Here is a set of dreams and puzzle ideas that could be used in
the Dreams Eternal game. Not all of these ideas will probably be used
but this page just tries to collect them. Note that these ideas below
are not complete. Some of them only present part of the dream or puzzle.
Thanks to all the people whose dreams are partly told here :-)
Problem:
A door that can be opened with a key. The key is visible from where
you are but when you try to move closer to it it goes away from you.
So you never can reach it.
Solution:
To solve this puzzle you need to use a mirror
and walk backwards to it.
Problem:
A door that can be opened with a key. The key is inside the mouth of
some hideous creature so you need to pull it out. If you grab the key
from the monster you get warped to a dream-segment where you are in
a maze and the monster is hunting you...
Solution:
unknown...
Problem:
A creature is guarding some exit/door/object that you need
to have. You need to lure it away somehow.
Solution:
Use a mirror? (creature is scared of its own reflection).
The problem is that we need to give some clues to the player that the monster
really is scared of its own reflection. One clue could be that the monster
is walking around in a room for which some of the tiles reflect (mirror).
And if you look carefully you see that the monster avoids those tiles.
Problem:
A very dark corridor/maze. If you just walk in you get
eaten by some monster that lives inside.
Solution:
You need to find a candle or other light source before
you can move it.
Extended problem:
There is a draft in the corridor so your candle
blows out. Turns out you need a closed light source (i.e. a lantern) which
isn't affected by this draft. The candle is easier to find though. The closed
light source could be an object that can be found in an earlier dream (to
which you can return).
Problem:
A room with a wooden floor. Several of the wooden
boards are broken and in bad shape so you need to avoid those. Below the
room you can hear scary noises and in the gaps between the floor you
see evil eyes staring at you.
Solution:
Walk carefully.
Problem:
A staircase up which goes on forever (using portal tricks).
If you turn back and want to go down you see an alcove (that wasn't there
before). Going past that alcove a monster comes out and tries to grab you.
Solution:
You need to gather courage and walk backwards down the
stairs. That way the alcove will not appear.
Dream/Problem:
A nice and lovely plain full with flowers and trees. In the
distance you see a palace. If you go towards the palace more and more dark
holes appear that you have to avoid. In those dark holes you can sometimes
see evil eyes staring at you. Sometimes a tentacle comes out! The closer
you get to the palace the more holes appear so you can't actually reach
the palace at all.
Solution:
You need the fly ability before you can solve this dream.
Problem:
You are in a room with no exit except for a very uninviting
hole in the ground. You see eyes staring at you in the hole and various
not very nice things. The ceiling of the room is slowly coming down.
Solution:
The only way out is the hole so you'll have to jump in.
When you do you enter another dream.
Dream:
You are on top of a tower. All around you you see the sky,
some white cloud and the sun. On the top of the tower is a large platform with
9 rectangular pools (3x3). Some pools have dirty black water, others are
empty with some unknown objects on the bottom. No way to climb down.
Sometimes the water moves in some of the pools. This area is some symbolic
part of the player's unconsciousness which is represented in this manner
in the dream. Each pool represents a crucial memento of his live. In the
bottom of each pool there are objects taken from this memento. The player
can (try) to bring them to the surface and repair them or combine them to
a new item. These items can be useful for other dreams (they are persistent
because they come from within the hero itself). But obviously there is some
challenge in trying to get the objects out the holes. A draining system could
be useful to fill and empty holes. When the level becomes dark (sun is
setting) the monsters in the water holes become dangerous and get out. So
timing is critical.
Note:
This dream sounds like one of the options for (part of) the
starting dream for the hero. It is at least a very personal dream.
Dream:
A city like level or a maze. In that level there are lots
of water pool. You have to avoid the pools because there are hidden
dark creatures inside them. Sometimes you can just see the water move...
Dream:
A very big plane with small towers as far as you can see. On
every tower there is a skeleton. The sky is purple and the plane itself
shimmers (reflection)... This is really a very abstract kind of dream.
There is concept art for this dream on this page.
