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More on open world game design

Posted on December 14, 2024 by Minna Hong • 0 Comments

samurai in all black ronin armor (and straw hat) — My fit is (black) fire!

I want to ttalk more about open world game design. So, not specifically about Ghost of Tsushima (which I’m pushing through), but about the genre in general. Basically, I’m comparing Ghost of Tsushima (Sucker Punch Productions) and Elden Ring (FromSoft) because I haven’t played many other completely through. In fact, Skyrim (Bethesda) and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (CD Projekt Red) are the two I can think of off the top of my head. I really enjoyed Skyrim for the first 50 hours, but then I just started hating it. It was my fault because I tried to do all the covenants/groups in one go. And, I just had my fill about then. I finished it up in 75 hours and never touched it again.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was really enjoyable–until a cave mission about two-thirds of the way through. It was a follow Pippa (I think that’s her name) in the cave, and I got hopelessly lost. I think it was supposed to be a fifteen minute mission or so, but it took me hours. I hated it so much, I considered quitting. I knew I was near the end, though, so I stuck it out and eventually stumbled my way out of the cave. Disheartened and unhapp,y I finished up the game as quickly as I could. I hated the first DLC and did not play the second. The main game did have one of the best written quests I’d ever played, though (Bloody Baron). I think I put roughly 115 hours into this game.

In yesterday’s post, I made comparisons between Ghost of Tsushima and Elden Ring. I want to continue down that path today.

I have noticed that I play open world games in a way that makes me less and less enthused about them as I go. I explore every nook and cranny as I go, leaving no stone unturned. I play for hours on end and am super-absorbed. Then, at some point, my interest starts waning, but I still try to do everything available. Until I don’t. Usually, that’s when I stop playing the game. Or in the case of Skyrim and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, start mainlining the main story.

With Elden Ring, I still explored every inch of the domain, but the luster dimmed as the game went on. Part of the issue is that the mid-to-late game was balls-hard. Also, it was set in a snowy area (which I love) with limited visibility (which I hate). I could not see anything in this area, and I plunged to my death so many times. In addition, I had no desire to fight the stronger enemies when I could not see them, and I started riding past them. Esepcially as they were all repeat enemies.

Thoughts on game design

Posted on December 12, 2024 by Minna Hong • 0 Comments

I’m done talking about Ghost of Tsushima (Sucke Punch Productions) in specifc–well, kind of–but playing it has spuured thoughts about gaming in general. Here is my last post about GoT, which was about the game in general–and my issues with it.

I wish I didn’t have the kind of brain that, upon seeing an open world game, immediately wants to do all the things. I was reading about how long it takes to play GoT, and someone said that they finished the first act in 15 hours. But that was mainlining the main story. I’m over 30 hours and really had to push myself to finish the first act. Otherwise, I would have wandered about for much longer.

Because of my limitations and the way I play games, I always double how long it’s going to take me. Even that is not often enough. I have accepted that I am slower than most gamer–more than doubly so. I knew it was true before I started GoT, and this game just cemented my feelings. Why? Because it’s very generous with its timing in combat, and I’m still fucking it up sometimes. The parry, I mean. Although, I will say that I’m feeling like a badass right now. I’ve unlocked enough perks so that I rarely die except when I try to get across an area I’m not supposed to be in because I can’t see the way around it–

Which, let’s talk about this. I mentioned it in yesterday’s post, and I want to reiterate that I know this is mostly a me-problem. One of the most frustrating things to me is that I cannot see crucial bits no matter how hard I try. I can’t see the tracks that need to be tracked. I can’t even see the enemies when they’ve spotted me from a distance. That’s my perception issue, but also, they just blend into the environment. My eyes are baaaaaaaad.

I want to compare GoT and Elden Ring for a minute beacuse I can. And because they are both open world games, done in very different ways. I think we need to remember that I gave Ghost of Tsushima between a 7.5 and an 8. I’ve given Elden Ring roughly a 9.5. But, they’re on completely different scales for me. I tend to rate FromSoft games automatically above 9.0. So, Sekiro, which is the game I liked the least of their action adventure games is still a 9.0. Here’s the thing, though. I have much more fun playing GoT than I do playing Sekiro. If I was rating purely from that aspect, Sekiro would be a 2 or so.

But I digress.