Immersion in Video Games

Immersion in Video Games (Topic #4) 

Being able to completely immerse a player into a game requires several different factors involved in the game design process. The narrative of the game can influence immersion. It can also be influenced by the physical hardware the player uses. Being able to immerse players seamlessly in a video game has been a constant goalpost in the video game industry.

a. Immersed in virtual worlds and minds: Effects of in-game storytelling on immersion, need satisfaction, and affective theory of mind

i. I learned that storytelling within the game can create a more immersive experience for the player. Need satisfaction, the intrinsic sense of accomplishment when aspirations are fulfilled, also becomes positively affected. This ultimately leads to players being able to take on the roles, beliefs, and convictions of others (theory of mind). This strongly indicates a causation between immersion, needs satisfaction, and theory of mind being accomplished.

ii. As a game designer, understanding the impact of your work is very important. By understanding the causal relationships listed above, a game designer can recognize the potential effect his creation might have on an audience. Additionally, a designer could share unique experiences with others who would be able to truly relate, thanks to an unbridled immersion level.

iii. Understanding immersion can help me with my project this month, coordinating a Game Expo. Understanding what types of environments and factors result in higher levels of immersion and entertainment will allow me to facilitate a conducive environment for the expo. I will further research how I can make the expo environment more appealing and immersive to players coming to attend.

b. Video Games, Immersion, and Cognitive Aggression: Does the Controller Matter?

i. This article gave a good amount of information on the impact the seemingly inconsequential factors can have. In this case, something as simple as the controller a player uses can have a positive impact on the player’s sense of immersion and their cognitive (or planned) aggression. In this scenario, players felt more immersed in a boxing game while using a controller that mimicked a boxing glove. Due to the realism, they were also more prone to “aggressive” behavior. In this case, boxing.

ii. Understanding how the hardware used can affect a player’s experience is vital in the gaming field. This industry is constantly evolving and changing, with new consoles and controllers being developed all the time. As a designer, it is important to take into consideration all of the potential factors that might be affected by external aspects of gameplay, such as a controller.

iii. This article does not directly relate to my project this month.

Topic #4 References

Bormann, D. & Greitemeyer, T. (2015). Immersed in Virtual Worlds and Minds: Effects of In-            Game Storytelling on Immersion, Need Satisfaction, and Affective Theory of Mind. Social            Psychological And Personality Science, 6(6), 646-652.                                                                            http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1948550615578177

McGloin, R., Farrar, K., & Krcmar, M. (2013). Video Games, Immersion, and Cognitive                        Aggression: Does the Controller Matter?. Media Psychology, 16(1), 65-87.                                        http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15213269.2012.752428