| { | |
| "pattern_name": "Cognitive Immersion", | |
| "description": "Having ones attention focused upon problem-solving aspects of a game.", | |
| "content": [ | |
| "Many games offer players many possible actions and the possibility to plan several actions ahead. By doing so they let players regard the game as a problem-solving activity and thereby have [[Cognitive Immersion]] in the game.", | |
| "Although the processes in the human brain regarding emotions and spatial thinking are parts of what are classified as cognitive processes, the meaning of [[Cognitive Immersion]] is limited to that of abstract logical reasoning, as the spatial and emotional immersion has specific meaning regarding gameplay." | |
| ], | |
| "using_the_pattern": [ | |
| "The basic requirement for [[Cognitive Immersion]] is that players have a [[Freedom of Choice]] between actions and need to consider what action to perform. [[Cognitive Immersion]] can be encouraged by having action and activities requiring abstract reasoning while actions or events disrupting players' attentions make [[Cognitive Immersion]] difficult to maintain. However, [[Cognitive Immersion]] depends heavily on providing the [[Right Level of Complexity]]: too little complexity makes the reasoning about actions trivial while too much complexity can lead to [[Analysis Paralysis]] or [[Downtime]] for other players. The level of complexity in games can be increased while still providing [[Cognitive Immersion]] through the use of [[Book-Keeping Tokens]] or other forms of [[Game State Overviews]]. Providing a [[Consistent Reality Logic]] can be used to modulate the [[Right Level of Complexity]] by removing the need to have to deal with special cases within a complex environment.", | |
| "Examples of actions that require [[Tradeoffs]] and [[Risk/Reward]] choices and thereby promote [[Cognitive Immersion]] include [[Game World Navigation]] and [[Resource Management]], especially the use of [[Budgeted Action Points]] or having to choose how to do [[Attention Swapping]] between [[Focus Loci]]. [[Memorizing]] is helped by [[Cognitive Immersion]] but does not rely upon [[Tradeoffs]] and [[Risk/Reward]] choices, while [[Constructive Play]] typically encourage [[Cognitive Immersion]] simply because it encourages planning. [[Experimenting]] and [[Puzzle Solving]] allow [[Cognitive Immersion]] as activities in the game rather than as planning activities. [[Disruption of Focused Attention]] events, [[Surprises]], and forced [[Attention Swapping]] between [[Focus Loci]] are all examples of how [[Cognitive Immersion]] can be negatively affected.", | |
| "[[Emotional Immersion]] and [[Cognitive Immersion]] affect each other negatively: one is difficult to achieve when one has the other, and the game events that are used to promote one usually makes one lose the other form of [[Immersion]]." | |
| ], | |
| "consequences": [ | |
| "[[Cognitive Immersion]] is the [[Immersion]] in abstract reasoning about actions, events, and goals in games while playing the game. Being able to reason about these properties of the game does not require [[Perfect Information]] about them but the game need to have [[Predictable Consequences]]. Having both [[Predictable Consequences]] and [[Cognitive Immersion]] allows player [[Anticipation]] to emerge but also gives rise to [[Analysis Paralysis]]. Games with clearly [[Predictable Consequences]] and game states that are sufficiently easy to generalize can even promote [[Cognitive Immersion]] and [[Stimulated Planning]] as [[Extra-Game Actions]] between game sessions. Games allowing this form of [[Cognitive Immersion]] automatically have a level of [[Replayability]] since players may want to test their plans and strategies." | |
| ], | |
| "relations": { | |
| "Instantiates": [ | |
| "Immersion", | |
| "Anticipation", | |
| "Analysis Paralysis", | |
| "Downtime" | |
| ], | |
| "Modulates": [ | |
