Started as a comics editor

Chapter 290 Avalon's Technological Strength
Avalon gaming forum, Outlast section.

On the day of release.

In the first few hours after the game's release, the entire region was like it had experienced a catastrophe...

The homepage is completely flooded with posts filled with heartbreaking accusations! It's as if the terrified souls of players are everywhere.

Many of these players are not usually averse to horror games.

But they were still terrified! Then they came to the forum and started spewing profanities.

no way.

The original Outlast development team's concept was that the most terrifying monsters originate from the human heart. Inspired by Mirror's Edge, they paid great attention to environmental narrative and the creation of psychological pressure.

They are really good at using a first-person perspective to create a sense of presence, especially when they are holding a camera and turning on night vision mode.

The atmosphere is similar to watching movies like "Paranormal Activity" or "The Mirror".

That suffocating feeling.

This is further combined with the game's first-person perspective.

...It really gives you goosebumps!

That fear of the unknown darkness, and the awareness of one's own vulnerability, brought a deep-seated sense of dread.

The vast majority of scenes in the game are deliberately designed to be pitch black.

Light sources are a scarce resource and a symbol of security, but they are often fleeting or brutally extinguished.

Players are forced to constantly carry that damn camera, groping forward like half-blind people in a nauseating green field of vision, searching for a way out and for the next battery.

This forced deprivation and distortion of vision is at the heart of creating persistent anxiety.

In addition, night vision mode consumes power... running out of power means the complete loss of vision, which means facing the ever-approaching unknown terror in absolute darkness.

This kind of artificially created, predictable despair is more nerve-wracking than a sudden shock... not to mention that this game is not lacking in sudden shocks.

The omnipresent darkness, the distorted vision, the depleted battery, the unknown corridors, the eerie sounds, the lurking threats... all of these together weave a vast web of despair.

Most importantly... there are no weapons! No weapons! No weapons!
This results in players feeling trapped no matter what, unable to move forward because everything in front of them is unknown and uncertain, and of course, unable to retreat either. This dilemma creates a suffocating and oppressive atmosphere throughout the game.

Also.

This is still the original version...

The game "Outlast" was closely related to Avalon's internal engine team from the very beginning. During the production process, in order to improve and verify Avalon's "Morning Star" engine and to experiment with certain functions, the game team and the engine team cooperated, and the staff added a lot of their own ideas, making significant changes to the plan given by Tang Yao.

The overall creative concept was naturally overseen by Tang Yao, who had played the original version.

The game framework remains unchanged.

However, the original Outlast had limited funding, and the production company was initially unknown.

But Avalon is different; it has no shortage of resources and funds...

Here, players will experience a heavily modified, even more terrifying, and more immersive super-enhanced version of Outlast!

This is why Tang Yao was forced to play the game and was also terrified.

You can imagine how the players feel...

"Aaaaaah! Seriously! The trailer's atmosphere was hellish... but who would have thought the actual gameplay would be this amazing! This isn't just hell anymore, it's a direct elevator ride to the eighteenth level of hell! Avalon! Third-rate artists! Creators, come out here! I promise I won't kill you!"

"A compilation of livestream disasters! The most disastrous moments when streamers played Outlast!"

"Come and witness the diversity of humanity... It's too tragic. I personally can't accept horror games, but I'm interested in this new game, so I went to watch the live stream. Coincidentally, ANF also has an event, and there's traffic support for the live stream on the release day."

Then...it was horrible. Some were so scared they turned off their phones, some were so scared they started swearing in their dialects, some appeared calm on the surface but were actually frantically wiping away sweat and drinking water, and finally couldn't hold back and screamed..."

"I saw it too, haha. Although it's funny, I can really feel the fear from the bottom of my heart when I watch them play... especially when they turn on night vision mode. It's suffocating even through the screen, let alone playing it myself."

"Other platforms also have streamers, and the situation is similar... To be honest, the fact that Outlast could scare so many seasoned streamers like this shows that the game is truly amazing in some ways, especially in terms of creating immersion... Is this really Avalon's first time making a horror game? Is this really their first time making a game of this high standard?"

