Horror game tips?

[Midnight Dragon 264]

So, I've been making some platformer games that are supposed to be creepy. I'm not that good at it yet, but I have gotten a few good responses so far (can't say the same for the ratings though).

 

The thing is, I'm going to be updating some of my games soon. I'm going to add in some things, change some of the sprites, etc.

 

My question is, what can I do to make the atmosphere a little creepier in the updated versions? (Please note that I can only do so much in the program I use, Multimedia Fusion 2.)

Edited June 25, 2013 by Midnight Dragon

[repsol rave 2,963]

well, it would realy help to know what you already have in the game? i don't really know what to add if i can't see what's in it already.

[Vicke 3,189]

In horror games its not only the sprites and the models that add to the creepy factor. In fact, that is only of the very least.

If you want the player to feel creeped out you need to make the game have a good ambiance. Without it you will brutally fail. 

 

Try adding some bone chilling music to the game on certain parts. Should spice it up a little. 

[Dawn Stripes 301]

Ooh, the tough stuff.

 

First best thing I can say is don't make the beginner's mistake of thinking that adding trope-appropriate scenery like skeletons and bats, will freak the player out. That makes it look like a creepy place, perhaps, but it won't actually have much any effect on the player.

To really get a horror game going, you need to mess with the player's head. Either through the story or game, I'd say you need to get the player wondering what's going to happen net--and be freaked out about it.

Gameplay is probably the best way to do this. Look up on really good examples of horror games that scare players, like Amnesia and Slenderman: the eight pages. Why do players we themselves while playing this? Because the game teaches them, through repeated experience, that right when they least expect it, something horrible will jump out at them and they'll have to run for their life frantically or die.

Story can also work well, depending on what kind of game you are making/want. In this regard, it's much like writing a horror story. That's much harder to set up as a simple timing scheme. You have to really learn to dig into human fears to make that tick, which can be a tad complicated, but worth it. Try imagining something that just feels wrong, and then gradually revealing it to the player. You hope it's not what you think it is, hope it's not what you think it is, it might be--oh, no, it is!

[Gay Bird 421]

The most important thing to have in a horror game is the immersion in the game. Making the hud as minimal as possible is one of the most important things. Graphics are also very important. The atmosphere of the game should be dark and eerie. Create a soundscape that would create a suspenseful mood. Limit what the player can see. Also, don't do too many jump scares. Space them out. Make the player feel like they should walk slower. Also, play lots of horror games. SCP Containment Breach and Amnesia are some of my favorites. Good luck with your game. I'd like to play it when it's done.

[~Silver Essence~ 2,625]

The most important thing to know is the ambiance and overall structure of the game.

 

You have to learn how everything flows and when you should expect something if it's either quiet or wrong.

[Lunas Husband 2,777]

You need some creepy music for one, don't over do it with the jump scares. Make sure you have a good story to go a long with the game

get the player really sucked in! if you are using Enemy's make sure you don't over use them too, put some here and there and DONT put them at the very start of the game make sure they are around the middle of the game. Make the player feel safe then let them have it is the best kind of way to do a horror game. And I would love to play it myself mind putting a link or something in the forum? or send me a message with the link

[cd_solidsnake 122]

Ok, as a horror games fan myself, I'ma give you my tips:

 

1) Create an eerie atmosphere. This one is really important. Look how games like Amnesia: The Dark Descent, Slender: The Eight Pages and even 2D ones like Mad Father and Lone Survivor managed to create a "something is wrong" atmosphere just by using lighting, darkness and the ocasional "noise" effect in the camera.

 

2) Mess with the player's head. Remember: If we know everything from the beggining, then there's no more horror. Write an amazing story, and complement that with the gameplay. Is the player becoming insane due to mental illness? DON'T TELL US! Let us discover that. Make us belive that it because of demons, ghosts, supernatural stuff (Cry of Fear, anyone?) But mess with our minds. Where did they come from? Why do they appear in this specific moment? Why not before? What trigger it's appearing? etc etc.

 

3) Avoid depending on jumpscares. Do you know why Slender: The Eight Pages is so awesome? Simple: Jumpscares. But they are clever and also random. If you play something like Resident Evil 2 right know (and you've played it before), you'll remember most jumpscares, including the moment you trigger one. Try to not depend on jumpscares (unless it is really part of the gameplay mechanics and it's not something heavily scripted).

 

4) Use atmosphere, choices and/or key items of the game as part of the gameplay mechanics. Slender: The Eight Pages, Amnesia: The Dark Descent, Silent Hill 4: The Room (YES! I LIKE THAT GAME! NOW BACK THE F%&/ OFF!), Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem, The Path (psychological horror game), Lone Survivor and others have done something really good: using one or more of those things as gameplay mechanics. Do you happen to stay too long in the darkness in Amnesia? Your sanity will decline. Are you not taking care of your apartment in SH4? Things will become harder and harder if you don't do it. Do you swallow too many red, blue or green pills in Lone Survivor? You'll get a different ending then. Do you happen to encounter too many things in The Path? Your ending will be weirder than ever. This things add replay value to your game and give us multiple paths.

 

5) Do not spawn enemies. Most "Survival horror" games nowadays did something stupid while tryin' to copy Left 4 Dead. Horde games are not horror games, are f%&/ annoying games! Left 4 Dead worked, but if you play something like Dead Island, you'll frustrate to death sometimes. So don't use too many enemies, or too little.

 

And, I'll try to add soemthing else when I remember something else.