Ivana Müller - “Gaming
After Dark”
Whilst researching for academic sources
to read for my research report I came across Ivana Müller who wrote a thesis on
subjects closely related to my topic of interest in order to gain the “Master
of Arts in Arts and Design” Degree.
The thesis is called “Gaming After Dark - Visual Patterns and
Their Significance for Atmosphere and Emotional Experience in Video Games”. From what
you already know of my research report topic, you can understand why this (140
page long…yikes) thesis was so incredibly beneficial for me!!
So, What Have I
Done?
Well, I went and read the entire 140
page document of course :D I highlighted and wrote notes on the side ready to post onto my blog. My plan is to print screen the
areas I have read and then write further notes on my blog, then ill go onto
doing the research associated with the notes.
The thesis belongs Ivana Müller, I do not own it nor did I write it. However, for the purpose of my studies I have used it as research and reference materials which is why I have highlighted the thesis and taken notes. You can download the PDF version of Ivana Müllers’ thesis here: DOWNLOAD IVANA'S "GAMING AFTER DARK" PDF
The thesis belongs Ivana Müller, I do not own it nor did I write it. However, for the purpose of my studies I have used it as research and reference materials which is why I have highlighted the thesis and taken notes. You can download the PDF version of Ivana Müllers’ thesis here: DOWNLOAD IVANA'S "GAMING AFTER DARK" PDF
Chapter 1: “Emotions and Fear in Video Games”
In this chapter, Ivana discusses the
basics of emotions provoked based on “psychological
foundations”. There were some interesting sections
which I have highlighted with key information regarding how players feel and
become emotionally influenced by horror fiction. I have made notes regarding
the more specific points Ivana makes but I have also highlighted other key
areas that help gain a fuller perspective on the nature of my research report.
Green: Suggesting
that horror games are sought out by those who have “specific application
motives and personal characteristics”, in other words, those who seek to be
thrilled by suspense and horror. Those who want to be scared by a horror
game may be drawn to the horror genre are more emotionally affected because
they have personal characteristic based motivations for being scared, they want
to embrace that emotion and the game plays on that motive.
Blue: The idea
that players want to be scared and have the motive to embrace the emotion also
relates to the curiosity that the player will show during gameplay.
Purple: Thrill
sensation seeking is a reason many players become emotionally affected by
horror games. The player understands any danger witnessed during gameplay is
not real, and that the return to safety once play finishes draws comfort thus
allowing the player to embrace the immersion the game seeks of them providing
feelings of pure horror.
Green: A
mechanic used in many horror games, films and literature whereby the less known
by the audience the better. True of games such as Amnesia in which the player
encounters horrific creatures but is usually never in direct contact with them,
often seeing them in a space of limited visibility or tricked visually leading
the player to conjure up imagery in their imaginations that lead to far
superior suspense driven emotions and feelings of intense horror.
Blue: Richard
Rouse states that when the audience is forced to fill in the blanks, it is
often far more emotionally horrifying than if the media source gave them a
plain sighting or obvious shot. It forms a basis of visual trickery. By this I
mean that the player is tricked by the medium and forced to ask themselves
questions such as “did I just see something lurking in those shadows” or even
to the extent that they make a monster look even scarier in their head based
upon their own fears.
An example of this done in a horror game is the “water monster” (aka “Kaernk”) in Amnesia. You never see the monster itself, all the player is faced with is sinister splashes of water that appear to hunt the player when they go in the water filled environments. Players are forced to fill in the visual gap for this monster in their head.
An example of this done in a horror game is the “water monster” (aka “Kaernk”) in Amnesia. You never see the monster itself, all the player is faced with is sinister splashes of water that appear to hunt the player when they go in the water filled environments. Players are forced to fill in the visual gap for this monster in their head.
Purple: A character based mechanic used in most horror fiction films is to portray the main protagonist as a weak, over sexualised female who is not very strong or capable of defence whilst placed in a world full of danger she can not overcome. In the film world, this character based mechanic is usually referred to as “the final girl”. A good example can be seen in the original “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” whereby “final girl”, Sally, is a helpless female trying to escape “Leatherface” (whose house and related characters refer to the “world that is inhabited by much more powerfull foes” in comparison to Sally). She is unable to run fast or defend herself from Leatherface as you can see here as she tries to escape in the final scene (SPOILERS).
