Biggest immersion killers.
- Thread starter Piotr621
- Start date
It kind of bothers me when the AA isn't turned up and I see objects loading not in the distance, but close to me. *cough* console versions of Oblivion and Fallout 3 *cough*
Funny thing that, because sometimes murdering difficulty can actually be the source of immersion. Games like Shoot the Bullet, which is damn hard for a slow-minded bloke like me, are fun because of their difficulty, oddly enough. Only after 100th retry may I consider giving up for the day. Story-wise your example is quite over-the-top, I agree.Aedwynn said:
First let me get it out of the way and say I suck at platforming. Okay? Okay. Remember that part of Half-Life where you have to jump across some hanging boxes? While that nearly gave me a headache, it didn't break my immersion in the game. It was after making it safely to the other side when I couldn't seem to open the door to the next stage. I guess I didn't "w + e = open the goddamned door" hard enough the first 1,000 times.
Mute player characters. I.e. I like Dead Space and Chrono Cross very much, but it would have been much better if Isaac or Serge said a damn thing from time to time.
And I hate games with a time limit. I want to soak in the atmosphere and move on when I feel like it. It´s not that I have problems with timed events, but I don't like having a certain time to complete the complete game *Evil glare at Dead Rising*
And I hate games with a time limit. I want to soak in the atmosphere and move on when I feel like it. It´s not that I have problems with timed events, but I don't like having a certain time to complete the complete game *Evil glare at Dead Rising*
inconsistant invisible walls if its a "blue crates can die, black are walls" situation, im OK with that, but when one set of stairs is a wall, the other a door... well theres a reason i never finished condemned, played like a god damn point-and-click. i just walking up to EVERYTHING using the right hand rule and pressed A. totally broke the horror.
plot armor. its excusable in a movie. not so much in a game. a teleport spell? sure, ok, thats fine. being a clone of the antagonist, and not the real thing? thats OK (if a bit cheesey) too. but plot armor is totally immersion breaking, take oblivion as an example.
an inconsistant world. "a wizard did it" is only an adequate excuse if wizards can do that.
then there are the genre specific things, like being an unstoppable superhuman deity in a horror game.
plot armor. its excusable in a movie. not so much in a game. a teleport spell? sure, ok, thats fine. being a clone of the antagonist, and not the real thing? thats OK (if a bit cheesey) too. but plot armor is totally immersion breaking, take oblivion as an example.
an inconsistant world. "a wizard did it" is only an adequate excuse if wizards can do that.
then there are the genre specific things, like being an unstoppable superhuman deity in a horror game.
I think we can agree that bad voice acting is a big one(I'm looking at you Street Fighter IV). Another one is when the game decides to remind you that you're playing a game. The only one I can think of is Metal Gear Solid, when you're told how to use the codec.
I've never been able to get immersed in a game, ever. Why? Because no matter what I do, if I want to move forward..
...
I have to push the analog stick.
(Yeah, that was supposed to be a punchline. Sort of. But I hold to that point, I've never been able to forget I'm just pushing buttons on a controller.)
...
I have to push the analog stick.
(Yeah, that was supposed to be a punchline. Sort of. But I hold to that point, I've never been able to forget I'm just pushing buttons on a controller.)
Immersion usually isn't much of a problem for me. I only game on the PC, and the vast majority of my games are RTSs and more traditonal RPGs.
However, there are some things that really kill the immersion for me when I do play FPSs or first person RPGs. One is non-deformable terrain, especially little stuff like barrels or makeshift doors and the like. Walls and armoured doors are one thing, but when I launch a small-yield nuclear missile (or burst of arcane energy) at a door that looks like it was made by a four year old out of wet cardboard, I kinda expect it to be rendered into its component molecules instead of sitting there, undamaged, mocking me.
Also, the inhuman ability of the character to hold up to seven or eight weapons, plus full ammo. Gordon Freeman runs around all the time with a crowbar, two pistols, a shotgun, a sub-machine gun, the gravity gun, a pulse rifle, crossbow, grenades, and a freaking rocket launcher, plus a wealth of ammo for all of them. Surely the most impressive technical feature of the Hazard Suit is its multidimensional "pants pockets of holding."
However, there are some things that really kill the immersion for me when I do play FPSs or first person RPGs. One is non-deformable terrain, especially little stuff like barrels or makeshift doors and the like. Walls and armoured doors are one thing, but when I launch a small-yield nuclear missile (or burst of arcane energy) at a door that looks like it was made by a four year old out of wet cardboard, I kinda expect it to be rendered into its component molecules instead of sitting there, undamaged, mocking me.
Also, the inhuman ability of the character to hold up to seven or eight weapons, plus full ammo. Gordon Freeman runs around all the time with a crowbar, two pistols, a shotgun, a sub-machine gun, the gravity gun, a pulse rifle, crossbow, grenades, and a freaking rocket launcher, plus a wealth of ammo for all of them. Surely the most impressive technical feature of the Hazard Suit is its multidimensional "pants pockets of holding."
Oblivion's combat and uncanny npc's, but especially the combat. I mean I was traveling through the woods, I really got immersed in the game, but then I had to fight something...whereither you wield a big ass battle axe, a longsword or a little dagger, the effect is the same: it's like you're in a pillow fight untill either you or your opponent suddenly dies of a random heart attack. Seeing someone with 15 arrow's in his chest (damned guards won't DIE) run after you like there's nothing going on is just as retarted.
Recent switch off - an rpg with breakable weapons, and not being able to repair them to prevent loss. You can de-construct them to find out what they are made of, but none of the ingredients for the better items that you obtain early on are available till much later in the game.
General rpg switch off - even after moderate grinding time, rendering all past enemies a walk in the park, a trip to the next area of the map in the story results in enemies capable of one-hit kills.
General rpg switch off - even after moderate grinding time, acquiring a decent amount of money, new items cost a bloody fortune, even if you sell the gear you are wearing.
General rpg switch off - even after moderate grinding time, rendering all past enemies a walk in the park, a trip to the next area of the map in the story results in enemies capable of one-hit kills.
General rpg switch off - even after moderate grinding time, acquiring a decent amount of money, new items cost a bloody fortune, even if you sell the gear you are wearing.
Loading screens which have the audacity to actually print LOADING right in the middle of the screen... that and displaying 'game tips' whilst doing so...
People are way too fussy. There hasn't been a single game yet which you could say is fully "immersive". Every game has a a set of rules which can't be broken. All you got to do is be in the mood to abide by those rules, and you shall be entertained.
Outside immersion killer(s)- The part in Mass Effect right befor when you and yours finally get together, it was all sweet (the conversasion for me anyway) untill my brother screams at the top of his lungs "HEY EVERYONE! SHE'S ABOUT TO HAVE SEX!!!!!" My brothers wouldn't shut up about it for the next hour.
In Game immersion killer(s)- In Half Life 2, when you have to find a way to open up a blockade in the level w/ the water boat, I killed every combine in the area, but I hit a wall because I have no idea what to do. I run around for half an hour before I figgure out that I have to shoot some barrels beyond the door I had to open.
In Game immersion killer(s)- In Half Life 2, when you have to find a way to open up a blockade in the level w/ the water boat, I killed every combine in the area, but I hit a wall because I have no idea what to do. I run around for half an hour before I figgure out that I have to shoot some barrels beyond the door I had to open.
Bethesda, hang your head in shame. The amount of times I have had Oblivion and F3 crash on me... it's just not cool.Jamanticus said: