Setting the Mood
During my last run through the ever intoxicating Metroid Prime, I decided to try something different and set the mood. By that I mean adjust the lighting (brightness) to fit the current area that I was exploring. I found that by raising and lowering the in-game brightness for each major area of Samus's expedition, it really helped to set the overall ambience of the exploration aspect and felt as if the world of Tallon IV was even more alive, rife with disaster, unwelcome guests and even promise.
Here, I will give a rundown of each area and mention what extreme scale of lighting I used for each. Note, I either had the brightness all the way up or all the way down, I used no in-betweens.
Space Frigate, 90% Dark: The beginning of the quest is the result of a distress beacon and so you land on a ship that�s utterly deserted. The lights are working on a minimal level and so with it real dark, you have no idea what to expect around each corner, but after the battle with the Parasite Queen, the self destruct sequence begins and all the lights go to full power in the final moments to aid the fleeting crew members to their designated escape pods.
Tallon Overworld, 95% Dark: I felt that with the constant rain and fogginess that the sun would not be showing through the clouds and so it was always moody and foreboding with a certain sense of danger of the unknown. Very creepy. The only part I turned the brightness up was in the Great Tree Hall and Life Grove areas where it seemed that the sun was brighter on this part of the Overworld.
Chozo Ruins, 100% Dark: With the collapse of the Chozo civilization on Tallon IV it only felt natural to explore this once and mighty empire in the shadows of its former glory. The sky, the rooms, everything just looks so much better with barely any lighting. It tells Samus that something is very wrong here when in the past it was nothing but light.
Magmoor Caverns, 100% Bright: Self Explanatory. The lava itself is reason enough to warrant the immense heat and that in turn would suffice for it being incredibly bright and clear with 100% visibility. The reds were redder and the processing plant was just absolutely gorgeous in full brightness.
Phendrana Drifts, 80% Dark: Living in Wisconsin I know all too well of somber and overcast, snowy days and so I thought this area was more acceptable as a dark wasteland than that of a bright and cheery snow field with happy little snowmen. This place was also an integral part of the Chozo empire on Tallon IV and now it is overrun with fearsome creatures and ice capped statues. The dark mood was perfect.
However, the area where I had the brightness all the way up was in the �second half� of the Drifts, from the Frozen Pike to Phendrana�s Edge, where you obtain the Gravity Suit and several other pick ups. I felt that the ice crystals in the caves were giving off a natural luminescence and it just looked so much better with an eerie glow throughout that whole section. I also think that those areas are much more beautiful than the first part of Phendrana and wanted to enhance it.
Space Pirate Research Stations Aether and Hydra, 50-50: When you first enter the research stations the Pirates are going about their own business, and so, full brightness is needed for them to perform their tasks (I would think) But when Samus �steals� the Thermal Visor, they get dramatic and turn down the lights in hopes of confusing her in near pitch black, so I also help them out and turn down the brightness to really make it seem hectic and full of hatred for her trek back to the Drifts.
Downed Frigate, 100% Dark: Obviously this vessel has been here for some time and it shows with the overgrown foliage, flora and fauna throughout the wrecked ship. Lights are working on a minimal level and it would seem that the creatures who had claimed this place to be their new home would prefer dark and dank nesting areas. The Aqua Pirates, it seems, were searching for anything that looked remotely salvageable and probably had their own flashlights and such to work in that particular environment without the need for added light.
Phazon Mines, 70-30: The whole beginning of the Mines is so excellent with full brightness, and the sky just seems brighter in this section. And since the Space Pirates are working here as well, I would assume they would like to work in brightly lit work stations and hallways that would accommodate them in their research and experiments. I turn the brightness down after Samus shuts off the force field holding back the Metroids in the quarantine area when the lights are suddenly dimmed. In those dark areas it was a natural decision to turn the brightness down to zero to promote a great sense of anxiety where Metroids are roaming freely.
Impact Crater, 90% Bright: The multitude of colors alone sanction full brightness in this final region. The Uber Phazon seems to give off a very healthy glow and the Fission Metroids look like they appreciate the light as well. I turn the brightness down during the battle with both forms of Metroid Prime. The fight is grim and unforgiving against Samus�s favor and so a near pitch black fight is perfectly suited for the ultimate battle between Hunter and Worm on Tallon IV.
So that's it. If you've made it this far give yourself a pat on the back and a good old fashioned hand shake, you deserve it. Let me know if any of you guys have done something similar to this to enhance your gameplay experience with one of the finest video games known to man. I also double posted this on the IGN boards mainly because it took me so damn long and I felt like sharing it with more people so that I might receive more replies.
Stick a fork in me, I'm done.
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