#Player freedom in games

[digitalentertainment]

The Rise of Open-World Gaming: Redefining Player Freedom

In recent years, open-world gaming has transformed the way players experience virtual adventures. Games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Elden Ring, and Cyberpunk 2077 have pushed the boundaries of exploration, allowing players to immerse themselves in vast, dynamic worlds with endless possibilities.

Open-world games are no longer just about large maps; they’re about creating living, breathing environments where players can interact with the world in meaningful ways. From decision-based gameplay to lifelike NPCs and intricate storylines, these games offer unparalleled freedom and customization, making every player’s journey unique.

As technology advances, the genre continues to evolve with stunning visuals, AI-driven gameplay, and next-level interactivity. With titles like Starfield and GTA VI on the horizon, the future of open-world gaming promises even more groundbreaking experiences for players.

The rise of open-world games reflects how far gaming has come, blending art, technology, and storytelling into one unforgettable experience. It’s an exciting time to be a gamer, with endless adventures waiting just around the corner!

[cloud-ya]

I'd argue over playing a game's story with appearance changing mods without experiencing original models first

but given I'm already (almost?) done with everything in mh rise and sunbreak,

[popiellart]

can you elaborate on how you do dao style origins in your ttrpgs? I'm curious

I do 1-on-1 prologue sessions with each player before the group game start proper, not just a quick aside, but a whole separate session

since i mostly run World of Darkness, these prologue sessions tend to be the last day of the PC's normal life, which might sounds boring on the surface but actually gets shockingly riveting (esp with excellent roleplayers such as my players are)

i let them struggle with some mundane problems, i let them see glimpses of strange dark world under the surface of normalcy, i let them spend time with a couple NPCs, some of which will be returning, especially friends and loved ones, it gives them something to fight for and care for and hold on to!!

... And then I do the GM-ly thing and rip it all away from them 😊 The prologue sessions usually culminate in a character's entry into the World of Darkness proper, so, for example, for Vampire: the Masquerade, we finish the session with the player character getting murdered

the value-to-effort ratio is ridiculous from these. i'm not a very experienced GM, so i'm still learning how to maximize the potential, but my more experienced friend, @elegiacescapist, who is running a Sabbat V:tM game for myself and a couple of friends, easily squeezed veritable fuckmountains of value from our prologue sessions.

I'm talking putting in super-strong foundations for NPC relationships, power dynamics, exploitable traumas and character building moments, hints of secrets and plots to come, the events in them got a bunch of art and writing from players, etc.

it's not strictly DA:O style, per se, but it's the same principle - letting you create and embody your character, but making it so that they have tangible place in the world they occupy

[saltedcoffeee]

"next chapter is called 'i need you' omg isagi and kaiser team up ?" WRONG ! it's gonna be kaiser begging ness on his knees for a pass

[cottoncandysecretlair]

Ya know I see a lot of people make the comparison between Dark Souls and Monster Hunter

Insofar as they both force you to fight in a methodical way, taking into account the slowness and weak spots of your weapon, dodging at the right times and reading the enemy, etc.

And like... They're right. At least they certainly seem to be. The games are very different but difficult in a way that you're forced to learn to work with the mechanics and understand you're just some guy

So I guess what I'm wondering is like... How come Monster Hunter clicks perfectly with my brain to the degree of obsession, but I've never been able to get to the point of enjoying a Soulsborne?

[ayrennaranaaldmeri]

Listen, I think Solas haters deserved an ending that feels satisfying to them, but John Epler is such a fucking baby lmao wat.

I mean can you imagine sitting through many work meetings and John Epler keeps telling you his Solas punching fantasy during them? This is some real cringe.

[in-fair-verona-we-set-our-scene]

I think Slay the Princess is so popular partially because the *gets stabbed* "I'm in love" reaction is both intentional on the part of the developers and then they completely follow through on it.

[deepsixsquid]

My favorite part of being a Splatoon fan is taking the developer's note of "We left some things empty/vague so the player can fill in the blanks!" and running one million miles with it

[rexcaliburechoes]

does gale know that he's appreciated? does he know that he's loved? does he know that he's funny and witty and charming and worthwhile as a companion because of his simple existence? does he know that there is fulfillment in following the ambition to live? does he know? can he see the paths laid before him, the paths he is destined to walk, some that end in his death, others that continue on with his life, does he understand the ramifications of his choices, does he understand how his choices have affected the other companions' courses just by asking for a hand?

does he understand how the act of taking his hand grounds him in reality, towards a brighter future?

of course he doesn't; he's a fictional character and he only knows thst he sees in front of him and that is his death several feet ahead of him. he is entangled in the fabric of the universe like a moth in a spider's web, the strands of his ambitions and regrets clinging, gossamer thin yet sticky and strong, holding him fast to the paths that rip him in too many directions.

all he needs is a little push into the spider's maw or free to fly and live another day.

