Games: linear versus open world

[PZ]

I'm currently playing two games, one linear (Medal of Honor) and one openworld (Fallout New Vegas).  Playing both of these is interesting because it dramatically demonstrates the difference between the two game forms.  Playing Medal of Honor is like being in a movie - I've never experienced more realistic graphics while Fallout New Vegas has relatively old school graphics that drives game play.  I like both games, and typically graphics is the number one criterion for my appreciation of a game.  However, I must say that Fallout New Vegas sill be on my play list much longer than MoH because of the open world nature - I can go virtually anywhere and do almost anything while in the more linear game, you are forced down a narrow corridor.

Although it's been said many times before, the bottom line is that current technology allows the linear games to display fantastic graphics, but the open world games allow much greater freedom in how you approach the game (at the expense of lower graphics quality.

[JRD]

Oh this thread can go on and on!

Let's see... I can put some pros and cons on both:

LINEAR GAMES

PROS
- Outstanding graphics
- Non stop action - usually you barely have time to breath  ;D
- Great MP appeal


CONS
- Usually SP takes around 10-15 hours
- If you are not into MP, the game gets old in the 2nd playthrough (which is not challenging at all since you know what and where enemies are)
- Not much for you to think, just run and gun
- Individual game style usually doesn't matter (as in the previous point)


OPEN WORLD GAMES

PROS
- Freedom for you to choose how and when to tackle missions
- Individual gamestyle DOES matter... a lot!  8)
- Replay value is usually big since you can try many different ways to do the same thing (usually with different characters)
- SP campaign can take some 50 hours or more, depending on the player
- MP aspect can be very appealing as well


CONS
- Sometimes sandbox games are not really open world - invisible walls or unreachable areas makes the game looks open but is somewhat restricted.
- Excessive side quests or things you just have to do in order to be able to continue playing  can break the pace of the game and leave you stuck and bored.
- Huge open areas can not be rendered in high definition, hence graphics are somewhat lower in quality than linear games (although it can be pretty good  ;D )


That's all I can thik for now... more to come...

Great post, PZ!  :-X

[Art Blade]

well done, guys :)


What I like about open world games is

free roam -- just move around and do your own thing as long as you want.

while in linear games

you can't do that.

[PZ]

Outstanding replies, guys - I agree with everything you mentioned  :-X

[spaceboy]

I like both!  On a basis of money spent per hour of gaming, open world games are basically a landslide winner, but sometimes its the story, character development, and cinematic appeal of linear games that give you your bang for your buck.  Multiplayer can add tons of play time as well whether its a linear or open world game.

I think if you only stuck with one genre you'd miss out either way.  There are incredible games of both types that I truly enjoyed.

I think three open world games that got it right in terms of story and character development in an open world environment is Assassin's Creed 2, Red Dead Redemption, and inFamous.  All have characters I grew to really like and identify with, and the story and music stick with me.  All 3 soundtracks are in normal rotation for me.

I think a winner next month is AC: Brotherhood, with the continuation of Ezio's story in the open world of Rome, along with intriguing multiplayer, this one looks to be a sure thing!

[mmosu]

I'm with JRD on the thing about limited open world surrounded by "invisible walls".  I guess you could make the argument that FC2 had invisible walls around it - invisible walls made of malaria.  But at least that was a creative effort to disguise a necessary evil in a true open world game - limits.  I can appreciate that the devs took the time to create something that would distract us from this unattractive truth rather than surround Bowa Seko with an invisible wall of unapologetic frustration and call it good enough.  It's extra effort like this that sets games apart from the pack in my mind.  We all know that somewhere, deep in there no matter how "open" a game may seem, there must be limits.  But if you can impose those limits in a way where they are easily accepted as part of the experience (or at minimum not disruptive to the experience) then in my book you've become a little more "open" then the rest. 

[Art Blade]

well said, gentlemen.

