Immersion

Cannabis.

>>2777090
10/10

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you need some cozy enviroment and nice A/V setup

Like Old CRT TV in Small Room with cemented walls and nop windows

What kind of stupid question is that. Do I need to teach you how to be a human?

>>2777087
Maybe you should stop trying to be a hipster?

just try to sit down and enjoy them. if you can't, they aren't for you which is fine.

>>2777093
Seconding this.

>>2777097
If genuinely wanting to play and enjoy games makes me a hipster, then we're all hipsters.

>>2777097
This, if you don't like retro games you just don't. Stop trying to get into them because it's the current fad.

>>2777110
Wanting and liking the thought of playing retro games without actually playing them is the definition of retro game hipster.

>>2777093

need cozy

drugs help too

>>2777087
>There are a lot of games that I really want to play and love the thought of playing
>but I can't sit down long enough to put in any time on them.

You're trying to convince yourself you *should* like certain games, but you don't actually enjoy playing them. Stop trying to force yourself and find another hobby.

>>2777093
>Like Old CRT TV in Small Room with cemented walls and nop windows

None of that sounds cozy at all. That sounds horrible.

This

https://youtu.be/6gzXHUyfdyM?t=58

Immersion with retro games doesn't usually happen too quickly. Play it for a while and stick with it, you should actually start to feel pretty involved after a little bit. I should add most of the 'immersion' of retro games comes from the gameplay, not the scenery or world. Don't approach Zelda 1 as a fantasy game, approach it as an action game. I wouldn't reccomend FF1 to anyone just getting into old games, avoid that one until you've played the other classics. Even then, that game definitely isn't for most people.

If you don't have a good time with most of the critically acclaimed classics and just can't get into it, retro games probably just aren't for you.

>>2777090
this.

>>2777087
Maybe you need to play better games.

Final Fantasy games are an utter bore, and I played them and beat them back when they came out. Whenever I feel a bit nostalgic and play them again I want to fucking kill myself because the games are so boring and uninteresting. You'd have to shoot me to replay the Final Fantasy games.

Zelda games are fucking great though you must be insane.

so first you get your games, your console/emulator and then you play them

I dont.
I play them because they are fun and if they arent fun I drop them.
I dont need to be immersed to have fun and have never gotten why people have an immersion hard on.

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>>2777087
>booklets
>nintendo power
>guides

see if there are any of those you should check out with your retro game.

>>2777115
>>2777113
You guys are right, I should have worded what I said better. I really do want to play the games and whatnot, and I do enjoy them a lot. It's just a matter of not being able to sit down and drop many hours into them, despite having a lot of time. And a matter of wanting to feel really immersed in the games.

>>2777651
Sounds like your problem is time management.

Set aside a time that you know you'll have several hours to play the game, then just start it.

Also one of the hardest things about getting into any game is the beginning. Getting yourself to stop doing the same thing you're used to doing, and actually popping the game in and getting started. Once you get started, beat the first dungeon maybe, you'll be into it and ready to keep going the next time you have a chance to play.

>>2777442
This

Also being a 7 year old in the late 80s helps with the immersion factor.

play chrono trigger

>>2777651
A lot of retro games aren't really designed to be played for hours at a time. You play maybe an hour, make some progress, then maybe move on to doing something else. Do this daily or almost daily and you'll make plenty of progress.

As an aside, practicing something for a bit of time frequently, like how I described, generally helps with skill gain and retention more than infrequently sitting down for hours at a time. That's what I've heard, anyway. Seems to be true for me at least.

>>2777704
>A lot of retro games aren't really designed to be played for hours at a time.
Except for basically all of them.

>>2777704
I'm honestly drifting towards that scientific paper that said reaction time is genetic. Most of us will never git gud and that's just how it is.

I usually have a youtube video or tv show or something running at the same time. I play retro games when the sound off most of the time and a favorite thing to do is listen to an audiobook of something I need to read.

I have ADHD + depression but this combo lets me really enjoy retro games without the attention issues.

