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An essay on immersion in massively multiplayer gaming.
leshtricity
Member, Newbie CommonPosts: 231
Out of the many factors that contribute to the relative success and failure of massively multiplayer online games, few are, in my opinion, more critical than the level of immersion achieved. When did you play your first MMO? 1999? 2000? Later? Whenever that happened to be, I feel relatively safe saying that was probably your most 'magical' and immersive MMO, if not video game totally. Why is this? And why have developers failed time and again in recapturing that feeling?
Are graphics part of that? Most certainly. As the standard for graphics and aesthetics in the interactive entertainment industry reach previously unforeseen levels, so too do the expectations of consumers increase. But any graphical leaps are nullified if they are not applied to the game in a manner which produces immersion. While some of the ideas and examples I present here may seem out-of-reach or too far-fetched, I ask that you consider the rapid pace at which games are evolving. In two decades, graphics technology went from simple vector-based constructs to near photorealism.
For example, one of the most disappointing examples of failed immersion comes from loading screens, particularly in scenarios of travel. When I owned my first spaceship in Star Wars Galaxies, I fully expected (perhaps unrealistically) to have to pilot my ship through the atmosphere into space. Instead, I clicked a button and appeared there after a loading screen. Even though I expected that, I would've still been completely blown away by that level of immersion.
Alternatively, allow me to give you an example of great immersion. The most recent example is also one of the most impressive. While Vanguard might be considered a 'flop', it did a few select things right. I contend that there is not a single MMO on the market today that can compete with Vanguard's environments. Few would argue that the game doesn't have impressive graphics, especially in regard to the landscapes. The first time I walked down a road on a mountain, looked over the side and saw the entire landscape for miles, I was floored. The architecture of cities in general was also very impressive.
Another important factor for immersion is audio. Often overlooked, in my opinion, I believe strong production values in auditory development is crucial. While I don't think that background music, or a soundtrack, is required, it can add a lot to a game. What's more important are the sound effects. The violent clashing of swords, the mystical buzzing of a cast spell, the foreboding 'click' of an empty ammunition clip, or the thunderous engines of a starship. Also oft overlooked are ambient sounds. You would be surprised how much you miss in day to day living. Another issue many players, myself included, have with auditory values of MMO's is the level of repetitiveness. This is a reason I don't feel confident an MMO should have a soundtrack, unless variation can be guaranteed. Variation should, optimally, also be present in the sound effects. When you fire a gun or swing a weapon, it doesn't always sound the same. I believe and hope that in the coming years developers will step-up production values of sound.
The last point is something that has been the subject of much debate between non-casual gamers. The rules system. I don't have a point-of-view on this particular subject simply because I have seen the benefit of a variety of rules systems. The main contest is found in realism versus convenience. For example, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with World of Warcraft, which we can safely assume caters to the convenience aspect; but I also had a great experience with EVE Online, which I contend is the most realistic MMO available (relative realism; considering the setting). Neither of those games, though, offer strong immersion. Blizzard's art-style, while attractive, doesn't lend itself well to immersion; while CCP has a realistic and architecturally impressive style, immersion is killed by limiting a player to the confines of a ship.
In closing, I believe that the future of MMO's and gaming in general is bright, but that we must sometimes voice our ideas constructively to spur the industry in the right direction. This, I hope, has been one such constructive observation.
the official MMORPG.com deadhead
Comments
I would just point out that what gives players a sense of immersion is different for different Players. For example, I don't mind loading screens in the least and they don't break my immersion.
I played the Vanguard beta. I thought the game design was terrible, and just threw the grind right in your face. So, instead of grinding, I walked across the whole landscape at about level 7. That was a challenge, to avoid MObs at that level, and still walk from one side of the world to the other. I didn't find the landscape particularly immersive, but it was nice to look at.
I get a sense of immersion when I"m playing with a group, and we are deep into a dungeon that is very challenging and requires a lot of team work to go any deeper.
