New locations\streets most definetly

[Emzo]

I like the original street plans; keeps the creepiness from the older games.
Nothing wrong with a bit more decay to show the passage of time (destroyed buildings that can provide more routes, etc)

That was the creepiest parts of 2 and 3 for me; the same locations.

[Ghost]

I liked a lot when

PRIME_BBCODE_SPOILER_SHOW PRIME_BBCODE_SPOILER:

I followed James' steps with Heather

Some of those are really cool, but going through the exact same dungeon can be tiring and desnecessary. I vote for new places inside Silent Hill and why not some reference to Shepherd's Glen or Ashfield.

[Ben Trovato]

I'm all for a mixbag.

Not half and half, but sort of like SH3.
More than Homecoming though.

[Mephisto]

^What do you mean by more like SH3? Straight linear path? C'mon, in this game we didn't had anytime to explore the SH town. It was all: car, a few streets, hospital, a few streets. At least in the other games - like 1 and 2 - we had plenty of places to go. When I say plenty of places I'm talking about the streets. Just take a look at the SH map for the first 2 games and then look at the map for the 3rd one. Too small.

[Xev]

As a few folks have said, I would love the old Silent Hill streets with a new area like jumping on the subway to Ashfield's streets *not building world though*

I also agree with Ghost in that its kinda cool to run around and see the same things with different characters. Maybe its the nature bug in me but it would be cool to run through a forest world type atmosphere by T lake.

[UndeadFishtank]

As a few folks have said, I would love the old Silent Hill streets with a new area like jumping on the subway to Ashfield's streets *not building world though*

I also agree with Ghost in that its kinda cool to run around and see the same things with different characters. Maybe its the nature bug in me but it would be cool to run through a forest world type atmosphere by T lake.

After Alan Wake, I'd like anything but running in a forest world near any lake. That's all you do in that game! I have no doubt that Vatra could do it better, but still, comparisons, comparisons.

[Ben Trovato]

^What do you mean by more like SH3? Straight linear path? C'mon, in this game we didn't had anytime to explore the SH town. It was all: car, a few streets, hospital, a few streets. At least in the other games - like 1 and 2 - we had plenty of places to go. When I say plenty of places I'm talking about the streets. Just take a look at the SH map for the first 2 games and then look at the map for the 3rd one. Too small.

I only meant that SH3 used some of the same locations/streets as SH2, simply.

Personally I don't want to spend countless hours exploring those (already known) locations... just to see them for a short while would be enough for me.
Going through an old SH1 or SH2 street once again but onto a new place.
A quick stroll onto Rosewater Park, or onto Bradbury/Bachman Rd. onto the Amusement Park... I dunno.

For the rest I'd be satisfied with whole new environments.

I don't feel the urge to actually explore those old streets thoroughly... maybe halfway between this and a glimpse or a "cameo"... but it would be nice to see them again for a while...

[UndeadFishtank]

^What do you mean by more like SH3? Straight linear path? C'mon, in this game we didn't had anytime to explore the SH town. It was all: car, a few streets, hospital, a few streets. At least in the other games - like 1 and 2 - we had plenty of places to go. When I say plenty of places I'm talking about the streets. Just take a look at the SH map for the first 2 games and then look at the map for the 3rd one. Too small.

I only meant that SH3 used some of the same locations/streets as SH2, simply.

Personally I don't want to spend countless hours exploring those (already known) locations... just to see them for a short while would be enough for me.
Going through an old SH1 or SH2 street once again but onto a new place.
A quick stroll onto Rosewater Park, or onto Bradbury/Bachman Rd. onto the Amusement Park... I dunno.

For the rest I'd be satisfied with whole new environments.

I don't feel the urge to actually explore those old streets thoroughly... maybe halfway between this and a glimpse or a "cameo"... but it would be nice to see them again for a while...

Although the game is called Silent Hill, so keeping it in Silent Hill would be a good idea also. Although I know what you mean, and I agree. Old streets appearing briefly would be great, but not in the same way Homecoming did it, hopefully.

[greenrizz]

I would love a return to the old streets of silent hill, perhaps with an exploration more west of south vale? Surely a mix of new and old would be better than something completely new, i don't like the idea of the "this game is from a different universe from the old games" sort of approach, and how can it be unless it explores some old ground?

[Skele]

i just want exploration back period. that was one of the things i didn't like about Homecoming. sure, we got to explore and all, but there wasn't a whole lot of town to explore. i want more houses, stores, alleys, and streets to explore.

[UndeadFishtank]

i just want exploration back period. that was one of the things i didn't like about Homecoming. sure, we got to explore and all, but there wasn't a whole lot of town to explore. i want more houses, stores, alleys, and streets to explore.

Yeah, and it would be nice if not every door was locked. Past Silent Hill games had it so you could go in some buildings/rooms, even if they weren't necessary. It lengthens the gameplay time, and it's just cool. Then the game path isn't so linear. Exploration Back +1

[Kenji]

i just want exploration back period. that was one of the things i didn't like about Homecoming. sure, we got to explore and all, but there wasn't a whole lot of town to explore. i want more houses, stores, alleys, and streets to explore.

Speaking of Homecoming, I particularly remember a fire escape ladder in the alley near the abandoned truck you siphon gas from. You can climb up it, and then climb down. It reminded me of the exploration we could've had.

