Silent Hill Discussion

[ifirit]

Yeah, I know. I was using sacasm, but then again, it might have been clear.

Anyway, I forgot to mention that the name Centralia is derived from a small mining town in Pennsylvania of the same name. The town has become a ghost town due to underground fires burning in the mines. The smoke along with other gasous emmissions make the town look like its covered in mist and it is dangerous to walk around in that smoke. This name is obviously a hint that someone on the production team wanted to point out.

[The Instrument of GAWD]

1. I must find the song that plays durning the credits.

Well, if you're still looking for the Dog Ending Song, you can find it on the Sound of Silence. (Go to the Silent Hill 2 section and look under Rare Tracks.)

Dude, I will thank you with the Dance of Apperication. *dances appericitively* That song is gonna be playing till the sun comes up... shit I might even leave it on while I sleep! THANKS MUCH, I owe you.

[Eccles]

Something hit me last night...in Silent hill 2 there's always a TV nearby whenever somebody finds out something about their past and goes on to face their demons.

Angela has a TV in the room when the bedman first attacks her (Remember? She hits bedman with it once you go through the hard work of killing him for her)

James watches the TV set to find out what happened when he was last in Silent Hill...and shortly after he finds psycho woman in the floaty upside-down bird cage.

Eddie I'm not too sure about...which is where this imagery falls down, to be fair. It could be that Eddie is somehow related to James' corpse in the apartment building (he was watching a TV tuned into nothing but static so I guess it could follow), but Eddie doesnt really watch TV at any point during the game.

Still, some of the other imagery is pretty good...like the pistons on the wall in Angela's part of the labyrinth. Sometimes it's good to see something perverse in everything you do...

[Eccles]

Perhaps it's because Eddie doesn't actually face his demons...think about it, James ends up fighting bird-cage woman, Angela ends up traumatised by Bedman (who, for some unbeknown reason decides to turn on you), but who does Eddie have? Nothing and nobody as far as I can see.

Incidentally I read a review a while back citing the silent hill franchise as a tool of evil since it promotes the violent murder of innocents.

If I'm entirely honest I can only think of one point in the Silent Hill games when you have to kill an innocent and even then it's entirely up to you. for elaboration (and OMGSPOILARZ) highlight away: In Silent Hill 1 when you fight Cybil you have the option of killing her. There is nothing in the game to make you do it (the game doesn't reward you enough to make you WANT to do it) so I don't exactly see how this can be cited as the game forcefully making you kill an innocent person.

The only other human victim in the Silent Hill series is Eddie from SH2...and he's by no means an innocent. For one thing you find when you find him in the locker room he's surrounded by six bodies and mouthing off about how he's glad he killed them (not to mention he talks about how he's murdered two people and a dog before that point) so while the game makes you kill him it doesn't class as killing an innocent. Of course Vincent does the whole "They looked like monsters to you?" bit...but even then he follows it up with "PSYCHE LOL!", which is a shame, cause I really think that one could have worked if they played it off right.

[Razumen]

Yow my brain, can't believe I read this whole freaking thread, for the love of Heather someone give me a advil!

Yes this post is probably going to be quite long, but if you don't read it I'll be sending PH after you. Just kidding! But not really...

I've played Silent Hills 2,3 and 4 and so far I think SH2 so far is my favorite as far as the story goes. 4 had a pretty good plot going but it wasn't as involving since the story merely affects Henry instead of revolving around him.

As for the control scheme, I was surprised to hear people complain about the 2D one used in SH4, I mean I've been using it in SH2, 3 AND 4 and find that one to be by far the easiest one to use. Is there really no SH game with both schemes selectable? Every one I've played so far has had both)

The only time I've seen those tank controls work is in RE4 and that's ONLY because your view is fixed over your shoulder. I'm also pretty sure you can set up to play with the tank controls in SH4, but I have it uninstalled at the moment so I'm not so sure.

That said I think my favorite game so far for scare value is SH3. SH4 had some pretty good scares, but I really think they should have left the flashlight in and made the areas darker. It also would have been cool if they it so that you had a faulty flashlight which would flicker, fade and sometimes even go out for short periods of time.

The radio I didn't miss so much in SH4, the ambiance and music more than made up for it's absence. It would have been nice if there was a scene in a relatively peacefull area with a radio or other something similar that would start getting wonkier and freakier untill the shiat hits the fan, where shiat is whatever freaky thing you can think of.

As far as the monsters go, I think they were trying to go in the right direction by making them harder to fight, and for some to run from (the buzzers and dogs) but aside from the twins none other really stand out as far as freakiness goes.

The victims however were quite a good implementation, theres just something about a monster that you can't kill, can go through walls to follow you and hurts you just by being there.

The ability to dodge seemed pretty pointless and hard to use, especially when you could just charge up your favorite melee weapon and become an invincible wrecking ball.

