Was given thislink from a fellow class mate, really cool and interesting blog about abandoned places and what not :)
http://kingstonlounge.blogspot.com/
Thursday, 13 January 2011
An interesting article about scary games! :D
http://kotaku.com/5379285/what-makes-a-video-game-scary
http://kotaku.com/5379285/what-makes-a-video-game-scary
Wednesday, 5 January 2011
Phobia Research Findings
With the previous entry and their findings, I want to try incorporate some of them into my dark and unsettling version of my environment I will be creating.
- Arachnophobia (fear of spiders) Is such a common and probably the most known of all phobias, but cant really add giant spiders or what not too my level as their will be no enemies. Maybe adding spider webs and what not though will help maybe fuel the players sub concious to think there MIGHT be at some point.
- Acrophobia (fear of heights) could be utilized in transitions between levels of the environment, having very open and large stair cases with broken or even no banisters at all to give the feeling of safety from falling over the ledge.
- Agoraphobia/Claustrophobia (fear of places hard to get out of/crowded places) can be used a lot during the building of my environment, making players have to go down one path, and making certain areas of that path very very narrow, dark and cramped.
- Astraphobia (fear of thunder and lightning) can maybe even be added nearing the end if time allows me to add any terms of sound at all, like a storm outside the hospital
- Trypanophobia/Mysophobia (fear on needles/fear of germs and dirt) is pretty simple, have the hospital littered with dirty needles and since its abandoned it will be filthy anyway.
These are all phobias I would like to at least try to integrate into my scary environment to help unsettle the player and change their pacing through playing
- Arachnophobia (fear of spiders) Is such a common and probably the most known of all phobias, but cant really add giant spiders or what not too my level as their will be no enemies. Maybe adding spider webs and what not though will help maybe fuel the players sub concious to think there MIGHT be at some point.
- Acrophobia (fear of heights) could be utilized in transitions between levels of the environment, having very open and large stair cases with broken or even no banisters at all to give the feeling of safety from falling over the ledge.
- Agoraphobia/Claustrophobia (fear of places hard to get out of/crowded places) can be used a lot during the building of my environment, making players have to go down one path, and making certain areas of that path very very narrow, dark and cramped.
- Astraphobia (fear of thunder and lightning) can maybe even be added nearing the end if time allows me to add any terms of sound at all, like a storm outside the hospital
- Trypanophobia/Mysophobia (fear on needles/fear of germs and dirt) is pretty simple, have the hospital littered with dirty needles and since its abandoned it will be filthy anyway.
These are all phobias I would like to at least try to integrate into my scary environment to help unsettle the player and change their pacing through playing
Phobia Research
1. Arachnophobia:
· The fear of spiders.
· This phobia tends to affect women more than men.
2. Ophidiophobia:
· The fear of snakes.
· Often attributed to evolutionary causes, personal experiences, or cultural influences.
3. Acrophobia:
· The fear of heights.
· This fear can lead to anxiety attacks and avoidance of high places.
4. Agoraphobia:
· The fear of situations in which escape is difficult.
· This may include crowded areas, open spaces, or situations that are likely to trigger a panic attack. People will begin avoiding these trigger events, sometimes to the point that they cease leaving their home.
· Approximately one third of people with panic disorder develop agoraphobia.
5. Cynophobia:
· The fear of dogs.
· This phobia is often associated with specific personal experiences, such as being bitten by a dog during childhood.
6. Astraphobia:
· The fear of thunder and lightening.
· Also known as Brontophobia, Tonitrophobia, or Ceraunophobia.
7. Trypanophobia:
· The fear of injections.
· Like many phobias, this fear often goes untreated because people avoid the triggering object and situation.
8. Social Phobias:
· The fear of social situations.
· In many cases, these phobias can become so severe that people avoid events, places, and people that are likely to trigger an anxiety attack.
9. Pteromerhanophobia:
· The fear of flying.
· Often treated using exposure therapy, in which the client is gradually and progressively introduced to flying.
10. Mysophobia:
· The fear of germs or dirt.
· May be related to obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Abandoned Hospital Research
A crap ton of sudden posts, been collecting these over the holidays but not had much time to post!
Need to split the post up, got more to come!!
Need to split the post up, got more to come!!
Gant Chart!
My first go at my Gant Chart for my project, subject to change a little though after I read my draft marks once collected :)
The Books that will help me out this year!
so following some advice from a friend in the industry, he linked me to some UDK books I should study through my project!!
http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Unreal-Technology-Introduction-Design/dp/0672329913
http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Unreal-Technology-Level-Design/dp/0672326922/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1294248134&sr=1-1
Both are purchased and sat with me right now! I've played around with them but not properly dove into them yet, that's subject to change in the next week or so!
After talking to my project guide, so to speak, It looks like Ill be beginning at least the blocking in stages of my environment in the next week or so!
Since I'm creating an Environment with two separate versions (one trying to be scary, the other neutral) I instantly thought of making my environment a Hospital.
At some point in everyone's lives, we have ALL been inside a hospital, for either good or bad reasons its an easy environment to get people to relate to in one way or another. Hospitals are generally very bland and vacant in terms of design and what's in them, and even naturally they seem pretty creepy and unsettling!
I feel that having one version of the Hospital during the day/all lights on and working, and having the corresponding version which will be very dark, abandoned and bloody will work well.
Hopefully I can utilise the lighting and textures enough to alter the player(s) pacing through each environment, thus proving how level and environment design can and will change a players pacing through out a level.
Even simply making the Hospital abandoned adds character to the environment, it makes the player sub-consciously think of the history of the environment and what went on there and WHY is it abandoned now? Usually abandoned places become that way from bad experiences, which will make the individual stuck in such a scenario to come up with their own theories of what the surroundings twisted past is.
http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Unreal-Technology-Introduction-Design/dp/0672329913
http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Unreal-Technology-Level-Design/dp/0672326922/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1294248134&sr=1-1
Both are purchased and sat with me right now! I've played around with them but not properly dove into them yet, that's subject to change in the next week or so!
After talking to my project guide, so to speak, It looks like Ill be beginning at least the blocking in stages of my environment in the next week or so!
Since I'm creating an Environment with two separate versions (one trying to be scary, the other neutral) I instantly thought of making my environment a Hospital.
At some point in everyone's lives, we have ALL been inside a hospital, for either good or bad reasons its an easy environment to get people to relate to in one way or another. Hospitals are generally very bland and vacant in terms of design and what's in them, and even naturally they seem pretty creepy and unsettling!
I feel that having one version of the Hospital during the day/all lights on and working, and having the corresponding version which will be very dark, abandoned and bloody will work well.
Hopefully I can utilise the lighting and textures enough to alter the player(s) pacing through each environment, thus proving how level and environment design can and will change a players pacing through out a level.
Even simply making the Hospital abandoned adds character to the environment, it makes the player sub-consciously think of the history of the environment and what went on there and WHY is it abandoned now? Usually abandoned places become that way from bad experiences, which will make the individual stuck in such a scenario to come up with their own theories of what the surroundings twisted past is.
Amnesia, The Dark Decent
This game is awesome-ly terrifying!
I think this game really fits my own brief and what I want to try achieve. The environment design is just brilliant, really creepy, dark and works so well with everything else i.e sound and animation triggers that just make it so unsettling to even watch never mind play!!
If I can do anything like this for my project, I'll be onto a winner! :D
I think this game really fits my own brief and what I want to try achieve. The environment design is just brilliant, really creepy, dark and works so well with everything else i.e sound and animation triggers that just make it so unsettling to even watch never mind play!!
If I can do anything like this for my project, I'll be onto a winner! :D
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