The PCG is arguably in a good state, as such I am moving onwards towards developing spaces. This being one of my main aims for the project: Learn how to evoke feelings of unease and tension through the use of spaces and sound
In this log I will conduct a case study to identify the methods employed to evoke feelings of unease. Specifically the manipulation, use and construction of spaces, sounds and visual elements. I want to examine the manner in how spaces are used to impart horror and identify the observable techniques used to construct a room or a hallway. How are these placed in a game so that players feel unsafe.
F.E.A.R
FEAR (Monolith productions, 2005) is an action horror FPS that features moments of gunplay and exploration. Embedded below is a section of the game where the player is exploring part of the level.
I would like focus to on the setting of that particular level, this being a mundane office workspace. Throughout this level chairs, coffee tables, cubicles, computers and cabinets can be found placed in every room. These are all separated by stairs and hallways. Some of which are blocked off by debris and security gates. The result of this design is that a seemingly mundane space that can be considered common, becomes maze-like. Ultimately when entering a new room there is usually one exit that leads towards the end of the level, but the debris, security gates and locked doors suggest more pathways and an overall larger level than the player can explore. Each room is almost indistinguishable from other rooms within this level. This not only makes the level more confusing but also difficult to navigate. Lighting is also used to great effect to signpost the intended path that leads towards the next goal.
Lighting and shadows have another purpose, the game features standard enemy soldiers that shoot back and ghost-type enemies. The player can encounter any of these enemies at any time, at least that is how it feels. Enemy encounters happen at specific points. In combination with the use of lights and shadows, the player can never be sure if they’re alone or if there are threats around every corner. This creates a constant sense of fear and tension. The player is equipped with a flashlight that has a rechargeable battery, as such this allows players to dispel the shadows momentarily.
In this level, aside from the combat and enemies, the only sounds that the player can hear are the non-diegetic sound track, the footsteps of the player character and ambient sounds of the level. These ambient sounds being electronic hums and sparks. The accompanying sound track for this level is ambient in nature, it’s composed of deep humming sounds that blend into the environment.
Methods used:
- Visual elements are used to suggest a larger level.
- Indistinguishable rooms that use the same assets.
- Shadows and lighting infer enemy presence and contribute to overall tension.
- Ambeint sounds help establish a sense of dread.
No Players online
This game (Papercookies, 2019) involves a metanarrative, this being the fact that the game identifies itself as an outdated FPS multiplayer arena shooter.
The context of this space is that it is an empty multiplayer arena, traditionally it is meant to be filled with many players engaging in combat. In No Players Online, there is no one to play with. The construction of the level is reminiscent of early 2000’s multiplayer maps like Halo: Combat evolved. The textures used, while different all blend into each other. They make use of the same colour palette and from a distance seem similar. The level is composed of two starting points and two lanes only one connects the starting points, these points contains flags that components of the capture-the-flag game mode. An interesting feature of this level is that it changes, upon collecting a flag trees and stone pillars appear and disappear. The space never changes however.
The flag capturing mechanic is the only way that the game may progress. Upon collecting the first flag, the ambient lighting changes to a darker tone. Along side this is that the non-diegetic soundtrack becomes louder and uses a droning hum sound.
Eventually, there is a hidden pathway that the player can take. The player may drop down through the middle of the map. This exposes the skybox textures and the map as a whole, making the player aware of teh artificiality of teh level. This leads to a secret level, a single room where the walls are covered in messages.
Methods used:
- Meta elements in service of establishing a myth of a haunted video game.
- Changing elements as feedback of player progression, including in-game assets, sound and lighting.
- Use of multiplayer shooter conventions such as game modes, lobbies and maps.
The Backrooms
This game (Pie on a Plate Productions, 2019) places the player in a maze and tasks them with finding the exit.
Every path, room and corner is shown to be nearly indistinguishable from each other. This causes confusion, it becomes very easy to forget which way the player came from. For the player there is no way to tell if they are going the right way, as such the player cannot form a plan or know if they are successful. All textures are the same for the walls, the ceiling and floor. The only varying element are the lights built into the ceiling and some smudges on the walls. There is also a constant hum throughout the level. The lighting varies slightly, but maintains a level of clarity. However the player cannot see an infinite distance, there is a certain distance where it is completely dark until the player gets closer.
