Field Notes
Dispatches from the Dark
Long-form writing on the craft of fear: horror game design, maritime folklore, sound, pacing, and the slow work of building The Lighthouse Keeper alone.
Creating Fear Without Gore or On-Screen Violence
Explore the art of evoking terror and suspense without relying on gore or explicit violence in the realm of horror games.
13 August 2026 · 2 min readBuilding Oppressive Atmosphere in a Unity Horror Game
Master the art of creating an oppressive atmosphere in Unity horror games. Delve into environmental storytelling and immersive design techniques.
10 August 2026 · 3 min read
The Mary Celeste: Unraveling the Enigma of the Empty Ship
The Mary Celeste, discovered adrift and unmanned in 1872, remains one of the sea's most enduring mysteries. What truly happened on that fateful voyage?
3 August 2026 · 2 min readHow Lighting Techniques Intensify Horror in Games
In horror games, lighting is more than just illumination; it's a tool to manipulate emotions and build tension. Discover how subtle lighting techniques create chilling atmospheres.
30 July 2026 · 3 min read
The Uncanny Valley in Horror: A Terror Familiar Yet Foreign
Why do almost-human things chill us to the bone? The uncanny valley in horror explores this disconcerting fear, pulling us into an unsettling experience.
27 July 2026 · 2 min readHow Save Systems Shape Tension and Dread in Horror Games
Save systems in horror games are more than a simple feature. They influence the tension and dread players feel, shaping their entire experience.
23 July 2026 · 2 min read
Life Before Automation: The Lighthouse Keeper's Reality
Explore the demanding, isolated life of lighthouse keepers before automation took over. Uncover the daily grind, storms, and solitude at Cape Mourn.
20 July 2026 · 3 min readHow Diegetic Inventory Deepens Immersion in Horror Games
Diegetic inventory in horror games blurs the line between interface and experience, enhancing immersion and amplifying fear through seamless narrative integration.
16 July 2026 · 3 min readThe Horror Appeal of Liminal Spaces
Liminal spaces evoke a profound sense of unease. Discover how these transitional settings become fertile ground for horror experiences.
13 July 2026 · 3 min readGhost Ships of Folklore and Their Lingering Mystique
From the Flying Dutchman to the Mary Celeste, ghost ships dwell in the depths of maritime lore, unsettling us with their tales of mystery and doom.
9 July 2026 · 3 min read
Harnessing Silence in Horror Games
Silence in horror games can be more terrifying than loud noises. Discover how this absence is used to create suspense and fear.
6 July 2026 · 2 min readSt Elmo's Fire: Sailor Superstitions Explained
The eerie glow of St Elmo's Fire has fascinated and frightened sailors for centuries. Explore the blend of natural phenomena and maritime superstition.
2 July 2026 · 3 min readWhy Fog is an Effective Tool in Horror Game Design
Fog shrouds the world in mystery, heightening tension and fear. It's a perfect atmospheric device in horror games, enveloping players in the unknown.
30 June 2026 · 2 min readWhy Are Lighthouses So Unsettling? The Psychology of Isolation
A lighthouse exists to keep people safe. So why does the image of one, alone on a rock at night, fill us with dread?
24 June 2026 · 4 min readPsychological Horror vs Jump Scares: What Actually Frightens Players
One makes you flinch for a second. The other follows you to bed. Here is how dread and shock really differ, and why a game needs both.
17 June 2026 · 4 min readLight and Darkness as a Survival Horror Mechanic
Every player already believes that light means safe and dark means danger. Survival horror turns that belief into a system with a price.
10 June 2026 · 4 min readDrowned Spirits and Sea Monsters: The Folklore Behind Maritime Horror
Sailors have always known the sea keeps what it takes. The folklore they left behind is still the richest vein in horror.
3 June 2026 · 4 min readHow One Person Builds an Atmospheric Horror Game
You do not need a studio to scare people. You need restraint, a single strong idea, and the discipline to test it on someone who does not love you.
27 May 2026 · 4 min readThe Sound of Dread: Audio Design in First-Person Horror
Players think they are scared by what they see. Most of the time they are scared by what they hear, or by the moment the sound stops.
20 May 2026 · 4 min readWhy Scarcity Is Scary: Resource Management in Survival Horror
Give a player plenty and the horror evaporates. Take it away one unit at a time and every small choice becomes a source of fear.
13 May 2026 · 4 min read
Setting as Character: Why the Place Makes the Horror
The monster gets the poster, but the place does the work. A great horror setting is an antagonist that never has to move.
6 May 2026 · 3 min readThe Slow Burn: Pacing Tension Across a Night of Horror
Relentless terror stops being terror within minutes. Real fear has a rhythm, and the quiet stretches are doing more work than the loud ones.
29 April 2026 · 4 min readFolk Horror vs Cosmic Horror at the Water's Edge
One fears the old beliefs that never died. The other fears a universe that never cared. On a lonely coast, the two traditions meet.
22 April 2026 · 4 min readDesigning a Monster You Rarely See
Show the monster too early and the fear has a ceiling. Keep it just out of sight and the player will build something far worse than you could.
15 April 2026 · 4 min readThe Flannan Isles Mystery: Three Keepers Who Vanished
A tidied kitchen. A stopped clock. Three experienced keepers gone without a trace. The Flannan Isles vanishing has refused to be solved for over a century.
8 April 2026 · 5 min read