Does instant transportation effect game immersion?

[IStolzI]

It's a game. You're not really in it. I'm sorry. Immersion level is 0

News flash, Dynamis doesn't know what the word immersion means.

[TidBones]

Damn RPs, only you to bother with a small issue like this...

[Rhomagus]

The choice of an airship cutscene is fine and the early implementation of it is also fine considering the reason why people have been clamoring for it in the first place. Put the bells and whistles on when you have them. Same goes for the chocobo implementation in 1.19.

My suspension of disbelief i.e. "immersion" is more hurt by retcons in the storyline and the lack of basic human interactions like jump, PvP, or tandem emotes with other players. I don't think I could ever sit through a roleplayed fight while watching the RPer's characters just stand there /emoting at each other. That hurts immersion more than anything.

Watching my character walk up 8ft. walls with ease but unable to step over a rock that's shorter than his shin hurts immersion. More often than not, the inconvenient one pulls me out rather than the convenient glitch up a wall. I'm more prone to reacting in disgust/annoyance when I'm inconvenienced rather than convenienced.

Real people in the real world can actually jump. Jumping does not hurt immersion, it hurts "those who don't want people to jump"'s immersion.

To cutscene or not to cutscene is perfectly fine by me. That's my answer.

The "hurts immersion" arguments usually squander gameplay and accessibility for tedium. I'm never in favor of that. When the immersion includes a legitimate addition to gameplay, such as using chocobos as pack animals/war steeds, I'm always in favor of that. Funny thing is though, jumping would have added more immersion than getting rid of collision detection.

This is actually why I like Yoshida's development philosophy. The giant cakes are there. We've all (generalizing) seen the concept scene of a boat battle, but Yoshida said in an interview that they aren't just going to throw in cakes if there's no reason for it from a gameplay perspective. As of right now, there's no reason for an airship cutscene from a gameplay perspective. Until they have one, sure, go for it, but they don't as of right now and that stuff will be coming in a later patch. As of right now you can fish off the boat between Limsa and Thanalan. Awesome! There's actually a purpose for that time spent on the boat, otherwise scrap it, it's a waste of actual data resources not just dev team resources.

Asking for tedious tasks that have nothing to do with the gameplay is like saying jumping ruins immersion in basketball. You'd be surprised that there are actually people out there that believe this.

[Jobeto-Rin]

In general, an MMO's success thrives from sustaining players in the game.

A game containing challenging obstacles that impede in-game goals, be it the time to accomplish agendas; depth of difficulty, a time-sink in its own right; or a plethora of content to complete, not only compliment the chances of success but requires that a player pertains diligence, separating the hardcore from the casual, and grants a feeling of accomplishment & enjoyment once those impediments are perished.

So IMO, instant transportation does warrant less immersion.

Games with easily accessible shortcuts diminishes it's difficulty and staying power.

[Commat]

Games with easily accessible shortcuts diminishes it's difficulty and staying power.

Agreed, so lets have a fun, long and rewarding adventure to gain airship passes.

Not we pay a guy 500gil to ride an AFKship.

K?

[Jobeto-Rin]

Agreed, so lets have a fun, long and rewarding adventure to gain airship passes.

Not we pay a guy 500gil to ride an AFKship.

K?

Or better yet...

How about a long and rewarding airship pass quest, like you mentioned.

& quests requiring us to board an airship?

Win-win situation

[Rhomagus]

In general, an MMO's success thrives from sustaining players in the game.

A game containing challenging obstacles that impede in-game goals, be it the time to accomplish agendas; depth of difficulty, a time-sink in its own right; or a plethora of content to complete, not only compliment the chances of success but requires that a player pertains diligence, separating the hardcore from the casual, and grants a feeling of accomplishment & enjoyment once those impediments are perished.

So IMO, instant transportation does [not] warrant less immersion.

Games with easily accessible shortcuts diminishes it's difficulty and staying power.

I now agree with this statement.

