Feedback on the Ocean House Hotel

[angelwolfchild]

Hey guys, I'm looking for some help. I'm writing an analysis on the Ocean House Hotel and it's effectiveness as a horror level, so I was hoping to get some feedback from other players.
If anyone is interested in lending a hand then please post a comment about your experiences with that section of the game; what if anything was scary about it, what aspects were the most enjoyable or well-implemented and how it holds up compared to other horror levels and games, especially considering how old VTMB is.
This is mostly to give me a few general ideas as a base to build the analysis on, though if someone makes a really good point I may want to include a direct quote in which case I would fully credit that person with their steam name (or a different name if you don't want your steam name given out), so if you are happy for me to possibly use a direct quote and credit you then put 'you have permission' somewhere in your comment.
Thanks in advance for all the help, if people are interested I'll link to the analysis once it's finished.

[deleted*****]

Fear is typically an emotion difficult to evoke and from an out-dated game like this, it does a memorable job.

You could probably relate to other games like, The Walking Dead where the constant threat of seeing your character injured elicits empathy, inquisitive behavior and in this case, fear. Ocean House Hotel imo, was one of the levels that executed the art of anticipation and suspense in a way that made players wary of what came next. Things like the boiler room, the "ghost, sounds of rattling objects that were shortly flung at you afterwards, or the ambiance of the area in general only intensified my heart beat.

If you look at a couple playthroughs of first-timers, you'll notice the general consensus is: spooky. Initially, it was frightening since I had no clue what to expect nor on what to do, and they definitely take advantage of that. They were consistent with their "scare factor" in a way where the player never knew what to expect out of this corner, or room, or anywhere in the level in general. The "spirit" only gets increasingly temperamental as you progress, so it only helps. It's sort of a Metro 2033 vibe where you're unsure what manner of creature might jump at you.

Someone can probably explain it better than I can, but it's a level renown for its incredible design. Whether it was the stock 90s sound effect of "creaky doors" or image of the ghost fleeing from a question mark in your mind as you came down the stairs, there were so many implementations that could only amount to an emotion people know best.

I'd be down to see what becomes of this! 'You have permission'

[||X|L||VI|I||]

when you first step inside the hotel you see a shadow of a man holding an axe and then he quickly disappears, after the boiler room, the first chance i had upstairs i entered one of the open rooms, i heared a noise sounded like its getting closer, instinctively i headed straight inside the bathroom and closed the door... i was waiting for like 10 seconds in silence staring at the door... waiting for maybe what led me to an amazing easter egg that never happened. still, the inspiration from The Shining is all over the place and that was an experience alone. one of the most memorable horror levels.

[GAME GOD FLUENT]

Some spoilers in this response:

Finding the newspaper clippings in (I think) the laundry room? The flickering lights, weird things seen out of the corner of your eye type stuff. And then the pots and pans rattling, wow, those parts were just crazy! Your character could have gotten hurt and you weren't quite sure just how bad those bits were going to get (they get progressively more violent the longer they occur, then quiet. Great atmosphere.)

Great level design, indeed.

[Bring the Beans]

When I first played the Ocean House hotel quest I was really young, so that might be affecting my view on it now, because that level still scres me. Some specific things I enjoy:
All the optional scares! For example, if you run into the corners of the lobby, the killer ghost will be behind you when you turn around. If you use auspex in the basemement when turning the lights on, you can see the ghosts' aura walking around between the pipes. Going into certain rooms at the right time triggers things and voices. Standing around and being still for too long makes the ghosts talk to you. Things that you might miss on your first run, so the level still scares you the next time you do it.

[Konstantin]

I played it yesterday and all the music, the steps and the screams (there whas screams, wasn't they?) made my fear so big, that my head hurts so much, that I thought he is exploding and imploding at the same time in the next moments. The Horror starts already as I by going at the front door the light exploded. Than when the murderer apeared it whas freaky too but not so freaky like the girl that runs screaming. The flying objects whas only annoying because at this moment I thought the ghost does not want to kill my but only scares me off. The newspaper with the seperated head began to make me feel sick but a sick like, what an ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥. The scene in the heatingcellar whas another freak out for me but like the falling stairs more a dammit now here is everything to explode because so old I need to get out asap and at this moment I thought it whas only natural.