"I find it unbelievable too..."

"..."

but.

Amidst the overwhelming condemnation and screams, some subtle changes began to quietly emerge.

Horror games possess a unique charm.

Otherwise, this category wouldn't have existed for so long, and it wouldn't have become a popular topic to some extent.

This type of game, which detaches itself from reality, provides players with a safe environment beyond their daily lives, allowing them to experience extreme fear and tension in a secure virtual space.

This exploration of the unknown and the challenge to one's own courage are what attract players.

Moreover, in the game, every heartbeat and every time you overcome fear to move forward is a test of the player's psychological endurance.

When players confront their fears head-on and complete seemingly impossible tasks, the sense of accomplishment and the thrill of self-transcendence are unparalleled.

Furthermore, from a medical perspective, horror games can also cause the brain to release dopamine and endorphins...

In real life, people often face various pressures and challenges.

Horror games can serve as a unique way to release stress and vent emotions.

Of course, not everyone would choose this approach.

But there is indeed a group of players... who like this feeling.

They get scared too, they yell and scream out of fear, and they waver back and forth between "I'm too scared to play" and "I don't believe it!" They're commonly known as being both bad at the game and a playful person.

On the one hand, they were indeed terrified, but on the other hand, they enjoyed the thrill of challenging their own limits, satisfying their desire to explore and their curiosity, releasing stress and venting their emotions in the process.

For them...

no doubt.

"Escape" is a very competent work.

It's more accurate to say it's overly qualified.

For example, Rong Cishan is one of them...

An apartment.

The room was as bright as day.

But Rong Cishan, sitting in front of the computer, was still covered in sweat, his heart pounding so loudly in his headphones that it almost drowned out the unsettling low hum in the game's background.

He controlled Miles, who had just crawled out of the cramped and oppressive ventilation duct, only to fall into an even more suffocating space—the underground prison of the Giant Mountain Mental Hospital.

He had to pick up that damn camera again.

...The eerie green vision was distorted and oppressive. As my gaze swept across, I saw a chaotic scene, like a medieval dungeon, with cells made of thick iron bars welded together on both sides.

The eerie green field of vision brought by the camera did not bring a sense of security; instead, it distorted the things in the picture, making them look like menacing ghosts, swaying slightly.

"Hold……"

Rong Cishan cursed under his breath, his voice hoarse and his heart racing.

The oppressive atmosphere alone was enough to make his palms sweat.

He forced himself to calm down and controlled Miles to begin exploring, moving forward slowly like a frightened bird.

Every time he pressed the forward button, he felt as if he were pushing the protagonist into an unknown abyss.

The camera's field of view was maddeningly narrow, and the noise at the edges seemed to writhe and leap like living things, twisting the filth scattered in the iron cages on both sides into grotesque and hideous shapes.

The feeling was like looking at the world through cracked glasses soaked in murky green liquid; everything seemed ominous.

tick tock...tick tock...

The sound of water droplets falling in the distance was exceptionally clear in the deathly silence, each drop like a tap on Rongcishan's taut nerves.

But what chilled him even more was another sound—a heavy, slow, metallic clanging sound, as if something enormous was dragging heavy chains, moving around some unseen corner or deep within a cell.

The sound was intermittent and its location was uncertain.

Rong Cishan's fingers hovered over the keyboard, he held his breath, and his heart pounded wildly in his chest.

As they continued forward... the sound seemed to be coming towards the protagonist.

"Ah! I can't take it anymore!!"

Rong Cishan cursed, his voice trembling noticeably, as fear truly washed over him like a cold tide, wave after wave, assaulting his reason.

He forced himself to move, his eyes fixed on the nauseating green screen, but every time he turned the camera, the rolling darkness at the edge of his field of vision made his scalp tingle, as if a distorted face or a withered hand would reach out from the darkness at any moment!

He couldn't take it anymore. He paused the game, ripped off his headphones, and threw them on the table. Then he slumped into his computer chair, his chest still heaving slightly, his fingertips still numb from the tension.

numb.

So numb.

He was numb, both mentally and physically.

