Afraid (Prototype)
Afraid is a horror game where the player's aiming system is affected by their sanity and adrenaline. The lower their sanity, the more threatening the environment is. However, low sanity creates high adrenaline, allowing the player to neutralise enemies more effectively.
Creating a prototype of Afraid has given me the opportunity to learn Unreal Engine 5 and develop a 3D game independently. It has also helped me learn effective time management skills, as I developed this game while working a full-time job.
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Some ways this project has helped me grow as a game developer include:
Further understanding how to create an atmosphere that matches the desired mood of the game. By learning more about Unreal Engine 5 lighting and audio, I was able to craft a tone, both visually and audibly, that creates a greater sense of cohesion with the overall gameplay.
Challenging myself to design a level that evokes a sense of dread but is still visible enough that the player can understand where they need to go and what they need to do.
Designing enemies that have a greater effect on the player experience than just being able to induce harm.
Fear as a Mechanic in Afraid
The aiming system in Afraid reacts to the emotional state of the player character. The lower their sanity, the more reactive the aiming is.
​Low sanity increases adrenaline, making the player able to aim quicker. However, if the player's sanity is low, enemies are more likely to detect them.
I wanted to design the aiming system this way for two reasons:
to make the character's actions appear more human and to exploit the use of darkness.
Creating human-like actions
Inspired by games like Deppart and Unrecord, I wanted to develop a horror game where the player's movement feels closer to how a real person would move. ​By having the player's arms appear to move independently to their head, the game mimics human movement better than if the character's arms were constantly fixed in front of them.
A video showing the difference in aiming when the player has high sanity and low sanity.
Making character's actions appear more human strengthens the relationship between player and character through player and character emotions being more visibly aligned.
For example, when the player is scared, due to almost dying and losing their progress, their character appears scared, due to being attacked and almost dying, with their low sanity and high adrenaline reflecting this. ​
Exploiting darkness
Something that excited me about developing Afraid was how the player's relationship with darkness can be altered due to their aiming being slow.
If the player turns around, they will be confronted by complete darkness, forced to wait until their arms (and by extension, their flashlight) "catch up" so they can discover if any threats are staring back at them.
By lingering in the darkness momentarily, the game creates a sense of dread every time the player changes where they are looking.
Comparing how the aiming has changed over time, with iterations on art and lighting.
How enemies affect the aiming system
There are two types of enemy in Afraid. One is able to see you when you get close enough and one is blind and deaf, only being able to notice you through smelling your fear. If either enemy comes near you, your sanity drops, making the blind enemy more likely to detect you.
The player interacting with both types of enemy, as seen on the home page of my portfolio.
The first one to attack spots the player when they get close, with the blind enemy only attacking once the player character begins to lose sanity, as noticeable through their heartbeat increasing.
The player can deal with any threats through using their gun or, in the case of the blind enemy, by ensuring their sanity does not drop.
As such, the way the player interacts with enemies alters their relationship:
By keeping far away from enemies, the player is less likely to be detected, but they will have a disadvantage over any enemies they do interact with due to having low adrenaline, resulting in slower aim.
In contrast, if they get in close proximity to threats, they will be able to aim quicker due to their adrenaline, but their sanity will drop, meaning they are more likely to be detected by a greater number of enemies.
A mockup of how sanity and adrenaline affect the gameplay. The player, in trying to balance the two variables, can drastically change their experience of the game.
A playthrough of Afraid
A full playthrough of Afraid is visible below.