The scene in the kitchen whas the first time where I began to hint, what is really but there whas still the hope, that it is just annoyment and not what I hint that it would be. But my hope whas shattered after hearing the ghosts words and after seeing the elevatorroom I thought:
"Oh come one. Please not."
Because of this warning I whas not scared at this time but only felt ♥♥♥♥♥♥ of because I thought, what could he do beside apear again and fight me.

There I had my cool again but felt only uneasy because of this dark hotel rooms and the doors thinking he could appear anytime behind me.

Well my fear came back after the violett flames where I already thought I knew what came now and when the heatwaves whas, I did not saw them and thought the building is like cod manier falling down and died.

After it I thought I need to threw up, and played again with ghost busters soundtrack as backgroundmelody, began to fear the objects because now I run more. Still getting scarred after the running screaming girl and the exploding light at the front door.

[The Midnight Milker]

Originally posted by Shield:

when you first step inside the hotel you see a shadow of a man holding an axe and then he quickly disappears, after the boiler room, the first chance i had upstairs i entered one of the open rooms, i heared a noise sounded like its getting closer, instinctively i headed straight inside the bathroom and closed the door... i was waiting for like 10 seconds in silence staring at the door... waiting for maybe what led me to an amazing easter egg that never happened. still, the inspiration from The Shining is all over the place and that was an experience alone. one of the most memorable horror levels.

I know that this message was sent literally 3 years ago, but I have been trying to find this easter egg to no avail. What happens in it?

[Wesp5]

Originally posted by Twinzzlers bigdong.tf blw.tf:

I know that this message was sent literally 3 years ago, but I have been trying to find this easter egg to no avail. What happens in it?

There are three times a male ghost with an axe is visible, there is the moving tricycle and I think there is a typewriter sheet of paper too.

[Anderson]

Originally posted by wesp5:

Originally posted by Twinzzlers bigdong.tf blw.tf:

I know that this message was sent literally 3 years ago, but I have been trying to find this easter egg to no avail. What happens in it?

There are three times a male ghost with an axe is visible, there is the moving tricycle and I think there is a typewriter sheet of paper too.

I found the following:
1) on the first floor when you go to a barricaded door in a dead end, Edward appears behind the PC;
2) Hidden behind the pipes at the basement in the boiler room.

[Wesp5]

The third time is right after you enter, look to the right and he is standing back in the hallway.

[Anderson]

Originally posted by wesp5:

The third time is right after you enter, look to the right and he is standing back in the hallway.

Thank you.

What about

Originally posted by wesp5:

a typewriter sheet of paper too.

?

[Wesp5]

Originally posted by Anderson:

What about

Originally posted by wesp5:

a typewriter sheet of paper too.

?

Hm, maybe I was mistaken. I found a sheet like this in the netcafe though...

[Anderson]

Originally posted by wesp5:

Originally posted by Anderson:

What about

Originally posted by wesp5:

a typewriter sheet of paper too.

?

Hm, maybe I was mistaken. I found a sheet like this in the netcafe though...

Does it disappear? Is it readable? Where to find it?

[Wesp5]

Originally posted by Anderson:

Does it disappear? Is it readable? Where to find it?

It's in the Ground Zero backroom, I thought something like this was at the Ocean House too...

[Anderson]

Originally posted by wesp5:

Originally posted by Anderson:

Does it disappear? Is it readable? Where to find it?

It's in the Ground Zero backroom, I thought something like this was at the Ocean House too...

I was just curious about a reference to "The Shining".
https://youtu.be/4lQ_MjU4QHw
As soon as possible will have to search for it on next play through.
Thank you kindly for the answers.