Adding suspense/tension to the gaming experience

[chaplain severus]

Never having GM'ed a horror miniatures game, what are some things you can do to scare up your players?


Nice and spooky terrain seems good. Which means more work for me  

Any thoughts advice or comments are welcome.

[Cory]

Dread, an RPG, has an interesting mechanic that replaces dice with draws from a stacked wooden tower taken from a Jenga game.

I won't say it adds horror, but it does add tension as increasing draws make the tower ever more unstable.

[Deathwing]

I tried using candles when I ran a horror games many years ago.  Never again. Damn players kept playing with the wax and couldn't read the chicken scratch on their character sheets.

[P_Clapham]

I'd consider going with some nice background music.

[chaplain severus]

Jenga tower?  :

definitely a tense game, but not what I was thinking.


I was thinking along the lines of spooky real life setting (candles!) or music.

and game mechanics.  Hidden monsters perhaps.

anything that could add to the tension.


Thanks for the replies, keep em coming!


Matt

[Malamute]

We mainly play Horror games in the winter months. It certainly seems more appropriate. We use cangle light and definately background music. The soundtrack from Bram Stokers Dracula is very atmospheric.

we played a Gothic Horror game earlier this year. The players were not allowed into the gaming room until it was time to start the game. - The music was on, the lights dimmed and the players only saw the board when it was time to start playing.
It certainly cranked up the tension and they were very aware that they were not in control of the situation.Don't allow too much joking around and be sparing on the pre games drinks and nibbles. Get the atmospeher building as they arrive.
 I also don't let the players see the opposition figures before a game, so they have no idea what they are up against or enemy numbers. It all helps.

[Maenoferren]

I have a spooky sounds CD that I bought from Tesco last HAlloween. Put it on really low so that it invades the subconcious.

THe last game I ran it was getting rather tense and the characters needed to hear a scream.. so instead of saying so I just screamed. They didnt half jump!  :twisted:

HAve to agree with what malamute said  too.

[Commander Vyper]

We mainly play Horror games in the winter months. It certainly seems more appropriate. We use cangle light and definately background music. The soundtrack from Bram Stokers Dracula is very atmospheric.

we played a Gothic Horror game earlier this year. The players were not allowed into the gaming room until it was time to start the game. - The music was on, the lights dimmed and the players only saw the board when it was time to start playing.
It certainly cranked up the tension and they were very aware that they were not in control of the situation.Don't allow too much joking around and be sparing on the pre games drinks and nibbles. Get the atmospeher building as they arrive.
 I also don't let the players see the opposition figures before a game, so they have no idea what they are up against or enemy numbers. It all helps.

Agreed, Used to play CHILL a long time ago, as GM it would be often be a late evening winter game, heating turned down a fraction, snacks and stuff all in bowls, (no packaging to give any period reference, subdued lighting and candles.

Nice.

The Commander.

[tbroadwater]

...sounds like a great idea to control the setting and have everthing set up before the players enter. I imagine this work best with RPG but I would like to try it with some skirmish based scenarios. I admit to playing CHILL years back as well...loved that game!

[Malamute]

...sounds like a great idea to control the setting and have everthing set up before the players enter. I imagine this work best with RPG but I would like to try it with some skirmish based scenarios. I admit to playing CHILL years back as well...loved that game!

Todd- one of the problems with skirmish or massed battles with miniatures is that any player has the advantage of the all seeing eye and sees everything on the tabletop, usually a while before the game starts.

But keeping the table layout a secret until the game starts is great. The players have no time to formualte plans in their mind or discuss it between them. They are literally thrown into the game and have to react immediately. It certainly works for our games

[Weird WWII]

Write out a detailed script in game terms for things that will happen no matter what is going on in the games.  For example, if you are playing in a castle have one of the turrets collapse if players are in it or not.  If they are make it to where they can survive if they roll well or have 1/2 of them trapped whilst the other is trying to dig them out before the Blob reaches them.  Or all of a sudden in your zombie game you see a small kid screaming and running from a couple zombies.  more then likely they will try to save the kid before they get chomped and if they don't have the horror and gilt of their selfishness effect their Morale for the remainder of the game.

It is common for my games to turn from one original goal to several as the game develops.  A rescue mission would turn into a sabotage mission as they progress and stumble upon something that they didn't see or know when they started.

Keep your player off guard and make them act their character or they get penalized for it in the game.  Make the good guys stay good no matter the recourse and make the baddies as bad as you can without making the players disgusted.

Brian

[Hammers]

I generaly stab one random participant in the chest repetedly until he or she slips to the floor with a gurgle.  That tends to put the others in a suitably frantic sort of mood.

[Rhoderic]

I generaly stab one random participant in the chest repetedly until he or she slips to the floor with a gurgle.  That tends to put the others in a suitably frantic sort of mood.

OK, that Swedish Lead Adventurer meet is now OFF! ::

[Darkoath]

How about using a kitchen timer to make the player have to make decisions and move very quickly?  That certainly would raise the tension... especially if the zombie hordes are slowly moving closer and closer! ::  

[Argonor]

That reminds me of Space Hulk. Lot's of panic-driven decisions, there