"Final Girl" example from the final scene in "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre"
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Purple: Ann Radcliffes
explanation between horror and terror is used on Wikipedia which displays the
core extracts from her work to define between the two. I do not want to focus
my intentions on this too much as my research report is not focussed on the
possible differences between the two, however, it is interesting to determine
how the two separately affect audience emotions when viewing horror fiction within a
medium.
Wikipedia's page on horror and terror
defines some really clear and precise definitions and explanations for the two
terminologies and discusses how they affect audience emotions; the part which
relates most with my research report. Here is the list that wikipedia lists
referring to the differences and similarities between horror and terror:
- Both terror and horror are human emotions that evoke different responses.
- Terror relates with extreme fear and anxiety whereas horror more relates with revulsion.
- A person feel horrified when they witness something very disturbing or unpleasing.
- A person feels terrified when under an imminent danger.
Something which made me laugh while
reading the page were these two images from Charles Darwin’s “The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals”. One is an
image based on a photograph of a man expressing horror and the other terror.
This is interesting (and funny) because it relates directly to how audiences
behave when embracing horror fiction. It made me think about my own facial
expressions when im scared of a game or film and caused me to consider the
differences in emotion caused by either fear or terror.
Charles Darwin's perception of the human emotion "horror"
Charles Darwin's perception of the human emotion "terror"
Yellow: Ivana
goes onto discussing how visual abnormalities often cause an emotional response
from the audience, she states that “extreme abnormalities and disfigurement”
can be a cause for horror among the audience. She says it relates to the
viewers personal phobias playing on the fact that most people are uncomfortable
and scared by “weird physical appearances and movements”.
I have been reading an essay revolving
around how patterns of obscurity are used in horror fiction to provoke
emotional responses from audiences of horror. This strongly relates to this
theory.
Ivana moves onto discussing how often
creatures in horror films and games retain humanistic qualities in regards to
movement or form. This is so that the audience can relate to them forming an
emotional attachment. However, the audience then realises the severe
disfigurements, abnormalities and obscurities that it induces strong fear in
the audience.
A quality example of this in horror
games can be found in Silent Hill. Near the beginning of the game, the player
and their protagonist avatar James climb into a dark tunnel. The player is then
forced to watch a cut scene that introduces the “Lying Figure”; a monster in
the world of Silent Hill.
"lying Figure" one of the many monsters that inhabit Silent Hill 2
As you can see, the Lying Figure has a
form incredibly reminiscent of a humans. You can identify a pair of legs and a
head, it even appears as if it has arms trapped under a layer of skin (which is
why the monster is otherwise known as “Straight Jacket”). The fear evoked in
the player comes from their perceptions of the Lying Figure when they realise
how obscure and disfigured it actually is. The creature is not a friendly
humanistic monster, it is threatening and dangerous. Any calming sense the
player had from it’s human qualities are crushed under the impending horrors it
provokes in the form of its terrifying movements, sounds and behaviour.
Introduction of "Lying Figure" in Silent Hill 2
Orange: A
dominant feature in my research report is how mechanics are used within horror
to provoke emotions of fear in the audience. Ivana is saying here that the
aesthetics of the medium are crucial in creating the desired emotional reaction
from the audience. There must be a “procedural rhetoric” of horror that is
followed to induce fear in the audience. However, Ivana also states that games
are the only form of media that can use “play” as a mechanics to drive fear
into the audience; films and literature can not do this.
Green: Something
crucial to note here is the terminology used by Ivana to describe the audiences
level of
immersion within their subject; spatial
presence. The term was coined by researchers to
refer to immersion. Ivana states that the idea behind it is that the “user gets
the feeling of really experiencing something within the virtual environment”.
This will be really helpful for my research report when I am referring to the
audiences emotions and how they become consumed by them.
Chapter 2: “Patterns”
Chapter 2 in Ivana’s thesis focuses
upon the patterns used in horror fiction (mainly horror games) and hoe they
play an important role in reinforcing the genre to their audience, provoking
the correct emotions of fear, anxiety and terror and ultimately how these
patterns cross over and merge together to form the horror.
