University of Salzburg

Gaming after Dark: Visual Patterns and Their Significance for Atmosphere and Emotional Experience

The visual design of survival horror games relies on a structured application of aesthetic patterns to evoke specific emotional responses, such as anxiety, vulnerability, and dread.

• Survival horror design relies on a framework of seven distinct visual patterns that manipulate lighting, color, and geometry to evoke specific emotional states like anxiety and vulnerability.
• Designers can simulate a player's loss of control by using cinematic tools—specifically shifts in camera behavior, post-processing, and illumination—to disrupt security during enemy encounters.
• The methodology bridges 19th-century uncanny art techniques with modern digital rendering to translate abstract atmospheric concepts into tangible 3D environments.