The quest for total immersion

[DrunkOnEstus]

Video games are a unique medium. Generally, we like them for entertainment because they offer a special kind of immersion that can't be emulated otherwise, the exception maybe being "choose your own adventure" books where the graphics are rendered in your mind.

I got to thinking about this when I finally got my hands on a 5.1 surround sound system and hooking it up. True surround has been the undermentioned sidekick to the ultra-graphics that make modern games "next-gen". Finally experiencing it, I realized how much I was depriving myself for years by using built-in television speakers with the volume moderately low. It's not just the "hearing things to the left of you when that's where they are" aspect, but also the simple fact that the low bass and relatively high volume provides stronger aural stimuli.

Amnesia: The Dark Descent starts with a very important set of tips. Don't play to win, put yourself in the character's shoes, turn off the lights, and wear headphones. Simply following these steps does wonders for the game, and equally so for games like Silent Hill. It does the lighting and visual team a disservice to wash it out with a brightly-lit room, and the people who carefully master the placement of sounds and music are put to the sidelines by simple speakers with a low volume. Even a not-so-great pair of headphones at the minimum will help to block out sounds in RL, outside of the game experience.

Even that initial tip can seem so devious: Put yourself in the character's shoes. What do you do to make this happen? Does it just naturally occur for you? Does the game have to be excellent for it to happen? That step is for the most part the reason this hobby is so beloved to us; a chance to be someone else, a character taking on things that are impossible in our world. Is it crazy to deprive ourselves of the full experience, the chance to hear everything the world has to offer and at a volume that ensures that it has our full attention?

tl;dr

What do you do to ensure complete immersion in a game? Does it happen naturally without you having to do anything? Is it important to take some preliminary steps to ensure that you're getting the total experience? Since getting a 5.1 system I almost feel like I need to replay a lot of games, to experience them "fully" with this new audio capability.

 

[shrimpcel]

An important element of immersion for me is the removal of any and all HUD elements when possible! It almost always makes the game more difficult, by a little or a lot, but it still makes me feel more immersed.

Oh and let's not forget, always playing the hardest difficulty available.

 

[ResonanceSD]

Max Graphics On, Surround On. Lights off. Headphones On. PC case lights off. =D


It's about the visuals for me =D

 

[DrunkOnEstus]

I think the Oculus Rift will help a lot with that. Amnesia is one of those games that I hope gets patched to work with it.

Googles what exactly this is...YES! I'm not sure I like the "move your head around to control camera" thing, but they sure used the words "immersion" and "immersive" (can't believe that's not a word) quite a bit. In one purchase you get so many "immersion-boosters", including an unheard of FOV. My eyes are open for that now.

With Skyrim, I put in my headphones to my (rather big) TV, turned off the lights and just played the whole evening to early morning (It came out on a Friday thank goodness) and was absolutely wrapped up in the world!

I don't think I will gt such a level again for a LONG time.

Yeah, that's exactly the kind of thing I meant by "preliminary steps". If one is to spend $60+ on a virtual experience, why not make it as powerful and real for you as you can, especially for very little money (lights off, headphones/earbuds you already have).

I got to thinking about other ways of doing this...what about talking to yourself during play? Making strategies, statements about a beautiful scene, things like that. I get embarrassed even totally alone, so I'd find it real hard to do some out-loud roleplaying during a Skyrim game, but I can see how it would help with this.

 

[DrunkOnEstus]

Max Graphics On, Surround On. Lights off. Headphones On. PC case lights off. =D


It's about the visuals for me =D

I hear ya. A lot of people say "I'm no graphics whore", but I guess I am. If I know there's 16x AF or something I can enable and it's not in the options, I get fussy about it and force it. So I guess it's true. I don't know if you've used it/had it, but have you tried the 120hz 3D options? I use a 1080p HDTV (I know, I know, not even close to a monitor(s) in fidelity and pixel speed) but I would switch to a 120hz monitor if the 3D is actually good and helps make immersion more achievable. I hear mixed results everywhere, but not heard a peep about it here.

 

[ResonanceSD]

Max Graphics On, Surround On. Lights off. Headphones On. PC case lights off. =D


It's about the visuals for me =D

I hear ya. A lot of people say "I'm no graphics whore",

Yeah they're the ones without good graphics cards, usually.


I use an nVIDIA surround setup (3440x1920) on 3 IPS monitors. Some games (Skyrim) are a little bit crazy in terms of how their UIs scale to a large screen, but for the most part, it's amazing.

Slight issue in that my GPUs only have 1.5GB of VRAM (GTX 580) each, so I prefer CPU based MLAA. I plan to upgrade with the Geforce 800 series though, because AA dialed down isn't that much of an issue.


Not a huge fan of 3D, I guess I could do it, but I just spent like, $800 on these monitors a few months ago and they only go to 60Hz XD

 

[Ninjat_126]

Don't be embarrassed, I find it fun to talk it out like your character would, even if it is a fit of rage!

