Luminous

In the epic struggle between these two unique types of game, what is your preference, and why? Please, don't say both! You can enjoy both, but can you really love them equally? Oh wait, you can? Rats...oh..well....not in this thread you can't! Mwahahahahhaa.

Open world games can be found in most genres, and despite sharing genres with linear titles, they both play out dramatically different. Take an RPG like Final Fantasy VII and compare it to Oblivion, and you end up with apples vs oranges.

Linear games typically funnel the player along a predetermined path, to reach a predetermined end. The action is fast, in your face, and near constant, an example being something like the single player of Call of Duty. The upside is that there's never a dull moment, and you don't get confused running around looking for the exit; it's in front of you. Everything is balanced, since the developers know exactly where the player will be.

Open world games take the approach of "Do what you want, however you want" You'll still have objectives, but you decide how to carry them out. An example of this would be something like Grand Theft Auto. The action can stop at some points, you oftentimes play without an objective, and you're more likely to find some unbalanced issues with this more free design. However, this is combated with the fact that you feel more in control, and generally immersed in the experience. It's good to know you can go anywhere you want.

So, fellow AO members, if you had to pick just one type of game design, which would you go with? The open worldy type, or the roller coaster linear type?

__________________