“Navigating Challenges: 9 Risks That Could Stunt the Growth of Extreme Sports”

I basically have 666 issues, however danger isn’t one

Game creation is inherently challenging; horror games are doubly so. After all, horror is enticing and
every studio should definitely craft a horror title
(they even perform well on Steam!), yet there are also disadvantages. Our game,
End of Ember
, is only a year into development but has already faced a series of these hazards: let’s delve into them and explore how to navigate these challenges.

1. The genre is varied

The Threat

Horror is like heavy metal: if you’re not into it, it all sounds the same; yet for enthusiasts, there are countless sub-genres. Survival horror, psychological horror, mascot horror, slasher horror, comedy horror: without even delving into gameplay categories, the variety is immense. Without a clear understanding of what type of horror you intend to create, your game is at risk of falling through the cracks or, worse, appearing forced.

[Source:
GameDiscoverCo Plus
, accessed 29/11/24]

Managing the Threat

Your creative team needs to truly understand horror – it’s not something you can fabricate from the sidelines. Our Creative Director
Dan McGuiness
has been an avid horror fan since childhood, and he now hosts the
Terrorvision Horror Podcast
, so he certainly knows his stuff. This knowledge enables him to create top-notch horror that amplifies the gore like nothing else and garners plenty of laughs from players.

2. Copyright/IP concerns

The Threat

Horror is a self-referential genre, and while this can create marketing opportunities, one immediate concern is copyright and infringing upon intellectual property rights. Some developers worry that by incorporating references to other franchises or IP, they might be setting themselves up for a take-down request or legal action.

Managing the Threat

The primary concern here is to remember that while real intellectual property may be protected by laws, parody and references are significantly more acceptable. (Note that this is not legal advice.) After all, you shouldn’t use specific images, models, or the actual creations of someone else’s work, but drawing your own hockey mask inspired by
Friday the 13th
or a puzzle box reminiscent of the Lament Configuration from
Hellraiser
could keep you clear of trouble as long as you create the assets yourself and do not attempt to present them as established IP.

3. Crafting ‘agency mechanics’

The Threat

One of the primary challenges (and opportunities) in horror game development is carefully balancing the player’s control in all situations, or what we might refer to as ‘
agency mechanics
’. The risk here is that you might either restrict player freedom so much that they can’t interact meaningfully within the world and end up quitting in frustration, or they could be so unrestricted that the experience lacks engagement.

Managing the Threat

As with most gameplay design, the solution here is to
design, playtest, iterate
. Develop your mechanics with a focus on player agency from the start, then create a prototype early on and playtest as extensively as possible to account for player autonomy in the process. Observe closely which mechanics limit or enhance agency, gather player feedback of all kinds, and iterate until you find the right balance.

4. Optimisation challenges of gore

The Threat

End of Ember
takes pride in its gore engine, creating gore effects that other games simply won’t attempt. After all, there is often a good reason why something hasn’t been tried before, and in our prototype we discovered that intricate gore can create framerate issues as the engine struggles to compute all the details of carcasses and entrails that clutter the floors and walls.

Managing the Threat

Generally, indie developers postpone optimisation until
“`

Progress in manufacturing has been slow; however, we have recognized it essential to implement optimizations during the development phase. We have investigated options such as persistence management, occlusion culling, map call batching, and object pooling – and we are applying these methods earlier in the process instead of postponing them for later debugging.

5. Pearl-clutching

The Threat

Horror is certainly not for everyone, but this does not equate to saying, for instance, that JRPGs aren’t for all. Horror games often evoke a unique kind of genuine panic, especially among those who believe games are primarily intended for children. Subtle expressions of disapproval can easily unsettle game developers.

Managing the Threat

To mitigate this risk, it’s crucial to accept that horror games are not intended for children and are not designed to invade young minds, instilling fear or causing moral decay. Establishing suitable boundaries and classification systems can help transform the culture and perceptions surrounding this matter, but truthfully, it’s a gradual process.

6. Steam Page Approval

The Threat

As with any other type of content, navigating Steam’s page review and approval can be challenging: End of Ember was assessed six times before receiving approval for public release. This is not Steam’s shortcoming; it was largely due to our internal processes and lack of understanding of the system: for example, tablet artwork is currently accessible to a broad audience and cannot be masked by content warnings in a material assessment.

Managing the Threat

Allocate about four times the duration you think you’ll need for your Steam page review, and then double that estimate. Ensure your Content Guidelines are as accurate as possible and don’t rely on content warnings to cover your tablet artwork. Note that Steam reviews are carried out by different individuals at varying times, so feedback may not always be consistent or constructive.

7. Attending Conventions

The Threat

Are we sensing a pattern here? Many public events, such as gaming conventions, have very specific criteria for games featuring mature content. Since most indie projects in early development do not have approved classifications, event organizers tend to be quite cautious regarding the appropriateness of games for their audience. This is entirely understandable, considering branding, public relations, and reputation, among other factors.

Managing the Threat

It’s realistic to anticipate that your game simply may not be suitable for many public events. Observe the remarkable online traction that a well-executed horror game receives on social media (especially during October) and consider reserving public displays for more exclusive settings. Alternatively, negotiate early with event organizers regarding your game’s suitability, and be prepared for potential disappointments.

8. Reduced Visibility

The Threat

Many of the aforementioned risks carry a potential negative impact on visibility: clearly, choosing not to attend conventions hinders exposure, and especially provocative content on Steam may flag your app as ‘potentially inappropriate’ in certain areas. Diminished visibility (particularly in the broader market) is a common risk with horror games.

Managing the Threat

Visibility risks are an issue with any game, particularly acute with horror titles. With 35 games launched on Steam every day, it’s already challenging for indie developers, which only magnifies the issue. Focus more on marketing: identify your target audience, reach them where they exist, and encourage them to interact with your outstanding content instead of hoping to market your game to everyone.

9. Saturated Market

The Threat

Steam market reports indicate that there are over 10,000 games tagged as ‘horror’: more than anyone could possibly engage with in a single lifetime. Thus, while there is definitely a demand for horror games, this market is already well-saturated, posing the risk of your game being overshadowed by a multitude of other FPS survival horror games set in a foggy rural town.

Managing the Threat

All the usual advice regarding marketing applies here: understand the competition, know your market, create something with a distinctive visual style and/or experience, stay true to your artistic vision, and deliver a game that players won’t want to part with, even for their Grandma. Something like this:

Summary

If you aim to develop a horror game, you should acknowledge the risks involved in production, development, and marketing. It’s worthwhile; however, if you adopt the usual lifelong learning, planning, and iterative processes prevalent throughout development, you will be well-positioned to avoid a terrible development experience of your own. If all else fails, just respawn.

End of Ember is currently available for Wishlist on Steam: share it around, just not with Grandma.

Acknowledgments

A special thank you to Logan Baker of Royal Reign Studios for the technical insights that helped me articulate my thoughts more clearly to programmers.