hey um yer i'm still new to hammer but gettin there um i'm a pretty skilled artist though and i'm also pretty good with ideas. I was just thinkin about makin my own mod once i got sum skills and i jotted down sum ideas. One that came to mind was entering a hallway and suddenly the dim lights flicker off and on and then there is a brown out where there is still light but not much. Then all a sudden u hear a shrill cry pierce the stale air and the shadow of an unknown creature dissapear in the distance down the hall. You pull ur flashlight out to investigate and all thats there is a rat looking straight through u. U keep walking down the hallway and then the floor starts creaking louder and louder and then CRACK the floor snaps beneath you and u fall. you hit the ground with a sickening thud and there is not much light in the room just enough to make out that the four walls and floor is pulsating u pull out ur torch and see that there is something growing all over the floor and u see human carcasses bound and sewn together hanging from the ceiling, their pale bodies twisted into impossible positions. mechanical arms and legs were sewn onto some, on others human limbs were sewn. There were msses of bodies suspended on the roof. u turn around and somethings head is dangling lifelessy in front of you and yer thats all i got at the moment what do u think
spooky stuff?
- Thread starter Smoke
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Mechagodzilla
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That screenshot is too dang dark. That level of blackness would be more irritating than scary.
Alrite about that screenshot, IMO that sort of lighting is awesome for the subject matter all in all it adds to the feeling of isolation and makes the game tense as there is a lot that is unknown. Cept it shouldn't b that dark the whole way through no more than 10-25% should b dark or darker than that. Its just not enjoyable. Another thing, i no it is early in development but the square corners aren't good u need variety rubbish and debris in the corners and along the footrails(the part where the wall meets the floor) afterall it is an abandoned ___________ um blood is good but dun go overboard. In sections it is good. And that particular blood decal should b applied on the floor as it looks like something has bin dragged. but it dun matter.ahh yer thats all i got to say really. Ann btw is it a house ur making or a facility/warehouse/factory etc. ur makin?
H
hfk88
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Make Huge areas. IMO mysteriously huge areas are way way scarrier than small rooms. Maybe a huge hall or a huge outdoor plain surrounded by hills or mountains in the horizon, something like that. then spawn a LOT of mosters from far away just rushing the player when you arrive ..Add music too! something well produced that starts dark and ambient then add pumping bass kicks when the monsters attacks 
Make sure its night of course. Make sure there's only you and the monsters out there. Make small hints to the player under way that something creepy is going to happen, like long echo'd screams.
Make sure its night of course. Make sure there's only you and the monsters out there. Make small hints to the player under way that something creepy is going to happen, like long echo'd screams.subtlesnake
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I think the key is effective balance between the combat and non-combat segments. If it's just continuous action then the player soon lose his fear.
You should alternate between ambient noises to add to the atmosphere, and then suddenly stop them leaving absolute silence. The silent areas should feel unusually empty, but as the player progresses he might hear really weird sounds that stop abruptly.
Just as he’s starting to dismiss the noises you want to spring him. Ideally this should be linked to something in the environment. A piece of machinery he has to operate, a door he has to open. Either way, increase the amount of sound as he approaches the object, until it reaches a crescendo and then *wham* enemies everywhere, chaos mayhem etc.
You should alternate between ambient noises to add to the atmosphere, and then suddenly stop them leaving absolute silence. The silent areas should feel unusually empty, but as the player progresses he might hear really weird sounds that stop abruptly.
Just as he’s starting to dismiss the noises you want to spring him. Ideally this should be linked to something in the environment. A piece of machinery he has to operate, a door he has to open. Either way, increase the amount of sound as he approaches the object, until it reaches a crescendo and then *wham* enemies everywhere, chaos mayhem etc.
aku ankka
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For anyone trying to create a scary atmosphere I would recommend the Thief 3 abandoned hospital/mental hospital/whatever. Excellent use of ambient noise. Ravenholm doesn´t stand a chance imo.
