Over the past couple of weeks, I have been taking note of the various theories we have discussed in lectures and writing down several thoughts for what the subject of my essay should be. Having written numerous academic papers in high school, I’m quite familiar with the process, but it was very helpful to be able to ask my professor for feedback on a few of my preliminary essay titles and ideas.
I knew immediately that I wanted to pursue the path of immersive media and entertainment/storytelling, and began by looking into the idea of escapism, and what this means. I did some research and wrote down my thoughts on how escapism is enhanced or hindered by how engaging the environment is, and why humans have an innate desire to escape reality. I then questioned the very definition of the word “escapism”; perhaps it is, in itself, misleading. We escape reality with fictional entertainment – immersive media – but with the technological development of all forms of entertainment (such as Netflix, video games, and VR), this escape has become a part of day-to-day life. Are we really “escaping” at all? Or has escapism just become so normalized that it’s now a part of reality? Could the two be seen as synonymous? I tripped out on that for a few hours, delving into a hole of how perhaps actuality and virtual realities may eventually converge; will we eventually stray so far from reality that it becomes indistinguishable from fiction? Or is this just the technological advancement of the entertainment industry, which is seemingly a constantly evolving organism – from mythology etched into pots millennia ago to novels and scripture, then to theatre productions and movies, and now to video games and virtual realities that provide almost tangible effects for the player.
Though this idea was fascinating to me, I felt it was a tad too philosophical and therefore not appropriate for an academic paper. Though I do want to discuss the idea of escapism, I decided to focus more on how immersive media can be a narrative tool that can break down sociocultural barriers.
I studied psychology at a higher level in high school and found it fascinating, thus wanting to implement some of my knowledge of that into this essay by analyzing how immersive media uses narratives drawn from various cultures, which are then shared globally. This allows anyone who has access to the platform to experience, in a more engaging way than was ever previously possible, aspects of other cultures and societies, therefore breaking down sociocultural barriers.
From here, I began to think of how I believe that immersive media will continue to develop and progress as society is constantly looking for more ways to express entertainment in all its forms. In its essence, this is the technological advancement of storytelling. These globalized methods of entertainment allow people of all genders, nations, values norms and cultures to enjoy and be immersed in different realities, as well as possibly learn more about other cultures. An example of this would be my anecdotal experience with video games such as the God of War series and the Assassin’s Creed series. Both draw from various mythologies, which actually sparked my interest in Norse and Greek mythology respectively. Each game in the Assassin’s Creed series also takes place at a different time in history, with relative historical accuracy of historical figures, places, and events. After finishing Assassin’s Creed Odyssey for the first time, I went on to do my own research on Ancient Greek history and Greek mythology. It was fascinating to be able to interact with an interpretation of certain historical figures within the video game world, as well as learn so much about the cultural and societal norms at the time, having differed so much from present-day societal norms. Thinking about my experience in this way, I felt that others may have encountered a similar interest being stemmed from these video games, and decided to pursue this route for my essay.
I discussed these ideas with my professor and he suggested that I direct my focus on how immersive media can be an educational tool, both for learning about various cultures’ histories and breaking down cultural barriers, as it was for me. I was able to narrow down my thoughts to formulate a final essay question: “how are role-play games (RPGs) an educational tool that effectively enhances our understanding of various cultures through immersive storytelling?”. I followed his advice on using the Assassin’s Creed series as my case study, and have since thought through and written down notes for an essay plan.
I will discuss how the development of immersive media has created more immersive and engaging in-game environments, with narratives drawn from various cultures, allowing players to experience a culture different to their own, thus making them a tool for both entertainment & escapism, as well as educational. I will emphasize how the Assassin’s Creed series in particular utilizes historical accuracy in its storytelling with its characters (real historical figures), settings (how the locations looked at the time) and events (real historical events, for example, the French Revolution in Assassin’s Creed Unity) to enhance our understanding of other cultures and societies. I will back up this premise with Berry’s Model of Acculturation (a sociocultural theory), research on consumer feedback of the games, and other academic papers I have yet to research.
I would also like to add that my essay question includes the word “effective” because of the ultra-immersive aspect of RPGs as compared to other mediums of entertainment such as film. The players themselves are individually placed in the world, sometimes with tangible impacts on the narrative – such as in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, where the player’s choices dictate how the story unfolds – making them superior in terms of engagement. This will be evidenced by research on RPG immersiveness.
From here, I will begin by blocking out each section of my essay and its structure and begin my research. I will also be beginning the research presentation before the Easter break as I now have a clear plan for what I will be writing about.
I love writing essays and academic papers, or just writing in general, and especially so when it’s a topic I am interested in and passionate about. As such, I am thoroughly enjoying the essay planning process so far, and although it may sound sarcastic (I assure you it’s not), I am excited to move on to writing the essay.