Methods used:
- Randomly generated maze.
- Highly indistinguishable environment.
- Even lighting, only darkest at a far distance.
- Constant humming sound.
In conclusion
In order to impart a sense of tension and terror, some methods seem to be used more than others in these games. In all three games there is an emphasis on repetition that is expressed in different ways, this is most prominently expressed with visual elements this can be the overabundance of textures or a colour palette, for example the concrete textures of the No Players Online level or the yellow wallpaper in Backrooms.
One other method is the use of an ambient sound track that is non-intrusive, it is purposefully monotonous and unchanging.
The use of light and shadows vary between these games. FEARs use of shadows is more dynamic and is used to obscure certain parts of the level, while Backrooms obscures the players vision to mimic a fog of war effect.
For the project
The current state of the PCG is capable of generating a maze-like map, in this case I would use methods similar to Backrooms approach. This being extremely similar textures and appearance. In all games, sound is carefully used to highlight the stillness of the environment and the player’s presence, that is because the player’s footsteps is usually the only other sound source. This too should be implemented into the project. A powerful element that seems to be effective in achieving my aim is to implement shadows and lighting, however considering the nature of the game (it being procedurally generated) shadow and lighting may not be implemented properly, unless the Backrooms approach is used. However the levels generated are not large enough to warrant the same effect. Something to consider in future projects.
Room design approach
In this project the theme we will be using is the FPS arena deathmatch game. Discussions with Tom led to this decision as the PCG can already generate figure of eight type paths. Our early discussion highlighted the fact that some FPS arena maps are built around a central killbox area surrounded by smaller paths. Due to the nature of our game levels being procedurally generated this should be possible to attempt. Tom’s part for this project is to integrate a system for procedurally generating text with the goal of weaving together a narrative that in some way connects with my PCG system. We’ve narrowed this conneciton down to the unique rooms that are to be constructed to replicate FPS arena conventions, that is identifying string descriptors can be used as a seed of some sort to inform the narrative PCG system. This is not final but offers a direction for the design of the rooms, I will be looking at the Quake multiplayer level designs for inspiration. Specifically examining the space and layout of the levels and how that approach can be adapted into the game.
FPS Arena
Here can be found blueprints for quake maps: https://www.quakewiki.net/quake-1-maps-blueprints/
The above blueprints show the same general layout, lanes that branch off from a central room towards other rooms. All largely rectangular in their outlines.
Reviewing the video of The Cistern map: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x20od25
And the Dark Zone map: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x20qftr
From these levels I identify the following conventions of these levels:
- Vertical access: stairways to access higher levels and holes to drop down.
- Small cutaway rooms that hide weapons and pickups.
- Use of beams inside rooms.
- Central killbox room has verticality.
- Corridors are short and contain corners to divert movement.
- Implement slipgates/teleportation for gameplay loop
- Open roofs where a skybox is visible.
- Animated torches as light source.
Next steps for the project
The main takeaway for this is that a central area is a signature part to the level design. I imagine the player for our game will start off from a spawning point and can navigate towards the central killbox area. This is acheivable with how the PCG is now.
Another important element is the verticality of the entire map, this may require more work with the PCG and redeveloping the rooms too, to accomodate vertical movement.
Slipgates can be implemented fairly easily as well as pickups but these seem to be distinct features of Quake games, rather than a convention of the FPS arena genre.
In fact a large visual change needs to be made to better replicate the feeling of an FPS game like Quake or Doom. As such shaders and low-resolution textures would be implemented too.
References
- Monolith productions, Day 1 studios, Timegate studios, Aeria games, 2005. F.E.A.R. [Video game] Microsoft Windows, Playstation 3, Xbox 360. Vivendi Interactive, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.
- Papercookies, 2019. No Players Online. [Video game] Linux, Microsoft Windows. Papercookies.
- Pie on a plate Productions, 2019. The Backrooms Game FREE Edition. [Video game] Linux, Microsoft Windows. Pie on a Plate Productions.