Including more 'Horror' elements

[FreedomTea 9]

After reading a post found here:

http://www.dayzmod.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=825

(Worth checking out - very scary indeed)

I got a wave of nostalgia from "scary" horror games/films such as Resident Evil 1 and Silent hill. Previous to this post I treated DayZ as a survival challenge rather than a horror game. Fear was generally created from bandits in the form of: shit, I am really scared i'm gunna die now and lose all my things. But after reading that, and listening to the audio file, I had trouble playing DayZ in in-game and RL nights!

I would like to see more of these elements included. I think having a scary game will encourage teamwork but it would also include mystery and fear which will enhance the sandbox experience. I am 100% against "side missions" and other things people are suggesting as its totally against what I believe this mod is about; if you read that radio thread you will see people discussing transmission towers to find etc - I feel that is the thing that DOES need to be added.

I think in todays culture the zombie "idea" has shifted from the original horror genre it was in the 50's to arcade/action/adventure. Even the 'Walking Dead' TV series has slowly started becoming a drama about humanity - with the "scaryness" fading away.

Anyway, Tl;dr, make DayZ scary!

Thanks for reading.

[Alex (DayZ) 8]

Ok... How do you suggest we make the game more scary? Elaborate point but no context?

[FreedomTea 9]

"Including things similar to the radio"

Its not for me to decide what the developers want to include although I did suggest things like the radio are spot on.

The whole radio plot could be elaborated, there could be suprise zombie spawns inside hospitals, zombies could roam in groups in the countryside and they could also receive a bonus at night time.

Eerie broadcasts in towns at random time intervals, improved zombie sound-sets. The list is vast, you could have included some yourself instead of having a little dig at me.

[Alex (DayZ) 8]

Wasn't digging at all, now you've suggested something I can actually comment; the hospitals in ArmA are 1 story and you have to break the windows to get in, zombies could spawn inside but this wouldn't make the game more scary for me (the hospitals are only accessable into their lobby areas).

Hopefully Rocket will make the countryside a little more active with zombies, I'd like to see more of them roaming the woods and such to make travelling more risky and a little more interesting then auto-running.

Bonus at night time would be nice, a bit like Dead Rising; graphically their eyes glow red and stuff, could be thrilling.

[godwine 2]

Abandoned Military Bunkers/Sewers might be an idea. Metro and STALKER did those things very well, even though they weren't all that scary to me besides a couple parts.

[skurcey 11]

Also my friend Franck was thinking about infested dogs pack in the wood :)

That could be pretty cool

[masacrualex 6]

I don't think more zombies would make it scarier, but changing some aspects of them might.

[CarbonArk 3]

The whole radio plot could be elaborated

The thing that makes the Radio creepy is that it is unexplained but begs for explanation' date=' actually explaining it and making the weird numbers and codes make sense would take all scariness away from it - It just becomes a puzzle to be solved in a game. If you watch people play horror games (that is *Horror* games, not games where things jump out at you and go "BOO!") Which I was, coincidentally, doing last night with some friends, they are at their most horrified before anything happens - It is the sense of dread that comes from the unknown which really taps into "Horror".

The Radio is really good for this and number stations in general make people uneasy, a great example of it being turned for the use of horror or creepiness would be (as usual) as SCP-270

I wouldn't be surprised if, should the "Creepy horror radio" inclusion be intended and genuine, the Dev's denied it's existence and claimed that no such audio is included in their mod and with no plans to use the radio in that way...just to keep us guessing.

As for what else could be included...I would think what would be best would be equally odd, paranormal things that are rare (DayZ is still a survival mod in the foremost) and are included secretly within updates. The SCP foundation is a great resource for that kind of oddness/scariness.

I'd include some specific ideas but i'm writing this in a bit of a rush, so i'll be back later!

[kaibz 8]

.... graphically their eyes glow red and stuff' date=' could be thrilling.

[/quote']

I love this idea, this is subtle, but this could be big!!!!

[Spock (DayZ) 0]

I would welcome things like this, but i think i would prefer it be tiny details like the radio. It could be notes you can find that reads things like "They smell fear" or "you can't kill them all"(but maybe not as cheesy) or having the leftovers of cult rituals in churches or underground facilities strewn around the map. Just little stuff to add to the over all disturbing feel of it.

[Archu 2]

Ever since i've read that thread about the radio, i'm just feeling more creeped out. This is the way Dayz should keep their Horror elements. Elements such as mysterious and unexplainable. And even if it is, it's just plain disturbing.

I've recently played this mission called 'Chernarus Apocalypse'. This could be an example of how creepy it can be if zombies and other horrors are found in the country sides/forests etc. I've played this alone during the night with the lights out, and to be honest.. i've had nightmares.

Check out this video for example:

Besides that, there could be some sort of creature only spawned in forests and during the night that 'stalks' the player (Like the choking noises you hear later in the video). That way players are even more cautious in forests and could up the eerie atmosphere during the night.

[valiant 1-4 0]

Could devs have tools to manipulate only certain servers?

They join as a player and affect the environment (leave a radio, walk around as Bigfoot, or a strange character, anything) to create an ongoing mystery in the game, where you'll have strange screen shots flying around with stories, rumor and buzz.

End result is groups sitting around their campfire speculating and wondering what's out there, and what's going on as they head off into the night to loot with an edge of uneasy excitement?

[Miragenz 71]

Would be neat if the game had things that would prevent you from going into the woods because its just to damn scary.

Maybe a few special zombies, creatures or whatever which are pretty rare but roam places the usual zombies dont go, as in forests or buildings, which only spawn at certain times or full moon.

Sounds that echo through the forest, screams, howling and whatnot.

maybe give human NPCs a role, small group of them walking through the map at night with flashlights for whatever reason, i dont know really, just brainstorming

[valiant 1-4 0]

Yeah just brainstorming also, but as long as they keep it away from the realms of Killing Floor, and more along the early Resident Evil games. Wolves would be good using the dog model perhaps during full moons.

More atmosphere.

[scoffield77@gmail.com 192]

I suggested, Heavy mist, Mid-Infected walkers, and another idea that would greatly increase the fear factor in the game.

see. http://dayzmod.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=9818

[twix (DayZ) 24]

Feel free to stop by the Post Your Ideas in Gifs thread where I've sorted out a compilation of gifs with horror and other scare the shit out of you elements.

[Honest Bill 37]

I know it's a bit cliché, but how about one of the random item drops is one of those eerie music boxes, which players could turn on and leave somewhere? Players could use it to freak others out while they're stalking them.