Poll: Immersion , someone care to explain ?

[krazykidd]

Immersion ,i just don't understand what the big deal is. I'm dead serious. People will hate a game if the game breaks immersion , due to loading times ( Oblvion) , bugs (Fall out 3), poor decision making designe ( Mass effect 2? ) and a bunch of other reasons.

so my question is : What is the big deal about immersion?

Honestly , before coming to this site i never even thought about immersion,so i guess i just don't understand what the big deal is. Am i suppose to feel like i'm living in the universe of the game i'm playing ?Am i suppose to forget that i am playing a game and feel that my onscreen character is actually me ? I just don't understand the whole concept and why people hold immersion is such high regard. Anyone care to explain ?

 

[Signa]

Sounds like you're playing the wrong games. Immersion doesn't happen exclusively when you are playing games, but when your mind is brought into the game world to think how the game thinks. When I was playing GTA3 years ago, while driving around in real life, I would see other cars that would make me have the impulse to "use it" so I can get where I was going faster. I also saw cars that were designed similarly to the more aggressive gang cars, and it would give me a brief "oh shit, run!" impulse. There was also the times after playing Oblivion where I could go for a walk and feel like harvesting all the plants around me.

Immersion in-game is just part of thinking how you would act in the situation your character is in if you had his abilities. Thief or Morrowind/Oblivion are great examples of this, because you will find yourself trying to make less noise while sneaking in risky areas, or just being a nice/evil guy to other NPCs because that's what you would do.

Breaking immersion is when you experience something that doesn't fit in those rules. Oblivion had you loading on screens where you'd open a door, but then instead of seeing the door at all, you would see a loading screen. Thief had furniture that was floating off the ground or walls which would look odd. There is always the chance of a bad physics glitch which can send a body flying though the wall. It's like being in The Matrix and having something that just can't happen break your sense of the reality of the world you are in. That's what immersion and breaking it is all about.

 

[Panzervaughn]

Imagine if you were watching an action movie and every 5 minutes the actors stopped, and all the stagehands came out and dicked around. it chops out hte pacing, and you can lose whatever train of thought or emotion you were on.

Duke Nukem Forever, for example, AAH GUNFIGHT GUNFIGHT SHIT SHIT FERAL PIGS DODGE DODGE YES YES NO AAH *dead*
now, 3 minutes its a long time to keep excited, im going to calm down, catch my breath, and go back into that situation cold. If it was 10-30 seconds like other games, I would still be in the same mindset.

its about keeping your head in whatever place, and not tearing you away from the experience.

 

[Dapper Tadpole]

Immersion is when the line between you and the in-game avatar blurs, when their hopes become yours for as long as you play, and when it's finally over you can't wait to do it all over again.

This common for me in an RPG or adventure game (video or tabletop) that allows high levels of customizing, or when you can spend an entire evening making the empty promise of you'll only play for "five more minutes" because you keep encountering locations or peoples and your adventurer's spirit takes president to the fact you have to be up for work in four hours.

 

[dickywebster]

I count immersion as when a game is that enjoyable i just cant stop playing cause of the story or the game play or just the messing around, or just enjoying the gameworld to the point where the real world is something you occationally think about before ignoring again.

 

[Richardplex]

Immersion is when the line between you and the in-game avatar blurs, when their hopes become yours for as long as you play, and when it's finally over you can't wait to do it all over again.

This common for me in an RPG or adventure game (video or tabletop) that allows high levels of customizing, or when you can spend an entire evening making the empty promise of you'll only play for "five more minutes" because you keep encountering locations or peoples and your adventurer's spirit takes president to the fact you have to be up for work in four hours.

Problem with the "five more minutes" thing is that it's difficult to tell if you're immersed, or being compelled...

 

[Woodsey]

Ever tried reading a book or watching a film, with people walking in and out of the room every 2 minutes? Its what we in the biz call, "really fucking annoying", because its taking your mind away from the focus of the film/book.

Its the same with games, only they, by way of being games, are more susceptible to breaking it themselves.