Some might say that SH is really about the combat, and while this is to a certain extent true, I really think the flight or fight is a big part of the series. Unfortunately this is often negated by having combat that is tedious and or super easy. I think they really should focus more on melee combat and keep ranged weapons scarce. Fighting with these monsters should be faster, more involving (kicking, dodging, blocking) but also more deadly so that you're actually scared for your characters life when you're around them. With a lot of the monsters in silent hill it's hard to really see them as dangerous, and while creepiness goes quite a way, they need to follow up on that creepiness by being life threating monsters of fear.

I liked how they were trying to play on being trapped, lonely and afraid, and SPOILER]how you one place of sanctuary ends up being invaded slowly halfway through. Not to mention the fact that you find out it's smack dab in the alternate reality and probably was ever since he became trapped in it.[END SPOILER]

I think the realtime weapon switching was a very good thing, but then they had to mess it up by adding loads of weapons that would break, making ammo take up multiple slots, adding quite a few really useless weapons (Really, would anyone here use a frigging PAPER-cutter on a silent hill monster? You'd be hacking and slicing for hours. Better to just jab it into whatever resembles a face and run away!) Also puzzle items should have been given their own space and used like previous SH games. This is pretty much what they did for RE4 and it works.

Of course I think the main reason SH4 hasn't lived up to it's full potential is the fact they had to make it in a measly 12 months. Anyone trying to make a game like Silent Hill, with production values like the previous ones, with that restriction is either going to have to cut a lot of stuff, or just end up with a game that tries everywhere, but fails at everything. I think they should have had at least two years to develop the game, any less is just crazy and sounds a lot like money hungry execs just wanting more money.

Too bad it didn't end up like RE4, which really gave a breath of life to the RE series and is by far IMHO the best RE game yet. Too bad Mikami is leaving Capcom (Though I don't blame him). Mikimi not only managed to totally change the direction of the game but somehow polished everything to a fine sheen as well.

OK, I think thats it for now. now to find SH1, the PC version is probably my best bet so far.

[ifirit]

Yow my brain, can't believe I read this whole freaking thread, for the love of Heather someone give me a advil!

Wow. I really admire people who've read through the entire thread. That's why I try to add as many cookies as I can. I admire people even more when they make coherent, intelligent posts. So, welcome to the thread.

As for the control scheme, I was surprised to hear people complain about the 2D one used in SH4, I mean I've been using it in SH2, 3 AND 4 and find that one to be by far the easiest one to use. Is there really no SH game with both schemes selectable? Every one I've played so far has had both)

The only time I've seen those tank controls work is in RE4 and that's ONLY because your view is fixed over your shoulder. I'm also pretty sure you can set up to play with the tank controls in SH4, but I have it uninstalled at the moment so I'm not so sure.

A lot of initial complaints about the control scheme were made by the "hardcore" crowd who played the previous titles with a more difficult control scheme, 3-D (i.e. "tank controls"). Truthfully, getting used to the 2-D system is not difficult as most games use this, but it seemed that Konami was breaking a long standing tradition by only allowing 2-D controls. For many, the change was not entirely welcome. But, as time passed, the complaints became less and less frequent. (I've say my peace to the 2-D system.)

That said I think my favorite game so far for scare value is SH3. SH4 had some pretty good scares, but I really think they should have left the flashlight in and made the areas darker. It also would have been cool if they it so that you had a faulty flashlight which would flicker, fade and sometimes even go out for short periods of time.

The radio I didn't miss so much in SH4, the ambiance and music more than made up for it's absence. It would have been nice if there was a scene in a relatively peacefull area with a radio or other something similar that would start getting wonkier and freakier untill the shiat hits the fan, where shiat is whatever freaky thing you can think of.

The ambience in each game is created to be unique to the story line. (You'll realize that almost every element of the games are revolved around the storyline.) Though, the ambience of the first three games were similar in structure, their execution (if subtle) shows thousands of differences.

However, as these things go, SH4 was a huge departure from the classic formula. As we've been recently discussing, the environment being created is one of a bizarre nature, rather than one of a scary nature. I think it best to describe it as like watching a surrealist video or painting and being enamored be it rather than repulsed. It's a really interesting quality that was well executed even with the hurried release of the game, though I suspect it is a quality that often gets overlooked by players, especially newer ones.

I like to describe the difference as a person who tastes wine as opposed to one who merely drinks it.

As far as the monsters go, I think they were trying to go in the right direction by making them harder to fight, and for some to run from (the buzzers and dogs) but aside from the twins none other really stand out as far as freakiness goes.

The victims however were quite a good implementation, theres just something about a monster that you can't kill, can go through walls to follow you and hurts you just by being there.

Monsters are always people's favorite parts of the games, and understandably so, since they take the direct focus of the player. But, like I've just said, the player should take in more than what is merely the direct focus, especially when there are so many things that make of the indirect focus of the game.

