The fourth wall; A term for the wall separating the virtual world with the real world. Both real in the form of devices used to interact with the game and imaginary in the form of your own mentality while playing a game. To uphold the fourth wall is to immerse yourself in the game, for a time forgetting all else and becoming your character.
How do you feel about the fourth wall ? Does the level of immersion enhance the gameplay experience for you or do you enjoy a game just fine as a spectator controlling a character ? And for those who do immerse themselves in a game, has the fourth wall made or broken some games that you might otherwise hate/love ? Do you forget there's a controller in your hand as you feel what your character feels, sweat with anticipation as the story unfolds, and wait with bated breath during a dramatic scene as if your own fate was on the line ? Is there a trend to the types of games people play and the level of immersion they are comfortable with ? And if you don't immerse yourself how do you feel about those who do ?
Personally I've always praised or admonished a game on its ability/inability to maintain the fourth wall. Myself being one of the people who immerses themselves in the game to the point where even my own mentality is affected by the events in the game. Sometimes the events in the game even feeling more real than the controller in my hands.
How do you feel about the fourth wall ? Does the level of immersion enhance the gameplay experience for you or do you enjoy a game just fine as a spectator controlling a character ? And for those who do immerse themselves in a game, has the fourth wall made or broken some games that you might otherwise hate/love ? Do you forget there's a controller in your hand as you feel what your character feels, sweat with anticipation as the story unfolds, and wait with bated breath during a dramatic scene as if your own fate was on the line ? Is there a trend to the types of games people play and the level of immersion they are comfortable with ? And if you don't immerse yourself how do you feel about those who do ?
Personally I've always praised or admonished a game on its ability/inability to maintain the fourth wall. Myself being one of the people who immerses themselves in the game to the point where even my own mentality is affected by the events in the game. Sometimes the events in the game even feeling more real than the controller in my hands.
