Split Screen Event (Concept)

Split Screen Event

CONCEPT

An event in a video game in which the screen is split up into multiple frames to give the player better overview of everything that's going on.

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Overview

The split screen event became common thanks to the television show, 24. The show would often split the screen into multiple screens to show players all the different things that were going on and to add a sense of tension. A split screen event can add many things to a game. InHeavy Rain, the player's character is in the serial killers house and he just got home. The screen splits in two. One part of the screen displays the player character. The other part of the screen shows the killer entering his home. This creates a feeling of tension as the player must focus on two things at once. Players must use the information gained from the two views to find a good hiding spot but also to stay one step ahead of the killer. A split screen event can add more drama to a scene. In Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, a wounded Solid Snake (Character) must drag himself through a corridor that doubles as a microwave oven in order to save the world. In this scene, players must keep hitting the triangle button to make Snake crawl forward. As Snake tries to save the world, players can see all their allies (Raiden clearly outnumbered, the military powerless) fail. It is then clear that all hopes are on the player's soldiers.