Creating tension

[Exejpgwmv]

As you all probably know, it's very difficult to have any sort of feeling of tension with most of the DMC characters. Primarily because most of them can kick-a** out of any situation.

So here are three possible(and plausible) ways of creating tension in a DMC game:

1) Have an opponent that is, throughout most of the game, is more powerful than [insert character that knows how to fight]. This the most common, and least effective, way I've seen of trying to incite a feeling of tension throughout the series.

2) Make the player play as someone who doesn't know how to fight, or can't defend themselves through conventional methods. This method has never been used in any DMC game.
A good way of doing this would be, letting us play as Kat or Kyrie, in a survival horror-esque way.

3) Make it so that the player has to protect someone; this is used in DMC4 and DmC.
*Character needs to be likable
*We need to have spent time and seen character development for their plight to really have an emotional affect on us.
*The character must be in very real danger that could result in them taking serious physical and/or mental damage.

4) Change how we are suppose to fight the threat/antagonist. This method has also never been used.
The danger can still be very much real(And you can still fight demons along the way.); but make it so that can't be solved just by beating stuff up.
An example would be: For Dante and characters like him, make it more a test of brains instead of brawn.


Welp, that's all I got
Let me know if you agree, disagree, or have even thought of different ways creating of tension.

 

[Viper]

2) Make the player play as someone who doesn't know how to fight, or can't defend themselves through conventional methods. This method has never been used in any DMC game.
A good way of doing this would be, letting us play as Kat or Kyrie, in a survival horror-esque way.

This reminded me of the beginning of Zone of Enders, biggest adrenaline kick ever.
From what I remember you start the game and instead of being given some intro, there are sirens blaring around you, you have no clue what is going on and this strange machine you hid inside is being attacked by another. I was pressing buttons like crazy, till the thing was defeated and only then was I given some brief explanation what is going on. It was awesome.
So my suggestion would be something like a demon attack on a peaceful town, but instead of an experienced fighter, this young rookie who just started to get used to holding a sword has to defend it, getting more skillful as they move forward.

 

[Pale Rider]

The one thing I like about DMCs besides the gameplay is that they are not exactly meant to be taken seriously and characters are just that as you described - sick badasses who can kick the sh!t outta every situation, not meant to be relatable

I think DMC is all about getting relaxed (read: smoke weed) and kick the living sh!t outta every motherf.ucking demon that comes into your way. That's why I love DMC and basically Japanese-y characters. They are, in simple terms, an extreme form of wild imagination, a media of escaping reality, relieving you from your real world tensions and worries, and basically just have a good time.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to debunk your thread or trying to prove your points wrong, because that's exactly what am I not doing, but don't you think, tensions are better left for real world?

 

[Exejpgwmv]

The one thing I like about DMCs besides the gameplay is that they are not exactly meant to be taken seriously and characters are just that as you described - sick badasses who can kick the sh!t outta every situation, not meant to be relatable

I think DMC is all about getting relaxed (read: smoke weed) and kick the living sh!t outta every motherf.ucking demon that comes into your way. That's why I love DMC and basically Japanese-y characters. They are, in simple terms, an extreme form of wild imagination, a media of escaping reality, relieving you from your real world tensions and worries, and basically just have a good time.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to debunk your thread or trying to prove your points wrong, because that's exactly what am I not doing, but don't you think, tensions are better left for real world?

Common misconception.
Who says you can't be cool while the atmosphere is tense?

In fact, I'd say the exhilarating feeling of pulling off stunts, not getting hit, or taking out a bad guy in cool way; is amplified even more if done in a high tension situation.

And it doesn't have to be relatable either.
Take Sunny's example for instance; that section of the game she mentioned probably isn't all that relatable to her in real life.

 

[Pale Rider]

Common misconception.

Who says you can't be cool while the atmosphere is tense?

Read my point below.

In fact, I'd say the exhilarating feeling of pulling off stunts, not getting hit, or taking out a bad guy in cool way; is amplified even more if done in a high tension situation.

See, what you are saying is basically exactly the opposite of what I said. I said, get relaxed and kick demon butts, and what you're saying is, high relief and sense of achievement you get after you beat a boss. Y'know, tensed feelings you get while fighting a dark soul demon, you die, you die, then you finally beat it and you feel like a boss and one step ahead in food chain.
Tensed enviroment don't give you relaxed(duh!) gameplay, it is the sense of achievement and relief which makes them worthwhile.

