Most Immersive RPG?

mhensley · June 03, 2010, 08:14:48 PM

D&D 4e - I could almost feel the mouse button clicking as I used my powers.

LordVreeg · June 03, 2010, 09:23:15 PM

Quote from: Benoist;385704I do agree with both posts. Everything does matter to immersion, and though you can experience immersive game play with any game, there are some games that will help the immersion in some way or another (AD&D, CoC and VtM do it for me in very different ways. AD&D does it through abstraction, CoC does it through thematic elements, and VtM does it conceptually, kinda - I find the implied setting of each game has a lot to do with it, actually).

It's also possible for a game system to be an obstacle to immersion, to me.

It is all of the above, because it is, as was mentioned, an aggragate of the experiences, almost a perfect example of a gestalt experience. Immersion is a becoming in the now, no matter how pretentious that sounds. As was mentioned, games are not immersive, experiences are.

AS an older GM, I find cxhanging my rules and optionalizing some of them is very miuch based on the immersive potential as reported back by my pcs.
Syestems , as chosen before the gamne starts, as played by the GM, as matched up with the setting and game...have a huge amount to do with this...
Indeed, the less we notice them, sometimes the more immersive it is.

Halfjack · June 03, 2010, 09:31:14 PM

My most immersive experience was with Paranoia, first edition.

Imperator · June 04, 2010, 03:13:46 AM

RuneQuest and Vampire, for me.

crkrueger · June 04, 2010, 04:47:59 AM

I've had real immersive moments with AD&D, WFRP, Shadowrun, MERP/RM, CoC, Traveller. I'll go with the people are more important then the system. Having said that, I notice my most immersive experiences happen in games with no metagame economy (with Shadowrun I guess being the outlier). Vampire was pretty good too.

crkrueger · June 04, 2010, 04:50:07 AM

Quote from: mhensley;385725D&D 4e - I could almost feel the mouse button clicking as I used my powers.

It is the perfect MMOG simulator. Why they haven't got together with Blizzard for a WoW version I'll never figure out.

two_fishes · June 04, 2010, 05:04:48 AM

I've found personality mechanics help me to immerse, in the sense of identifiying with the character, worrying about their fate, getting excited at their victories, frustrated by their defeats. Burning Wheel is sort of the thing I mean, with its Beliefs. But Grey Ranks was the most immersive in my experience, and I think the little chart tracking the mental state of the character had a huge effect on that experience. I haven't played Pendragon, but I suspect I would like the virtue and passion mechanics for a similar reason.

crkrueger · June 04, 2010, 05:23:58 AM

Quote from: two_fishes;385760I've found personality mechanics help me to immerse, in the sense of identifiying with the character, worrying about their fate, getting excited at their victories, frustrated by their defeats. Burning Wheel is sort of the thing I mean, with its Beliefs. But Grey Ranks was the most immersive in my experience, and I think the little chart tracking the mental state of the character had a huge effect on that experience. I haven't played Pendragon, but I suspect I would like the virtue and passion mechanics for a similar reason.

YMMV and all that, but for me, I think some personality mechanics seem to put me in the mental state of empathizing with my character instead of becoming the character. I don't want to get into my character's head, I want my head to be my character's head as much as possible if that makes any sense.

Caesar Slaad · June 04, 2010, 07:18:07 AM

Quote from: estar;385698I find the system does have an influence on immersion but as you say there more to it then the game system. My observation is that it mainly has to do with how well the system fits the genre you are running.

For me, it's about whether the system "breaks the fourth wall" by having unbelievable rules aspects enter the sphere of the perception of the characters. Games with blatantly board-game-like elements or otherwise take undue shortcuts render any feeling of immersion impossible for me.

winkingbishop · June 04, 2010, 09:09:46 AM

I might be operating off of a different definition of immersion, but here's my contribution. When I apply the word I'm talking about strongly empathizing with the characters, feeling that their lives are more than the game around them.

It has to be between AD&D and RC D&D. I don't believe for a moment that the mechanics map to anything resembling realism, but the mechanics do seem to play a part; There are relatively few rolls in these editions and once you're comfortable with them they seem to take a backseat. Both of these versions also strongly support campaign play which, for me, contributes more to immersion than episodic play.

Benoist · June 04, 2010, 11:20:57 AM

Quote from: winkingbishop;385776It has to be between AD&D and RC D&D. I don't believe for a moment that the mechanics map to anything resembling realism, but the mechanics do seem to play a part; There are relatively few rolls in these editions and once you're comfortable with them they seem to take a backseat. Both of these versions also strongly support campaign play which, for me, contributes more to immersion than episodic play.

One thing that does it in favor of First Ed AD&D to me as well is the way interaction with the environment, and the description of the environment thereof, is emphasized. Since you're basically expected to touch the pieces of the puzzle and figure it out on your own, instead of rolling some dice to do so, the DM describes to you what the pieces look like, what the room looks like, etc. Details are important in game play, and these details draw me in the game world to look at it with my own eyes. It tremendously helps immersion to me.

thecasualoblivion · June 04, 2010, 12:50:17 PM

I think the people at the table matter more than the system when it comes to immersion. Its hard to be immersed while playing in a system you dislike, and its also hard to be immersed when the table is marked by an endless stream of Chuck Norris jokes.

RPGPundit · June 05, 2010, 09:22:35 AM

The correct answer is Amber. Amber is the most immersive RPG.

RPGPundit