorities and likely aren't entirely clued in if not clued in at all to what the facility is actually doing, and it would be outside reports of what is happening. It's obvious they wouldn't send a bunch of cops down to the facility immediately, but one cop just on patrol by the place and seeing anything strange would likely alert other units, and would spread from there as they try to figure the situation out. if police do not get responses to their call attempts to the locked down facility they will likely break down to attempting to enter the facility.
As I said with my game, the people wandering about all have randomly generated dementia. As well the player has their own form of dementia.
the system I'm talking about would actually utilize a modified form of modern Psychological profiling exams based on requirements of staff and psychiatrists as well as additional questions that round out the behavior of the player. What This is doing is trying to make a profile of the player that is as exact as possible to what their real personality is, so that the game can determine what forms of dementia the player is most likely to have as well as incorporate odd quirks and phobias.
What this system is adding up to is three things. It makes a character that the player identifies and blends with very easily, letting their sense of actually being in the game be taken a step beyond an identity that's read off to them.
It also alters how the game is perceived, as like with Eternal Darkness. This will stay within the fourth wall though, as well as it will be very subjective to what kinda dementia the player has. they will see and hear things that range from ever so slightly tweaked to completely of their own mind.
The third aspect specifically tied to the player is that their character's behavioral patterns will change. Meaning if your character becomes afraid his movements may falter, or just stand frozen in place for a tidbit. Actual controls for the game may shift in reaction time, what they do, how effective you are at them, so on and so forth.
A related point is that since the dementia is also progressive. What happens within the game is that no matter what the virus is always getting worse at a relatively slow base rate. The variable are what the player is doing, what state of mind the character is in, how much is the character being physically exerted, and such variables. These will make the dementia progress faster or slow it down. Also if the character gets startled the dementia may become severe then subside over a short time back to it's prior state and rate of progression.
As for AI, all this still applies to them too. This would be an extra layer to the AI that adds more realistic personality as well as tweaked controls and unique behavioral patterns based on their randomly generated profiles.
As far as how the people inside act, most the 'patients' there actually would likely be rather mellow mellow to begin with. If the had serious quirks initially it would be rather hard to discern the effects of the virus on the subjects. :P
I also intend to design the entire building as technically one giant sandbox. So the goal to escape could actually be fulfilled by using just a spoon (or spork if available) and a persistent player chiseling their way through the environment. but the logic of the situation is also forced on them. Their spoon will eventually and quickly break, and they will have to waste quite a long time making holes in the walls to escape through, it just wouldn't be worth the effort. The plot is designed so that players have a goal, but have many options on how to achieve the said goal, with only a few key points scripted in to push them along and keep the story/game interesting.
As said I want almost everything tied in some way to physics and be touchable and usable. Even the walls and such. Designing it so you can break and use just about all you see (the things you can't use are either impractical or part of the character's imagination...).
06/04/2007 (10:16 pm)
I almost got a degree in psychiatry before deciding on something a bit less annoying. :P I wanted to keep most of what I'm trying to develop right now to myself purely because I'm still going through the design. Hoping that once it's done I can actually release it as a separate system for educational purposes as well without the game.
The police thing I was figuring because local authorities are not directly tied to federal authorities and likely aren't entirely clued in if not clued in at all to what the facility is actually doing, and it would be outside reports of what is happening. It's obvious they wouldn't send a bunch of cops down to the facility immediately, but one cop just on patrol by the place and seeing anything strange would likely alert other units, and would spread from there as they try to figure the situation out. if police do not get responses to their call attempts to the locked down facility they will likely break down to attempting to enter the facility.
As I said with my game, the people wandering about all have randomly generated dementia. As well the player has their own form of dementia.
the system I'm talking about would actually utilize a modified form of modern Psychological profiling exams based on requirements of staff and psychiatrists as well as additional questions that round out the behavior of the player. What This is doing is trying to make a profile of the player that is as exact as possible to what their real personality is, so that the game can determine what forms of dementia the player is most likely to have as well as incorporate odd quirks and phobias.
