SOMA Feedback For Creators (no spoilers)

**DrakeOnAcid** · 10-09-2015, 02:09 AM

Frictional Games is known for their unconventional "horror" games. They typically rely on dark atmospheric environments and a strong narrative to give a more psychological sense of fear or loneliness. Something a mature or 'book-reading' audience can appreciate to the fullest degree. SOMA is not a departure from this powerful formula.

"now time for my opinion"

This game was kind of paced moderately slow. This is however not a negative thing. SOMA is a very lonely and sad world. It is more than just "scary". Every note document and dialogue carries emotion and weight. Not to mention the genuine bond you build with the main character (Simon) and frequent companion (Catherine). THIS GAME IS AMAZING!! Simply Put. The story was compelling. The characters are vivid. The world is emotional. THE END WILL PUT YOU ON A ROLLER-COASTER RIDE OF EMOTION!! SOMA made me question what it is to 'be human'. Are we simply biological machines? Is death better than a human made 'afterlife'? I recommend this to any mature people out here tryna get a good story under their belts. I recommended this to so many people lol. As a matter of fact, I created this account just to give Frictional Games my thank you and support. Anyways Peace Cool

**Odysseyalien** · 10-10-2015, 12:06 PM

The visual distortion seen after encountering a monster is annoying. Sure, the WAU's can be used to reset the visual. However if the WAU's have already been used, it means going though a level competely with the distortion. This happened to me more than once on levels where I didn't think there would be a monster or violent encounter so I had already used the WAUs.

The distortion effect should be an option to turn off in settings. Alternately, the WAU's could be designed to recharge themselves after XX amount of minutes meaning the character could re-use a WAU and get rid of the distortion. While I understand it's presence and usage, it's a very annoying feature of the game. That's especially considering that many of us have state of the art video cards and have paid a nice price for sharp graphics when gaming. Thanks.

**Radiance** · 10-10-2015, 12:23 PM

Visual lens distortion and chromatic abberation is in art director's hands not of technical section. Without it game looses it's personality and lore integration. It's not like a noise filter you could turn off for the sake of sharpness. It's meant to be this way.
It's like you complaining to Picasso for being Guernica so disoriented.

**Filizitas** · 10-10-2015, 12:28 PM

I turned them off XD And i still believed i played a robot and not a human. So those effects are just nicetohave.

**Odysseyalien** · 10-10-2015, 01:33 PM

(10-10-2015, 12:28 PM)Filizitas Wrote: I turned them off XD And i still believed i played a robot and not a human. So those effects are just nicetohave.

How do you turn off the effect?

**Filizitas** · 10-10-2015, 01:44 PM

Options -> Game -> Color adjustment off/ Distortions off

Easy

**Odysseyalien** · 10-10-2015, 01:49 PM

(10-10-2015, 01:44 PM)Filizitas Wrote: Options -> Game -> Color adjustment off/ Distortions off

Easy

Thanks Filizitas. I had previously only turned off "Distortions" and it hadn't worked. I didn't know to turn off the "Color adjustment" as well. It seems to have worked now. I appreciate your help!

**PathOS** · 10-10-2015, 06:18 PM

I think that the Color Adjustment option may have been confusing to people. It probably should have been called something like "Distortion Screen Effect" and maybe put under the Graphics settings as opposed to it being in the Game Settings.

**hollowleviathan** · 10-13-2015, 12:05 AM

(10-10-2015, 12:06 PM)Odysseyalien Wrote: That's especially considering that many of us have state of the art video cards and have paid a nice price for sharp graphics when gaming. Thanks.

I got a state of the art vidcard so that Frictional could include such effects as chroma-offsets and distortion. Personally I thought it was a good immersive reminder of who Simon was, plus just plain cool.

**Kurton** · 10-13-2015, 06:20 AM

(10-13-2015, 12:05 AM)hollowleviathan Wrote:
(10-10-2015, 12:06 PM)Odysseyalien Wrote: That's especially considering that many of us have state of the art video cards and have paid a nice price for sharp graphics when gaming. Thanks.

I got a state of the art vidcard so that Frictional could include such effects as chroma-offsets and distortion. Personally I thought it was a good immersive reminder of who Simon was, plus just plain cool.

I also appreciated the chromatic effect on an artistic level but god damn if I didn't start feeling like I needed glasses after about an hour or two