Current Events > Why do video game developers think that gamers get wet over open world games?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I'm not saying open world games are a bad thing

they can be done right, like skyrim, dark souls, gta etc

but games like Dynasty Warriors? MGSV? Completely unnecessary
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Because people wouldn't stop bitching about linearity for a long time.
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Because they do. Open world games sell like hotcakes.
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Because there has been a long string of financially-successful open-world games.
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gna647 posted...

I'm not saying open world games are a bad thing

they can be done right, like skyrim, dark souls, gta etc

but games like Dynasty Warriors? MGSV? Completely unnecessary

Wat
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LinksLiege posted...

Because people wouldn't stop bitching about linearity for a long time.

This unfortunately
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Because unemployed people, who make up the largest gaming demographic, love it. Gives them something to fill that void of free time with.
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DarthAragorn posted...

LinksLiege posted...

Because people wouldn't stop bitching about linearity for a long time.

This unfortunately

it was always such a stupid complaint since like 99% of games are linear
hell super mario brothers 3 is linear and one of the best games of all time
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LinksLiege posted...

Because people wouldn't stop bitching about linearity for a long time.

This.

For some reason, gamers had associated linearity with being objectively bad, for whatever reason, despite the fact that linear games tend to have a more cohesive narrative. Additionally, open-world games, at least to me, feel far too bloated 9/10 times, and I almost never end up finishing them and experiencing the entirety of their stories.

I can understand that a lot of gamers today don't really car about story or proper narrative or progression, but story-driven and campaign-focused games have clearly suffered because of the gaming market today. I personally hate the fact that gamers want more quantity and less quality. At least most gamers nowadays.

/rant
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DarthAragorn posted...

LinksLiege posted...

Because people wouldn't stop bitching about linearity for a long time.

This unfortunately

People didn't bitch about linearity, they bitched about hallway fantasy 13, the order 1886, and similar games.

There is a difference between linear and "why am I even moving my character there is only one direction I can go."
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Vita_Aeterna posted...

gna647 posted...

I'm not saying open world games are a bad thing

they can be done right, like skyrim, dark souls, gta etc

but games like Dynasty Warriors? MGSV? Completely unnecessary

Wat

dark souls is an open world game

its open. you can explore the world with no interruptions. I don't even think there's a loading screen between areas.

but its done correctly, because each area is concentrated with precise level design. Unlike assassins creed where they scatter everything randomly on an open map.
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Good linearity:
MGS series (before 5)
Mario Games
Devil May Cry and other hack n slash games
Arkham Asylum
Last of Us
Uncharted

Bad linearity:
FFXIII
Battlefront II

Why are those titles good? Because even though it has linear type gameplay, there's still multiple paths to take, and the gameplay is concentrated. You're not running constantly at long distances to get to the fun part of the game. It's already there

take metal gear solid for example

the first few games, you had designed stealth segments in almost every room. Compared to metal gear solid 5, where you have bases miles away, so thats a lot of traveling and doing nothing.
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It does suck that AAA single player games generally have to account for;
- Multiplayer balance
- Open world gameplay

Tightly focused, linear single player games seems like a model they're moving away from. There are still some good exceptions at least.
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I never understood why people hate linearity either.
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gna647 posted...

the first few games, you had designed stealth segments in almost every room. Compared to metal gear solid 5, where you have bases miles away, so thats a lot of traveling and doing nothing.

Stealth games have been the biggest genre hurt by modern gaming. They generally require a big budget and they don't fit standard multiplayer (No idea why Spies vs Mercs isn't popular anymore) or open world gameplay.

The only ones to really survive are the immersive sim types like Hitman, Deus Ex and Dishonored but even those still flop. A downside of games like these is that they need to account for both playstyles too (and people still complain that they're punished for murdering everyone).
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I remember when everyone started complaining that 9-15 hours games too short for 65, so multiplayer is added in everygame, then people complain multiplayer for everygame is watering games down.

Meanwhile assassins creed and oblivion drew in big money. So that is the answer for now.
Fans and people caused this annoyance of every game needing filler content now. So here we are.

The story is a little more complex than that, but that the short version essentially.
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gna647 posted...

Vita_Aeterna posted...

gna647 posted...

I'm not saying open world games are a bad thing

they can be done right, like skyrim, dark souls, gta etc

but games like Dynasty Warriors? MGSV? Completely unnecessary

Wat

dark souls is an open world game

its open. you can explore the world with no interruptions. I don't even think there's a loading screen between areas.

but its done correctly, because each area is concentrated with precise level design. Unlike assassins creed where they scatter everything randomly on an open map.

That's not what open-world means though. The term you're looking for is "non-linear progression system."

All open-world games are non-linear, but not all non-linear games are open world. Dark Souls, and its kin are one giant game level, where you beat bosses to unlock a newer portion of the map. You do not however get to choose to bypass an entire area however if you want. If you started in the Undead Asylum, you will not immediately be able to run to Duke's Archives. You'll need a Lordvessel and beat several bosses and progress through a planned route. Whereas in The Witcher 3, I could start in White Orchard and run to Novigrad without any problems and I could do it in several ways.
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Critics: OMG big open world means lots to do GOTY!!11
That's why.
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because a lot of them do

also rubberbanding to backlash over lots of PS2/PS3 era games having literal corridor level design due to wanting to make things as pretty and impressive as possible and then realizing it's hard to do that and have intricate levels