Red Hook Studios
An indie game studio that developed Darkest Dungeon.
Where Red Hook Studios comes up1 episode or test
- 1Stress buildsDamage, darkness, deaths, monsters raise the number
- 2Meter hits 100Players see it coming and plan
- 3Affliction strikesPlayers cannot foresee which one
- 4Hero acts outSteals treasure or skips turns
From Darkest Dungeon design, Red Hook Studios
What was said about Red Hook Studios
1Darkest Dungeon's stress meter and afflictions
Red Hook made stress a visible number with unpredictable consequences. In Darkest Dungeon, damage, travelling in the dark, watching a teammate die and seeing monsters all raise a hero's stress. Stress is shown as a number, so the system is clear and predictable, and players can plan around it.
When the meter hits 100, the hero gets an affliction players cannot foresee, such as turning selfish and stealing treasure, or becoming hopeless and skipping turns. Players can plan around the meter but are still surprised by the result. The system is credited with making a squad of heroes feel human.
5 Game Design Innovations from 2016
It built Darkest Dungeon around a stress meter and affliction system that makes a squad feel human.
Red Hook made stress a visible number with unpredictable consequences. In Darkest Dungeon, damage, travelling in the dark, watching a teammate die and seeing monsters all raise a hero's stress. Stress is shown as a number, so the system is clear and predictable, and players can plan around it.
When the meter hits 100, the hero gets an affliction players cannot foresee, such as turning selfish and stealing treasure, or becoming hopeless and skipping turns. Players can plan around the meter but are still surprised by the result. The system is credited with making a squad of heroes feel human.
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