Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs Discussion Topic Part 1

[Mehis]

The only thing I want in the Level Editor is better camera controls.

Amen.

Wait... How is it even possible to make it even more easier? Almost all editors use the same keys to move around.
I already like the 'target camera' moving because you can zoom in and out. Though, free camera would be good too...

[Kman]

Well since we're on the topic...

Changes I'd like to see in HPL2.1:
- Making the "cast shadow" feature for planes actually work
- Make undoing events involving compounds not bug the hell out
- Adding some kind of quick select box where you can place different models and what not in (would be extremely helpful for filling up bookshelves and the such)

Aaaaand that's about it, I actually don't have too many complaints about it.

[Googolplex]

I would like to see a more realistic lantern.
The lantern in TDD was too much yellow shining. I would see more rusty metal, dusty glass with cobwebs and a more flickering flame. And the light shouldn't be bright enough to illuminate the environment.
The cellar environments should be darker and the lantern only should be a help, no bright reflections.
And it also would be nice when the player will lose the lantern in the late game (I remember losing the flashlight in Dear Esther when jumping into a cave). This would be a push of immersing, to be alone, without light. But then find an other light, some kind of candle (for example). To make the game more varied.
I would prefer a lantern like some of this. Old and dirty with a weak flickering light.




I also would like to see more changing effects on environments. That the player feels something is wrong here... Some scenes without any melody music, only to hear some kind of wind or creaking wood. Music can be very important so the atmosphere, but it also can be destroying.
And the puzzles should be very physic based and more tricky and extensive. The player should find a hidden note with some secrets in the text, maybe a morse code or a password for something. To find out a combination in the text, very thoughtful puzzles that you can't solve in an hour. People should look into a solution or ask in the forum how to solve this puzzle. I mean, a game should be challenging, difficult that you need your brain to go forward. The devs really should spend more time in the puzzles. I actually don't know, how they're working but I can't stop saying how important it is to make a game more involving.
Puzzles like Penumbra or LIMBO, but even more tricky.

Hope anyone of the devs will notice that.

[Gasjockey]

And the light shouldn't be bright enough to illuminate the environment.

Explain to me then, what would be the incentive to use a lantern, which is a device designed to produce light, if it doesn't actually provide any light.

Puzzles like Penumbra or LIMBO, but even more tricky.

Please read through all these. This too.

[dph314]

I also would like to see more changing effects on environments. That the player feels something is wrong here... Some scenes without any melody music, only to hear some kind of wind or creaking wood. Music can be very important so the atmosphere, but it also can be destroying.

I completely agree. I mean, in the game, its usually the in-game character that first sees something wrong, it reacts to the threat or environment change, and then the player (us) react to the in-game character's reactions. (Seeing a monster right in front of you is kind of a combination of this, since character and user react most times).I'd like to see things that are maybe more subtle, but that the user will notice first, and we can react to it instead of the character. Sorry, not sure if I'm wording this right Like one example I can think of real quick is the picture changing in Amnesia TDD. No in-game character reaction with a bunch of loud music all of the sudden, but when I noticed it, I was spooked and thought it was so cool.
I don't know, but it just seems with all this talk about "immersing" youself, I think it would be cool to have more things like this. Weird sounds/environment-things/dark figure seen in a doorway when glancing past that direction but then it disappears when you go back to focus on it.
Main scares are always great but those creepy small things can add up quickly and be damn effective

[Kein]

Sorry, not sure if I'm wording this right

You are wording it correctly, I understand what you mean. More interactivity, more indirect feedback. Yeah, I'm quite fond of this concept as well and this is the reason why I'm glad to see TCR in charge of the sequel.
Though, FG themselves mentioned something like that in their blog regarding their own new game as well. Cba to dig it right now, but I'll take a look later when I get free time.

[lucasrfernandez]

In my opnion Frictional Games will not desappoint us!
Penumbra was a success, amnesia too! These games have their mistakes, but they are great games! I think this amnesia will surprise us! I wait anxiously for him! (As anyfan of Frictional Games)

[Kman]

Spoiler below!

I would like to see a more realistic lantern.
The lantern in TDD was too much yellow shining. I would see more rusty metal, dusty glass with cobwebs and a more flickering flame. And the light shouldn't be bright enough to illuminate the environment.
The cellar environments should be darker and the lantern only should be a help, no bright reflections.
And it also would be nice when the player will lose the lantern in the late game (I remember losing the flashlight in Dear Esther when jumping into a cave). This would be a push of immersing, to be alone, without light. But then find an other light, some kind of candle (for example). To make the game more varied.
I would prefer a lantern like some of this. Old and dirty with a weak flickering light.




I also would like to see more changing effects on environments. That the player feels something is wrong here... Some scenes without any melody music, only to hear some kind of wind or creaking wood. Music can be very important so the atmosphere, but it also can be destroying.
And the puzzles should be very physic based and more tricky and extensive. The player should find a hidden note with some secrets in the text, maybe a morse code or a password for something. To find out a combination in the text, very thoughtful puzzles that you can't solve in an hour. People should look into a solution or ask in the forum how to solve this puzzle. I mean, a game should be challenging, difficult that you need your brain to go forward. The devs really should spend more time in the puzzles. I actually don't know, how they're working but I can't stop saying how important it is to make a game more involving.
Puzzles like Penumbra or LIMBO, but even more tricky.

Hope anyone of the devs will notice that.

Ok I can't help but see some flaws in this... From what I see you're all about puzzles, it's basically the main thing you want from a game. Puzzles that are so hard you have to be a near GENIUS to solve them without a guide. But at the same time you say you want the game to be very immersive. These two wishes almost completely contradict each other. Think for a second what makes an immersive game, a deep story with good pacing, nice flow of gameplay and events, a feeling of being in the characters shoes. This is almost impossible to achieve when you're banging yourself against a wall for an hour and a half because of a puzzle. Again, one of the main elements that I personally find to be very immersive in a game is the flow of it (as I stated before), the story should slowly progress along with gameplay. Puzzles that are too difficult for almost anyone to understand put a huge block in this flow, it creates a long period where the story nor gameplay progresses and can ruin immersion (as it's hard for a dev to control a players emotions when 1. They're raging so hard they want to quit and just look up a guide and 2. there isn't any chance to add anything that would effect the players emotions when they're walking around in the same area for a ridiculous amount of time). Now I'm not saying puzzles are bad, in fact I think when used well they can greatly improve a game, it's just they have to be used right. It should be hard enough that the player feels a moment of success when they complete it, but not so hard that the player feels relieved that they're finally passed it because of how long it took. I hope you actually think about some of what I said here...

[eliasfrost]

Fucking sheep. If you think I'd rather have an action game over Amnesia, read my post again.
Pretentiousness can be easily smelled, and Dear Esther reeks of it, "experimental game" or not. The game or thing or whatever, is FUCKING BAD.
Bad writing.
Bad music.
Bad gameplay.
It really is easy to put in some pseudo-classical music and call it "good" isn't it?
In the same way, it's really easy to read some half assed poetry and call it good writing.

Amnesia had no pretense of pretentious "art". It was just fucking immersive, well directed and tastefully done (most of it).

And yeah, Thechineseroom is developing the whole game.

It's all a matter of opinion, I thought DE was kinda nice.

[samueljustice00]

Hope anyone of the devs will notice that.

We all closely watch the forums, and all the fan feedback helps.