Poll: Challenge Vs. Exploration... what do you prefer?

[Smooth Operator]

Both, always both.

Sometimes I feel like getting challenged and sometimes I feel like exploring some stuff, if your game has both then I'm buying it right away, if it has only one then it will probably wait till I really really need to get that specific itch scratched... usually these end up slipping out of view because others just offer more.

 

[kommando367]

Exploration. I enjoy the occasional challenge and I need it to keep my reflexes sharp, but exploring new areas and finding new enemies to fight is more interesting to me than just fighting.

 

[CaptainKoala]

Exploration. I'd take a game like Mass Effect over a linear game with a challenge any day.

 

[Sixcess]

Exploration. Give me a big open world that I can wander around in freely. Hence my love of Minecraft and MMOs, and my disapointment with post-Cataclysm WoW and with SWTOR, that are as linear as any single player game.

That's not to say I don't occassionally enjoy a well paced linear game, but for the most part I like to able to step off the rails and go exploring, rather than being dragged from one set piece to the next like an automaton.

 

[aXFireXHeartXa]

If I was forced to choose, then I'd go for exploration. I prefer games like The Elder Scrolls, Fallout and Mass Effect for the great stories and large maps to go exploring in. But games need to have a balance between exploration and challenge because it's easy to get bored with only going for one.

 

[Sam Warrior]

By your definition I would pick exploration as I like playing through a story. However I also like it if my game comes with enough challenge to keep me occupied throughout the story. I like Dark Souls at the moment as its a very challenging game however its got enough story elements and exploration of large environments to keep me pushing through the challenges.

 

[Launcelot111]

Exploration all the way. I love the Elder Scrolls and Fallout and their ilk, but if you'll allow me to be a little abstract, then I enjoy most the games that present me with great vistas and excellent presentation and music and characters and stories and such, and in finding these experiences, I suppose i am exploring new ideas. I prefer that aspect of gaming far more than maxing my APM or testing my twitch reflexes

 

[Cedric Rolle III]

I prefer to explore thank you Skyrim & Fallout series.

 

[More Fun To Compute]

Real exploration is a challenge. I think you mean exploration vs tourism.

 

[Nomanslander]

Both, always both.

The reason I didn't put up an option for both is... well, I figured that that would be a given. Anyone that's anyone would want both; it's human nature to want more. But, I feel like when developers choose to make a game, they usually try to go heavy one way or another. It's hard to put enough resources into a game to make both the gameplay exhilarating and the world/story engrossing.

Gears of War franchise is an example of a game that was all about tweaking the cover base shooting mechanic to its finest. Since it was the game that started cover base shooters, the developers felt like it had to be the best. Its a very linear game, with a story about as one-note and by-the-books as shit. Sure, some people liked the characters and story, but from one iteration in the franchise to the next, it was all about perfecting the cover base shooting gameplay and make sure it surpasses other games that took up the style.

And that's what people who strive for a challenge look for in a game.

 

[Exius Xavarus]

I prefer to have both. It's why I enjoy Demon/Dark Souls so much. If I had to choose just one though I'd go with challenge. A linear challenge would be better than an open bore fest.

Precisely what I was coming around to say.

I'd prefer to have both, if possible. That's why Demon's Souls and Dark Souls are so great in my eyes. The levels in Demon's Souls are linear, yes, but there's so much more in each level you can find by going out and looking around for it. Dark Souls is a whole lot of exploration with tons of challenge thrown in. You gotta stay wary of your surroundings lest you get jumped by something wicked and get your face torn off.

 

[veloper]

Better a tight, linear challenge, than nothing to do in large quantities.

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

A wide open world with some beef gates in it.

Bam! both Exploration and Challenge toegther.

 

[redmoretrout]

I believe that when it come to the appeal of video games, there are two categories that generally separates what we want, and what we expect from them. We're either looking for a challenge: something to test our might. Or, we're looking for an intriguing experience.[exploration]

I Disagree with you 100%, I found Dark Souls has both challenge and exploration and I found it unbearable dull. However, I loved the Walking Dead which is a fairly easy and linear game. The Walking Dead does not provide a challenge to test you, or provide expansive settings to explore. It merely provides you with Narrative and Atmosphere. (which cannot simply be lumped with exploration.)



