| BW_JP said: Unfortunately, how you see immersion in video games appears to be considerably flawed. Though, it is a personal thing so I'll take that back. It's perfectly fine for things like the 'fourth wall' to interfear with your immersion in a game, but video games are not movies. They are not television and they certainly are not plays. The immersion in a video game is almost entirely based upon the ability of the game designer to keep you focused to beliving what you are viewing on screen. So you're not wrong in saying that these things break immersion on the surface. However, when playing metal gear solid, you are always expecting and hoping for comedic relief. Kojima is one of the, if not the best writers in the industry. A lot of people critize him for things that are intentionally in the game to provide that relief. MGS is a serious game, but it doesn't take itself seriously, it is very, very important to understand that when playing. Its filled with jokes and rediculous ideas. Things like psycho-mantis _add_ to the immersion because you are suddenly part of the game. Of course, you can take it in the wrong way, that's up to the player. |
I admit it's been a while since someone told me my perceptions are "flawed" on this forum, I guess that's kind of refreshing. Like an old pair of sneakers.
And for the record, no, comedic relief was not hoped for nor expected as a matter of course in MGS1. The series didn't really receive a sense of humor until MGS2, and that wasn't capitalized until MGS3. MGS4 was almost a parody of itself.
"The fourth wall" is not limited to visual media, though you are right in claiming that expectations differ between pieces of media, and somewhat between genre. Breaking the fourth wall is certainly more expected in a piece of work wherein levity is one of the primary narrative tools (or focuses, even), but the complaint registered here was re: Metal Gear Solid as Serious Business. Immersion for a game like that would mean that one is able to suspend disbelief, which is to say that breaking the fourth wall would be breaking the immersion by definition.
The problem is not in how I view video games or immersion, it comes down to a disagreement between myself and SHMUPGuru concerning what constitutes immersion or appropriate content in Metal Gear Solid.
The most infuriating part of your post is that I think you actually agree with me.