You even state it in your post:

depth of difficulty, a time-sink in its own right;

We don't need to waste time for wasting time's sake. We are already utilizing time in order to accomplish difficult objectives. Non-instant transportation does not add difficulty unless there is actual content to accompany it.

This fails to take into account being given the freedom to "take the road less traveled", and that makes, "all the difference".

[Jobeto-Rin]

I now agree with this statement.

You even state it in your post:


We don't need to waste time for wasting time's sake. We are already utilizing time in order to accomplish difficult objectives. Non-instant transportation does not add difficulty unless there is actual content to accompany it.

This fails to take into account being given the freedom to "take the road less traveled", and that makes, "all the difference".

Anything that takes time requires us to be more involved, hence immersion. MMO's thrive off of that. That is the notion I was trying to provide.

I'm not trying to imply that we need to waste time, in order to provide immersion. Nor did I mean to insinuate that non-insta traveling provides difficulty. Those were 3 different variables that effect immersion in a MMO. Goals that don't require time spent to achieve them, more than likely, feel less rewarding than those that do.

A road less traveled and instant shortcut are not interchangeable.

Read my 2nd post, if you have no time....

We are supposed to make time for MMO's. Not the other way around.

[Rhomagus]

Anything that takes time requires us to be more involved, hence immersion. MMO's thrive off of that. That is the notion I was trying to provide.

I'm not trying to imply that we need to waste time, in order to provide immersion. Nor did I mean to insinuate that non-insta traveling provides difficulty. Those were 3 different variables that effect immersion in a MMO. Goals that don't require time spent to achieve them, more than likely, feel less rewarding than those that do.

A road less traveled and instant shortcut are not interchangeable.

Read my 2nd post, if you have no time....

We are supposed to make time for MMO's. Not the other way around.

A road less traveled and instant shortcut are not interchangeable.

You read it wrong, the road less traveled is actually the less convenient one. Nature follows the path of least resistance. In essence, the metaphor here applies to the immersionist not the person wanting convenience.

Anything that takes time requires us to be more involved

AFK on an airship involves me how again?

Read my 2nd post, if you have no time....

I've read your second post and agree with you in some aspects, if only a few. I've edited them accordingly in my response to reflect a fair compromise and the philosophies I too would like implemented.

We are supposed to make time for MMO's. Not the other way around.

Absolutely disagree with you on this, and I think the disclaimer that you accept before playing every time would also like a word with you. Forgetting your family, skipping school and work, and creating room in life for the purpose of "making time" in an MMO is not healthy nor condoned by Square Enix. I play an MMO in my "downtime". I don't "make time" for it. That's absolutely ridiculous and is the very crux of our design philosophies here.

If you respond, also take into account I've never played any other MMO besides Final Fantasy XI. I've never even tried WoW. This is not a WoW vs FF argument. Nor is it a churn and burn vs. immersion argument. It's an options vs. no options argument.

[Jobeto-Rin]

You read it wrong, the road less traveled is actually the less convenient one. Nature follows the path of least resistance. In essence, the metaphor here applies to the immersionist not the person wanting convenience.



AFK on an airship involves me how again?



I've read your second post and agree with you in some aspects, if only a few. I've edited them accordingly in my response to reflect a fair compromise and the philosophies I too would like implemented.



Absolutely disagree with you on this, and I think the disclaimer that you accept before playing every time would also like a word with you. Dumping a girlfriend, skipping work, forgetting your schoolwork is "making" time for an MMO. I play an MMO in my "downtime". I don't "make time" for it. That's absolutely ridiculous and is at the very crux of our philosophical argument here.

I'm not sure I understand the ridiculousness of setting aside time to play a game, that should be immersive and involve time in the first place.

I think your forgetting MMO's are supposed to be another world to be involved in, a game in which you can temporarily forget about other issues. Which is the point of the disclaimer, don't forget RL.

Now MMO's are just another game to be played and rushed through.