OMFG I wrote all that and no one wants to discuss? Sigh.
the official MMORPG.com deadhead
So you want smooth transitions, large worlds, and good ambiance. Who doesn't? What's the discussion?
http://mmo-hell.blogspot.com/
http://www.mmorpg.com/blogs/rejad
A key factor for me for immersion is danger and consequence of death.
All these games now if u dont play stupid u can go from lvl 1 to cap without dying. But if u do die .. so what/?
Does anyone know how to make a mmoRPG anymore?
http://www.virtualworld.com/
i wont be satisfied until i actually crap my pants a few times from REALLY fearing for my life. not the life of an avatar that will respawn some 120 yards away. i would like to worry about things like compacting vertebrae if i jump from a tall cliff, and at the same time i would like to think that i could actually roll to avoid missiles instead of having a lag spike terminate me prematurely.
sound is..well it IS important, bgm is useless imho though, why when wandering through the woods would i hear music? is there a deranged band of minstrels following me around hiding behind trees? sure birds, frogs, maybe the wind...but definately not music.
ALOT of people out there will actually answer a phone when they play too..i find that not only insulting but REALLY annoying. by doing it THEY break YOUR immersion, and that is just not cool...do people not have freaking answering services? can your mommy not pick up her own phone? do they really think it will be the president calling in for an important top secret mission? totally destroys it..and for what? 70% of the time they claim it is telemarketers!
personally i dont think the average gamer out there (i call them part timers) is ready for very much immersion and i think that is why we dont have it. it is also probably a big part of the reason people play games offline, so they can save, pause, reload etc. if they need to. i also bet most "part timers" are not ready to spend 1k on a GOOD hud...300$ for 1 for their stupid ipod's maybe, but not a real 1. christ most of them dont even spring for more than 2 gigs of ram, i mean cmon...
$0.02
I like what you're getting at actually. The thing is unfortunately I think a lot of people are just not all that bothered about immersion. Give them levels, phat loot farming, grinding, mobs, uber gear, bosses, raids, PvP and all the other terms that come with an mmo and thats all a lot of people see.
I absolutely love to feel really involved in the game world when I play. Possibly one of my best games for immersion is Oblivion. Like any game it got repetitive after a while but I certainly remember clambering through some forested hills late one stormy night. There was a strong wind blowing and you could see the trees swaying and also see and hear the leaves rustling. Then it started to rain heavily and soon thunder sounded off in the distance, followed shortly by brief flashes of lightning which lit up the landscape. I had my headphones on and it sounded and looked so realistic that I could really imagine being there for real. I could almost smell the rain and the wet leaves.
I also remember moments when I would be sneaking through some underground ruins that I had discovered, being constantly on my guard and wary to not alert anything to my presence. Everything cast realistic shadows and made noises accurately, so when a goblin guard came lurking up a nearby corridor I had a chance of spotting his shadow or hear his breathing depending on how cautious I was. I had the option of dispatching him stealthily without alerting his comrades, wading in with sword swinging or simply finding some other way past him. The atmosphere was astounding. The way mist would sometimes cover the floor and obscure details. Rats would scurry and chitter in the shadows. Torches would flicker realisticly in their sconces.
I never get any of this in an mmo. Its all stat management and gaining levels. Who has the best items? What gives the most exp fastest? Repeat the same mouse clicks to kill a hundred mobs in the same way. Grind, grind and more grind. Have you done this or that quest yet? No? Oh well you should cos it gives you this blue sword that has +5 str and +8 dex and give crit chance +5%. Want to form a group of adventurers like they do in the films? Forget it.....just type Lev 15 Mage LFG and your done. It doesnt matter who they are cos they are just following the grinding treadmill like everyone else.
