Atmosphere and Immersion in Video Games

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Oolite

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Posted: 5th Jan 2011 15:20

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As part of a module at university I have to research and discuss the principles behind immersion in video games.
I have already narrowed down a lot of techniques and variables associated with why a person becomes immersed in a game, but i'm require to do a little bit of 'field research' if you will so I've decided to extend this out to you lot here.
My question to you all is what factors play a part in you becoming immersed in a video game?
Is it the characters, the story, the environment or just simple lighting techniques. I need you to be as concise as you can.

Why can a player become just as, if not more immersed in Tetris, as they can in a heavy story based game such as Mass Effect? Just something to think about before you make your decision.

Cheers

OldmanBiles

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charger bandit

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Posted: 5th Jan 2011 15:25

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To me,the most important is gameplay and smooth gameplay. I had tons of fun playing Half Life 1 in CO-OP and it was incredible fun,same with San Andreas Multiplayer.

Stunning graphics are quite amusing at times,for example Crysis was quite good. But Half Life is my overall winner in the story.

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CoffeeGrunt

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Posted: 5th Jan 2011 16:16

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I'd say gameplay. So long as your not thinking about the interfacing, (i.e., pressing buttons), but actually thinking about the actions these inputs cause in the game, you feel immersed)..

So it's not, click, right click, click again, hold D while clicking. You should be thinking, "Fire, Sight in and fire again, strafe to the right while firing."

If anything you should be doing it all without thinking about it. If it becomes part of a sort of subconscious where the player isn't actively thinking out their actions but doing it on instinct, then they're treating the game world as the real.

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Van B

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Posted: 5th Jan 2011 16:16

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For me, a game has to have a hook, something that draws my attention besides the story and action. I need something I can relate to, something that I can almost take ownership of. Half Life 1 and 2 are great examples of an immersive game. With HL it was the mechanical aspects of the game, it felt like a real environment full of working machinery and systems. While some developers would rely on their artists to come up with designs, it seemed that Valve actually researched everything, then filled the blanks with good estimations. Instead of laser guns and smart bombs, we had realistic weapons with moving parts. A little touch, like the ring on a grenade bobbing about while you walk can make a big difference. Grenades would bounce properly, bombs could be placed, buttons shot, cameras worked, working train networks... but most importantly the game was full of real threats - like electrocution in a flooded office, spinning blades, the military. On top of all that, you have a game framework that allows for quite open-ended gameplay - they could take their time and use the environment and their own wits to get through it. All my favorite games are non-linear like that, even when they have a solid plot behind them and mostly funnel gameplay - seems to me to be a good mix of freedom and duty.

I played both games thoroughly so I could see all the detail Valve had added. The good thing however is that most developers have left that realism alone, opting for OTT weapons and situations - it reinforces my faith in how great Half Life 3 will be. Recently, I'd say games that provide that immersion very well are Oblivion and Fallout3/NV, Valve and Bethesda know what their fans like, and they give it to us in spades.

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Darth Kiwi

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Posted: 5th Jan 2011 17:58

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I think that a lot of immersion comes from making the player's experience mirror the avatar's experience.

Like CoffeeGrunt says, that means gameplay should be fluid and be consistent within the game world. If you come across a box you want to jump onto, but the game doesn't let you jump, then you feel less immersed. If you throw a piece of debris to distract a guard and they react naturally, you feel more immersed.

Other things can affect this, though. "Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth" had no HUD: you knew when your health got low because the screen started going grey and dark, but you had no idea how many bullets you had in your clip, so you had to count them. This meant that you, the player, had an experience almost identical to the avatar's experience (since there's no magic way of knowing how many bullets you have left). This is also why I don't like your character automatically reloading your gun when the clip is empty: he should reload when I realise the clip is empty and press the "reload" button, since we're meant to be the same person.

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xplosys

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Posted: 5th Jan 2011 19:03

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I'm reading a lot about game play and controls, but to me those are very different than immersion. While they certainly add or subtract from how enjoyable the game experience may be, and that experience may somewhat detract from the players immersion, they don't really describe or effect immersion into a game.

Dictionary.com gives the following definition.

Quote: "Immersion (virtual reality), the state of consciousness where an immersant's awareness of physical self is diminished or lost by being surrounded in an engrossing total environment."

I would start with familiarity and/or believability. The more familiar and believable the environment is, the more the player is likely to be drawn in. This may be done through a realistic environment, or through a good story in the case of a fantasy environment. The more complete an environment is - the more senses involved and used, the greater the immersion.

To me it's a realistic or believable environment (I can actually see myself here) that challenges and surprises me.

Brian.

... and the band played on.

