Post by Koach on Feb 11, 2008 11:14:38 GMT -6
Kotaku had an article today about EA's new survival horror game, Dead Space. The article focused on the fact that EA is considering the possibility of ditching the ability to Pause the game or stop the progress by pulling up the menu system. This will keep everything moving in real time in hopes of a more immersive feeling.
Gaming has stepped things up a bit with the "immersion" factor of the last few years. I remember playing Doom 3 through the first time...granted I chose to play with the lights off on my own accord. Over time though, the seldom jumps and lip, biting moments wore out their welcome, but for a while there, I was immersed enough to get scared.
Playing through Persona3 seems like more of an addiction method than an immersion method. Though I am curious and care for the characters, it inevitably feels like watching an anime, which never really pushes immersion over entertainment. I feel that the FPS/Survival Horror genre has the upper hand in terms of offering immersion over RPG's and RTS games. So much of the game rides on the environment and the world you are thrown into. The latter usually focuses more on character development and gameplay.
I recall the magnitude of difference when playing games like Chrono Trigger or FF7 with the Active Battle System turned on (instead of the traditional turn based). When you bar fills up, you attack...bar then goes down...rinse repeat. Things were a bit more hectic when you had Lavos and his drones on the same sorts of timers. I had to know what attack I was doing before my gauge was filled...memorize the menu system to get to that attack, and then make sure my party had enough HP before unleashing that attack. I couldnt sit there and troll through the menu and fuck around. I didnt have the time. It was kind of fun really. Though not what I would call "immersion", but it was more-so than traditional turn-based combat.
The omission of the Pause option seems like a double edge sword though. On one hand, it makes you actually think a few steps in advance and even second guess pulling up the menu system to check your items. It forces you to confirm you are completely safe before doing the simplest of tasks, something I could imagine being true if in a "Zombies are attacking my house" type of scenario. On the other hand, though, I am still playing a game. And If I get ganked by a demon because I went to take a piss or the pizza man knocks at my door, I would be pretty angry (maybe not the first time, but if it happens more than that...)
Do you guys recall an games in which you felt a sense of immersion? What makes or breaks that feeling for you? What do you think of the concept of not being able to stop game play once you turn on your PS3?
Gaming has stepped things up a bit with the "immersion" factor of the last few years. I remember playing Doom 3 through the first time...granted I chose to play with the lights off on my own accord. Over time though, the seldom jumps and lip, biting moments wore out their welcome, but for a while there, I was immersed enough to get scared.
Playing through Persona3 seems like more of an addiction method than an immersion method. Though I am curious and care for the characters, it inevitably feels like watching an anime, which never really pushes immersion over entertainment. I feel that the FPS/Survival Horror genre has the upper hand in terms of offering immersion over RPG's and RTS games. So much of the game rides on the environment and the world you are thrown into. The latter usually focuses more on character development and gameplay.
I recall the magnitude of difference when playing games like Chrono Trigger or FF7 with the Active Battle System turned on (instead of the traditional turn based). When you bar fills up, you attack...bar then goes down...rinse repeat. Things were a bit more hectic when you had Lavos and his drones on the same sorts of timers. I had to know what attack I was doing before my gauge was filled...memorize the menu system to get to that attack, and then make sure my party had enough HP before unleashing that attack. I couldnt sit there and troll through the menu and fuck around. I didnt have the time. It was kind of fun really. Though not what I would call "immersion", but it was more-so than traditional turn-based combat.
The omission of the Pause option seems like a double edge sword though. On one hand, it makes you actually think a few steps in advance and even second guess pulling up the menu system to check your items. It forces you to confirm you are completely safe before doing the simplest of tasks, something I could imagine being true if in a "Zombies are attacking my house" type of scenario. On the other hand, though, I am still playing a game. And If I get ganked by a demon because I went to take a piss or the pizza man knocks at my door, I would be pretty angry (maybe not the first time, but if it happens more than that...)
Do you guys recall an games in which you felt a sense of immersion? What makes or breaks that feeling for you? What do you think of the concept of not being able to stop game play once you turn on your PS3?
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