Why is horror so rare a genre in gaming?
>>44611537
Ever play Betrayal at the House on the Hill that has plenty of horror
Horror is hard to pull off because it requires a constant atmosphere. It's difficult to do when things like food/bathroom breaks exist.
Also it requires a sense of helplessness, something that needs some very real constraints on your character. This is accomplished in video games, but is often heavy handed. In table top games it requires a very specific sort of ruleset.
I find it is easiest when you have a player conspirator to help push your players in just the wrong direction. The horror of knowing a decision is final and that you made the wrong one is rather good. Also, body horror is something that can be easily done, but disliked by many groups.
People hate running away from danger. They want to dive headlong into danger and save the world, not skulk in libraries reading books that drive them slowly insane so the world can last a few more minutes before the inevitable onslaught of unknowable horrors from beyond perception.
>>44611537
DIfficult represent IC and difficult ot convey OOC. Requires more DM skills than just running basic encounters.
But I don't think it's so rare. Certainly more present than non sci-fi non fantasy tactical rpgs.
Besides:
>that fucking pic
>>44611537
Stats and rules can't create suspense.
So the gaming part is just a flimsy latticework like the small bones of a fish and just as likely to get struck in someone's throat.
>>44611537
difficult to achieve
>>44611537
Because creating legitimate spookiness is difficult to achieve unless you're a good writer/gm.
Also I can't speak for everyone, but most people I know don't really like horror as a genre all that much, be it in games, books, or movies.
That aside, that goddamn pic. I know stuff like that is kind of subjective but Dr. Who and fucking Independence Day do not belong on a list of "significant science fiction".
>>44611537
>Why is horror so rare a genre in gaming?
Same reason it's not effective in co-op vidya. It takes isolation, which isn't really possible in that sort of play.
>>44611591
>It's difficult to do when things like food/bathroom breaks exist.
As someone who lived in the countryside for a year and had to pee outside and shit in an outhouse with no light on its path - bathroom breaks are the scariest shit in the countryside if you've recently watched The Thing and have progressed to playing it. So much fear.
>>44612748
Dr. Who is a pretty big thing. Tropes doe, fuck that shit.
>>44612748
I only enjoy horror in literature, because nothing ruins my immersion like some fucknut with a violin and a theremin trying to be spooky.
Except perhaps a monster shown off so many times all novelty has left it and you start a drinking game involving jump-scares and the number three.
>>44613381
What I mean is most of my friends aren't a fan of horror period, be it good or otherwise.
I'm just as annoyed by movies which feature nothing other than overly telegraphed jumps cares as anyone else, but legitimately creeping horror flicks like Insidious, the Exorcist, or the Thing are some of my favorites.
But I know a lot of people who just can't handle horror at all. Or at least think they can't. Horror movies are like roller coasters: they tend to look a lot scarier than they actually are
>>44613456
Horror generally used three things to work.
Suspense, the wait.
Shock, the scare.
Sick, the damage.
Personally the suspense is the best part for me, the scare just is something that has to get overwith, and the sick... seem to get 95% of the creativity and budget.
>>44612748
Doctor Who does, just not on a list about American sci-fi.
>>44611537
>Ender's Game invented/popularized "the Chosen One"
What
>>44613741
>lists Lovecraft
>claims 2001 Space odyssey created the ancient astronaut trope
>later claims Ringworld created the mysterious space object trope
>Aliens popularized "bugs"
Aside from being completely uninformed it's not even internally cohesive
>>44613892
Yeah it's kind of all over the place. I'm convinced whoever made this list hasn't actually seen/read half the items on this list, and just put them there because third parties told them they were important with the rest just being stuff the guy likes.
Independence Day does not belong on this list.
