One of the games I’ve personally put a lot of time into is Phasmophobia, a ghost hunting game where you utilize equipment to determine what ghost is haunting a particular location. As someone who’s interested in going into game development, I’ve thought of a few ideas to expand upon existing features in the game. Extensive information about the game can be found here.
What is Phasmophobia?
For those that may not be too familiar with the game, Phasmophobia is a ghost-hunting horror game taken place in various locations, such as houses, campsites, a lighthouse, along with other points of interest. After selecting the location you wish to go to, you begin your investigation, where you utilize various items to collect evidence to determine the ghost type. There are currently 24 ghost types in the game, all with unique evidence and special abilities to tell them apart from one another.
During the investigation, the player can experience ghost events and hunts. Ghost events drain the player’s sanity, a statistic that dictates when the ghost can hunt. Hunts are where the ghost enters an aggressive state will roam around the location and try to find and kill the player. The exit door is locked during hunts to prevent anyone from escaping, so players must hide or use special items to deter the ghost temporarily.
Currently, the determination of the ghost type is the main gameplay loop, where additional objectives exist to serve as extras to complete during the investigation. Some of the new ideas I’m bringing introduces new items to help players during their investigations, along with an additional gameplay loop after they determine the ghost type, exorcisms.
New Items
Of the new items, all of them aim to provide utility to new and experienced players. Specific details such as cost, unlock level, upgrade cost, etc. are not yet determined.
Dreamcatcher
The dreamcatcher is an item that passively restores sanity while players are around it. Dreamcatchers provide a flat amount of sanity per unit, allowing multiple players to take advantage of the sanity growth without sacrificing utility. In addition, the catcher prevents ghost events from occurring if the ghost is in the catcher’s radius. After enough time, the dreamcatcher will ignite and become consumed, providing no effect.
Ideally 3 could be taken on any investigation, with additional tiers increasing the maximum amount of sanity obtained from a catcher, along with the effective radius of the catcher. This item would offer a unique synergy with other items such as the firelight, where the player can gain sanity outside of using sanity medication or cursed possessions.
Amethyst Pillar
When placed, the amethyst pillar increases the likelihood of the ghost presenting evidence, when possible. For clarification on each evidence and it’s “More obvious tells”, look below:
- UV footprints could be shown without needing salt
- EMF 5 is more common, higher EMF levels altogether
- Multiple ghost orbs present on camera
- Higher chance of appearing on DOTS
- Increased spirit box response rate
- Increased chance of ghost writing, along with allowing multiple interactions with the same ghost writing book
- More polarized temperature shifts inside and outside of the ghost room
Depending on the player’s difficulty / game settings, there may not be the opportunity to acquire any evidence at all. For that, the pillar also makes the ghost more visible when nearby during hunts. This allows skilled players a better chance to take photos of the ghost during hunts. Higher tiers of the amethyst pillar increase the effective radius of the pillar, and 2 can be taken per investigation.
REM Pod
The REM pod will detect directional ghost movement nearby on 4 sides, each with their unique sensors. In the center of the pod is a sensor that can detect temperature changes. This being an electrical item, ghosts can interact with it and cause it to malfunction during hunts or events.
The REM pod can act as a better motion sensor, nearly pinpointing the ghost’s location if nearby. Not to mention, the temperature sensor can prove to be extremely useful on higher difficulties, as the ghost has a higher likelihood of changing favorite rooms. For each investigation, 2 would be allowed, and higher tiers would increase the detection radius of the motion sensor, along with the accuracy of the temperature sensor.
Ivory Totem
This item functions fairly opposite of the dreamcatcher, where the ghost will be more active around the totem. In a radius around the ivory totem, ghost activity and sanity drain are increased. Each tier of the totem increases it’s effective radius, along with the frequency of ghost activity and speed of the sanity drain. Per investigation, 2 would be permitted.
What seems to be a negative item on the surface can prove to be very effective for experienced players. The totem can make it easier to determine the ghost based on more interactions and ability uses. In addition, it can help the player reach a lower sanity faster, prompting hunts to occur sooner than usual. This can be especially useful as hunts can greatly assist in determining the ghost type.
Sacred Canteen
Finally, the sacred canteen provides great utility during key moments, such as a hunt. The canteen contains a small amount of holy water that can be whipped at the ghost. When the ghost comes into contact with the water, it stuns it temporarily and reduces the amount of time left in the current hunt. Each canteen would be a one time use due to how powerful higher tiers can be.
At the highest tier, the canteen would stun the ghost and instantly end the hunt. It should be noted that using the canteen on the ghost does not behave like an incense. This means that the ghost will not have an extended grace period after ending the hunt. Only 1 or 2 would be allowed per investigation due to how powerful the effect can be.
Exorcisms
While the above items can make the “investigation” phase of the contract quite a bit easier, the additional opportunity of performing an exorcism makes each item extremely important. To perform an exorcism, the player must partake in a specific sequence of actions during a hunt in order to successfully get rid of the ghost.
Timing an Exorcism
An exorcism would occur after the player has correctly determined the ghost type. This implies to each ghost type requiring their own series of steps to successfully perform the exorcism. By placing the exorcism at the end of the contract, players still have to go through the rhythms of determining the ghost type, all while preserving resources and sanity for the exorcism.
Performing an Exorcism
Once the ghost type has been confidently identified, the player can begin to grab specific items needed to exorcise the ghost. Each of these can be found on the ghost’s informational page in the journal. Now that the proper items are acquired, players need to wait for the right conditions and a hunt to perform the exorcism. For instance, a spirit, the most basic ghost type, could be exorcised by performing the following steps:
- Cleanse the ghost
- Lead the ghost through salt
- Spray holy water at the ghost
Upon completing the holy water step, the ghost would disappear, and no more activity would occur for the rest of the contract. This would mean that optional objectives should be completed before the exorcism takes place, as no interactions can occur once the ghost is exorcised.
Failing an Exorcism
If the player has incorrectly determined the ghost, and proceeds to perform the exorcism incorrectly, the player will fail. Upon failure, the ghost will initiate cursed hunts for the rest of the contract, and another exorcism cannot be attempted.
Concluding Thoughts
Overall, the content above are some of my interpretations of how a contract / investigation could be extended. This would make each encounter with a ghost more unique, and allow for a higher skill ceiling for experienced players.