The perils of having an 'open world'.
Haven't played Witcher 1 or 2 or Fallout 3? Some SPOILERS abound!
The perils of having an open-world. Exactly how open shall it be? This is a post regarding open-world exploration but also narration. This is NOT only about being able to get into areas you aren't ready to be in(getting pummeled by high-level monsters as a result). I am actually for that aspect of freedom and no level-scaling of enemies, but how free are we to be? Are we to be served an Bethesda-like open-world, or is CDPR going to keep true to some game mechanics of the previous Witcher games?
Let me tell you a story: Once upon a time in an open-world RPG called Fallout 3 I traveled far and wide in search for, well, a nice game experience that didn't end the game too soon. Being experienced in how Bethesda develop and build their open-world games, I knew for a fact that if the game's main quest pointed me in one direction, I would do well to go in the opposite direction. This instinct has actually served me well regarding open-world games(it served me well in Morrowind, Oblivion and Skyrim at least), and not completing them too fast. But lo and behold, I accidentally stumbled upon a location that, to my dismay, was the intended location in the main quest. Consequently all, and I do mean ALL, quests that led up to that point were cancelled. Quite logical of course, because as I've said, I've already found
and needn't meet various characters and do their hazardous quests that would lead to that point. But I wanted to do those quests.
In Witcher 1, imagine immediately stumbling over
, sleeping off the worst of a fisstech high in a fisstech-shack in Temple quarter, cancelling out all quests leading up to finding him. ALL the quests in Chapter 1 that I loved to do, leading up to finding him would have been cancelled. Of course, because of the player's limitation of freedom and the games narration obviously, you couldn't, which I as a player am thankful for. In that game the limitatons were various things, and explained and motivated accordingly = The Catriona plague-quarantine, and day- and night passes, people desiring favours for information gathering, as well as one of the best detective stories I've ever seen!
You simply couldn't stumble upon them(before it was time) as they were in hiding, and had better connections in Vizima than Geralt, as King Foltest weren't home.
Let me run the same scenario in Witcher 2, regarding finding
or
before it is time. You simply can't. They are in hiding. You can't get there. You simply can't. I tried, only to realise that the only road in getting to that place is, up until it is time, blocked by a faulty bridge. Faulty as in it is "out", and not in place to pass over, but I do like to believe that Geralt could jump or climb that small distance. I love CDPR and the Witcher games, but that, comparing to Witcher 1 wasn't, well...invisible walls in old games anyone? Couldn't the player be allowed to enter the region but not find anything instead? On a good note, you can't fight the Arachas there until it is time. Nor the Kayran for that matter, he simply won't show until you have prepared and done some quests, though you are free to explore his lair before that. Which is good in my book.
No matter. I trust CDPR will make a great game as they have before, but they are now dipping into 'open-world' exploration with Witcher 3, and I for one am curious how they will solve these matters.
My question is: How open should Witcher 3 be?
* A too 'open-world', or 'all out open', could lead to the possibility of cancelling out quests by discovering antagonists by chance, disrupting the intended narration.
* In a 'freedom-limited-world' it's like Witcher 1, you can eventually go everywhere, but because of narration and logical explanation you can't go everywhere in the beginning. Think of it as you cannot cross the seas without a boat. And the boat will only be available after a couple of quests.
* In a 'narrative-limited-world' you may go everywhere from the start, but can't stumble upon main antagonists until it is time, and you have done certain amount of quests.
There, if you managed to read this far, congrats! And thank you!
And to finish this topic, I am just going to say this: I only got to see Vergen in war-time.
Choices and their consequences...but that's for another topic.
Haven't played Witcher 1 or 2 or Fallout 3? Some SPOILERS abound!
The perils of having an open-world. Exactly how open shall it be? This is a post regarding open-world exploration but also narration. This is NOT only about being able to get into areas you aren't ready to be in(getting pummeled by high-level monsters as a result). I am actually for that aspect of freedom and no level-scaling of enemies, but how free are we to be? Are we to be served an Bethesda-like open-world, or is CDPR going to keep true to some game mechanics of the previous Witcher games?
Let me tell you a story: Once upon a time in an open-world RPG called Fallout 3 I traveled far and wide in search for, well, a nice game experience that didn't end the game too soon. Being experienced in how Bethesda develop and build their open-world games, I knew for a fact that if the game's main quest pointed me in one direction, I would do well to go in the opposite direction. This instinct has actually served me well regarding open-world games(it served me well in Morrowind, Oblivion and Skyrim at least), and not completing them too fast. But lo and behold, I accidentally stumbled upon a location that, to my dismay, was the intended location in the main quest. Consequently all, and I do mean ALL, quests that led up to that point were cancelled. Quite logical of course, because as I've said, I've already found
Daddy
In Witcher 1, imagine immediately stumbling over
Azar Javed
You simply couldn't stumble upon them(before it was time) as they were in hiding, and had better connections in Vizima than Geralt, as King Foltest weren't home.
Let me run the same scenario in Witcher 2, regarding finding
Iorveth
Letho
No matter. I trust CDPR will make a great game as they have before, but they are now dipping into 'open-world' exploration with Witcher 3, and I for one am curious how they will solve these matters.
My question is: How open should Witcher 3 be?
* A too 'open-world', or 'all out open', could lead to the possibility of cancelling out quests by discovering antagonists by chance, disrupting the intended narration.
* In a 'freedom-limited-world' it's like Witcher 1, you can eventually go everywhere, but because of narration and logical explanation you can't go everywhere in the beginning. Think of it as you cannot cross the seas without a boat. And the boat will only be available after a couple of quests.
* In a 'narrative-limited-world' you may go everywhere from the start, but can't stumble upon main antagonists until it is time, and you have done certain amount of quests.
There, if you managed to read this far, congrats! And thank you!
And to finish this topic, I am just going to say this: I only got to see Vergen in war-time.
Choices and their consequences...but that's for another topic.