COP3 Proposal

Title?: How are different techniques used to immerse the player in video games?
How does the environment affect the immersion of the player in games?

In my extended essay, I intend to research and explore how different techniques are used to immerse the player in video games. Of particular interest to me is how the environments in different games affect how immersed the player feels. My main focus at the minute is on horror games, but i also intend to focus on other games which i feel have very immersive settings and have some horror aspects, such as Bioshock. I think it will be interesting to explore how different aspects such as lighting, sound, and surroundings come together to create an engaging experience for players. Another aspect i am considering researching more on is other forms of immersion in games, such as the use of features like noise detection in Alien: Isolation, or the game Nevermind, which requires you to be connected to a heart monitor device, in order to monitor how scared you are, and alter the gameplay according to this.
Video games are arguably the most engaging media available, due to reasons like the fact that you are in control of your character, you begin to feel personal responsibility for the actions that you take, an effect other media like film cant possibly achieve on the same level. I think another interesting angle of immersion in games to explore would be how decision making in games further engages the player. For example, in games like Telltale's 'The Walking Dead', 'Heavy Rain' or 'Dishonored'. Each of these games allows the player to make choices that can drastically change the outcome of the story, and bring an element of personal responsibility to the player's experience, further enriching the game and making the player feel more immersed in the story. The fact that your actions have consequences in the game brings about a whole other level of immersion to the player.
I would also like to talk about VR in my essay, as this is arguably the most immersive gameplay experience possible. VR technology increases immersion by fully surrounding the player in the virtual environment and incorporating tracking of the player's hands and body movements. These 3 elements come together to create a powerful suspension of disbelief in the player, immersing them in the game world more than ever before. I think this will be an important angle for me to explore when considering how different technologies promote immersion in the player.
Practically, i would perhaps like to explore the idea of creating my own concept art to create my own engaging game environment or model 3D environments in Maya, and test which of the environments i create are the most engaging to a number of people. I have also considered making some short test animations, perhaps some different environments or sentient spaces with different features to see how immersive these are to an audience.