>>2777087
IDK what to tell you there sailor. You either get into the games, or you don't. If they're not your thing, then try something else.

Immersion has no real trick to it. You just sit and play and are either immersed, or not. But that's just in my experience.

Personally, I don't find modern games to be immersive at all, because they constantly tell you what to do and there's constant talking. On the other hand, something like the original Zelda, or the PS1 Resident Evils is VERY immersive, because they just drop you into the world and let you figure shit out yourself. So I end up thinking of the game in more practical terms, and identifying with the characters on a more functional level.

So, rather than identifying with a character because of what they say or do (or where the plot goes) I identify with them because I feel like I understand them, because I have to figure shit out as I go, like they would.

M<odern games lack that. They put you into situations that the characters would have to work out themselves, but then the game takes that element away from the player and just explains everything to them. Forcing you to be immersed solely buy the plot and action. And that's just no good, honestly.

>>2777704
Yeah, OK...

Back in the day, I got ONE new game a MONTH (if that) So I generally just sat and played games for fucking WEEKS sometimes. up to 5-6 hours at a time. I got Killer Instinct for Xmas one year, and played nothing but that for a month, lol. And not in little one hour bites either.

Retro games are just like anything else, except that they CAN be played for an hour, and progress can be made. But that's not the norm, generally. Maybe these days, when people can download 100 roms at once, then play 10 games a day for 15 minutes each. But not in their original, "natural" environment.

FTW

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>>2777093

>>2777087
immersion is for kiddies who play open world games and shit like that.

>>2777734
Genetics is the primary limiter of ability so I buy that.

>>2781317
>You will never git gud
>Reaction time is correlated to IQ
>Games are legitimately harder for you because you are dumb.
>Modern games are for legitimately dumber people so they can reach a mass market.

>>2781335
thank G-d for dysgenic breeding

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>>2777087

Find one on your phone, anon.

I'm playing FFVI right now on the iPhone.

>>2777087

you either enjoy them for what they are or you ride on nostalgia.

think of it like watching movies from a time period you weren't alive in. you have to sit down without the nostalgia of said period and just enjoy it as a movie. I did this with Kurosawa films and I did it for my love of cinema.

If you love video games you'll do it for your love of video games. if not you can go pickup your Fallout 4 preorder.

So I just woke up in the middle of the night, and realized that this is when I can actually sit down and play games "the way I used to." I'm rested (if not perfectly, at least enough that I'm not going to fall back asleep right away), I know that nobody's going to interrupt me and with the majority of the internet asleep there isn't really going to be much activity going on on social media, forums, etc to distract myself with, and I don't feel like I'm "wasting" time that I could better spend on something more productive, because I'd usually just be asleep right now anyway. I know that last one is a fallacy and I'll make up the sleep/productivity deficit somehow, but whatever. My brain thinks that now is a good time to play games, and that's what's important.

This might not work for everyone, but I know it works for me. I mean I doubt I could make a routine out of it, but I think the overall lesson, about finding a circumstance in which you just don't have anything else to care about/make you focus on it, is how you get into that groove.

>>2781573
>social media, forums,
kek what a normie

>>2777087

sounds like you have a short attention span.

I recommend seppoku

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>>2777704
>play them maybe an hour

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I remember I would absolutely lose myself in the first Phantasy Star as a kid. Play until the sun came up. The next time I had that level of focus was Metroid Prime. Then FO3 after that. Now the closest I get as far as immersion in a retro game is probably something like one of the lucasarts adventure games. To be honest, it gets harder as a grown up to just completely lose yourself in a game with all kinds of other shit going on in your head. Responsibilities and what not

get up at 5am to play them and pretend you're a 10-year-old trying to squeeze in a couple hours before school without your mom noticing

What do you people mean with immersion?

When I play Sid Meier's Colonization for a few hours in my mind I am a conquistador founding cities in a new found continent, if I play Sim City I can think I am a major for a few hours, but when I play Mario I dont immerse myself, as in "think I am Mario".

