+- Frictional Games Forum (read-only) (https://www.frictionalgames.com/forum)
+-- Forum: Amnesia: The Dark Descent (https://www.frictionalgames.com/forum/forum-6.html)
+--- Forum: General Discussion (https://www.frictionalgames.com/forum/forum-18.html)
+--- Thread: Penumbra Prequel made in Amnesia (/thread-19692.html)
Penumbra Prequel made in Amnesia - The Rock Worm - 12-27-2012
This has been on my mind for the past couple of weeks, but what if we made a new chapter in the Penumbra tale in Amnesia? Below are my thoughts as to why we should do this---
1: Scarier Environment---Amnesia was plenty scary not just for its monsters, but the environment itself added to the creepy atmosphere. Penumbra, being made before Amnesia, wasn't as scary of an environment as it could have been. Think about it, you're in a mine that has lost power; shouldn't it be hard to see. A hard-to-see-in mine would be frightening, you litterally couldn't peak ahead of you to know what is around the next corner.
2: Unaswered Questions---In the tale of Penumbra, you learn that all of this trouble started when people opened up a Tuurngait Tomb. Now we the player never got to visit this tomb. wouldn't it be fun, and scary, if we played a miner that found and opened that tomb? Another unanswered question is, what happened after Philip sent his email, and to whom? We could play the tale that follows the Penumbra series.
3: Do-ability--- Making this using Penumbra models/textures is possible. People have already put Penumbra textures into Amnesia, and most of the monsters are already converted to Amnesia. Granted, the Penumbra Worm hasn't behaved properly in Amnesia as compared to its original counterpart. Even this fella, given time, could be made to work in Amnesia. Since you're in a mine, deep underground, wouldn't it make sense to encounter this monster who sees by vibrations in the ground far more frequently?
Tell me your thoughts and if you're interested in helping me make this. As far as my Dark Depths story, I'm having trouble with a good story vs appropriate monsters. Not sure when it will be done.
RE: Penumbra Prequel made in Amnesia - Bridge - 12-27-2012
Certain things are more effective when implied.
RE: Penumbra Prequel made in Amnesia - nrkist - 12-27-2012
(12-27-2012, 01:28 AM)Bridge Wrote: Certain things are more effective when implied.
Agreed, I think we delved far enough into penumbra before the narrative came dangerously close to toppling. I would definitely be excited about a fanmade prequel though as an amnesia story\mod with some caveats. Part of the attraction of the game is the sinister mysteries left in it's wake. That's what draws the player in. You can't tie it all up in a knot and expect a player to get a great experience out of it. That being said, I think there is definitely room for a prequel, as long as it obeys the rules of the penumbra series and Amnesia. Nothing can live up to the questions left in the wake of penumbra, so you need to play into those mysteries rather than depower them with some finite prequel explanation.
I think there is room to expand on the origin lore, provide some unique insight, without 'explaining' everything. I don't think anyone wants to play the Penumbra where everything is explained.
RE: Penumbra Prequel made in Amnesia - Bridge - 12-27-2012
Personally I think the weakest aspects of Frictional's games are the intangibles, such as lore. So far I have been very unimpressed with what they have done. They are nothing short of experts at building up atmosphere and presenting stories in a tense, mysterious fashion (see: Penumbra Overture and first half of Amnesia) but are almost pathetically bad at resolving plots and at designing expository reading material. All of it is too perfect and simplistic and it leaves a bad taste in my mouth to be honest. I don't want to know what the water monsters are called or where they come from and I don't want the Tuurngait hive mind to talk directly to me, for example (I have plenty more). I will give them this though: they are masters at writing dialogue (and especially casting people to voice act).
EDIT: Also, some things are better when they are not even mentioned or adequately discussed. A prime example of this kind of writing is the movie Cube, which is one of my favorite movies. Literally nothing is established and it is even hinted that there is nothing to explain at all, which makes the movie infinitely more creepy. I don't want to spoil if you haven't seen it but if that's the case you have to go watch it now. The main point is the audience is given enough information for there to be a coherent plot, but enough information is withheld that the imagination can roam free.
Amnesia does this extremely well too though. The difference is that by the end of Cube you are still scared and mystified and by the end of Amnesia nothing is unclear.
RE: Penumbra Prequel made in Amnesia - Macgyverthehero - 12-27-2012
A prequel? I would prefer a Sequel, but if stays a prequel... then that is your choice.
Maybe for a prequel you can tell the story of how the tuurngait infection started in the shelter.
Spoiler below!
RE: Penumbra Prequel made in Amnesia - Kein - 12-27-2012
Sequel to penumbra? But the story is pretty much told. Rest is water under bridge. The father's journey, in other hand, could be interesting...
RE: Penumbra Prequel made in Amnesia - Googolplex - 12-27-2012
Penumbra is scarier than Amnesia. The mine in Overture is really more earnestly compared to Brennenburg castle and that makes the horror.
In Penumbra I don't feel like to be in a game. In Amnesia, you feel like in a game. That is a horror no-go.
The problem is, that Amnesia has flashbacks which will pull you out of the immersion, and that the environments are less complex and less seriously. Amnesia is more melancholic horror, a contrast between creepy and sissy. And that works good, but it was by far a smaller experience like Penumbra.
I mainly praise Penumbra Overture for its well made horror setting. I felt like to be alone in a leaved mine and that the danger is behind every corner. I really was immersed. Amnesia also has this feeling, but not as much as Penumbra.
So it's totally wrong when you said Penumbra environments are less scary.
RE: Penumbra Prequel made in Amnesia - Bridge - 12-27-2012
(12-27-2012, 12:44 PM)Googolplex Wrote: The problem is, that Amnesia has flashbacks which will pull you out of the immersion […]
They do no such thing. They make you even more immersed by emotionally connecting you to the scenery and plot. Instead of an 8 hour walk with occasional monster encounters you now have an exciting story with a varied cast of characters (some more superfluous than others (I would have cut both Agrippa and Weyer)). Personally I think it's genius and a good example of making the most out of a simple premise.
RE: Penumbra Prequel made in Amnesia - Deep One - 12-27-2012
Googolplex, you're talking like your own options are absolute facts. I found many of Amnesia's environments scarier than Penumbra's, plus I didn't find flashbacks immersion-breaking at all. I think they were great addition.
Options... Options everywhere!
RE: Penumbra Prequel made in Amnesia - Googolplex - 12-27-2012
Hmm, and perhaps you think the "weapons" in penumbra are breaking the immersion, what I think not.