In our ongoing series, Inside XR Design, we dive into examples of excellent XR design—this time, turning our focus to the game Synapse. We’re examining the concept of embodiment and its significance in the realm of VR gaming.
You can catch the full video below, or keep reading for the text version.
## Defining Embodiment
Welcome back to our latest Inside XR design installment. Today, I want to delve into Synapse (2023), a game unique to PSVR 2 from the talented folks at nDreams. We’ll be exploring it through the critical lens of embodiment.
Now, you might be wondering, what exactly is embodiment, and why is it important enough to detract from all the exhilarating shooting, explosive action, and smart mechanics in the game? Well, understanding embodiment helps us grasp why certain design choices in Synapse stand out. Stick with me for a moment.
Embodiment captures the sensation of truly being present in a VR environment, like you are actually standing within the game world.
You might say, “Isn’t that just immersion?” Although immersion and embodiment often get mixed up, let’s clarify: ‘immersion’ is about capturing your attention. For example, a movie can pull you in so engrossingly that you might momentarily forget your surroundings, but it doesn’t make you feel embedded within its action. That’s where ‘embodiment’ comes in, describing the feeling of physical presence and interaction within the VR world.
All VR games automatically provide immersion by engaging your senses, primarily sight and sound, once you don the headset. But embodiment is about transcending mere attention, making you feel like your entire being is part of the virtual terrain, as though you could physically interact with it.
In essence, immersion draws you in, and embodiment makes you believe you’re there—and it isn’t a matter of absolutes. Embodiment exists on a spectrum, where some games achieve it more intensely than others. The question is, how does Synapse achieve this?
## Cover You Can Feel
At first glance, Synapse might look like any other VR shooter. However, a closer inspection reveals intentional design elements that greatly enhance embodiment. The cover system stands out first.
Most VR shooters have cover systems that allow hiding behind structures to block fire. Yet these structures remain passive—they don’t actively engage you. In Synapse, though, walls and covers become interactive. You can physically grab them, using your hand to pull your body in and out of safety, creating an intuitive and effective gameplay experience.
This design choice changes the dynamics, as physically manipulating the environment lends the walls a greater sense of realness. When you grab and use a wall to maneuver, it subtly integrates into your proprioceptive model—more on this concept later.
## Understanding Proprioception
Now, let’s talk about proprioception, a term often used when discussing how VR tricks our brains into a sense of presence in an alternate space.
Think of a cat gracefully navigating obstacles without direct sight, subtly shifting its body to avoid them. That’s proprioception at work—it’s the innate sense of body positioning in relation to surroundings.
In Synapse, you innately process, “Grabbing the wall and moving to the right results in my body swaying left.” This interaction transforms walls into meaningful, interactive parts of the landscape, making you more aware of their proximity, and in turn boosting your feeling of embodiment.
## Mags Out
Walls in Synapse offer more than shelter; they’re integral to the reloading process.
Moving beyond embodiment for a moment—this is a cool design innovation. In our previous Inside XR Design talk on Half-Life: Alyx’s (2020) weapon realism, we discussed intricate reloading systems. In contrast, Synapse is fast-paced and demands a different approach, featuring a streamlined but engaging reload mechanism.
As you play, magazines eject and hover in this sci-fi world. Reloading is straightforward: just slide them back into your weapon. The system contextualizes perfectly within Synapse’s aesthetic, reducing reload complexity without cutting the fun.
Here’s where it brilliantly intersects with the cover system. Handling the cover utilizes one hand—reloading, cleverly achieved by using the walls, allows for multitasking both actions seamlessly.
This interaction with walls reinforces their presence. Knowing your arm’s proximity becomes crucial when using a wall to reload, deepening their role in your proprioceptive understanding of the space.
By enabling you to manipulate your environment directly and meaningfully, these elements render walls tangible in-game. When the world around feels tangible, you start believing you are within that world. That’s the essence of embodiment. Remember, VR games always capture your attention—they’re immersive by nature. But embodiment is about tactile involvement.
When it comes to literally reaching out and interacting, Synapse takes embodiment to thrilling new heights with its incredible telekinesis feature.
Curious about where this journey takes us next? Stay tuned as we extend the conversation in our next installment.