>>2782718
What about Samus? Metroid's a platformer like Mario, but its narrative is much different and denser. I'd dare say, even if you don't think "I am Mario", you may think a bit "I am Samus".

What I'm saying is, it depends a lot on how well the game sets the stage, and how much the game designers want you to feel yourself "immersed" in the virtual world of the game.
By the way, you mentioned good examples of feeling immersed in a game without it having an explicit player character, or strong narrative, proving that these things don't make or break immersion, they just contribute.

For me it's very important that a game "picks me up", and actually lets me into its world. There are games, that try their hardest to get me involved, but I just ain't feeling it, and keep staying outside of the game, being aware of it being a game, and merely following instructions to achieve what the game tells me I'm supposed to achieve. Then I'm not involved, not immersed. Mario would be such an example for you, I suppose.

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Speaking as someone who has untreated ADHD (which _did not_ go away as I got older), I find videogames are one of the only things I can completely focus on for at least one hour or more. So ADHD is not OPs problem.

As fore becoming more "immersed"...I'm not quite sure I understand that turn of phrase. You either like a retro game or you do not. And if you like it (and don't have all the imagination of a potato) the immersion should happen automatically- with near zero effort on your part. I can't actually stand the Mario franchise, though I do find Mario64 tolerable due to nostalgia. Therefore I do not become "immersed" when I play them. Lest you think I have some prejudice getting in the way, it's the same with The Hyrule Fantasy; I only keep it and Adventure of Link around for historical purposes and would never ever recommend them as something to "get lost in". On the other hand, you let me get into a good game of Blood? I can dig that. I'll roam around in those maps for hours pumping bastards full of lead and sowing death. Every step of the way I'll smell the smells of the damp earth or the clean sterile snowpack or the dank twang of rot in the ruined rooms. Likewise, in Sonic 3 & Knuckles I'll feel the tingle of water sprays and foams as I rocket around Hydro City or the sharp stinging furnace blast to the nostrils of Sandopolis.

So, it's _very_ possible, OP. You just need to decide what games _you_ like: not what everyone _says_ you should like.

>>2777087

it takes some dedication to be honest

I could barely stomach playing Zelda 1 and 2 at first because the difficulty curve is pretty high at the start of the games, with you being underpowered as fuck

but after a couple of hours of fucking around and grinding for rupees/xp the game really starts sucking you in. You just got to get used to the controls and the general gameplay.

>>2783425

Are there any zelda 1 mods that let you move diagonally?

I was born too late, grew up with Link's Awakening instead. I've tried to play it a few times but I only last 5 minutes before rage-quitting.

>>2783427
embrace the challenge

>>2783427

I had the same problem at first, but then the enemies don`t move vertically either (except for some projectiles)

It`s better that you get the heart containers, the white sword and shield upgrade before entering dungeons and use the shit out of the bow and and the boomerang until you get the magic sword and the magic rod. Also use fairy fountains.

It`s not conveyed very clearly, but I`m pretty sure the devs intended for you to explore the overworld first and get some gear. You`re just gotta get used to the fact that you`re going to get hurt a lot and die.

same thing with Zelda 2, I usually run around and get some XP drops and level up a bit before entering every dungeon

>>2783431

no thx. I guess that shit was fun back in the 1950s or whatever but it is the current year, come on

also to make you mad I don't really like ALttP either, fucking dated

>>2783435
>but it is the current year, come on
Even in the present, people enjoy being challenged by games. I'm suggesting instead of treating it like a lack of features, you treat it like a reduced ruleset, and do your best within that ruleset.

>I don't really like ALttP either
Me neither. Tried twice, but it never gripped me.

>>2783439

I didn't dislike ALTTP, but I was disappointed with it. I remember expecting there to be more persistent character interaction and story than there ended up being.

Lack of diagonals in Zelda didn't bother me. Must've been all tha Pokemon I played in my youth.

