How to create engaging open worlds
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Open world games have surged in popularity as immersive playgrounds that captivate players with their boundless potential for exploration and adventure. From sprawling landscapes teeming with hidden treasures to bustling cities pulsating with life, these virtual realms have become the pinnacle of modern level design.
But what makes an open world captivating? In this article, we will explore the key principles, techniques, and considerations that bring these vast digital realms to life.
Video games can be broadly divided into three categories: linear, open world and matrix.
Linear games centre on a 'critical path', and players must navigate through all available space along that path in order to advance. These levels have clearly defined start and end points, but can still include optional content, such as dead-ends and looped spaces, provided they don't offer an equal alternative to the main path. The Callisto Protocol, Doom and 2013's Tomb Raider are all good examples of linear games.
Non-linear level gameplay is far more expensive to produce as it requires doubling, or even tripling, the gameplay options available within a given time frame. In these games, players do not follow a set path, so their experiences can vary greatly depending on how they choose to play the game. These games usually introduce multiple (seemingly equivalent) critical paths that lead to the same point (unless a game utilises a multiple ending/protagonist format). Examples can be seen in immersive simulation games that emphasise player choice, such as Deus Ex, System Shock, Dishonored, Thief, and Prey.
A matrix level structure typically consists of vast outdoor
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