Forlorn
Overview
Forlorn is a proof of concept for an atmosphere-based horror game. The suspense is built through sound, subtle environmental effects, and good old-fashioned shock scares.
The game was built by a team of three people as the culminating project for a class that introduced us all to Unity 3D. It was the first experience I had ever had building a 3D game experience from scratch.
I acted as the Level Designer and Scenario Scripter on the project.
The first view of the house
Looking in from the front door
Stairs up to the second floor
Second floor landing
A forgotten child's room
Self-lit candles in the dining room
The basement beckons
The forboding darkness of the basement
The house awakens
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The game is based on the concept of limbo. The player plays as a man whose spirit has been trapped by the house until he can come to grips with his own death. The closer the man gets to discovering his own dead body in the attic, the more the house comes alive.
My role on the project was twofold. I had to script the various mechanics of the game that we were going to use, and I had to ensure that the end experience held the suspenseful and foreboding mood we were going for.
The scripting wasn't all that challenging; Unity makes making games very quick and easy. What took the most time was constantly tweaking and polishing the play of the level to ensure that the sounds and the feelings were just right.
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Taylor Hadden — Level Design and Scripting
Connor Norman — Environment Art
Gavin Bigelow — Production, Prop Art