>>2783435

not a fan of Alttp either

I really liked Zelda 2 and OoT

Zelda 1 is pretty great as well ones you get going

>>2777087
>I can't sit down long enough to put in any time on them
Like that other anon said, you're probably just a faggy hipster that doesn't actually want to play retro games. Get another hobby like bird watching or something and stop trying to force yourself to like something.

Retro games are all I can actually get into. I have a gaming PC but I just can't get into the games. Maybe it's because the graphics are too distracting for me, or maybe it's just the style of retro games I prefer. Emulators on a PC usually don't cut it for me either for whatever reason. Just find a good retro game and get a good CRT setup going with a nice sound system if you got one. Order a pizza, light a joint if that's your thing (not mine for playing games but some people love it), and go ham for a few hours.

>>2783396
I like Mario games a lot, but I think he is "abstract", that is why I disagree when people say Mario is is for kids or childish, for me he is like Pacman, an excuse for fun game mechanics in a platformer, he doesnt have any story or quality that could be considered either mature or childish.


I think modern games are better at immersion, as in, the most popular modern games are game that make the player feel he is a bad ass in an action movie.

>>2783741
You're right, immersion, or its lack, is not a quality indicator. That's also why I think Mario vs. Samus was a fair comparison. Both pretty good games, both platformers, yet the way the player gets "immersed" (or not immersed) is very different, by design.

Careful about the "better at immersion" bit, because it's an aspect of what you said instantly before. Immersion is not a property of quality. You said the important bit at the very end, actually.

>ass in an action movie
Because that's a very common theme with modern gaming, a very close proximity to movie narratives. That's not an indicator of quality either, that's simply a development in the industry, trying to rely on established means of narrative, instead of being experimental with the delivery.

Instead, do the mental exercise and think of games that are freeform in their progression (not necessarily sandboxes), or minimal in their presentation (no cutscenes, for example), yet still immerse the player strongly. Pretty sure you'll come up with a game or two. Likewise, you can find movie-like games, that involve the player so very little, there's not much immersion at any point.

>>2777651
I feel that good sound design helps with immersion. To that end, I recommend a Zelda game (especially Link's Awakening, but all of them are done well) and Secret of Mana.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGK3usiX31s

>>2783814
music by itself is not sound design.
A good example of immersive audio would be Tomb Raider's ambient sounds. Also interactive scores, like in Ultima Underworld or Magic Carpet.

>>2777152
Cozy is relative and subjective, but I think he probably has the best advice in this thread. (Then again I read like 5 posts.) Whatever is cozy to you do it. Get some hot chocolate tea or whatever the fuck and get yourself in a good mind state and everything will be better too.

>>2777651
Play games about an hour before you go to bed each night. It's relaxing and it helps me sleep because it's so repetitive. I play as soon as I get up for a few hours too, but you might not be able to do that if you work.

I prefer mobile games becuase I can be fucking lazy and play in bed. It's cozy as fuck and helps me get into the game though.

>>2783416
>first paragraph
Holy fuck you drank so much kool-aid anon

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>>2777087
Like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLETH8dO9r8
and this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_Po2V1_qQI

>>2783824
>music by itself is not sound design.

Agreed, but SoM had many groundbreaking attempts to match visuals with music, and its sound effects were nice. Zelda's were, too. OoT actually has atmospheric sound. A blind guy beat OoT in large part because the sound adjusts based on the camera's orientation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmmqarQRSSE

>>2784083

I remember that video and that guy. Very impressive and inspiring.

>this whole thread
I am having a similar problem and it's getting out of hand.
A shitload of years ago I had no problem getting immersed in stuff, but the last years things have changed.
I can't just do one single thing at a time... I am always doing 2 or 3 things at the same time.
Like for example: Reading a comic, watching a video and browsing 4chan.
It started out kind of "tolerable"....I read a couple of pages of the comic, watch the video for a couple of minutes, see if someone posted anything interesting.
That was a couple of years ago ...
Now it's worse ... Read 1 fucking word balloon,
watch the video while browsing 4 chan, read 1 baloon again..repeat.
Sometimes it's so bad that I don't even finish a word balloon, I just stop in the middle of it.

