Utilize Spatial Design to Shape the Emotional Atmosphere
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When considering a specific spatial characteristic within a level across various games, it becomes evident that this characteristic can evoke different emotional responses. For instance, while open areas may represent safety in one game—where players are assured they will not be attacked—they may represent extreme danger in another, as players are exposed and can be easily targeted by enemies.
If the intention is for certain levels or sections thereof to evoke distinct emotions, it is crucial to establish sufficient contrast between their spatial characteristics. The greater the contrast, the more effectively the intended emotional tone can be underscored. For example, if the goal is to evoke a feeling of confinement in a narrow space, guiding the player through a wide-open area beforehand can heighten this effect. Conversely, to emphasize vulnerability in an open space, it is helpful to first lead the player through a more enclosed environment.
Consider the following examples illustrating how specific spatial characteristics can evoke particular emotional responses:
Confidence
Open spaces enhance spatial awareness, allowing players ample time to detect approaching threats.
Elevated places can offer a tactical advantage, facilitating strategic planning and execution.
Example:
Players may ascend a high mountain to survey the landscape and determine the direction toward a distant objective.
Freedom
- Open spaces naturally evoke a sense of freedom, where player movement is unrestricted and uninhibited.
Safety
Narrow spaces can convey a sense of shelter from external threats or environmental discomforts, such as inclement weather or enemy fire.
Depressed or artificially created terrains—such as bomb craters—can serve as defensive shelters from hostile attacks.
Lower terrain levels can offer concealment, providing players a hiding place from enemies, unlike exposed elevated areas.
Open spaces may also be perceived as safe if they offer multiple paths of escape or defense against incoming dangers, such as ranged projectiles.
Open areas can represent a sense of relief and refuge when players emerge from:
For example:
A building while escaping a deadly explosion.
A structure, such as a tunnel or canal, infested with hostile creatures.
A collapsing building or other life-threatening structure.
Elevated places may provide security when players:
For example:
Climb tall trees to avoid predatory threats.
Ascend structures to escape rising floodwaters in the lower areas.
- Small, enclosed areas with a single point of entry may also offer a sense of security, particularly when that entry point is easily defensible.
Uneasiness
Open spaces may evoke unease when players feel exposed to potential threats from all directions.
Open environments with multiple access points can induce anxiety when defending all entrances simultaneously is impractical.
Confined spaces may generate discomfort when movement is restricted or evasion of hazards becomes difficult.
Low ceilings can amplify the feeling of constriction and claustrophobia.
Reaching a dead end may further contribute to a sense of entrapment.