What this system is adding up to is three things. It makes a character that the player identifies and blends with very easily, letting their sense of actually being in the game be taken a step beyond an identity that's read off to them.
It also alters how the game is perceived, as like with Eternal Darkness. This will stay within the fourth wall though, as well as it will be very subjective to what kinda dementia the player has. they will see and hear things that range from ever so slightly tweaked to completely of their own mind.
The third aspect specifically tied to the player is that their character's behavioral patterns will change. Meaning if your character becomes afraid his movements may falter, or just stand frozen in place for a tidbit. Actual controls for the game may shift in reaction time, what they do, how effective you are at them, so on and so forth.
A related point is that since the dementia is also progressive. What happens within the game is that no matter what the virus is always getting worse at a relatively slow base rate. The variable are what the player is doing, what state of mind the character is in, how much is the character being physically exerted, and such variables. These will make the dementia progress faster or slow it down. Also if the character gets startled the dementia may become severe then subside over a short time back to it's prior state and rate of progression.
As for AI, all this still applies to them too. This would be an extra layer to the AI that adds more realistic personality as well as tweaked controls and unique behavioral patterns based on their randomly generated profiles.
As far as how the people inside act, most the 'patients' there actually would likely be rather mellow mellow to begin with. If the had serious quirks initially it would be rather hard to discern the effects of the virus on the subjects. :P
I also intend to design the entire building as technically one giant sandbox. So the goal to escape could actually be fulfilled by using just a spoon (or spork if available) and a persistent player chiseling their way through the environment. but the logic of the situation is also forced on them. Their spoon will eventually and quickly break, and they will have to waste quite a long time making holes in the walls to escape through, it just wouldn't be worth the effort. The plot is designed so that players have a goal, but have many options on how to achieve the said goal, with only a few key points scripted in to push them along and keep the story/game interesting.
As said I want almost everything tied in some way to physics and be touchable and usable. Even the walls and such. Designing it so you can break and use just about all you see (the things you can't use are either impractical or part of the character's imagination...).
#12
06/05/2007 (8:25 am)
Trouble? o.0 
#13
06/05/2007 (9:52 am)
David Blake beat me to it... I was going to suggest Eternal Darkness as well. :)
#14
06/05/2007 (4:30 pm)
I found Doom 3 quite disturbing from first looking in the mirror and seeing a freakish version of oneself and then flashes of evilness through the game that just got bloodier and nastier as the game progressed as well as being quite claustrophobic in places.
#15
Go check in, you may never come out, and no one will know the difference! I know...
As I said, you should have a much better understanding of institutional activities than what you have so far. Those places already are scaring people sh*tless!
I've appologized already. I don't mean any harm, but your idea of having fun treads on a thin line of possibly making fun. Just so you know, in reality, it isn't fun and games at all and you could be harming more than helping with your "scientific" player evaluations and profiling. I understand your willingness to do this for both entertainment- and education-wise applications, and I recognize your sincerity with your obliviousness to what I mentioned earlier, so you've done nothing wrong, only been uninformed...now you've been informed so, please, take careful precautions to your application of such things. This is why I stopped myself from creating an entire horror series of novels based on phobias, it's just too realistic to introduce to someone who could possibly be phobia-sensitive.
So, again, sorry for the trouble.
- Ronixus
06/08/2007 (2:00 am)
All I was trying to say was that, for one, those places aren't called Mad Houses for nothing, and two, the "doctors" there are responsible for much of the heightened madness of the patients - they have no intentions of helping or curing these people, only to take advantage of them. That is the truth! The authorities have no say in what goes on there, in fact they practicly consider the patients criminals, their only interaction being transport and, in cases of breakouts, recovery. What does go on in these retched places are acts of involuntary abuse, testing, and neglect. No matter the situation, patients are immediately and involuntarily placed on medication. They have no rights, less than of even convicted murderers, period. Their entire lives become comparable to lab rats and any refusal is met with strict threats of heightened abuse and neglect. The one thing they may decide on is to accept extra "treatment" and "testing" if they aren't being forced into it already. Try having someone walk up to you and ask you if you'd be willing to be a guinea pig for shock treatment, or even that your voluntary stay has been made involuntary.Go check in, you may never come out, and no one will know the difference! I know...
