EL_WAKA'S PROFILE

Yeah, even I feel like this would be good with more polishing, but I don't know what exactly I can change to make it better

Maybe make the automatically changing paths more short, I don't know...

I have reached a conclusion, the horror genre is too complex for me...

I mean, I almost finished the game but when I look at it... is kinda goofy and not scary on the slightest (Maybe weird, but not scary)

I will finish the game and upload the game to RMN but don't expect too much

But hey, thanks for all your tips! It was an interesting experience and maybe in the future I will try it again

author=SnowOwl
I don't think jumpscares are inherently bad. I just think that alot of games overuse them, or rely on them too much. Especially the games you mentioned disliking (Five Nights at Freddys, Slender). You seem to have the right idea about those so probably no point twaddle on about those.

Also, Not sure why you don't want to use popular creepypastas. They are popular for a reason, usually because they are well written, and because they are good at capturing something many fear. Ofcourse, there are exceptions, but I think when writing games alot of game makers could learn something from popular creepypasta writers.

So how do you make something scary? If you are new to the genre, I would suggest looking at some of the horror games you DO like and looking at what made those scary to you.
That's probably the best tip you can get starting out.

Here are a few other tips that I think you should keep in mind:
Horror games are very much dependent on sound design, much more so than any other genre of games. Sound is also a great tool in building tension, because you can use it to scare the player without showing him something concrete. If you see the monsters at the start of the game, alot of the fear for them will disappear. People don't fear what they know, people fear what they don't know.

I would consider dropping the RTP graphics. I'll be honest, I think it's probably the worst possible look for any horror game with the way the RTP graphics look. It's just harder to take something seriously that looks like that.

Tension and release: Alot of newbies at making horror pile up the scares everywhere they can. This is a mistake. The tension before a scare is as important as the scare itself. You NEED to build tension to make the player feel scared, or your scares will lose their edge. Look at any good horror movie, like for example the first Alien movie. There is a loooong buildup to the scares in the start, and when the little shit tears a hole in the stomach there is release. Then they start building tension again.

1 - I don't have others graphics other than the RTP, and I don't know, I don't trust other sites/don't know where to find good tilesets

2 - I agree about the sound, I'm thinking about making it the focus of the second game

3 - About the buildups, I'm going to work with that because right now the is game is going to be very short (30 mins max) I will extend some areas, maybe make longer "puzzles"

4 - About my "favorite" horror game, I prefer scary non-horror games, like system shock 2 which, for example, you hear a monster but you don't know where exactly it is, the fear is better when the sound is of a powerful monster (Like cyborg midwives)

author=Max McGee
Before you even start work in the editor, I want you to think long and hard about WHERE your game takes place, about WHY your characters are there, WHAT that says about WHO they are, and HOW you want the pace of the game to flow. In most shit horror games I've played, all of these things were obviously given FAR too little thought by the creator.

I already started to work on the games before I made this topic, but I will take some time to think where I want to go with this, maybe put more focus in the sound, or make the game longer

Again, thanks to everyone for these tips, but I should put a gamepage with a demo/beta (only for testers) or wait until I finish the game?

author=InfectionFiles
A key part is making the player feel in danger all the time. If that means making a randomly appearing killer that chases you and can one-shot you, then great. Do it!
This always makes places that are legitimately safe, like a "save room" or the like a much more welcoming place.
Make saving the game not easy. This builds tension and suspense for a spurred survival.
Generally, everything should be ominous in some way or another.
Set up small things that the player sees that are somehow off, giving them the impression something might happen. And nothing does at first. Later in the game have that off-beat area an event of terror. Just enough time to make them feel safe that the thing in question actually isn't anything but the normal environment. Then BAM!

Make the player fear death, basically.

Thanks, but about the killer that can one-shot you, it can be a problem with people who suck at video games, imagine dying again and again because you can't complete a section of the game, the same happens with a really hard puzzle, it destroys the atmosphere

But the idea that you can lose the game or that something bad will happen is interesting, I will work on that, thanks!

So... the "event" will be done here or there will be a new trhead?