And so the group projects are go. After we were all randomly selected for a groups, Stephen, Samuel, Lewis, Scott, Craig, Rob and myself found ourselves in group 2! We got straight down to business after Heather went through the brief for the project. So our initial ideas on Day 1 are the following:
First we talked about what was actually scary in games and films. We discussed whether we would want a more psychological fear environment, or a grungy sort of blood everywhere style level. We decided that hinting at certain things to make the situation more horrifying was a good approach. We talked about how books are great for horror because they leave so much to the imagination. It was this aspect that we liked the most.
Lights will play a big part in the level. They are extremely important to the atmosphere and the way the player will feel during the level. I think that the emotions we wish to portray are isolation, suspense and insanity.
We had lots of ideas to do with the lighting effects. Using drapes to send silhouettes of objects or shadows or something moving. We discussed how the lights could be switched off and only then will certain things be revealed; like a glowing object that would direct the player to the next area. Also, we talked about how the lights could go off periodically and the area would change slightly. Perhaps something appears to be moving around once it goes dark, or walls and objects look different without light. There could also be missing or new objects in the room once the light turns back on. There could even be extra sound effects that suddenly happen once the light is off and it makes you want to switch them back on to see if something is really there.
Back to books, we agreed that unseen things are scarier because the imagination tends to make things seem much worse than they really are. So, we could use shadows and sounds to make the player believe something is there, but not showing anything, therefore leaving it up to them to decide what it could be.
We then thought about examples of games which had good horror aspects. Amnesia, Dead Space, Silent Hill, Alan Wake and Fear were the main ones. One particular aspect was of Nemesis in Resident Evil 3, the fact that he chases you and you are always wondering when he will appear. Later, we had the idea of footstep sounds following the player in certain areas, perhaps triggered at specific stages.
Then there were horror films such as 28 Days Later, R.E.C, Identity and The Thing. The opening scenes of 28 Days Later had a great way of making isolation seem quite terrifying. Identity had awesome psychological aspects which we considered later.
We then decided to go and explore the Queens Building. Walking around the outside of the building, and the inside, taking many photos and discussing ideas. We picked several places that we liked the look of, the main hall area and the two corridors at the back of the building and a few classrooms. Its still early stages though, so there will be many more visits to the building.
We later talked about a sort of storyline. Ideas of the player being insane and anything that happens out of the ordinary is done by yourself, so there’s a concept of schizophrenia. Possibly there are a few notes or articles that could be picked up and may explain the situation. You as the player are afraid and confused, and think someone is after you, but in fact, it is only yourself. Or perhaps your former self, so this goes to a more Jekyll and Hyde type of story. Also talked of the concept of how you may thing you’re being chased and the things you see are trying to kill you, but in actual fact, you are the monster/evil one. This was from ideas of the I am Legend film.
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| I like this shot here, seems quite a scary corridor, and typically Resident Evil style! |
