"This ending … What the hell!!"
Lin Xue was shocked. She thought the male protagonist had finally gotten over his wife's death after so many years of torture, but it turned out he was going to commit suicide?
This ending was too depressing. The male protagonist only had two choices, either to never wake up from the nightmare of his wife's death, or to commit suicide?
Lin Xue didn't feel well at all. After finishing the game, she really wanted to go out and listen to a crosstalk show to calm herself down …
…
Many of the participants in the design competition bought the game as soon as it was released. They were quite curious as to what Chen Mo meant by a better way to limit the field of view.
But when they played the game, they suddenly realized that the so-called 'vision restriction' didn't have to be done in traditional ways, it could be done in other ways!
Traditional visual restrictions had already been used up a long time ago. There were only a few of them, and the players were starting to get tired of it.
For example, using darkness to restrict the player's field of vision, creating unexpected dangers through narrow spaces or opening doors.
Around these visual restrictions, through some special "methods to remove visual restrictions", players could be able to create a terrifying experience with tension and relaxation.
For example, Outlast's dark scenes and night vision camera was a classic method that was still being used by many horror game designers.
However, Suffocate had taken a new approach to horror games that had already been solidified. It was a complete victory in terms of creativity.
Was Suffocate difficult to make?
The designers realized that it wasn't difficult at all after playing it for a while.
Horror games were a genre that put a lot of emphasis on art. The more realistic the setting, the more terrifying the atmosphere would be for the players.
To give the designers a fair environment, Chen Mo even opened up Thunderbolt Games' art library for them, allowing them to use any high quality art for horror games.
If they didn't have the art, the horror games the designers made would be terrible, and some of the better ideas wouldn't even be shown.
If Outlast's art was done very crudely, the monsters were stiff, and the graphics were simple, how much of a scary atmosphere would be left …
However, Suffocation was a game that did not rely on art materials. All the scary levels were displayed with simple lines. It was the simplest horror game in history.
The video game designers knew that a video game designer like Chen Mo had almost unlimited resources. Naturally he would be able to use the best art resources to create a high quality game.
But what about the designers who just entered the industry? It was too difficult to create a high-quality and innovative game while conserving resources as much as possible.
Chen Mo didn't use Suffocate to show off, nor did he make it too flashy. He used the least amount of resources and the most innovative ideas, telling all the new designers how to design a game based on their own circumstances.
Many people felt that this game gave them a completely different horror game experience when they played it.
Although it wasn't exactly different, it was clearly different from other horror games.
After experiencing it for a while, these people finally understood.
It was because of the sound of the game.
In other horror games, the sound was only used to enhance the atmosphere.
For example, in Outlast, different scenes would have different sound effects.
In a quiet scene, the player would be able to hear their own footsteps. They would be on high alert, and the slightest movement would cause them to feel fear.
When being chased by monsters, the player would be able to hear their own breathing and heartbeat in the background. This would give them a rush of adrenaline, giving them extreme fear.
However, Suffocation was unique. It used sound to enhance the atmosphere as a way for the player to understand their surroundings. It was equivalent to combining sight and hearing.
The players were faced with a choice all the time. If they did not make a sound to explore the way, they would be drowned in the darkness and unable to move an inch. If they made a sound to explore the way, it would go against the instinct of humans to protect themselves and might attract monsters in the dark.
This unique visual restriction gave Suffocation a unique playstyle. It was no longer just parkour, but a combination of puzzle-solving, exploration, and parkour. At the same time, it had a unique art style, giving the player a completely different horror game experience.
Moreover, the game was perfect for next-generation VR.
The player could make any sound in the game, be it talking, coughing, or knocking on the wall. These sounds could be used to explore the path.
In this way, the player's sense of immersion was further enhanced. He could even see that the volume of his voice affected the range of the sound waves. Every time he made a sound, he had to be careful and deliberate, unlike other horror games where he just had to hold back his voice.
Of course, if someone asked if Suffocation was a horror game that surpassed the classics?
Obviously not.
Suffocation was the simplest and least scary out of all the horror games Chen Mo had made. It couldn't compare to games like Outlast or Silent Hill.
However, Chen Mo made this game to show all the new video game designers the endless possibilities of video game development.
Would a new video game designer not be able to make a good game due to their limited resources?
Of course not.
Make use of existing resources, explore their own ideas and creativity, play to their strengths and avoid their weaknesses, and make their work the best. This is what a designer should do.
Or rather, what made a good video game designer?
It wasn't playing a good hand, but a bad hand.
A good video game designer could use their creativity to make up for their shortcomings, creating something that surpassed their time. That was the most attractive part of the video game design industry.
The participating video game designers were all impressed. They couldn't beat the big boss even if they gave up their own martial arts …
It felt like in some fantasy novels, where the big boss would say "I'll suppress my power to fight you", only to find out after the fight that the boss still had the upper hand!
"What do I do? I feel like I'll never reach Salent's level … Sigh."
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