IV : The Emperor
Visual Concept
The mist and darkness that blur the line between dream and reality
Mist and darkness have become symbols of the Silent
Hill series. It is not the case that these elements are present
merely to frighten the player. Mist and darkness obstruct the
horizon by creating a condition in which visibility is limited. In
other words, the boundary between heaven and earth is obscured,
which suggests a blurring of the line between dream and reality.
The mist
is a symbol of Silent Hill. It can also be interpreted as
the thoughts of the dead rising up from the lake and
settling over the town.
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| Mist |
In the first game,
the production used hardware limitations to an advantage.
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| Darkness |
The darkness that deprives one of one's field of vision evokes an instinctual terror.
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Noise and camerawork
that represent mental distortion and blur
While on one hand elements such as mist and darkness
are plainly visible, when these elements are presented production design is included even
in the technical effects. For example, the noise that produces a sense of
reality and atmosphere expresses the grittiness of the psychological aspect
involved and heightens the intensity in accordance with the progression of
the story. Additionally, if one pays attention to the camerawork, one might
notice that the way it shifts to the protagonist's point of view at times
expresses a sense of confusion and anxiety.
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 In the
first game, from the outset the camera position moves freely
and draws in the player.
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Noise
The
purpose of this effect is to eliminate any "CGishness," but it also
manages to disturb the player's psyche.
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Framing
A demo
scene from Silent Hill 2 that makes use of a particularly slanted
point of view. It indicates the mental state of the characters that
appear in the scene.
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