Developing Games: To scare players all around the world! Chapter 3: Livestream
Previously on Developing Games: To scare players all around the world!...
It was nearly 7 o'clock in the evening.
Natalie commenced her live broadcast on Twitch right on schedule.
"Hellooo everyone~ Your favorite streamer Natalie is here!" Natalie greeted casually, offering a wave to the camera.
As the viewer count on her livestream began to surge, the comments flooded in.
"Wow, Natalie's actually on time for once!"
"Please don't talk, just let us admire that face."
"I always mute the stream when I watch Natalie."
Natalie rolled her eyes at the chat's remarks but managed a smile, accustomed to the jokes about her voice.
"All right, all right, enough silly talk. We're trying something different today. No [Game Name] for now. I'm testing out a horror game my brother recommended. He swears it's incredible."
As she spoke, she began donning her VR equipment, which included a motion platform and a full-body haptic suit.
"Horror game? Sounds rather questionable."
"Yeah, horror games just rely on loud noises to be scary."
"What if her brother set her up with a prank game?"
"Calling it now, she's gonna scream and fall over within 10 minutes."
The chat continued to flood with somewhat dismissive comments.
Natalie mused to herself as she adjusted her gear.
Nowadays, [Game Name] firmly held the top spot on the domestic game charts, with [Another Game Name] closely following. Other games couldn't even come close.
And horror games? Most players had long since lost interest. They were either filled with gratuitous gore but lacked any real plot, or relied on cheap jump scares accompanied by loud sounds – nothing original, nothing genuinely terrifying.
Natalie could sense the doubt emanating from the chat. Even she started to feel a flicker of uncertainty.
"Alright then, let's give it a shot." She smiled and initiated the game's start screen.
Instantly, her vision plunged into darkness. Then, a warning screen materialized before her eyes.
[Warning: Individuals under 18 should play with parental guidance. Those with heart conditions, mental health issues, high blood pressure, pregnant women, and anyone susceptible to fear, panic, or emotional distress are strongly advised NOT to play this game.]
After a brief pause, the title slowly shimmered into view with a rippling effect.
Silent Hill - Demo Beta
"Ooooh, a scary warning screen... how original."
"Looks like they're trying way too hard. It's just a demo!"
"Come on, Natalie, ditch this and play [Game Name]. Your brother totally scammed you."
"This looks cheap... bet it's over in ten minutes."
The chat remained abuzz with sarcastic remarks, but the very next moment, the screen transitioned, and Natalie found herself standing within a small, dimly illuminated room.
A chandelier cast a faint, flickering light. The space felt claustrophobic and unnervingly silent, and every detail, from the wall textures to the scuff marks on the wooden floor, appeared astonishingly lifelike.
Natalie slowly surveyed her surroundings, absorbing it all. A closed wooden door stood before her, and she even noticed a few cockroaches skittering across the floor.
"Damn, guys, this game's graphics are absolutely insane. It looks almost like real life," Natalie whispered, her tone shifting to one of genuine shock.
For a fleeting moment, it truly felt as though she had transported to an actual room.
Observing the cockroaches on the floor, Natalie had an idea and deliberately stepped on one.
One of the cockroaches suddenly burst beneath her shoe with a disturbingly realistic crunch. The others scattered in all directions, fleeing from her.
"Fuck, did you see that?! I just crushed it! Like... actually crushed it!" Natalie's eyes widened in astonishment.
"And I swear, I felt it," Natalie exclaimed, still reeling from the shock.
"When I stepped on the cockroach, there was actual tactile feedback. What kind of game is this? Everything around me feels so real!" That foreign sensation beneath her foot wasn't merely visual. It felt as if she had stepped on something in the real world.
"This game is insane, the graphics are movie-quality!"
"The lighting, the physics, the attention to detail, it's unreal!"
"You can step on cockroaches and they react! What game does that?"
"Not just that, did you see the others scatter as if they were frightened?"
"Natalie, go stomp on more! Test how deep this interaction system goes!"
Thanks to the voice-to-text chat overlay, Natalie could hear her viewers' comments without needing to glance at the screen. Even while immersed in the game, she could engage with them.
She was energized now, truly excited.
"I've never played anything like this before!" she chuckled, playfully chasing after another roach.
But just as she lifted her foot for another stomp, a slow, drawn-out creaking sound echoed through the room.
Natalie froze mid-action, her heart leaping into her throat. Slowly, she tilted her head upwards.
The door.
The wooden door that had been firmly shut just moments ago... was now ajar.
"Wait... when did the door open?" She hadn't interacted with it. She hadn't even approached it.
"THE DOOR JUST MOVED!"
"That wasn't automatic! I swear I saw something move through the gap!"
“I swear I saw a figure! The moment she looked up!”“It was a woman, but it was too fast! I barely caught a glimpse!”“This just got creepy real fast…”Natalie’s heart pounded in her chest.She suddenly recalled that this experience was part of a horror game.And this... was merely the prelude.