The Importance of Immersion: First-Person Modes

[RaychelSnr]

Each year, developers attempt to persuade consumers to buy their products by announcing additions to their games that will supposedly make them as realistic and immersive as possible. Along with the developers' push for increased realism and immersion, many consumers discuss how realistically a sport will be presented if a certain hypothetical feature is added to a game. It has become routine to expect at least one new addition to the most recent version of a sports game, with each new feature promising to make the sport as lifelike as possible.

Due to this desire to immerse the player in the game, and also to create a believable representation of a certain sport, it seems strange that more companies have not attempted to include a first-person perspective in their games. While better artificial intelligence in a football game or being able to turn a seamless double play in a baseball game certainly makes a game appear more realistic, it seems likely that a first-person view for users would allow players to completely lose themselves in the video game they are playing.

Read More - The Importance of Immersion: First-Person Modes

[7stringking]

FPF was great..2k made a big mistake not bringing it back for AP2k8...

Both the BAP modes in NHL09 and FIFA09 are outstanding.

[rudyjuly2]

I don't like first person shooters. Personally I like my camera angles zoomed out farther so I can see more things. It might not be realistic but it's what I prefer. I think most people prefer a third person view when sports gaming. To each his own. It would be a great option but it would also require a lot of time for a developer to do it right. Will they commit the resources necessary to do this if it won't increase sales?

[Trini G1aDiaToR]

I disagree... First Person camera make me feel less immersed, not more. The problem with them is that you have no awareness of your player's limbs. In real life you're aware of your body and limbs... First person makes me feel like a floating head.

Personally I think 3rd person cameras come closest to giving a sense of realism despite the fact that you're seeing your character's whole body from behind usually... that awareness of a character's limbs makes a bit difference for me!

[ChaseB]

I disagree... First Person camera make me feel less immersed, not more. The problem with them is that you have no awareness of your player's limbs. In real life you're aware of your body and limbs... First person makes me feel like a floating head.

Personally I think 3rd person cameras come closest to giving a sense of realism despite the fact that you're seeing your character's whole body from behind usually... that awareness of a character's limbs makes a bit difference for me!

What about a Mirror's Edge-like first-person view?

[JohnDoe8865]

Re: The Importance of Immersion: First-Person Modes

When I play a sports game, I want to see it like I see it on TV. I never see the game on TV through the players eyes, so for me, to make it more immersive, I need all of the little things that I see and hear when I'm watching a game on TV.

[Lisa_Bonami]

I like the the idea of having the 'option' to play with a special FPS camera in my sports ...But to have the game completelyt designed from the ground up in FPS mode I would have to pass for the same reasons I dont want my RTS games to be in FPS. The sad reality is that it just wouldnt be satisfying enough until we have reached a much more mature state of physics, increased range of movement and overall limiteless variablity. Its one thing to have to repeatedly endure repetive Motion capture animations from a Bird's eye view then having to see it full blown in a First Person Perspective...The only thing that keeps coming to mind when I think this is an old Activision(?) Football game on the PC that attempted this with a visual que on the screen that told you which direction to run then turn..arrrgh

Besides, there's a certain level of satisfication and enjoyment one gets from seeing the entire field of players from far above...Sort of a general's tactical sense of seeing and being in control of all the action from afar. This is a sensation that I dont think I would want to remove from my video games whether they are sports or RTS games. FPS games have their place too...im just not sure if I would be satisified with them serving a role in sports games today with the current limits imposed by technology

Im the type of player that looks for the most zoomed back camera views when I play my sports games anways....Seeing Madden any closer up would have adverse effects for me!

[ty5oke]

The first-person view is definitely a different way to play a sports video game, but I personally am not a fan. I prefer to see the whole court/field and not be limited with a first-persons view.

I do see it becoming more and more popular though, I just hope the developers continue to bring the classic representation of the game ala the Show's Franchise/Career mode. I hope the games don't become strictly First-Person.

[Jgainsey]

Re: The Importance of Immersion: First-Person Modes

What about a Mirror's Edge-like first-person view?

That was the first thing that popped into my head when I read the original post. Something like that would probably be a best case scenario, but would probably result in less immersion. Like someone else said, I want my sports video game experience to resemble what I see on TV as much as technologically possible. The more a game feels like an actual tv broadcast, the more immersed I become. I think most people will share this view, simply because that is the way most people experience sports a majority of the time.

[johnprestonevans]

I totally agree with JohnDoe8865 in that what really immerses me in playing a sports game is being able to see a game from the same camera angles as they exist on TV. I find first person sports to be less immersive because it does feel like you are a free floating head without arms and legs. I think it could be a great mode in the future, but not for this generation of gaming. I would urge developers to put more effort into recreating a televised broadcast format to really immerse players in their games. NBA2K9 and MLB The Show do an excellent job of this.

[mgoblue]

Re: The Importance of Immersion: First-Person Modes

What about a Mirror's Edge-like first-person view?

I liked the Mirror's Edge cam/gameplay...I just don't know if we can have full control of a sports game and still be able to control the basic movements of your athlete at the same time. I remember from FPF it was just too much to do at once, I'd be using the right stick to move my guy's line of sight across the field, then have to hit other buttons to pass, use the left stick to move, use juke buttons, etc.

I think baseball could pull it off easiest, but the first person disorientation factor (FPF made quite a few people dizzy/sick), along with the complexity of controls as it is in 3rd person, let alone adding vision control to the list of tasks to do just makes it all tough.

I do think that a sports game similar to Mirror's Edge with more simplistic controls could work...Eventually we'll all have some sort of helmet or sunglass type monitor that will allow for head tracking and that would make first person sports games much more likely, but that's 10-20 years away.

[Anaxamander]

Another thing that makes first person viewpoints overly difficult is that they don't take peripheral vision into account.

Look at your TV. Now consider how much of your field of vision is beyond the boundaries of that TV screen.

[7stringking]

For an ON-FIELD simulator, FPF was great....I'm not sure, but it doesn't sound like too many people here played football in real life because you really get that 'shark attack' feeling in FPF when blindside sacking a QB!.....I love playing both ways because it is virtually 2 different games, but overall the traditional way is better

[jjc92787]

Re: The Importance of Immersion: First-Person Modes

Personally first-person modes make me feel dizzy while playing them.

[Phobia]

Re: The Importance of Immersion: First-Person Modes

Just like post-processing effects like fog, motion blur, etc. With time developers will be able to recreate peripheral vision. If you think about it, it is very similar to the "depth of field" post-effects.

I think it could be done (FPS sports). But things need to be fleshed out before even considering it. Like mentioned, players need to be able to see their feet, hands, shoulders, waist, etc etc all that would be seen as if you are looking at it now. Being able to look around your enviroment and it look as if you really are doing so would be amazing.

Combine this tech with the PC, TRACK IR. Man I would love to be able to play WR, and have to track the ball using a track IR. Sooo many possiblites just someone needs to bring them out to the general public who are not familar with all the different techs out there.