The way all living things feel fear is due to a
defensive trigger in the brain. This is a natural trigger that signals a threat
of danger. Understanding how to create fear within a game, and how to create
these emotions for the player is the first step in the research of this paper.
“Fear is the great force that prompts to acts
of self-preservation and operates as effectively in the brute as in the human
animal. Even in plant life we can trace evidences that indicate the presence of
a natural law operating very much as fear does upon brute in- stinct and the
human mind.” (The Psychology of fear, p.250)
Fear has played a vital role in the evolution
of life since the very beginning. It is what makes every living thing feel
alive. For example, walking home down an empty dark street, adrenaline begins
pumping and people will become more aware of their surroundings. Senses are
heightened and even the smallest sound can put them on edge. Catching something
at the corner of their eye can cause them to tense up and expect danger. Sounds
and sights are elevated due to this natural response. An animals brain will
also react in the same way when feeling threatened. For example, a small animal
being hunted will feel threatened, thus causing the release of adrenaline to
heighten their senses and evade the predator.
The process of the creation of fear is entirely
unconscious. The area that causes this is the hypothalamus. This is the area of
the brain that produces many of the hormones and different chemical substances
within the body. Muscles will begin to tighten, heart rate will increase and the
senses generally become more alert to the surrounding environment. If humans
and all animals alike did not feel the effects of fear, they wouldn’t survive
very long. There would be no fear of oncoming traffic, falling from heights,
getting in a fight etc. Because of this people can judge what is safe and what
is not.
“Fear is generally considered a reaction to something immediate
that threatens your security or safety, such as being startled by someone suddenly
jumping out at you from behind a bush. The emotion of fear is felt as a sense
of dread, alerting you to the possibility that your physical self might be
harmed, which in turn motivates you to protect yourself. Thus, the notion of
"fight or flight" is considered a fear response and describes the
behavior of various animals when they are threatened--either hanging around and
fighting, or taking off in order to escape danger.” (The complexity of fear 2011)
The use of this emotion has been seen
throughout the evolving of games which is especially linked to the environment
the player is in. Survival horror games such as Outlast (Outlast 2013) use the
environment well to evoke fear into the player. The blood splattered floors and
walls against the old, dark and grubby rooms emphasize the gore, provoking a
more intense reaction of danger. The muffled sound of wind or noises in the
distance also increase the feeling of fear as it makes the player anticipate
what is ahead, which is usually danger. Understanding the reason behind these
feelings is what leads to a truly terrifying experience and understanding the
mechanics of the brain when faced with these types of environments is vital
with the development of games. Many areas of these types of games are very
poorly lit, which is done on purpose to increase the players anxiety. Darkness
impairs a person’s vision which is a vital sense that allows people to
understand and analyze their surroundings. It is a humans most valuable sense
and without it, there is no control of the world around them and are unable to
defend themselves against any approaching danger.
“In
order to deal with conflict and problems in life, Freud stated that the ego
employs a range of defense mechanisms. Defense mechanisms operate at an
unconscious level and help ward off unpleasant feelings (i.e. anxiety) or make
good things feel better for the individual.” (The
Ego and the Mechanisms of Defence. 1966)
The feeling of being alone with nobody there to
help in events of difficulty when things go wrong also effect the player on a
psychological level. If they get injured or lost it is all up to the player to
decide on how to move forward. This all adds to the experience of games. By
being alone with no sense of guidance the player must make the decision to move
through areas by their own will. This leaves the player in a constant state of
stress and feeling “on edge” throughout the experience of the gameplay. Being
in charge of personal decisions increases the thought over making these
decisions and trying to see ahead to future consequences.
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