Dry interfaces.

One way of making interfaces unobtrusive is to present them as completely uninteresting actions. True immersion doesn’t really exist. We are always somewhat aware of the system that we are running the program on. Holding a controller, seeing a screen, the light in the room, the position of the speakers, the seat of the chair we’re sitting in. The reason why these elements hardly disturb our enjoyment, is that we’re not interested in them.

So perhaps this is an inspiration for interfaces. Just make them dull and simple, so we can all but ignore them. Showing a picture of the button we’re supposed to press to do something in a given context works really well for me. As long as this doesn’t come with extra demands, like pressing the button repeatedly, or doing it within a short amount of time. Then my attention shifts to the system too much and away from the fiction.

Showing an icon for the button to press is sometimes even better than hoping that the player remembers. Because when he doesn’t, he is sent straight back into the system level, out of the fiction (since it is the player who doesn’t remember, not the character). This feels somewhat counter-intuitive since clearing the screen of all clutter seems like the best choice for immersion.

Of course dry interfaces only work with simple mechanics. But I believe simple mechanics are a first requirement anyway to pull players into the fiction. Carefully chosen and designed mechanics can help the immersion. But it’s very tricky, may not work for all players, needs to suit the fictional context very well, and requires instructions that may break the spell. I think it’s often a smarter choice to let the computer do the work: simple player interface for complex character action.

I don’t believe in emotions triggered by mechanics much. These emotions too happen on the system level and even if they are similar to those the character might be experiencing in the fiction, they are certainly not on par. When you feel victory over winning a fight, the character might feel relief about barely escaping death instead. Dry interfaces will bring you much closer to the character’s emotions.