I would argue that both Exploration and Challenge are not enjoyable unless coupled with an interesting narrative or atmosphere. Without a narrative or atmosphere challenge only serves to make the game frustrating. However, when coupled with another element challenge can add a lot to the experience. (challenge is an essential part of survival horror, but without would fall flat without an narrative or atmosphere.) This is getting too long but the same thing applies to exploration, if the story and setting are not interesting, the player does not want to explore.

 

[blazearmoru]

I believe that it's crucial to have challenge within exploration. :<

Like in a game of survival, one can stay in the shelter and slowly be destroyed or risk exploring to bring materials back, or even relocate shelter to a better location. :3

 

[thejackyl]

I would say a little of both. It's one of the reasons that I love Dark Souls so much. Yeah you've got a linear path to follow, and such, but there is a lot to see.

Open world games used to amaze me back when GTA3 came out, but now other than a few places that stand out in open world games, it's more or less the same street/valley/field copy pasted ad nauseum.

Plus it's much easier to make great looking levels when a player is "railroaded" through it.

Besides, when I played Oblivion and Skyrim, I tended to fast travel when possible, because there isn't really much to see anyways (unless it's a PoI on the map, and even than most were just smaller waypoints.) Not saying there weren't some cool setpieces in Skyrim and other open world games, but it felt detached from the rest of the games world, whereas Dark Souls' World felt like one big setpiece. Demon's Souls felt detached too, but I think that's mainly due to how the Nexus handled the traveling.

It's another reason why I hold Super Metroid(2D), and Dark Souls(3D) up as high as I do in level design. Zebes was roughly an open world(in fact all Metroid games have been, I think), but you were pulled through it in a semi-linear fashion. You could sequence break, and there was a lot of exploring to do. You could beat the game and come back to try to find other hidden areas and such that you didn't find last time. Hell, my last play through, I had found a room with this weird turtle thing retracting into its shell and spinning at me(It was in Maridia if you're curious). And I thought I had found everything already, or at the very least, seen every creature on the planet.

 

[WoW Killer]

I like challenge, but not just by your definition. Challenge is any goal you can set yourself as a player. It's not just sheer difficulty. Exploring the world can be a challenge. In fact, the more sandbox-ey games are some of the best for challenge based gameplay, because they offer the most opportunity for the player to set their own challenges.

So, what does that make me by your definitions?

 

[Nomanslander]

I like challenge, but not just by your definition. Challenge is any goal you can set yourself as a player. It's not just sheer difficulty. Exploring the world can be a challenge. In fact, the more sandbox-ey games are some of the best for challenge based gameplay, because they offer the most opportunity for the player to set their own challenges.

So, what does that make me by your definitions?

You want a challenge.

When I say explore, I don't mean to literally explore some sandbox game or jungle. I mean, to seek out new venues and new experiences:

So you have a modern shooter that you can play online, and your only goal is to get your opponent between your crosshairs, and pull the trigger. It's a point and click game, on a timer. It's that simple, and yet, gamers all over the world never get tired of it. They'll spend hours upon days upon months upon YEARS! Doing this.

What players are seeking there is to master a game.

But if I say, "hey, can I shoot bees out of my hand, instead?," or, "can I pick up objects and throw it at them?"

Now, you're delving into exploration. You want to do something different, you're not trying to master anything.

But...

The minute you decide to just stick with shooting bees out of your hand in a game (in order to get really good at it), you're no longer seeking variety, and now you're seeking to master something.

Now maybe I should have used the word mastery over challenge (on further thoughts, I should have...lol), but my bases was people that are looking for variety generally aren't looking for a challenge.

Best example that came to me now while trying to write this all up is: think of college. You can spend your time jumping from one major to another like it's BaskinRobins 31 flavors, or you can stick to one and get a degree.

 

[Eddie the head]

The challenge of something will keep me there tell the challenge is done. The Exploration will keep me there until, I don't want to explore anymore. Or I finish witch almost never happens.

 

[Daget Sparrow]

Tough choice. And everyone else's already said "both", so...

I'd probably go exploration over challenge. Game worlds are always infinitely more interesting when the player is given a chance to explore it. Especially if it encourages the player to ply the game multiple times (i.e.: Bioshock. Love Bioshock)