[UndeadFishtank]

i just want exploration back period. that was one of the things i didn't like about Homecoming. sure, we got to explore and all, but there wasn't a whole lot of town to explore. i want more houses, stores, alleys, and streets to explore.

Speaking of Homecoming, I particularly remember a fire escape ladder in the alley near the abandoned truck you siphon gas from. You can climb up it, and then climb down. It reminded me of the exploration we could've had.

Are you saying that we shouldn't have exploration? Because that post sounded overtly sarcastic. And I never really did understand the fire escape ladder. The way the rest of the game was laid out made it seem like a feature (something extra at the top) that they were going to include and then didn't. Hm.

[Kenji]

Pretty much that: It was probably going to lead somewhere, but was forgotten amid the rush to go gold... or, was left in because it would've taken more work to remove and didn't interfere with anything. However, it sticks out like a sore thumb and I remember, when I first found it, thinking that maybe this would play into alternate entry routes or new ways of approaching ye olde Zelda-esque building-dungeon gameplay. Never happened, unfortunately.

It sticks out all the sorer for how linear the rest of the game is, in regards to pathways.

Oh, and for the record, I dig exploration... as long as there are interesting things to see.

[UndeadFishtank]

Pretty much that: It was probably going to lead somewhere, but was forgotten amid the rush to go gold... or, was left in because it would've taken more work to remove and didn't interfere with anything. However, it sticks out like a sore thumb and I remember, when I first found it, thinking that maybe this would play into alternate entry routes or new ways of approaching ye olde Zelda-esque building-dungeon gameplay. Never happened, unfortunately.

It sticks out all the sorer for how linear the rest of the game is, in regards to pathways.

Oh, and for the record, I dig exploration... as long as there are interesting things to see.

And not like pathways that lead to nothing in particular. Or feel unfinished/make the game feel unfinished. I get what you're saying. Yeah, I think it should be more of a challenge to figure out where exactly you are supposed to go on the new Silent Hill game, like in Silent Hill 2. I had a friend play it and it took him forever to figure out he was supposed to go down the alleyway. He went to the trailer first. Silent Hill 1 I'm sure is the same way, although I've never fully played through it. Homecoming not only had a very linear (and repetitive) path, but pointless "objectives" telling you where exactly to go! (As if you couldn't figure it out simply enough.) Pathways/Alternate Routes +1 (Like Shattered Memories, or...? )

[Kenji]

I can agree with all of that, but I'd like to take it a bit farther.

The Zelda overworld-and-dungeon structure (like boss battles) really gives Silent Hill a game-y feeling, because it's separated from reality. A boss battle is inherently less frightening (with the exception of the very well-designed Scarlet) because of the nature of boss battles: Bosses are roadblocks to advancement, and therefore must be destroyed. That they must be destroyed means they can be destroyed, which means all of your thinking becomes pooled to figuring out how to destroy it instead of second-guessing whether you should fight or flee.

Likewise, the potential dread of entering a dark and enclosed space is mitigated by knowing you must do it, because you can't advance until you've done it (dungeons are roadblocks to advancement). In theory, wouldn't a hospital be all the more frightening if you didn't feel that you absolutely had to go inside, but that it might still be worth your while? Somehow, the fact you must go inside must be hidden enough to make it seem like a choice you must make, that you could live the rest of your life without ever doing it.

I don't know, but I think it requires a complete reevaluation of Silent Hill as a game structure, to get at these possibilities. Also, multiple entry points, even from such things as windows or fire escapes, could increase exploration opportunities and decrease the sense that every building the protagonist enters is a dungeon with its map, new weapon, boss, and quest item needed to proceed.

[Skele]

haha i remember going up the fire escape ladder, thinking it was going to lead to something cool... but it didn't. i got up there and thought "that's it?" it was also disappointing how few locations there were to actually explore. i remember coming across the sign for the Bartlett vineyard, but sadly you couldn't get to it.

it also would've been real nice to see, and explore the houses of the other founding families.

[AgentX7k]

I think they've done a good job at milking the same town so far, but I'd like much more exploration of SH than Homecoming offered. But then you have to consider the problem - If they keep adding, eventually Silent Hill will be classified as a city.

Basically I'd like a mix of new + old. I mean what about Old Silent Hill? That's a gold mine, we haven't seen it since SH1, which took place in the 80's, so between SH1 and 8 we've got 20 years of history and 2 generations of console, so nice trip down memory lane, chance for alot of new places/buildings (that could have realistically been built in the last 20 years) and nicer visuals.

We could also go back to South Silent Hill, SH3 was the last time we saw that and it was along time ago, plus the Resort Area (same deal as Old SH). Just no more Central, that's done to death.

And I agree about Nathan Avenue, we've never seen that. There's also the forest, a farm (start of SH2), the coal mine. Lakeside Amusement park during fog world would be nice. We could go into another mansion or some residential houses. Could SH also have a train station?

[Kenji]

it also would've been real nice to see, and explore the houses of the other founding families.

Oh, most definitely. I don't want to turn this into a "how would you improve Homecoming" discussion, but that story would have done nothing but benefited from the further inclusion of the four family heads. Adam Shepherd and his thoughts on duty and loyalty are infinitely more interesting and original (with respect to the series) than where his son ended up going.

[Sam Pilgrim]

I'm all for yes.
Damn, those streets look good and creepy, it'll be interesting.