Between immersion and emersion: orientating digital games towards virtual and physical spaces

Many studies on computer games explore the concept of immersion, related with the idea of engagement and presence. However, immersion defines only one side of the relation between physical space and virtual space in games. When the virtual content of the game is orientated outside the boundaries of virtual space another relation is being generated, which this paper appoints as emersion. This paper will focus on this unstudied emersive orientation of the game interface. Specifically, this research addresses the question of how a change at interface level transforms the orientation of the interface inside out. The thesis is that from specific changes made at this level, different experiences of space in video games could in fact be generated. The aim is to analyze how these changes that are being made at interface level impact the spatial experience. In order to achieve this aim, firstly, a conceptual framework will be developed. Secondly, an analytical model for space involvement will be proposed. Lastly, some case-studies will be proposed and some conclusions offered. This paper will contribute to the definition of the features iof emersion and to the analysis of the new possibilities for experiencing space in digital games.