Why do we immerse ourselves in the fake

[Rantos]

So as a school project I have to teach a class on virtual reality with a few other classmates.  For my part I am talking about why we turn to the virtual world. for what reasons to we immerse and spend so much time in realities that have no bearing on our own.  I have taken my search online but I wish to hear from my fellow RpN brothers and sisters as well.  Be it a simple reason or a complex one.  Be it as a way to pass time or an escape, please stop and tell as much as you can.  

 

[CabalAnomicPotato]

Although I chose engaging story, mindless fun also doesn't hurt....espically when  it be those zoms losing their minds XD

 

[Faricarnon]

I do it to escape from my reality and venture into the extensive worlds and lore created by studios. The fact that, virtual worlds can differ immensely from my life and yet make me sympathize with some characters or situations they're in or evoke an emotion from me is one of the reasons.

 

[Ammy]

I guess I'm a bit of an odd point to include, but I mainly play them because I feel they bring people together. I primarily play fighting games and MMORPGs, both of which you never end up with the exact same experience in any given session due to the human element.


Cooperating with others in FFXIV is satisfying since its a fun common ground to forge friendships on and conquering content together feels pretty good.


The fighting games I play - the rush of the competition is great. Much as I hate the term "eSport" it is comparable to playing a sport in that regard. Meeting up for a tournament and just hearing the reactions can be a lot of fun. It isn't about winning or losing, really. It's about the psychology behind the genre and being able to effectively read others and predict enough steps in advance to counter whatever they attempt.


So it isn't so much of a virtual element at all, but that it helps to meet kinds of individuals who I likely would have never come across under any other circumstances.


(Though if you have to pick one of the four, I guess "engaging story" would be it. Currently running Xenoblade Chronicles through Dolphin and it's been a blast so far.)

 

[Shelter]

The same reason why we indulge in social media for so many hours, the same reason why we think spending four hours on a good game is worth it, the same reason we even roleplay for that matter.


Personally, I think people can get immersed in a good story and still have a grip on reality but I also think that if that's true then you're not truly immersed. Video game characters are supposed to be the alter ego version of what we want to be, that can save the world or have an adventure that we never on our power have. The more complex the character we're playing as, the more likely we are to disconnect from ourselves and become the character we are playing as if ourselves never existed, this intensifies if the character has a similar personality as you or has a vague personality that you can fill your own personality in the void.  For example, you can be unhappy with your government but have absolutely no power to change it's current state, but your character in another game is fighting their government or fighting a political view and you can spend hours on trying to reach that end as if you're doing so in real life. You are abandoning  the self that powerless in this world in order to become the badass in the world, feeling okay with abandoning emotional and physical needs in order to stay in that world. (Doesn't mean you'll already do it)


However, that is a mild and rational level of escapism, the severe type is where you neglect yourself and your relationships in order to live your alternate ego's life. There is nothing wrong with escaping the real world because people do it all the time to cope with the harsh realities of life. People do it for tv shows, books, and even roleplaying for that matter. So, what's the point of this post?


You got me there.

 

[The Chronicler]

For roleplaying, it's more of me wanting to have a better life. Where mechs stomp on the ground, where magicians cast extremely weird spells. Or even just roleplaying yourself. I figure that being one to immersive myself in different genres is okay. And maybe some day I'll grow out of it, maybe. I just believe in that a different self is okay only when you have a personal connection to the character. 


As for myself, I am a very confident person, who thinks amazingly of himself, the roleplaying is just an added bonus. Most of my characters include traits that I have, or perceive to have. The connection through me and my made up characters feels immense only when I know it is. But other times, it's mostly just to get a load off your stress mind, to enter a world of random crap going on. Even then, still feels tiring, but that's mostly it. 


When I was about 7, I watched a lot of anime, Not the more special ones but the nice calm ones. Pokemon, Digimon, every other 'mon'. And on that special moment when I was 7, my Pokemon pencil bag case fell out of my backpack, in front of the really popular girls. Like the really real popular girls. They all laughed and jeered at my embarrassment of a bag. After that moment, I never told anyone again I enjoyed anime. This stressful-ness made me want to just disappear from life itself. This is where roleplaying came in, now right of as now, I'm a huge Star Wars fan, and I immerse myself by swinging those cool LED Lightsabers, like I'm in the show or just a Jedi or Sith like the rest. It's a fun experience and I keep it very private. (Ya know, until now)


Roleplaying for me and immersing myself is like having a second life, it's fun and all but your not yourself.


(Now half of this probably doesn't make sense. Just here to blab about stuff)

 

[eowarion]

If only you had offered an "all of the above" or "combinations of x and y". I felt drawn to most of the reasons and picked one that suits for this moment.