Summary of "Открытый мир сломался — как геймдизайн превратил его в меню"
Открытый мир сломался — как геймдизайн превратил его в меню
(Open World Is Broken — How Game Design Turned It Into a Menu)
Storyline & Central Theme
The video explores the concept of open-world games, critically analyzing how modern design trends have shifted open worlds from immersive, meaningful spaces into large, monotonous menus filled with repetitive tasks. It questions the true nature of “open worlds,” arguing that size alone does not define them, but rather the quality of content, player freedom, and systemic design that fosters genuine exploration and engagement.
Key Points & Gameplay Highlights
What is an Open World?
- Not just large maps or freedom to roam, but a world that feels alive, meaningful, and integrated into gameplay and narrative.
- True open worlds enable player improvisation and emergent stories rather than linear, scripted quests.
Density Over Size
- Dense worlds with meaningful, interconnected content (like Gothic or Zelda Windwaker) create a stronger sense of immersion than vast empty spaces.
- Small but well-crafted locations can feel infinite due to purposeful design and engaging quests.
Verticality and 3D Space
- Verticality adds depth and novelty to exploration; 2D or flat open worlds lack this sense of true openness.
- Movement abilities like jumping are basic but often neglected, which harms immersion.
Narrative Design
- Linear, cinematic storytelling in open worlds is limiting.
- Advocates for systemic, modular narratives where the world and NPCs have their own goals and events independent of the player (similar to tabletop RPGs or STALKER).
- Small dynamic changes (NPC dialogue, day/night cycles, weather) enhance immersion cheaply.
The Problem with Modern Open Worlds
- Over-reliance on map icons, quest markers, and checklists turns exploration into a chore rather than an adventure.
- Player feels obligated to “clear” the map rather than discover it naturally.
- The “40-second rule” (keeping players engaged every 40 seconds with new stimuli) is a cheap dopamine fix, not a path to meaningful engagement.
Balancing Emptiness and Content
- Empty spaces are necessary for pacing and contrast but must hint at hidden content or challenges to maintain player interest.
- Example: Zelda’s Korok seeds system uses small, hidden mini-quests scattered across the map to make empty spaces feel alive.
Smurfcoins Concept (Unified Reward System)
- Proposes a universal in-game currency (“smurfcoins”) earned from all activities, used for player progression and upgrades, keeping all content relevant and rewarding.
- Examples:
- Genshin Impact’s gem currency (though tied to monetization).
- Zelda Breath of the Wild’s spirit orbs from shrines used for stamina/health upgrades.
- Xenoblade Chronicles 3’s affinity points used for upgrading skills, motivating exploration and combat.
- This system motivates players to engage with all content types, not just the most obvious or rewarding.
Player Motivation & Completion
- Humans have a strong drive to complete collections or goals (the “Pokémon effect”).
- Games often lack clear progress indicators or completion percentages, reducing motivation to explore fully.
- Properly designed progress tracking (like trophies or completion percentages) can increase engagement without spoiling exploration.
Level Design & Player Guidance
- Open worlds should guide players subtly through landmarks and landscape design (“landscape gravity”) rather than direct markers or linear paths.
- Visual dominants (mountains, towers) attract player curiosity and encourage natural exploration.
- Avoid hub-and-spoke or corridor-like designs disguised as open worlds (e.g., Zelda Ocarina of Time, Dark Souls 2).
Survival Games as Open World Examples
- Many survival games are large locations but lack true open world design due to random generation and lack of integrated content.
- Exceptions like Subnautica and The Forest carefully place content to encourage exploration.
- Survival goals themselves act as “smurfcoins,” motivating player engagement with the world.
Fast Travel Critique
- Fast travel reduces the sense of exploration and discovery by allowing players to skip world traversal.
- Removing or limiting fast travel encourages players to engage more deeply with the world and notice details.
Movement as Gameplay
- Movement should be an interesting gameplay element itself (e.g., vehicles with good controls, meaningful encounters during travel).
- Example: Forza Horizon uses driving as the core content, making movement inherently fun even without traditional open-world quests.
Strategies & Tips for Better Open World Design
- Prioritize density and meaningful content over sheer size.
- Design vertical, 3D spaces with freedom of movement (jumping, climbing).
- Implement systemic narratives where the world evolves independently of the player’s direct actions.
- Avoid overloading maps with icons and markers; preserve mystery and discovery.
- Use small, hidden mini-content (like Korok seeds) to make empty spaces engaging.
- Create a unified reward/progression system (smurfcoins) that ties all activities to player growth.
- Provide clear but non-intrusive completion indicators to motivate exploration.
- Use landscape design and landmarks to guide players naturally, not through forced paths.
- Limit or thoughtfully design fast travel to maintain exploration value.
- Make movement itself engaging through vehicles, mechanics, or survival challenges.
Featured Games & Examples Mentioned
- Gothic – Dense, meaningful small world with intertwined quests.
- Zelda Windwaker & Breath of the Wild – Compact, dense islands with rich content and systemic progression (shrines, Korok seeds).
- Outer Wilds – Small solar system with unique, meaningful planets.
- Tiny Turbotrip – Small town with abundant quests and minigames, delivering diverse gameplay in a short time.
- The Witcher 3 – Large location with the 40-second rule; criticized for dopamine-driven content pacing.
- STALKER – Attempted systemic world with dynamic events.
- Trails in the Sky Remake – NPCs with evolving stories tied to player actions.
- Genshin Impact – Example of smurfcoins through gem currency tied to monetization.
- Xenoblade Chronicles 3 – Affinity Points system rewarding all activities and enabling player choice in upgrades.
- Pokémon – The “completion” effect motivating players to collect and accomplish goals.
- Forza Horizon – Large location focused on movement as content, not traditional open-world quests.
- Subnautica, The Forest, Raft – Survival games with thoughtful content placement and progression systems.
Conclusion
- Open worlds are not defined by size but by how content is structured, presented, and integrated into gameplay and narrative systems.
- Modern open worlds often fail by turning exploration into a checklist or menu, losing the sense of adventure.
- Designing truly open worlds requires systemic thinking, balancing mystery with meaningful rewards, and treating the world as a living, evolving system rather than a static backdrop.
- The video calls for a return to thoughtful design that respects player psychology, motivation, and the core joy of discovery.
Sources & Featured Voices
- James Hake, Design Director of Aaition (on modular narrative design)
- Victor Sanchez (game designer advocating Dungeons & Dragons style world systems)
- Various game examples and developer insights referenced throughout the video.
End of Summary
Category
Gaming
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