Edit: Maybe I should elaborate more. It had everything, things you cannot see but know you´re going to face eventually, (near) immortal enemies which forced you to avoid them and oh those sounds.. Of course it helps that the thief isn´t a gun toting action hero like Gordy but more vulnerable.
Edit: Maybe I should elaborate more. It had everything, things you cannot see but know you´re going to face eventually, (near) immortal enemies which forced you to avoid them and oh those sounds.. Of course it helps that the thief isn´t a gun toting action hero like Gordy but more vulnerable.
Smoke
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great stuff guys keep it comin if u can, also i still need a bit of practice with hammer so any tips with the stuff u suggest would be so awsome.
it looks like ive discovered something u guys really want huh?
edit: oh and by the way can anyone give me a decent scale to put this on? i mean how big you want the map to be cos i will eventually upload this!
it looks like ive discovered something u guys really want huh?
edit: oh and by the way can anyone give me a decent scale to put this on? i mean how big you want the map to be cos i will eventually upload this!
S
_Shyguy_
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I know one good way to scare the player... make a hallway, after the hallway there is a large, well lit room with three doors in diffrent places... The player walks halfway into the room and [sound of electricity going out] the room is pitch black... The player hear the moan of a couple of zombies. The light flickers back on just long enough for the player to see a few of the zombies... the light goes out a few seconds and then the emergency light goes on (red or very dim)... I think that is pretty scary if you can combine the lights and sounds in a nice fashion...
Smoke
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just a little taste..
bear in mind that these are the earliest of early days ok?
any feedback at all is good(mean or not) cos its the only way i will learn
edit: by the way that screenie is darker than the map for some reason just like the other 1 so dont panic im not goin to make it like that.
bear in mind that these are the earliest of early days ok?
any feedback at all is good(mean or not) cos its the only way i will learn
edit: by the way that screenie is darker than the map for some reason just like the other 1 so dont panic im not goin to make it like that.
Dekstar
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Ok, I saw you didn't really understand my light thing. Now, this uses certain entities. I'm not sure which, as I'm also fairly new to the hammer business. But I hope you'll understand.
Now basically each box there is a trigger, which... Triggers certain animations of the scientists.
Gabe said in an interview you can do this, and also this works for my "lights flickering out when you walk underneath them" thingy. Because you can tie one of those entities, so it is directly proportional to another entity. You walk into a box, and you can make a light turn off and on. Simple.
Edit: Excuse my poor paint skills.
Now basically each box there is a trigger, which... Triggers certain animations of the scientists.
Gabe said in an interview you can do this, and also this works for my "lights flickering out when you walk underneath them" thingy. Because you can tie one of those entities, so it is directly proportional to another entity. You walk into a box, and you can make a light turn off and on. Simple.
Edit: Excuse my poor paint skills.
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wow hard hitting stuff I find that funny more than scary!
(i tried using hammer once, but i didnt get past the first bit, whats the first step in making that? i read the whole online guide )
I find that funny more than scary!(i tried using hammer once, but i didnt get past the first bit, whats the first step in making that? i read the whole online guide
)The screen looks like a fair beggining. I hope you succeed with this map, it's not often that something that is psychologically scary instead of just creepy comes up.
As it has been said before, sound is greatly effective. That was used perfectly in Doom3 on occasions. Like, you're walking in complete silence, and then there's the sound of breaking glass or metal clashing. Or, continious spooky ambience... some Doom3 ambient sounds are genius, they send a shiver down your spine, and especially when used at the right time.
A few times in your level, have monsters come out of unexpected places, like niches in walls, or burst out of crates, but don't overdo it, or it will no longer be scary.
Checklist to have it scary:
Make the player feel helpless. Suppose he enters a room and there's a man who turns around and screams for help. As the player approaches, there's a shot visible (bullet like from pulse rifle through the air) and the man dies. The player feels helpless then, which is a good thing.
