Dramatic Tension & Immersion

Dramatic tension requires substantive immersion. I define immersion as “identification through attention.” In the video game context, if a player identifies with that to which they are attending they are immersed. The depth of immersion is proportionate to the quality of the identification.

There are two forms of immersion, “adjective” and “substantive”. Most games created today rely on adjective immersion. Adjective immersion occurs when a player is glued to the screen as a result of the triggering of innate survival-centric impulses. Game elements including quick movement, bright colors, great variability in audio serve to immerse the Player. They are not however ‘essential’ elements. While they carry attributive value, that value is not essential to identify the respective game elements. Additionally, the reliance on adjective immersion comes at the expense of attributing semiotic value to the images on-screen. NOTE that the game ICO relies less on ADJECTIVE IMMERSION than on SUBSTANTIVE IMMERSION as an example of immersion type.

Substantive immersion results when one is attending to those attributes that are the essential attributes of the things with which the Player is interacting. What is an essential attribute of a thing? Depends upon the thing. The essential attributes are those invariant distinctions that enable the identification of the PARTICULAR thing. NOTE that one ought not confuse an individual for a group. You might think that black and white stripes are essential attributes of a zebra, but those are essential for all zebras (except the albino zebra) and are not in themselves enough to distinguish individuals. The specific patterning of the stripes, however, has been compared to the human fingerprint.

And so, if the Player’s attention is directed in relation to in game attributes that are considered the essential attributes for the things so signified, then the player is SUBSTANTIVELY IMMERSED. While their attention may still be indirectly directed, it is being accomplished with an artistry not practiced with the sledgehammer techniques leveraging adjective immersion.

Drama entails substantive immersion as one retains an awareness of their sense of self while so immersed. Therefore, the Player can empathize and the tension becomes the Player’s tension. Beyond this lies the Player’s ability in self-reflection and that is fundamental to establishing dramatic tension.

© 2005 Kenneth Stein One may reproduce this work, in part or in whole, only if one includes the notice of copyright, year, author and a trackback to the original post at www.PlaySpace.com.