That's all immersion is; where you invest your full attention and feel the greatest connection to what's going on. That doesn't equate to having a brain malfunction and believing you are the character of the game.

 

[Jadak]

Wait, did you really just ask, in your example, why people have a problem with loading times, bugs, and poor decision making? .......

Right... Moving on.

 

[krazykidd]

Wait, did you really just ask, in your example, why people have a problem with loading times, bugs, and poor decision decisions? .......

Right... Moving on.

Nooooo . I asked , why they complaine those things break immersion, although in hindsight that is pretty funny ( hindsight is a ***** ).

 

[BehattedWanderer]

Immersion is laughing alongside the character when they just did something awesome. It's feeling mildly resigned and taking a deep relaxing sigh in Infamous 2 when Cole sits on the couch, and refuses to answer his calls, and cracks open a beer with his friend. It's thinking that taking some time out of your day to go streaking in Saints Row 2 and cause more mischief might be a good way to blow off some steam without worrying about resources, cars, or gang wars. It's caring that characters die, worrying about consequences of larger events, feeling emotions that bring out the character you're controlling. It's anger against the forces that killed your family and/or friends, or it's anger against something that has wronged you personally, if you're imagining or playing a selfish character. It's letting yourself imagine their life, and imagine yourself in that situation, and how you would respond. It's feeling sympathy, empathy, agony, whenever the characters do. It's wanting to continue playing, just to see what happens to the characters.

 

[Bebus]

Immersion is where you will be playing a game/reading a book/other art form, and get genuinely pissed off when somebody interrupts you.

This might be because you are in a twitch mode online multiplayer, but even this is immersive to some extent.

But in other scenarios, it is because you genuinely get into something. Above posters have referenced 'being part of the game' or some such, but I don't think that is really possible. I for one have never experienced it like described, but once, for the Shadow Broker ME2 DLC, I plugged in headphones and fully went for it. When my girlfriend tapped me on the shoulder I feel genuinely ashamed that it was the closest I have come to shouting at her (without reason!!). I was immersed. I knew I was tapping keys and clicking buttons, but the dialogue felt real, the combat dangerous and Liara was as both cute and bloody annoying as I remembered from ME1. Then my girlfriend asked me where the keys were, and it honestly made me really, really angry that I lost the feeling. Kinda scary really.

Immersion is not some mystical body transportation. But I believe it comes from being able to look past the fact that you are doing nothing more than manipulating 1s and 0s, and feeling what you are doing in the same way you would feel as if it were happening 'in real life'. And if I was having a fairly emotional argument with a past lover and suddenly somebody wandered over and asked where I had left the keys, oblivious to the fact that I was in the middle of something 'important', I would be pretty damned pissed off whether it was digital or not!!

 

[Cowabungaa]

Immersion needs a solid definition

Solid definitions would be immediacy and hypermediacy. Look for those terms if you want to get technical about immersion. They basically explain the whole shabang.

For the OP though, this summaries it in layman's terms:

Ever tried reading a book or watching a film, with people walking in and out of the room every 2 minutes? Its what we in the biz call, "really fucking annoying", because its taking your mind away from the focus of the film/book.

Its the same with games, only they, by way of being games, are more susceptible to breaking it themselves.

That's all immersion is; where you invest your full attention and feel the greatest connection to what's going on. That doesn't equate to having a brain malfunction and believing you are the character of the game.

Woodsey, you once again have my thanks. And I'd like to add that getting (and maintaining) that connection to what's going on makes, for many people, the most intense and enjoyable/exciting/etc gaming, or media in general, experience. Me included.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

I don't automatically hate a game that isn't very immersive, but I do love a game that is.

If a game is fun to play, then that's good enough for me. However, immersion is what separates 'good enough' from 'greatness'. If a game has truly immersed me to a point where I couldn't tear myself away from it even if I wanted to, when all other parts of my daily routine are all but forgotten, that's the sort of game I will keep playing and replaying for years to come.