But, again you have to really appreciate the effort that goes into the monster designs, because I know that creating something as strange as a SH monster is challenging.

The ability to dodge seemed pretty pointless and hard to use, especially when you could just charge up your favorite melee weapon and become an invincible wrecking ball.

Some might say that SH is really about the combat, and while this is to a certain extent true, I really think the flight or fight is a big part of the series. Unfortunately this is often negated by having combat that is tedious and or super easy. I think they really should focus more on melee combat and keep ranged weapons scarce. Fighting with these monsters should be faster, more involving (kicking, dodging, blocking) but also more deadly so that you're actually scared for your characters life when you're around them. With a lot of the monsters in silent hill it's hard to really see them as dangerous, and while creepiness goes quite a way, they need to follow up on that creepiness by being life threating monsters of fear.

I know that the controls aren't perfect, but they aren't terrible either. However, one of the freedoms of game playing is choosing whether or not to use all the tools at your disposal, such as with the dodge buttons. I always used them in previous titles because it allowed me to quickly evade on-coming attacks (and when combined with the always-run option, you can quickly take out multiple enemies with just a malee weapon).

Still, I agree with your suggestion that the fighting should be more involved. Punching, kicking and scratching are all things we might do in the real situation (if it were possible). Adding in these elements might even help to create a new type of fighting system where the player has no weapon to sheild themselves. This invokes a feeling of nakedness as most games will supply a character with a weapon that gives the player a sense of empowerment. However, if that element were missing, the exposed nature of the player would help to double the apprehension of an already unnerving surrounding. (Yoink. I'm stealing that one.)

I not so sure that the monsters need to be more life-threating, because of the challenge of the hard modes in the games. Seriously, try beating the Extreme Modes in Silent Hill 3 or the unlocked New Fear Modes in SH1 and SH4. Making the game more difficult will lead to the inevitable player-frustration that would detract from the appeal and keep players from enjoying what they enjoy most: the story.

The difficulty that a person chooses when they play the game makes up how involved they want to become. For some players, they enjoy minimal involvement and focus on the story, character development and background information as opposed to fighting. Others, much like yourself, really like getting into the mechanics of gameplay and like the challenge of surviving. It all just depends on your playing style, which is an entirely different topic on its own.

Of course I think the main reason SH4 hasn't lived up to it's full potential is the fact they had to make it in a measly 12 months. Anyone trying to make a game like Silent Hill, with production values like the previous ones, with that restriction is either going to have to cut a lot of stuff, or just end up with a game that tries everywhere, but fails at everything. I think they should have had at least two years to develop the game, any less is just crazy and sounds a lot like money hungry execs just wanting more money.

Too bad it didn't end up like RE4, which really gave a breath of life to the RE series and is by far IMHO the best RE game yet. Too bad Mikami is leaving Capcom (Though I don't blame him). Mikimi not only managed to totally change the direction of the game but somehow polished everything to a fine sheen as well.

This is a big point to argue because it will (for the moment) determine what game people will buy. RE4 has had so much pre-production and production time and money put in that it shines as a superior game in any genre, not just puzzle-horror. (I'm not afraid to admit when something else is better.) But, when it comes to playing Silent Hill games, you do so because you want to try something that is different. Also, because these games have good, solid production values, even if they aren't always perfect. It's that deviation from what's normal that attracts people to the games, not because it has pretty grafics or smooth gameplay. Having something that is truly unique to itself is what will make the Silent Hill series stand the test of time.

So, I guess I'm really arguing a point that doesn't really need to be made. However, where SH4 is lacking in production time invested, SH5 will not. (SH5 is due out in 2006 after the launch of the PS3; plenty of time to work and polish it by release. I have a feeling that that game is going to be incredible.)

Silent Hill 2 Spoilers

Something hit me last night...in Silent hill 2 there's always a TV nearby whenever somebody finds out something about their past and goes on to face their demons.

Ohhhh.... That's really interesting. Maybe it's some kind of social commentary Konami is also making about Americans, just like the gun in the shopping cart. A lot of people's lives tend to revolve around the home, more specifically around the television.

A lot of important history has been broadcast on the television. Think about the Moon landing and how many people watched that. The assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Every New Year's Eve, where you watch the time change and celebrate the coming of a new year, a time when we are supposed to reflect and reach revelations on our lives. Television makes up a lot of people's lives and has become a source of communication for the world.

The TV also becomes integrated into our consiousness, because it can substitute for a friend when one is not availble. It can teach, influence and destroy us. I think it was best explained on the Simpsons:

Television: Friend, teacher, mother, secret lover...

It's quite disturbing how much people rely (socially) on a pixelled screen displaying things we can't interact with. The irony being that we somehow convince ourselves that we do interact with it, anyway.