How can you feel immersed in a game when people come up to you and say "Hiya mate. Wanna do a low level dungeon with me? It gives good exp and has a nice drop rate too"? Playing online games with other people is great but on the other hand it totally breaks the immersion for me as everyone is in it for their own individual reasons. Combine that with the fact that mmos simply are not as detailed or involving as single player games. Its a shame really but one day I'm sure they will be much better. In fact the most immersive online game I think I have played is Battlefield 2142, but thats because it focuses purely on fast and frenetic combat with your opponents and chucks you right into it, so you dont have time to think "hang on that just wouldnt happen in real life". You actually see your opponent crouch down and take aim with his rocket launcher. You see the missile fly past you leaving a trail of vapour. You see it impact on the APC behind you. You see it explode as you dive for cover. Its all really happening.
In an mmo you click a button and watch your avatar execute its sword swinging animation and get to watch you opponent activate his spell casting animation. Great.
I would love a game that is the quality of Battlefield but in a vast persistent online game world. Wow! One day.......one day. For now I will have to settle for the likes of WAR and other similar products. Oh well it looks like immersion will have to take a back seat for the time being.......but then there are always single player games
hah, had a few "turtle heads" from the goblins in oblivion myself! loved how you could hear a wolf stalking behind you also.
seriously though looking @ immersion
http://www.tekgear.com/index.cfm?pageID=90&prodid=427§ion=83&nodelist=1,83&function=viewproducts
$32,500 for a GREAT hud, not even i will cough that up! lets also not overlook the fact that keyboards suck for immersion, personally i game with a N52TE and a mouse that has macro functions built into it (and a wheel that goes left and right in addition to up and down) and STILL i feel the xbox 360 controller offers far far more natural a way of interacting with most games (shame they dont have like 20 buttons on em). the wii is a step in the right direction, but the wii cant visually do anything too immersive (sadly). for true immersion we are talking alot of $ for alot of gadgets, i would almost think a CAVE would be cheaper to make than deep lawnmower man type immersion....and then think about the development cycle on this, with all those variables it would take like decades.
in 50 years if we havent like fried ourselves or polluted ourselves or just nuked ourselves, maybe at that point we can start thinking about it realisticly, since by then we would actually be able to benifit from 1000 core processors that it would take to drive the unreal 23 engine and all the physics to keep it feeling real, the smell-o-vision, the ambient thermal oscillators, etc. etc.
just aint happening any time soon (though we can all keep our eyes on bethesda and pray).
I'm with you on this, leshtricity. Immersion, to me, is the ability to equalize every aspect of an MMO to it's highest standard. I use the term immersion to define a "complete MMO" from my perspective. Every MMO I have played has yet to do such a thing for me. They just feel too much like a stats and grind approach or missing some key aspects.
I recently did a gamers test to see what kind of gamer I was and came out to be a 85% explorer type . That was my highest rated type and fighter being the lowest. That doesn't necessarily mean I like walking distant lands trying to avoid high level mobs. In fact, just to make an example, making long runs in WoW was such a bore. The experience for me is what I experience on the way to my destination. Whether it be out-of-this-world uncharted lands, events taking place, ambiance/mood transitions, environmental changes, weather effects, etc.
Another aspect I look for in an MMO, which I believe goes with immersion, is how dynamic an MMO is from the character to the world or space it exists within. This aspect has had a interesting effect in luring me back in to see what or who has changed today. This brings a unique level of connection to the world and also records itself into the history that evolves with the game. When you actually feel like you have done something and it shows not only from your character but within the world and history itself, it makes for a great experience and accomplishment.
I like what your saying there Zenaphex and I totally agree with it. Apart from EVE, I dont think there is any mmo in existence right now that allows you to actually do anything that shapes the gameworld or affect it in any noticeable way. The keyword there is "dynamic" and its just not something that really makes much of an appearance in mmos. The gameworld stays the same year after year unless the devs directly change it themselves. The players dont really have any impact on it at all - they get to enjoy the linear theme-park rides it provides but thats about all. If your lucky you might get to buy a house, change a city-wide buff or have some kind of impact on the economy but the freedom generally ends there.