 

[Jadak]

Wait, did you really just ask, in your example, why people have a problem with loading times, bugs, and poor decision decisions? .......

Right... Moving on.

Nooooo . I asked , why they complaine those things break immersion, although in hindsight that is pretty funny ( hindsight is a ***** ).

In any case, I'm with you on the topic. I don't much care about things breaking immersion, know what else breaks immersion? When I get up to go take a piss, or make a run for snacks, or go heat up some pizza pockets. If you can be immersed in the game, great. But I'm not all that bothered by anything getting in the way of that.

 

[weker]

Immersion ,i just don't understand what the big deal is. I'm dead serious. People will hate a game if the game breaks immersion , due to loading times ( Oblvion) , bugs (Fall out 3), poor decision making designe ( Mass effect 2? ) and a bunch of other reasons.

so my question is : What is the big deal about immersion?

Honestly , before coming to this site i never even thought about immersion,so i guess i just don't understand what the big deal is. Am i suppose to feel like i'm living in the universe of the game i'm playing ?Am i suppose to forget that i am playing a game and feel that my onscreen character is actually me ? I just don't understand the whole concept and why people hold immersion is such high regard. Anyone care to explain ?

It's when your brains stops thinking "this is a game", and you start to care and feel emotionally bond to characters, or places.
In fallout case it's the environment, the journey for the most part immerses you with it's solitude and it's harsh weather and atmosphere.

 

[Condiments]

When describing immersion people tend tend to get all whimsical. Like reading some these posts, "ITS LIKE A NEXUS PORTAL OPENS UP AND IM IN A DUDES SHOES KILLING RATS AND LAUGHING AROUND A CRACKLING CAMPFIRE WITH MY RIGID FELLOW NPC COMPANIONS BEFORE WE SET OUT SLAYETH THE DRAGON! AND THEN THE LOADING SCREEN HAPPENED AND I WAS ANGRY BECAUSE MY IMERSHUN WAS BROKEN TO PIECES!" I've almost come to resent its use because of those who wield the word around like a bat against games. Like, I CAN'T PLAY RTS BECUZZZ I WANT TO BE SOLDIER KILLING DUDES WITH MY CHAINSAW GUN.

There is no secret formula to this "immersion", its simply you enjoying the game to the point where your entire focus is on the game. Same thing can happen while reading a book or watching a movie.

 

[manic_depressive13]

Immersion is just when something is captivating. Imagine reading a good book. You're up to a really interesting part. You're not under some delusion that you yourself are the main character or whatever, but if it is well written you will be emotionally invested in the main character.

So, you're being gripped by the suspense of a really interesting plot twist. You're thrilled and concerned and fascinated. The spectacular atmosphere the language is evoking sends shivers down your spine. Then, suddenly you notice a really glaring spelling mistake. Or the same sentence has been typed out twice. You get distracted from all those emotions you were feeling and think "Wow, you'd think one of the editors would have picked up on that."

That is immersion and how disappointing the breaking of immersion can be.

Also, if you've ever been interrupted by someone while reading or playing a game, and you get annoyed at them because something interesting was just happening when they opened they're dumbass mouth and told you to pick up your socks, chances are they broke your immersion.

 

[NickCaligo42]

so my question is : What is the big deal about immersion?

Basically immersion is a catch-all excuse used by designers and fans alike to justify points of laziness, personal preference, or pretentiousness and make minor nitpicks seem more serious than they actually are.

 

[Metaphysic]

Some of you make game immersion sound like a mental disorder.

 

[Something Amyss]

Wait, did you really just ask, in your example, why people have a problem with loading times, bugs, and poor decision making? .......

Right... Moving on.

Hehe.

Nooooo . I asked , why they complaine those things break immersion, although in hindsight that is pretty funny ( hindsight is a ***** ).

Yeah, it's not that hard to see why people would complain about being taken out of the experience. Though immersion is tossed around by a lot of people who don't know what it means, so it's also easy to be confused as to why people would want it.