My answer has already been expressed by others:
WalkingWaste said: Seeing things off in the distance will often times entice me to explore. Climbing a mountain to see a small village in the valley below. Standing on a coastline and seeing a faint glow in the water far out. All visual things that would lead me on an adventure to explore.
Jobeson said: #3 - Impossible to reach vista - I see a place that has no obvious path to get to it, but it looks like a place intended for me to reach I will encircle the entire mountain to find the path.
Spof said:Great view, never ignore a great view.
Nekentros said: For me, it is all about searching for places that evoke certain feelings....zones that are way off the beaten path, where there are few if any players, tend to be the types of zones that I find the most enjoyable. But, there is also an aesthetic element to it. The visuals and sound associated with the zone have to be just right, otherwise it just doesn't happen.
Questaar said: Adventure! Pure and simple. What's over that mountain? Where does that river flow? Is there land on the other side of this ocean? Exploring!
To experience lore and culture of a new area. Hopefully, I will get accosted in a manner as similarly impactful to Shock G's (rip! :( ) lyric as Humpty in "Humpty Dance" by Digital underground :D
*edit* in case anyone forgot, imagine the NPC interaction as impactful as :
stop whatcha doin' cause im about to ruin, the image and the style that ya used to. I look funny, but yo I (train in skill point) see- So yo world I hope you're ready for me, Now gather round...."
Things I disagree with others who've responded:
PvP I've never understood games with open PvP why would hero X go kill another hero? Faction-based PvP or Area (examples an Arena) This type of PvP makes sense.
Leveling up doesn't equal immune...I don't understand people who think this way? Are you as an adult afraid of a 1-4-year-old physically attacking you? So why wouldn't you eventually surpass in regen/damage mitigation all the damage a particular zone could do. Imagine you've got sticks and stones as weapons vs. someone in a Tank? You would need a ton of luck to even scratch someone in just scale mail with such lowly weapons. Sure death by a thousand cuts makes sense to a certain extent but sitting in a Modern tank even Native Americans armed with Bows, Arrows, Slings, etc. wouldn't be able to harm the guy! (Maybe starve them out - tactics not weapons).
This is why I think it's fine to be like a "god" in specific zones. Now having you be auto-deleveled to a zone/area isn't that annoying example: how it's done in GW2. (I'd rather choose to do it than have it done automatically).
Basically the story and the lore. I love to uncover a zone's history, its secrets and hidden quests and how it's connected to the lore and the bigger picture.
I also love long and interwoven quest-lines stories. To give a concrete example, back in World of Warcraft Vanilla, the first quests in the Lordaeron made you go up against the Scarlet Crusade and you soon discover that they make no distinction between the undead of the Scourge and the undead that regained their free will, not only that but they also persecuted their own people and anyone they deemed suspect. Throughout the leveling I encountered more and more of them and witnessed how depraved an order they truly were. The more I learned about the Scarlet Crusade, the more questions I had. I wondered how they had gone from an offshoot of the noble Silver Hand to a depraved order of fanatics, zealots and torturers. It all became clear at max level at in Stratholme when you discovered that the real leader behind the Scarlet Crusade and one of the first paladins of the Silverhand, Saidan Dathroan, had been killed and impersonated by the Dreadlord Balnazzar who had done so to corrupt and deform the Crusade to serve his ends. I loved how all the quests I had done in very different zones (both level-wise and geographical) in a way all built to this dreadful reveal.
I may have drifted a bit off-topic there and talked about quests in general, sorry it doesn't help much. Anyway I don't mind being guided as long as it's done well and it's not just an exp grind :p
"I want to be where the people are..." - some cartoon fish lady.
Not necessarily a priority order.
#1 - Getting to friends
I know I will be an Ember Elf Ranger, my wife knows she will be an Ashen Elf Druid. We have the T-Shirts and pledges ready. Our characters have names (name server willing *ancient woodland prayer finger motion*) and are thrilled to start in the same, or very close area to each other (probably?)