Make the player feel his weapons are weak. This isn't about making a zombie that takes 50 shotgun shots to die. It's more about seeing monsters tear people up in a room with bulletproof glass... it's happening just two metres from you, you have the firepower to help, but the weapons are useless nonetheless.
Make the player feel lonely. Accomplished by echo sounds of footsteps, by signs that the place has been abandoned a long time ago (think of the houses in HL2 levels).
Give some disturbing things. This isn't about putting blood everywhere, although a room with corpses and blood-splattered walls is nice. Create an empty room with some citizens agaist the wall and Combine and have the Combine shoot them. Take a look. This is what you want in your level - corpses and blood in such a way that it's obvious the citizens were lined up against a wall and shot. Or, depending on the backstory of your level, a different approach might be better, if it's some unknown/demonic power that killed them - you can show citizens have barricaded themselves in, and died - pile up lots of stuff and corpses behind. There's more to disturbing sights - on some wall, have YOU DIE NOW written in blood. If you've played Doom3, remember Delta4... I know I was scared to hell when entering that.
Building sense of dread. As the player progresses through the level, there should be a feeling that it's going to get worse. Accomplished by setting the more disturbing sights later, etc.
Just a few thoughts...
As it has been said before, sound is greatly effective. That was used perfectly in Doom3 on occasions. Like, you're walking in complete silence, and then there's the sound of breaking glass or metal clashing. Or, continious spooky ambience... some Doom3 ambient sounds are genius, they send a shiver down your spine, and especially when used at the right time.
A few times in your level, have monsters come out of unexpected places, like niches in walls, or burst out of crates, but don't overdo it, or it will no longer be scary.
Checklist to have it scary:
Make the player feel helpless. Suppose he enters a room and there's a man who turns around and screams for help. As the player approaches, there's a shot visible (bullet like from pulse rifle through the air) and the man dies. The player feels helpless then, which is a good thing.
Make the player feel his weapons are weak. This isn't about making a zombie that takes 50 shotgun shots to die. It's more about seeing monsters tear people up in a room with bulletproof glass... it's happening just two metres from you, you have the firepower to help, but the weapons are useless nonetheless.
Make the player feel lonely. Accomplished by echo sounds of footsteps, by signs that the place has been abandoned a long time ago (think of the houses in HL2 levels).
Give some disturbing things. This isn't about putting blood everywhere, although a room with corpses and blood-splattered walls is nice. Create an empty room with some citizens agaist the wall and Combine and have the Combine shoot them. Take a look. This is what you want in your level - corpses and blood in such a way that it's obvious the citizens were lined up against a wall and shot. Or, depending on the backstory of your level, a different approach might be better, if it's some unknown/demonic power that killed them - you can show citizens have barricaded themselves in, and died - pile up lots of stuff and corpses behind. There's more to disturbing sights - on some wall, have YOU DIE NOW written in blood. If you've played Doom3, remember Delta4... I know I was scared to hell when entering that.
Building sense of dread. As the player progresses through the level, there should be a feeling that it's going to get worse. Accomplished by setting the more disturbing sights later, etc.
Just a few thoughts...
Smoke
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ok so i think i get ur light stuff now, i hope i succeed to cos hen planning this map i get shivers lol.
by the way my map is based upon you waking up (as a soldier) in a nasty looking room with stuff like a bed, as if it was your quarters or somethin. and you have to wander around trying to pick up on what went on, and you discover(not telling u whole plot) that the combine in this huge underground facility were further researching headcrabs and zombies behind bullet-proof glass n stuff, but they get loose.....lol.
im gonna show that by placing areas with lots of blood in and broken terminals and broken glass but no bodies, only blood (and few weapons but very little ammo)
whad ya think?
by the way my map is based upon you waking up (as a soldier) in a nasty looking room with stuff like a bed, as if it was your quarters or somethin. and you have to wander around trying to pick up on what went on, and you discover(not telling u whole plot) that the combine in this huge underground facility were further researching headcrabs and zombies behind bullet-proof glass n stuff, but they get loose.....lol.
im gonna show that by placing areas with lots of blood in and broken terminals and broken glass but no bodies, only blood (and few weapons but very little ammo)
whad ya think?
