Author: Dan (---.aol.com)
Date: 07-02-2002 20:20
In theory I think you are right that the unexpected is more scary than the expected, but otherwise I think you're completely off on everything you said.
In the first example, with the creepy corridor, there's a little thing called suspense involved. It's the fear of knowing something is coming, but not knowing when it's going to be there and where it's coming from.
In your second example, just leaving a mall and being attacked, there's really no emotional involvement at all. Oh, huh, we're attacked, we run or fight, let's roll some dice.
Then later you say relentless death after death causes horror. No, in an RPG that's really rather bland. The more the body count piles up without any suspense or other factors, the more blase the whole thing becomes.
You have to decide whether you are playing a horror game or a wargame. Wargames aren't scary, because the die rolls (taking you out of whatever "character" you may have built up) and the constant repitition of it saps any potential fear or horror out it.
Sorry, I just didn't think there was anything helpful in this very short and long-delayed column.
|
|
