: Re: Horror story for a game - how to create dread? I am trying to devise a short story for a 3d horror game. Here are my requirements: There must be no tangible people/creatures for the player

@Karen856

In addition to other answers: Dread comes from not knowing if you actions will have an impact.

Knowing that your actions will either help a cause or make it fail gives you responsibility. Responsibility allows you to place eventual success or failure in an ordered cause and effect framework. Humans love cause and effect.

Similarly: knowing that your actions will have no effect on the outcome absolves you of that responsibility and fosters apathy towards your own actions. It leads to adventurers that check each barrel of the dungeon they're in, rather than rush the princess that's in mortal danger. Again you're framing it in a case and effect fashion: you're not the cause of the eventual effect. Humans love cause and effect.

If your actions on day one saved the princess, your (non-)actions of day two resulted in the death of the princess in the other castle, you'll try your best on day three. If you now act perfectly and the princess is still brutally murdered, That's when Dread kicks in. You start to doubt whether you'll be able to save the day the next turn, but you can't afford not to give it your best shot, even if in the end it turns out to be for naught.

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