Game Design Deep Dive: Horror

by Joshua Bycer

Overview

The Game Design Deep Dive series examines a specific game system or mechanic over the course of the history of the industry. This entry will examine the history and design of the horror genre and elements in video games. The author analyzes early video game examples, including the differences between survival, action-horror, and psychological horror. Thanks to recent hits like Five Night’s at Freddy’s, Bendy and the Ink Machine, and recent Resident Evil titles, the horror genre has seen a strong resurgence. For this book in the Game Design Deep Dive series, Joshua Bycer will go over the evolution of horror in video games and game design, and what it means to create a terrifying and chilling experience.

FEATURES

• Written for anyone interested in the horror genre, anyone who wants to understand game design, or anyone simply curious from a historical standpoint

• Includes real game examples to highlight the discussed topics and mechanics

• Explores the philosophy and aspects of horror that can be applied to any medium

• Serves as a perfect companion for someone building their first game or as part of a game design classroom

Joshua Bycer is a game design critic with more than eight years of experience critically analyzing game design and the industry itself. In that time, through Game-Wisdom, he has interviewed hundreds of game developers and members of the industry about what it means to design video games. He also strives to raise awareness about the importance of studying game design by giving lectures and presentations. His first book was 20 Essential Games to Study. He continues to work on the Game Design Deep Dive series.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780367721749
Publisher:	CRC Press
Publication date:	10/08/2021
Series:	Game Design Deep Dive
Pages:	144
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Joshua Bycer is a Game Design Analyst with over a decade of experience writing for major sites, doing YouTube, and the author of the Game Design Deep Dive series. In that time through Game-Wisdom.com, he has interviewed hundreds of game developers and members of the industry about what it means to design video games.

Table of Contents

Preface vii

Additional Books ix

Acknowledgments xi

Author xiii

1 The Goal of Game Design Deep Dive: Horror 1

2 The Pre-survival Horror Period 3

2.1 The Monster Mashup 3

3 The Rise of Survival Horror 7

3.1 Sweet Home 8

3.2 Alone in the Dark 8

3.3 Resident Evil 10

3.4 Silent Hill 13

3.5 A Snapshot of Scares 15

4 Basic Horror Design 19

4.1 Defining the Horror Genre 20

4.2 What Is Survival Horror 20

4.3 Controls and Camera Design 22

4.4 World Design 26

4.5 Event Triggers 28

5 The Philosophy behind Horror 31

5.1 The Psychology of Fear 32

5.2 Creating and Releasing Tension 33

5.3 The Use of Jump Scares 35

5.4 Telling Scary Stories 36

5.5 Gruesome Graphics 39

5.6 The One Chance of Horror 41

6 Creating Scary Gameplay 43

6.1 Fighting the Power Fantasy 44

6.2 Resource Management 47

6.3 Enemy Design 50

6.4 Stealth Design 54

6.5 Puzzle Design 58

7 The "Death" of Horror 61

7.1 The Reinvention of Resident Evil 62

7.2 Dead Space 65

7.3 Action Horror Design 67

7.4 A Snapshot of Action-Horror Games 68

7.5 How Did Horror Die 73

8 The New Horror 77

8.1 Stealth Horror 78

8.2 The Five Nights at Freddy's Phenomenon 79

8.3 The Variety of Indie Terror 82

8.4 Microhorror 88

8.5 The Revival of Resident Evil 90

9 Complex Horror 93

9.1 Multiplayer Horror 94

9.2 Open-World Horror 97

9.3 Alpha Antagonist 100

9.4 Pacing and Progression 104

9.5 Horror in Non-Horror Design 107

9.6 Avoiding Frustration 110

10 The Future of Horror 115

10.1 Is There a Market for Horror? 116

10.2 Procedurally Generated Horror 117

10.3 Summary 119

Glossary 121

Index 125