You say that level gating enforces linearity but RDR2 is as linear in the way the missions are presented : for example, mission D is "invisible" to you as long as you haven't completed mission A, B and C. It's just as linear as levels, but a different approach without a level number next to the missions. And I think it's even worse because there are some companions missions (the white ones) that only appear once you've progressed main missions or other side missions
Edit: to be more precise, what I mean is that you'll always have some kind of gating in open world games. In RDR2 before I could go fishing with little Jack, i had to go hunting with Hosea first and before that, had to clear this Odriscoll's camp.
It's the same for bounties. You can't even choose them. It's one after the other in the same Valentine city. You always have to complete the bounty to catch the scammer before you can hunt the murderous widow. In a game with level, the murderous widow would be higher level than the scammer. At least with a game with levels you could have a go at it before you get wrecked. RDR2 is more realistic that way because the widow is not stronger than the scammer but with less replayability and freedom. Ah, and I find it really disappointing that you can FAIL bounties, a side activity, if you don't play by the rules, i.e ''capture your target alive''
I'm sorry, you're right, I've just thrown it there without giving any explanation.
I used the example of RDR2 because many people say that very long games (and RPG fit that description almost every time) NEED a progression system and levels to direct the player in the right path. RDR2 has neither of them and still is a great game.
In terms of gating, sure, RDR2 does that as well. It's a linear game set in an open-world and not an RPG so the problem is relatively small. But what's good about it was not clear from my previous message as well. RDR2 deals with main quest vs side quests in a very simple but effective way that could be used by RPGs as well. The game's pace is driven by the narrative itself. There are moments when acting is urgent and you don't have the occasion to do side quests, but after those, the game presents you a moment of calm and that's when you can (and sometimes are invited to) do side missions/activities. Without spoiling the game, many times you are in a hurry to move your camp, but just after it the mood is relaxed and new side quests appear on the map.
A classic RPG would have given us tons of quests from the beginning, not letting us do them because of levels. You can try, sure, but not only you'll 100% fail because of math, it would also create a huge narrative dissonance between the situation and the result: a wolf looks the same as all the others you've killed 2 minutes ago, but that little number will make him kill Geralt, master witcher, butcher of blavikhen, with one bite, while our hero will hit it with his swords dozens of times with no effect. Or, and this is funnier, Hattori waiting for geralt at the docks for weeks while our favourite witcher travel around 3 regions (waiting to go from lvl 10 to lvl26).
An acceptable alternative IMHO could be letting quests appear only once you've reached the required level AND divide enemy in levels according to their type (all wolves are around level 3, all wraiths are around level 20), if you really want to keep levels in place. And don't divide areas in levels because it makes things even worse.
