The Science of Fear
How do you make someone genuinely frightened? Fear is a blanket term that defines a mixture of emotions, that causes discomfort. Next Generation has delved into the darkest corners of our psyche to unearth a treasure trove of emotions to induce fear through gaming and other media. They have dissected fear into 10 different channels of terror. It’s a fantastic read, here’s a sample:
SEVEN
Create a sense of isolation. Again, emotions are a personal thing; they’re the foundation for our personality. It’s when that foundation is challenged – when someone kicks out our crutches and leaves us crawling, mentally – that fear takes us over. The best way to emphasize the personal nature of fear – to allow a person to dwell in his own weaknesses – is to make him feel all alone in his feelings. The player must feel helpless, both physically and emotionally; alone in a void, with only their scant wits to guide them. In this situation, the only purpose to the empathy or security of another character is to provide contrast; to give the player another temporary and partial crutch – such that when that empathy or security is removed, the loneliness becomes all the starker.
Toots
Posted to Video Games on 1 November 2006
· Comments (1)
Other stuff like this: fear, horror, isolation, survival
LOL, Carrie! REEE! REEE!, Ohhhh… :(