A really good Dungeons & Dragons session is one in which you’re truly immersed. The puzzles captivate, the story inspires, the action has you on the edge of your seat. If you don’t get a hit this round, you’re pretty sure the monster will finish you off. All of those things contribute to immersion, by my definition.

However, I’m not the only player at my table. And everyone has a different definition of immersion. As is mentioned in the various D&D rulebooks, in any given game there are a number of different player types represented around the table. You’re probably familiar enough with them based on their behavior: Instigators, who are always getting the party into hot water; Actors, who want to ham it up with the NPCs; Power gamers, who are all about optimizing their character’s stats; and Watchers, who just love hanging out with everyone else, and usually have to be reminded how to read d4s, and when to roll d20s. Those are just a few examples.

In addition to identifying various player types, advice on engaging the various player types is usually included. So, how do we get from engagement to immersion? Looking around the gaming table, I find that the things that create immersion for the different player types are often surprising.

One of my fellow players was recently fascinated by the probabilities involved in a series of failures I had rolled. He was also absorbed in figuring out the method we’d need to increase the probability to succeed at the task at which I was so miserably failing. My failures were extending the combat, and putting the party at risk, so it was important to hone in on an efficient solution. He was immersed in the game. Not by my definition, but certainly by his own. And, his immersion was going to move the game and story forward. That was enough for me to conclude that this was a good thing, and to better understand that my definition of immersion was incomplete.

In an earlier post I talked about the idea of making encounters visible, accessible, and compelling http://www.f1337command.com/VisibleAccessibleCompelling. Looking at what the players find compelling, what creates an immersive experience for them, means looking beyond your personal definitions. It means greater consideration for the players themselves. Have I got a frustrated thespian in the group? Will she be compelled to engage in a little diplomacy with the NPCs I’ve presented? What happens if one of the NPCs is based on a famous literary figure, and is perhaps obviously so inspired? If I’ve crafted it well, my player might even get immersed in the situation!

And what of the Watcher, the player who is there to hang out with the other players? Imagine this player is also an artist. What kind of situation can I create, where my Watcher could be called upon to perhaps make a sketch of another player, or get involved with the mapping? Maybe my Watcher loves beer. The player could run the bartender NPC in the next tavern encounter, and take drink orders from the party (and provide them to the players!)

Looking at the characters in your party is a good first step for inspiration in creating compelling encounters. Looking at the players around your table, you’ll probably be able to make playing the game memorable if you find ways to really immerse them in the play. They all have unique definitions of what is immersive for them, so unless you’ve known them for a while, you may have to do some research. In the end I suspect you’ll find it is rewarding for both of you.