immersion? a questionaire

[slowpoke219]

1.Story is perhaps the most important thing. Great visuals are hard pressed to make up for bad story, but great stories save mediocre looking games. Narrative is essential into drawing me into the game and really justifying not only the time I'm about to spend playing, but more importantly the $60 I just spent on this game. I want to be entertained, not just visually stimulated.

2.An extensive background and universe is not necessary for an enjoyable experience, but when coupled with an already excellent story line, it is icing on the cake. It satisfies that need to know more about this story that has drawn you in. I point to the recent increase and popularity in video game tie-in novels as an example. When you get involved in a story you like, you want more, no matter where it comes from really.


3.My best example for this would have to be Half-life 2 and it's two expansions, Episode 1 & 2. The Alyx character is perhaps the biggest reason for this. Though she is only a video game character, and many of her actions are scripted at that, the characters' personality and facial expressions especially, made me feel(emphasis on feel) like she was a real person, who just happened to be interacting with me on my screen. She was able to illicit real emotional responses from me, which I have to admit I found very surprising and pleasant.

 

[Loki B]

1. Yes if think the story is vital to the game play as it makes you care about the characters in the game and the situations you encounter. The narrative and the story go hand in hand as a good story can be greatly hampered by a bad narrative.

2. The deeper and more detailed the lore is, the more submerge you get in the game.

3. The ending sequence of "Mass Effect" a very epic battle and it's aftermath. A different example is the superb car chase in "The Bourne Conspiracy" which feels like
the car chase in the first movie. Towards the end of Silent Hill 2 when you find out what really happened to the protagonist's wife and what the protagonist's journey through the game was all about.

 

[aww yea]

1. the story is a big part of games for me, a storyless game would work but i probably wouldnt enjoy it as much

2. a world that has some level of freedom helps, but when its like oblivion or fallout i just don't like it. It should work but it just doesn't have enough focus. i need a strong storyline with it. The beginning of KH2 is a good example when you play as roxas making money, definatley in my top ten parts of any game

3.that and final fantasy games, they can get you very involved with what your doing even when its completely removed from the story.

 

[zauxz]

1. Yes, i find the story to be the most important part of the game. (gameplay second)

2. Yes, especially if it is a non linear story.

3. Yes. The witcher was incredibly immersive. I played the entire game feeling like i am the main character.

 

[Skeleon]

1.) Depends on the game. Serious Sam for example is great fun without a good story. An RPG, however, requires a well developed background.

2.) Yes, generally games I spend much time with need to have good atmosphere. Multiplayer games excluded, they are more about fun with buddies.

3.) System Shock 2, for example, was very immersive. Constant fear of monsters you could hear but not see, powerful ambient soundtrack, good use of light and shadow and awesome voice actors. Particularily effective episodes were Level 1, Cargo Bays, as well as Level 3, Hydroponics.

 

[MusicalFreedom]

1. do you consider a story for a game vital; and does a good narrative in a game add to your experience?

Even the simplist games, possibly aside from pong, have a story. Even in a game such as space invaders there is a story, as bare or minimal as it may seem. So in that sense, a story is almost always absolutely vital just to place you into the situation, except for games like pong where it's pretty much self-explanatory.
Good narrative does add to the experience, but only if it doesn't take any of the spotlight. When a game draws too much attention to the narrative, it becomes weaker, coming across as being derivative of films and movies rather than standing on its own two feet.

2. does a storyline and universe make you feel more as a part of the game; do you feel sucked into the game more because of it?

I can't be sucked into any storyline because I find it impossible to identify with any character that any game presents me with.
The universe of the game can be immersive, but only if it is well-designed and optimised around a variety of tasks to do. I find that Morrowind does this very well.

3. can you describe an episode in any game (recent or dated), where you genuinely felt immersed/sucked into the experience of the game?

