Immersion Through Video Games 2

Link:http://illumin.usc.edu/107/immersion-through-video-games/2/

The Perfect Medium

But the Turing Test does not necessarily apply to video games, because they operate within a much more restrictive system than that of natural language. A computer-driven character in a game can concern itself entirely with running, jumping, and bouncing off walls; if a person were to assume control of that character, the limitations of the control would confine an intelligent being to very mechanical-looking procedures. In video games, these artificially intelligent creatures are called agents, or bots, and some of the most impressive examples can be seen in the Unreal Tournament series of games. It is often said in developer discussions and game reviews that the bots in Unreal are indistinguishable from actual twelve-year-olds in their ability to maraud the other team [2].

Due to the simplicity demanded by real-time systems, video games are probably not an appropriate medium for developing candidates for the Turing Test. This expectation of simplicity, however, means that video games are perfect for creating an immersive environment because the player's suspension of disbelief is already primed. The process becomes even easier when the game does something unexpected that exceeds the player's expectations. The best video games attract people in the same way that great novels or movies do, through emotional stories, color theory, and the ebb and flow of action. Unlike novels and movies, these games take immersion one step further by specifically casting you in the leading role.

Immersion in Games

This feature comes at a price, however, because the player becomes a random element in an otherwise tightly controlled system. Whereas movies and novels can stick to a script, video games are by nature less rigid. This makes the job of a game designer tremendously difficult, since the techniques for character development and story progression that work to aid suspension of disbelief in other media are generally too restrictive for application in games. Many successfully immersive video games lead the player toward completion of pre-planned goals, just like novels and movies. Ideally, when those goals are accomplished and the player is rewarded for those specific successes, the player should feel as though it could not have been accomplished without his skill [3].

Unfortunately, this method presents a dichotomy for the player, because the elements of story and gameplay are naturally separate. Thus, when the two are intertwined in a game, the player often feels that either the story is an unwanted distraction from the gameplay or that the gameplay is a tedious drawing-out of the story. However, the evolution of video games has resulted in a new technique for integrating story and gameplay more intricately than in the past.