As I said, you should have a much better understanding of institutional activities than what you have so far. Those places already are scaring people sh*tless!
I've appologized already. I don't mean any harm, but your idea of having fun treads on a thin line of possibly making fun. Just so you know, in reality, it isn't fun and games at all and you could be harming more than helping with your "scientific" player evaluations and profiling. I understand your willingness to do this for both entertainment- and education-wise applications, and I recognize your sincerity with your obliviousness to what I mentioned earlier, so you've done nothing wrong, only been uninformed...now you've been informed so, please, take careful precautions to your application of such things. This is why I stopped myself from creating an entire horror series of novels based on phobias, it's just too realistic to introduce to someone who could possibly be phobia-sensitive.
So, again, sorry for the trouble.
- Ronixus
#16
06/08/2007 (6:30 am)
Wow. I just had a Xenu moment.
#17
I like the concept and there's obviously some deep thought in this, but here's a few polishing thoughts. Constructive, not any criticism:
Plot - Two things, viruses and government conspiracies, both way overdone. Doesn't mean you can't stick by this, but just, twist it a bit. Like, perhaps the asylum only appears to be an asylum, and is actually run by some cult that brings about the wrath of their god or demon or whatnot, and that wrath happens to be a virus-like plague that is their own undoing. Or perhaps the virus is a symbionic organism that can bind to any host it chooses, both contaminating his breath, saliva, and blood, and also rendering any rival infected as something that is just slightly not human. Could be changes barely noticable to the human eye, like missing one ear or an eye being lower than the other, or being slightly glowy and translucent. Of course being twisted farther the more fearful the virus is for its survival. Therefore enabling a unique low-health mode, where the weaker you are, the more things the virus gets paranoid of, making you render even inanimate things in a threatening sense, like a desk chair could appear to be a bleeding brain-hungry zombie if it caught the virus off-gaurd. So basically, the lower your health, the more paranoid the virus, the more f**ked up the world appears to be. Or something. Just make it truly original.
Horror - A few things to remember about horror. There are three types of horror: the "jump-out-WHA-THA-HELL-IS-THAT-? type horror, the "...wha..t....t.he....helll.....is going....on...here??..." type horror, and the "she's sweet and cute and scared... WAIT! I DONT WANT TO LOSE HER!!" type horror. Emotion can create a sense of attachment, therefore enabling the player to feel the manifestation of his avatar's emotions, becoming attached, suffering loss, or the intensity of saving someone who they don't want to die (kill them anyway >:D ) , which in this hightened stage of emotion, are more vulnerable to the other two forms, the perfectly quiet hallway, and a door just creaks open a crack, and then the final form of horror: make the player feel safe, but unsure: those of us who played silent hill 4, reflect back to the room itself. Your main resting point between levels, harmless in and of itself. But if it weren't for that ghost sense, the returning to hear a baby crying, and then later see it growing out of your walls??? not threatening, but very scary.
Gameplay - If your serious about creating this into a game, if your going with more horror than action, flame is way overused. Unless, of course, again, you twist it. Make a truly unique gameplay mechanism. For example, the handgun (or flamethrower) that you just started to rely on to feel safe, suddenly is considered a threat and rendered in a distorted sense. Like your brain just starts to imagin the metal melting and remorphing to where the gun muzzle twists to point back towards you, and if you fire, in this f**ked up state, the game clips to a special ending where you were actually just crazy and took your own life like any "normal" crazy person. Or something.
