Open world

Open world (Scots: open warld) is a term fur video gemmes whaur a player kin shift freely throu a virtual warld an is gien freedom in chuisin howfur or whin tae approach objectives, as opposed tae ither computer gemmes that hae a mair linear structure. Open world an free-roaming suggest the absence o fake barriers, or the invisible waws an loadin screens that ur common in linear level designs. Generally open world gemmes aye enforce mony restrictions in the gemm environment, either fur o absolute technical limitations or in-gemm limitations (sic as locked areas) imposed bi a gemme's linearity. Examples o heich level o autonomy in computer gemmes kin be fun in massively multiplayer online role-playing gemmes (MMORPG) or in ither gemmes adherin tae the open world concept. Thair main appeal is thay gie a simulated reality an allou players tae develop thair character an its behaviour in the direction o thair chuisin. In thae cases, thare is aften na concrete goal or end tae the gemme. Thare ur limitations tae this autonomy throu the rules o the simulation an its limitations. But the direction o gemmplay kin nae ayeweys rely ultimately upon the decision o the player, or be completely controllable bi the player, the type depends on the requirements an availabilities o the gemme.

Gemmplay an design

An open world is a level or gemme designed as a nonlinear, open areas wi mony ways tae reach an objective. Some gemmes are designed wi baith traditional an open world levels. An open world facilitates greater exploration than a series o smawer levels, or a level wi mair linear challenges. Reviewers hae judged the quality o an open world based on whither thare are interesting ways fur the player tae interact wi the broader level whin thay dingy ha thair main objective. Some gemms actually uise real settings tae model an open world, sic as New York City.

A major design challenge is tae balance the freedom o an open world wi the structure o a dramatic storyline. Sin players kin perform actions that the gemme designer didnae expect, the gemme's writers maun find creative weys tae impose a storyline on the player athoot interfering wi thair freedom. As sic, gemmes wi open worlds wull whiles break the gemme's story intae a series o missions, or hae a muckle simpler storyline altogether. Ither gemmes instead gie side-missions tae the player that daenae disrupt the main storyline. Maist open world gemmes mak the character a blank slate that players kin project thair ain thochts ontae, awtho loads o gemmes sic as Landstalker: The Treasures o King Nole offer mair character development an dialogue.

Gemmes wi open worlds typically gie players infinite bides or continues, awtho gemmes like Blaster Master force the player tae stairt fae the oncome shuid thay die tae mony times. Thare is a risk that players kin gae awa as thay explore an open world; tharefore designers whiles hae a go tae break the open world intae manageable sections.

See an aw

• Gemme
• Video gemme
• Computin
• Aluminium