Is it true open-world or psuedo open-world?

[caruga]

Is it true open-world or psuedo open-world?

From this thread:
"Contrary to what has been announced – the game’s world is not open from the very beginning(passages to other locations are closed by war blockades). Instead, access to next fragments will be unlocked along with our progress of the story – like in GTA series. However in any given moment we will be able to get back to all the places we visited previously. Initially it seemed to me as a departure from the open world promise given to the players, but confronting it with the vastness of prologue alone I cannot consider it as anything being lost."

I can't work out from this statement whether it's one continuous world, or broken up into multiple sandboxes like Dragon Age: Inquisition.

Not that I think the game will be significantly poorer for not being 100% continuous, I'm merely curious if that's the case. I understand that (unlike Elder Scrolls) there are no load-screens when going from outdoors to indoors, so I'm wondering if these story-locked barriers present any loading screens.

 

[Xvenger]

I think most of us already knew it wasn't going to be one seamless open world like Skyrim. It's separated by 3 main regions technically speaking. But the funny thing is that these places are so big that each one can be compared to other games' entire worlds. One of the reasons for this is to have it make sense. The travel from Novigrad to Skellige would take hours by boat in real time since it's like traveling to another country and so they decided to just make it a fast travel.

The only loading screens seen so far are the quick fast travel ones.

 

[thislsmadness]

This is why they've always called it a "Multi-Region" open world. There are 3 major regions and each one is as large(r) as the entirety of the previous game. They wanted to remain faithful to the lore and it would not have been feasible to have players travel 5 real life days to reach another region, so they opted for the fast travel solution.

Its no where near as segmented as DA:I though. As mentioned, the "playable space" of Novigrad and Skellige are each larger than all of the Witcher 2.

 

[moonknightgog]

Wow, guys, it is OPEN WORLD. The blockades are a common pattern in the RPG genre, and it's one of the best thing in this case, because they allow a more story driven progression.

---------- Updated at 09:36 PM ----------

It's separated by 3 main regions technically speaking.

It's not separated.

"Blockade
A blockade is a structure that blocks the player's progression through a level, possibly impeding his/her path in the storyline, until certain criteria are met. A blockade specifically refers to a physical block to progress; it is related to the soft gate. Blockades are often quite obvious to the player, for example, taking the form of fallen trees or hostile NPCs that physically block the player's path.

This pattern blocks progression to certain areas of the game. There can be several purposes for this. One might be because the player is not at a high enough level to face whatever is beyond the blockade, and they must complete a certain number of quests - which will conveniently level them up to fighting standards - before they can pass on to the higher-leveled area. A blockade could be something as simple as a locked door or some other kind of portal, for which the player must search the level to find the key, and in doing so level up and traverse the whole area in preparation for what may lie on the other side of the blockade, which could be a chokepoint or a boss battle."

 

[caruga]

So is it that the regions are far apart and there's an imaginary void inbetween that isn't fleshed out? Or more like the regions are closed together but due to technical limitations they can't stream it in? Either way, that's quite different from what I'd imagined the game to be like, but yes, I'm sure the quality of the game itself will help me forget that. It's not like some of my all-time favourites games didn't lack this feature. Just when they talked about a seamless open world and no load-zones when going indoors, I naturally jumped to other conclusions, so for the last year and a half I've been thinking it was going to be one mega-world.

*EDIT

Wow, guys, it is OPEN WORLD. The blockades are a common pattern in the RPG genre, and it's one of the best thing in this case, because they allow a more story driven progression.

Ooo, a conflict. Fight, fight, FIGHT.

I mean, talk and work it out.

 

[moonknightgog]

So is it that the regions are far apart and there's an imaginary void inbetween that isn't fleshed out? Or more like the regions are closed together but due to technical limitations they can't stream it in?

No. It's ONE area, separated in many regions, blocked by blockades, and in this case the criteria to met to unlock the next region is in the main quest progression.