I compliment enemies who score hits, generally engage in conversation, and tell my PC the strategy I'm planning on using so he/she is prepared.

Aside from that, I don't have good enough gear to go max-settings, or headphones.

 

[CrazyJew]

Ummm... I simply get immersed. I somehow can. Even when some part of my set up breaks, like, say, my mouse gets jittery, or half my headset stops working, I still get immersed once I get used to it.

 

[A Satanic Panda]

Aesthetics - An environment that passes as believable, and with lots of details to look at, but doesn't look over done. It constantly gives you something to keep your attention, and you don't stop and think, "Man this game looks really pretty." But, "Man this looks really pretty." And not be to over done with brown and grey coloring, Post-processing effects and so forth.

Spoiler: Gold medal winner for immersive aesthetics: Ace Combat 6

[small]Remember: This came out the same year as Crysis did.[/small]

Gameplay - That keeps you focused on an objective. An objective that can change under circumstances and/or changes every time to start a new game. This goes hand-in-hand with non-liner gameplay. Multiple ways to solve a unique objective that can be skewed by the world around it. And I think most importantly, not making the player character too powerful, influence, lucky, you name it. A PC that is adept to it's surroundings and its objective.

Spoiler: Gold medal winner for immersive gameplay: Civilization IV

Randomly generated maps and a great depth of gameplay features makes this a great example. There so much to change and manage that there is no infallible strategy. You must do something new every time to win. This keeps you thinking on how to win, not when you'll win the game.

 

[Lt._nefarious]

For me it's not about graphics or headphones, it's about flow. Take Hotline Miami for instance, it's such a smooth and flowing game that I get lost in it, I find myself holding my breath before I smash in a door or hammering space particularly hard when I kill a boss. It's never been about FPS or Surround Sound and for me, it never will be. Although video games will only be 100% immersive when I can make love to Milla Jovovich in VR...

On a side note: Should I stop mentioning Milla Jovovich in every other post?

 

[Daaaah Whoosh]

I don't think it's so much about putting yourself into the character's shoes as it is putting the character in your own shoes. When you've played enough video games, you start to get a feel for how things work. You know how to jump your way up a mountain and around a sniper's bullets, and you can spam stimpaks to survive all but the fastest forms of death. But to really get immersed, you have to act like all the cheats and exploitations are as off-limits to you as they would be in real life. If that means walking instead of fast travelling, or sleeping and eating when you don't have to, so be it. Play the game like you're there and while it won't always feel like you're there, you'll be connected to everything that happens in a very real way.

 

[DrunkOnEstus]

For me it's not about graphics or headphones, it's about flow. Take Hotline Miami for instance, it's such a smooth and flowing game that I get lost in it, I find myself holding my breath before I smash in a door or hammering space particularly hard when I kill a boss. It's never been about FPS or Surround Sound and for me, it never will be. Although video games will only be 100% immersive when I can make love to Milla Jovovich in VR...

On a side note: Should I stop mentioning Milla Jovovich in every other post?

Very good point. By definition, I've gotten very immersed in Binding of Issac, even though it makes no effort to emulate reality. I think it depends on the approach, defining it as "being totally involved in the game and its goals, ignoring what's outside the screen" and "setting everything up so that when the game starts, you have almost transcendentally entered a new world that you take in with each step".

Oh, and I'm no mod, but you don't have to do that. If I want to watch the Fifth Element or the Resident Evil movies, I must do it alone or it causes problems with the wife : )

 

[Full]

I can't eat while playing games. Like almost ever. I have no idea why, but seeing food kills immersion for me. The screen setup I have now is a load of junk, so that's a bummer, however my good old Turtle Beach headphones usually get the job done enough for me soundwise.

Except not very comfort wise. It feels like my head just left a sauna or something after I take those off. Also, I think I need a new chair.

 

[Lt._nefarious]

Very good point. By definition, I've gotten very immersed in Binding of Issac, even though it makes no effort to emulate reality. I think it depends on the approach, defining it as "being totally involved in the game and its goals, ignoring what's outside the screen" and "setting everything up so that when the game starts, you have almost transcendentally entered a new world that you take in with each step".

Oh, and I'm no mod, but you don't have to do that. If I want to watch the Fifth Element or the Resident Evil movies, I must do it alone or it causes problems with the wife : )

By saying immersion = graphical/audio power would also be saying that older games become less immersive. If you found a game like, say, F.E.A.R to be extremely immersive when you first played it would you not get the same feeling playing it 3 years later? It seems like that attitude negates re-playability...

