http://www.pentadact.com/2010-01-17-open-world-games-what-works-and-why/ A games writer in the UK who also sometimes tries to make things. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:40:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.4 http://www.pentadact.com/2010-01-17-open-world-games-what-works-and-why/#comment-127747 Open World Games: Cramming All The Good Stuff Into One, by Tom Francis Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:18:03 +0000 http://www.pentadact.com/?p=1206#comment-127747 [...] last post was figuring out what we all like in open world games; this one’s about how to make that [...] http://www.pentadact.com/2010-01-17-open-world-games-what-works-and-why/#comment-127707 Pentadact Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:23:35 +0000 http://www.pentadact.com/?p=1206#comment-127707 Lucas, how did Pirates fill its open world and why was it good? I did play it at the time, but I remember next to nothing about it. Except that I could win any boarding action because the swordfighting minigame was exploitable to the point that I could take the entire enemy crew myself. http://www.pentadact.com/2010-01-17-open-world-games-what-works-and-why/#comment-127686 Malibu Stacey Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:12:37 +0000 http://www.pentadact.com/?p=1206#comment-127686 "The next post will be figuring out how to cram all the good stuff into one specific open world." Real Time Worlds beat you to it -> http://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/c/crackdown/
Real Time Worlds beat you to it -> http://www.xbox.com/... ...crackdown/]]> http://www.pentadact.com/2010-01-17-open-world-games-what-works-and-why/#comment-127665 Dante Sun, 24 Jan 2010 19:43:08 +0000 http://www.pentadact.com/?p=1206#comment-127665 I'm not against collecting, but it has to be more than just collecting for it's own sake. Batman's Riddler puzzles are a superb example of this, often they're interesting, and they all provoke a response from the Riddler, with it's own little ending if you get all of them. GTA IV's 'flying rats' on the other hand, I couldn't care less about.
GTA IV's 'flying rats' on the other hand, I couldn't care less about.]]> http://www.pentadact.com/2010-01-17-open-world-games-what-works-and-why/#comment-127663 Lucas Sun, 24 Jan 2010 18:42:16 +0000 http://www.pentadact.com/?p=1206#comment-127663 Every open world game designer MUST play Sid Meier's Pirates! Even simple world dynamics can go a very very very long way. Lack of suitable world dynamics make most open world games boring. I love exploration, but when its done, that's it. Collecting is mostly a waste of time rather than gameplay.
I love exploration, but when its done, that's it.

Collecting is mostly a waste of time rather than gameplay.]]> http://www.pentadact.com/2010-01-17-open-world-games-what-works-and-why/#comment-127657 The Sunday Papers | Rock, Paper, Shotgun Sun, 24 Jan 2010 13:25:23 +0000 http://www.pentadact.com/?p=1206#comment-127657 [...] Tom Francis on Open World Games, in a relatively restrained mood What works and why. One day someone’s going to give Tom a job making a fucker, and it’ll be a better world for that. [...] http://www.pentadact.com/2010-01-17-open-world-games-what-works-and-why/#comment-127644 Lack_26 Sat, 23 Jan 2010 20:48:03 +0000 http://www.pentadact.com/?p=1206#comment-127644 Jazmeister: yeah I used a lot of them, but not all of them (although it was certainly what inspired me to mod up FO3. I used some different mods to the list as well (XFO being one of them). I was planning to do a blog of it, but I was having too much fun playing it. Ah found the mod list (not all of these are vital I would say, in fact I had to mod MTC travellers myself to make it in keeping with the lore. Actually, I've tinkered with a fair few on that list. But yeah, it makes for a pretty lore sensitive game. Things like the paradise lost (re-skin for the book) and 'enclave are friendly' are things I made myself, I just forgot to take them out.) http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/4286/modlist.jpg Pentadact: Of course, mugs are awesome.
Ah found the mod list (not all of these are vital I would say, in fact I had to mod MTC travellers myself to make it in keeping with the lore. Actually, I've tinkered with a fair few on that list. But yeah, it makes for a pretty lore sensitive game. Things like the paradise lost (re-skin for the book) and 'enclave are friendly' are things I made myself, I just forgot to take them out.)

http://img517.images... ...odlist.jpg

Pentadact:

