Exploration in RPGs

[Azure79]

The Elder Scrolls topic got me thinking on the exploration system in games, more specifically cRPGs and console RPGs.

 

There's no doubt that exploration is a big part of the RPG experience. My question is how do you make exploration fun and interesting? What do you all think?

 

From a personal perspective, the most fun I had exploring in a game was in Baldur's Gate. The world map had discrete areas where the player could go and each area had something to offer, whether is was running into a party of hobgoblins, facing off against a mad jelly creating wizard, meeting a basilisk for the first time and promptly getting turned to stone and fighting off against unexpected parties of mercenaries out for your head.

 

I think what made that system so fun was that you could go off the main story and just go off finding new places to explore(by exiting the current map at different points) without getting lost or losing any drive to continue the game. Also by keeping each area distinct from each other and with a certain goal to accomplish in most maps, it kept the player engaged and gave them a degree of satisfaction when the map was finally cleared.

 

I also think the scripted encounters with the bounty hunters out to kill you was great too. When I first played the game I went off exploring, trying to discover the new areas and the bounty hunters would appear with the declaration that my character's head would make them rich. After the battle I would discover the bounty notice and be reminded of the main quest, of that shadowy menace out to get me and that would inevitably get me interested in going after the main quest again. I think these might have been put in as reminders by the devs that the main story was still out there, waiting for your attention.

 

Ease of travel was something I liked as well. Once you opened up a map you could travel there right away via the world map. This was most helpful when quests took place on several maps. I don't understand the complaints people had with the travel in Baldur's Gate.

 

So to sum up, reasons why I enjoyed the exploration system in Baldur's Gate.

 

1. You were free to abandon the main quest and open up new areas to explore. It gave the feeling that your character was opening up his/her own path.

 

2. Each area was discrete so players wouldn't find themselves wandering aimlessly across the entire world map probably getting lost in the process.

 

3. Each area map had something to accomplish giving the player satisfaction in their explorations.

 

4. There were 'friendly' reminders in the form of bounty hunters out for your head that got you interested in the main quest.

 

5. You could travel quickly to areas already explored, decreasing the amount of time just walking and doing nothing.

 

I was dissapointed that no other IE engine game had this kind of exploration system. Especially BG2. I was expecting another huge world map with areas to discover and explore but ended up pretty dissapointed. It was still a great game though.

 

I really wanted to like Morrowind too. I really did. The concept behind the game was intriguing. I can go anywhere and do anything I like? Cool, a whole world for me to explore at my leisure! After several hours just walking around and killing stuff and gathering spell components, I was bored. I had no idea what was going on or what I really had to do. Of course this was partly my fault I suppose, but I think Morrowind lacked a driving force that continously pushed the player forward or got them interested in the story.

 

Well anyways, give me your thoughts on exploration in RPGs. What is the ideal system you want?

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

I'd have to say Baldurs Gate since although the area was smaller the rewards for exploration were more varied and worthwhile.

 

However Final Fantasy VIII also had a superb vehicle and some amazing hidden bits scattered across the map, as do the others X had the hidden temple where you found Anima etc. These sort of things are much more rewarding to find than yet another generic Deadric ruin. And you dont have to wander aimlessly for hours on end which is plus.

 

If you had to pick one to copy, then you could do a lot worse than Baldurs Gate so I'll add my vote to yours.

[Judge Hades]

I hated the Final Fantasy games. They are one of the reasons why I have no real interest in the Playstation. I like a balance between story and exporation however, and Baldur's Gate has that balance. Morrowind, Jade Empire, and KotOR does not.

[mkreku]

Well, obviously Gothic is the game that defines good exploration for me. The only thing stopping you from exploring the entire world right off the bat in Gothic is your own skill. Since the combat is of the action type (with swings and blocks), you can survive as long as your own skill takes you. For the normal casual player, this means the world opens up in the same rate as the levels stack up on your character.

 

The drive to explore is always there though, if not only because you want to see more of the interesting setting, then because of Gothic's extremely long view distance. If you're not curious after seeing a ruined castle on a mountain top a few kilometers away, then you're just not the explorer type. Gothic also manages to strike that balance between tedious and rewarding very well. The rewards are pretty far between, but just as you're beginning to feel bored by the exploration, something new pops up in the distance, or your search is rewarded in some other way. Often it's just a hidden corpse complete with gear behind a bush. Other times (and this is my most proud moment in Gothic) it's something intricate as a hollow rock in a river that you must dive down under to find the entrance to. Then there are forgotten cemeteries, old ruins, crypts, secret passages under churches, drowned villages, all these interesting places that are not connected to the main story in any way.

 

A big part of Gothic's great exploration feel is that the game lacks loading times. No matter if you enter a cave or a building or just walk around the massive landmass, you're never disrupted by anything loading. You can simply just immerse yourself completely in the game as you strive to survive and find new locations.

[Musopticon?]

^Indeed. Gothic has only three load points. It's fantastic how smoothly the terrain is traversed when you aren't stopped by loading zones or anything that sort.

[GhostofAnakin]

I like to be able to just....adventure....without it having to do with the main story too much. I like towns and a lot of NPCs to interact with, something that I felt the difference between the BG series and the IWD series.

