WIP horror map.

[jgoodroad]

hust a few vids, I will post some pics later, but any constructive critizism or suggestions are welcome

and some more scripts....

[trcc]

I think the feeling is quite there. And the last moment of the second video, which door closes? the one at the very end of the corridor? It seems it was very close by the sound (can't see well with the darkness and it ends right after)

One effect id really like is if we could hear the respiration accelerating

Or a door that slowly open with metalic friction and then close super fast when you get close to it

[.treeturtle--]

alot of it seems a bit too dark, the hallway part was pretty cool, reminded me of the first FEAR

[staberas]

hmm good need more ambient sounds and more mindfuckery (ie http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjYUpHi8CE)
2nd video near the end needs fast breathing sounds & make your maps a little more lighty (too dark cant see anything),

[srredfire]

This is not scary at all. It's not even close to any negative feeling. You need to start over. None of these scenarios are effective at the least.

Most of everything you've done is either cliche and over used, or simply ineffective.

1. Having NPCs walk by and vanish is old. Everyone started doing it after FEAR.
2. If the NPC it self is not scary, aka a citizen, it's not going to be scary at all.
3. Your mapping is bland. There is no atmosphere.
4. Poor texture choice.
5. No ambiance.
6. Very poor lighting.
7. Cliche Stalker used in every other horror map.
8. WAY over used chair with blood under it.
9. There is no tension at all.
10. No build up.
11. Poor, poor attempts at creepiness.
12. Etc, etc.

Sorry to be harsh, but you really need to just drop this and study what keeps players on edge and makes their heart rate go up. I was literally bored watching your videos just because everything was expected and overused to the point that it was pathetic. Go watch old classic scary movies, find games that are startling to you. It's not so much the fact of creating stuff that pops up and goes BOOGA BOOGA, it's creating an atmosphere and feeling that gives the player that "something isn't right" vibe and has them sorta leaning back from the screen because they're unsure and slightly scared.

[jgoodroad]

This is not scary at all. It's not even close to any negative feeling. You need to start over. None of these scenarios are effective at the least.

Most of everything you've done is either cliche and over used, or simply ineffective.

1. Having NPCs walk by and vanish is old. Everyone started doing it after FEAR.
2. If the NPC it self is not scary, aka a citizen, it's not going to be scary at all.
3. Your mapping is bland. There is no atmosphere.
4. Poor texture choice.
5. No ambiance.
6. Very poor lighting.
7. Cliche Stalker used in every other horror map.
8. WAY over used chair with blood under it.
9. There is no tension at all.
10. No build up.
11. Poor, poor attempts at creepiness.
12. Etc, etc.

how can I help the textures? the lighting? the atmosphere? you state what is wrong but no way to fix it. and I have tried to have a better opener but I keep getting dead ends.

...what stalker?

[jgoodroad]

I think the feeling is quite there. And the last moment of the second video, which door closes? the one at the very end of the corridor? It seems it was very close by the sound (can't see well with the darkness and it ends right after)

One effect id really like is if we could hear the respiration accelerating

Or a door that slowly open with metalic friction and then close super fast when you get close to it

the door sound is just my video editing, not the map...you can here it in the first video too.

[srredfire]

This is not scary at all. It's not even close to any negative feeling. You need to start over. None of these scenarios are effective at the least.

Most of everything you've done is either cliche and over used, or simply ineffective.

1. Having NPCs walk by and vanish is old. Everyone started doing it after FEAR.
2. If the NPC it self is not scary, aka a citizen, it's not going to be scary at all.
3. Your mapping is bland. There is no atmosphere.
4. Poor texture choice.
5. No ambiance.
6. Very poor lighting.
7. Cliche Stalker used in every other horror map.
8. WAY over used chair with blood under it.
9. There is no tension at all.
10. No build up.
11. Poor, poor attempts at creepiness.
12. Etc, etc.

how can I help the textures? the lighting? the atmosphere? you state what is wrong but no way to fix it. and I have tried to have a better opener but I keep getting dead ends.

...what stalker?

Well first off, come up with a practical setting and environment, not just random weird boxy rooms linked together. Get a small story going together, even if it's just the location, just some sort of ball rolling. Take a look at some architecture that inspires you and makes you feel as it would fit properly. Texture properly and realistically. Use color schemes, design patterns, things that don't clash, again, look at real life examples.

As for lighting, that's a skill obtained in itself, and just trial and error mostly. But blank dry white lighting does not help at all. Be stylistic. That doesn't mean lime green and purple, but be creative, make things look realistic, or realistically off. Finally, of course, look at real world examples.