Perhaps it's because Eddie doesn't actually face his demons...think about it, James ends up fighting bird-cage woman, Angela ends up traumatised by Bedman (who, for some unbeknown reason decides to turn on you), but who does Eddie have? Nothing and nobody as far as I can see.

Maybe it's not that the television represents when a person reaches a revelation, but on another tie between the characters in the game? What if the television relates not to the secondary character in the scene, but to James himself? I mean, James doesn't really know if Eddie has faced his fears/demons yet. Could Eddie already have done so before he met James, and that this was his aftermath? Or maybe James was the representation of Eddie facing his demons?

I mean Eddie does come clean about what he did with James. Eddie realizes what he did and why he ran away. Maybe James is Eddie's demons come to life. I mean, James does end up killing Eddie. (If you believe in the theory that Eddie is the delusion of James', then this is a metaphor folding on top of itself. James is the manifeastation of a delusion realizing its fears. Too much, man.)

But, as for the television, maybe it represents a way of detaching yourself from the situation that you're in. Television isn't real. What you see isn't your reality. Maybe it's a way for characters to lose themselves to avoid feeling hurt. This might tie into your theory because James tries to avoid thinking about himself being dead and about killing Mary by thinking it's not really himself, it's what's the guy on the screen is doing. Angela ties to avoid remembering and thinking about what happened to her. She doesn't want to see her father and what he did to her. Maybe that's why she breaks the TV? So, with Eddie, he is not trying to avoid his feelings. He's actually embracing them. He gives into his feelings of rage, disgust and humiliation, and he acts on them.

It's just some food for thought. Anyway, I think there was a television in the Bowling Alley, where Eddie and Laura talk and Laura realizes that she runs away a lot, too. I might be thinking about the monitor that hangs above the lanes.

EDIT: Well, since I touched on the topic of Silent Hill 5, I guess I should give you guys an update.

Well, like every game in the series, development has just ended on the newest game and immediately production on the next is underway. However, looks like Konami needs some help, because they are looking for programmers to help create the next game. Under Konami's employment page, you can see (near the bottom) a notice for employment for Team Silent. Sources say that Konami is desperate to hire new talent and needs to hire programmers as quickly as possible. Hmmm... maybe some one here would like to apply.

Also, thanks to colinasilenciosa.tk, we now have pictures of the exact filming location of the Silent Hill movie. You can see some images of the streets chosen to be featured as part of the business district of Silent Hill.

Colborne St. #1

Colborne St. #2

Aerial view of Colborne, King and Queen Streets

Building on Colborne St.

Map of Streets

[Eccles]

SH2 Spoilers!!!!11one

I wouldn't have thought so...since Laura doesn't have any demons to face. Angela, Eddie and James all killed someone in the past (hence their being in Silent Hill), but Laura is just there because of her connection to James and Mary (IE: Had things worked out differently she would have ended up living with the Sunderlands...something that happens in one of the endings)

[Razumen]

However, where SH4 is lacking in production time invested, SH5 will not. (SH5 is due out in 2006 after the launch of the PS3; plenty of time to work and polish it by release. I have a feeling that that game is going to be incredible.

Well that's very good news indeed, with that much time I have no doubt it will be awesome. One question, I think I saw it mentioned somewhere on this gargantuan thread but is it being developed for next gen consoles or the current crop?

The ambience in each game is created to be unique to the story line. (You'll realize that almost every element of the games are revolved around the storyline.) Though, the ambience of the first three games were similar in structure, their execution (if subtle) shows thousands of differences.

However, as these things go, SH4 was a huge departure from the classic formula. As we've been recently discussing, the environment being created is one of a bizarre nature, rather than one of a scary nature. I think it best to describe it as like watching a surrealist video or painting and being enamored be it rather than repulsed. It's a really interesting quality that was well executed even with the hurried release of the game, though I suspect it is a quality that often gets overlooked by players, especially newer ones.

True, most of the areas were more bizarre than scary. Whether this was a actual design decision or just the result of not enough effort put into the environments still seems unclear to me.

Still, I agree with your suggestion that the fighting should be more involved. Punching, kicking and scratching are all things we might do in the real situation (if it were possible). Adding in these elements might even help to create a new type of fighting system where the player has no weapon to sheild themselves. This invokes a feeling of nakedness as most games will supply a character with a weapon that gives the player a sense of empowerment. However, if that element were missing, the exposed nature of the player would help to double the apprehension of an already unnerving surrounding. (Yoink. I'm stealing that one.)

Well one thing I thing would also help is less projectile weapons, guns in their very design have a very impersonal feeling to them - you just point and shoot. You never really need to be up close with them and that decreases the feeling of insecurity. With a melee weapon you have to get close to the monstrocities and by doing so put yourself at more risk.