I was playing Morrowind, looking around the landscape for a cave with valuables to loot (raw ebony, in particular). The lack of action at that time had a very immersive feel, almost relaxing. For that moment, the nagging thought of "it's a game" had been pushed right to the back of my head.

 

[necromanzer52]

In order for me to have fun in a game it has to have a halfway decent storyline.
Which is why I don't like sports games.

 

[tk1989]

1. do you consider a story for a game vital; and does a good narrative in a game add to your experience?

Much like in a movie the story isn't vital. People go and see films everyday with poor story lines and are completely happy with it, and that is a medium in which the story is much more important to its success than in a video game. No, story lines are not key to games in general as it depends on the game. A game like Peggle does not need a story line, but a game like Oblivion does. There is a clear distinction between these games, and it is quite easy and clear to see that one ultimately requires some form of plot to keep the gamer intrigued whilst the other needs no such thing. Now you ask whether a good narrative in a game adds to my experience? Well, once again, it depends on the game. I may be playing a game like Doom 3 in which the story is not so important to me in which case no, i do not think a good narrative adds to the experience; the aim of said game is plain and simple and it does not require a narrative to keep the player happy. On the other hand, in a game such as Fable or Oblivion the respective player may be playing either one primarily for the narrative and story, in which case yes a good narrative does add to the experience.

2. does a storyline and universe make you feel more as a part of the game; do you feel sucked into the game more because of it?

A story line and proper universe does increase the level of immersion in a game to a certain extent. Lets remember that in gaming as a medium most people are not going in to play games for the story but primarily for the experience laid out by the game. Still, in many games a good story line will suck the player in; games which, in my opinion, have better written and plausible stories which are well rounded and intriguing will always draw a player in and will in many cases cover up many faults in a game. Take Final Fantasy X for example; many people did not like this inception in the Final Fantasy series but it made up for it to many because it immersed the player through its story line. The same goes for Assassins Creed, in which case i have heard many people say that it would have been a terrible game had it not been able to keep the player intrigued and immersed through its story line.

3. can you describe an episode in any game (recent or dated), where you genuinely felt immersed/sucked into the experience of the game?

I was playing Eternal Darkness in which your character can effectively goes insane as the game continues. As the characters insanity level increases numerous scary things happen as you play the game, which can in effect trick the player. I was playing the game once and the television turned off; at the time i was extremely confused and actually went up to the TV and checked to see if it was ok. Suddenly the game started up again and i realised that i have been fooled by the game which had made me think that the tv had turned off by turning the screen blank in a realistic manner.

I am also constantly immersed in the game World of Warcraft. The idea that it is a proper "World" is there as you fly above the country, see hundreds of people playing at a time, and fight alongside your fellow man to take down the final boss as part of (on many occasions) incredibly immersive and intriguing storyline.

 

[sokka14]

1. depending on the genre, no. for single player immersive games, a good storyline is a massive plus, but not essential. i know i've played through games with fairly dubious storylines.

2. yes, as long as the storyline is good, the universe is fairly large and the scenery is colourful and diverse.

3. top of my list is dark chronicle (dark cloud 2 in the U.S), that really sucked me in for the full 70 hours i played on it. beautiful, colourful, diverse, epic and wonderfully creative, the game had it all.

 

[Rickyvantof]

1 It really depends on what kind of game it is, for some genres like Japanese RPG's and adventures, it's a MUST to have a decent story, but other games, like racers, most shooters and fighters it really doesn't matter wether or not the sory's good.

2 It usually does if the story is plausible and understandable (I've played tons of games where the story just made me go "wait....what?"). And again it really depends on the main character; if you play a game with (a) main character(s) that's really a character and not just a type or some dummy you walk around with.

3 I remember being totally sucked into the experience in Tales of Symphonia on the Gamecube.

 

[NewClassic_v1legacy]

1. Do you consider a story for a game vital; and does a good narrative in a game add to your experience?

A good narrative adds to the experience, but not pivotal. Largely depends on the genre. A game like Bejeweled doesn't need a story because the gameplay stands on its own merit. Halo multiplayer, TeeWorlds, Project Torque, Gran Turismo... None of these have "set in stone" story modes, yet they're all great games worthy of the praise they're given.