[fedorasaurus]

Excited that I'm getting so close to the end of Deus Ex (my gf says I'll most likely finish it next stream), but also I'm having so much fun with this game that I'm not ready for it to end. 🥺

I do have the rest of the series to look forward to, but MAN this game sets a high bar. Likely the most fun thing I've streamed this year.

Which is NUTS since this is a game that came out 20+ years ago! It really holds up. Gameplay, storytelling, characters, all of that! To be honest, it's affecting me more than most modern games.

[sun-marie]

not a hardened!lucanis romance mod....... say it ain't so.....

[riiviir]

i wanna know more about kyer and alisia, their designs are super cool and the stuff u said about them in tags sounds super interesting!!

AA PEOPLE BEING INTERESTED IN MY OCS

so. they're both major characters in this RPG I would really like to make someday called The Mission Of Imperium.

Basically everyone is aware of the 4th wall, Players are seen as an entity that must be summoned when the world is faced with a dilemma that ordinary heroes cannot solve.

however, Players need a vessel.

in this particular story, Kyer is The Intended Vessel. they were chosen for this role because they tend to be a pushover and thus would be easy for the Player to control.

Alisia has been Kyer's best friend since childhood, and planned to go with them and basically be the Game's deuteragonist while Kyer would be the protagonist. she doesn't trust the Player, nor does she particularly like the idea of Kyer being possessed, but she is willing to let this happen and support their decision to act as a vessel.

however, when the player tries to inhabit Kyer's body, it is revealed that they are actually unable to act as a vessel. having the Player inhabiting them causes a lot of pain and could lead to death (that the Player would not be able to respawn them from) within less than an hour if the Player is not removed from their body.

Because of this, the Player ends up switching vessels last minute, causing Alisia to become the Player's vessel. she hates this, but for the fate of the world and the fact that she seems to be doing just fine as a vessel, she ends up becoming the Game's protagonist.

aside from the main conflict of "go defeat evil and save the world", this story centers a lot around the Player being able to make whatever choices they want regardless of what Alisia and Kyer want. and boy do I have plans regarding that

[amatres]

stuck between liking the freedom having tav and durge separated gives for making players own characters, and feeling like bc of their separation the writing becomes watered down as it doesn't focus on telling one story

[unfriendlyamazon]

"it's just a demo" is an appropriate response to the number of clothing and hair options, and the many features that are still in development

the inzoi weight slider is a tied directly to the body frames and i can tell you now to do what people are asking there needs to be an overhaul of the zois bodies entirely

[luxrayz64]

i need to be put down someone needs to just erase the concept of the legend of zelda from my brain forever because totk and the team behind it is not gonna stop pissing me off ever. for fucks sake aonuma limitations are not a bad thing and players often cannot be trusted with player freedom. if you want me to come up with a creative solution to a puzzle you need to put limitations on it.

the most well regarded parts of breath of the wild - the great plateau, eventide island - are well regarded because of the limitations they put on the player. you cannot have meaningful progression in a game without limitations.

people crave efficiency, and without limitations in place, players will take the path of least resistance. they won't engage with the possibilities of the ultrahand mechanic in order to take that korok from point a to point b - they'll make the hoverbike, or just pick the fucker up and walk it there. players have to limit themselves in order to reach the games full potential, and idk about you guys but im not fucking doing that.

which is why when aonuma says that he thinks the only reason people prefer the formula of the older zelda games is nostalgia, it makes me want to goddamn hit things. I dont want to create my own fun! that is your job! I never minded the linearity of the older games, because it challenged me - to solve that puzzle as intended, fight that enemy as intended. that 'as intended' is important here, because there was no quick and easy trick to get around it. I couldn't rocket shield my way around a dungeon. I had to engage with the game on the game's terms, and the more freedom players have, the less players will be willing to do that.

and for sure, there is fun to be had in 'cheating' the game. I had fun climbing around the fire temple to beat it in unintended ways (because the puzzles were boring and it felt poorly designed and I got sick of trying to beat it the 'intended' way), and on my second go around of botw I learned windbombing specifically to try and cheat the shrines.

but it gets to a fucking point in totk where you at no point have to actually engage with the game, because there is always a 'correct' answer that does not challenge the player at all. there is always the hoverbike, always a rocket shield. there is no reason to engage with the games mechanics, and at what point is it even worth playing? and the answer to that question is different for everyone, but personally I just don't see the fucking point in it

[vega-482]

"the narrator and stanley are not lovers, they're awful for eachother" ok i don't care *puts them therapy* i am gay and i wanna see characters that have a really unhealthy relationship become better people and fix their mistakes and be good to eachother and be gay