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rom Ultima Underworld to Dishonored: The Evolution of Immersive Simulation
Immersive simulation (immersive sim) is a genre of video game that emphasizes player choice. The core feature of this type of game is the simulation system it uses, which can react to various player actions. Combined with a wide range of player abilities, this allows the game to support diverse and creative problem-solving, as well as emergent gameplay experiences that go beyond what the developers explicitly designed. This definition should not be confused with gaming systems that generally allow players to make choices within a limited range, nor with systems that allow players to easily escape the consequences of their choices.
Immersive simulations are defined by a variety of puzzle-solving styles, and often combine elements of role-playing games, stealth, first-person shooters, and survival horror.
Although the game world of an immersive simulation is usually smaller than that of an open world game, the open-ended gameplay it provides still allows players to freely proceed with the main storyline and its side quests. The pioneer of this genre is often considered to be the work developed by Looking Glass Studios. The first game of this type, "Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss", is generally considered to be the first game with immersive simulation elements. Subsequent "Thief" series and "Deus Ex" are important representatives of this type. The term immersive simulation was coined in the 2000s and became widely used in the mid-2010s, often to recall the design principles demonstrated by early examples.
The concept of immersive simulation
Immersive simulations often require players to complete tasks within a level, but do not dictate how they are accomplished. A common example is when a character needs to get past a guard, and the player can choose to sneak, use climbing techniques, find a small passage, lure the guard's attention, bribe him, or kill the guard directly. The player's choices may be limited by the character's abilities or items, and may come with certain consequences. For example, after killing a guard, his body may be discovered by other guards, raising their level of vigilance. However, the consequences of this choice can sometimes be seen as a burden.
"Immersive simulations make you feel like you're there, and there's nothing stopping you from believing you're in an alternate world."
These games are more like tabletop role-playing games led by a good game host. Designers often create rule systems that keep the game running, but at the same time the game reacts to the player's actions. It is worth mentioning that the "Chaos System" introduced in the early "Dishonored" adjusts the enemy's behavior based on the player's previous violent behavior, aiming to encourage players to adopt a variety of strategies. This system was introduced in the subsequent work "Dishonored: Removed in Death of the Outsider.
History
Warren Spector believes that the early "Ultima VI: The False Prophet" had the idea of immersive simulation. The game is played from a top-down perspective, but relies on a rule system of life interactions rather than a fixed plot. During a game test, Spector observed a tester using a pet rat to replace the magic needed to open a closed shadow gate. This behavior was not expected by the developers, and it was exactly what he had in mind for immersive simulation. The prototype of.
"When I saw the first demo of Ultima Underworld, the thought that came to my mind was, don't you realize that the whole world just changed?"
Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss followed in 1992 and is widely considered the first game to fully demonstrate the elements of an immersive simulation. Subsequently, the launch of series such as "System Shock" and "Thief" made this type of game gradually attract attention in the gaming industry.
Industry Performance
Despite its positive critical reception, the immersive simulation genre has often been underperformed in the games industry, with sales fluctuating. For example, the first Deus Ex sold over 500,000 units, while its sequel, Deus Ex: Invisible War, was considered a commercial failure. Although Deus Ex: Human Revolution sold over 2.1 million copies in its first month, its sequel Mankind Divided only sold nearly 1 million copies a year after its release, and even Dishonored 2 failed to reach the performance of the series. Sales of the first work.
"Immersive simulations often require players to invest more time to master the game's complex interactive systems. In comparison, other single-mechanism games are easier to sell."
This makes it challenging to develop and sell such games, especially as players' tastes change and demand grows for faster-paced games with strong social interactions. Despite this, many developers still believe that immersive simulations will continue to exist in the market and look forward to new independent developers bringing new creativity and ideas in the future.
Ultimately, can games find a place in a rapidly changing market, and does it need to find a balance between protecting player freedom and considering commercial interests?
