General Impressions:
I initially read the Zyda article for Virtual Reality- but the article expanded to discuss serious games, and how we might build affect into games.
Building affect into games is very interesting. Specifically, how could we add more emotion and emotion detection to a game? What if a game could make us cry, then detect we were crying, then respond appropriately? (Zyda, 2005)
Using affect / evoking visceral, emotional responses from game players will raise the game's level of immersion.
Look up GamePipe Lab at USC...
After listening to Jeff McNeill's SecondLife presentation- it seems that there are different ideas about how we can define 'immersion' in gaming / simulations.
Some suggested that immersion means full-on virtual reality- involving putting on some sort of VR goggles, sensors, etc. This creates a feeling of being 'dropped' into the world that's being presented.
I don't think of immersion as a yes / no- rather as a variable that relates to how well a game / simulation sucks you in (a feeling of involvement). While 3D VR goggles can add to this feeling, part of it is how well the game is designed, how the user is required to respond (quick response?), and other factors such as the degree to which the game supports human communication.
Zyda, M. (Sept. 2005). From Visual Simulation to Virtual Reality to Games. IEEE Computer. Vol. 38 (9), pp. 25 - 32. http://micro189.lib3.hawaii.edu:2079/iel5/2/32339/01510565.pdf?tp=&arnumber=1510565&isnumber=32339
- My Summary (also under Virtual Reality)