So a good story does add to the experience, but isn't vital to make the game.

2. Does a storyline and universe make you feel more as a part of the game; do you feel sucked into the game more because of it?

Depends on the atmosphere. Patapon is a 2D side-scrolling world that deals almost exclusively in mono-chromes with no discernible physics or anatomy of the inhabitants, but it is still an immersive game because of its rhythmic melodies, not the story or universe.

Atmosphere can contribute to immersion, but again, isn't needed.

3. Can you describe an episode in any game (recent or dated), where you genuinely felt immersed/sucked into the experience of the game?

An overwhelming majority of Fallout 3 has that feeling. Especially where the radio signal, open world, and other such factors fall into play. If it weren't for the bright-red HUD, it would've been an astoundingly immersive game, but had a few hiccups.

 

[dukethepcdr]

i am currently writing a paper on the relation between immersion and the narrative (storytelling) in a game. for this, i enlist the help of the escapist to gather data. so please, escapists, would you kindly help me out?

i ask you these questions three:

1. do you consider a story for a game vital; and does a good narrative in a game add to your experience?

2. does a storyline and universe make you feel more as a part of the game; do you feel sucked into the game more because of it?

3. can you describe an episode in any game (recent or dated), where you genuinely felt immersed/sucked into the experience of the game?

since you may be quoted in an academic paper, i request only that your grammar is fine (capitalization does not matter).

thanks in advance.

1. It totally depends on the genre of the game. When it comes to games like RPGs, RTSs &TBSs (turn based strategy), then the story is certainly vital. Without a good story, I find that I can't get into a role playing or strategy game. RPGs need to have a good narrative to keep me interested in them. Of all the game genres, they are the closest thing to an interactive story. If the story is boring, too highly derivative or just plain too stupid without at least being funny about it, I lose interest quickly and trade the game in. Other genres, especially platformers and simulators, don't need a story at all to be fun as long as the controls work well and there is something unique about the game.

2. Sure. A good example is the difference between Deus Ex and Serious Sam. Deus Ex has a compelling story that you really want to see the twists and turns and finally, the ending of. You kind of become JC, especially when you get into the parts of the game where you get to make decisions of what to say, who to trust etc. Meanwhile, Serious Sam has such a thin and pointless story, that it feels much more like a coin-op arcade game where you are more interested in how high of a score you can get than you are in what happens to any character in the game. Both are great games in their own way, but the first has a story that sucks you in while the second is an exercise in racking up points.

3. I kind of did in question 2, but another example is how you really get wrapped up in being the "vault dweller" in Fallout 3. That game is so immersive from start to finish, that you can play it for hours and it feels like minutes. The immersion is strongest when you are talking to NPCs and finding things out or buying things from them. I really cared about what happened to the son of the sheriff of Megaton after that guy who tries to get you to blow the town up kills the sheriff. It bothered me so much, I went back to a previous save and made the decision to beef up my own science skills so I could disarm the bomb instead. Now that's immersion.

 

[SimuLord]

i am currently writing a paper on the relation between immersion and the narrative (storytelling) in a game. for this, i enlist the help of the escapist to gather data. so please, escapists, would you kindly help me out?

i ask you these questions three:

1. do you consider a story for a game vital; and does a good narrative in a game add to your experience?

2. does a storyline and universe make you feel more as a part of the game; do you feel sucked into the game more because of it?

3. can you describe an episode in any game (recent or dated), where you genuinely felt immersed/sucked into the experience of the game?

since you may be quoted in an academic paper, i request only that your grammar is fine (capitalization does not matter).

thanks in advance.