So, in summary: Resident Evil, Area 51, 28 Days Later, and many others have already taken the virus thing too far. To avoid being generalized in this "oh, another rage virus" category, just change it up a bit. That's if your truly going for horror, and not just action/gore, in which case Resident Evil and Area 51 are fine examples. Secondly, make it original because a familiar setting won't be nearly as horrifying as something a player has never seen or experienced before. Humans fear the unknown. It's a psychological loop, so never reveal the plot too early. If a closet door rattles, and the player opens it, killing or discovering the strange creature that was trying to get out, this is good for a quick thrill. But for horror, never let the player open that door. They will forever wonder what the f**k that was.
Hope this helps.
~Jace
Oh a quick note about that "never let them open the door"... if they do, make it MUCH later in the game, and let it be a cute fuzzy bunny. That will screw with some heads. ;)
06/08/2007 (1:01 pm)
As an experienced writer, and having developed a few unique horror games, here's a few unique ideas I thought I'd throw your way to improve your concept.I like the concept and there's obviously some deep thought in this, but here's a few polishing thoughts. Constructive, not any criticism:
Plot - Two things, viruses and government conspiracies, both way overdone. Doesn't mean you can't stick by this, but just, twist it a bit. Like, perhaps the asylum only appears to be an asylum, and is actually run by some cult that brings about the wrath of their god or demon or whatnot, and that wrath happens to be a virus-like plague that is their own undoing. Or perhaps the virus is a symbionic organism that can bind to any host it chooses, both contaminating his breath, saliva, and blood, and also rendering any rival infected as something that is just slightly not human. Could be changes barely noticable to the human eye, like missing one ear or an eye being lower than the other, or being slightly glowy and translucent. Of course being twisted farther the more fearful the virus is for its survival. Therefore enabling a unique low-health mode, where the weaker you are, the more things the virus gets paranoid of, making you render even inanimate things in a threatening sense, like a desk chair could appear to be a bleeding brain-hungry zombie if it caught the virus off-gaurd. So basically, the lower your health, the more paranoid the virus, the more f**ked up the world appears to be. Or something. Just make it truly original.
Horror - A few things to remember about horror. There are three types of horror: the "jump-out-WHA-THA-HELL-IS-THAT-? type horror, the "...wha..t....t.he....helll.....is going....on...here??..." type horror, and the "she's sweet and cute and scared... WAIT! I DONT WANT TO LOSE HER!!" type horror. Emotion can create a sense of attachment, therefore enabling the player to feel the manifestation of his avatar's emotions, becoming attached, suffering loss, or the intensity of saving someone who they don't want to die (kill them anyway >:D ) , which in this hightened stage of emotion, are more vulnerable to the other two forms, the perfectly quiet hallway, and a door just creaks open a crack, and then the final form of horror: make the player feel safe, but unsure: those of us who played silent hill 4, reflect back to the room itself. Your main resting point between levels, harmless in and of itself. But if it weren't for that ghost sense, the returning to hear a baby crying, and then later see it growing out of your walls??? not threatening, but very scary.
Gameplay - If your serious about creating this into a game, if your going with more horror than action, flame is way overused. Unless, of course, again, you twist it. Make a truly unique gameplay mechanism. For example, the handgun (or flamethrower) that you just started to rely on to feel safe, suddenly is considered a threat and rendered in a distorted sense. Like your brain just starts to imagin the metal melting and remorphing to where the gun muzzle twists to point back towards you, and if you fire, in this f**ked up state, the game clips to a special ending where you were actually just crazy and took your own life like any "normal" crazy person. Or something.
So, in summary: Resident Evil, Area 51, 28 Days Later, and many others have already taken the virus thing too far. To avoid being generalized in this "oh, another rage virus" category, just change it up a bit. That's if your truly going for horror, and not just action/gore, in which case Resident Evil and Area 51 are fine examples. Secondly, make it original because a familiar setting won't be nearly as horrifying as something a player has never seen or experienced before. Humans fear the unknown. It's a psychological loop, so never reveal the plot too early. If a closet door rattles, and the player opens it, killing or discovering the strange creature that was trying to get out, this is good for a quick thrill. But for horror, never let the player open that door. They will forever wonder what the f**k that was.