CookieCuttah
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I see nobody mentioned some things.
System shock
Thief
Thief 2
Thief fan maps.
These are all when horror was done right without the need for complex graphics or shadows. Doom 3 *Cough cough*
Perhaps Thief 3 also but I haven't played that yet. They say it has 1 scary level though.
System shock
Thief
Thief 2
Thief fan maps.
These are all when horror was done right without the need for complex graphics or shadows. Doom 3 *Cough cough*
Perhaps Thief 3 also but I haven't played that yet. They say it has 1 scary level though.
M
Maddox
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Is it possible to have a zombie without the headcrab? I'd make a "Resident Evil" style map with only the basics. Handgun and machine gun. If you're packed to the gills with weapons, you've got nothing to fear.
sinkoman
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Ok guys, I was reading the part about the flickering lights and the hallway and all of a sudden, the power goes out in my house. Pitch black. Shit my pants.
I think you should have somebody help you make new zombie models. An aparition would make a good slow zombie.
Hears an idea for a scene. You are running around helpless, no guns and you hear a combine call for you. He hears you and says he's a few rooms down. you get to the room and he gives you a shotgun. He tells you that they've called (he's got maybe four or so others with him) for help, and they just have to hold out a few more hours. All of a sudden, WATACK! The light's go out. You hear the combine go "The shit's about to fly guys! Get ready!!!" all of a sudden you hear a loud screaching noise, like fingernails on a blackboard go. You can hear the combine shaking. Thunder strikes and you see a ring of happy looking aparitions/mauled undead humans (happy alwayse scared me) crowding you and you're combine allies. You hear the combine yell for his dear life. He fires his shotgun! The flash shows something that scares you dear (like an alien or a pink, mauled human. Again, with a grin on its face) wrapping it's arms around his face. You see a face come into view slowly. It tells you in a sort of pleased voice that stutters like gman "yoou shouldn't plaaay with gunns" and then you see a face with teeth flash in front of you. When the lights come back on, you're lying on the ground (that might take some modding) with only 23 health and again, no guns.
How's that sound?
I think you should have somebody help you make new zombie models. An aparition would make a good slow zombie.
Hears an idea for a scene. You are running around helpless, no guns and you hear a combine call for you. He hears you and says he's a few rooms down. you get to the room and he gives you a shotgun. He tells you that they've called (he's got maybe four or so others with him) for help, and they just have to hold out a few more hours. All of a sudden, WATACK! The light's go out. You hear the combine go "The shit's about to fly guys! Get ready!!!" all of a sudden you hear a loud screaching noise, like fingernails on a blackboard go. You can hear the combine shaking. Thunder strikes and you see a ring of happy looking aparitions/mauled undead humans (happy alwayse scared me) crowding you and you're combine allies. You hear the combine yell for his dear life. He fires his shotgun! The flash shows something that scares you dear (like an alien or a pink, mauled human. Again, with a grin on its face) wrapping it's arms around his face. You see a face come into view slowly. It tells you in a sort of pleased voice that stutters like gman "yoou shouldn't plaaay with gunns" and then you see a face with teeth flash in front of you. When the lights come back on, you're lying on the ground (that might take some modding) with only 23 health and again, no guns.
How's that sound?
Don't overdo it or the player will just bash every filecabinet he sees because there's bound to be headcrabs in them.
Background noises and flickering lights ussualy do the job. Maybe some slowly moving items to make you think something is there.
Background noises and flickering lights ussualy do the job. Maybe some slowly moving items to make you think something is there.