His mind kept replaying clips from the game.

My only feeling is that Avalon really has no sense of martial ethics!
They use cutting-edge technology to immerse players in the game world, then find ways to scare them at any time! Suddenly, a corpse falls from a height; around a corner, you see meticulously arranged piles of bloody entrails and severed limbs; there are also ghostly creatures lurking in the darkness, suddenly leaping out with shrill sound effects, and chase sequences… These methods may be vulgar, but with the extreme atmosphere, the deprivation mechanics, the lack of weapons, limited visibility, battery anxiety, and top-notch audio-visual presentation, the effect is terrifyingly outstanding!
He recalled those posts he'd seen, so earnestly analyzing the sadness in the doctor's eyes in the trailer, even interpreting the giant's footsteps as a lonely cry... He wanted nothing more than to slap those people!
You'll know how tragic it is when they're chasing you! And how you'll scream for help!

What love and peace? What heartwarming twist?
Shit!

Only the fear brought by cutting-edge technology and extreme malice!
"So why are Avalon so experienced! Where do they get their ideas from...where did they learn all this?!"

Rong Cishan stared at the extremely unsettling, eerie green image that was paused on the screen, and he couldn't help but laugh in anger.

The game's audio, physics, lighting, and environmental rendering are all top-notch, not to mention the tools designed to scare players, such as the no-weapon, battery anxiety, and environmental confinement concepts.

Everything is interconnected and meticulously planned, all for one purpose: to continuously torment the player's nerves in the most effective way, creating the deepest despair and a suffocating sense of having nowhere to escape.

This is truly Avalon's first time making a horror game!? Is this really their first time making such a high-quality single-player game!?
really!
That's cheating!

"call……"

Rong Cishan let out a long breath, gave a wry smile, and after a short while, his gaze involuntarily drifted back to the computer screen.

The image was still paused, yet it seemed to possess a strange allure.

anyway.

Although it was indeed torture.

But it's really well done...

That brief gasp after extreme repression... that feeling of teetering on the edge of despair...

Rong Cishan calmed himself down and felt a little tempted again... Yes, the fear was real, so intense that it almost drove him to the brink of collapse.

But after the fear comes a strange feeling of being alive, an incredibly vibrant experience that breaks through the numbness of daily life.

And... your curiosity will be satisfied. What terrifying secrets lie hidden behind the Giant Mountain Mental Hospital? What will be the final outcome of this dark story woven by Avalon and the third-rate teacher?
Reason told him that he should put down the game and let his frightened nerves rest.

But deep within my heart, another voice stubbornly resounded:
"How about... we try again? Be careful this time, and store more batteries?"

"Playing during the day with the lights on shouldn't be that scary!!"

Rongcishan sat in the chair, caught in a fierce internal struggle. The shadow of fear had not yet dissipated, but a flame called the desire for challenge and exploration had quietly reignited in the ashes of fear.

For a player like him who is both bad at the game and loves it, once the doors of the Giant Mountain Mental Hospital are opened, it seems that they can never be truly closed again.

"..."

A few minutes later.

Rong Cishan silently put his headphones back on, blocking out the outside noise. Then, he took a deep breath, and with a touch of tragic heroism and even more defiance, he gripped the mouse and shakily moved it once more to the "continue" button, a symbol of endless fear.

The terrifying corridors of Jushan Mental Hospital slowly unfolded before him once more, the eerie green night vision reflecting on his face, which was filled with both fear and a hint of excitement.

Eijiyama's bittersweet gaming journey has begun once again...

And players like him are certainly not isolated cases.

The Outlast section of the Avalon gaming forum.

The day after its release.

The wind direction has subtly changed.

Posts that are purely accusatory still exist, but their proportion is decreasing.

Instead, other posts started to appear.

Although I was scared half to death! I have to say! Outlast is truly the best horror experience in recent years! Without a doubt!

[The harsher I was of cursing last night, the more convinced I am now! Those guys at Avalon are devils! Outlast is an amazing game! That omnipresent sense of oppression, that despair that strips you of all security, that absolute darkness when your battery runs out… the concept is brilliant! Top-notch design everywhere! Although the process was excruciatingly painful, the sense of accomplishment after completing it is unparalleled!]