I not so sure that the monsters need to be more life-threating, because of the challenge of the hard modes in the games. Seriously, try beating the Extreme Modes in Silent Hill 3 or the unlocked New Fear Modes in SH1 and SH4. Making the game more difficult will lead to the inevitable player-frustration that would detract from the appeal and keep players from enjoying what they enjoy most: the story.

Ok I have to confess I have very little experience with the Silent Hill games in anything higher than the normal skill settings, I did play a bit on Hard in SH2 but to me all it did was give the monsters more health and more frequent attacks.

This pretty much ties into making the combat more involved (when you do so feel inclined to fight) but not necessarily making it hard for everyone.

Skill levels should remain, so beginners and casual players aren't left out. But the higher levels should be more challenging rather than just harder, with tactics and techniques that you didn't really have to master or even use in the easier levels.

I know it's a hard thing to implement correctly, (I myself am putting together a design for a future game which revolves heavily on combatitive gameplay) and it's especially hard for a game like Silent Hill. At least Team Ninja seem to be on the ball on it, insofar as SH4 has the best combat yet IMHO.

But, when it comes to playing Silent Hill games, you do so because you want to try something that is different. Also, because these games have good, solid production values, even if they aren't always perfect. It's that deviation from what's normal that attracts people to the games, not because it has pretty grafics or smooth gameplay. Having something that is truly unique to itself is what will make the Silent Hill series stand the test of time.

True, I love the Silent Hill games because they are different, but not just for the sole fact they are different. In other words, I love them because they do different very, very well.

I do care about graphics in games, but I don't need them to enjoy a good game. However they are a very important aspect of the SH games, even if the SH games are much deeper than creepy bloody eyecandy. They help to create the suspension of disbelief as well as lure new players into the series temporarily untill they find out that it is so much more than just prettiness (not really a good term for SH games )

Really, I consider smooth gameplay to be much more important than graphics, Since if you can make the player forget about how he has to interact with the game to do stuff, it'll be a lot easier to draw him and, and thus easier to scare.

Ohhhh.... That's really interesting. Maybe it's some kind of social commentary Konami is also making about Americans, just like the gun in the shopping cart. A lot of people's lives tend to revolve around the home, more specifically around the television.

To me it kind of seems to represent the characters inactions against their own problems. Since watching TV is usually a very inactive 'activity' for both the body and mind.

in James' case, he only really starts to face his demons after the hotel, where in a sense the TV was a portal for his subconscious to reach his conscious mind. Since I doubt he really taped THAT.

Eddie doesn't really resolve his issues, he pretty much just spirals out of control into them.

I'm not sure about Angela's case, the TV was at the scene when you protected her from bedman, but from the last you see of her it's quite doubtfull how she is faring with her inner conflict. Perhaps she still had much more to go through before she came to some sort of conclusion.[spoiler END]

Also, thanks to colinasilenciosa.tk, we now have pictures of the exact filming location of the Silent Hill movie. You can see some images of the streets chosen to be featured as part of the business district of Silent Hill.

Wow, those pics really fit, especially the fourth one. Of course they aren't nearly foggy enough. Wonder whether they'll be using real fog machines or somehow do it CGed in.

*Edit*

Well I just started playing SH4 on a brand new fear, mainly to get a better ending (Last one I got was the worst one ) But one thing's been bugging me, I'm playing the game with a gamepad, but Henry seems to only like walking in 8 directions as if I'm using the keyboard to move. Is this a inherent trait of the PC version or is it common to all the ports? Heh, it's really been bugging me since I got off SH2 and am considering getting the Xbox version.

On a similar note, at the beginning when Henry is having nightmares, do you think the man you're looking through the eyes of is Joseph? I think it's pretty obvious since he comments on not having a big TV but a record player, etc.

[Kiyosuki]

Heh..I once had a conversation with my best friend about future SH idea's and we said "What if a main character in this Silent Hill game was handicapped in some way..?" kinda jokingly..

But now when I think about it..the idea has a lot of room to be absolutely terrifying. If done right, because it also has a lot of potential to be inadvertenty silly. ^^;

[ifirit]

Well, with the recent forum trouble we've been having, it seems that some of this thread got deleted (mainly the last three posts, I'm still checking on the rest of the thread). Usually, I would have just reposted the missing parts since I keep a backup of most of the posts here, but I haven't made one in a while. Personally, I don't think it was too much of a loss, since the posts were responded to and recieved by the intended reader. However, for those who missed them, I apologize.

I've been trying to think up some ideas to get the ball rolling again, so I went searching and I came across some old sites and sounds that I hadn't visited in a while. Though, some of it may be a bit old, I'm not sure everyone's checked them out.

European Websites:

I'm sure you realize the each major region of the world has there own division of the Konami Corporation, each with their own website to promote Silent Hill. However, some of you might not have heard of them, and might not know what you're missing. So, I've compiled a list of some of the things you might want to check out.

