HOU YAN HENG

January 16, 2026

TASK4 - Final Game

Group Member

LIU YITONG 0370907

JIANG SHIRUI 0373692

GE XIANJING 0377636

HOU YANHENG

FENG SHIWEN 0374595

HE KEHUA 0379395

SAMIHA EL-GHOBBAS 0361845

Core Mechanism A – Possession

The ghost cannot attack or interact with humans directly. All influence over the world is achieved through possession. By entering and inhabiting environmental objects—such as lamps, doors, furniture, or debris—the ghost temporarily transforms these ordinary elements into sources of supernatural disturbance.

While possessing an object, the player can trigger abnormal behaviors, including sudden movements, erratic shaking, flickering lights, distorted sounds, or delayed reactions that feel unnatural. These effects do not cause direct physical damage, but they steadily reduce the human’s sanity when triggered within their perception range.

Possession is limited by duration and cooldown. Each object can only be controlled for a short time before the ghost is forced to exit, preventing repetitive use and encouraging constant repositioning. Remaining in a single object for too long increases the risk of detection, as humans can expose the ghost using flashlights, which drain the ghost’s health upon contact.

Effective gameplay relies on chaining possessions across the environment. By controlling multiple objects in sequence, the player builds escalating tension through timing, spacing, and misdirection. Fear is created not through direct confrontation, but through anticipation and uncertainty.

Through this mechanic, the environment becomes the ghost’s physical presence. Instead of chasing intruders, the player manipulates space itself, using environmental control and psychological pressure to break human sanity before they escape the manor.

Core Mechanism B – Fear–Sanity Synergy System

This system defines how psychological pressure is converted into real progress toward victory. Instead of dealing direct damage, the ghost manipulates two interconnected states—Fear and Sanity—to collapse the human intruder’s mental stability.

Physical Scare (E Key – Rattle)
When possessing an object, the player can trigger a physical disturbance by rattling or vibrating it. This action raises the human’s Fear Level, representing short-term panic and heightened alertness. While rattling does not directly reduce sanity, it primes the human’s mental state, making them more vulnerable to subsequent attacks.

Scare Transformation (Q Key – Manifest)
Manifesting twists the possessed object into a grotesque, unnatural form. This is the ghost’s primary method of dealing Sanity Damage. However, the effectiveness of this action depends heavily on the target’s current Fear Level.

The Synergy (Core Design Logic)
Fear Level functions as a damage multiplier for sanity loss.

Low Fear → Minimal sanity damage
High Fear → Rapid sanity depletion

This creates a deliberate two-step strategy: players must first use Rattle (E) to destabilize the human psychologically, then trigger Manifest (Q) to capitalize on that fear. Skipping the buildup results in inefficient attacks, while well-timed combinations can quickly collapse the human’s sanity.

In essence, fear “softens” the mind, and manifestation delivers the decisive mental blow.

Special Possessible Objects – Forced Entry Mechanic

Certain high-impact objects cannot be possessed instantly. To access them, the player must hold down the F key continuously to break through a protective barrier, represented by a destruction bar displayed in front of the object or door.

This process exposes the ghost for a longer duration, increasing risk but rewarding the player with access to more powerful scare tools. The mechanic introduces a risk–reward decision: commit time and vulnerability now for greater psychological damage later.

Together, this system reinforces the game’s core philosophy: fear is not instant—it is engineered. Success depends on patience, sequencing, and psychological manipulation rather than raw reaction speed or aggression.

Item System – Phantom Powder

Obtaining Method

Phantom Powder is generated through aggressive interaction with the environment. When the player continuously presses the E key to shake or rattle a possessed object—such as a window or similar fragile structure—Phantom Powder will drop from the object as a byproduct of intense supernatural disturbance.

Collection & Storage

Once released, the powder automatically adheres to the ghost without requiring manual pickup. The current amount of Phantom Powder is clearly displayed on the left side of the screen, allowing the player to track resources in real time during encounters.

Special Ability (R Key – Invincibility State)

Activating Phantom Powder by pressing the R key grants the ghost a short-duration state of extreme invincibility. During this period, the ghost is immune to all damage, including exposure from human flashlights.

A visible countdown timer appears at the top of the screen, clearly indicating the remaining duration of the effect. This ability is designed as a high-impact defensive tool, allowing players to survive risky possessions, escape dangerous situations, or commit to high-risk, high-reward scare sequences without immediate punishment.

Phantom Powder introduces a strategic resource layer to the gameplay. It rewards proactive, high-pressure haunting behavior and gives players a powerful but limited tool to control pacing, recover from mistakes, or force decisive moments in the fear–sanity loop.