 

[caruga]

No. It's ONE area, separated in many regions, blocked by blockades, and in this case the criteria to met to unlock the next region is in the main quest progression.

Not saying you're wrong, but: citation needed.

 

[moonknightgog]

Ooo, a conflict. Fight, fight, FIGHT.

W-what conflict? :wat:

 

[BlackWolf500.298]

It's Multi-Region Open World.

The demo those guys played was the Prologue mainly and then a later part.
In the final game we will probably play the prologue and after that all regions will be accessible.

There are 3 regions:

1. Skellige Islands
2. Novigrad and Surroundings
3. No Mans Land

Also, there will be some remote locations from time to time in the main story (like Kear Mohren (the home of the Witcher Wolf school)).

This is only guesswork on my part, but this is the map of the (known) World of Geralts adventures and the marked regions are what we will probably get.
As comparison, the purple circles mark the places where TW2 took place.

Since CDPR stated that TW3 will be 35 times bigger than TW2 it is probably even a little bit bigger than the areas I marked here.

 

[thislsmadness]

Wow, guys, it is OPEN WORLD. The blockades are a common pattern in the RPG genre, and it's one of the best thing in this case, because they allow a more story driven progression.

---------- Updated at 09:36 PM ----------



It's not separated.

"Blockade
A blockade is a structure that blocks the player's progression through a level, possibly impeding his/her path in the storyline, until certain criteria are met. A blockade specifically refers to a physical block to progress; it is related to the soft gate. Blockades are often quite obvious to the player, for example, taking the form of fallen trees or hostile NPCs that physically block the player's path.

This pattern blocks progression to certain areas of the game. There can be several purposes for this. One might be because the player is not at a high enough level to face whatever is beyond the blockade, and they must complete a certain number of quests - which will conveniently level them up to fighting standards - before they can pass on to the higher-leveled area. A blockade could be something as simple as a locked door or some other kind of portal, for which the player must search the level to find the key, and in doing so level up and traverse the whole area in preparation for what may lie on the other side of the blockade, which could be a chokepoint or a boss battle."

Yes, they are absolutely segmented, CDPR has said multiple times now that you cannot walk from one region to the other, you go through a loading screen. The blockcades are there too, thats to keep you in the starting zone for the prologue, after that its suggested that you can go anywhere.

So is it that the regions are far apart and there's an imaginary void inbetween that isn't fleshed out? Or more like the regions are closed together but due to technical limitations they can't stream it in? Either way, that's quite different from what I'd imagined the game to be like, but yes, I'm sure the quality of the game itself will help me forget that. It's not like some of my all-time favourites games didn't lack this feature. Just when they talked about a seamless open world and no load-zones when going indoors, I naturally jumped to other conclusions, so for the last year and a half I've been thinking it was going to be one mega-world.

Yeah, the region are very far apart. They would have had to severely "compress" the land mass to allow continuous travel, which would have been a slap in the face to the lore.

 

[caruga]

W-what conflict? :wat:

One that will be resolved with an arrow to the knee.

 

[moonknightgog]

Yes, they are absolutely segmented, CDPR has said multiple times now that you cannot walk from one region to the other, you go through a loading screen. The blockcades are there too, thats to keep you in the starting zone for the prologue, after that its suggested that you can go anywhere.

Yeah, the region are very far apart. They would have had to severely "compress" the land mass to allow continuous travel, which would have been a slap in the face to the lore.

Source?

Well, in that case it's not Open World.

 

[Asmodean778]

I don't know why all this "what's going on is it actually 'open world' but, but it's not all in one area????".

An open world, means just that - that world is open, and it doesn't confine the player to a linear path, and/or progressive route through the game. Plus those hidiously notorious 'invisible walls'. So, you're free to explore it.

What it doesn't mean, is that the world will consist of one single giant blob of land. Which is stupid design, unless it makes sense within the geography of the given world.

