Did screamers ruin anybody elses life?

TestamentTestament Join Date: 2002-11-02 Member: 4037Members
I was, recently, trying to figure out why singleplayer games ALWAYS set me on edge when I'm not in combat, where I instantly calm down. The fact that silence and calmness puts me on edge, makes me jittery, and freaks me out is the reason I can't play any horror games except DOOM 3 (lol horror), really. I was like 12 when the kikia/screamer craze hit, and ever since then I've never trusted silence from games or animations.

Why am I afraid of sound and not the thing trying to devour my soul?
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Comments

  • DrfuzzyDrfuzzy FEW... MORE.... INCHES... Join Date: 2003-09-21 Member: 21094Members
    Because its what makes the game scary, you dont know when or where a monster will pop out and kill you.
  • TestamentTestament Join Date: 2002-11-02 Member: 4037Members
    edited May 2007
    That just pisses me off. My singleplayer gaming experience tends to go "this is too quiet, I hate it, why can't there be a constant stream of enemies so my tension can be removed" then something will ambush me and I'll get ###### off because scripted sequences are unfair and obnoxious.
  • ZigZig ...I am Captain Planet! Join Date: 2002-10-23 Member: 1576Members
    YES I KNOW EXACTLY HOW YOU FEEL <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/mad-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":angry:" border="0" alt="mad-fix.gif" />

    When I was like 13 or so I saw the screamer where you follow the lyrics to a song that's playing in the background for like 3 whole minutes before a hideous demon corpse face fills your screen and screams at volumes roughly 500% louder than the music itself. I was never the same again.
  • TestamentTestament Join Date: 2002-11-02 Member: 4037Members
    I've NEVER been afraid of what I've seen in a game. It's always loud noises that get me.
  • ThansalThansal The New Scum Join Date: 2002-08-22 Member: 1215Members, Constellation
    That is because most people lack the skill to create horror from anything other then shock.

    There are a few games that have honestly scared me, and one of them was actually HL2. No, not Ravenholm (more just shock value there), but actually the sequence where you are climbing around under the bridge.

    I have no fear of dieing in video games (quick save ftw), however I DO have a serious fear of heights, and more specifically falling. HL2 was able to create a engrossing environment that actually triggered my fear of heights.

    So if a game can make you forget that it isn't real and then trigger a fear you have, GG game maker.

    Otherwise resort to shock tactics.
  • LikuLiku I, am the Somberlain. Join Date: 2003-01-10 Member: 12128Members
    Screamers didn't have me paranoid about games and whatnot, but every flash game/video I view I'm on edge especially if it has very mellow music.
  • TestamentTestament Join Date: 2002-11-02 Member: 4037Members
    edited May 2007
    The on-edgeness of expecting shock tactics, along with my bad handling of true tension leads to me to not playing them, sadly. I still want to beat System Shock 2. Seriously though. ###### screamers.
  • Renegade.Renegade. Join Date: 2003-01-15 Member: 12313Members, Constellation
    You got burned, so what? You're not going to go anywhere near a kettle now? Infact, you should be thankful, now, if you've learned anything at all, you'll know exactly when to expect the kettle to get "hot". It's because of my screamer immunity that I can now sniff one out coming a mile away and am able to react appropiately (i.e. turn down the volume). In fact it was that same immunity that lead me to predict exactly when it was time for a new breed of zombie to appear in Ravenholm. If honed right, it's like a sixth sense.
  • TestamentTestament Join Date: 2002-11-02 Member: 4037Members
    edited May 2007
    That makes for a boring game too. Although, Ravenholme was AWESOME.
  • DuoGodOfDeathDuoGodOfDeath Join Date: 2002-08-01 Member: 1044Members
    AvP makes good use of scare tactics.
  • scaryfacescaryface Join Date: 2002-11-25 Member: 9918Members
    I know how you feel. I recently tried to play system shock 2 again and ruined it for myself with my paranoid perfectionist quicksaving technique, which coincidentally completely ruins the atmosphere of the game, where it's okay to die sometimes or misfire a precious bullet. I always end up amassing billions of med hypos...

    doom 3 was just cheap and it didn't scare me after i got used to it.
  • X_StickmanX_Stickman Not good enough for a custom title. Join Date: 2003-04-15 Member: 15533Members, Constellation
    edited May 2007
    I saw the title of the thread, and I thought "Wow, someone else has actually seen that 90s sci fi film with the underground chainsaws". And I felt glad I wasn't the only one.

