Can't Scare Me No Mo': Is Older Better?

[Ryudo Lee]

However, guess what... who did not get pissed on Doom games when you died at a late level but forgot to save at that level, causing you restart the level with only a pistol to fight a horde of angry demons?

Been there, done that, sent the postcards.

[Tapewolf]

Been there, done that, sent the postcards.

I don't think I've ever done that.  What I have done on numerous occasions is save in a position where I die as soon as I reload.  This was a particular problem in Blessed, where Baron of Hell shots bring instant vapourisation, so even quickly typing IDDQD wouldn't let you recover.  Since then I've always made a separate save at the start of each level...

[Amber Williams]

In terms of childhood nightmare fuel, I think the thing that was the worst for me was actually in Toejam and Earl.

Around the fourth level you started to encounter the dentist...a malicious earthling who's leaping prance was just a wee bit faster than your average speed and upon actually poking you, would let out a horrifying cackle.  As a kid, I feared that laugh to the point I would avoid chunks of the map in order to avoid getting pricked by him.

[Corgatha Taldorthar]

Been there, done that, sent the postcards.

I don't think I've ever done that.  What I have done on numerous occasions is save in a position where I die as soon as I reload.  This was a particular problem in Blessed, where Baron of Hell shots bring instant vapourisation, so even quickly typing IDDQD wouldn't let you recover.  Since then I've always made a separate save at the start of each level...

I remember one of the Issues of Computer Gaming Magazine had a joke list of the "Top 5 most annoying ways to die in a computer game" and the "I saved when I meant to load" was ranked #1. It's still not as bad as the stupid Kurasawa run in Wing Commander *mutters under breath*

I know it doesn't apply to the OP, but a lot of the subsequent posts about old horror games; I'm wondering though how much of the shock factor was due to being younger at the time of playing. Being grabbed by zombies or something out of the dark is something that children are afraid of more than adults. (Anyone ever read IT by Stephen King?) I don't mean to make light of your problems Amber, but I don't think anyone would be able to sell a horror game of "Immigration paperwork! Get through the mounds of data shuffling or be DOOMED!", or "Live through uncertain financial times" even though it's by far more representative of things that an adult worries about.

[Ryudo Lee]

I don't mean to make light of your problems Amber, but I don't think anyone would be able to sell a horror game of "Immigration paperwork! Get through the mounds of data shuffling or be DOOMED!"

You would be amazed at how efficient they are at shuffling all that data around.  Now, managing the systems that do all that shuffling, THAT's a horror game.

[Lisky]

i remember the wing commander series... there came a point roughly oh 2/3 through the game where it went from reasonably doable, to, pray to a deity, hope for the best, and start jinking like none other while launching a missile every chance you could

as for horror games, the original resident evil provided the best nightmare fuel for me... i was like 8 when i first played it.  It was at my grandmother's creepy old giant house with my cousin... it was pitch black in a thunder storm...  every creek and groan i swore was a zombie in the attic...

[bill]

However, guess what... who did not get pissed on Doom games when you died at a late level but forgot to save at that level, causing you restart the level with only a pistol to fight a horde of angry demons?

I'm pretty sure pistol starting with 100 health was the only way to solve E4M2 on UV/Nightmare


Note: Do not try E4M2 on nightmare

[Tipod]

In terms of childhood nightmare fuel, I think the thing that was the worst for me was actually in Toejam and Earl.

Around the fourth level you started to encounter the dentist...a malicious earthling who's leaping prance was just a wee bit faster than your average speed and upon actually poking you, would let out a horrifying cackle.  As a kid, I feared that laugh to the point I would avoid chunks of the map in order to avoid getting pricked by him. D:

The dentist scared you but not the mailbox monster?

I know it doesn't apply to the OP, but a lot of the subsequent posts about old horror games; I'm wondering though how much of the shock factor was due to being younger at the time of playing. Being grabbed by zombies or something out of the dark is something that children are afraid of more than adults. (Anyone ever read IT by Stephen King?)

Not just that, but playing through these things I'm noticing a lot of in-your-faceness going on, like something's two feet away and a second later, it's like nose to nose with you. And with that, you get this lovingly detailed 2D art of being tongued by a plant mutant or having your throat cut. 3D just doesn't seem to convey the same sickening detail.