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Insert Name Here

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Posted: 5th Jan 2011 21:44

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I think it's about suspension of disbelief - like you said in the Tetris vs Mass Effect example. When it comes to tetris, I know that there are falling blocks, which I have to arrange in lines to make them dissapear. That's as complicated as it gets, we're never told anything deeper than that, so my disbelief is suspended, if you see what I mean. In mass effect, the story is much deeper, and the universe much wider, so it has to try harder to keep my disbelief from plummeting - if something seems to be either out of character, or from the wrong period or place, I immediately think 'This isn't real, it's all a game, and that's a mistake' and the immersion shatters. If Tetris decided that the aim of the game was to save the world, I'd be thinking, well that's a stupid premise, why am I having to stack blocks? But because it's never described in that much detail, I have to explain less to myself.

"Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me." That's a bit like saying Hey bullies! So yeah, this words thing isn't working, but I'll tell you what will

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crispex

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Posted: 5th Jan 2011 22:11

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Gameplay. It's all about the gameplay. For example, Crysis. Crysis is eye candy. Sandbox 2 is as fun as it gets. The storyline, much like any game developed by Crytek, is boring and drab, very slow. They focused far too much on making a photo realistic game.

Now, Valve. Valve has been using the Source engine for ages. Sure, the graphics aren't as photo realistic as Crysis, but it makes up for it in gameplay. I feel like I'm in the story, and I feel eerie whenever I am about to go into a dark room. That's what I like, a story that can be like a movie and get me wondering, "What's that flashing behind the door?"

Sadly, because more games are focusing mainly on multiplayer, game originality has died off. A great recent example of a compelling storyline, is actually Call of Duty Black Ops. Sure, the multiplayer elements are the same old ones, but the story is where it appeals to me. I can't remember the last time I played a good story.

What I miss, is the old gaming days, where multiplayer was limited to you and a friend, and even then it was rather arcade-like, but it was fun. The days where a story was the make it or break it point of all games. Now it's been replaced to appeal to people who want better graphics and better multiplayer. Gaming has turned into a contest to see who can make the nicest, most advanced game. Simplicity is still the best at times. For example, the original Medal of Honor. Terrible graphics, basic FPS gameplay, but the design of levels and mechanics is still some of the best I've ever seen in a game.

Oh well.

I just now realized I've had a typo in my signature for the past 3 years.

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heyufool1

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Posted: 5th Jan 2011 22:20

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I really get into a game when it has a very good story and voice acting. That's one of the primary reasons that Oblivion and Fallout 3 are two of my favorite games (Oblivion being my favorite). Along with that is smooth/realistic gameplay. If I'm playing a driving game I don't want it to be so smooth that when I down shift and throw on the brakes, I just glide. In that situation it should jerk and slide quite a bit, even though that's not smooth it's realistic. So realistic movement is big for me. Another important thing is animations. Jerky and poorly done animations kills a game for me, one reason I had trouble enjoying Morrowind.

So yea, good story, voice acting, realistic movement and animations.

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Alucard94

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Posted: 9th Jan 2011 12:12

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I more or less just concur with all what the other people've said, but something I find very important is the sound design of the game. It builds up the ambience and helps to immerse me way more than say, super cool graphics.
Not to say that good graphics don't, quite the opposite, I just think that it needs to coincide and work together with good sound to really make the immersion pop.

Alucard94, lacking proper intelligence.

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Seppuku Arts

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Posted: 9th Jan 2011 14:07

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If you're talking about atmosphere and immersion, I suspect you're talking more on the cinematic side of games we see, like with Gears of War, Mass Effect, Halo, Final Fantasy, Call of Duty and so on. As many Indie games have addictive gameplay as opposed to immersion, so it'd rule out Audiosurf or VVVVV or anything that keeps me hooked by gameplay alone.

Quote: "Is it the characters, the story, the environment or just simple lighting techniques. I need you to be as concise as you can."

A mix of all of them. I wouldn't say it's one thing. I say what's important is a person's emotional response to game as well as appealing to their senses (by that I don't necessarily mean 'wow' their senses with impressive graphics). Environment, lighting, plot, characters etc. they can all do that. The same of literature and film.

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Oolite

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Posted: 9th Jan 2011 15:50

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Thanks a lot guys, this stuff is golden.

A few of you hit the nail on the head that it isn't just one thing that helps sell the experience but a use of many techniques that together help draw a player in. There is however a single discerning factor that draws a player into actually playing in the first place.

Thanks again!

Quote: "If you're talking about atmosphere and immersion, I suspect you're talking more on the cinematic side of games we see, like with Gears of War, Mass Effect, Halo, Final Fantasy, Call of Duty and so on. As many Indie games have addictive gameplay as opposed to immersion, so it'd rule out Audiosurf or VVVVV or anything that keeps me hooked by gameplay alone."

Would you not say being addicted to a certain video game qualifies you as being immersed then?

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xplosys

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Posted: 9th Jan 2011 16:24

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Quote: "Would you not say being addicted to a certain video game qualifies you as being immersed then?"

To me they are two very different things though I'm sure you can be both. I can be addicted to PacMan, but not immersed in it's engrossing, total environment.