The Official Silent Hill 3 Site (EUR)

This site was launched around the same time as the release of the game, though it was not used much in promoting the game beforehand, it was updated quite often after the game's release.

Although, it might have been overshadowed by its Japanese and American counterparts, it still features some unique materials of its own. Also, its programming is much smoother and more concise than the American site. (Be careful of the menu; the animations on it kinda make them hard to click on.) Featured on the site are the official music video for "You're not Here," the official orange wallpapers (my favorite of the series), and the trailer to the "Making of" Silent Hill 3 which was later released on DVD. (I know where to find it, but haven't been able to get my hands it yet. If you live in England and can help me out, send me a message.)

The Official Silent Hill 4 Website (EUR) (Warning: Site Contains SH4 Spoilers)

Ah, this one is a real treat. The official site for Silent Hill 4: The Room was released also some time after the release of the game, but again features some great stuff that you might not find anywhere else.

The site features two modes of navigation: one where you can use the navigation menu, which is straight-forward and logical in design, or the other where you take a risk and dive into The Room to its explore the vast hidden secrets within. Each mode has different things within, so taking either road produces different results. I suggest you take a trip through the navigation menu first.

What you can find through the navigation menu is a never-released (in North America) trailer for the game, two downloadable mp3s of Melancholy Requiem and Into the Depths of Self-Discovery, some great wallpapers made specially for the european site, as well as an interview with Akira Yamaoka on his view of the series and future installments. Great stuff and definitely worth seeing.

The Official Konami Store of Europe (Scandinavian Branch)

StarZander pointed this one out to me a long time ago. This place is great since it has items that you will not be able to find in most places, completely in English to provide user-friendliness to people in North America. With regards to Silent Hill, the store contains a copy of the European Soundtrack for Silent Hill 3 and Silent Hill 4 (same as disk 1 of the Japanese soundtrack for SH4), T-shirts for men and women, mousepads, coffee mugs and the most unusual of all, a statuette of James and a Bobblehead Nurse. (For some reason, it looks different than when I first saw it a while ago.) Personally though, I want the coffee mug.

Silent Hill Voice Actors:

I took a trip to the Silent Hill Forum to research information on another topic and came across a listing of some of the voice actors courtesy of Jeremy Blaustein, translator and VO director for SH2 - SH4. I've also compiled the listing of the other voice actors from the games, with site and picture information (as best I could).

- Silent Hill 4

Henry Townsend - Eric Nocebo [image]

Eileen Galvin - Anna Kunnecke [image]

Joseph Schrieber - Robert Belgrade [site] [image] [image2] (Pictured far right)

Cynthia Vasquez - Lisa Ortiz [image] [site] [site2]

Jasper Gein - ???

Andrew DeSalvo - ???

Richard Braintree - ???

Walter Sullivan (Child) - ???

Walter Sullivan (Adult) - ???

Frank Sunderland - ???

Male Radio Announcer - ???

Female Radio Announcer - ???

Cop #1 - ???

Cop #2 - ???

Walter's Father - ???

"Number No Longer in Service" Voice (555-3750) - ???

"Skinned Mike" Female Voice - ???

"Skinned Mike" Drunk (Male) - ???

- Silent Hill 3 [Group Photo] (Right-click, Save as)

Heather Morris - Heather Morris [image] [image2]

Douglas Cartland - Richard Grosse

Claudia Wolfe - Donna Burke [image] [image2] [site]

Vincent - Clifford Rippel [image] (Credits incorrectly listed as Glifford Rippel)

Lenard Wolfe - Matt Lagan [image]

"Happy Birthday" Voice - Mike Matheson [site]

Borley Haunted Mansion Tour Guide - Mike Matheson [site]

Chapel Confessor/Parishoner - Lenne Hardt [image] [image2]

- Silent Hill 2

James Sunderland - Guy Cihi [image] [site] [image2] (pdf file. Last Picture; shown center, yellow tie)

Angela Orosco - Donna Burke [image] [image2] [site]

Eddie Bombrowski - David Schaufele

Laura - Jackey Breckenridge

Maria/Mary Shepard Sunderland - Monica (Taylor) Horgan

Ernest Baldwin - Ward E. Sexton

Amy Baldwin - Florence Minowa

"Trick or Treat" Voice - Dominic Allen [image] [image2] (Apparently, he is also a DJ in Tokyo. His label is Stargate Universe)

Doctor - Dennis Falt

- Silent Hill

Harry Mason - Michael G

Cheryl Mason/Alessa Gillespie - Sandra Wane

Cybil Bennett - Susan Tomei or Susan Papa [image] [image2] (Pictured right) [image3] (Pictured right)

Dahlia Gillespie - Liz Mamorsky [image] [image2] [site]

Michael Kaufman - Jarion Monroe [image] [image2]

Lisa Garland - Thessaly Lerner [site] [image]

Doctor - Michael G

It seems that Konami has two places that they like to get their talent from: Narrator.jp and E-Promotion.jp. I say that since I found five or six of the voice actors still listed there. If you can find anything else, feel free to post it.

