Chapter : 65 : Are You The Devil?

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Thank You, Seralp Sari, For Becoming A Member. May The Emperor Protect.

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Workday, Wednesday

In the office of PixelPioneers Studio, John and Evelien discussed some of the content in the game.

Compared with Outlast in the dream memory, John made many changes in many details, such as the repeated material in the second half, and some repeated plots were deleted and replaced. Exquisite modeling, as well as good enough ambient sound effects, raised the horror of the entire game to a higher level.

Especially a few timid ones in the studio, such as the monster illustrations in Evelien's design, and some horror scenes, are all discussed by their own design and contact outsourcing, but they dare not play at all.

"Increase the battery of the camera a little bit more, so the player has to face the darkness in some scenes. In addition, the design of this part is a little more hidden, and another scene is added here. A dead body hanging on the ceiling, the movement is bizarre, but don't let the player see what it looks like, add a kind of hazy feeling, at the same time let players be attacked by monsters here."

John looked at the actual game display and compared the content of Outlast in his dream memory to guide the details.

"In addition, there is no need to engage in heightened action, the unknown is the most frightening. Through the combination of environment, sound effects, and visuals, players are allowed to self-doubt. Three identical corridors: the first is ordinary, the second is dimmed with some blood on the wall, and in the third, the light is turned down as the player enters, guiding them to climb into the ventilation duct to officially enter the plot." John looked at Evelien as they discussed the details in Outlast that needed to be changed.

Here, John referred to an unfinished horror game, Silent Hill P.T. from his dream memory. The repeated scenes, the oppressive atmosphere, and the sound effects. These effects are mixed to bring the player an extreme psychological horror.

There is no need for sudden heightened action. Players are always scaring themselves, constantly letting themselves generate nervousness, through casual details, such as opening a door and hearing a sound behind them to make them look back.

After giving the player enough psychological suggestions and self-doubt, even classic horror movies or game plots can make the player feel out of control instantly.

Evelien and Jackie were very dedicated to jotting down what John said, while secretly looking at John like he was the devil. They never thought the horror game could be designed like this. Combining the scenes in the already-developed Outlast with John's ideas, Evelien and Jackie shuddered.

"Do you want to terrify the players and make them faint?" He's the devil.

After mentioning a few more details, John received a call from Schultz at Social Tap: "The promotional video for the game requires our editing. Do we need to release a demo in advance?"

These are part of the promotional plan in conjunction with the game release. Although Outlast has already been announced, Social Tap still communicates with John on specific promotional aspects.

"For the promotional video, I'll edit it myself. As for the demo, we don't need one. If the horror game is spoiled, the scare factor will be greatly reduced. Let's just release it directly," John responded.

"No problem, but it's better to move fast. We've already started promoting Outlast and Ghost 4 is launching at the end of October. Moondustries has confirmed the agent, but the audit issue is still being ironed out. It won't release until mid-November, but there won't be much competition," Schultz added.

"Ghost 4?" Hearing Schultz's words, John paused for a moment and then remembered.

Oh, it's Halloween in early November. It's the typical release period for horror games, something John had overlooked while working on Outlast.

"It's fine, the quality of Outlast won't be any worse than the Ghost series." Having played both games, John felt confident in his judgment.

"Whether a game sells well isn't just about quality. The development cost of Ghost 4 alone is 7 million dollars. Add Moondustries' promotion with Lion Gate Games and the fanbase they've built up, it's a big deal. Unless the quality can beat it, we might hit a wall," Schultz said, a bit emotionally.

Besides a small group of discerning players, most gamers are part of the mainstream traffic category. They might have some taste, but more often, they follow the trends. If a game catches some heat, they'll play it. These players are the main force in game consumption. If a game isn't popular out of the gate, it may fade into obscurity, unless post-launch factors, like influencer streams or viral topics, keep it in the spotlight.

There are examples, but few. Schultz, who has been in the industry for years, has seen this situation play out often, which is why he's not overly optimistic about Outlast.

As Social Tap promoted Outlast, online gaming media, and general media began reporting on John's new work. It's all marketing, though, since neither John nor PixelPioneers Studio have a high reputation, even though John recently won the Golden Bird Game Award.

"The creators of 'Binding of Isaac' and 'Octopath Traveler' present their new horror game, 'Outlast.' What secrets lie within the mysterious psychiatric hospital?"

"Arrogance or confidence? The new work of John, the creator of 'Octopath Traveler' and 'Binding of Isaac,' ventures into horror games."

There was a mix of praise, doubt, and even mockery. Soon, the hype for Outlast started building, just like a critic where some sing in praise, and others criticize. Game promotion usually follows this script, there will always be critics, and not everyone can shower you with praise.

Not all, but some media outlets are working for Social Tap. To create buzz, they can't all praise the game, but there's a limit; they can't let the negative criticism turn into the dominant narrative.

While Social Tap continued promoting "Outlast," John remained busy editing the promotional video. Compared to the development of "Outlast," editing the promo was much harder. The game review system could issue an 18+ rating for any gory or scary scenes in the game.

But the promo video is different. To distribute it across various channels, the video's content can't be too gory or scary, yet it still needs to give players an idea of the game's tone, which is no small challenge.

Using in-game real-time rendering, scenes, and content, John and Evelien slowly edited the footage, then added the video's soundtrack and later-stage special effects.