Post-Game World and Character Persistence

[Shardbearer]

Unrelated to the question of New Game+, One thing I love about some games is the ability to continue on in the game world after beating the main questline of the game. It's nice to be able to go clean up any possible side-quests (minus ones that may have lapsed due to urgency factors) or areas you may have overlooked or go exploring and crafting. Just like how your decisions shape the world throughout the game, so too should completing the the questline. I always found it odd when after beating a game, your character is stuck in a perpetual pre-final-mission state. This could serve as part of the epilogue whilst also being an ideal state to be able to come back to the game for an expansion or mod.

Edited September 27, 2012 by Shardbearer

[Alc Cides]

I'm with you on this one. I'd like to play the sidequests or explore the world after the end of main quest.

[wbn]

As long as it makes sense - storywise - after the "end", that'd be great. But if it doesn't, the game shouldn't offer it just to appease the open world enthusiasts.

 

 

(By now, I feel like most arguments on the forum can be resolved by "sure, if it fits.". Take that, romancers!)

[Shardbearer]

Oh definitely, it has to make sense. Since they've already mentioned wanting to be able to carry on into multiple games I would assume the world/PC will probably remain somewhat intact... maybe...

[nikolokolus]

It might be nice to have a brief denouement period at the conclusion of the "last battle," but playing the game past the ending has always been incredibly anticlimactic for me.

 

I guess it all depends on the nature of the story they try to tell in the game.

[wbn]

"Intact" physically - yes, I'd assume so, but PC could also be banished to another dimension, imprisoned, on a ship, having a vacation, catching up with mum or generally busy somewhere that isn't part of the PE Pt. 1 areas.

 

 

Either way, I can't imagine Obsidian telling us to go **** ourselves when it comes to free roaming within reason.

 

 

Edit: nikolokolus put it more eloquently than me. I concur at approximately 9626%.

Edited September 27, 2012 by wbn

[Shardbearer]

"Intact" physically - yes, I'd assume so, but PC could also be banished to another dimension, imprisoned, on a ship, having a vacation, catching up with mum or generally busy somewhere that isn't part of the PE Pt. 1 areas.

 

 

Either way, I can't imagine Obsidian telling us to go **** ourselves when it comes to free roaming within reason.

 

Good points, those scenarios would certainly impede some free roaming... Though with the production times of games, I'm not a terribly big fan of super big cliff hangers.

[Gorth]

Strangely enough, the few games that seems to offer the option, I only spend short time after the main quest to do a bit of exploring. Yet for mysteriously reasons I still resent games of a more "open" nature that suddenly slams the door and tells me game over. I guess I just like the choice to continue rather than the actual continuing for ever and ever.

[GhostofAnakin]

Strangely enough, the few games that seems to offer the option, I only spend short time after the main quest to do a bit of exploring. Yet for mysteriously reasons I still resent games of a more "open" nature that suddenly slams the door and tells me game over. I guess I just like the choice to continue rather than the actual continuing for ever and ever.

 

I'm kind of the same. Most games that allow me to play on even after I've finished the main story, I find I don't even end up bothering.

 

I guess in a way I see the main story as the reason I'm playing, with the sidequests acting as sort of ... depth or added flavor to the main story. So when the main story is over, I no longer have a reason to keep going.

[nikolokolus]

Strangely enough, the few games that seems to offer the option, I only spend short time after the main quest to do a bit of exploring. Yet for mysteriously reasons I still resent games of a more "open" nature that suddenly slams the door and tells me game over. I guess I just like the choice to continue rather than the actual continuing for ever and ever.

 

If the developers can come up with a post-ending, exploration option that doesn't fall emotionally flat, then I'd be for it, but that's awfully tough to do. Maybe a chance to talk with some key NPCs, wrap up some loose ends, etc. but there should be some way of triggering the hard ending.

[generic.hybridity]

I guess the question of this is whether it is viable story wise. If you have a timer on the main plot then I think you should implement an open ending where you can go back and explore things you might have had to rush through. Whereas if the end of the game changes the world or the at least the situation of the game to a significant degree then I think implementing a world which lets you run around it post-saving would be resource heavy and probably not that useful.