Of course, mugs are awesome.]]> http://www.pentadact.com/2010-01-17-open-world-games-what-works-and-why/#comment-127640 Jazmeister Sat, 23 Jan 2010 19:10:15 +0000 http://www.pentadact.com/?p=1206#comment-127640 Lack: Duncan Harris' Fallout mods article in PCG, right? I installed a lot of those too. I was chatting with Chris Livingston about doing a marathon run through ultra-difficult XFO-enhanced fallout, and blogging each leg of the journey. That was months ago though, I doubt he remembers and I don't really have time anymore. RP in single player games is great. I really wish that kind of fight for survival was a tenable gaming experience in vanilla Fallout.
RP in single player games is great. I really wish that kind of fight for survival was a tenable gaming experience in vanilla Fallout.]]> http://www.pentadact.com/2010-01-17-open-world-games-what-works-and-why/#comment-127632 Pentadact Sat, 23 Jan 2010 16:46:04 +0000 http://www.pentadact.com/?p=1206#comment-127632 Ha, awesome. You like mugs, huh? http://www.pentadact.com/2010-01-17-open-world-games-what-works-and-why/#comment-127631 Dan Sat, 23 Jan 2010 16:34:41 +0000 http://www.pentadact.com/?p=1206#comment-127631 Well that's a bit cool, maybe I'll go and do that. I didn't really do mods in Fallout as much as Oblivion. http://www.pentadact.com/2010-01-17-open-world-games-what-works-and-why/#comment-127620 Lack_26 Sat, 23 Jan 2010 13:27:14 +0000 http://www.pentadact.com/?p=1206#comment-127620 @Dan, I had a character, (no-loads (i.e. if you die, that's it), no-fast travel, rp, need food and water to live, worse rad effects, brutal combat, etc. Basically everything possible to make it hard to live) that lived in the Northern Wastes of the FO3 map. I was rp-ing (using a mod) as an escaped android from the Commonwealth, so tried to limit human contact as much as possible. So I used a drainage chamber north of Canterbury Commons and made it into a home for the all the nick-nacks I picked up during my scavenging trips. http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/6902/screenshot275k.jpg I never trusted Oblivion enough to make a house in the wilds, I was worried that containers/areas might reset (which many of them did).
I had a character, (no-loads (i.e. if you die, that's it), no-fast travel, rp, need food and water to live, worse rad effects, brutal combat, etc. Basically everything possible to make it hard to live) that lived in the Northern Wastes of the FO3 map. I was rp-ing (using a mod) as an escaped android from the Commonwealth, so tried to limit human contact as much as possible. So I used a drainage chamber north of Canterbury Commons and made it into a home for the all the nick-nacks I picked up during my scavenging trips.