It's really gotten out of hand, it feels like I can't focus on anything for more than 10 seconds.

I even had a really hard time writing post...
Is there something I can do to regain control of my life ?!

I can't even play games anymore because of this !

>>2784096
We live in an age of distraction, friend. The fear of being left behind overrides our basic need for consistency and growth

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Edx9D2yaOGs

4chan/Facebook/Tumblr can wait, but you have to prove it to yourself first.

>>2784096
>Is there something I can do to regain control of my life ?!
Figure which actions you do that are filler. For example in your example the video and 4chan, you're doing them all the time, to pass the time, looking for updates. Power down this device. Don't close the tab or the browser, power down this whole device. If you need the device for what you're really doing (say, playing a game, or emulating one), do that thing in full screen, and close all other programs.
>>2784102 has a good point as well, got to understand that the constant checks for updates are just because you're afraid of falling behind. None of that stuff will go away if you don't check right now, so learn, or re-learn, to not check them.
Allowing yourself to focus on something automatically means accepting and understanding that other things happening right now must take the backseat. That takes work, but it's managable. Closing the programs or shutting down the devices works, because it increases the threshold to checking. You can't just glance or tab to it any longer.

>>2784102

watched the entire thing without feeling anxiety or anything. I just checked if my computer didn't freeze when the video stops for 10 seconds.

It was a waste of 3 minutes, I guess.

>>2784109
I saw the CollegeHumor logo and instantly closed the tab

>>2784102
>>2784106
Okay .. wow .. That was enlightening.
Thanks guys ! I'm gonna make an effort to overcome this.

>>2784109
>I just checked if my computer didn't freeze
same here

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>>2777087
A lot of what me immersed in games when I was a kid was stuff like the manuals that went with the game. Look at Zelda LttP as a perfect example.

http://gamesdbase.com/Media/SYSTEM/Nintendo_SNES//Manual/formated/The_Legend_of_Zelda-_A_Link_to_the_Past_-_1992_-_Nintendo.pdf

This shit has backstory, character descriptions, item descriptions, strategy, bestiary, and some lore all in well illustrated in full color.

Nintendo Power's 3-part spread Days of Mana got me into wanting to play Secret of Mans really badly as a kid, and is partly why I enjoyed it so much once I got it.

http://www.seikens.com/gallery/secret-of-mana/nintendo-power-volume-64/

I feel that for older games this helps invoke the imagination which helps immerse one in a game. Any details that help fill in holes imposed by the medium gets me into the game more. One manifestation of this for me is that I enjoy games where you have to draw your own map, like text adventure games.

Recently I have been playing nethack a lot more. One aspect about nethack that helps me get engrossed with the game is the time investment and permanent death. If you are careless you die quickly. If you put yourself into your characters shoes and are cautious, you are much more likely to ascend.

Also, no absolutely no internet for guides/spoilers until after you beat the game at least once. I mean it!!

Shut down your computer. You don't need to play games, listen to music and shitpost at the same time. If you emulate: close any program except your emulator. Play in fullscreen like any non-pleb

Play at night, or at least darken your room. It's more cozy and your whole attention is focused on the screen.

Play only one game. Don't switch through your library because there's a part which might be a bit tedious or downright boring. Instant gratification wasn't a thing back then. You have to battle for your fun.

Is there some business which you actually should take care of instead of playing? If yes, do that first.

>>2784414
This. Games don't try hard to be immersive outside of the game itself. Each and every one of these commericals is completely cheesy, but seeing them evokes a sense of wonder that the game itself can't accomplish

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qS6-YMdeyJs

>>2777087
Read original manuals. They often give a lot of tips and backstory about them, and are usually amazingly cheesy. Also old Nintendo Power comics might also help.

>>2777087
If the problem is that you can't spend much time playing, use savestates. This will allow you to stop playing when you want and beat games faster, reducing lot of frustration from unforgiving difficulty.