MiccyNarc
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Stuff that scares me:
Quick flashes of light (from lightning, or explosions) that temporarily reveal an enemy, so the player knows there's something out there, but can't see what it is because he only saw something quickly.
Anticipation of a fright:
Let the player know there is something out there, and build up to it.
Build up is key here. I'm thinking of "Signs" right now, there's a scene at a birthday party..anyone who's seen it knows what I'm talking about.
Even though I only saw the alien for a split second, that was enough to make me scream like a little girl.
But I'm a sucker for scary games/movies.
Oddly, I was more scared by the monkies in Far Cry than anything in HL2
Quick flashes of light (from lightning, or explosions) that temporarily reveal an enemy, so the player knows there's something out there, but can't see what it is because he only saw something quickly.
Anticipation of a fright:
Let the player know there is something out there, and build up to it.
Build up is key here. I'm thinking of "Signs" right now, there's a scene at a birthday party..anyone who's seen it knows what I'm talking about.
Even though I only saw the alien for a split second, that was enough to make me scream like a little girl.
But I'm a sucker for scary games/movies.
Oddly, I was more scared by the monkies in Far Cry than anything in HL2
subtlesnake
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When you've made your level, get mesh to play it.
lord dubu
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I don't know if this helps or not, but I've been playing Killzone the past couple of days (fantastic game IMHO). And the game is nice and immersive, it really pulls you in.
But I find the times when I am MOST on edge, are when nothing is happening. No bullets, no nearbye explosions, no respirator muffled radio transmissions of "ADVANCE! HERE THEY COME!"...
Why? Because it breaks the established pattern. You get used to shooting until a room is clear, collecting booty, walking to the next room, rinse repeat. Then you get into a room, and nothing... it doesn't feel right... something's wrong with the status quo...
So you creep into the next room, because you -KNOW- it's gonna happen then... and still nothing. By the time you reach the third room, you've foolishly relaxed, let your guard down ever so slightly... and then suddenly, you're trapped between two banks of Hellghast soldiers, caught in a crossfire and ripped to shreds.
Now -that- is a recipe for scary.
But I find the times when I am MOST on edge, are when nothing is happening. No bullets, no nearbye explosions, no respirator muffled radio transmissions of "ADVANCE! HERE THEY COME!"...
Why? Because it breaks the established pattern. You get used to shooting until a room is clear, collecting booty, walking to the next room, rinse repeat. Then you get into a room, and nothing... it doesn't feel right... something's wrong with the status quo...
So you creep into the next room, because you -KNOW- it's gonna happen then... and still nothing. By the time you reach the third room, you've foolishly relaxed, let your guard down ever so slightly... and then suddenly, you're trapped between two banks of Hellghast soldiers, caught in a crossfire and ripped to shreds.
Now -that- is a recipe for scary.
Mr.Wotsit
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Someeone, I think it might have been Metalhead, gave this detailed story of something happening but you have to remember that you can't predict when the player will turn and look anywhere unless you have them in something like the last level of Half Life 2 with limited view movement.
It's very easy to write a dramatic paragraph of what would theoretically be scary but when you put it in a map, you can't count on the player turning to see each scene as you plan.
It's very easy to write a dramatic paragraph of what would theoretically be scary but when you put it in a map, you can't count on the player turning to see each scene as you plan.
L337_Assasain
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The good way to make a scary map is to make it creepy at first, maybe a few screams, seeing something run from one corner to another, but only catching a glimps of a foot or arm. I like the idea of seeing many people in a room, then having the lights turn out, flickering, seeing only a bit of what's going on inside, such as running, shooting, then the lights turn on, someone gets dragged into a doorway, then the lights turn off again, for good, and you hear sounds from the room the guy got dragged into. Make sure that there are only minor scares after that, yet keep a very creepy feel, then have the character confront the creature right after a major scare of course, and viola, there's your scary map hope that helped.
hope that helped.L337_Assasain
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yeah, that was pretty ****ing scary, i couldn't sleep that night...