 

[Exejpgwmv]

Read my point below.




See, what you are saying is basically exactly the opposite of what I said. I said, get relaxed and kick demon butts, and what you're saying is, high relief and sense of achievement you get after you beat a boss. Y'know, tensed feelings you get while fighting a dark soul demon, you die, you die, then you finally beat it and you feel like a boss and one step ahead in food chain.
Tensed enviroment don't give you relaxed(duh!) gameplay, it is the sense of achievement and relief which makes them worthwhile.

But DMC isn't about being relaxed.

DMC1, 3, 4, and DmC; Were more adrenaline rush, power fantasy games that played electronic/dub-step/industrial rock/metal music. And they got very difficult on the higher difficulty levels.

 

[WolfOD64]

The one thing I like about DMCs besides the gameplay is that they are not exactly meant to be taken seriously

Actually, yes. The makers of the game were trying to tell a serious story, with fleshed-out and well-written characters. Just check out some of the interviews leading up to DMC4's release...director Hiroyuki Kobayashi is constantly talking about how DMC3 and DMC4 were made with the intent of telling a serious and emotional story, and how he and the other producers of 4 collaborated for weeks to come up with "engaging and dramatic story elements", all while consulting American scriptwriters. And that's not even taking the DMC anime into account...watch any episode of that show and tell me the writers weren't trying to be serious.

The story for DMC has always taken itself seriously, almost suicidally-so in games like 3 and 4...Dante just isn't a serious protagonist, so he almost always ends up breaking the tension or empathy.

 

[Pale Rider]

But DMC isn't about being relaxed.

DMC1, 3, 4, and DmC; Were more adrenaline rush, power fantasy games that played electronic/dub-step/industrial rock/metal music. And they got very difficult on the higher difficulty levels.

Technically, yeah, you're right. I can't imagine the levels of adrenaline when I first RoyalGuarded Agnus's spin attack. Now, when I play DMC4, it is just leaning back on my chair and executing various chains of combos through muscle memory and enjoying myself without giving a sh!t. It's quite relaxing to me, but I guess, to each to their own?

Actually, yes. The makers of the game were trying to tell a serious story, with fleshed-out and well-written characters. Just check out some of the interviews leading up to DMC4's release...director Hiroyuki Kobayashi is constantly talking about how DMC3 and DMC4 were made with the intent of telling a serious and emotional story, and how he and the other producers of 4 collaborated for weeks to come up with "engaging and dramatic story elements", all while consulting American scriptwriters. And that's not even taking the DMC anime into account...watch any episode of that show and tell me the writers weren't trying to be serious.

Well, I entered the series with DMC4 after watching a YT combo vid. So, I've no idea what developers intended this game to be like. And I heard anime was crap? So never watched, never cared.

The story for DMC has always taken itself seriously, almost suicidally-so in games like 3 and 4...Dante just isn't a serious protagonist, so he almost always ends up breaking the tension or empathy.

The outline/setting of DMC is pretty dark, no contest there. I think Dante not being serious has little to do with breaking the tension. The thing that breaks the tension, IMO, is the presentation of the games (3&4) in a more light-hearted, semi-buoyant tone rather than being an ultra grim dark and gloomy one.
Say, like in Prototype, there are people dying in every corner, and then there is you who's gonna eat a fellow military official just so you can heal yourself. The story/setting is pretty dark, barbarous, filled with gore and lives of innocents, but due to its tone, you don't give a phuck about anyone you've eaten/consumed. Makes sense?

 

[Dante's Stalker]

Dude, I dunno man. Vergil had me dreading reaching the top of the tower. Plenty of tension there.

 

[Exejpgwmv]

Dude, I dunno man. Vergil had me dreading reaching the top of the tower. Plenty of tension there.

Refer to my first point.

 

[Kam]

As you all probably know, it's very difficult to have any sort of feeling of tension with most of the DMC characters. Primarily because most of them can kick-a** out of any situation.

So here are three possible(and plausible) ways of creating tension in a DMC game:

1) Have an opponent that is, throughout most of the game, is more powerful than [insert character that knows how to fight]. This the most common, and least effective, way I've seen of trying to incite a feeling of tension throughout the series.

2) Make the player play as someone who doesn't know how to fight, or can't defend themselves through conventional methods. This method has never been used in any DMC game.
A good way of doing this would be, letting us play as Kat or Kyrie, in a survival horror-esque way.