http://img42.imagesh... ...ot275k.jpg

I never trusted Oblivion enough to make a house in the wilds, I was worried that containers/areas might reset (which many of them did).]]> http://www.pentadact.com/2010-01-17-open-world-games-what-works-and-why/#comment-127582 Dan Sat, 23 Jan 2010 02:38:17 +0000 http://www.pentadact.com/?p=1206#comment-127582 I don't know why it was so appealing to "find" a house in Oblivion as compared to Fallout. What I mean is the people who cleared out a cave or an abandoned building to stay in. I think the beauty and lively nature of the surroundings makes you want to just get really into it in that regard, whereas in Fallout everything is so dreary and dangerous that you just really want somewhere to be safe. That's one reason I still like Oblivion lots more. http://www.pentadact.com/2010-01-17-open-world-games-what-works-and-why/#comment-127553 DoctorDisaster Fri, 22 Jan 2010 19:33:32 +0000 http://www.pentadact.com/?p=1206#comment-127553 In Oblivion I generally stuck to the house way down south away from everything -- the one you get for being knighted by the baron of somewhere-or-other. I did this initially because, like Pentadact said, earning a house somehow is way better than just buying it. I stayed after I got richer, because one time I came in and caught my orc roommate <i>stealing my food from the pantry.</i> This was so damn hilarious that I could never leave afterward. stealing my food from the pantry. This was so damn hilarious that I could never leave afterward.]]> http://www.pentadact.com/2010-01-17-open-world-games-what-works-and-why/#comment-127539 Dante Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:28:28 +0000 http://www.pentadact.com/?p=1206#comment-127539 There's a house in the coastal town (Anvil I think) that you can buy on the cheap by vanquishing the ghost that haunts it. That was always my favourite of the Oblivion houses. http://www.pentadact.com/2010-01-17-open-world-games-what-works-and-why/#comment-127514 Pentadact Fri, 22 Jan 2010 09:06:00 +0000 http://www.pentadact.com/?p=1206#comment-127514 I killed an Orc in Gnisis - his house was built into a cave, and I remember spending ages figuring out how to drop my unique Daedric helms so they'd lie right on the mantlepiece. Then when they let you buy houses to store your unique loot in Oblivion, I never even tried it. There's no more impersonal way to acquire something than with money.
Then when they let you buy houses to store your unique loot in Oblivion, I never even tried it. There's no more impersonal way to acquire something than with money.]]> http://www.pentadact.com/2010-01-17-open-world-games-what-works-and-why/#comment-127489 Jason L Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:51:11 +0000 http://www.pentadact.com/?p=1206#comment-127489 Good point on the movement, though I would put it under 'not necessary but sufficient'. It's the reason Fuel didn't work, and basically the reason Jet Grind Radio exists. http://www.pentadact.com/2010-01-17-open-world-games-what-works-and-why/#comment-127488 Dante Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:40:17 +0000 http://www.pentadact.com/?p=1206#comment-127488 I agree, the characters in Fallout are a million miles better than Oblivion. Perhaps the problem is that they didn't follow through enough with the housing, while you get two different places dependant on how you do the Megaton quest, that's all, why not run with it and give the player a variety of different locations? For the record I decorated my Megaton house by buying the big heart shaped bed and throwing all the pre war money I could find on it.
For the record I decorated my Megaton house by buying the big heart shaped bed and throwing all the pre war money I could find on it.]]> http://www.pentadact.com/2010-01-17-open-world-games-what-works-and-why/#comment-127475 DoctorDisaster Thu, 21 Jan 2010 19:52:32 +0000 http://www.pentadact.com/?p=1206#comment-127475 Dante is right. Fallout's use of quest lines to make different houses available was an interesting approach, but making a particular shopkeeper the only way to upgrade took some of the fun out of collecting stuff for your house. Gradually coming across better alchemy equipment in Elder Scrolls games is a more fun, incremental progression. And most of the distinctive stuff you came across in the wasteland was nailed down: other than a ball and glove and the BB gun from the Vault, my character never ended up with any 'personal' items to display. However, Fallout did a lot better at making the town feel like yours: all your neighbors seemed to have weird little secrets and stories you could slowly learn about, or projects you could participate in. Elder Scrolls NPCs (probably because there are so many more of them) tend to recede into a blur. I'd only ask for the ability to participate in quest lines that upgraded the town defenses or shops' stock. For the record, I offed the guy in the green robe who would hang out by the bridge on the north end of Balmora. I think his name was Radarys? His house had a trapdoor on the roof.
However, Fallout did a lot better at making the town feel like yours: all your neighbors seemed to have weird little secrets and stories you could slowly learn about, or projects you could participate in. Elder Scrolls NPCs (probably because there are so many more of them) tend to recede into a blur. I'd only ask for the ability to participate in quest lines that upgraded the town defenses or shops' stock.

For the record, I offed the guy in the green robe who would hang out by the bridge on the north end of Balmora. I think his name was Radarys? His house had a trapdoor on the roof.]]> http://www.pentadact.com/2010-01-17-open-world-games-what-works-and-why/#comment-127468 Dante Thu, 21 Jan 2010 15:49:05 +0000 http://www.pentadact.com/?p=1206#comment-127468 Regarding safehouses, I think there also needs to be something distinctive about them. The Megaton shack in Fallout 3 for example never really felt like mine, it was just a place to dump stuff, even buying themes only changed it marginally. http://www.pentadact.com/2010-01-17-open-world-games-what-works-and-why/#comment-127467 Jazmeister Thu, 21 Jan 2010 15:09:43 +0000 http://www.pentadact.com/?p=1206#comment-127467 I like that stuff too, Ed. I like building up a base camp and doing the whole ground level RTS thing. Raven Rock in Solstheim was a joy for me.