[Eccles]

No matter how many times I see her, I cannot get my head round Thesally Lerner...It's just...NO! YOURE SUPPOSED TO HAVE RED HAIR! *my head a splode*

-edit-

Also, when I can be bothered to get my laptop out at the same time as my SH2 DVD I'll take some screenshots to show y'all...there's some interesting stuff in there.

[StarZander]

No matter how many times I see her, I cannot get my head round Thesally Lerner...It's just...NO! YOURE SUPPOSED TO HAVE RED HAIR! *my head a splode*

On her website, in her credits, it says she did voiceacting for SH3 aswell. Was Lisa in some flashback or something in SH3, or did she voice a completely new character? I can't remember seeing (or hearing) Lisa anywhere.

[Eccles]

Lisa's videotape plays halfway through the labyrinth in Brookhaven. Y'know, the one when she asks what's keeping Alessa alive and so on.

[StarZander]

Lisa's videotape plays halfway through the labyrinth in Brookhaven. Y'know, the one when she asks what's keeping Alessa alive and so on.

Oh yeah, I forgot about the tape. Mystery solved then.

[The Instrument of GAWD]

Cynthia Vasquez - Lisa Ortiz [image] [site] [site2]

DAMN. For real? I can usually point out her voice right away... mainly because I like her voice. So that's what she looks like, huh....

[Eccles]

Playing through silent hill 3 again I noticed something (aside from another SH2 poster)...the enemies with the big heads and hands...the really tall ones that shoot spikes from their fists...they're wearing dresses.

Not just any dresses mark you...they look like the one that child alessa wears in SH1...just something to think about, there.

[ifirit]

Silent Hill 3 Spoilers

Playing through silent hill 3 again I noticed something (aside from another SH2 poster)...the enemies with the big heads and hands...the really tall ones that shoot spikes from their fists...they're wearing dresses.

Not just any dresses mark you...they look like the one that child alessa wears in SH1...just something to think about there.

Well, considering that the monster design was based on the Mandarin from SH2, which represents the thoughts and emotions that lie just beneath the surface, but cannot be acknowledged, the Closer should be the truth that has managed to surface itself above-ground. Since most of the game revolves around the "truth about Heather," it would make sense that the monster would bare a resemblence to the memory of Alessa.

However, another way to view the design, is that the dress is a representation of the ceremonial robes worn by the cult of Silent Hill. So, in considering the metaphor above, the truth that Heather is connected to the cult of Silent Hill. Also, considering that it resembles the same corpses as the ones in SH1 could be another metaphor for those members that watch the events of the story. However, I think that I like the connection to Alessa better than this.

Akira Yamaoka at the Game Developers Conference:

Game Informer caught up with Yamaoka-san before his speech at the GDC. They asked him as few questions about his involvement with GDC and with the Silent Hill series. Though, most of what he said is rather short and generic, there are a few rumors that we can put to rest from what he said. One of those being the deal with Nintendo to release a SH game on the DS, which was a rumor spread during E3 last spring. Also, one to be confirmed is the incorporation of HD technology to future installments of the series, which is definitely a fundemental in creating graphics for the next generation of consoles.

What is disheartening about the interview is Yamaoka-san's feelings about Silent Hill 4, which he admits here to not being as well-developed as he had hoped. Maybe it's just me, but I also got the feeling that the SH series has become stale to A.Y., indicating that he may leave the production team in the future. What would this mean to the series? If Konami were to hand the next SH game over to another production team (within Konami), would it hurt the series?

I'm hoping that Konami would be smart enough to choose hands that are capable of doing the series, and their predicessors, justice. To me it seems that Team Silent needs new blood to add new imagination and creativity to this series. It would provide the senior members time to rest and work on other projects that they are desperately crying out for, especially since the SH series required so much time and energy to create. Plus, in capable hands, I think the games might reflect an entirely new light to the same old stereotypes (if Silent Hill really has any).

Silent Hill Comic Update:

IDW Publishing has finally released Paint It Black this month and has also released new information and cover art for The Grinning Man. The artist for this comic is Nick Stakal (a relatively new artist for IDW), with writing by Scott Ciencin (writer for the entire SH comic series). Also, the cover art will be a collaboration between Alex Garder and Ben Templesmith, who also did the cover art for Dying Inside #1 & #2. Copies of the new comics are available at the IDW store, but again you can find better deals on Amazon.com.

RE: Voice Actors:

I forgot to mention that I haven't been able to find anything regarding Michael G or Sandra Wane because Michael G is a stage name and Sandra Wane was rumored to have been hired for only one day, and wasn't even a voice actor by profession. This was the case with the maojority of the actors for SH1, who were mainly community theater players in the San Fransico area. However, I did hear a rumor that Michael G was a model.

