Using a framework I discussed before in this blog, the standoff is centered around the mechanics of combat, and the physical aesthetic which is the arena and its layout. Stop reading now if you’ve never felt this before: You, the player, first enjoy the challenge of combat, you start to feel comfy with the mechanics, you begin to get comfy and start stockpiling on ammo, healing items, and other forms of comfort (sidenote: In horror games, the abundance of comfort items are a main factor in building the mood… a shotgun with 100 spare shells has a way of making you braver). Growing weary, you start to get bored so now you put yourself on the offensive and go all Rambo with your backpack full of items and ammo. THIS is the point that the Alamo Standoff should enter the story! From an offensive mindset, you are now on the defensive. Flanked on all sides you suddenly have to conserve your ammo and healing items because you have no idea when the last wave will come… if it will come at all.
In recent memory, the best standoff segment I’ve played is the cabin defense battle against the Ganados in Resident Evil 4. That was perfect Alamo Standoff. I remember breezing through portions of the game leading up to that point because of all the comfort I felt in having a lot of ammo and healing items to fall back on. When the Ganados assaulted the cabin, I found myself fending them off first at the windows, then they broke through the doors, after seeing the entire first floor become swarmed with them, I retreated to the narrow staircase and picked them off one by one as they climbed up. My strategy was only good for 15 seconds as I get attacked from behind! I go up the second floor and realize that they start coming in through the windows. It was a castle siege and I was the lone knight protecting a non-existent king! I realized that I have hoarded so much gear for an emergency and the standoff IS that emergency. But once I got to the second floor of the cabin, I just wanted to survive… and survive I did. But at what cost? After that segment, the feeling of terror was upon me again. I had nothing left and I had to go into the next area with a handgun and a few spare clips. Just like how I started out. The game just told me that it’s done screwing around in a way I’ll never forget.
The Standoff isn’t confined to the horror genre anymore and there have been innovations that I'm sure you can recall. The thing is, in my opinion, it doesn’t always work.
MAKING THE STANDOFF WORK
The first thing the standoff should be, is organic. Sure, cutscenes are fine, but the standoff has to come at time of comfort. So the cutscene should be non-interactive and the enemies should come as a surprise. The segment is a set piece in the story but it shouldn’t come off that way to the player. If the player is given even a minute to prepare because he sees the approaching danger then the standoff loses some of its power.
Secondly, define the boundaries. In the RE4 example, it was the four walls and two floors of the cabin. In Left 4 Dead, the boundaries are the sheer number of the enemies. The boundaries that the developer gives the Standoff should not only serve as an area of comfort but also as the indicator for danger.
Don’t be afraid to spice things up a bit moreso if the Standoff is a recurring segment of the game. Add in a variety of enemies, new routes can open up in the middle of the standoff, and give the player decisions to make. For example, place helpful items out in the open so the player can weigh the risk and reward by doing a grab n’ dash. And for chrissakes, don’t give a clue as to how many waves of enemies are left. Spoilers much? Just add variety to everything so that the player can’t just use one tactic and survive. Test out their mettle.
Take the Co-op Arena mode in Uncharted 3 vs Uncharted 2 for example. By adding objectives in each wave, the feeling changes from “When is this going to end?” to “I just have to do this thing to get to the next round”. Also, the simple addition of a counter to indicate how many enemies are left in the wave destroys any feeling of suspense. Inversely, in Uncharted 2, when you see the Arena suddenly empty, you know that a brief rest period is approaching as soon as you find and kill the last enemy.
In conclusion, the Standoff is should be a situation of panic and exhilaration, and the design behind it should be well thought out to invoke certain emotions. Plan every detail of the level and test it repeatedly. Think back to your intended base experience. Remember that everything in your game should serve the experience. If your playtesters are getting that emotion you want, then you’ve succeeded.