19 Aug, 2011
What does the genre of horror mean to someone who is directing a game series for being scary? It means a lot, and it’s more than just screams and cheap thrills. Brian Gomez, the Design Director for Silent Hill: Downpour, discussed what horror really means as an emotion, as a genre, and as a theme during a panel at Gamescom.
When we feel frightened, what is it that most often makes us feel that way? It typically involves feeling outside of our comfort zones, being confronted with something we would rather shovel away under a rug and forget about or simply avoid all together. Gomez described horror as shock, fear, and disgust. It’s something that has been around for a long time. Ever heard of “fight or flight”? Yeah, there’s a little bit of horror involved in that, if you will.
In the world of game development, Gomez explained that horror is best achieved when the player is encompassed in an atmosphere that violates their sense of safety and comfort. Silent Hill, especially the second title, did a great job with this, dropping players into a world filled with fog. You can’t see anything, you can’t hear anything, and you don’t know what’s out there. Talk about a violation of comfort.
While games are primarily designed to take players on an adventure through a new world, making them feel completely in power and living through a fantastical story, horror does just the opposite. Players are restricted and placed in a situation where, in most cases, they are rendered powerless. It’s a living nightmare, one that players choose to live through. Gomez listed off a few classic titles — old Resident Evil games, System Shock 2, Fatal Frame, and the original BioShock — as examples of the horror genre done right in a video game.
Since joining the development team of Silent Hill: Downpour, Gomez wanted to return the latest installment in the long-standing series back to its original horror roots. In 2010, Gomez described the game as “[being off] to a rough start.” There was no common goal, and there was too much emphasis on aesthetic designs. The main character seemed boring, and the monsters seemed frightening in appearance only. There was no connection to the established stories of previous Silent Hill titles, and so Downpour was simply floating about on its own. That had to change, and Gomez had the team take a step back to reflect on what gave Silent Hill the frightening reputation that it carries to today.
The first step was to re-invent Murphy Pendleton, an escaped convict whose transport is involved in an accident. Of course, that accident had to happen at the doorstep of sleepy little mining town Silent Hill. Hardcore fans will know that Silent Hill is a living thing, capable of manifesting anyone’s worst nightmares and fears. It’s the perfect set-up for a horror masterpiece. Emphasizing Pendleton’s flaws, the team of Downpour created a character that was very much flawed, therefore giving Silent Hill a chance to flex its nightmarish muscle.
Taking it a step further, Gomez decided to focus on how to mentally draw the player in through detail work. Much like Ninja Theory’s views on performance capture, Gomez said that the character’s body language had to reflect what he was really feeling in order to create that mutual feeling of dread. Otherwise, we’ll probably think he’s a goomba’s fairy godmother (or not). Pendleton had to approach gore with caution, and jump during startling situations. “The animators killed themselves doing this,” said Gomez.
Of course, logic can’t be ignored either with an emphasis on detail work. The original story of Downpour tried far too hard to integrate with both the original Silent Hill and Silent Hill 2. After lengthy revisions, Downpour came out focusing more on the psychological brain-screwing of the second title, and left most of the first on the cutting room floor. “We’re trying to put some of that Alyssa and The Order stuff to rest,” said Gomez. Obsessing over gods and all that other stuff is best left to the original. Drawing on their own personal experiences seemed to suit Downpour more anyway. “We asked ourselves to evaluate the most traumatic momentsin our own lives,” said Gomez, “and put those moments straight into the game.”
The cinematics and scenery needed some hefty improvements too. Don’t expect the cameras to be constantly moving, and don’t expect to have much control over them. Limiting vision often lead to frightening experiences, and Gomez’s team studied up on the best horror flicks around to see what kind of camera magic they could work. They came away with some great research (or maybe some popcorn moments), and the decision to also let each scene tell its own story. Don’t blink, or you’ll miss out on some tiny details that could later help you in Silent Hill. It really could mean life or death in this case.
It doesn’t stop there. Players will be encouraged to wonder what happened as they pass through each area, and Gomez is adding different layers of perception through the usage of different light sources: you’ll find a flashlight, a lighter, and an ultraviolet light in your quest for answers.
You can expect to have your senses assaulted with horror at every turn in Downpour. Gomez’s team will make sure of that, and it won’t be cheap thrills either. It’s shaping up to be a true throwback to the glory days of Silent Hill, and the dedication that Vatra Games is putting in promises to be one hell of a ride.
Silent Hill: Downpour is set to be released this October on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
Via GameSpot.
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