Abandoned Asylum

[Younghappy]

So this idea comes from The Great Escape episode 3. In The Great Escape, 3 teams of 2 have to escape from different places. In episode 3, it was a giant, 1890's mental institution (aka an asylum).
This episode was really creepy, as the asylum is a large abandoned castle. Anyway, I was thinking: this would be a cool location for Grim Dawn, if the devs needed some ideas on new locations.
Mental asylums became more common round about the 1800's right? Is this a good idea for Grim Dawn? Maybe there could even be a quest or something involving freeing an NPC that has been captured by monsters? (like the quest outside Helos in TQ, but an asylum would be a lot bigger and creepier)
Or maybe a quest about freeing this asylum from a curse (Witcher 2 had a quest like this, in a similar location) - I mean, who wouldn't want to explore a monster-occupied mental institution?!
Sorry if I'm getting too much into my own idea, but I think it sounds cool to have an asylum overrun by monsters, or maybe even insane humans that haven't been tainted by aether, but they're just completely crazy with bloodlust.
So tell me what you think?
Cheers,
Younghappy

[yerkyerk]

An asylum would definitely fit the setting. I wouldn't mind if they'd call it "Ye Olde Sanatorium" though, obscuring the true intention of the institution.

Perhaps it could be filled with those who saw the signs of the ongoing apocalypse first, but were considered to be insane (that they were maddened and tainted by the rift probably didn't really help their case either). Shock therapy, people in chains, waterboarding, trepanning, bloodletting, phrenology, the whole shebang.

[Younghappy]

Originally Posted by yerkyerk

An asylum would definitely fit the setting. I wouldn't mind if they'd call it "Ye Olde Sanatorium" though, obscuring the true intention of the institution.

... Shock therapy, people in chains, waterboarding, trepanning, bloodletting, phrenology, the whole shebang.

I really like that idea, inside you'd be able to see all the signs of torture, not help. Like all the devices used to torture and shackles and stuff, really cool I always love a location that creeps me out, adds to the thrill of the game IMO Btw, I like "Ye Olde Sanatorium", old fashioned ways of saying names where so much cooler haha

Originally Posted by yerkyerk

Perhaps it could be filled with those who saw the signs of the ongoing apocalypse first, but were considered to be insane (that they were maddened and tainted by the rift probably didn't really help their case either)

The Witcher 2's asylum quest had a really creepy thing where you could see the mad people, but when you approached them they would dissipate as if they were just illusions. And their voices were so haunting, it was like a crazy person talking all jittery, saying stuff like "The walls. They move. They're getting closer. They're surrounding me. It's too late for me. I'm trapped. They're closing in!"
Creepy as hell See it here, if you want to see what I mean in detail...

And thanks for the link to that track yerk, never heard that Metallica track before but it was really good!
Cheers,
Younghappy

[The Madman]

Abandoned Looneybins have such a creepy feel, that it fits most arpgs. I love this idea.

[Younghappy]

Originally Posted by The Madman

Abandoned Looneybins have such a creepy feel, that it fits most arpgs. I love this idea.

Agreed, and an area that creeps you out is an area that your most likely to remember
Cheers,
Younghappy

[bluswordgrl]

This sounds like it would be a very creepy but awesome locale.
I was wondering though, like the prison in the first town, wouldn't a sanatorium/asylum have iron bars and maybe even doors as well? It might even have looked like a safe place to hole up until you get inside.

[Younghappy]

Originally Posted by bluswordgrl

This sounds like it would be a very creepy but awesome locale.
I was wondering though, like the prison in the first town, wouldn't a sanatorium/asylum have iron bars and maybe even doors as well? It might even have looked like a safe place to hole up until you get inside.

That could be a cool backstory! Some survivors that decided to seek refuge in the asylum (instead of DC prison) took cover in the mental institution but were driven mad by ghosts/spirits/illusions of previous insane people and now the madhouse is crazier than ever, and infested with humans untainted by aether, just crazed and bloodthirsty!
Cheers for all the additional ideas,
Younghappy

[StandardFiend]

Agreed whole-heartedly. An old, abandoned, decrepit asylum would just be perfect.

I played that quest in The Witcher 2; not only was it sufficiently creepy, but the story behind it really tugged at my heartstrings, too.

For what it's worth, I think ghosts and related creatures are more fitting than monsters. To be fair, after playing The Suffering many ages ago I will admit that weird-ass creatures can be incredibly scary, but I think ghosts provide a much more atmospheric setting that's not solely about the scare-factor (which, for Grim Dawn, it shouldn't be).

Perhaps some combination of The Witcher 2's quest and Queen Asylla's quest in D3 would be appropriate?

[ASYLUM101]

What's creepy about Asylum?

[Younghappy]

Originally Posted by ASYLUM101

What's creepy about Asylum?

Depends what asylum you have in mind