Immersion doesnt require you to buy expensive equipment. You dont need a super powerful computer or even astounding graphics and sound.......although they certainly do help a lot. Leshtricity used Vanguard as an example for exploring a great looking world. Although its true that exploring can be immersive to a degree it kind of ends at the point when you meet the static, unthinking creatures that inhabit it. They just wander aimlessly about or do nothing at all, their only purpose being to get slaughtered by the players. All mmos just seem to be the same thing - a static world populated by mindless graphical representations of creatures that dont actually act anything like the creatures they are meant to be. Basicly all creatures in mmos are just the same thing but dressed up in different graphical suits. It doesnt matter if its an orc, a bear, a badger, a dragon, a skeleton or whatever......they all do the same thing. They attack you when you go near them and you have to kill them......and then they come back a few minutes later.
If extra options were put into mmos then it would be great. It wouldnt even be all that difficult either. For example if you were a ranger you might try and protect the wildlife from other less considerate players. Certain creatures might look favourably on you for your actions. Settlements of orcs that are hostile to one player might welcome and aid another. This kind of thing would make mmos so much more interesting by giving consequences to your actions. The brainless twit with no imagination who just goes out killing everything he sees to go up levels would become hated by everyone and everything and would have a hard time going anywhere or doing anything.
There also doesnt need to be some stupid linear story for these games either. A storyline is set in stone and will never change so its only really suited to single player or co-operative games. In an mmo the story should be what the players do and how the world changes according to their actions. I like what Darkfall promises actually as it seems so much more intelligent and realistic than everything else but whether it ever actually comes into existence is another matter.
I TOTALLY DISAGREE!
Ok now thats out of the way, the problem isnt immersion its gameplay.
My first mmo was 10six and its still the best game ever (to me). It had loading screens everywhere, basically you had a plot of land (out of a million plots) and you could gain more by teleporting(loading) to a different plot and taking it from that PERSON. It was one world but you had to load to go anywhere. There was no story, there were no quests, it was all about gameplay. ( and winning)
Now all them loading screens made it possible to have instant action and only one server.
Own, Mine, Defend, Attack, 24/7
Consequences just for death is not enough. There must be consequences for actions as well. You behave like a psychopath, you should be treated as one.
"Those who dislike things based only on the fact that they are popular are just as shallow and superficial as those who only like them for the same reason."
To simply put it, technology has been developing slow, and because we as humans believe that technology will always improve, we are always expecting more from the future. In this case, we are expecting two things from future games. Uniqueness and Creativity. Because our minds has fixed itself upon the games we have now, our brain can remember movements, pictures, feels, and intensity of games. When we move on a new game, it is that special 'unique' feeling to the game that allows fun for a week, than after that it just seems like crap. To me, this is saying that the human brain is far more complex than words can describe, and that we should learn to adapt to different styles of gameplay so that we may increase our interest in a variety of games, allowing ourselves to pick from a huge vault if you would like to put it that way. After doing that, our minds will put together the pieces and apply the most appealing gameplay to you. In this way, you will know which type of game you enjoy playing most, and you will start to adapt to only that style of play. Once this happens, you will be able to enjoy that specific type of game play a lot more than you have, which will lead to try other games of that same style so that you may make comparisons and continue on. What I'm trying to get across, is that we are expecting too much and should expect less. If someone would like to put my words in better terms, please do so.
I think the problem is that as others have said immersion means different things to different people. You can't really say this or that will improve immersion, unless you're talking about one individual player. For example, graphics mean very little to me immersion-wise. I don't know why, but I'm always aware that what I'm seeing is symbolic, not real. Gameplay, sound, and consistent lore do much more for me. It is something for developers to strive for.
Immersion to me is something you really only notice in retrospect. IMO, if you're "floored" by the immersion of a game, you're not immersed.
If you're building an mmorpg, or if you'd like to share ideas or talk about this industry, visit Multiplayer Worlds.
