I was listening to this interview with Chris (Joppa) Perkins
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZjvDAIC2lE
In it, he spoke very clearly about how a game makes you *FEEL* and how that can lead to "fun". Chris gave an example of being literally scared to move in the game "Escape from Tarkov"
That made me want to post about the most immersive (and simultaneously low budget style) game.
If you have never played the 1998 game Thief: The Dark Project, you definitely should. It has very rudimentary graphics and animations (even for its time) but it is, in my opinion, the most immersive game ever made.
It was one (if not *THE* one) progenitor of the stealth game genre, which Assasin's Creed then took to popularity.
But if you want to see how a game can *FEEL* and how it can be fun even if you are too scared to move, and it isnt a puzzle solving game, nor a hack-and-slash game. It is a stealth and strategy FPS style RPG.
Don't try modern variants. Get the old 1998 original and spend 2 hours playing it........
I dunno, I'd have to say my most immersive moment was playing the 1989 NES Friday the 13th game, the moment Freddy Krueger jumped out and slashed me to bits. lol
I feel like immersion has more to do with me, my state of mind, and my ability to believe, and how interested I am in the game/story than the game itself (not to say that the game design plays no part, just not the biggest part).
Ranarius said:I dunno, I'd have to say my most immersive moment was playing the 1989 NES Friday the 13th game, the moment Freddy Krueger jumped out and slashed me to bits. lol
I feel like immersion has more to do with me, my state of mind, and my ability to believe, and how interested I am in the game/story than the game itself (not to say that the game design plays no part, just not the biggest part).
Whilst it true, you can get immersed even in a board game, never mind a more interactive and well-presented computer game, if the players indulge their imagination and 'go with' the game design, there are definitely things games can do.
I guess the answer is how 'easy' does a game make it to 'buy in' to the theme? How much do you need to engage the mechanics to play?
It occurs to me that the second is perhaps more important and the reason 'old' games could be so immersive, even though they were so primitive with graphics and sound.
Because they were difficult, you had to understand and utilise effectively all the abilities and mechanics. You had to 'know' your character and 'know' the world, else you couldn't progress.
I'm hoping this is part of what Pantheon encapsulates.
A 'return' to 'challenging' content will be part of what gives Pantheon greater immersion.