{
  "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"
  }
}