JackTheREAPER

Yes, IPs bring the money and crowds. But here's a point I made before: Universal doesn't need their whole event to be based around the IPs. They only need 2 or 3 big ones, and then the rest of the event can be original. Let's look at HHN24: was anyone really going to the event for From Dusk till Dawn or Dracula? No. They all went for TWD, AVP, and Halloween. There's proof: you only need 3 IPs. Maybe even 2!!

Well I'm not entirely referring to the first 10 or 15 years of HHN. When I mean "original style" I mean the style in general that it used to bring. Certain elements. (More original mazes/scarezones, icons, a backstory, a main theme, etc.) sure there were some IPs during the old school years, but they weren't so... Overly exaggerated to the extent where they were pretty much the main theme of the event, which is what we have had in the past 3 years. Anyways, my point being: original themes bring us new things every year. That's why I feel like the old years of the event had a ether style to it. They brought us new thugs every single year. Things that we would love to re-experience. What I'm trying to say is, sure, HHN can have IPs, but if they wanna try something REALLY different, then bring us a little more originality in the event themes, instead of "FEATURING" thing they have been doing with IPs.

I understand that they are trying new things, and I have actually really enjoyed lots of the new things. But of course, there have also been a lot of bad things and we all know what those were... However, if you think about it, bringing back the original style that the event used to have would be a really good idea. With original content, possibilities are pretty much endless, therefore the event can literally be different every year. Plus- most of the newer fans have no idea about icons, so introducing them is basically trying something new. BUT when you have something like The Walking Dead returning for 3 years straight, and now maybe 4, everyone knows what to expect: (zombies, fences, basic zombie stuff already used, etc.) During the icon years, we never knew what icon or characters we would see next.

I wasn't saying that it completely satisfies me. I was simply saying that it's way better than what they've done the past couple years. (Basically "THE WALKING DEAD IS BACK! Oh and also, there's 7 other mazes, but who cares.") Seriously, anything will please me as long as it doesn't involve zombies, and DOES involve the icons and has some way of tying everything together. Don't tell me you disagree

Well, hey that's good enough for me. At least it's a story instead of just a tagline that says "featuring: [iPs go here]!"

I would assume they would spend more time focusing on something to tie the anniversary together. Without story development to hold the anniversary content together, it's just a normal year except with an overexaggerated "25" on it. The main way for this this year to please me is to get a special backstory utilizing Jack and any other original content they plan on bringing back, or creating. My first idea was that possibly they would have the scarezones tell the story, whether it occupies all zones or just 1. The way they do this is to have a classic "HHN Past" scarezone with every icon and every past beloved character used. (Basically 20 Years Of Fear.) OR they can do multiple story-based scarezones where there's 4 or 5 zones each controlled by a seperate past icon. Not to mention a Jack zone, since he's returning. Just to add: Does anyone think that they will use that rumored "Prop Master" icon that was in development for HHN24, but was never heard from again? I was really excited about that character.

Or a Gremlin turning.

I don't think we'll get many shares this year, since our event is an anniversary, and there's isn't. Maybe we'll share 2 or 3 IPs, but I think everything else will be independent for our 25th anniversary content.

I've actually written and designed a few of my own maze ideas, and one of them was based on half human half bug hybrids. There's a lot they could do with the concept of bugs. Just hearing insect noises in the dark, will freak many people out. Now taking that idea, and adding terrifying visuals such as arachnid-looking actors with large spider legs piercing out of their skin, and lots of effects like ankle ticklers, some hanging fish wire and webs, etc, and you have yourself one horrifying instectorium.

How about.... a ghost space ship. What appeals to me is anything twisted and psychological. I love JDW's idea of the dark willy wonka. Just the feeling of dark asylums, or small corridors make a great haunt, and is very effective. (take it from a home haunter myself) Like everyone is currently discussing, a true "haunted" house/ship/mansion/etc. is just awesome. I personally loved the glowing eyes in the Forsaken maze. It made the creatures look even more haunted and ghastly. A cool idea I like is a haunted castle. Not like Gothic with bats and stuff, but instead with evil spirits and demons who live within the castle ruins. Even the idea of a haunted space ship is cool to be honest. Like I said, anything close and personal really gets to people, and that's what we need to see. The scare needs to be after YOU personally, not just triggered and randomly attacking, and then returning. That's just my opinion. Twisted scenes, darkness, ghostly characters, unexpected events, etc. it all works for me.

"Scare Bears" lmao I came up with that myself.

Yeah It's possible that a lot of the AvP base were used materials from Interstellar Terror.

I know this is pure wishful thinking, and many will not agree with me, but I want a maze similar to Interstellar Terror. It's scenery was awesome, and had a lot of tight spaces which made it claustrophobic and more intense. Any tight, dark, maze with energetic actors is a good maze. Imagine what they could do if they recreated Interstellar Terror. They have improved so much.

Slender isn't an urban legend. He's basically an overrated internet meme.

That's one of the reasons I thought of Outlast. Not only would it make for a great intense asylum-esque maze, but Mike Aiello loved the game as well. As for Alien Isolation, if they still keep the puppets, they can do it but in a later year, but add more darkness, face huggers, chest bursters, etc. But I really don't see any video game houses coming this year, with it being an anniversary. Anyways, back to my scarezone question: Having 5 scarezones is still possible... right?