Dream:
A city/maze where you have lots of scary and dark corners and
alleys. Nothing much happens but there is the constant threat of creatures
that could jump at you. Eyes stare at you from those dark corners and there
are creepy sounds all over the place.
Dream:
A big house. You are inside. Everywhere there are dead people.
But they keep staring at you...
Dream:
What about a very innocent looking scene (at least at first).
For example, a school with children playing. But if you look more closely
there is something wrong with the kids. Things that could be wrong are:
they have no hands, their eyes glow red, ... i.e. the element of innocence
combined with something horror like can also be very scary.
Dream:
The journalist dream. You start in a very dark room with only
a small button visible. This is a light-switch. When you turn on the light
the rooms is lit red (it is a photographic room). There is a lot of rubbish in
the room but nothing of that matters much. You can go outside to the rest of
the flat of the journalist. The journalist is there in his nightmare. He is
blind and running around wildly. When you come too close he will scratch and
attack you. So be careful! You have to engage him in some conversation so that
he quiets down and talks to you. He says: 'If only I 'm no more blind! I will
show you, I will!' So you have to find his eyes. In the kitchen there is a
fridge. If you open the fridge there is a staircase down into a strange labyrinth
full of items related to photography (but larger). Some examples: a giant diaphragm
as a door, pools full of chemical liquids, flash lights, photos, a giant lens,
mirrors, ... The journalists eyes are on a horror like robot. You have to try
to catch the robot to get the eyes. After getting the eyes you give them to
the journalist. He will then show you some pictures of the building. This is
the first Mental Item in order to solve the rest of the game.
Dream:
Clockwork dream. This is a very weird level full of strange
constructs and twisted stairs, corridors, and rooms (a bit like the drawings
of M.C. Esher). Lots of puzzles and things to do here.
Dream:
The dream can be entered by going somewhere dark and scary, possibly down into
the cellar of the house. The player enters the city. There is a cloudy night
sky above, and everywhere are dark corners. The city itself looks like a cross
between a film noir and modern slum with lots of graffities. These graffities
give some helpful hints, like "beware of the dark" and "the beast has come".
The city is completely deserted, there are no people and not even animals.
Only the wind is howling, sometimes rattling window shutters or creating
other noises. Also, in some places it is an environmental effect, blowing
some leaves or papers around as an indication.
When the player starts wandering around, he will soon notice he is beeing
followed. Whenever he starts walking, the sound of his footsteps is accompanied
by other footsteps, and when he stops they continue for a while. However,
when the player walks through a shaded area, the footsteps slowly get louder,
and continue when he stops. Also, they change to a running sound if the player
is in a very dark place. These sounds always come from the shadow closest to
the player, preferably from behind him. This "thing in the shadows" is the
sole opponent in the level. It starts far away from the player, but slowly
catches up with him. It never reveals its form, only the sounds indicate its
presence. If it gets closer, there will be an occasional growling, which gets
louder and more frequent. If the player turns to face it, there is nothing
to be seen, except when the thing is really close there may be a a pair of red
eyes which quickly fade away. If the thing reaches the player, well... sound of
claws ripping flesh, a scream, flash to red, fade to black, awake in bed.
Obviously, the only way to keep the thing at bay is staying in the light as
much as possible, RUN through dark alleys, and holding a lit candle.
With that candle, the player has to reach a certain place, a small chapel /
temple, while staying in the light as much as possible (kind of inverse
"Thief") and avoiding the winds which will blow out the candle. At some points,
there are burning barrels where the candle can be re-lit, and more "helpful"
graffities.
In the chapel is an altar with an empty candle holder on it. When the player
places the lit candle in it, it illuminates the brass symbol of a rising sun
on the wall. The symbol starts to glow, and outside the sun rises. The thing
is standing on the small place before the chapel, and as the reddish light
of the rising sun bathes the cityscape, the shape of the thing is ripped to
pieces. At its core, there is the image of a child, floating slightly above
the ground, which extends a hand towards the player. If the player comes near,
the child fades away. The player he is granted some item as a reward for
defeating the nightmare, and may return to his house or the next dream.
Obviusly, the power to fly must be disabled in this scenario, but other
powers are probably ok...