1. Quite the opposite, I consider a story to be a distraction and an artificial imposition of the developer's ideas onto something I'd rather fill in with my own imagination. I want to write my character's story in my head as I play, to have his motives and backstory left open to my interpretation. A good sandbox game (Morrowind, Oblivion, Mount&Blade, Grand Theft Auto 3) does this brilliantly to the point where if I so desire, I can roleplay the character any way I choose (although in GTA's case, it does kind of force the player into "sociopath" if any fun is to be had.)

2. Storyline, no. As mentioned above, the minute I become the developer's pawn, then (to quote Commander Riker from Star Trek: TNG) "Pinocchio is dead, his strings have been cut."

Universe, however, is a different matter. In order for me to create a motivation for my character, it has to be in the context of a well-designed world with enough going on that I feel like my character can affect things. I may not want my story written for me, but if the tools aren't there for me to write my own story the game is too flat to me. Eventually I have to decide for myself who the good guys and bad guys are (and if the same people can be good in one playthrough and bad in the next depending on whether I've decided my character should be "good" or "evil", that's even better.) Mount&Blade is my best possible example for this, since I can be a simple trader (in which case all warmongers are harmful to my cause) or a loyal vassal to a king (whose friends are my friends and foes are my foes.)

3)I recently decided to role-play myself (as in I looked up my birthsign in Elder Scrolls lore and everything) in a game of Morrowind. The game's character creation tools are more than robust enough that I was able to make a pretty passable "me" character (not as good as, say, the "me" my wife made in her game of The Sims 2, but since I play in first-person it mattered a lot less). Considering what weapons (short blades) I'd use, what armor style (unarmored) I'd favor, and what class (magic-user/speech-merchant hybrid) I'd be, it was interesting to say the least to see just how the character turned out (much weaker than powergaming, that's for sure!) The overarching lesson seemed to be that if I lived on Vvardenfell I'd have to be quite careful if I didn't want to die early and often.

 

[veloper]

Well alright then.

1. do you consider a story for a game vital; and does a good narrative in a game add to your experience?
No, I don't think a story is vital at all. I have enjoyed an occasional game of Tetris for example.
However, BAD stories do add to my gaming experience in a good way, just as long as the dialogues aren't too embarrassingly awful.
I don't expect good plots in games. Even stories that are above average for a game cannot compare to a decent book. I will still be entertained by mediocre dialogues and cliched plots if the gameplay is good. I greatly appreciate good writing, but for computer games I can lower my standards.

2. does a storyline and universe make you feel more as a part of the game; do you feel sucked into the game more because of it?

Yes, a story helps me feel as a part of the game, because it usually provides a motivation for the player character to do the things the character is supposed to do to win the game.

3. can you describe an episode in any game (recent or dated), where you genuinely felt immersed/sucked into the experience of the game?

I sometimes realize that I got sucked into a game, when I choose not to play a game the optimal way, but instead make choices in the game that would have been less immoral in real life.
Recent example: in the game Overlord there is no penalty that I'm aware of, for not looting the houses, carts and barrels that appear to belong to the peasant NPCs, but I will usually leave these things alone.
Looting results in game items that strengthen your game. Not looting doesn't trigger any game effect.
I always make the effort to have everything else smashed up and looted, just not the things near the peasants.

 

[Beetlejooce]

1. The story for a game depends on the game. Bioshock for example, was made by the story. It was incredible, and you are more likely to not want to put down the controller and carry on. With games like Halo 3, although there is a story, it's just not as gripping. So I would be less inclined to finish it, because I'm not really bothered if I don't find out how it ends. However I would play the multiplayer because i like the gameplay itself. But I like the games where you are given a rough story, and allowed to make your own path in it. Like Morrowind.

2. A storyline, as previously stated in the first answer, is what will make me want to play that game over a different game. But gameplay first, It's like reading a great book with terrible grammar, you really can't.