Hope this helps.
~Jace
Oh a quick note about that "never let them open the door"... if they do, make it MUCH later in the game, and let it be a cute fuzzy bunny. That will screw with some heads. ;)
#18
06/08/2007 (1:16 pm)
Then you have a game like ICO, which isn't horror per say, but i remember jumping a lot. Random things falling, attacking, blowing up, etc. Just the fun unexpected excitement.
#19
You don't have to worry about the overuse of flame or guns. I doubt there will be a flamethrower anywhere near this game as well as only a few handguns.
And Dapo I can understand your remarks, and I guess that's the reason most independent mental institutions have disappeared with federally owned mental wards that reside within the hospitals becoming the dominant facility of use. And no offense, but you sound a little conspiratorial. o.0
06/08/2007 (3:14 pm)
With the plot I was trying to give a concept that would be within the realm of scientific plausibility if not probability. I was also thinking the virus could be taken purely from the point of view that these people aren't just becoming monsters in that they are still fully cognizant and intelligent. They are suffering a slow decay or their psychological being, but remain an individual entity with their own quirks and such. :P not sure how closely related the other viruses are to that...I'll try to think up something else plausible but a bit more unique as well.You don't have to worry about the overuse of flame or guns. I doubt there will be a flamethrower anywhere near this game as well as only a few handguns.
And Dapo I can understand your remarks, and I guess that's the reason most independent mental institutions have disappeared with federally owned mental wards that reside within the hospitals becoming the dominant facility of use. And no offense, but you sound a little conspiratorial. o.0
#20
So, what was I in for you may be wondering? Attempted suicide. Being there, I was almost withheld from release because, due to a bad experience from the medication I was forced to take (two days in a row), I was going to refuse my meds...after the head quack told me there was nothing they could do to help me anyways (but they were going to keep me on pills I wasn't allowed to question). I was then threatened with IV methods of treatment, a longer stay, and asked if I would like to take part in shock treatment therapy.
My stay was supposed to be voluntary, but as you see it didn't end up that way. If I had stayed longer, well, we would never have had this conversation. My suicide attempt was due to being trapped in the first place, imagine how I felt there...
Granted, I'm pretty much back in my box now, but I'm out of the cage, so I guess this isn't so bad compared to that hell...
Ironicly, I have to thank a friend I made there, Kirby, he was my Big Indian!
I wish it was all in my head.
- Ronixus
06/09/2007 (2:03 am)
After experiencing these situations first hand, you start to see that certain media pertaining to others' experiences weren't lying either. From Patch Adams to Pink Floyd, even the Civil War Vet in Eternal Darkness, they all hint at what actually goes on in those places, and the differential of independant vs. federal is no different as my experiences were involved in a state mental hospital. Like I said, whatever makes you happy because, as they say, no one will ever believe you anyways...So, what was I in for you may be wondering? Attempted suicide. Being there, I was almost withheld from release because, due to a bad experience from the medication I was forced to take (two days in a row), I was going to refuse my meds...after the head quack told me there was nothing they could do to help me anyways (but they were going to keep me on pills I wasn't allowed to question). I was then threatened with IV methods of treatment, a longer stay, and asked if I would like to take part in shock treatment therapy.
My stay was supposed to be voluntary, but as you see it didn't end up that way. If I had stayed longer, well, we would never have had this conversation. My suicide attempt was due to being trapped in the first place, imagine how I felt there...
Granted, I'm pretty much back in my box now, but I'm out of the cage, so I guess this isn't so bad compared to that hell...
Ironicly, I have to thank a friend I made there, Kirby, he was my Big Indian!
I wish it was all in my head.
- Ronixus
Aaron Weingartner
It's in first person, it has to be first person, it won't work right in anything but looking through the character's eyes as if they were your own.
And physics, as many things as possible need to be touchable and usable, and the world around you (walls, floors, doors, ceilings, pipes, electrical plugs, paintings) breakable and interactive...and flammable...definitely flammable...