The only game that immediately springs to mind that offers a lot of the above mentioned (character to identify with, open world nature of the game) but without invisible barriers is JustCause2. That world feels as if it had no limits, you can dive, swim, walk, climb, drive and fly, seamlessly. :)

[mmosu]

And that's my point exactly - those limits are out there, but they're so well hidden that they don't ruin the experience when you reach them.  A counter example would be the first Assassins Creed,  a good game that admittedly had some issues.  I'm specifically thinking of the areas of the city that you couldn't access because you didn't yet have access to the "memories" of those parts of the city . . . lame. 

[PZ]

Well friends, I celebrate the fact that games, both open world and linear, have brought us together in this brotherhood of camaraderie.

I truly enjoy visiting OWG each day to read of your adventures, both in the fantasy world of our games, and in the snapshots that we share of our real lives.  :-X

[spaceboy]

have brought us together in this brotherhood of

assassins...  ;D

[PZ]

 ^+-+

[JRD]

FC2 have loads of invisible walls even within Bowa or Leboa, as unaccessible areas.. annoying... so may great sniping spots you just can`t reach  :-(

Crysis is another "wide-corridor" ... a linear game that looks like open world in the first levels... it has an interesting boundary - a shark! If you try to swim away while you are still by the beach in the early missions it will hunt you down and chew you up, nano suit and all!  ;D

[fragger]

I can't do any better than JRD's rundown of the relative pros and cons of open-world vs. linear games, so I won't even try - he said it all :-X

I don't think I have an overall preference really, I just like to shoot stuff. I'll be in any game that lets me do that with style and aplomb :-()

[JRD]

I just like to shoot stuff. I'll be in any game fight that lets me do that with style and aplomb :-()

Now that`s a bumper sticker!  ;D ;D

[fragger]

 ^+-+ ^+-+ ^+-+

It would be a great bumper sticker - provided you can back it up :-D

[Art Blade]

have brought us together in this brotherhood of

assassins...  ;D

^+-+

I just like to shoot stuff. I'll be in any game fight that lets me do that with style and aplomb :-()

Now that`s a bumper sticker!  ;D ;D

^+-+

^+-+ ^+-+ ^+-+

It would be a great bumper sticker - provided you can back it up :-D

DON'T TEST HIM!!  ^+-+

[mmosu]

have brought us together in this brotherhood of

assassins...  ;D

Love it  :-X
And agreed on the thoughts about the best games being the ones that bring us together here  :-X

[Art Blade]

even if I don't play a game you (any of you) do or I play a game you don't, we're still together and I very much enjoy reading your posts about those games you play. Some do likewise, reading and posting in topics about games they don't play themselves.

So diversity unites just as much. :)

[PZ]

even if I don't play the game you (any of you) do or you play a game I don't, we're still together and I very much enjoy reading your posts about those games you play. Some do likewise, reading and posting in topics about games they don't play themselves.

So diversity unites just as much. :)

My sentiments exactly - I'm not sure exactly why I end up purchasing the games that I do, but I too like reading all of the adventures that everyone has had.  You can sense the excitement in the posts, and can appreciate a game that you may have never considered purchasing.  I was not much of a gamer before FC2, but since that time, reading about the games that people appreciate has prompted me to make purchases that I otherwise would not have.  In fact, I'd probably not be gaming much at all if not for you chaps.  ;) :-X

[spaceboy]

sure, blame it on us  :)

[PZ]

 ^+-+  my wife probably does!

[Art Blade]

Just make her believe that we're not to blame.  ;D

On second thoughts.. no.. make her believe we are.  :)

Well, then again.. ???? 

It doesn't really matter. :-\\

She'll always be right. Even if she isn't.   :-()

[PZ]

 ^+-+

[Art Blade]

 ;D

you know, even if you can convince her that you are right, she'll still manage to make you feel bad about it. Not even with words.. just her looks.  ;)

You see, it is possible to understand women. As long as you don't try to.  ;D

[Dweller_Benthos]

Minecraft = ultimate open (and infinite) world, but almost no story, or any at all, or character development. But it is fun to just run around killing monsters and building stuff. Me, I like mining, I'm constantly down in the mines digging something out. It's the main reason I'm not around here too much, all my time is spent in it, I think I need an intervention, lol.

A linear style game like Half Life is probably the most story and character driven game there is though, and I like them both.