(sorry if I spelt immersive wrong, my auto-spell tells me the word doesn't exist)

 

[DrunkOnEstus]

Very good point. By definition, I've gotten very immersed in Binding of Issac, even though it makes no effort to emulate reality. I think it depends on the approach, defining it as "being totally involved in the game and its goals, ignoring what's outside the screen" and "setting everything up so that when the game starts, you have almost transcendentally entered a new world that you take in with each step".

Oh, and I'm no mod, but you don't have to do that. If I want to watch the Fifth Element or the Resident Evil movies, I must do it alone or it causes problems with the wife : )

By saying immersion = graphical/audio power would also be saying that older games become less immersive. If you found a game like, say, F.E.A.R to be extremely immersive when you first played it would you not get the same feeling playing it 3 years later? It seems like that attitude negates re-playability...

(sorry if I spelt immersive wrong, my auto-spell tells me the word doesn't exist)

I see your point, but I'm not sure it's as cut and dry as that. Ignoring the obvious issue of having played the game already and not being so surprised by what unfolds, you wouldn't be a having a new experience 3 years later.

I've found that in the mind's eye, memories of games that you've played often look a lot better and seem more real than actually playing it. I popped in FF 7 the other day, and although I knew it, it was really jarring to see that the hands were boxes and that the faces had only eyes. This was easier to accept back then because 3D graphical RPGs were in their infancy, and it was the best it had ever looked. Maybe after a few hours of getting accustomed to it it's easier to look past it and reclaim some of the forgiveness you had back then, but I don't know if it's as simple as it being the same experience you had before.

If a game is good enough to warrant a replay, it's probably not so you can feel the same feelings and emotions that you did on the first go. It's more than likely to see a different ending, or use a different playstyle, something mechanical for the pure fun of it because the game was good.

Granted, my answer isn't cut and dry either, and the whole concept of "immersion" being applied to video games is rather vague and used for different purposes by different parties. In the OP I suppose I'm getting at the idea that when you drop the cash, you have one chance to have a first impression and have everything feel new. I was wondering what some people did to help make that as impactful and powerful of an experience as possible, as I found the 5.1 surround really enhanced that. It also brings out a lot of nuance and well...immersion that isn't easily obtained through TV speakers, allowing re-plays to bring out aspects unnoticed before.

 

[Something Amyss]

I don't do anything. Tetris had me immersed in the freaking eighties without effort.

 

[DrunkOnEstus]

Yeah they're the ones without good graphics cards, usually.


I use an nVIDIA surround setup (3440x1920) on 3 IPS monitors. Some games (Skyrim) are a little bit crazy in terms of how their UIs scale to a large screen, but for the most part, it's amazing.

Slight issue in that my GPUs only have 1.5GB of VRAM (GTX 580) each, so I prefer CPU based MLAA. I plan to upgrade with the Geforce 800 series though, because AA dialed down isn't that much of an issue.




Not a huge fan of 3D, I guess I could do it, but I just spent like, $800 on these monitors a few months ago and they only go to 60Hz XD

I'd love to have a triple setup. I imagine that having an FOV like that, and having your peripheral vision actually contain gameworld would be much better than 3D. You need to wear glasses for that too, right? I think you made the right choice.

Oh I love post-process AA. So many UE3 games in DX9 don't support AA at all, so it's awesome to just apply it over the render. In most cases, even when you can multisample the performace hit from MLAA is so negligible that you can do other things instead, like your massive resolution : ) Dishonored showed that when used within the engine, MLAA can make UE3 do a lot more than we've seen when used properly. I'm patiently waiting for games other than The Secret World to utilize TXAA, as it's apparently an even better solution (MLAA affecting text, UI, and other elements not usually affected by multisample AA)

 

[Slayer_2]

Red Orchestra 2 gets me really into the game when I wear my Sennheiser headphones. The audio design is well done, even though some of the weapons sound like crap. The soldier's voices really add to the atmosphere or war.

 

[ResonanceSD]

I'd love to have a triple setup. I imagine that having an FOV like that, and having your peripheral vision actually contain gameworld would be much better than 3D. You need to wear glasses for that too, right? I think you made the right choice.

Oh I love post-process AA. So many UE3 games in DX9 don't support AA at all, so it's awesome to just apply it over the render. In most cases, even when you can multisample the performace hit from MLAA is so negligible that you can do other things instead, like your massive resolution : ) Dishonored showed that when used within the engine, MLAA can make UE3 do a lot more than we've seen when used properly. I'm patiently waiting for games other than The Secret World to utilize TXAA, as it's apparently an even better solution (MLAA affecting text, UI, and other elements not usually affected by multisample AA)

Skyrim in Landscape surround looks like this, I haven't got any screenshots in vertical surround yet.

TXAA looks to be awesome due to the fact it has speed/quality for a negligible performance hit.

And it's bolted on to 2GB cards, which makes it even more impressive.

 

[Fijiman]

We will not get total immersion until they figure out how to actually put us into the games and not a minute sooner.