Really it's just practice, focus more on design right now than scripting and making "scary" scenes, your artistic skills need WAY more work right now, before you can even think about adding in entities and scripted scenes.

Also the Stalker was in the corner with the blood on your video with the bathroom. He was at the :20 mark or so, and then vanishes. He's the one making all the ruckus during the first half of the video.

[Corigami]

Jgood, I'm sure you are capable of doing your own research. If you don't know how to improve your textures, lighting, atmosphere, just google it. There are plenty of great level design resources out there with detailed explanations of all these things.

[jgoodroad]

Well first off, come up with a practical setting and environment, not just random weird boxy rooms linked together. Get a small story going together, even if it's just the location, just some sort of ball rolling. Take a look at some architecture that inspires you and makes you feel as it would fit properly. Texture properly and realistically. Use color schemes, design patterns, things that don't clash, again, look at real life examples.

As for lighting, that's a skill obtained in itself, and just trial and error mostly. But blank dry white lighting does not help at all. Be stylistic. That doesn't mean lime green and purple, but be creative, make things look realistic, or realistically off. Finally, of course, look at real world examples.

Really it's just practice, focus more on design right now than scripting and making "scary" scenes, your artistic skills need WAY more work right now, before you can even think about adding in entities and scripted scenes.

Also the Stalker was in the corner with the blood on your video with the bathroom. He was at the :20 mark or so, and then vanishes. He's the one making all the ruckus during the first half of the video.

you act as if this is one of my first maps, I have been mapping a fairly long time, I started for the geometry, not the scripts. if you want to see someone jumping ahead see this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40G3EpxqGmI
so, I am sorry I can't do horror to your expectations,
now you state "scary npcs" but then state the stalker is cliche, what other npc's are there? and I have edited this opener several times since these vids were made.

oh and the stalker was from a failed scare, couldn't get the trigger_look to work around that corner...just wouldn't work,

[Phott]

jgood, that youtube map you posted is even worse.

You don't have a setting for this, like, where the hell are you? An apartment complex? The rooms make no sense, you have to make something realistic, or at least something that makes sense.

[Kremator]

Horror maps should sustain a constant feeling of dread instead of a series of scare gimmicks linked together by hallways. Think the cradle in Thief 3, Silent Hill series, and so forth - in order for something to be truly scary a proper premise is required; is it a house where people have died? an orphanage? or a serial killer's lair? Once proper premise has been setup the player's imagination will aid you in making things scary so all you have to do is string them along and maintain the atmosphere, use fog, ambient soundscapes, dark lighting, etc.

It is harder to make a scary map than people might think, it is something that requires practice and reiteration - currently as it stands your map comes off like a showcase of effects than a horror map. Play some horror games and see what the pros do - learn from them but don't copy them outright.

[srredfire]

You asked how I could help and I did, you don't have to get super defensive. Compared to normal quality of work yours is below average. You need to work on your skills. It's not an insult, it's just a fact. You'll get better with time if you keep at it and do what I suggested.

Also yeah, that other youtube link IS worse.

[jgoodroad]

You asked how I could help and I did, you don't have to get super defensive. Compared to normal quality of work yours is below average. You need to work on your skills. It's not an insult, it's just a fact. You'll get better with time if you keep at it and do what I suggested.

Also yeah, that other youtube link IS worse.

look, I wasn't trying to be defensive, but to be sure, what exactly have you suggested?

[srredfire]

You asked how I could help and I did, you don't have to get super defensive. Compared to normal quality of work yours is below average. You need to work on your skills. It's not an insult, it's just a fact. You'll get better with time if you keep at it and do what I suggested.

Also yeah, that other youtube link IS worse.

look, I wasn't trying to be defensive, but to be sure, what exactly have you suggested?

Well first off, come up with a practical setting and environment, not just random weird boxy rooms linked together. Get a small story going together, even if it's just the location, just some sort of ball rolling. Take a look at some architecture that inspires you and makes you feel as it would fit properly. Texture properly and realistically. Use color schemes, design patterns, things that don't clash, again, look at real life examples.

As for lighting, that's a skill obtained in itself, and just trial and error mostly. But blank dry white lighting does not help at all. Be stylistic. That doesn't mean lime green and purple, but be creative, make things look realistic, or realistically off. Finally, of course, look at real world examples.

Really it's just practice, focus more on design right now than scripting and making "scary" scenes, your artistic skills need WAY more work right now, before you can even think about adding in entities and scripted scenes.