    But back on topic.

    Thief 3: The Cradle. Probably the most tense I've ever been playing a game, ever. Even though I had (rather stupidly) read about it and knew almost exactly what to expect, I was still scared through most of it.

    Also Stalker has some genuinely creepy areas.

    <!--quoteo(post=1627310:date=May 17 2007, 08:57 AM:name=X_Stickman)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(X_Stickman @ May 17 2007, 08:57 AM) [snapback]1627310[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    I saw the title of the thread, and I thought "Wow, someone else has actually seen that 90s sci fi film with the underground chainsaws". And I felt glad I wasn't the only one.

    But back on topic.

    Thief 3: The Cradle. Probably the most tense I've ever been playing a game, ever. Even though I had (rather stupidly) read about it and knew almost exactly what to expect, I was still scared through most of it.

    Also Stalker has some genuinely creepy areas.


    quick edit: Oh yeah, Thief 3 is the only game to actually make me chuck my mouse off the desk in fright. One of those walking statue things. I thought I'd sneaked past it and I was sizing up the next room, when RIGHT BEHIND ME (with headphones on, at 3am) there was "SMASHANDSTOMPANDCRUSHANDKILLANDSTOMP". Mouse went one way, keyboard went the other.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


    I realise what I just did there, and I leave it up as a testament to my nubness.
  • ZaggyZaggy NullPointerException The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-12-10 Member: 24214Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Reinforced - Onos, Subnautica Playtester
    Getting scared in games is the no. 1 reason I play them x-D
  • [WHO]Them[WHO]Them You can call me Dave Join Date: 2002-12-11 Member: 10593Members, Constellation
    Man, I came into this thread thinking the more naked type of screamers were somehow ruining lives. What a let down.
  • Paranoia2MBParanoia2MB Join Date: 2002-11-09 Member: 7832Members
    Doom 3 didn't really spook me much, but you know what game did?

    FEAR

    Simply pwnage. I never had a game that made me shoot a random burst at something that wasn't there. 13 year old nude girls or in a red dress with long black hair crawling at you at insane speed inside an air duct is freaky.

    Or when she reaches out of a black cubicle saying "my baby."

    Can't wait for the expansion. ^.^
  • TestamentTestament Join Date: 2002-11-02 Member: 4037Members
    FEAR was great but I never beat it. I heard it got all supernatural at the end, too. I hate shooters that go ghosty and ish. I still find it funny I can't handle most horror games, or singleplayer games in general when horror movies don't do anything to me, nor do horror novels, etc. Something about being in the moment, even when I can't be harmed, that bothers me.

    Maybe, one day, I'll get more than an hour into a horror game and enjoy being spooked. The closest I got was making it through the hotel in V:TM - Bloodlines, which was pretty awesome.
  • UltimaGeckoUltimaGecko hates endnotes Join Date: 2003-05-14 Member: 16320Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1627310:date=May 17 2007, 02:59 AM:name=X_Stickman)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(X_Stickman @ May 17 2007, 02:59 AM) [snapback]1627310[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    I saw the title of the thread, and I thought "Wow, someone else has actually seen that 90s sci fi film with the underground chainsaws". And I felt glad I wasn't the only one.

    But back on topic.

    Thief 3: The Cradle. Probably the most tense I've ever been playing a game, ever. Even though I had (rather stupidly) read about it and knew almost exactly what to expect, I was still scared through most of it.

    Also Stalker has some genuinely creepy areas.
    <!--QuoteBegin-quotes in quotes+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(quotes in quotes)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->
    ...yay, quotes/
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    I realise what I just did there, and I leave it up as a testament to my nubness.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    I saw that movie...

    I thought this thread was about that movie...

    I mean, it's not a great movie...but it's okay...


    ...coincidentally, the Cradle in Thief 3 is the only game that has given me an adrenaline rush besides "holy crap, I'm behind enemy lines in a multiplayer game."

    Well, there was AvP, and I started with the marine...I went up the elevator, walked around the corner - the metallic corridors bathed in green light from the NVGs... and then steam's shooting out of vents and you can't hear anything, and you can't tell if there's an alien through the steam or anything and then - "OH MY GOD THERE IT IS, FIRE YOUR WEAPON!" Then I'm covered in acidic blood, losing health, missing many of my pulse rifle bullets.

