Concept of RM's Horror Genre?

Started by AJNR95, April 13, 2012, 07:05:22 pm

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AJNR95

What is your thoughts of Horror games in RPG Maker XP and RPG Maker VX? (I believe VX is scarce of this)

Do you believe Horror games need to flourish in Graphics, Music and/or Writing? Pushing pass the borders of the Fantasy
RPG Projects because of their new setting? or remain on par with Fantasy?

Does it make it more entertaining to have images thrown at you? Do you need to be shrouded by the audio to feel the game?
Do lingering events that happen in the border of the screen more appealing?

Are most or all Projects that are Horror generic, or do they stand out on their own? Do you believe in being a helpless victim
or be able to fight back against an enemy?

Do you want a one man game? Or a party of characters? Do they need to be deeply characterized? Or characters that lack any detail because it's not imperative to the game?

What awes you of the game? Graphics of Sprites, Tilesets and Icons? Elaborate scenes of events or images? Elaborate scenery?

And whatever the hell is you want to mention or say about the Horror Section of RMXP/RMVX, I'm sorry for repeating the genre of Horror, I just like Horror and would like to implement a game into RMXP.



If you need any examples of Horror Games, there's:

"Ao Oni"
TV Tropes
Video: Pewdiepie

"One Night"
Forum Topic: Rpgmakervx.net
Video: SorceressKyrsty



Those are the only two I have of resource right now, I know there's an old one in the hbgames site,
but that can't be found. I don't know where this thread will head, it'll most likely be ignored, but
what are your thoughts of Horror in RM and what would you like to see in it?
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Calintz

i like the concept of there being RM horror games, but as you said they're scarce. if done properly, a game created with an RM engine could be a great game, but you have to take into consideration what the RM engines are. they are a 2D engine designed to create RPGs. in order to create a compelling horror game, you need to bust out a couple of advanced event systems and design your maps well.

there won't be a legitimate battle system, so you can't lay the weight and bulk of your project into an action based battle system. this means that the graphics will definitely be a factor. the point of a horror game is to constantly examine and analyze your surroundings. considering that you will be able to view 50-80% of your current map from any given point, you'll need to really focus on how to arrange, display, and organize your maps.

i think that for an RM game you should be able to fight back. the battle system is going to be omitted so having the chance to defend yourself is a must. this is as simple as giving your player a substance that can be used to repel the enemy, but all it really does is delay their movement. this will give you time to run to a new location.

provide your player with hiding spots throughout the game. use an elaborate event system to give intelligence to your enemies though. use variables so each time you hide in the same place, your enemy is more likely to find you hiding there. give your player a panic mode. this would need more testing, but i think it would be important in a horror game.

examples of games that would make great RM games are "Clocktower 3," and "Haunting Ground."

winkio

I think you are being too limiting on your definition of a horror game.  In my opinion, it's all based on atmosphere, it has little to do with the actual mechanics.  Take Eversion for example.  It's a 'boring' old platformer, but it has such a creepy atmosphere:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ar_ngibEbec&feature=player_detailpage#t=435s

Atmosphere is really all that differentiates a standard fantasy game from a horror game.  There doesn't have to be blood everywhere or the stereotypical eerie music (although there is nothing wrong with either of those).  A horror atmosphere is one that maintains a cycle of a tension buildup followed by a an event that triggers fear.  For example, you slowly climb the stairs, music gets more intense, you see shadows moving in the darkness, and then BAM!  A zombie rushes at you from around the corner.  Of course, the fear doesn't always have to happen right away, you can hold the tension as long as you want.

Calintz


AJNR95

April 14, 2012, 01:20:31 am #4 Last Edit: April 14, 2012, 01:21:55 am by AJNR95
@Calintz I understand your perspective of a battle system. It failed horribly in the HentaOni (I think that's the name,
it's linked to AoOni) that contained the default RMXP and failed horribly. And Clock Tower is a favorite game I will never
play but look at from a distance (watching it on YouTube  8) )

@winkio After watching 3 videos of it (The one you gave me and Parts 1 and 2) I understand your idea of atmosphere.
To link it with Calintz comment, Clock Tower does a great job of it. But tell me if I'm going off trail here, I understand
transition of atmosphere is more severe than a static atmosphere. An extreme version of this being, "Luna Game",
the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic game made by an Anon. Edit: I'm aware that my topic starter was generic
and vague, but I'd rather start this accumulating the intellect of others opinions than acting like I know it all


Other than that, I would just say a bunch of things you know with a ignorant surplus of description; and a link  :D
I don't know if I should thank you Calintz for bringing back such a weird interest of mine
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Calintz

actually, the video that winkio posted contained a great example of a transitioning atmosphere, especially during the last scene.

winkio

There is no one way to make a horror atmosphere.  In the link I posted, Eversion creates a horror atmosphere by introducing progressively darker versions of a level that the player is forced to enter.  This is perhaps necessary to keep each of the dark versions of the level from becoming stale too quickly, as they don't have much variation in the levels.

However, you could imagine a similar game based off the darkest world with much more diverse content that would produce a different effect.  This would include introducing new enemies, map doodads, etc.  You could also have something chase the player to add a sense of urgency.  Or only give partial information (see a shadow run past, but you don't know where the enemy is hiding, hear the gurgles of a concealed enemy, etc.)

I guess the recurring point is that you want to prevent the player from adjusting to the atmosphere.

AJNR95

Also to add to that, a sense of randomness and deception is definitely great. To elaborate on that, I believe things shouldn't pop up when expected, but neither should they pop up when not expected to be expected too many times that it becomes expected. Randomness is fine, if controlled, and not given to chance. Ao Oni's random Oni Spawner was repetitive, and yes, it will always increase your Heart Rate a little, but it becomes bland and expected all the time. To have a player fight an enemy after coming
out a room would give a nice scare, but then to make the player go through four rooms after with a song that steadily builds tension but never happens is more entertaining to me. Perhaps put a cherry on top by leading the player to a safe room right after the tension build up with an abundance of light, and a gun to find with one bullet only to be confronted by a surprise party by a monster or two, and not even allow the player to have enough to fight back, but to run back into the darkness where he came from. And also, the 'deception' part adds to this. Where you expect something to happen, but it never does, but you keep your guard up, until
it slips away after a series of less hostile events and then BAM, made you flinch! And then never knowing when to bring up your guard, or put it down for the whole game.

I do like it lot more when shadows creep in the background and do not chase you, but run away, instead of something popping up with a loud sound effect to make you jump as it runs toward you.
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Heretic86

If a tree falls in a forest, and no one is around to hear it, does anyone actually care that it fell down?

Horror is no different than a romance game in that the players arent interested in some previous event that actually happened, they are interested in the events that are going to unfold before them and involve them.  If the tree did fall in the forest, and it isnt relevant to the story at all, will the player give two squirts of piss about it?  THey will if the tree grows legs and is about to kill them or someone they care about!

Next point: Run down enviornments do not a scary game make!  Yeah, a little Yoda speak there, apparently I have a star wars bug in my brain today for some dumb reason.  What people fail to realize about the horror genre in general (including movies) is that it is not the degredation of the enviornment that instills fear, but what they are going to have to experience and endure in order to reach their goal.  I can come up to you and whack you in the head with a nerf bat, and it isnt scary.  I can also come up to you and go fishing with an actual fishing pole.  Again, not scary, unless that fishing hook gets caught on your eyelid, then it is panicksville!  No no no!  Dont pull that line!  Twice as scary as that is what if that same thing happened to your kid, or your girlfriend, or your parents? 

What is going on in the world is more important than the condition of the world.
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