The Problem of Immersion

[Duckfat]

There used to be a time when all a bunch of people needed was some pen and paper. They'd sit around a table and create an entire world in their heads. There were no limits to what your imagination could create and it was a lot of fun. A lot of computer games still included a great deal of imaginative immersion as well in the early days of the industry. Text-based games being prime examples of course, but players often did bring their imagination into graphical games as well. I'm not sure when this started being less and less the case, but it probably began in the early 2000s and then accelerated. Mainly due to improved graphics. We're primarily visual animals, so the more we can see in front of us the less we rely on our own minds to imagine for us.

So it seems to me that at some point in time, the responsibility of immersion began to shift away from the player and onto the developer. Which I think is both unrealistic and unfair. The player is always responsible for what happens inside of his/her head and how the immersive connection to the gameworld is made. The game itself is merely providing the tools and the setting. Most tabletop gamers probably didn't go as far as blaming the manufacturer if they failed to have fun, and yet this is exactly what a lot of us do when it comes to virtual settings.

This attitude can rob the player of a lot of immersive fun. Even in a triple A title, there's still room for injecting your own imagination. I'm not talking about full on role play, but making up your own narrative, or using the power of imagination to patch over any potential flaws, bugs or shortcomings as a great way to not only stop the game's natural immersion from breaking, but to enhance it.

This is just an example, and don't flame me for it, I don't do it anymore lol. When I first started trading in ED I was running without shields and was deathly afraid of interdictions. So for a while I was using the old panic and logout/log back in trick. But that's not what was happening in my head. My ship had a Phase Shift Drive that would temporarily hide me in another dimension and spit me back out again when the pirate was gone.

Now I'm not saying you should completely ignore any flaws and bugs, or ways games could be improved and never speak your mind. But don't leave your own imagination at the door when you enter a game world either, because as I mentioned, you're the one who's primarily responsible for their own immersion.

Just my two credits on the subject.

 

[cpbtrading]

Its an interesting subject.
I have played the Arma series for around 14-15 yrs I guess. But have never played any of their campaigns. I/we as a group use the 'editor' and carried on our wargaming play solely using that.
That is, turning the Armaverse into our own conflict world, using quite a number of the islands.

When A2 came along everything got better, there was much more content being produced by mod makers both in the official community and within private groups.
We built immersion into the play. Didn't really have any problems doing that coming over from wargaming on 'board', board/pc & finally all on pc (A2). Its part of the conflict world we have, some of what we do is 'paper based' still (well word processor, lets say). The factions created for the world exist, they grow or deminish or indeed can disappear altogether. A points type system is used and we keep meticulous score based records concerning assets within the game/conflict world, that each faction has earned/won/lost.

Our group play against AI usually, taking part within any faction that is included for the round/session of play. The advent of great AI mod systems has made this even more possible. Firstly with the GL AI mod (mainly GL3 then through GL4) plus a mix of other AI mods that were tested for compatability with one another.
However, over the last couple of years we have been using KAI exclusively for the AI. Its a total AI conversion for Arma 2, used by some wargaming groups. This gives us almost autonomous AI, a very complicated mod, but very satisfying at the same time.

Playing mostly all against AI now is totally immersive, from a small squad taking part in covert operations, to full scale assaults on territory, nothing is too small or too big to play (depends on pc, of course). Every island/terrain is fully militarised by the AI mod, with input from the group.
Immersion is the one thing we craved and created. Took time but we are pretty much there, if not totally there. We don't play with a command structure within the group ie 'ranks' etc. But it is all about tactical play where everyone has an input prior and will have a turn as 'session leader'. So play is amongst friends and tactics are the main aim to keep whichever faction we're playing as, in a high scoring position. Therefore keeping that faction operating within the world itself.

Not easy to explain, but its a great way to play and very immersive. Building your own conflict world within a 'sandbox game' has been, for us, a really satisfying experience. Although most of us have been wargaming for decades one way or another. But the only way we have achieved this really is because of the Arma series, primarily Arma 2 plus a great AI mod.

 

[Riedquat]

I was an AD&D'er back in the 80's/90's, couldnt get enough of it!

Immersion for me is the most important factor in my gaming preferences, I get the most satisfaction from gameworlds that feel alive, worlds where things are happening around you that you can interact with become part of.

That allows my imagination to go and create.

This can work across many different genres, I have found myself fully immersed in games such as 'Geoff Crammonds Formula 1 grand prix, Football manager, Falcon4/Taw, silent hunter, Arma, combat mission, X3, Rimworld, I could go on.

If the game stifles my imagination and doesnt allow it room to breathe then I dont find myself immersed at all, I would put that down to game design.

This is what I found with ED when I was playing*, I didnt feel the world was alive in the slightest, it felt more like a theme park style game where things are placed for you to go to take part in, whilst visually and audibly stunning and fun for a while, I just didnt feel immersed in it.

The original Elite and its sequels I found incredibly immersive, playing those games was like being engrossed in an amazing book that you couldnt put down, I felt like everything had a reason to be and that my ship and my crew were just a tiny tiny part of it.


*I havent played since trying out Horizons when it released.

 

[goemon]

"The player is always responsible for what happens inside of his/her head and how the immersive connection to the gameworld is made."

well, coming from literature to gaming (with p&p in may youth), i beg to differ. an author calling his readers not having enough imagination/phantasy/education/patience to immerse in his books is a bad author, if he wants people to immerse in his literature (some authors have different targets).

"The game itself is merely providing the tools and the setting."

yes, but it can provide tools and settings in one way or the other.

 

[StiTch]

You have a very different concept of immersion to many gamers.

I think you're linking more into anti-realism, gameplay and roleplay. Do you have to follow a perfectly constructed universe that tells you what to do in order to enjoy yourself? No.

But I do want to get lost in the game, however I am thinking about it. Jumping between systems with a good set of graphics? Awesome. Jumping between systems with a message in my face telling me to "press (joy2) to cancel FSD"? Much less awesome. Don't remind me I am in a game on purpose.