Chapter 45: Be a Human Being, Mr. Chen
On October 8th, after a holiday, Lisa, Jane, and staff from various departments were summoned to Alex's office.
"I mentioned this to everyone before the holiday: we are going to develop a large-scale project."
"It's going to include many action elements. Eric, please contact the motion capture studio. We'll need a lot of resources later," Alex told a young man in his twenties, who already looked a little bald.
"No problem, Alex," the young man named Eric nodded.
Motion capture, both in the past and in parallel worlds, was not a sophisticated thing. Compared to manual motion capture, its advantages are enormous: it's economical, efficient, and natural.
If it weren't for the considerable expense of setting up a complete motion capture studio, Alex was tempted to create one directly. After all, video game development in the future would undoubtedly require the frequent production of resources.
"Alright, let's look at the game we're developing."
After a brief chat, Alex projected his laptop screen onto the wall. Alex, working with [Memory Capsules], had already finished the initial conceptual design draft of Outlast in the past few days.
"Horror... a horror game?" Lisa asked with a hint of surprise.
Not only Lisa, but also Jane, Eric, and the new employees who joined later, were a little stunned. It was a genre they hadn't considered before. They had considered story-driven games like To the Moon, metagames like Undertale, and traditional RPGs. But a horror game was truly unexpected. After all, horror games are in a rather awkward situation.
And there's another crucial point: 'Alex, didn't he say he was a love warrior? What the heck does a horror game have to do with love?'
Seeing everyone's expressions, Alex could guess what they were thinking. This type of game is incredibly difficult to make. It's a genre that tests the quality of production.
After all, if a horror game doesn't scare players, it will probably become a joke. Furthermore, the horror game market is destined to be ignored by large companies, leaving only small and medium-sized companies producing them.
With limited financial resources, most designers resort to jump scares, a common tactic in horror movies and games. Simply put, a jump scare is like seeing the image of a long-legged woman walking towards you. Just as you're about to fire your weapon, the person suddenly transforms into a blood-stained, hideous old witch and shoves herself face-to-face with you.
This is a classic jump scare. While it can be considered tasteless, it is undeniably a classic and effective tactic for creating fear in games.
However, the jump scare is a double-edged sword: used well, it can be a masterpiece; used poorly, it can be a disaster. Truly excellent horror games often use jump scare techniques, so saying that horror games that use jump scares are inferior is a mistake. A true horror game is one that creates a constant sense of pressure.
Because the most terrifying thing about horror games is not fear, but the uncomfortable feeling of not knowing when it will hit you. Jump scares are acceptable in horror games, but they should never be overused. Using them to make players scared during the game is the essence of horror games, and also their most challenging aspect.
In the office, Alex explained the key points to consider when developing Outlast.
"The truth is, we didn't have enough time to develop it. Otherwise, I'd like to take everyone on a field trip, find an abandoned hospital, and decorate it so everyone can understand it better," Alex said regretfully, as an idea crossed his mind.
Lisa and Jane looked at Alex with wide eyes. Eric and the others silently bowed their heads.
"Don't regret it. I'll definitely take you there when I develop another horror game," Alex said with a smile.
Everyone was speechless. 'Who would regret something like that?'
"Also, John, regarding game promotion, we need to pay attention. We need to generate interest around videos and live streaming platforms. You'll have to draw up a plan."
After a brief joke, Alex addressed John, who was in the market.
John, who had remained silently seated, nodded and replied: "Understood, Alex."
Nebula Games currently has a small amount of funding, so, naturally, promotion will not be relaxed. Furthermore, excellent horror games lend themselves well to live streaming, leveraging live streaming and video platforms to generate interest and expand rapidly.
After all, many players are afraid to play horror games, but they enjoy watching others play them. Additionally, for many horror games, watching them and playing them are two different experiences. There are also players who believe that a horror game is simply good and then buy it to play. While they are very likely to be too scared to even play it, this can help expand the game's popularity.
All these are important factors. The Outlast series from the previous generation sold over 15 million copies, largely thanks to the rise of the live streaming industry.
After a brief chat, Alex continued to explain the key elements of Outlast. First, as its name suggests, the player assumes the role of an unarmed reporter who faces various terrifying situations, with only one option: escape.
Second, there's the camera setup. Unlike traditional game flashlights, which always have power, the reporter in Outlast uses the camera's night vision function, a crucial feature for navigating dark environments. Activating night vision consumes batteries. However, players have limited batteries, so this becomes a key factor.
Alex also thoroughly analyzed the game's plot and pacing.
"Well, Jane, you need to pay attention to digital art and atmosphere creation. Turn off the lights at home early in the morning and experience it for yourself."
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