Poll: Linearity is good, don't kill it please

[Fingerprint]

Splinter Cell was both linear and awesome.

I'm happy either way so long as I enjoy the game.

 

[Same River New Water]

But if you use linearity then a game generaly has a much better story and the expeince will trump open worlds'. Take Half-Life 2 and the original Halo, they were great games with scripted events that while happened no matter what, still imersed me much more than a GTA or Mercinaries. My point is is that linearity makes a game feel more imersive and in my eyes is much better than and open world game.

It totally depends on the type of game. Don't worry, linearity isn't under threat; open-world games aren't nearly as new as people make out. They were around long before Grand Theft Auto. Mario 64 has a lot of open-world elements; so does A Link To The Past. In all that time they haven't affected the popularity of linear games, and they're not about to start now, they just seem to be increasing in popularity because the term "open world" is being used more often about more games.

Here's a rule of thumb: linearity suits tightly-crafted narratives; open worlds suit player experimentation. If a game is primarily about the story, it should be more linear; if a game is primarily about the player's abilities and the game world, it should be more open. That's just a guideline, of course.

Have a look at this article about game design styles [http://lostgarden.com/2009/03/what-is-your-game-design-style.html]. A developer who focuses on Experience and Narrative will find it easiest to make a good linear game, but a designer who focuses on World, Player Skill and possibly Systems will get more out of making an open world game.

 

[TikiShades]

I agree. I never understood why linearity is supposed to be a bad thing.

Linearity is good depending on the type of game. If it's a game like Silent Hill, you need linearity so that your agenda isn't cluttered. The game only has you doing one thing at a time. If it's an RPG, linearity is bad, you need to accept a lot of quests, and doing one at a time would make the game tedious.

You need a balance.

EDIT: Ninja'd...Grr.

Well, if you played an RPG that was quest-based, then yeah, that would be boring. Most RPGs use linearity to tell a story.

EDIT: I didn't vote. It depends on the game.

 

[BolognaBaloney]

Linear open-world, like fable

 

[Bat Vader]

GTA IV was a pretty good open world/linear game.

 

[Sindre1]

34/34 with my vote

 

[GonzoGamer]

Some games need to be open world (RPGs and such) and I like the feature in most games but if it's going to be shallow and boring they may as well not bother.

FOr example Fallout 3 needed to be open world but the boring open world in No More Heroes was just a bumper of tedium there to make the tedious action levels seem more interesting. So yes some games it's necissary (GTA) and in others, the feature weighs it down (NMH) but as long as some effort is put into making the sandbox interesting and full of features, it can't be all bad.

 

[Jandau]

Both linear and open have their place. They are different, play differently and offer a different experience.

Linear games offer a more focused experience with tools to better develop their characters and plotlines. Developers can rely more on scripted events since the player is less likely to miss them or get to them in the incorrect order. Open world games offer the player freedom to explore and do what they want, often with minimal "plot", rather letting the players create their own stories.

I enjoy both extremes, as well as the in-between (some freedom and open-endedness). Games such as Fallout 1-3 wouldn't be what they are without their open worlds.

 

[DustyDrB]

Necromancing because I've seen many people complaining about linearity in games lately.

I tend to approach open-world games linearly. I do the main story almost exclusively until it is finished, and then explore the rest of the world. I just find this approach more immersing. It feels strange in games like Mass Effect, Dragon Age, or Oblivion to go do random assignments when there are more pressing matters.