I personally think, from what we've seen of the game's world map, that it looks really organic. Like it's an actual map, of a real place. With its intricate borders, rivers, and offshore islands, etc. Not one large "field" to run in a straight line from end to end. Zzz I'll take this style any day or the week.

 

[BlackWolf500.298]

It's Multi-Region Open World.

The demo those guys played was the Prologue mainly and then a later part.
In the final game we will probably play the prologue and after that all regions will be accessible.

There are 3 regions:

1. Skellige Islands
2. Novigrad and Surroundings
3. No Mans Land

Also, there will be some remote locations from time to time in the main story (like Kear Mohren (the home of the Witcher Wolf school)).

This is only guesswork on my part, but this is the map of the (known) World of Geralts adventures and the marked regions are what we will probably get.
As comparison, the purple circles mark the places where TW2 took place.

Since CDPR stated that TW3 will be 35 times bigger than TW2 it is probably even a little bit bigger than the areas I marked here.

Just out of curiosity, does anyone think we will be able to visit (the former) La Valette Castle again? (considering it could theoretically be one the map)

 

[thislsmadness]

Source?

Well, in that case it's not Open World.

Which is why they've always called it "Multi-Region Open world", its the same language Bioware used to describe DA:I. As far as a source is concerned, I've seen so many interviews and Q+As that theyre all just a smear of information. Based on other responses here, I'm definitely not the only one that has heard them explain it that way, so take that for what you will.

 

[Xvenger]

^pretty much what I meant by a non-seamless open world in my earlier post.
As I said, my wording is definitely correct in saying that Novigrad and Skellige regions are separated by quite a few nautical miles and no you will NOT be able to travel there manually.
I will give a benefit of a doubt for traveling within Novigrad to "No Mans land" though. That one probably can be traversible by Geralt and his horse himself as there doesnt seem to be anything that limits it

Let's not even have this in dispute. The game is DEFINITELY Open World and no doubt about that.
A SEAMLESS open world would simply mean it's just one big land mass as the entire game which the Witcher 3 is NOT.

 

[moonknightgog]

Which is why they've always called it "Multi-Region Open world", its the same language Bioware used to describe DA:I. As far as a source is concerned, I've seen so many interviews and Q+As that theyre all just a smear of information. Based on other responses here, I'm definitely not the only one that has heard them explain it that way, so take that for what you will.

In fact, Inquisition is not an Open World. Inquisition is a free roaming with Open Areas.
An open world means just one single area without loading screens.

Like those:

Spoiler

I though "multi region" means that this single area is divided in three regions, which are different in terms of level design and art direction.

I guess we'll discover that when the game comes out.

 

[Kinley]

The main reason we get a loading screen from the Novigrad+NML map to the Skellige map is because they are so far apart geographically it wouldn't make much sense if we could just seamlessly go from one area to the other. Thus when we want to travel to one map or the other we'll be prompted with a cinematic masked as a loading screen.

As far as I'm aware the same goes for White Orchard and Kaer Morhen.

 

[1337Smithy]

Source?

Well, in that case it's not Open World.

What would you define as open world, Moon?

Fallout had hundreds of more loading screens, yet is considered so.

---------- Updated at 10:14 PM ----------

Wait, World of Warcraft and Oblivion didn't have loading screens? :-:blink:

 

[moonknightgog]

What would you define as open world, Moon?

Fallout had hundreds of more loading screens, yet is considered so.

Do you mean Fallout 3 and New Vegas? Yeah, there are loading screen, but to enter in some buildings or in the metro. The world is just one single area. The same was for Grand Theft Auto III, Vice City or San Andreas.
If the game is divided in multiple areas, then it is a free roaming. Like Assassin's Creed II, or Black Flag.
In an open world there is the possibility to have some small extra area with a loading screen (for example, Liberty City in San Andreas, or the prologue in GTA V), but not a division in multiple areas. In that case, the game is simple free roaming.