Do You Want Immersive Roleplay?

[Pickles III]

We've covered this ground in another thread, so I won't hash it out again with you here. But, in short, it's the same skill that method actors use and thus something you can learn and improve. There is nothing you can do to shake me out of my feeling of "immersion." I have to choose to let you do that. It wasn't always thus, however. It was an important factor for me in playing RPGs, so I worked on it. As can anyone else.

Do you not think the method actors find it easier to stay in character if the people around them treat them as their character rather than as an actor?

I'm pretty sure that's the sort of distinction [MENTION=23751]Maxperson[/MENTION] is making. The factors that break immersion are those that speak to him as a player not as his character.

 

[iserith]

Do you not think the method actors find it easier to stay in character if the people around them treat them as their character rather than as an actor?

I'm pretty sure that's the sort of distinction [MENTION=23751]Maxperson[/MENTION] is making. The factors that break immersion are those that speak to him as a player not as his character.

The greater the skill, the lesser the impact. My "immersion" doesn't depend on what other people at the table are doing. I've worked at making that so.

 

[Guest 85555]

We've covered this ground in another thread, so I won't hash it out again with you here. But, in short, it's the same skill that method actors use and thus something you can learn and improve. There is nothing you can do to shake me out of my feeling of "immersion." I have to choose to let you do that. It wasn't always thus, however. It was an important factor for me in playing RPGs, so I worked on it. As can anyone else.

Don't method actors have a reputation for being incredibly picky though about how their fellow actors interact with them?

I don't know. For me I find certain things contribute to my sense of immersion and some things take away from it. I don't particularly see it as a skill as much as an experience. That said, it isn't an excuse to be a jerk or tell others what to do. But I do find different play styles and different systems fascinate my sense of immersion better than others.

 

[iserith]

Don't method actors have a reputation for being incredibly picky though about how their fellow actors interact with them?

I don't know and it wouldn't matter to me. I don't believe in trying to control things I can't control - other people being chief among them.

I don't know. For me I find certain things contribute to my sense of immersion and some things take away from it. I don't particularly see it as a skill as much as an experience. That said, it isn't an excuse to be a jerk or tell others what to do. But I do find different play styles and different systems fascinate my sense of immersion better than others.

I see "immersion" as a feeling or experience as you say, but it's a skill in achieving and maintaining it. It's mostly about focus in my experience - paying attention to that feeling, staying in the moment, and ignoring anything that might distract. Pretending to be Khegg Steadfast, the dwarven folk hero fighter, is a lot easier when I can mentally tune out Brad grabbing everyone beers from the kitchen. And if immersion is something people value, I would recommend working on this rather than telling Brad to shut up. (Substitute Brad for whatever other distraction you can imagine.)

 

[Guest 85555]

I don't know and it wouldn't matter to me. I don't believe in trying to control things I can't control - other people being chief among them.



I see "immersion" as a feeling or experience as you say, but it's a skill in achieving and maintaining it. It's mostly about focus in my experience - paying attention to that feeling, staying in the moment, and ignoring anything that might distract. Pretending to be Khegg Steadfast, the dwarven folk hero fighter, is a lot easier when I can mentally tune out Brad grabbing everyone beers from the kitchen. And if immersion is something people value, I would recommend working on this rather than telling Brad to shut up. (Substitute Brad for whatever other distraction you can imagine.)

I don't ever advocate telling people to shut up. I think whatever your cup of tea, there is no excuse for bad behavior toward other players at the table. So whether its immersion, optimization or any other flavor of fun you enjoy, yelling at another person because their enjoyment steps on your toes is childish and mean. That said, I do think what you are describing is just one's ability to tune out distractions. That is a skill. But I'm not convinced immersion itself is. Everyone is different in this respect. But sometimes the game itself can force you out by demanding you be distracted by something else. Now that might not be an issue, popping and out of immersion isn't really that big a deal. But it can trip you up a bit if the mechanics require focus away from what is going on in the game world itself. Again, people are all different here. I think the general principle of not being a jerk about it is a good one. But I've definitely encountered games I just don't enjoy because I have trouble getting immersed in them.

 

[iserith]

I don't ever advocate telling people to shut up. I think whatever your cup of tea, there is no excuse for bad behavior toward other players at the table. So whether its immersion, optimization or any other flavor of fun you enjoy, yelling at another person because their enjoyment steps on your toes is childish and mean. That said, I do think what you are describing is just one's ability to tune out distractions. That is a skill. But I'm not convinced immersion itself is. Everyone is different in this respect. But sometimes the game itself can force you out by demanding you be distracted by something else. Now that might not be an issue, popping and out of immersion isn't really that big a deal. But it can trip you up a bit if the mechanics require focus away from what is going on in the game world itself. Again, people are all different here. I think the general principle of not being a jerk about it is a good one. But I've definitely encountered games I just don't enjoy because I have trouble getting immersed in them.

Again, my position is not that "immersion" itself is a skill whereas achieving and maintaining it yourself is.

Check out the article I linked in my first post in this thread. It goes over some of the things you mention here.

 

[Psikerlord#]

I like to feel like I am exploring the fantasy world, imagining the environment and people and monsters etc. I don't really too much about "playing my PC's personality". I usually have a few catchphrases, and a go to "theme" or goal like pirate, or greed, or whatever, and try to stick to that, but otherwise play the PC pretty fast and loose. As far as my PC goes, I am most interested in achieving "cool moments" in play - fun and memorable scenes that I'll remember in years to come.

I have come to the view that it is best (for me) to let PC personalities unfold in play. I used to write up paragraphs of history and personality, but it never really got used, or it felt like a limiting factor. I understand where the bonds/flaws concept is coming from, but now I prefer just jumping straight into the game with a name and very brief background (one paragraph max), and then winging it. Letting the PC develop organically I guess? As the sessions roll on, it's interesting to see how the PC develops. Eg: she gets hammered early on and so develops a more cautious and planning attitude. Or he destroys his foes easily and develops a very brazen and bold approach. That sort of thing.

 

[Imaculata]

I tend to zone out & glaze over with this sort of detail. It's like being forced to watch QI, which everyone else seems to find hilarious but always features Stephen Fry lecturing me.

There is nothing boring about QI or a lecture from Stephen Fry. That man should be narrating our entire lives.

But joking aside, I don't want to create the impression that my sessions some how devolve into a long boring lecture on all the fruits and the plants, like the way Tolkien writes a trip to the bathroom.

But when I describe the environment to my players, it matters to me that I have my facts straight. If they go looking for food, they don't just find bananas and coconuts (basically the only tropical fruit most DM's can come up with, and the only fruit they know from their supermarket), but they find Dragon Fruit for example, and I describe what it looks like.



I want them to feel like they are on a journey through the Caribbean, and that means that I want to make it feel authentic. Just throwing in some of those details that feel totally real, helps to immerse them in this fictional world.

 

[Guest 85555]

Again, my position is not that "immersion" itself is a skill whereas achieving and maintaining it yourself is.

Check out the article I linked in my first post in this thread. It goes over some of the things you mention here.

I didn't find the article particularly persuasive or useful personally. Seemed very bogged down by GNS theory.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Absolutely. I find that investment makes everything else that much more fun. As a DM, I love it when the PCs get that into character. One of my favorite moments of immersion occurred when I wasn’t even at the table. The PCs had dropped anchor for the night, and were gathered around the table talking. I got up and took a break to stretch my legs. When I came back, they were still talking in character.