I don't mean floored in the sense that you are actively aware of it. What I'm talking about is when you reach that point where the real world starts to dwindle away; like when reading a great novel.
the official MMORPG.com deadhead
Day-um, son. You take your gaming more seriously than I take my job.
http://mmo-hell.blogspot.com/
http://www.mmorpg.com/blogs/rejad
I would just point out that what gives players a sense of immersion is different for different Players. For example, I don't mind loading screens in the least and they don't break my immersion.
I played the Vanguard beta. I thought the game design was terrible, and just threw the grind right in your face. So, instead of grinding, I walked across the whole landscape at about level 7. That was a challenge, to avoid MObs at that level, and still walk from one side of the world to the other. I didn't find the landscape particularly immersive, but it was nice to look at.
I get a sense of immersion when I"m playing with a group, and we are deep into a dungeon that is very challenging and requires a lot of team work to go any deeper.
Leshtricity, I agree with Gillvane1...
In MUDs there are no graphics and frequently no sound at all. Yet most that play them all agree that text-based multiplayer games provide the best immersion - immersion that puts MMOs to shame. Therefore graphics and sound probably have little to do with it.
I would just point out that what gives players a sense of immersion is different for different Players. For example, I don't mind loading screens in the least and they don't break my immersion.
I played the Vanguard beta. I thought the game design was terrible, and just threw the grind right in your face. So, instead of grinding, I walked across the whole landscape at about level 7. That was a challenge, to avoid MObs at that level, and still walk from one side of the world to the other. I didn't find the landscape particularly immersive, but it was nice to look at.
I get a sense of immersion when I"m playing with a group, and we are deep into a dungeon that is very challenging and requires a lot of team work to go any deeper.
Leshtricity, I agree with Gillvane1...
In MUDs there are no graphics and frequently no sound at all. Yet most that play them all agree that text-based multiplayer games provide the best immersion - immersion that puts MMOs to shame. Therefore graphics and sound probably have little to do with it.
I disagree.
The reason MUDs were so immersive is because they were completely text-based; like a novel. Every action or scene in a MUD was open to your own imagination's interpretation. I believe that sometime in the near future developers will be able to equal the immersion found in a novel/book. We'll see.
the official MMORPG.com deadhead
Things that kill immersion.
1. Loading screens
2. General chat
3. NPCs that stand in the same spots and never move.
4. Repetitive quests
Don't be terrorized! You're more likely to die of a car accident, drowning, fire, or murder! More people die every year from prescription drugs than terrorism LOL!
One point of immersion you did not touch is game play.
Game immersion is easier when the game is not so predictable, when unexpected things can happen and keep you on your toes. The thing I hope more for than graphics and sound is a better computer AI and systems.
You made some good points. One of the things I think is necessary to maintain immersion is decent character development. A game like Age of Conan completely ruins the immersion because you can literally fly through levels. To me AoC is more of a FPS than a MMO, just for that reason. If you are going ot have levels in a game you darn well better make them meaningful.
As stated by others, immersion means different things to different people.
Immersion can mean a sense of reality, of believability, of putting yourself into your character.
The problem with the reality aspect is that, in real life, a lot of dull things occur (eating, sleeping, using the bathroom, etc). You could consider a game like the Sims to be very immersive; but also, imo, very dull. On this note, removing some of the 'realistic' parts in favor of expediency is good. Yes, it can be realistic to have to ride 10-20 minutes real time from one town to another, but it's boring. Give me a waypoint.
One key problem I find with immersion is that having a crowded city can be realistic, but try to get everyone to speak in character, ie roleplay, and you are mocked by the masses. Playing a sorcerer or barbarian can be immersive but once someone starts spouting on republican vs democrat or some other rl topic, that immersion is destroyed. How can devs make a game more realistic if the people themselves are part of the problem?
Another key problem in MMO immersion has to do with builds. In almost every game, for every class, there are about a half dozen viable builds for any class, and each class have about the same amount of options for viable gear selection (at the top). This makes each of us less unique, less diverse.
Right you are about immersion. Multi-sensory games are far more stimulating then one-dimensional visual games(gameplay can have several dimensions as well).
