What determines the immersion of a RPG?

[KateMicucci]

Um, sure, but that's "if my aunt had balls she'd be my uncle" type of situation and can be applied to almost any character.

No, not to such an extent that changing only their portrait, name and pronouns would complete the change. (Verse would have made more sense as a male too)

You couldn't do that with, for example, Morrigan, Aerie, Viconia, Valerie, or Annah. The difference is that they have feminine characteristics that offset their masculine profession (adventurer). Verse's character sole trait is basically "tough psychopath who enjoys murder", purely masculine. Even in the aspects of her character which easily could have pushed her in a femine direction- her family, the scarlet sisters, her brother- she has a masculine or at best neutral attitude.

That is also the problem with the female city guards and generals. Their own character trait is masculine "city guard/warrior". That's also why the warrior women in bikini armor are less offensive than the women in fridge armor. At least they have a feminine appearance.

 

[jackofshadows]

For example Verse in Tyranny talking about how she wants to go visit a brothel.

Hey, woman like fucking, too!

 

[onemananadhisdroid]

Crushable enemies, to see them driven before you -- and the lamentation of the women.

 

[laclongquan]

For example Verse in Tyranny talking about how she wants to go visit a brothel.

Hey, woman like fucking, too!

Especially a woman in rough career, body not very attractive to other men.

And Japanese' many bars cater exclusively to women can prove that even normal women can go to (semi) brothels.

 

[Marat]

It's quite simple: to be immersive the game has to intrigue you: you need to want to see what will happen next. That's all.

I agree that fundamentally immersion requires that but the reality of RPG is the overall journey is always part of your experience. If I think of most RPG games I have played I often consider my characters path and then I ruminate on what could be ....it may sound unusual but its normal for how I think about my game.

And yes it requires an RPG that is captivating and worthwhile but believing in the purpose of the primary narrative also is about real immersion ?

I think those are different aspects of the same thing. What will happen? What could have happened? If the game is conducive to having your imagination run wild, ponder the setting and be amazed by possibilities then it is immersive.

 

[Gahbreeil]

The player's will to roleplay out his character within the game by taking the appropriate choices for the enjoyment to be high. That is immersion.

 

[Mikeal]

First and most art direction and sound.

 

[0wca]

I'm the same and I really like the soundtrack of the Gothic games. The music of Björn Pankratz has an umistakable mood and character that just pushes the right buttons for me. Although, after a while I tend to turn the soundtrack off and just listen to the environmental sounds.

Similarly, I liked to music of Banner Saga and Witcher 1 a lot; for me those tracks were at least 40% of the whole experience.

But we have to realise that not all people are that musical like you and me, and some people might not just care about the music at all. So, it's quite personal.

The original Gothic's atmosphere, music and otherwise was fucking incredible. The world was mysterious and at the same time brutal and unforgiving. The music in the stoner camp was also great

Just compare Tolkien's works to works that are less believable to understand what makes them believable. A lot of it comes down to recognizing things that exist in our world and shouldn't in another, and those that can't exist in our world but may in another. This should be extended much further in e.g., more fantastical worlds.

Art imitates life. Any developer, writer or artist who fails to understand this concept is doomed to make mediocre or shitty worlds.