[Kaftan Barlast]

I dont like exploration I suppose. Unless you find completely new areas with unique terrain and so on, its no fun at all. Rushing mile after mile through generic woods looking for rabndom treasure is a waste of time IMO and not what I would call enjoyable gaming.

 

 

I dont know if you can call it exploring but D&D games like Bg or NWN always drive me nuts by expecting me to look through dozens upon dozens of chests/sacks/holes/barrels/whatever everywhere just so I can get the equipment I need to play the game. Cant they just throw in one big chest at the end of the level instead?

[Gabrielle]

Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale series. Also Fallout.

[Reveilled]

I too liked Exploration in FFVII. Exploring planets holds more appeal for me than exploring areas.

Edited October 9, 2005 by Reveilled

[Guest Fishboot]

Ancient Domains of Mystery

[Judge Hades]

I too liked Exploration in FFVII.  Exploring planets holds more appeal for me than exploring areas.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

FFVII open areas were only good for level milling. Same for all the FF games. If I have to level mill to get the most of out of the game then I rather not play it. Level milling is boring.

[GhostofAnakin]

If KOTOR had the added feature of open exploration like BG did, I'd never stop playing that game.

[Volourn]

BG series. Ultima series. Fallout series.

 

Game over.

[Craigboy2]

KOTOR was my second RPG. I played it seven times. I've done everything more than once in that game. It would have kicked ass if the areas were bigger...

Edited October 10, 2005 by Craigboy2

[GhostofAnakin]

BG series. Ultima series. Fallout series.

 

Game over.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Triple H called. He wants you to stop ripping off his catchphrase.

[Reveilled]

I too liked Exploration in FFVII.  Exploring planets holds more appeal for me than exploring areas.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

FFVII open areas were only good for level milling. Same for all the FF games. If I have to level mill to get the most of out of the game then I rather not play it. Level milling is boring.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

They're also pretty good for exploring. Literally exploring. For the purposes of nothing other than exploration. Which I enjoy.

[metadigital]

KOTOR ... I played it seven times. I've done everything more than once in that game. It would have kicked ass if the areas were bigger...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Have to agree with this.

 

I liked the Morrowind concept, I didn't like the execution. Hard to put my finger on it, but it was on the boring side of tedious, rather than the ejaculate side of enjoyment.

 

BG2 was good for all the reasons initially posted, but basically because there were many stories told in many areas.

[Calax]

rather than the ejaculate side of enjoyment.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That sounds like somthing I would come up with...

 

I like XML2 personally, a smaller area that's connected with several others.

 

Orgasmic

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

FFVII open areas were only good for level milling.  Same for all the FF games.  If I have to level mill to get the most of out of the game then I rather not play it.  Level milling is boring.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I've never HAD to level in an FF game. Then again I've never reached level 99 in an FF game either. It's not even required for the bonus sections , Emerald Weapon and friends for example. Heck there are so many low level FAQs around leveling seems entirely optional as long as you have your tactical brain engaged.

 

Quite simply what gives FF (and some other JRPGs) an edge in the exploration stakes is you find worthwhile things. Like finding Omega Weapons hangout,Anima etc. It's not just another generic whatever with some similiar bits of equipment.

 

I think KOTORS bunkers on Dxun would have qualified as worth finding, thats if they were hidden in the first place.

[metadigital]

... And had something worth finding in them, execpt for the usual random loot.

[mkreku]

I've never HAD to level in an FF game.

In Final Fantasy 1 & 2 on the Gameboy Advance you had to mill to level. The challenges in the game outgrew you fast if you 'solved' the main quest too quickly, and you had to fight pointlessly to gain experience before moving on to more difficult areas.

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

In Final Fantasy 1 & 2 on the Gameboy Advance you had to mill to level. The challenges in the game outgrew you fast if you 'solved' the main quest too quickly, and you had to fight pointlessly to gain experience before moving on to more difficult areas.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Honestly never liked II much, but that has a learn by doing system rather than levels. I didnt have to level in I , but then I did play it on the PS so I guess I knew what I was doing. I left all the bonus areas till last as well.

[CoM_Solaufein]

BG, IWD, and Fallout series. Both Kotors would have been in that but they lacked in exspansive explorations.

[WinterSun]

BGII's exploration was better than BG's.It may have had fewer areas to explore,but they they had a lot more depth to them eg.the Windspear Hills.

[Enoch]

I'm fairly anti-exploration in RPGs.

 

Exploring isn't interesting unless there is something there worth finding. I don't just mean treasure or experience; rather, some interesting gameplay. I found the BG1 exploration really boring. I would dutifully clean all the 'black' off of the map, kill a few dozen xvarts, and grumble about what a complete waste of time that was. But the uncertainty kept me hooked-- I had to keep exploring everywhere, because there might be something good out there! I'd get frustrated for all the wasted time and angry at myself for meta-gaming, which made the game a lot less fun.

 

I think that developers have a conundrum. They either go all out for free exploration, and end up with Morrowind, or they design interesting areas in out-of-the-way corners that most players are going to miss (e.g., the Modron Cube in PS:T). I'd rather see all the best design on the main track of the story than have it hidden where I'll never find it, and why put an area in if you're not going to design it well?