A good friend of mine strongly intends on Shaman, the others change daily. In any event, my wife will not likely have teleport access to tons (or any) places right out the gate, and our friend group will be geographically sepparated. The absolute #1 reason for me exploring areas will be to get to them. I imagine we will likely be sepparate for the first week or two sharing crazy stories and tips, and eventually converge on a "home" and group together.
#2 - Finding a camp for my group
As a ranger, no one ever wants me in an established group (please dont make us bad...but also not so good you nerf us an never look back again...) I generally make a group. Sometimes for fun, a misfit combo because those are some of the most fun crawls. Anyhoo, this requires me to find a camp while recruiting, as the odds of players accepting the invite go up big time when you can find something available when theres no instancing.
#3 - Commerce
I could tell you a tale of how i grinded up 20p, felt rich, and set off from Qeynos to Freeport on a rumor there was a tradecenter there. I could tell you of the bard I tipped plat to help escort me there...but I know you all experienced that same intense feeling of that journey. VR, if you bring that back that feeling you will be heroes. I'm counting on this experience over the "I wish you we're there" I normally tell my non-EQ friends. Getting to the far side of Terminus to get some crazy item I can sell to maybe get that awesome bow I have lost on rolls seven times, only to find I need to travel half the world away to the commerce center is (without question) awesome sounding and I would blaze any path required to make it happen.
#4 - Crafting/Gathering
I have chronic minmaxosis :( Part of the tradeskill game to me, is to most effeciently skill up, mass produce, etc. to become profitable, make the thing I need, or even just to complete the skills so I dont feel empty when I open the skill menu. Asking guild mates for good places to gather or looking online is 10 minutes that saves hours of work. I'm the guy that will go to different places and record my return/hr. in different zones and send it to the guild. If all XYZ ore is only located in one place, that would eliminate diversity and choice.
#5 - Checkboxes
I don't know what this means for Pantheon, but ESO has a bunch of reasons (directly tied to character progress) which reward exploration. Skyshards, mage's guild lore books, thieve's guild troves, etc. There is even a thing on the map which says you have 8/20 xyz discovered. This is pretty gamified, not saying it exactly is a great idea at all - you know your game; however, I must say that if you have some kind of in game tracking system of unlocks that enable my character to be better utility wise, or more powerful even by .0001% im totally doing it. In end game, I like logging in an working on completing all the little things and just being free to enjoy the experience. "Achievements" often involve alot of travel and destinations.
#6 - Loot/Climate
The climate system makes me think I will need to go lots of places to acclimate, or obtain glyphs. I will absolutly do this.
#7 - Perception System
I'm really hoping that the perception system is something that provides additional (meaningful) player decisions. I'd be kind of upset to get a ping, investigate this thing and go accross the world to be rewarded with a pumpkin pie. Not that every ping should give me that new sick bow, but if its implemented in a way which is setting off a chain of events or consequence, provides reward, and helps lead a party - its critical as an exploration vehicle. If its 100% lore, I'll still read, log, and enjoy it, but it would be less an exploration driver to me then. (my playstyle changes in endgame though)
#8 - Epic Quests
Ranger and Druid epics in EQ are alot of travel. Every classes epic brings them (and their guilds) to obscure places. Epics are a great exploration vehicle. Also, please make epic quests (but dont delay release because of it haha)
#9 - Cartography/Map discovery
If there ends up being any kind of map system (maybe not zone level) yeah I'm gonna fill it out.
#10 - GM/Guild events
If you guys want to play with us, I think we'd all be thrilled to have some random DMing. If i see system text and its a GM event starting (outside of guild obligations) thats a drop what I'm doing and go see it thing. Also last christmas on FV server on EQ, Val Halla had a christmas givaway event which was huge. They had scavenger hunts and tradeskill riddles and such which made us run around all over the place. I thought that was awesome of them. Totally player driven - but still true to the question.
