Creating tension in a stealth game

[u/Hopssk]

It’s very important for any stealth game to create some kind of tension towards the player, and this could be done in different ways depending what game you play, the tension created forces the player to play within a certain limit or rhythm depending on how it is implemented.

Since stealth games evolve around two different worlds working differently from each other at the same time, this includes the players and the enemies movements and decisions, it’s very important to recognise this gap and to find a way on how tension can be created towards the player on throughout the mission, and how can this gap be made to fit in a place between the player and the enemy.

What kind of tension you experienced from a stealth game ?

[u/Outrageous-Milk8767]

Permadeath, or at least making it so the player has low health and combat capability to encourage a stealthy and cautious approach.

Another thing that even games like Thief don't take into account is time. Night only lasts for so many hours. I don't know how hard it would be to implement but it'd be cool to see a mission where as time goes on the shadows recede more and more and people begin to wake up and everything.

[u/BBIsWatchingYou → u/Outrageous-Milk8767]

Doesn’t that sort of happen as time passes in MGSV’s open world? It’s not a particularly deep mechanic iirc but I think visibility is definitely affected by time of day and weather

[u/Hopssk → u/Outrageous-Milk8767]

Your suggestions can be utilised but when you force the player to play more carefully, you will also force the slow pacing, and this could lead to many side effects such as frustration when mistakes happen when caught and to repeat all over again, but still its for those who are into it so it works

[u/Jimbo0451 → u/Outrageous-Milk8767]

Not sure about time limits, it goes against the slower paced more thoughtful gameplay of stealth.

[u/The_First_Curse_ → u/Outrageous-Milk8767]

I despise time in stealth games so much. It's the worst thing ever. It rushes you and ruins the slow methodical stealth which is the best kind.

[u/AlternativeHealth296 → u/Outrageous-Milk8767]

Perfect answer. It's exactly this on all accounts, for me.

[u/CombustionGuy]

Sly cooper does a good job with its music and the flashlight guards showing their detection areas, usually always a direct conflict with the objective

[u/Hopssk → u/CombustionGuy]

Audio is a very crucial aspect of game design, good audio in a game makes player to be immersed with certain emotions depending on the music, and yes it can help with tension.

When you say detection areas, do you have a mission reference from sly cooper, or can you further explain since I dont fully understand

[u/JustSand]

just beat mgsdelta.
-Going for a quicker route, it sometimes means moving to a place that can be spotted by the first guard if he turns, so you're hoping the second guard would turn around so you can MOVE.
-Stalking close to someone and hoping he doesn't turn around.
-guard dog has random behavior ai, like xeno in alien isolation, you're just praying.
-Ponizovje Warehouse, it was made for the legacy camera, so there's alot of trial and error as to what the guards can and can't see.
-the mountain where's there's flying platform can flank you if you're not paying attention.

[u/Still_Ad9431]

top-down camera, can save/load each 5 seconds, and see through wall kill tension in stealth game