Five Nights At Freddy's has been brought up so many times on twitter. I'm not a fan of that game. I've played it and feel like the concept is just silly, instead of horror. But everyone has their own opinions. I'm just going to say that Five Nights At Freddy's just isn't compatible with HHN. The story is a bit ridiculous and short to be expanded through a maze, and there isn't enough to make scenes out of. Therefore, that's not a game I see ever coming. If we do ever get another video game house in the future (not 2015), I see it being Alien Isolation or Outlast. Maybe another Silent Hill. But besides that I don't see any other horror games making an appearance, if any. Anyways, I was just thinking, does anyone think we'll get more than 4 scarezones? I know we got 4 last year but I remember we've had more than 4 in the past, in other locations.

100% Agreed.

Leave It To Cleaver 2 would be amazing. I don't care what other people say but that was literally one of my all time favorites. (I know it's not going to come so no need to explain)

Why do you guys say this will be "Just another year" but with the number 25 shoved into it and small amounts of past content. Well let's look at some tweets first: 12/18/14- HHN Orl Tweets "With next year being the huge anniversary.. What has resonated the most with you.. My fellow hardcore fans of HHN? Characters, thematics, mazes etc" I like this tweet because it shows that they are truly looking to the hardcore fans to see what appeals to us, instead of the GP. This leads me to believe they want to please us with this anniversary. They know we want original concepts, past concepts, and icon concepts. Even if they didn't know that before, they do now, because those answers are every reply from us fans to the tweet. 12/18/14- HHN Orl Tweets "Concepts..." with a picture of the bottom space of a paper, with some designs above, and a note that says "HHN 25 Street Zones" Not quite sure why they wrote "Street Zones" instead of Scare Zones. Maybe they were looking for open scarezone locations? Or it could easily mean they are working on scarezones. Either way, there are "zones" which means we will see mulitple scarezones once again. One of my hopes: a throw back scarezone similar to 20 Years Of Fear. Agree or disagree if you'd like. 1/9/15 - HHN Orl Tweets "Today we are working on the second maze concept, we're reading scripts for potential use, going through our archives of our horrific past." Due to the "past archives" thing, I say... sequel house probably? The scripts could easily be past scripts. Could be Nightengales or Catacombs. There are also scripts involved here. Maybe they already had written a Nightengales sequel script and were waiting till this year to do it. 1/9/15 - HHN Orl Tweets " The 25th is taking shape daily..." Some were worried because there was no sight of the word "anniversary." Just "the 25th". I personally don't care how the hell they call it. It's still "the 25th anniversary." I also see this tweet as helpful because it shows us that they are working hard to make this 25th anniversary special. Sure there will be IPs, as it is a permanent part of the event now. However, I think they will make us happy and focus the event more on the icon(s), original content, HHN Past, and just overall a new (old) age of the event. I feel like IPs will just be the money makers. Sure, they'll be "featured", especially on ads, but I think the bigger thing that they show off on ads will be Jack or something. The GP will dig it, if they haven't seen Jack before! Jack is the best and most exciting icon they could possibly introduce to the GP. With clowns being such a big thing on Halloween nowadays, it'll work out. Especially to people who hate clowns. Anyways, my point is that It's the anniversary. Stop doubting so much. I still have faith in this event.

I can see Eddie coming. Besides being my favorite icon, He brings a unique scare factor to the event. He's just brutal looking and badass. Though I hope for a brand new Run house, I don't see us getting one. We could see him featured on the streets in some way though.

Well take away the factory and then you have yourself a basic clown zone lol. Obviously, there's 2 ways Jack can go. (besides a backstory for the event.) A house or a scarezone. Both will work. And both will not disappoint. But which one? A house for Jack can either be based on basic clowns in a carnival, a 3D funhouse, or even his past. With a zone, it can go as a carnival/clown zone, a freakshow, or even the carnival of carnage. I feel that any of these are possible. As for the backstory, I feel maybe he could have escaped the lantern, gained all of its power and freed the other icons AND the event's past. Now he controls the icons and lots of past content to cause uncontrollable chaos. Just an idea. Any thoughts?

Scary Tales can still do Frozen

That's something I brought up a while back. It would be cool if the factory rebuilt Jack and he ended up taking over the Giggles N Gore factory and the clowns went onto the streets to bring more victims or something. I guess you could say the factory was "Hi-Jacked". lol

Yes, because a smart point that has been is they only REALLY need 2 IPs to draw in crowds. For HHN24, there were 5 IPs but only 3 were bringing in the fan crowds. (TWD, AVP, Halloween) All we need is 2 big fan-based IPs to draw in crowds. Example: The Walking Dead and American Horror story. If we don't get one of those 2 our next option is Freddy Vs Jason, which has been brought up. Anyways, my point being, give us loads of originals to celebrate the anniversary AND introduce the awesome icons and content of HHN past to the newer crowds and fans, and just to make more money, add 2 big IPs and VOILA!

I wanna see a zone with a lot of elements of some great past zones like Acid Assault had. I liked the way that the whole Acid Assault zone was set up for a story. I liked how the actors looked, they really fit the zone. I loved how they had the projection on the building, to make it look like it was crumbling. And I really loved the overall atmosphere. It was apocalyptic, chaotic, and scary all at once. That's what I wanna see return for HHN25: zones like that, where you get a storyline AND an amazing vibe with scary surroundings and visuals. And not just one. Like HHN24 where Bayou was the most scenic, I want to see all of this year's zones to be as detailed and scary as possible. And with the actors, I agree with Iheartwhales about the Face Off actors. I want to see the actors in every zone getting as effectively scary as possible. I know Acid Assault didn't appeal to many people, but I thought it was well done and perfect for a real haunt vibe. An idea I had was like a Warzone, similar to War Of The Living Dead. It sets for a great atmosphere with many possibilities. This is just my opinion, what are you guys' thoughts on this?