| "Replayability" | |
| ], | |
| "Instantiated by": [ | |
| "Attention Swapping", | |
| "Game World Navigation", | |
| "Focus Loci", | |
| "Budgeted Action Points", | |
| "Predictable Consequences", | |
| "Resource Management", | |
| "Puzzle Solving", | |
| "Experimenting", | |
| "Stimulated Planning", | |
| "Right Level of Complexity", | |
| "Book-Keeping Tokens", | |
| "Game State Overview", | |
| "Constructive Play", | |
| "Memorizing", | |
| "Consistent Reality Logic", | |
| "Freedom of Choice" | |
| ], | |
| "Modulated by": [ | |
| "Attention Swapping", | |
| "Tradeoffs", | |
| "Risk/Reward", | |
| "Extra-Game Actions" | |
| ], | |
| "Potentially conflicting with": [ | |
| "Surprises", | |
| "Emotional Immersion", | |
| "Disruption of Focused Attention", | |
| "Limited Planning Ability" | |
| ] | |
| }, | |
| "examples": [ | |
| "Chess and Go are examples of traditional board games that require [[Cognitive Immersion]] for skillful play.", | |
| "Laying puzzles can be seen as a game where the [[Cognitive Immersion]] is completely externalized by the rearrangement of pieces players make while completing the puzzle." | |
| ], | |
| "label": "9. Game Design Patterns for Narrative Structures, Predictability, and\n Immersion Patterns", | |
| "pattern_links": [ | |
| { | |
| "name": "Analysis Paralysis", | |
| "file": "AnalysisParalysis" | |
| }, | |
| { | |
| "name": "Memorizing", | |
| "file": "Memorizing" | |
| }, | |
| { | |
| "name": "Risk/Reward", | |
| "file": "RiskReward" | |
| }, | |
| { | |
| "name": "Freedom of Choice", | |
| "file": "FreedomofChoice" | |
| }, | |
| { | |
| "name": "Tradeoffs", | |
| "file": "Tradeoffs" | |
| }, | |
| { | |
| "name": "Replayability", | |
| "file": "Replayability" | |
| }, | |
| { | |
| "name": "Game State Overview", | |
| "file": "GameStateOverview" | |
| }, | |
| { | |
| "name": "Limited Planning Ability", | |
| "file": "LimitedPlanningAbility" | |
| }, | |
| { | |
| "name": "Puzzle Solving", | |
| "file": "PuzzleSolving" | |
| }, | |
| { | |
| "name": "Stimulated Planning", | |
| "file": "StimulatedPlanning" | |
| }, | |
| { | |
| "name": "Extra-Game Actions", | |
| "file": "Extra-GameActions" | |
| }, | |
| { | |
| "name": "Anticipation", | |
| "file": "Anticipation" | |
| }, | |
| { | |
| "name": "Downtime", | |
| "file": "Downtime" | |
| }, | |
| { | |
| "name": "Immersion", | |
| "file": "Immersion" | |
| }, | |
| { | |
| "name": "Disruption of Focused Attention", | |
| "file": "DisruptionofFocusedAttention" | |
| }, | |
| { | |
| "name": "Consistent Reality Logic", | |
| "file": "ConsistentRealityLogic" | |
| }, | |
| { | |
| "name": "Predictable Consequences", | |
| "file": "PredictableConsequences" | |
| }, | |
| { | |
| "name": "Game World Navigation", | |
| "file": "GameWorldNavigation" | |
| }, | |
| { | |
| "name": "Attention Swapping", | |
| "file": "AttentionSwapping" | |
| }, | |
| { | |
| "name": "Budgeted Action Points", | |
| "file": "BudgetedActionPoints" | |
| }, | |
| { | |
| "name": "Emotional Immersion", | |
| "file": "EmotionalImmersion" | |
| }, | |
| { | |
| "name": "Focus Loci", | |
| "file": "FocusLoci" | |
| }, | |
| { | |
| "name": "Right Level of Complexity", | |
| "file": "RightLevelofComplexity" | |
| }, | |
| { | |
| "name": "Book-Keeping Tokens", | |
| "file": "Book-KeepingTokens" | |
| }, | |
| { | |
| "name": "Surprises", | |
| "file": "Surprises" | |
| }, | |
| { | |
| "name": "Experimenting", | |
| "file": "Experimenting" | |
| }, | |
| { | |
| "name": "Resource Management", | |
| "file": "ResourceManagement" | |
| }, | |
| { | |
| "name": "Constructive Play", | |
| "file": "ConstructivePlay" | |
| } | |
| ], | |
| "pattern_id": "CognitiveImmersion", | |
| "playable_concept": "Not available yet", | |
| "metadata": { | |
| "version": "1.2.2.2", | |
| "date_processed": "2025-04-26", | |
| "source_file": "CognitiveImmersion.htm", | |
| "converter_version": "1.2.2.2" | |
| } | |
| } |