[POLL] Jump scares

[Issac]

So, can a jump scare be audio only, or does it require something visual as well?
Note: This is not limited to games...

 

[Nathan Drake]

A jump scare can be audio or video. A combination of both is usually more effective, but it's like when somebody sneaks up behind you while you're focused and yells "BOO". You're going to jump in the same way you would jump from an engineered jump scare in a movie, video game, or online thing. When thinking about movies though, what really makes you jump? Generally a loud noise shattering an otherwise silent moment. It isn't necessarily scary, but it's incredibly surprising even when expecting it. As well, even without the video, the loud noise out of nowhere would likely make you jump.

When it comes to video, certain things can certainly add to the jump. Usually a surprisingly morbid image, or something that looks close enough to human to make you believe that this thing could actually exist despite being disfigured or unnatural, will be used, combined with a loud scream. The scream likely gets you first, but the image flashing up also does a number as that is just as surprising, breaking visual focus, or what could be equated to almost a visual silence.

 

[FAST6191]

I had always defined a jump scare as a sudden change in some sensory* stimulation, best if done when someone has been lulled into a false sense of security. Multiple senses working in conjunction is best but I can see it being doable with a single sense, especially hearing.

*probably the classical five, mind you the others can certainly augment things. Equally if someone reckons they can do a proprioception jump scare I am up for it.

 

[Issac]

Yes, I agree that it's more effective to use combinations of sensory inputs, but for this specific question I just wonder if *can* be audio only.

And FAST6191, It would be fun to experience a taste based jump scare... Must be like eating a really sweet candy that all of a sudden turns really sour or something...

 

[FAST6191]

And FAST6191, It would be fun to experience a taste based jump scare... Must be like eating a really sweet candy that all of a sudden turns really sour or something...

I think I may have a taste based one.
I really like these sweets called mega sours, they are fairly basic boiled sweet type things but the outsides are coated in what has to be almost pure citric acid (various people have used words like "actual physical pain" to describe the experience, even if you do like them then you can only eat a few per day as you can feel them etching your teeth). The kicker comes that after the citric then when you bite into the boiled sweet there is some more sour in the middle.

That said you could probably just do

 

[Social_Outlaw]

Of course, it can but both will more devastating in a good way. Well your brain usually fully synchronize with a game that you never played, so you pay attention to both aspects more than doing the opposite. The Evil Within show a great example of both elements

 

[tbb043]

It can be, but I think it would be much harder to pull it off with audio only.

 

[The Catboy]

Anything really district and jarring from the overall tone can become an easy jump scare. A visual just helps add to it, but just being sound can work too.

 

[Terenigma]

I think you'll find Visual jump scares are much more rare and harder to achieve than audio ones.

Corpse party, near the start of the game when you first enter the "demon world" of the school. There is a cupboard near the blackboard on the top left of the screen, if you click it once then you sort of search it and get the "nothing here" generic text box but if you search it again for any other reason. The face of the antagonist appears (creepy girl, long dark hair) appears for a moment with no audio que, just visual and believe me, it is scary.

But for audio ones, there are a ton of ways to achieve it. How about the classic "virtual haircut" audio sensory video? He talks in each ear whilst moving around then for a moment he seemingly walks away and then suddenly you hear him talking to you in one ear, it catches you off-guard and makes you jump. Nothing visual about it. Or imagine if you will that you are listening to a song thats relaxing, calming sort of sound and then someone loudly coughs in the middle of it, would it make you jump? Ofcourse it would. Audio jump scares are easy, visual only ones not so much.

 

[gudenau]

For me jump scare that only use audio work better.

 

[Taleweaver]

Of course.

And even more if it's not limited to just video games. There are plenty of good audio-only jump scares in movies like Paranormal activity (which isn't too surprising, as the demon is invisible).

 

[grossaffe]

One could argue that Haydn inspired the jump scare.