Also, I found a mailing address for Guy Cihi, but it was dated from 2001, so it is doubtful that he still resides there.

[Razumen]

Well I picked up SH4 for the Xbox today, and it seems to me that the controls aren't as bad as I thought they were for either platform, but that they just aren't as sensitive compared to SH2's. Meh.. it's one of the game's lesser, lesser faults.

As far as the next game goes, I believe the devs HAVE to try out new ideas for the SH series to remain strong, you can't make great games if you're not really interested in what you're doing - nor can you continue to rely on the same formula and expect it to hold the same appeal.

I'm glad higher definition graphics will be the norm for the nextgen systems, my VGA transcoders will finally have something other than 480p.

[RazorVayne]

HEATHER MASON BE TEH BOM!!

[Eccles]

Actually, it's Heather Morris.

Anyhow, I have 30-some screenshots from the SH2 DVD and once I get home I'll have someone host them and pass them around for you.

[StarZander]

Anyhow, I have 30-some screenshots from the SH2 DVD and once I get home I'll have someone host them and pass them around for you.

And here they are. I just hope my server won't crash or anything. I'll leave the commenting up to Andy.

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/1.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/2.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/3.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/4.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/5.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/6.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/7.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/8.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/9.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/10.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/11.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/12.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/13.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/14.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/15.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/16.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/17.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/18.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/19.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/20.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/21.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/22.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/23.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/24.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/25.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/26.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/27.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/28.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/29.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/30.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/31.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/32.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/33.png

There we go.

[Eccles]

Didn't you get the image notes that went along with them?

[ifirit]

Anyhow, I have 30-some screenshots from the SH2 DVD and once I get home I'll have someone host them and pass them around for you.

And here they are. I just hope my server won't crash or anything. I'll leave the commenting up to Andy.

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/1.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/2.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/3.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/4.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/5.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/6.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/7.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/8.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/9.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/10.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/11.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/12.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/13.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/14.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/15.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/16.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/17.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/18.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/19.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/20.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/21.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/22.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/23.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/24.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/25.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/26.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/27.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/28.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/29.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/30.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/31.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/32.png

http://starzander.webhosting.tant102.mine.nu/Lost%20Memories/33.png

There we go.

It looks like your server is down right now.

If the files are not that big, you could zip them together and send them to me. I'd be happy to mirror them on my site, since I still have some of space available and a good deal of bandwidth as well, since I have less than 150 visitors since it's opening last year. (40-50 of those are me updating and checking the site.)

[StarZander]

Didn't you get the image notes that went along with them?

Oh yeah, missed that one. Here it is:

1) The opening to the DVD. It never fails to make me laugh.

2) The Silent Hill 2 Debug. Top left is the information about where James is, what direction he's facing and how fast he's moving. Top right you have a sort of compass device, right you have a scaling device and bottom right is a device to show what's on the screen...James is in white, whereas the things around him are grey (if there was an item on screen that James could interact with that would show up, too)

3) The character creator outlining how he got the idea for Maria. "when you take a picture of someone you think is perfect sometimes their face is like this...and that shows they're not perfect. Thats where the idea for Maria came from"

4) Concept art for Maria

5) Showing how the face creator works

6- The four main characters and their voice artists. James' artist didn't appear in this montage and his face was blurred whenever they showed him...I don't know why this is.

9. 10) Motion capture at the prison (9) and the hotel (10)

11) Comments on how they made Eddie

12-19) Comments on the creation of the monsters

20) Concept art for Pyramid Head (the finished art is to the right, obviously)

21) Why Pyramid Head has a "Triangle shaped head"

22-24) How Akira Yamaoka wrote the main theme of SH2

25) See those highlighted files in the midle window? Each one of them is a footstep heard in-game

26-27) Yamaoka on his work

28-29) Why SH2 is so scary

30) The philosophy on which the monsters were created (It says (The philosopher) after Francis Bacon because they were referring to the artist earlier in the DVD)

31-33) From the credits. They started off as funny, but got more and more rediculous as they went along...these are the funniest.

It looks like your server is down right now.

If the files are not that big, you could zip them together and send them to me. I'd be happy to mirror them on my site, since I still have some of space available and a good deal of bandwidth as well, since I have less than 150 visitors since it's opening last year. (40-50 of those are me updating and checking the site.)

Yeah, sure. It seems to be working now, but it's always good to have a backup. Get on msn, and I'll send it to you. The file is like 18 mb.

[Razumen]

I'm going to abstain from the screenies because I'm ordering the DVD myself. Of course I just HAD to lose my credit card so now I have to wait at least a week before I can even order it.

Consequently, does anyone here know of any good region free DVD playback programs?