    I played the Predator 'first' instead <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" /> .

    For the most part the aliens in that were unscripted, but it was kind of unfair, because it spawned 8 of them relatively near you and then the pathfinding just took its course, but it was usually an infinite number of aliens until you hit a trigger, and then a few more the next time you hit a trigger. AVP2 was far more scripted.



    ...flash movie screamers, who bothers making those anymore?
  • TestamentTestament Join Date: 2002-11-02 Member: 4037Members
    edited May 2007
    I told you this started years and years ago.



    <!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->...coincidentally, the Cradle in Thief 3 is the only game that has given me an adrenaline rush besides "holy crap, I'm behind enemy lines in a multiplayer game."<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    It's funny, because I never have any sense of apprehension or second-guessing in a multiplayer game. Ducking behind enemy lines and sneaking around picking off people in there and playing hide and seek is one of the only ways I have fun in team-based gameplay. Weird. This is what made me obnoxious as a marine in the Hidden. Since I have nothing to fear if it's not AI, I was never jittery or jumpy in The Hidden, and I would end up basically demolishing Subject 617 every time he tried to jump me.
  • RobRob Unknown Enemy Join Date: 2002-01-24 Member: 25Members, NS1 Playtester
    <!--quoteo(post=1627321:date=May 17 2007, 05:00 AM:name=T_h_e_m)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(T_h_e_m @ May 17 2007, 05:00 AM) [snapback]1627321[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    Man, I came into this thread thinking the more naked type of screamers were somehow ruining lives. What a let down.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    I thought they were talking about the movie. :/
  • sherpasherpa stopcommandermode Join Date: 2006-11-04 Member: 58338Members
    i turned my pc off whenever the motion tracker in AvP picked up motion :S

    the environments were bland, the aliens were easy to put down, but f*** me the sound of the MT picking up something made me jump

    also the first time you meet those psychic nutjobs in stalker...

    FEAR had it down nicely too, but over-used it. half way through the game you just think "OKAY ALMA DISAPPEAR DOWN THAT CORRIDOR SO I CAN BRING SLOW-MO SMACKDOWN"

    doom 3 was just sooo cheap. hear a sound, turn 180 degrees, hold down mouse1. cheap, but i guess it worked.
  • radforChristradforChrist USA Join Date: 2002-11-04 Member: 6871Members, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Subnautica Playtester
    I'm the same as the parent poster. I never got past Ravenholm because it scared the bejesus out of me, then when I went back to complete I lost interest in it. IT's not the screamer/sudden loud noise for me, it's the anticipation of it. Knowing it's about to come, but not when. I can watch other people play the same areas/levels/games with no worries, but at the helm, I get skiddish.

    However, I was told once to mute the volume and play, and it would help. My first thought is how much I relied on sound to know the enemies position, but after trying it, the fear/atmosphere was wrecked and you could casually walk through the game with no problems. I never thought sound effects and ambience added so much to the experience, but it does.
  • AlignAlign Remain Calm Join Date: 2002-11-02 Member: 5216Forum Moderators, Constellation
    HL2 also has the ###### black headcrabs.
    Goddamn things make my skin crawl.
  • TestamentTestament Join Date: 2002-11-02 Member: 4037Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1627369:date=May 17 2007, 12:29 PM:name=radforChrist)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(radforChrist @ May 17 2007, 12:29 PM) [snapback]1627369[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    I'm the same as the parent poster. I never got past Ravenholm because it scared the bejesus out of me, then when I went back to complete I lost interest in it. IT's not the screamer/sudden loud noise for me, it's the anticipation of it. Knowing it's about to come, but not when. I can watch other people play the same areas/levels/games with no worries, but at the helm, I get skiddish.

    However, I was told once to mute the volume and play, and it would help. My first thought is how much I relied on sound to know the enemies position, but after trying it, the fear/atmosphere was wrecked and you could casually walk through the game with no problems. I never thought sound effects and ambience added so much to the experience, but it does.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    I actually REALLY enjoyed Ravenholme, mostly because zombies aren't scary at all. Black headcrabs were annoying though.
  • lolfighterlolfighter Snark, Dire Join Date: 2003-04-20 Member: 15693Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1627370:date=May 17 2007, 09:36 PM:name=Align)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Align @ May 17 2007, 09:36 PM) [snapback]1627370[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    HL2 also has the ###### black headcrabs.
    Goddamn things make my skin crawl.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    As much as I hate them, I have to admit they're masterfully designed. The one thing worse than a toxicrab is a toxicrab zombie. Especially the first time you meet it. "Oh, haha, it's slow and has lots of hp and a melee attack, it's basically just an ammo-sink, easy pi-.. OH GOD TOXICRAB IN MY FACE AAAH GET IT OFF GET IT OFF GET IT OFF!"

