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"Realism is nothing- immersion is the new trend"

When the 32bit age dawned, we saw ever more realistic games- more polygons, less slowdown, more textures. Gameplay was in a state of limbo- just remaining in the 2-dimensional word of old.

For perhaps the first time in gaming, the graphics had caught up with the gameplay. While consoles like the SNES had perfected gameplay in the likes of Mario Kart and Street Fighter 2, the actual graphics remained no more than sprites.

And then something unfortuante happened. Graphics took centre stage above gameplay, and realism overtook immersion...


So, there we were at the dawn of the 128bit age with the PS2. Guess what? Almost all the games focussed on graphics over gameplay and we thought things wouldn't turn around.

But how wrong I've been proved. With games like MGS2, GT3 and Halo actually making huge innovations in control, it looks like people are beginning to take it seriously. No longer do we have beatifully rendered backgrounds... that we can interact with. In these games the actual dynamics that allow you to interact with the game have changed.

Immersion is taking control. Let's hope it stays that way...

Sonic

Heh, i'll pretend i didn't say this 5 months ago.

===SONICRAV---> wrote:
> Ninty aren't anywhere near as Sega though! While the only hugely
> noriginal game that Ninty will release this year is Pikmin, Sega are
> in there with Rez, Super Monkey Ball (I WANT A PS2 VERSION!), Space
> Channel 5 ver.2, and a few others...


Is Rez not similar in basic gameplay structure to Star Fox/Lylat Wars?
Is Space Channel 5 not similar to every other dancing game apart from the slight weirdness of the location and characters?

So true PB!

Often I just play through demo discs of terrible games (like Godai) just for the fun of mindlessness!

Sonic

Immersion is all well and good, but there are plenty of times I DO want a shallow game where I can just dip in and play without being totally immersed.

I have played games with basic graphics which have seemingly drawn me in to their world too, perhaps it's because I have a good imagination or perhaps the game engine is written so well, but games such as Settlers draw me in and keep me there, almost entering the world myself.

Ninty aren't anywhere near as Sega though! While the only hugely noriginal game that Ninty will release this year is Pikmin, Sega are in there with Rez, Super Monkey Ball (I WANT A PS2 VERSION!), Space Channel 5 ver.2, and a few others...

Sonic

Thats why I like Gamecube, they [Nintendo] seem to be concentrating on unique games, not that other consoles are poorer, it's just that the Gamecube games seem to be the most original.

It's all in the mind....

Myself and a mate played through 5 hours of co-operative play in Halo today (well, yesterday technically), what a thoroughly superb game. I agree with V V V V V's sentiments.

"Go beyond the realm of convention, they will follow you; Do away with reality, Enter surrealism and make your audience love it."

Immersion rules.

I don't know whether immersion is the new trend, it's ALWAYS been the most important aspect of gaming for me.

Halo is the most immersive game I've ever played.
It's the kind of game where 2 to 3 hours can just drift as you're lost in the intense and concentrated gameplay - perfect game formula.

Graphics are important (realistic or unrealistic) - but without immersion they are as good as dead - just pixels on a screen.

I bought Wreckless yesterday which has astounding graphics, but the gameplay is so superficial and unimmersive that the graphics and brilliantly brimming-with-life gameworld becomes irrelevant.
I could have dreamed up better Missions in five minutes.
There's nothing more annoying than style over substance.