Purple: One of
the “patterns” I am focussing on in my research report is the cross over in
medias such as art, literature, film and games regarding their influences on
the horror genre. Ivana clarifies and backs up my theory that mediums such as
art have been creating horror for centuries and are no less effective in
communicating themes of horror atmosphere than modern day films and games.
I plan to do a blog post focussing on
the artworks that have inspired horror fiction and spread into other genres.
For example, many Francis Bacon paintings inspired the artists who designed the
monsters in Silent Hill; a great example of multi media horror fiction
influences.
Example of "other world" transformation in Silent Hill Downpour
Green: Ivana has
a chapter dedicated to “visual semantics”.
Visual semantics, at its core, is everything that you can see and
witness. Ivana discusses the visual semantics in horror games and how they are
used to provoke emotions of fear, anxiety, nervousness and horror into the
audience. This is a mechanic I am going to study further regarding horror games
(as I already started with Outlast, only I didn’t use the terminology “visual
semantics”) by doing studies and noting down why they are scary. Visual
semantics can only be found within the game world and are used as emotional
signifiers to the player. Ivana covers the fundamentals…
Visual semantics, as a mechanic, can be
used in most forms of visual media. When related to the horror genre, it is
often significant visual elements that imply and communicate the genre to the
audience. For example, In Outlast, there are walls with notes written to the
player in blood. This visual semantic communicates fear and nervousness to the
player by forcing a feeling of threat and confusion. The blood signifies a
struggle somewhere and supports the idea of danger.
An example of visual semantics I found whilst playing Outlast
Chapter 3: “Applying Visual Patterns”
Chapter 3 Ivana applies the visual
pattern studies and theories onto horror games making reference to other
mediums of horror fiction. She talks about how these visual patterns work in
order to control and manipulate the audience emotions to ensure the correct
reaction is apparent.
The obscure human like figures of Dead Spaces' Necromorphs refer back to Ivanas "disfigurement causes horror" theory
Purple: One way
in which horror fiction causes emotional reactions surrounding fear and terror
is by confusing the audience by visual trickery, a false sense of security
within a world or environment or obscuring the norm. Silent Hill does this well
as previously shown with the “other world” transition video. But my research
report looks further into how films of the same genre recycle mechanics and
inspire/influence the mechanic itself.
“A
Nightmare on Elm Street” (the 2010 remake) is an American horror
slasher film directed by Samuel Bayer. Ironically this film also makes use of
the “final girl” trope I previously mentioned. However, for now I wish to talk
about how the film uses distorted and obscured “realities” in order to promote
fear in both the audience AND characters within the film.
Characters in the film get hunted down
by Freddy Kruger , the main
antagonist of the film, in their dreams. Everyone has had one of those weird
dreams where what appears to be normal reality suddenly becomes obscure. Sure,
not all the time with horrific consequences but in the dreams of A Nightmare on Elm Street the
distortion does create horror.
Example of a "normal" environment becoming obscured and unfamilliar in order to create fear related emotions from the 2010 remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street
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Chapter 4: “Conclusion”
Chapter 4 is Ivana's conclusion to her
thesis. I have highlighted small sections from here as I think they prove
useful and could be used further by quoting in my research report. Obviously at
this stage she is just drawing conclusions to her own research but I think the
quotes sum up some of the studies I have been doing too and they will also lead
me onto new research for my report.
What’s next?
Ivana’s thesis was by far one of the
longest pieces of research I have done yet, but thankfully I have gained a lot
of incredibly useful inspiration and information from her work. I still have
some further studies to do based upon her work that has inspired me to push my
knowledge further and produce studies referring to her work. Ultimately though
I am happy with what I have learnt from
her thesis, the main areas of focus being:
- Visual semantics (the mechanic and the terminology)
- Mise-en-scene - research this in regards to how it is used in horror films and translates into games.
- What is the “un-canny valley” in regards to horror fiction?
- The importance of lighting for horror fiction to communicate the correct atmosphere.
- Spatial
presence - terminology for audience immersion.
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