The development of Silent Hill P.T. was going smoothly, even though it was their first VR project.
But since Silent Hill P.T. wasn't a full game, just a demo, it wasn't too large in scale.
The gameplay was basically puzzle-solving, with no combat system.
Even the original demo didn't have much in the way of actions—just opening doors, picking up items, and basic interactions.
For this VR project, Lucas added some small details to make the experience feel more immersive.
Of course, things like jumping, running, and climbing still weren't included, since they would affect the demo too much.
Besides that, the game itself was already in first-person, so Lucas didn't need to worry too much about how it would look in VR.
But compared to most first-person PC games, which usually stick to a default 90-degree field of view, moving to VR meant it needed a much wider view.
Even though it was still first-person, the way it felt in VR was very different from PC games.
In many PC first-person games, it often feels like your eyes are stuck in your chest, because certain actions in third-person and first-person are completely different.
What looks like a normal move in first-person can look really strange in third-person.
And the other way around too.
That's why some games let players switch between first-person and third-person, but to keep the character from moving in weird ways, developers usually have to prepare two different animation sets—one for each view.
But that also means higher costs.
On the VR side though, the limited field of view design actually made this problem easier to handle.
"Hm… this scene where Lisa just shows up—it's too bright. The player should be able to see her outline, but not her face."
"It needs that feeling of mystery, like something half hidden, so when the player suddenly realizes Lisa is rushing at them, their heart races like crazy, like a deer crashing around inside their chest."
In the project room, Lucas was pointing out changes to the lighting and colors while Rachel adjusted the scene.
Hearing his words, Rachel hesitated.
This wasn't a deer crashing around in the heart—it was more like a raging elephant barging in!
Next to them, Hector and the others quietly lowered their heads.
The Dark Souls prequel trailer had also been coming along smoothly, and with the gameplay expo getting closer, the company had already started preparing for it.
The trailer for the Dark Souls prequel was almost done, and Hector's team had already begun building the showcase area. At the same time, they had also gotten a look at Lucas's so-called VR demo.
But the more they learned, the more their hearts felt uneasy.
Since Silent Hill PT was made as a demo for the new VR tests, the VR prototype from Game Division was locked down and couldn't actually be played directly.
Not that Hector and the others wanted to try it—just watching was already enough to make them shiver.
And the key point was that this demo was only about 30 minutes long.
Yet the puzzles in it could only be described as terrifying. It even used tricks like Undertale's fake crash mechanic.
Clues for solving the game were hidden in collectible photo fragments and in error text that appeared during the fake crashes.
If players couldn't pick up on these things, they would be stuck wandering forever in that creepy endless hallway.
With that level of horror, Hector and the others suddenly felt that the Dark Souls prequel actually seemed… bright and cheerful in comparison!
......
Soon, the days passed and the gameplay expo was just around the corner. The company had already begun preparing for it.
Though honestly, there wasn't much to prepare.
Like last year, except this time they added two special theme zones.
One for It Takes Two and one for Dark Souls. And unlike last year, where they saved the trailer reveal for the final day, this year they didn't bother keeping it a secret.
After all, there was only one trailer.
They decided to show it right on the first day and let players enjoy it without delay.
Once it was out, players could just go about doing whatever they wanted, since the big reveal was already done.
Meanwhile, as the company was making preparations, Lucas brought the finished Silent Hill PT over to Game Division to hand it in.
"Less than 20 days, and you're already done!?"
Hearing Lucas's report, David, the division head, looked shocked.
"It's mainly because Silent Hill PT isn't that big of a demo," Lucas said with a smile as he handed over the files.
David glanced over the documents.
As head of Game Division, David wasn't clueless. Looking at the subsidy paperwork and project details, he understood right away.
Lucas had listed very few project categories, and the whole demo was built around a single scene.
"Lucas, the subsidy is tied to content size, sure, but the whole point this time is to test how immersive the new VR feels. The budget shouldn't be wasted, but don't save money for Game Division either." David sighed and shook his head. He guessed Lucas was still young, trying too hard to be careful with the funds.
"Don't worry, sir. The game may look simple, but it's quite unique. It'll definitely work well for testing," Lucas said with a grin.
"Alright then. If the results aren't good enough, just rework it. But next time, don't hold back on the budget."
"I'll have Zuck go with you to the park. A lot of other designers are already there checking out the specs, so your demo can also serve as a showcase. You should all share your experiences with developing for the new VR. After all, it's not just the players' feedback that matters—your experience as developers is just as important." David said to Lucas.
......
After leaving the Game Division building, Lucas drove and followed Zuck to the research park.
Many designers were listening to an explanation about the different parameters of the VR equipment there.
Among them were some new faces, clearly senior designers who had joined Game Division later.
There were also familiar ones, like the warm-hearted Marcus.
"Lucas, you finished your demo already!?"
After hearing Lucas explain his reason for coming, Marcus, just like David before, was stunned.
He had talked with Lucas a few times recently too.
But since he was busy with his own design work, he only knew Lucas's demo was horror-themed and nothing else.
Today he mainly came to get a better understanding of the VR equipment's parameters, so he could adjust his content accordingly.
But now Lucas suddenly showed up and told him the demo was done?
"It's mainly because the game is a bit special, and it's not that big in size." Lucas smiled and nodded.
The staff at the research park also looked surprised. Clearly, none of them expected to already have test material ready.
While Lucas was chatting, the staff informed them that all the test preparations were already complete.
"It's a pity that only testers who passed the physical check and review can try it. Otherwise, I'd really like to experience your game myself, Lucas." Marcus said with some regret.
Some designers nearby, whether Lucas knew them or not, were also talking. It was clear they were looking forward to Lucas's upcoming demo.
After all, this was the first officially playable demo on the new VR system. Plus, Lucas's works over the past two years had all been very unique. They felt this new game, Silent Hill PT, might give them some real inspiration.
The only regret was that they couldn't play it themselves. Otherwise, they could better feel the intentions behind the design.
"Well… Marcus, I think you might change your mind later." Lucas chuckled.
Hearing Lucas's words, the designers nearby didn't say anything, only smiled.
After all, everyone was in the same field, so they needed to give each other some face.
Horror theme? That's not such a big deal.
As game designers, what haven't they seen before?
It's just a horror game! It's not like they hadn't played Lucas's Outlast before.
The testers about to try it had the same thought.
Only one device was prepared, but three testers were on duty that day.
They used rock-paper-scissors to decide who would go first.
"Thanks, I'll take the first shot at this experience." A tall young man, about 1.85 meters, grinned at his two disappointed coworkers. His badge on his chest showed his name: Gery.
The other two were Felix and Quinn, both looking sturdy, since testers for these experiences were carefully selected.
"Too bad, I've always liked Lucas's games." Felix said with regret.
"Yeah, but don't wet yourself later." Quinn teased.
"Heh, haven't we already tested all kinds of materials on the new VR device? We've seen plenty of bloody and scary stuff. You think I'd be afraid?" Gery laughed.
While the three of them were talking, Lucas and the others went into a room. In front of them was a large LCD screen. According to the staff, it would display the tester's gameplay later.
Soon, after the staff checked and confirmed everything was fine, Gery entered the game pod with excitement.
As a young man, Gery naturally liked games, and he was no stranger to Lucas.
Now that he had the chance to try the very first demo made for the new VR device, he was both thrilled and excited.
Carrying that excitement and expectation, he officially started the test demo called Silent Hill PT inside the game pod.
(End of the Chapter)
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