Brian.

... and the band played on.

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Fatal Berserker

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Posted: 9th Jan 2011 17:06 Edited at: 9th Jan 2011 17:12

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Its not really an addiction though is it, when people want to stop playing a game they can. Its just alot of people just dont want to stop playing.
However with drugs when you want to stop using, you struggle because you are addicted. I think theres a major difference.
I love eating biscuits, i will not stop eating them because i do not wish to stop eating them. But i am not addicted to them.

And to answer the question, a good strong storyline. Preferably something i can do with a mate.

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RUCCUS

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Posted: 9th Jan 2011 17:16

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I would say lighting first and foremost. Visuals are the first thing the eye picks up on, and a bad lighting setup (look at 99% of the DBP games being made) gives this sense of uneasyness that just doesnt settle right with me.

Second is definitely the control scheme. Using things like S.M.A.R.T (smooth movement across random terrain) in video games (Assassin's Creed, Mirrors Edge, or more recently the new title "Brink" that isnt released yet). All of these games feature intuitive ways to allow the player to move around their world in essentially a straight line with the except that their character might run up or duck under an obstacle. Look at assassin's creed, you can quite literally point your player in a random direction and just start running, and 99.9% of the time you'll never have to do anything to get the character back on track; with S.M.A.R.T and the help of a well designed level this is possible.

Id say those two are the most important. Dont mix up lighting with visuals; I play minecraft all the time, and it's visuals arent anything amazing. However, minecraft has nice soft lighting, and with the ability to make or destroy any terrain in your way, it incorperates it's own version of S.M.A.R.T.

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Seppuku Arts

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Posted: 9th Jan 2011 18:29

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Quote: "Would you not say being addicted to a certain video game qualifies you as being immersed then?"

It sounded like you wanted plot-based titles (where I'd argue the 'immersion' is different to that of addictive 'fun' titles), but it's possible I just misinterpreted what you were asking for.

In which case, it depends on the game. Plot focused games will need to think more about characterisation and plot, but something like VVVVV won't. I mean, I found myself becoming lost in VVVVV for different reasons as to why I loved Mass Effect. The story and characterisation in VVVVV was weak but it's not supposed to be strong, it gives the player something to follow instead. Though, VVVVV still manages to exert an emotional response by posing cruel challenges in front of me, where I die several times before figuring them out. The emotional response is frustration, games that manage to frustrate me with difficult challenges like that make me want to complete them more. Mass Effect on the other hand is an RPG with a cinematic experience, so plot and characterisation are a big part of it.

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RUCCUS

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Posted: 10th Jan 2011 01:39

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Now that I think of it, if I had to narrow it all down to one "rule" for immersion in video games, I would say its the ratio of control the player has over their character to the level of realism of the world the player is in.

For example, Tetris. Tetris was and still is an addicting game, and everything feels very fluid. I would say when it comes to playing Tetris, Im completely immersed. Why? Because I understand that my world is a simple 2D grid, and that the only objective is to lock pieces together as tightly as possible. Because of this, Im not faced with any control challenge as I know the only thing I need to do is turn pieces at 90 degree intervals. So Tetris has it.

Look at Assassin's Creed now. Again, I would say I feel completely immersed when I play any of the creed titles. However look at how different the games are. Assassin's Creed takes place in a super-realistic environment; you could say its essentially attempting to simulate the real world completely. There are far more goals involved, far more places to travel, however the control scheme is still relatively simple to pick up. They managed to do what I said previously; you're able to pick a random direction, and essentially run in a straight line without getting stuck because the player will climb up walls, leap between buildings, swim across water, push through crowds of dense people, etc. So Creed has it too, and again it goes back to the ratio of control to reality of the environment (what Im saying is, no matter how realistic the environment gets, the control should remain simple to the user while allowing them to perform movements equal to the realism of the environment).

Another example... Look at the Halo series. Some would say Halo has the most comfortable "feel" to it (Ive heard it a billion times, "Halo doesnt have an amazing storyline, a unique trait that other FPS' dont, hell even the graphics werent amazing to begin with, but it feels good when you play it"). Why does it work? Well, Halo's environment isn't based on as realistic of a setting as Creed is. You're a super soldier, set in a low gravity environment for most of the game. Because of this it makes sense that you're able to jump relatively high and move fairly fast. Combine this with a kick-ass physics system and a tonne of vehicles to get you to where you need to go, and you'll find the level of control matches the level of realism.

I guess it could be simplified to the game's ability to allow the player to get from Point A to Point B with as little interuption as possible (not to be confused with as little thinking as possible. Thinking about the path you need to take is always fun, however once you've chosen your path you should be able to carry out the movement without any strange obstructions (like invisible walls, physics glitches, not being able to jump over a railing as high as your knee caps, etc.))

Thats my two cents.

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Geek Culture / Atmosphere and Immersion in Video Games