#11 - When the game is 18 years old and you realize you have never set foot in the Crypt of Dalnir
But seriously...end game, its fun to just go to places you havent been. If there are low levels, helping and buffing, etc.
#12 - Alts
I'm not big on alts as I like having one godlike character who is max everything (where possible) but sometimes I dabble, or if I'm out leveling friends I'll make an alt to experience a new area. In a sense I think this is zone exploration. When I first started EQ i must have made a character from each starting place just to see what the deal was.
#13 - Level design
If im pulling, and cross through an invisible wall im calling the group forward. If we're going through some overland exploration and find a dark tower atop a hill, we're going. If I'm solo just traversing the land and some NPC runs up needing help...it depends if I have players waiting, but im probably going otherwise. If we come accross some hatch door on the floor and the rogue can get it picked...were sending him in there to eat traps then were going for sure.
#14 Hotzones/Dailies
Not my favorite thing...but yeah definately going to do whatever chores VR would have me do :( Technically drives exploration though.
#15 Skills/Training
This may be kind of grouped in with quests, which are a given, but if I learn that the "Byron Furgeson" of Elven ranger kind is said to reside in some crazy place, I'm gonna go pay a visit and learn some tricks.
#16 Class spesific nonsense
As a Ranger If i can tame beasts as pets for certain abilities (like a familiar or in combat) then I will definatly go exploring and find whats the best fit for me, even if its only aesthetic.
TLDR
I'm addicted to character progression and playing with others, anything that promotes that. I rarely explore areas only from a lore/for yucks until max level - then I eat that up.
Mystery! Things like Easter eggs and hidden items which I’m expecting to be somewhat prolific in PRotF...especially fun too with the nondescript items and multiple clickable things...add perception to that and it’s looking really good. Often the problem remains the lack of depth in this type of content, but I hope to find some of these items periodically from intent exploration that will lead to meaningful-feeling lore, drops and/or hidden/locked areas.
I’m an explorer at heart which means eventually new places will become familiar...and then the drive to move on will grip me...if the areas have hidden mysteries that I can’t access until later, it can help keep that sense of mystery
Im going to venture away from the majority I think on quests and loot. That can be the grind to me And doesn't really capture why I want to see something new..I rarely enjoy traveling somewhere new to find something I expect. In fact, if I know how and what is going to happen...like super straightforward quests or just named boss hunting, I'm very likely to forego that quest or task for a long time, and instead find something more interesting.
that said, if my group is going, I'm probably going to be having a good time with them..don't always Need everything else to get me out
This thread has been promoted as part of my CM content, please continue the discussion! :)
"Developer Feedback - Join in on this post by our Dev Nephele and let us know "What motivates you to travel to new areas in an open world?" https://seforums.pantheonmmo.com/content/forums/topic/12944/what-motivates-you-to-travel-to-new-areas-in-an-open-world #MMORPG #CommunityMatters"
Exploration. I like traveling to new areas, just to see what's there. Interesting landscape, different monsters (or at least altered existing models), etc. One of the things I LOVED about Vanguard was the ability to see some structure, land feature, etc. off in the distance and actually be able to make my way there - at least eventually. Leveling up and fighting my way through over time, or trying to use the existing landscape to sneak my way for a closer look is what drove me to explore as much as I did. I miss that in games today. If I can see it, there should be a way to get to it.
I have always been fascinated by the amazing worlds in games. I guess I have a natural sense of curiosity and adventure. I always want to know what lurks in that dark cave opening, what is atop that tower looming in the distance, what treasure awaits me in the vault room of that magnificent castle. What inspires me and gets my inner explorer amped up is when I look around me and there are enticing destinations in all directions. Which way will I go, what will I visit first.... so much fun!
