Empire²
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Recently, I was having thoughts about RPGs and how they handle their worlds differently and to what effect. I then realised that this is a perfect opportunity for a discussion about an upcoming RPG that is still a mystery in many ways- Sui Generis.
When you look at the plethora of (fantasy) RPGs out for sale today in retail and on digital platforms, there's a lot of differences. Terms like "open world" and "exploration" get thrown about a lot in flashy headlines, while their appearance in the game may be weaker than advertised.
The Witcher 2: Assassins Of Kings handled Open World very well. While it was fully story driven, and very linear in some respects, there was no forcing progress upon the player unless you were curious about the story. You were free to explore every area to your heart's content, and as soon as you were done exploring and finished the main questline for that area, they drop you in the next one, where you get to do it all over again. This is, in my opinion, a perfect concept for a game with a world that is too large and expansive in itfor the gameplay to support full exploration.
Fable handles things a little bit differently. The world is open for full exploration, but the roads to specific areas are blocked to prevent you from leaping halfway through the story. For the remainder of time, the areas are only divided by loading screens, with one or two ones you cannot return to in response to story events (The Tattered Spire, to those who played Fable I and II). There are a lot of sidequests that require you to travel long distances to small farms and settlements, that really make the world feel lively. Collectibles are also spread throughout the areas to be found by the player, as well as properties for them to buy. There are also jobs available in every town, like blacksmithing, woodchopping and playing music. Another great example of a story driven RPG with open world elements.
My last example is Mount & Blade: Warband. While the Mount & Blade franchise is one that is spoken of quite often here on the forums, its premise is very different to that of Sui Generis. Where SG is an action-(c)rpg in it's purest form, Mount & Blade is like a fusion between Dynasty Warriors, Civilisation 5 and the Total War franchise. With no story to drive the player forward, everything is left in your hands. You can go where you wish and do what you will, and feel like you're in a "Choose Your Own Adventure" book. With the small addition of a political and relation system and a wide arrange of different quests,you don't feel too disconnected when you win a battle and get dropped back into a Total War style map. The conquest of the world is completely left up to you, from choosing whether you join an existing faction or create one yourself, to rallying your troops and riding anywhere you'd like to expand your borders. There are no restricted areas, only ones you'd rather not find yourself strolling through without an army to back you up. For a game that has no true exploration, Warband handles its world very well, giving the player no illusions as to what they will find on their travels.
If there are any games you'd like to reflect upon, please do so. I feel it's a very interesting discussion and would love to hear other views on it.
Also, post your hopes and wishes about the Sui Generis world here. What do you expect the world to feel like when traversing the wilderness or the backalleys of a great capital, and how far do you hope the interaction with this world will go?
When you look at the plethora of (fantasy) RPGs out for sale today in retail and on digital platforms, there's a lot of differences. Terms like "open world" and "exploration" get thrown about a lot in flashy headlines, while their appearance in the game may be weaker than advertised.
The Witcher 2: Assassins Of Kings handled Open World very well. While it was fully story driven, and very linear in some respects, there was no forcing progress upon the player unless you were curious about the story. You were free to explore every area to your heart's content, and as soon as you were done exploring and finished the main questline for that area, they drop you in the next one, where you get to do it all over again. This is, in my opinion, a perfect concept for a game with a world that is too large and expansive in itfor the gameplay to support full exploration.
Fable handles things a little bit differently. The world is open for full exploration, but the roads to specific areas are blocked to prevent you from leaping halfway through the story. For the remainder of time, the areas are only divided by loading screens, with one or two ones you cannot return to in response to story events (The Tattered Spire, to those who played Fable I and II). There are a lot of sidequests that require you to travel long distances to small farms and settlements, that really make the world feel lively. Collectibles are also spread throughout the areas to be found by the player, as well as properties for them to buy. There are also jobs available in every town, like blacksmithing, woodchopping and playing music. Another great example of a story driven RPG with open world elements.
My last example is Mount & Blade: Warband. While the Mount & Blade franchise is one that is spoken of quite often here on the forums, its premise is very different to that of Sui Generis. Where SG is an action-(c)rpg in it's purest form, Mount & Blade is like a fusion between Dynasty Warriors, Civilisation 5 and the Total War franchise. With no story to drive the player forward, everything is left in your hands. You can go where you wish and do what you will, and feel like you're in a "Choose Your Own Adventure" book. With the small addition of a political and relation system and a wide arrange of different quests,you don't feel too disconnected when you win a battle and get dropped back into a Total War style map. The conquest of the world is completely left up to you, from choosing whether you join an existing faction or create one yourself, to rallying your troops and riding anywhere you'd like to expand your borders. There are no restricted areas, only ones you'd rather not find yourself strolling through without an army to back you up. For a game that has no true exploration, Warband handles its world very well, giving the player no illusions as to what they will find on their travels.
If there are any games you'd like to reflect upon, please do so. I feel it's a very interesting discussion and would love to hear other views on it.
Also, post your hopes and wishes about the Sui Generis world here. What do you expect the world to feel like when traversing the wilderness or the backalleys of a great capital, and how far do you hope the interaction with this world will go?