Prototype 1 Questions + Design Journal

[MeghanC1470]

Welcome to the MeghanC_UnityPrototype1 wiki!

Prototype 1 Questions

1: Does the feeling of being constantly watched and/or followed at a distance make the player feel uncomfortable?

2: Does the overall lighting design also give the player any ominous emotions?

3: What other design elements can make a player feel uncomfortable without providing much movement/action from the object itself?

4: How would you improve the experience?

Design Journal

Attempted to Create a rather dark and ominous environment, simple but effective Mix of rigid body and LookAt script causes a jitter in Cylinder GameObjects - kind of a good representation of curious fear? Emissions ineffective on Red Plane. Rigid Body allows for non-collision of Cylinder GameObjects

[LeVieuxSinge]

Xavier Champoux

1. It gives an interesting aspect to the gameplay but something was missing. Maybe the fact that the camera is not moving ? Maybe the room should be more intense with the cramped feeling ?
2. The lighting could be improved. Adding fog could maybe play with the concept of ominous emotions. Adding a roof to put the room into a pitch black environment and add a few wall lanterns and stuff could be more efficient.
3. Sounds. First-person camera. Visual effects (drunk effect).
4. Mostly answered in the other answers. Instead of having a room, have it be in a dark forest where the camera as a cinematographic effect. Place a few stable camera (follow the player) in the environment and depending of where the player is situated, change the camera view.

[PatrickChavez]

1: Does the feeling of being constantly watched and/or followed at a distance make the player feel uncomfortable?

Yes, the jittery motions of the cylinders, combined with their tendency to surround the player, creates a very uneasy feeling of someone’s personal space being invaded. The darkened cubes watching the player from a distance also evoke an anxious atmosphere.

2: Does the overall lighting design also give the player any ominous emotions?

Yes, the darkened room, coupled with the red doorways makes navigation tense. If the “roof” were to be sealed off and the sunlight replaced with a torchlight or any other dim light source, then I believe that the tension would further increase.

3: What other design elements can make a player feel uncomfortable without providing much movement/action from the object itself?

• The cylinders could be taller in order to give them an imposing presence.
• The implementation of narrow hallways could evoke a claustrophobic feeling for the player.
• The addition of a maze-like structure where cylinders gather around the player if the latter finds them could give a feeling of hopelessness and tension.

4: How would you improve the experience?

The implementation of sound can heighten certain aspects of the objects. For example, the cylinders could have squirming, insect-like noises to highlight their uncomfortable nature. In addition, having droning background noise could make players tense during play.

[CocoChao]

1: Does the feeling of being constantly watched and/or followed at a distance make the player feel uncomfortable? Instead of being constantly watched, I felt like I was leading a group of smaller characters until I noticed that the cameras were also following me. It made me feel slightly uncomfortable.

2: Does the overall lighting design also give the player any ominous emotions? No. The followers were well lit and did not seem threatening at all. The cameras as well, they just seemed to be following the player and were not causing any harm.

3: What other design elements can make a player feel uncomfortable without providing much movement/action from the object itself? The lighting created an illusion that the walls are not solid surfaces, but rather a portal to another dimension. The constant trembling motion from the followers made them seem mad or frustrated against the player, which made me want to keep moving around.

4: How would you improve the experience? I would suggest you very slowly decrease the distance between the player and the followers, to increase the uncomfortable feeling of being observed, and it would feel more claustrophobic if you added a roof - the player would have no way to escape the room in that case.

[LiliaIsABell]

1. It did at first. I was confused and felt a little suffocated when going through the cylinders since it wasn't easy. But after a while, I thought "Fuck it, they're my army now" and had fun making them follow me and even wished the character moved faster.
2. It did, but since it was very dark I couldn't tell there were things on the wall following me as well and thought the was some kind of glitch. Also the sky took me out of it and made less uncomfortable(but one could argue the opposite since it gives the feeling that there is a world outside of this box).
3. I think making it at a first person perspective could make it more uncomfortable.
4. I would make a first person POV, and a roof and add lights(maybe something LED-ish) and make the space bigger which may remove the feeling of being trapped but it may add to the feeling of no escape, endlessness.

[ToonJay]

Jason Hilani

1: Does the feeling of being constantly watched and/or followed at a distance make the player feel uncomfortable?

I think that the feeling is overshadowed by confusion because of the camera angle you start in. It took a few seconds to understand what was going on. Although, after realizing what this was, it felt like being in the middle of a cult, which is creepy can add to the feeling of discomfort.

2: Does the overall lighting design also give the player any ominous emotions?

There's too little in the scene at the moment for it to make the player feel ominousness (lighting alone won't do that), since it only takes a few seconds to completely understand what's going on. However, the lighting helps the Cylinders feel a bit more creepy and that can help when wanting to create ominousness. If you can combine that lighting with environmental design and camera work to complement it (like with the cylinders), you'll be able to perfectly create that feeling. Additionally, having too little to see can ironically be a point against that favor. You need to give us something to keep us guessing, but not enough for us to predict the outcome of our actions.

3: What other design elements can make a player feel uncomfortable without providing much movement/action from the object itself?

• There needs to be consequences that can happen, so that we can be afraid of them.
• Have environments and camerawork to compliment with the lighting in order to create that feeling.
• Keep us guessing, but not enough to predict the outcome of our actions.

4: How would you improve the experience?

• Faint red lights on the cameras
• More room to explore
• Play with obstacles, objects and shadows
• Have things come out of places where we can't see
• Have a closed ceiling
• Consequences of sorts