atmosphere in games...

[scarydan]

hey y'all
i was playing 'phantasmagoria' yesterday and thinking how dull it was as i walked around the house clicking on all the things that lit up and watching adrienne look around and not say anything, and then watched that poor woman get her head twisted around backwards and then had dinner. it was totally uninspiring. there was no aura or atmosphere in the game - you were just running around clicking on things, essentially just working your way through the story.

it's not the interface i'm whining about, its the lack of location and story created by the adventure. you didn't feel involved in what was happening.

one game that has the best atmosphere EVER in it is 'the colonel's bequest'. the characters, locations and sound effects (ROOM AMBIENCE!!!) and music just make something truly believeable. i mean, once i was playing it at midnight and that random guy walked past the window and i screamed, fell of my chair, shut down the computer and ran away - no kidding. it scared the life out of me.

so - what is it that makes a game have good atmosphere? characters? plot? dialogue? locations? what do YOU think a game needs above anything else to make you think "wow, that game felt so real, like i was actually there"?

xoxo
dan

[MillsJROSS]

I know it's a cop out answer...but everything relates to the atmosphere. The music, the sfx, the diolog, characters, backrounds, the puzzles. Everything! It's when all of them are put together well, that a great atmoshpere is made. When they clash you just don't feel in the game. The game has to compell you, it has to make you believe it's its own world, even when it lets you know it's a game. It needs to make you feel emotions...like fear.

Atmosphere is a broad term, and it really applies to everything, even things you wouldn't notice, but make it all the better.

-MillsJROSS

[Helm]

SOL was atmospheric ... But not much else

[Gemmalah]

admittidly atmosphere is essential, but it's not only that that makes a good game!

are we only talking scary atmosphere. In toonstruck i found that everything fitted to the cartoon world, music sound effects and pictures. Does that count as atmosphere? or is it just that everything fitted together.

is that how you create atmosphere?

[scarydan]

i think its how everything - characters, dialogue, scenery (not necessarily graphics style), storyline and music work together to create something believable - like how you lose yourself in a movie or book as opposed to just play/watch/read.

i was just curious to see which elements everyone thought may be most important to create whatever atmosphere.

[Meowster]

I know exactly what you mean. The Lucasarts games all have great atmospheres. They had the right music in the right places, characters that were lovable, great scenery.... but early Sierra games also had a great atmosphere, and they had no music, no characterization as such, crap graphics and some typical overused Grimm Fairytale Plot. My guess is that the use of colours is very important. Also people and witches used to chase you in that game.

Was I imagining the atmosphere in Kings Quest I? I was just thinking, it always had that kind of scarey, "Somebody might jump out from that bush" feeling!

Anyway, my favourite example of atmosphere was the end of MI2, which was a combination of colours, story, characters, music (wonderful music), design, probably something else, and writing.

[taryuu]

i have a real tendency to get right into my games.  remeber in monkey island 2?? when you had to destroy lechuck with that doll and he kept coming after you and shocking the shit out of you?? even tho i knew i couldn't die, that still ranks up there as great.  

i think i'll play that again.

[Meowster]

did anybody else feel real scared for Guybrush in the end of MI2? I hated it when he was in all that pain....

Why does that sad face look so retarded?

[Minimi]

Anyone here played The Longest Journey? It's a great example of a good game with atmosphere!

[Mats Berglinn]

And what about Grim Fandango? With the classy jazz music, background art and character attitudes it feels almost like old Hollywood movies and that is what I call atmosphere! Some of situations together mixed up with music gave away much atmosphere like when you're in catacombs in last year of the game, it really gave away a creepy feeling. And not to mention Hector LeMan's greenhouse or at the Sea of Lament, the combo of the music, background and situation really give into a feeling.  

[Jimi]

I have to agree that it is the atmoshere theat makes the game. But it must be hard when you have a load of people all with different styes.

Anyway. Music is probably the best way to get atmosphere. Like in shoot 'em ups when they huddenly have a big symbol crash, and it scares the s**t out of you or you think something is going to happen, and it makes you edgey. And how the music corresponds with the game. Like monkey Island had pirate like music. (You gotta dig that "Pirate I was Meant to Be" song in CMI, thjough!)

[Minimi]

im right now after reading this thread.. making my scene more creepy with more dark shadows... and just some light sources from streetlanterns...