    I wish I could play The Hidden. The Hidden doesn't scare me at all, but the problem is I can't see him. Ever. I actually had him stand right in front of me once and he was so difficult to see that I would probably never have been able to detect him if I hadn't known he was there. Damn buggy shaders. >_<
  • ThansalThansal The New Scum Join Date: 2002-08-22 Member: 1215Members, Constellation
    toxicrabs and toxizombies never bothered me.

    Crack Zombies bothered me (specificly with the CLANG CLANG CLANG up the drain pipes).

    One of the cames that actualy used to get me alot was Wolfenstien 3D. There were tiems when enemies would open doors that you couldn't see yet and it would just make me spin looking for the bad guy.

    STALKER never bothered me, even my first run in with the psychic buggers and with the ones that toss stuff at you.

    But again, most of this is just unexpected sounds makign me jump.

    I personaly can't wait for Bioshock. That looks creepy enough to actualy create a decent level of suspense (little sisters ftw!)
  • TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu Anememone Join Date: 2002-03-23 Member: 345Members
    It's funny, I'm an absolute gigantic wimp. You know how far I got in DooM3 before I stopped playing? I shot the first bad guy BEFORE he turned in to a zombie and quit. How about the F.E.A.R demo? I walked down, like, the very first hallway, saw the little girl walk across, quit and uninstalled. I've never even thought about playing Alien vs. Predator or AvP2. The only way I made it through the hotel part of Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines was having seen 3 other people play through it, doing it during the daytime with all the lights on and my brother in the room, and even then I probably would have quit if I hadn't of loved the game so much.

    But Half-Life 2 didn't really do it for me. Ravenholm and the toxic headcrabs and stuff were certainly immersive, but they really didn't scare me. The only really scary part was during the part when you're driving the airboat. There's a side tunnel that you can explore on foot with knee-deep sewage and a few ammo crates. When you walk through the sewage a zombie pops up out of it, yelling. I jumped out of my chair, but that's the only time HL2 scared me.

    But back to the main topic, Testament, I actually get that vague sense of unease and fear when I'm wandering through an FPS and there are no enemies around. I've gotten a handle on it lately as I've matured, but still, even for a game like No One Lives Forever which is as far from scary as you can get, it still feels a little eerie to be walking around what is basically a ghost town or something waiting for the next firefight.
  • ThansalThansal The New Scum Join Date: 2002-08-22 Member: 1215Members, Constellation
    every one brings up the hotel from VT:M. It never scared me. Ticked me off to no end, and made me jump when somethign detonated right as I walked by it, but never scared me.

    Having to run back and forth in the front halways trying to trigger all the stupid scenes with the ghost walking around just was anoying......

    I tihnk it is the fact that it is rather damn hard to get killed in V:TM if you are playign a physical character at all...
  • lolfighterlolfighter Snark, Dire Join Date: 2003-04-20 Member: 15693Members
    Yeah, the hotel wasn't really scary. I think it scared me the first ten seconds or so, then I suddenly realized that *I* am the big bad*** vampire, the ghosts should be scared of ME. It just lost the effect right then and there.
  • TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu Anememone Join Date: 2002-03-23 Member: 345Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1627570:date=May 18 2007, 08:31 AM:name=lolfighter)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(lolfighter @ May 18 2007, 08:31 AM) [snapback]1627570[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    Yeah, the hotel wasn't really scary. I think it scared me the first ten seconds or so, then I suddenly realized that *I* am the big bad*** vampire, the ghosts should be scared of ME. It just lost the effect right then and there.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    That was part of it too, yeah.
  • ThansalThansal The New Scum Join Date: 2002-08-22 Member: 1215Members, Constellation
    Add in the fact that the only stuff in the hotel that COULD kill you required you to run around like a pansy. If you sat there and took your beating, then sat there and regened you were fine.


    ooooo paint can, scary.


    ok, so the exploding wall lamp made me jump, but it did like 1/20th of my HP in DMG.

    The kitchen consisted of sittign in a corner till it calmed down.....
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