(Originally posted on Reddit: Reddit Link)
The two concept of character immersion and the related immersion of the user within a game, are the key aspects of VR game design.
Environmental immersion focuses mainly of the user’s immersion within the game environment, and the truth the matter is even with the current generation of PSVR it’s satisfactory results, with the game graphics being the main factor of achieving the desired results.
Whereas Character immersion focuses mainly on the aspect of IRL movements of hands to be associated with a 3D representation of hands in VR. The visualisation of the body and the understanding of the game character. The current gen PSVR due to the lack of 360 movements, wired units and also having a very early generation of controllers (PS Moves) with no comprehension of finger movements, the reality of reaching a full immersive character representation is far from reality (or should I say from from virtual reality!!!)
Resident Evil 7 is an example of a perfect environmental immersion with poor character immersion which is resulting in an astonishing game and the experience is beyond anything experienced with any other game on a 2D screen.
But the main question here is whether character immersion should be a priority or a the key factor of PSVR game designs? Why does it seem that VR 360 movements and hand tracking seems to be having such a big priority for many users? Shouldn’t most game designers take Resident Evil 7 as the possible game design template to figure that the current gen of PSVR might be already showing more potential than most people expected?
