#General opinions and suggestions

1 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)

magic ocean
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Love the simplicity of this concept, you've made a very fun game. Just a few opinions of mine - apologies if you've heard these from others already:

  1. Bodies should not despawn once the bacteria has killed them. Would add to the atmosphere and also not interrupt immersion when they suddenly despawn in front of you.
  2. Smilers should be something to avoid. They're pretty passive and there's no reason to fear them. Maybe they could 'stalk' the player by following and moving closer when not being observed (like in the game 'bulldogs')? How about a debuff like affecting movement (dizzying effect, slowing movement etc) or 'crippling' the player in some way?
  3. the hiding holes are a bit corny, they look too... "intentional". Perhaps some features that look more organic and inkeeping with the lobby aesthetic? Maybe, areas where the dampness and mould in the level has caused the wallpaper to bubble and peel away, and rotted through the boards underneath, exposing a crack large enough for the player to crawl inside? To me, the map needs voids to hide in that do not interrupt the liminal space but also do not look like they were added simply for gameplay mechanics reasons - they should fit the aesthetic theme.
  4. a way to leave 'breadcrumbs' - players should be able to drop a limited number of markers to aid navigation. This would allow the levels to be even more expansive.
  5. the bacteria charging at you could have environmental effects, like causing the lights to flicker, to add to the visual drama.
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  1. more player audio-visual horror. In the game Amnesia, otherwise banal events are made scary through the use of breathing, heartbeat and blurred vision effects(look up some gameplay footage or play it yourself), as well as ringing sounds (like tinnitus) and messing with movement and camera to mimic the player losing balance. This makes for an immersive experience and means that the player really has to fight to remain in control when witnessing a 'scary' event, such as being chased suddenly. In reference to this, the biggest fear element is the ever present threat of the bacteria possibly being around every corner. The fear lies in suspense, then the scramble to action. The scariest moments for me happen after several minutes of silent gameplay with only the buzz of the lights, and then suddenly you round a corner and the bacteria is screaming in your face. Adding the audio visual horror effects discussed would make this encounter even more terrifying.
  2. the objectives and gameplay mechanics are quite repetitive. Adding more tasks of higher complexity would be well received in my opinion, which would bolster the horror aspect (as above). For example, there could be tasks to take samples or swabs of the mold in certain locations, which could take time to complete (creating suspense), potentially exposing the player to a bacteria attack.
magic ocean
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Just some more thoughts - in my opinion, the following would **worsen **the gameplay:

  1. competitive elements such as leaderboards
  2. any kind of in-game economy, including stores and special equipment. IMO Backrooms should focus on being a horror game, with tight and streamlined gameplay mechanics.
  3. any way of saving progress in the levels
  4. any ways of contacting teammates beyond speech and the whistling - including 'SOS phones' as suggested by another user. a big part of the horror is the feeling of isolation.
  5. any way of 'fighting' the entities. one user suggested ways of slowing entities down such as dropping ceiling tiles or something - this would be much, much better than giving players ways of attacking or defending against entities as it preserves the chase element of the game, and the feeling of hopelessness.
  6. 'drops' for the players that spawn in the levels. to me, this doesn't fit the theme at all.
  7. any kind of HUD
chilly mantle
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k