This is not Hallowe'en

[cyrano]

AmberCon US is in April, and I figure soon it will be open for registration and then they'll probably want people to submit games. So I come to you, LJHiveMind, for advice. I need things that will make gamers feel creeped out. Not normal people.

Feel free to suggest short stories or tropes or ideas or tactics or thoughts here.

Comments

[scarywhitegirl.livejournal.com]

Hmmm... so off the top of my head, I'm not sure if the Deadlands game I ran last year left you all more squicked or scared, but I think squicked.

I can't tell you the thing that would creep me out the worst, because if I do, and you use it, I'll be TOO creeped out. There is such a thing. So I'm not telling you the worst.

Dolls are creepy. Especially lots of dolls. Especially lots of dolls missing all the same body part. Just sayin'.

[reluctantgenius.livejournal.com]

And there’s the creepy doll
That always follows you
It’s got a ruined eye
That’s always open

And there’s a creepy doll
That always follows you
It’s got a pretty mouth
To swallow you whole -JoCo

And disfigurement, whether symbolic or literal, is disturbing. Although without a visual reference, I'm not sure how much. Messing with their dice creeps gamers out, but I don't think you're playing with that kind of gamer. Things happening to you that are out of your control can be disturbing or terrifying, depending on the intensity. So a war where the weapons mutate players would do, I'd think.

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

I think 'squicked' too. (: And I'm tremendously pleased that you're implying siging up for this game sight unseen.

[pusifoot.livejournal.com]

Little Fears: the creepiest game system/setting ever created.

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

Really? I bought and read the book, but I have not played it yet.

[satanya.livejournal.com]

make them go blind for how ever long in the game and while doing that make them wear blind folds.

Let them take it off for short periods of lucidness, and or vision (also for you know rolling the die), have the dolls moved a little closer, start in short small increments at first they may not see/notice, then larger and larger changes.

Have something long to touch them with under the table.

Also Paranoia is a great game.

[motleypolitico.livejournal.com]

Many things relating to Disney are creepy to me, if you take them in an acid-trip direction.

I think one of the best ways to go with creepy, is to take the seemingly familiar, the expected, and warp it progressively more over time. You don't so much want to start with full-on creepy, creepy is the sort of thing which works best when you do a ramp up.

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

Also, statues and statuary or even cutouts of people/animate objects.