Yes, I must admit that I still appreciate my first mmorpg most of all. I was parted from it by a closing of the service. Neverwinter Nights hosted by AOL in the mid-90s was my introduction to the mmorpg world. The graphics were less than par, but heh I was roaming a world of intelligent collaborators in a virtual world so I was happy with the gameplay. I dare say that I have yet to play another mmorpg with the level of turn-based strategy offered in NWN with its bluffing and npc tactics(turn-based is king of strategy).
I often wonder why more game service providers don't devote more of their human resources to immersion gameplay improvements such as live events. Nothing adds life and spice to the gaming experience like live events. Everything else is one form or another of grinding whether it be solo, grouped, or raid you can be assured that the same orc, beholder, dragon is going to spawn at location x, y, z every 20 minutes. It is safe to say that live events are a necessity in any game which seeks to have an immersive feel.
You should try a mmorpg with a roleplay required server. I know it still doesn't have any guarantees, but at least you can expect that people will actually try to make an effort at staying in character. I don't know of any games off the top of my head that offer incentives for roleplaying, but that is probably the type of game you might be interested in. Earning experience for good roleplay might be an interested setting, but it presents complications in producing a massively distributed game because of roleplay evaluation protocols. You might be better off breaking out the pencil and paper D&D box set.
WoW has a mount system for making reasonably faster commutes. In my opinion, you can't beat mounts unless you want to break away from the scenery all together and watch a loading screen.
I like what your saying there Zenaphex and I totally agree with it. Apart from EVE, I dont think there is any mmo in existence right now that allows you to actually do anything that shapes the gameworld or affect it in any noticeable way. The keyword there is "dynamic" and its just not something that really makes much of an appearance in mmos. The gameworld stays the same year after year unless the devs directly change it themselves. The players dont really have any impact on it at all - they get to enjoy the linear theme-park rides it provides but thats about all. If your lucky you might get to buy a house, change a city-wide buff or have some kind of impact on the economy but the freedom generally ends there.
Immersion doesnt require you to buy expensive equipment. You dont need a super powerful computer or even astounding graphics and sound.......although they certainly do help a lot. Leshtricity used Vanguard as an example for exploring a great looking world. Although its true that exploring can be immersive to a degree it kind of ends at the point when you meet the static, unthinking creatures that inhabit it. They just wander aimlessly about or do nothing at all, their only purpose being to get slaughtered by the players. All mmos just seem to be the same thing - a static world populated by mindless graphical representations of creatures that dont actually act anything like the creatures they are meant to be. Basicly all creatures in mmos are just the same thing but dressed up in different graphical suits. It doesnt matter if its an orc, a bear, a badger, a dragon, a skeleton or whatever......they all do the same thing. They attack you when you go near them and you have to kill them......and then they come back a few minutes later.
If extra options were put into mmos then it would be great. It wouldnt even be all that difficult either. For example if you were a ranger you might try and protect the wildlife from other less considerate players. Certain creatures might look favourably on you for your actions. Settlements of orcs that are hostile to one player might welcome and aid another. This kind of thing would make mmos so much more interesting by giving consequences to your actions. The brainless twit with no imagination who just goes out killing everything he sees to go up levels would become hated by everyone and everything and would have a hard time going anywhere or doing anything.
There also doesnt need to be some stupid linear story for these games either. A storyline is set in stone and will never change so its only really suited to single player or co-operative games. In an mmo the story should be what the players do and how the world changes according to their actions. I like what Darkfall promises actually as it seems so much more intelligent and realistic than everything else but whether it ever actually comes into existence is another matter.
I agree, restrictions to dynamics is a killer of immersion. Sideplots add a ton of gameplay to any virtual universe. For example, WoW offers a reputation system for faction building. Sure, player x can choose to go to zone y and get the highest exp in the game, but do they want to lose their faction. Let people make decisions and they will feel more immersed and less like a static script in the game.