Horroration

Evan O’Connor

Enhancing variance and replayability by non-traditional means

Team Members:

Evan O’Connor, Game Design

Technical Field
This project involves the technical field of Game Design.

Background Information
The inspiration to the creation of this project comes from a background of horror games and the
studying of their design. Horror games are often a one-and-done experience, usually only
providing the player with whatever the first experience had in store for them. I am pursuing this
project to give replay value to horror games and to provide differing experiences from one player
to another.
Prior Art (legal term)
The source of inspiration for this project is the Resident Evil Randomizer by Benn Powell. The
Pros of this randomizer are that with each use of the randomizer playthroughs will vary and that
it does provide a different experience each time. The Con of this is that it is completely random
and the pacing becomes distorted.
Project Description
This project aims to add variance to horror game playthroughs by adding soft RNG elements
when it comes to finding items in the world while also rotating enemies based off of the real-
world clock.
Innovation Claim
Horror games are often a static experience and can sometimes be predictable. With the addition
of soft RNG mixing up the placement of items in the world, the goal is for the player to not be
able to memorize exactly where everything would be. Predictable is not always a bad thing, this
project also aims to add in RPG elements into a horror title as a form of replayability, similar to
events in an MMO, where enemies and lighting in the world would vary based on the real
world/system’s time.

Usage Scenario
A scenario involving the typical use of this project would include use of it outside of the scope of
horror games. This system could be used in different forms of single player gameplay, role
playing games, shooters, and other genres of gaming.

Evaluation Criteria
The following questions will identify the successful completion of the project.
1. Gameplay changes
1. How will different item spawns affect the player’s habits?
2. Do the different item spawns affect the route the player takes?
3. Does enemy placement (and replacement) change the route the player takes?
4. Does the placement of key items affect actions and change the player’s decisions?
Objectives and Tasks Associated with the Project
1. Create the blueprints in Unreal to support the system created.
2. Create the levels themselves
3. Create the random item blueprint that includes all of the possible items to be chosen from
at their indicated percentages.

Description of Design Prototype

The prototype will be built within Unreal Engine 4.

Evaluation Plan
First, I will have to analyze the games references themselves; Resident Evil 2 and Silent Hill 2,
itself and take note of where items and enemies have a possibility of spawning. Secondly is
determining where other areas possible spawns are to add to the variance and possible spawns.
Third would be creating the blueprint that analyzes the player’s actions and performance, and
last would be creating the blueprint that places items and enemies and tweaks aggression.