The Dream is a completely unique pseudorandomly generated game session in LSD: Dream Emulator. Each dream is generated using PRNG system, where each generated scene has its own seed value which changes dynamically due to the player's in-game influence.
The game features 324 in-game days which include several interactive 3D dreamscape environments available for free exploration, while the rest 41 will be unplayable and display either a screen of text or start a video dream.
Dream features[]
Day 001[]
On the very first day, regardless of the starting dream generation value, the dream will start on the top floor of the Bright Moon Cottage. After the dream has started, the player is able to explore the dreamscape freely. The game will record all the actions the player takes to reroll the current dream seed value to generate future dreams. This also includes the actions made in the main menu of the game. There are billions of possible dreams and combinations of events in the game.
The Chart[]
The Dream Chart in LSD: Dream Emulator is used to rate the mood of every perceived dream during every playable day. The chart secretly works at the background while the player explores the dreamscape, it collects the values, which are used in further dream generation process, activates rare events and forms the final protagonist mood rating. Depending on all of the player's observations, the final rating at the end of the dream on the chart will also determine the starting location for the following dream.
Dream Duration[]
Dreams vary majorly in their duration, which depends on the starting location. Even though the instruction booklet states that 'negative places will shorten the dream', the longest dreams are caused by the Violence District spawns - such dreams last up to 10 minutes, while dreams that have started in Happy Town last only ~2 minutes.[1] Additionally, numerous behavioural in-game tests have proven no correlation between the locations observed during the dream and its final duration. It is also notable, that timer is significantly influenced by the game's emulation perfomance, and low on FPS dreams may last considerably longer. The shortest dreams in duration are caused by the Moonlight Tower starting location[1], where dreams are only 45-60 seconds long. The duration of dreams may slightly be stretched by frequent links between the locations and, as it was previously stated, low FPS values.
Considering the default PS1 framerate value for LSD: Dream Emulator (15 FPS), the dream duration values (in TU - Timer Unit) for locations are:[1]
- The Violence District: 9000 TU (10 minutes)
- Kyoto: 7200 TU (8 minutes)
- The Monument Park: 7200 TU (8 minutes)
- The Natural World: 6300 TU (7 minutes)
- Temple Dojo: 4500 TU (5 minutes)
- Clockwork Machines: 4500 TU (5 minutes)
- Bright Moon Cottage: 3600 TU (4 minutes)
- Flesh Tunnels: 3600 TU (4 minutes)
- Long Hallway: 3600 TU (4 minutes)
- Pit & Temple: 2700 TU (3 minutes)
- Sun Faces Heave: 2700 TU (3 minutes)
- Happy Town: 1800 TU (2 minutes)
- Black Space: 1800 TU (2 minutes)
- Moonlight Tower: 900 TU (1 minute)
The automatic timeout of every playable dream is caused by pre-set timer limit values for each location. While the dream continues, the in-game timer continuously counts the time spent within every location. When the set time limit is reached, the timeout happens and the dream finishes.
The Dream's End[]
It is also possible to end a dream early by "dying"; some ways include falling, getting mauled by lions, the Black Wolf, or being shot. When the dream is ending due to the timeout, the final transition may differ. The way the dream ends is controlled by the current seed value. The dream may end with the screen fading to white, red and black at different speeds. It may also be an abrupt stop, where everything freezes for a second and the player is sent then into the Chart.
Unplayable Days[]
There are 41 unplayable days in the game with no interractive dream sessions. Instead, the unplayable dream displays either a video or a text dream. These days are pre-programmed and follow the same pattern in any playthrough. The first unplayable day the player faces is Day 002.
Setting[]
Each day/dream has a specific setting for every area. The sky & fog are pre-set for each day. For example, on Day 001, the Bright Moon Cottage will always have a bright white sky. The placement and presence of objects is usually pre-set with Day Type mechanic, but in rarer cases spawning will be dependent on the current seed. After several in-game days, textures will start changing everywhere. Music will accompany every scene in the game, as player explores and studies the world of LSD.
Change in Dreams[]
Even though each day has settings pre-set for each dream, many aspects of the game will change depending on what the player does. The game takes note of how the player explores, what's been linked with, the time, and a number of other factors. The chart rating and linking process are the most notable examples of player-driven change. Rare events, such as the Astronaut landing in Bright Moon Cottage are also happening because of every decision the player made.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Higashi's timer research. https://seesaawiki.jp/lsd/d/%a5%b3%a1%bc%a5%c9%a1%a6%b2%f2%c0%cf