3) Make it so that the player has to protect someone; this is used in DMC4 and DmC.
*Character needs to be likable
*We need to have spent time and seen character development for their plight to really have an emotional affect on us.
*The character must be in very real danger that could result in them taking serious physical and/or mental damage.

4) Change how we are suppose to fight the threat/antagonist. This method has also never been used.
The danger can still be very much real(And you can still fight demons along the way.); but make it so that can't be solved just by beating stuff up.
An example would be: For Dante and characters like him, make it more a test of brains instead of brawn.


Welp, that's all I got
Let me know if you agree, disagree, or have even thought of different ways creating of tension.

it would work, but is it really the right call to make? This is an action series, not a survival horror tension-building series -- The original DMC only exists because of a desire to make a game that moved away from tense survival horror, so lacing those sections back into the game is just polluting the formula. It's like those really out of place racing/flying/arcade shooter sections in bayonetta; if you happen to like all four (including brawling) of those things together, okay cool you're happy. But if you signed on under the promise of nothing but the most blistering action, but then you're forced to spend time doing other **** you don't care about, the game is wasting your time and keeping you from experiencing the exact thing you came to that game to experience.

 

[V's patron]

@Sunny your idea would have been a good intro for nero.

 

[Viper]

@Sunny your idea would have been a good intro for nero.

Indeed it would, but sadly that train had already passed. Maybe in some future game, with some other protagonist.

 

[Chancey289]

I would say there's already enough when you're playing on the harder difficulties barely hanging on to life as you try and finish a room of really tough baddies.

The fast and furious combat requires precision and timing because one wrong move can give you a game over. I think the tension of Devil May Cry can come from just feeling overwhelmed.

It's not really a horror game. This is a hack n slash series that is obsessed with style and fast paced combat.

 

[Innsmouth]

Well there is always place for bigger, badder enemies, so I don't think it's so hard to make. There is also possibility for one of DMC badasses to lose a fight. In that case it will be like fall from grace and s/he would restore his pride by defeating whoever did this to him.

 

[Exejpgwmv]

it would work, but is it really the right call to make? This is an action series, not a survival horror tension-building series -- The original DMC only exists because of a desire to make a game that moved away from tense survival horror, so lacing those sections back into the game is just polluting the formula. It's like those really out of place racing/flying/arcade shooter sections in bayonetta; if you happen to like all four (including brawling) of those things together, okay cool you're happy. But if you signed on under the promise of nothing but the most blistering action, but then you're forced to spend time doing other **** you don't care about, the game is wasting your time and keeping you from experiencing the exact thing you came to that game to experience.

Why can't it be both action and tension building?

 

[Dante's Stalker]

Refer to my first point.

I would say there's already enough when you're playing on the harder difficulties barely hanging on to life as you try and finish a room of really tough baddies.

The fast and furious combat requires precision and timing because one wrong move can give you a game over. I think the tension of Devil May Cry can come from just feeling overwhelmed.

It's not really a horror game. This is a hack n slash series that is obsessed with style and fast paced combat.

^pretty much what Chancey said.

 

[Exejpgwmv]

I would say there's already enough when you're playing on the harder difficulties barely hanging on to life as you try and finish a room of really tough baddies.

The fast and furious combat requires precision and timing because one wrong move can give you a game over. I think the tension of Devil May Cry can come from just feeling overwhelmed.

It's not really a horror game. This is a hack n slash series that is obsessed with style and fast paced combat.

I think were talking about a different kind of tension.
That seems more like a "I don't want to have to redo this entire mission/section" kind of tension.(At least that's how I feel.)

 

[Dante's Stalker]

I think were talking about a different kind of tension.
That seems more like a "I don't want to have to redo this entire mission/section" kind of tension.(At least that's how I feel.)

Also a "I don't want to die" and "I don't want to lose my style-rank-badass-points" tension.

 

[Kam]

I would say there's already enough when you're playing on the harder difficulties barely hanging on to life as you try and finish a room of really tough baddies.

The fast and furious combat requires precision and timing because one wrong move can give you a game over. I think the tension of Devil May Cry can come from just feeling overwhelmed.

It's not really a horror game. This is a hack n slash series that is obsessed with style and fast paced combat.

gotta agree with this. If there's going to be any tension in an action game, it should be from a fear of the action being too intense to handle, and that you're going to die. It should not be because the game took away your ability to fight and told you "you are defenseless, participating in the action will kill you"