Omnimaga

General Discussion => Other Discussions => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: Raylin on May 12, 2010, 02:22:16 pm

Title: Immersion
Post by: Raylin on May 12, 2010, 02:22:16 pm
I was thinking about some things today and I began to wonder...

Shadow of the Colossus completely immerses you in a world that is so, so much bigger than your own character.
That feeling makes you feel like a part of that world.
Basically, the graphics make you a part of that world.

How can someone create such a feeling for a calculator game?
Also, tell me what calc games have immersed you.
What calc games have consumed you, mind, body, and soul?
Title: Re: Immersion
Post by: ztrumpet on May 12, 2010, 04:13:42 pm
Also, tell me what calc games have immersed you.
What calc games have consumed you, mind, body, and soul?
For me there's only one answer: Illusiat 13.  No game on any platform has immersed me more, and this is a huge understatement.  I've never compulsively played a game other than Illusiat 13 just to find out more about the story.  If any of you haven't tried this gem, I suggest you try it before you scoff about the awesome graphics. ;D

I'd like to see more games like this, so "what other games have consumed you?"
Title: Re: Immersion
Post by: Zera on May 12, 2010, 04:16:55 pm
As far as limitations with sprites and tilemaps are concerned, I think using a 1:1 environment is about as immersing as you can get. By this, I mean the environment must be to-scale - no little icons representing town and dungeon entrances. Every location would be integrated directly into one huge map. I'm currently making a few attempts at this with Rephaim and Lost Legends. (reprise)

Detail is also important. Rather than downcoding sprites and tiles that are already 4 bpp, you can try downcoding graphics that are at much higher bit-depths. You can almost achieve a water-color effect this way.

(http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/7039/mock2glendale.png) (http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/5589/mock1pantheon.png)

The graphics were downcoded from various sources - mostly PlayStation 1 and WonderSwan Color. Yup - I downcoded PSX graphics to 4 bpp. Wasn't easy, but it works. :P

The sprites are only 3-level, but that's because of the masking technique used, where the dark gray layer can be treated as transparent. It's a small sacrifice in detail that makes some things easier in the long-run.
Title: Re: Immersion
Post by: ztrumpet on May 12, 2010, 04:19:32 pm
Oh, and I have a feeling Zera's games will immerse me as well.  Those graphics look incredible! :D
Title: Re: Immersion
Post by: Raylin on May 12, 2010, 09:29:37 pm
I'm getting the feeling that storyline is a key element in this.
Title: Re: Immersion
Post by: DJ Omnimaga on May 13, 2010, 12:35:01 am
I feel the story is what gets me into a game the most too.
Title: Re: Immersion
Post by: Quigibo on May 13, 2010, 02:15:51 pm
Also (although unfortunately on the calculator you don't see much of it) the music is a factor that really immerses me into a game as well.  It really sets the mood, often times even more than the backgrounds.  That's one of the reasons I loved Chrono Trigger and Secret of Mana becasue those games had awesome music along with an excellent story line and great graphics.
Title: Re: Immersion
Post by: Silver Shadow on May 13, 2010, 02:28:52 pm
For me, music, story and graphics are all important. Sometimes though, some games don't need all 3 to make me immerse in them. Here are 2 games in which I was recently immersed (both on the iPod Touch):

-Chaos Rings: awesome graphics and storyline. The music was good but it wasn't the most important part.
-Hero of Sparta: epic graphics and music. Here, it was actually the music that made me appreciate the game.
Title: Re: Immersion
Post by: DJ Omnimaga on May 13, 2010, 04:34:35 pm
I also think music plays a big role. For me, graphics won't do much of a difference, though. For me, awesome music can make me enjoy a simple/crappy game for quite a while. My favorite game music is Ys series, especially on the Turbografx-16/PCEngine with CD-ROM add-on and Star ocean series
Title: Re: Immersion
Post by: Raylin on May 16, 2010, 08:11:30 pm
So, for an engrossing calc game to be made, you need storyline and...?
Title: Re: Immersion
Post by: Builderboy on May 16, 2010, 08:52:28 pm
As a basic rule, there is no basic rule ;D Things like storyline, graphics, music, physics all play a key role, but you can still make an amazingly inversive game and exclude some of those.  I dont think there is a catch all rule, and i personally dont try to make games by a formula, I think it just works better if you know what you want, and you just make it fun.
Title: Re: Immersion
Post by: DJ Omnimaga on May 16, 2010, 09:55:46 pm
speed can also play a big factor. If a game has ridiculous load time or slow speed it can get boring. Loading time prompts the person to read a book at the same time as he's playing x.x