3. Three games stick out for me in this answer. The Knights of the Old Republic 1 & 2 and Bioshock. They all made me want to continue playing. KOTOR I couldn't put down, and was sucked in everywhere, same for number 2. Bioshock, I was around the area where the plot started to unfold and you realize that Atlas is actually Frank Fontaine and has a mind control power over you when It came to my attention that I wouldn't be able to put the game down until I'd completed it.

But I wouldn't play a game with an amazing story if it ruined the gameplay. I like to have a good story in there, but as a gamer, the game comes first.

Edit - Some grammar and also I contradicted myself by accident.

 

[fedpayne]

1. do you consider a story for a game vital; and does a good narrative in a game add to your experience?
No, no it isn't vital. I guess it depends on the game. Left 4 Dead didn't need a strong narrative; I don't feel that other games need them always either. An RPG definitely needs an immersive atmosphere - you're being asked to commit to characters and if you don't care about them why should you? Also, if a game asks you to care about its characters but fails to provide convincing ones, then it can impact negatively on the experience. Nobody likes to watch what someone feels is epic drama if all it is pretension.

2. does a storyline and universe make you feel more as a part of the game; do you feel sucked into the game more because of it?
Again, this depends on a game. One thing that was amazing in Assassin's Creed was the game world - it really felt like a living, breathing world. This was helped by it being drop dead gorgeous. Overall it made the world more rewarding to explore. Ditto Oblivion and Fallout. The world was convincing and I wanted to explore it and see more of it - I'm also going to fight for a world I care about.

3. can you describe an episode in any game (recent or dated), where you genuinely felt immersed/sucked into the experience of the game?
I care a great deal about the characters in the Jedi Knight games - Kyle Katarn particularly. He's flawed, rugged, beardly. To quote Tracy Jordan "He acts like he doesn't care, but he does!" Although he was talking about Han Solo, you get the idea. Alot of this is down to top quality voice acting, though.

 

[high_castle]

1) Yes, I really do. The games I tend to favor have intricate plots and three-dimensional characters. Then again, I'm one of those crazy people who used to love adventure game and the old Bioware RPGs (Baldur's Gate going down as one of my favorite games). These games thrive on story. The plot and characters are what drive me to finish a game more than killing-all-monsters in sight. I want to know WHY I'm killing the monsters, what's at stake if I don't, etc. Otherwise, it's just a bunch of pointless button-clicking. I forgive minor flaws in gameplay if the story is decent enough. For example, I've recently become addicted to Mass Effect despite some combat glitches and the tedious vehicle sections. I put up with everything because the story is that good, reminiscent of a pulp space opera from the 80s. It's suitably epic, the characters are vivid and unique, and I have serious difficulties shutting my console off when I'm playing. That's the mark of a good game to me.

2) Absolutely. A storyline its characters are vital to immersion. I'm very much a geek, an English-major geek at that. I try to justify gaming to myself by gravitating towards those with an engaging plot or interesting characters. I'm also one of those Games-Are-Art nerds, which explains quite a few of my views. I think, down the road a good twenty years or so, the games that will be remembered are those with interesting stories to tell. After all, video games are another fiction medium. It's interactive, sure, but I play for the total experience, and story rates high up on my list.

3) As I stated earlier, I'm a huge Bioware fan. I would literally play the Baldur's Gate series for 10 hours at a time during my first run through. And I'm extremely impressed by Mass Effect:

Spoiler: Mass Effect Spoilers

I had to switch my console off shortly after choosing to kill off Ashley in my first run of the game. I'd played primarily with Kaidan and Ashley in my party, and being forced to let one of them die was rough. Just as it's possible to feel shocked and upset at the death of literary characters, I needed to take a breath before trudging on with the story. But it was done with good effect. The game ratcheted up the tension because it makes you care about its characters. They all have histories and personalities, so losing one makes the climactic battle that much more intense.

In conclusion, while I don't think a game should be unplayable for the sake of its story, I do think a good plot and characters can make up for some gameplay issues. I will always choose a game with a good story over one with better controls.