game girl advance: WoW Succeeds Because It's NOT Immersive?

WoW Succeeds Because It's NOT Immersive?

Isn't it funny how when you get together with a fellow gamer, especially an MMO player, you immediately start sharing experiences of how you play the game? I was out for a walk with my neighbor Jack and we got to talking about World of Warcraft, and I had a sudden realization about the success of the game.

Yes, it's a solidly designed game, friendly for newbs, and all that, but - it's also a game that supports what I think of as layerability. In other words, you can sometimes layer the experience of WoWing over and under other experiences.

In WoW, about ten percent of my time in the game requires ninety percent of my attention. The other ninety percent of the time requires anywhere from five percent (say, flying to another area) to fifty percent (grinding a familiar area, or helping to power level a low-ranking friend). So I find that more often than not I am checking email, on AIM, making tea, etc. during my WoW sessions.

That goes against the notion that games have to be immersive, or that the strength of games as a medium is that they are so immersive.

And yet WoW *is* immersive, in the sense that I played last night until 3:30 am without even noticing it. "Just finish up this one last quest" we told each other in our group, "just one more quest item, just one more mission." I'm wondering if the layerability of the game contributes to the play sessions - because you can continue to do some other things as you play, you are more likely to keep playing longer.

Hm! I don't think most console games can get away with this - can they?

Posted by jane at October 20, 2007 08:55 AM

This reminds me of a current trend in casino design. The old-school model was to make it as hard to leave the floor as possible, so you'd still be there dropping quarters in the slots. They realized that not being able to see an exits makes people anxious, and that makes them less likely to take risks. If they feel comfortable in their environment, they're more likely to stick around and keep their money on the table.

Here's an excerpt from the writeup:

"Confusion creates worry," Steelman says. "Worry creates doubt. Doubt brings less empowerment. The less empowered gambler won't spend much." Mirrors are bad, too. They can shatter the illusion that you're James Bond.

Posted by: phipunk on October 20, 2007 09:21 AM

For the most part, console games cannot do this. However, I'd prefer that they don't. I like the immersion of being in the game, and if I could just make tea or do things while the game is running, the immersion is pulled right out.

Usually if I want to entertain myself while doing something like make certain foods, I'll just put on Guitar Hero. That way I can play five minutes, and then check on what's going on. Yet if the point of the game is that I'm supposed to want to adventure, then I'd rather sit down and enjoy it for the whole time.

Of course, I never got into WoW, or any MMORPG for that matter, simply because they feel a lot less like games and more like work. Only MMO I've enjoyed yet is Planetside.

Posted by: cesarano on October 21, 2007 06:31 AM