When Creative Assembly set out to make Alien: Isolation, creative director Alistair Hope claims the goal was to make "the Alien game we had always wanted to play" -- a game that emulated the original film's "mise-en-scène" of a haunted house in space, where just one enemy could be terrifying, and provide meaningful encounters to an underpowered and underprepared player.

At GDC 2015, Hope took the stage to discuss how the studio went about designing such a game and share the story of how Alien: Isolation's developers overcame their own fears and uncertainties during development.

He also plotted the journey from initial vision through the studio's practical design efforts, paying special attention to the design of the game's visual and aural landscapes and how they evoke dread.

If you missed it in person, Hope's "Building Fear in Alien: Isolation" talk is now available to watch for free via the GDC Vault.

About the GDC Vault

In addition to this presentation, the GDC Vault offers numerous other free videos, audio recordings, and slides from many of the recent Game Developers Conference events, and the service offers even more members-only content for GDC Vault subscribers.

Those who purchased All Access passes to recent events like GDC, GDC Europe, and GDC Next already have full access to GDC Vault, and interested parties can apply for the individual subscription via a GDC Vault subscription page. Group subscriptions are also available: game-related schools and development studios who sign up for GDC Vault Studio Subscriptions can receive access for their entire office or company by contacting staff via the GDC Vault group subscription page. Finally, current subscribers with access issues can contact GDC Vault technical support.

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