Fear of Progression - "OH SHIT A LETTER I BETTER NOT PICK IT UP"

**Kookygoose** · 10-10-2010, 04:17 AM

Amnesia is probably one of the best horror games I have ever played. It's mix of atmosphere and helplessness created some of the most horrifying experiences I have ever been through. However, more so than other horror games, Amnesia suffers from something I like to call "Fear of Progression". "Fear of Progression" occurs when the player becomes irrationally scared of normally harmless and uncorrelated actions and things. A great example is towards the beginning, in the Study. After the player finally gets the secret library room open, he is faced with a letter. After the player picks up the letter, a monster comes storming into the room because of it. This leaves the player with a irrational fear of innocuous actions for the rest of the game, messing with the pace of the game and desensitizing him to the real moments of horror.

This is a very hard thing to work around. The innate nature of scripted sequences and horror often require the use of said sequences to catch the player off guard. However, there are ways around it. Let's take a look at the sequence in the study again. Rather than making the letter trigger the monster, the monster could be set on a slightly randomized timer after the completion of the puzzle. This takes away the correlation between letters and danger, and the player is even more surprised and taken off guard.

**Cryaotic** · 10-10-2010, 04:43 AM

I feel so let down.

After I got that key from the secret room I heard things, but I did not have a monster run into me.

Although as I was exiting the study I 'heard' a monster, I never did encounter him. I assume I was just lucky, but yeesh. This would be the second time I have skipped a monster after triggering an item. (Once in the study, once in the Storage from the first drill part to the left room when you enter)

EDIT: For an example of what happened, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lp89AI08Ha8 at 12:40, I hear the monster burst down something but I never did encounter him. I forget exactly what episode the storage room drill part is on that shows that as well, but it happens darnit!

But I do agree with your post, I can see how in time you'd come to expect something happen, but you don't always know exactly WHAT to expect after you pick up a certain glowing object.

**nofsky** · 10-12-2010, 05:28 AM

I'm pretty sure a monster will never run into that room. There's just the growl and the door crashes open. But you can actually see him two other times just after that.

That other encounter just means you hid better than the guy on YouTube. If the monster never sees or hears you he'll just walk past.

About the Fear of Progression... it doesn't happen that often in the game so don't worry! But I do agree they should have spawned the monster in a short timer script or something like that. I just feels very artificial that a monster will appear just as you pick up that last important item.

**hollowleviathan** · 10-12-2010, 07:16 AM

I mean, some of the time it's appropriate - you're making noise or whatnot when you drill into the barrels, or burning something with acid, which I assume is also smelly?

**SiamJai** · 10-12-2010, 08:59 AM

It's pretty how the Shadow appears all throughout the game. As if it was monitoring your progress, and made appearances just at the time you made a significant breakthrough.

It happened so frequently that I got used to it and expected it to happen for much of the game.

**Serena** · 10-12-2010, 10:06 AM

Frankly I was surprised and interested to experience the 'Fear of Progression', which I thought was completely unique. Never in a game before have I been afraid to continue. I don't want to move forward, there'll just be more horrors to see!

The "Pick up note, trigger ROOOOAARRRG" did get somewhat predictable. But it seemed sensible to me, after all, I AM being chased by monsters am I not? Not exactly time to make tea and sit down to read a note.

**Kyle** · 10-13-2010, 01:11 AM

(10-10-2010, 04:43 AM)Cryaotic Wrote: I feel so let down.

After I got that key from the secret room I heard things, but I did not have a monster run into me.

Although as I was exiting the study I 'heard' a monster, I never did encounter him. I assume I was just lucky, but yeesh. This would be the second time I have skipped a monster after triggering an item. (Once in the study, once in the Storage from the first drill part to the left room when you enter)

EDIT: For an example of what happened, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lp89AI08Ha8 at 12:40, I hear the monster burst down something but I never did encounter him. I forget exactly what episode the storage room drill part is on that shows that as well, but it happens darnit!

But I do agree with your post, I can see how in time you'd come to expect something happen, but you don't always know exactly WHAT to expect after you pick up a certain glowing object.

Dude! I just watched the 4th and 5th! They are so funny and awesome! Big Grin

**Jdog** · 10-13-2010, 08:03 AM

I agree. Okay, there were parts of the game where I was a bit too shaken up to continue, but that's OK, that's good, it just got me to take a break.

However, you do get used to items triggering monsters and meh... having to check for hiding places and prepare myself mentally for picking up a piece of paper? Not the best thing. I think that's the only area of this game where the horror was diminished by predictability. Sad

**Kein** · 10-13-2010, 05:40 PM

http://www.frictionalgames.com/forum/thr...l#pid42093

**ide** · 10-13-2010, 07:59 PM

I really don't think that fear of progression is a bad thing. This is a horror game after all. You're supposed to fear. Scary stuff happens -> you fear everything -> you ignore the fear since you can't find any monsters for a while -> monster -> you need new pants. That's the formula, and it works for me. Not many games out there can keep the player in constant fear like Amnesia.