Playing with headphones on really felt like I was escaping from a mental hospital! The field of view and noise from that DV camera are incredible! Avalon has mastered the art of immersion! It's unbelievable! This company was working on Dungeon Fighter Online, a mobile game, not long ago.

[This technical skill is amazing! This is truly the scariest horror game I've ever played...]

【…】

The emergence of these posts marks a subtle shift in the forum's tone.

Players still complain that it's too scary and that Avalon isn't human, but their tone now carries a complex mix of pain and resignation. The focus of the discussion has shifted from simply accusing the game of being frightened to marveling at its technical prowess, ingenious core mechanics, depth of environmental narrative, and unique immersive experience.

However, what truly propelled Outlast's popularity to explosive growth was not the forums, but rather—the live streaming platforms.

The shift in sentiment on the Avalon gaming forum was just the beginning. What truly propelled the horror vortex of Outlast to sweep across the entire gaming community and even attract countless eyes from outside the gaming world was that fertile ground of real-time interaction and emotional resonance—the live streaming platform.

Perhaps only a few hardcore gamers dare to challenge the Giant Mountain Mental Hospital alone in the middle of the night, but it's a completely different story when they watch others play!
And the fact that the streamer was scared was just for the sake of the show...

Therefore, live streaming has become an excellent way to experience the terrifying charm of Outlast. Watching a seasoned streamer get scared out of their wits, become incoherent, and mess up their gameplay has become a great way for many players to relieve stress and have fun.

On live streaming platforms, the game's popularity began to explode.

This has boosted the popularity of ANF's live streaming section.

On the other hand, because of the game "Outlast", the name Avalon and Avalon Game Assistant also began to spread through countless live streams.

It became the best advertisement!

Even single-player gamers who never play online games know this now.

Avalon, a company that mainly focuses on online games, also makes single-player games, and they do it extremely well!

……

The day after Outlast was released.

night.

The home of the two sisters.

Tang Xun held her phone, looking at her older sister who had just come out of the bathroom, wearing hot pants and a T-shirt that revealed her long, shapely, and fair legs, and sandals. She looked fresh and lovely, and her expression was strange.

"what?"

Tang Yao noticed her sister's gaze, walked over, and asked curiously...

Tang Xun held her phone, remaining silent for a moment: "I'm starting to doubt your mental state."

"..."

Upon hearing this, Tang Yao glanced at her phone and roughly understood what her sister was thinking. She chuckled and said, "What's wrong with a horror game? Don't underestimate this horror game."

"Is this what I'm talking about?"

Tang Xun sighed softly: "You spend all your time thinking about these things? Designing these kinds of scenes specifically to scare people? Don't you feel a lot of psychological pressure?"

"Do not."

Tang Yao slightly raised her snow-white chin: "I'm quite happy..."

"...Because it's very profitable?"

"Not really. It can't compare to online games yet. And making money is secondary. The value of this game isn't just measured by sales... Building a reputation, completing the transformation, strategic planning, and even potentially having a profound impact on the horror game genre... these are the most important things."

Outlast is a very special game no matter where you look at it.

This was true in Tang Yao's previous life, and it is true here as well.

Because this game is a very rare horror game that depicts the survival experience of ordinary people. In most games, players usually play the role of a brave and fearless warrior, even in horror games.

For example, Tang Yao was the protagonist of the first six installments of the Resident Evil series in her previous life.

They all transcended the realm of ordinary people.

However, the game Outlast allows players to truly experience the thrilling escape of ordinary people.

It's hard to say whether the subsequent Resident Evil 7 was not influenced by Outlast... Although Ethan, the handwashing warrior in Resident Evil 7, doesn't seem like an ordinary person, any player who has played 7 and 8 will agree with the view that Ethan is just an ordinary father.

Tang Xun replied with a blank expression, "...I don't understand."

"..."

Tang Yao chuckled and gently ruffled her hair: "Then leave it to your older sister. You don't need to understand, just be happy."

(End of this chapter)