Exploring in Project: Eternity

[phimseto]

One thing that I loved in the original Baldur's Gate is the way that, as you explored, the world map would show you new areas. Always in those pictures, there would be some kind of drawing of a feature in the map - be it a tower or town or whatnot - hinting at what lay within. Popping into those areas and exploring them was an absolute joy. I thought BG2 lost something when it went away from that, and every location was much smaller and focused. I would love to see a mix of the two in Eternity: some areas you find have that tighter focus and smaller location, but other areas (especially between points of civilization) have that larger sense of wonder and exploration.

 

Thoughts?

[Chabneruk]

Free exploration could be fun, in the sense that you might stumble across locations before you get there by quests. I think every location should be hinted at somewhere, though, even if it is not included in the main storyline.

[phimseto]

Free exploration could be fun, in the sense that you might stumble across locations before you get there by quests. I think every location should be hinted at somewhere, though, even if it is not included in the main storyline.

 

Right, of course, even if you discover it after the fact. I remember in Baldur's Gate 1 coming across a wizard's tower in one area and then later in another village hearing about a wizard who lived in a tower in that area! Of course, I knew who they were talking about but if I hadn't trekked over there yet, it's the perfect passive "living world" clue to get me to go explore. That's exactly the kind of stuff that I love in RPGs! Like I said, I think you could do a mix - have the town and certain location maps be very localized, but in-between them and other locations have there be some of the wild areas to explore and branch out into just like BG1. That would be astounding.

[Loranc]

Free exploration could be fun, in the sense that you might stumble across locations before you get there by quests. I think every location should be hinted at somewhere, though, even if it is not included in the main storyline.

 

Right, of course, even if you discover it after the fact. I remember in Baldur's Gate 1 coming across a wizard's tower in one area and then later in another village hearing about a wizard who lived in a tower in that area! Of course, I knew who they were talking about but if I hadn't trekked over there yet, it's the perfect passive "living world" clue to get me to go explore. That's exactly the kind of stuff that I love in RPGs! Like I said, I think you could do a mix - have the town and certain location maps be very localized, but in-between them and other locations have there be some of the wild areas to explore and branch out into just like BG1. That would be astounding.

 

If free exploration isn't included I will probably like this game 50% less. That was one of my biggest pet peeves with Final Fantasy 13, they completely removed free exploration from the game in a sense. I love being able to travel where and when I want to without being completely constricted. As long as it makes sense story wise. BG1+2 and PS:T both incorporated this into their games. Sure there were certain spots you couldn't get into right away, but for the most part it was a free to explore world.

[Conconhead]

I like free travel within reason. Nothing irks me more than my getting lost and ending up in an area that's 5 story-points away from where I should be and I can't find where I'm supposed to be. Rock-slides, rivers overflowing banks, bridges being repaired, town-guards keeping outsiders away while they're having a locals-only celebration... whatever. Give me in-game boundaries but let me explore all the same.

[phimseto]

I like free travel within reason. Nothing irks me more than my getting lost and ending up in an area that's 5 story-points away from where I should be and I can't find where I'm supposed to be. Rock-slides, rivers overflowing banks, bridges being repaired, town-guards keeping outsiders away while they're having a locals-only celebration... whatever. Give me in-game boundaries but let me explore all the same.

 

You are right that this was an issue in those older Infinity Engine games. I don't think that will be nearly the problem that it used to be, though. One thing we can be certain of is that map, journal, and quest log features will be greatly enhanced. It's why I am hoping for a return to something closer to how BG1's world map and areas worked. It'll be easy to get "lost" but now that much easier to figure out where you are supposed to go, meaning that if you get "lost", it's by design and choice.

[Shoeless Joe Jackson]

One thing that really worked fabulously well in BG1 was the combination of lots of wilderness areas and the fact that you didn't have a major goal for the first few chapters. You were pretty much on the run for your life and happy to wander the wilderness until you figured out what was going on or were killed.

 

If the storyline is really focused from the off, lots of open exploration doesn't work quite so well.

 

Nonetheless, I'm really hoping for a BG1 style map and exploration system and I believe Obsidian have said this is the general plan.

[Melanchior]

Free senseless exploration really makes the game world feel much more alive, and you will always have the feeling that there's still alot of things undiscovered. I've played through Baldur's Gate 1 dozens of times, but I have never EVER felt like I've found out all, or nearly all of the content.

 

And as a contrast, The Mass Effect or Dragon age games. After two playthroughs, I felt like I had done everything.

[Sylvius the Mad]

I'm fairly certain that one of the early updates of Q&As told us that they were heading more in the BG2 direction than in the BG direction.

 

Which is sad. I'm still massively looking forward to this game, but I would really like it if someone would give us open exploration (like BG) again.

[Technatorium]

I totally agree with this thread. Free exploration made BG a lot of fun. Also I liked that when you discovered an important location it would show up on your in-game map. I loved that aspect. I hope something like this is incoporated into Project Eternity.

[Luridis]

I love exploration... However, I think you should still run across The Welcome Bear from time to time. I know I won't get everything I want from PE, but it will still be awesome in it's own right.

Edited October 18, 2012 by Luridis

[phimseto]

I'm fairly certain that one of the early updates of Q&As told us that they were heading more in the BG2 direction than in the BG direction.

 

Which is sad. I'm still massively looking forward to this game, but I would really like it if someone would give us open exploration (like BG) again.

 

I remember the same thing, which is why I started this thread. Who really knows how fixed those plans are, especially since they've funded so far above and beyond their original goals? I'm hoping that if we can generate a reasonable discussion, it's something that they would consider. Apropos of one of the comments above, I had the same experience with BG1 and BG2. I've played through chunks of BG1 and it always feels fresh whereas once I finished BG2, attempts to go back make it feel like I've already seen most everything. There's absolutely a sense of wonder and "wow, I'm really on an adventure" to areas that you just walk into and start looking around.

[Kaz]

From the front page of the kickstarter:

 

Project Eternity will take the central hero, memorable companions and the epic exploration of Baldur’s Gate, add in the fun, intense combat and dungeon diving of Icewind Dale, and tie it all together with the emotional writing and mature thematic exploration of Planescape: Torment.

 

Judging from the interviews I've read so far it seems like the devs share the same outlook on open map exploration.

By the way exploring the wilderness in BG1 was also my favorite element from that game.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHFenZq2AN4

[phimseto]

Kaz, I played through BG1 with a friend of mine and zoning into a new area, splitting the party and then talking to each other about what we were seeing (and banding together when combat was upon us) remains one of my fondest gaming memories to date. The sense of seeing that illustrated picture on the world map and then walking in to explore what's actually there is the closest that I've ever felt to the limitless realm of tabletop in a computer game.

[Takamori]

Could use the good old free roaming explore.

But could use one of those evil huge dungeons with plenty of secrets,traps and treasures to seek.

[jethro]

That was something that I really didn't like in NWN and NWN2. Many locations were full of narrow corridors leading to some quest objective. Ironically the outdoor locations were more constrained than the insides.

 

Ultimately the world of NWN never really felt like a World. Obsidian, please, no corridors.

[Hassat Hunter]

Exploration is good.

Finding stuff you didn't expect, and sudden sidequest is good.

 

So, I agree!

[Piccolo]

Agreed, and I think this is what the devs are going for.