My main was a Ranger in EQ, and the very spirit of that class encouraged exploration. I remember with clarity to this day first stepping off the boat in Firiona Vie, heading inland a short way along the waterway before encountering those terrifying drachnid silklurkers and appreciating how dangerous this new land can be. Another clear memory is trecking across the Eastern Wastes of Velious, and braving the Crystal Caverns for its riches, just because I could and it sounded exciting. Numerous, countless other adventures follow the same thought process throughout my time with EQ (and Vanguard after).
NOTHING on any "rails" game since comes close - and it isn't nostalgia talking, as I can replicate those exact feelings in true sandbox/open world games.
It's no more simple, and no more complex, than the need to, and reward for, exploring. It's a *HUGE* reason I'm so exicted for Pantheon. Thank you for confirming what I knew to be true :)
Gintoki88 said:Would more modern players even know how to explore a zone if there wasnt roads created for them to travel on?
Diablo, Skyrim, Breath of the Wild, and Tarkov don't always have roads. Newer players should be fine without them.
It's hard to answer this question considering most modern MMOs don't encourage organic exploration of an entire world.
I think it's easier to answer the question "What motivates you to not travel to new areas in an open world?" - and that's hard/soft level requirements. If I know that a zone is designed for a certain level range that I'm above/below, I'm discouraged to explore it.
A solution to that, and one I'd like to see Pantheon implement, is the idea that the farther from civilization one goes, the more dangerous the enemies become. I think that's both an immersive solution (guards patrolling roads and guarding settlements prevents dangerous people/animals/monsters from lingering) and one that encourages exploration at all levels. As soon as I create a character I should be able to explore a continent by sticking to main roads & settlements. If I want to explore the distant ruins in a jungle then I'm encouraged to get stronger or find like-minded players who can surive the adventure.
In other words, I think using zones as a concept for environment/geography and not for mechanics/gameplay as described above would encourage players of all levels to travel around as they see fit.
Still here guys, Legate Pledge now. This one static.
As for the o.p.'s question:
My favorite thing is a nice apartment or room at an inn and a bustling city. For those times I wish to explore, it is because my sentient sword wants to see the Realm. Or I am summoned by the Queen to a ball or a knighting ceremony. Or war or battle beckons.
When the surroundings is attractive or I organically move there with my group, I'll be happy to travel through the entire game. It doesn't have to be somewhere remote or increasingly dangerous to make it interesting. Discovering a city or township can be equally fun. I hope that not every city/township/building is a copy of one template with minor tweeks to it. If one village within a district has a blacksmith, it makes sense that in the next village within the same district, there is no blacksmith but something else. The artificial interdependency of the content can trigger me to look elsewhere and find that village with a blacksmith. This is not an active trigger by the game. The lack of something can be stimulating aswel.
I don't need a finger pointing me to uncovered territory or sites (by means of npc and quests or railroad content).
Exploration is about discovering by your own actions and not by being stimulated or influenced by the game itself to go somewhere you haven't been.
Not every corner needs to be a spectacle, a hidden grove is equally entertaining to discover than a shiny golden statue of a giant.
Different roads or pathways might be enough; main roads pavement, well travelled dry dirt roads, small pathways through the bush, some being dead ends. If those dead ends have something in the area that I can see or interact with it might be enough to pull me in an undiscovered zone and go exploring. @beaverbiscuit good point there. No road can be just the thing.
Or for example just elements in the environments of "npc's that have travelled here before". A cold fire or dead npc, markings or hanging charms could do the trick for me.
There are a lot of great answers to this questions in this post... For me I would reiterate what I am looking forward most...
I know most of this has been stated ...
I love to explore... Finding that rare boss where most do not tread. Finding shortcuts from point A to B. Finding that off the beaten path dungeon or camp. Gathering resources on a hard to get to mountain peak. Finding that perfect spot for in world housing. Finding an Npc in an out of the way location which may lead to further adventure. These things drive me to explore in games past....
Jothany said:And get the screenshots!
Don't forget the screenshots!!
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