Abstract
This thesis explores how spatial design in video game levels can be used to generate player tension and sustain fear, in the absence of enemies or direct threats. For the spatial design, the researcher focused on impossible or abnormal environmental structures, such as looping corridors, non-Euclidean layouts, and disorienting transitions, and how they can evoke unease and emotional vulnerability in the player. To investigate the emotional impact of abnormal spatial design, the researcher created a horror, single-player level, “Echoes of Manor” in the game, Half-Life 2. The researcher aimed to maintain player engagement through constructed tension–release cycles and light puzzle elements to prevent boredom and sustain the intended psychological tension throughout the experience.
Degree Date
Spring 2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.I.T.
Department
Level Design
Advisor
Katie Wood Clark
Second Advisor
Karl Steiner
Third Advisor
Mike Porter
Acknowledgements
Special thanks to my advisor, Professor Wood Clark, for her continuous support and insights into horror mechanics. Appreciation is also extended to Professor Porter and Dr. Steiner for their technical guidance and feedback during the development of this thesis study. Finally, thanks to my family for their support throughout my studies, as well as to fellow students and playtesters whose feedback was 14 instrumental in refining the tension-release cycle of this project.
Format
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
Recommended Citation
Zhang, Jiawen, "The Impact of Abnormal Environmental Design on Player Tension in Horror Games" (2026). Level Design Theses and Dissertations. 34.
https://scholar.smu.edu/guildhall_leveldesign_etds/34
