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Daylight's Horror Comes From Its Randomness

Hard to predict how a procedural horror game will hold up, but it's an interesting idea.

Jan. 6 2014

Posted by: Patrick

In This Episode:

Daylight

41 Comments

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dancingpolkabear

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Played this at Pax east last year. Honestly it played like crap then, but it also seemed like it was being shown way earlier than it should have.

Also while Zombie studios does not have a great pedigree, that Saw game is surprisingly fairly decent.

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sasnake

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Edited By sasnake

@msavo said:

From the creators of Blackwater...

I like how a company makes one bad game, instantly makes them crap forever...seriously people. Most of todays most successful devs started off with duffers.

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smokepants

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Sounds like they got a real actor to do the voice of the protagonist. I heard some of Jessica Chobot's VO in clips from an earlier build and it was laughable.

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MandrewSandwich

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This is the Zombie game running on the new Unreal Engine right? I'll be interested to see how it looks on my pc.

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LikeaSsur

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I can't imagine procedural horror is easy to do, so of course it has to be short. Going first at something usually leaves you at a disadvantage; game development is no different.

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geirr

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@meatsim said:

How is she keeping her phone charged?

battery powered by ancient voodoo magic

If it's a 30 minute game I'd think one charge is enough.

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teenmother

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@meatsim said:

How is she keeping her phone charged?

battery powered by ancient voodoo magic

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mtmckinley

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@mtmckinley: I assume you guys mean Blacklight, not Blackwater. Where did you get the info about the Blacklight team? Just curious.

No, we're referring to Blackwater, Giant Bomb's worst game of the year a couple years ago, and also developed by Zombie Studios. I know because *I* work at Zombie Studios as well.

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MeatSim

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Edited By MeatSim

How is she keeping her phone charged?

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armaan8014

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@fisk0 said:

Wasn't Nosferatu: The Wrath of Malachi procedurally generated and pretty decent?

Yes I loved that game! We got chased by a headless man down a spiral staircase once. We just screamed and ran. We were little kids. Lovely days

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matti00

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I'm so up for this, hope it turns out well.

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deactivated-6342b5d558672

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@mtmckinley: I assume you guys mean Blacklight, not Blackwater. Where did you get the info about the Blacklight team? Just curious.

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mtmckinley

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Just to alleviate some of those "From the creators of Blackwater" concerns, the team responsible for Daylight is an entirely different team then the one responsible for Blackwater. Also, about 90% of that Blackwater team no longer work at Zombie and those that do are mostly in their Serious Games department doing non-commercial products.

Just FYI to those who care!

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zzzellyn

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Huh, I thought Dreadhalls was procedural.

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Nagogii

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Oh boy, A Phone in the Dark 2000: Revenge of the Corridors. Just what the horror genre needed more of.

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TheManWithNoPlan

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Edited By TheManWithNoPlan

Fingers crossed. I can't wait to play it. Maybe it'll be on Spookin with Scoops too.

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Spitznock

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That camera-bob looks great.

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Humanity

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Procedurally generated horror is the future of horror, because it's the best way to provide the player with a perfectly unknown antagonist. When I play Silent Hill 2, I know where all the lying figures and mannequins are, and I know what they're capable of. I will not be scared in Dead Space 4, because I've killed thousands of necromorphs and I know what all the classic ones are capable of. I will be scared when the new enemies show up, until I fight them twice, figure out what they're capable of, and how to kill them. Procedural generation however means that I may never be able to build effective knowledge on the enemy. When I hear a rustling around a corner or behind a door; not only do I not know what's coming, I couldn't know. I am constantly under threat of the unknown. That's the future of horror.

Of course, eventually I just learn the tendencies of the procedural generation and game it that way. Our minds are incredible things.

edit: Oh wait isn't this that game written by Jessica Chobot where you wake up in an insane asylum and as you try to escape, "monsters" try to stop you? The one that screams "Shutter Island twist" at you?

"Her phone acts as a flashlight, as well as a UV light to follow her footprints should she get lost. There is no real combat, when she comes across a phantom, she must either run, or scare it away with a flare. One play through is meant to only last around 30 minutes, but the game is meant to be played multiple times to get the whole story."

...

IGNORE EVERYTHING I SAID.

Procedurally generated game with no combat, lasts a half hour. Fuck me. I hope it's twenty fucking dollars because that would be the cherry on top.

If Gone Home is $20 then this is at least $40

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joshwent

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Edited By joshwent

Wait... so there are no monsters I can smack in the face with that Bible?

less interested.

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DeadeyeMcCoy

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ZOMBIE™(TM)®

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jimmyfenix

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Edited By jimmyfenix

I like Jessica Chobot so this game seems A-OK to me.

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deactivated-5e49e9175da37

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Procedurally generated horror is the future of horror, because it's the best way to provide the player with a perfectly unknown antagonist. When I play Silent Hill 2, I know where all the lying figures and mannequins are, and I know what they're capable of. I will not be scared in Dead Space 4, because I've killed thousands of necromorphs and I know what all the classic ones are capable of. I will be scared when the new enemies show up, until I fight them twice, figure out what they're capable of, and how to kill them. Procedural generation however means that I may never be able to build effective knowledge on the enemy. When I hear a rustling around a corner or behind a door; not only do I not know what's coming, I couldn't know. I am constantly under threat of the unknown. That's the future of horror.

Of course, eventually I just learn the tendencies of the procedural generation and game it that way. Our minds are incredible things.

edit: Oh wait isn't this that game written by Jessica Chobot where you wake up in an insane asylum and as you try to escape, "monsters" try to stop you? The one that screams "Shutter Island twist" at you?

"Her phone acts as a flashlight, as well as a UV light to follow her footprints should she get lost. There is no real combat, when she comes across a phantom, she must either run, or scare it away with a flare. One play through is meant to only last around 30 minutes, but the game is meant to be played multiple times to get the whole story."

...

IGNORE EVERYTHING I SAID.

Procedurally generated game with no combat, lasts a half hour. Fuck me. I hope it's twenty fucking dollars because that would be the cherry on top.

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fisk0

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@msavo said:

From the creators of Blackwater...

As well as a few pretty decent titles, like Blacklight: Retribution, the Spec Ops series and a couple of the Delta Force games. Not sure if they have the experience for making horror games since they've mostly done military shooters, and some Saw games, which I hesitate to call horror, but I think they're very capable of making pretty good games.

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MikBe

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Edited By MikBe

Ugh, another dark game that can't be scary without "BOO!" antics. I don't find games where I can't see scary, I find them annoying.

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deactivated-63b0572095437

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I've never found a game scary. I really want one to be. This looks interesting, but I'm not expecting much. I do like Blacklight: Retribution, so at least I know they're able to make a game. I've never played the Saw games. Will keep my eye on this.

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RE_Player1

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Edited By RE_Player1

From the creators of Blackwater...

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cikame

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Ohhh Atlus... i love you but this business plan of yours is pretty crazy.

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Scrawnto

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Oh, hey! This is the game Jessica Chobot is writing. I think a procedural horror game would be perfect as a warm up for Spookin' with Scoops. Hope it turns out well.

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Davvyk

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No no no no NO NOPE nop no.

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Edited By Yummylee

I always keep getting this and Dying Light mixed up.

Wow, those last 15 or so seconds don't half evoke some Akira Yamaoka pretty heavily. And it's going to be available on PS4?? The reasons for me to be excited for this just keep piling up.

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