Pointless rooms.

[Storfigge]

Hey just wondering what people think abut "pointless" rooms. In the CSs I've made I've had some rooms with furniture's but nothing more. What do you guys think about this? Do you think it's good that pointless rooms appear maybe as a way to explore more or giving you a harder time progressing or do you think they're generally annoying or confusing. Maybe there's a balance, not to many but not to few.

Just curious I personally like it but there are stories in which every room has something in it either oil or a potion or perhaps a progression item. What do you think?

[Romulator]

I've never actually found any room to be "pointless". The mapper puts a room in a certain place for a purpose. From showing off mapping, to placing a few handy items, to satisfying curiousity or telling a bit of background. If a room has been created however, to show off the sole purpose of being pointless, then I would either give the room meaning or give it something of interest.

There's a few rooms like this in the Archives area of A:TDD. Did you enter these rooms expecting to find something? Did you enter them because you wanted to find the three backstory notes revealed in this map? Or did you maybe enter because of the monster encounter? Did you believe something would occur if you entered?

There are some things to consider! Personally, I would never find or state a room to be "pointless". The mapper puts them there for one reason or another.

[Slanderous]

Pointless rooms allow you to explore more, so they aren't that pointless.

[Yuhaney]

I would add something small into these rooms. In my opinion, there should be a reward for exploring.

[Darkfire]

Pointless rooms are necesseary in horror. Exploration and finding nothing particular creates the feel of being lost, which adds up to the scariness.

[Stolas]

Sorry for the bump, but this is a good thought provoker for me.
Even with the exploration angle,
I'd still try to give every room a purpose
beyond challenging the player with difficult navigation or adding atmosphere.
Adding items like oil and matches,
Providing a strategic path,
Adding optional story elements that expand the player's immersion,
Or a sort of trap that will add to the suspense of the game,
These are just a few ideas that can be employed
for all the extra rooms in your story.

[capitalisticpig]

No room in Amnesia is pointless. If it has a door, it is a good place for a retreat, at least for a moment, . Plus, if there was something in every room, it would give the player a superior feeling. One of having plenty of resources. I personally like to make players feel like shit, lost in the dark and afraid, with nothing, but their eminent death. I love darkness and would leave players broken. If they find a tinderbox, I would want them to treasure it,

(Haven't made a CS yet, btw, but don't expect any happiness when I do)

[Koopa Rs07]

I like pointless rooms because it gives the player more to explore without any interruptions like a scary event.

[WALP]

the "pointless rooms" are not pointless. If they truly are pointless then they should be removed.

It's fine for a room to only have a very little meaning. It can also have no meaning whatsoever on it's own, but still be meaningful in the way it adds to the other rooms and the experience in general. This could fx be pacing like in the pre wau core rooms in alpha. It could make the area feel more complex and satisfying to explore. By being bland it can contrast the more impressive rooms, so on and so on.

[Yuhaney]

What about sense of storytelling? It has nothing in it, no notes or other pickables, no mention of anything anywhere within the game but it still has story of its own to tell.

There is a chair that is knocked over within a messy room and blood trail that leads to a broken window on second floor...