Basic Trope: An giant advancing obstacle you must run away from in a video game.
- Straight: A sidescroller level features Alice running away from the Doom Machine. If the Doom Machine catches Alice, she will take damage.
- Exaggerated: If the Doom Machine catches Alice, the player takes an instant game-over, even with full HP.
- Downplayed:
- The Doom Machine doesn't actually hurt Alice. However, she still has to stay ahead of it to get the bonus prize.
- The Doom Machine can be fought off successfully, it's just difficult compared to the rest of the game.
- The Doom Machine won't actually deal damage. It will, however, push Alice forward with its movements, potentially pushing her into a pit or against a wall.
- Justified:
- The Doom Machine is so powerful, no one could possibly take it in a fight without a machine of their own.
- The hazard is a natural disaster, such as a flood or tornado. Taking it in a fight isn't even a practical consideration.
- Inverted:
- The player controls the Doom Machine rather than Alice.
- The Doom Machine retreats from Alice.
- Subverted: If the Doom Machine does manage to catch up to Alice, it breaks down as soon as it attempts an attack.
- Double Subverted: However, it's clear that Alice just got lucky, because if the player lets it happen again, she will get hit.
- Parodied:
- The Doom Machine is obviously harmless enough for Alice to take on easily, but is treated as a threat sui generis.
- Whenever the Doom Machine is around, the game suddenly features 1-Dimensional Thinking, despite otherwise being free roaming 3D.
- Zig Zagged: Alice is traveling in the eye of the storm to make it to the bunker safely. If she leaves the eye in any direction, she'll get caught in the storm.
- Averted:
- While Alice may be pursued, anyone chasing her down can be fought off with ordinary effort.
- Time constraints, if any, are not enforced by an oncoming hazard.
- Enforced:
- Test audiences found a few levels too easy and the villain non-threatening. Having him bring out the Doom Machine on these levels was the best way to address both problems so late in development.
- Select levels super easy to cheese if taken slowly enough, but doing so is super unrewarding. Adding an advancing hazard prevents players from optimizing the fun out of the game.
- Lampshaded: "I call this the Doom Machine, because it advances on you like a Wall of Doom! Mwhahahaha"
- Invoked: Emperor Evulz, owner of the Doom Machine, spots Alice defenseless, but still has to catch up to her.
- Exploited: Evulz doesn't own the Doom Machine, but will certainly take advantage of the distraction to build up reinforcements.
- Defied: Evulz knows he can't create anything too fast for Alice to escape, so instead, he focuses on outstrategizing her.
- Discussed: "The Doom Machine is too powerful to take on with your current training. You should just run."
- Conversed: "I think it's pretty cool when games a foe so powerful you have no choice but to run away. It really adds a sense of urgency."
- Implied: The player must complete the level under a time limit, but the Doom Machine doesn't actually appear onscreen.
- Played For Drama: The chase focuses on Alice and the importance of her making it to her destination safely.
- Played for Horror: The chase focuses on the Doom Machine, and how hopeless Alice is to do anything about it.
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