So I’ve been exploring the world of Grand Theft Auto 4, and while I’m not far enough into it to give any impressions, it has already showed me what I really want out of the sandbox genre.
The genre itself is one of the trickiest ones to design, no thanks to the popularity of GTA makes us compare just about any game from the genre to GTA. One problem is that the genre is built upon several core elements of gameplay, and if just one is out of whack it brings down the rest of the game. In GTA and it’s clones, those elements are driving, shooting, and I’m going to combine on foot and missions into just the story side. Having played a little bit of GTA4, those elements have been heighten but I’m not convinced yet that they’re fine tuned.
I think building off my comparison of a GTA game to the movie Death Wish there are certain gameplay mechanics I haven’t seen anyone attempt in the genre that I think could move it forward. First off, I’m tired of starting out as criminal or having to become a drug dealer in the world, why can’t I begin like anyone entering a city for the first time as a bright eye wanderer ready to settle down? I don’t want my only options to be killing people or being a get away driver, let me perhaps get an office job during the day to make money and be a underground brawler during the night. While I still want the options to advance in the illegal area, I want some things I can do that won’t get me arrested or killed.
Next is the world that the game takes place in. The first complaint I have with GTA4 is that not all buildings can be entered and there is no indication of which ones are (there is the map that comes with the game but I’m talking about in game). I want a fully fleshed out city to explore, and I think that design decision can have a huge affect on the game. Instead of giving me multiple islands that take forever to get around with, give me one city and let every building in it be explorable. The little details I’ve witness in GTA4 have been great now let them take that up to the buildings and things will be good.
Another split in design from most sandbox games is that instead of a focused story, random events that can change the city and your experiences would be a welcomed changed. I’ll admit that this will hurt the chance of a huge blockbuster story line, but I think this will enhance gameplay tremendously. Take for example entering the city for the first time, in one case you could be getting off the train and run into a local mob boss who likes the look of you and gives you his card. Another time, someone could be mugged and it’s your choice to whether to help the person or ignore them. If you decide to help you can also decide to pocket some of the money you recovered. Later on in the game other events can shape the world and your efforts in the city, such as you hear reports of a serial killer on the loose which forces you to decide to either avoid that area or go in and try to be a vigilante. Which brings up another good idea that would no doubt be a bitch to program.
Realistic people, in most sand box games your interaction with the populace comes from story characters and that’s it. In my game I want you to be able to talk to and interact with anyone on the street. It will be easier to be friendly with people that are near your living arrangement or job, but the option to befriend a random stranger is possible. I want violent actions to have a consequence more then just having a star added to your wanted level. Take that serial killer example for instance, lets say you decide to ignore him and he strikes again, this time killing a good friend of yours now what are you going to do? To do this once again the game will need to be focused on smaller real estate then in most sand box titles. Which leads to another point that I think we’re close to.
Realistic space to explore, so far playing GTA4 it feels like I’m in a real city and that is a huge step up from Saint’s Row. In fact I would go as far as suggesting that from now on, an architect should be brought in to help design the overall areas of the game space. I don’t want to see only 2 super markets in the entire city, I want to explore a place that I could live in real life. Playing Saint’s Row, the whole place felt really soulless to me and was just set up to have a backdrop for the missions.
Combat in sandbox games always leaves me underwhelmed, the reason is that it’s never really fleshed out to the point that it could stand on its own outside of the open world aspect. I hated the combat in Oblivion as unless I stayed with a sword swinging magic user, or a magic using thief I couldn’t win any fights. Saint’s Row actually had decent shooting aspects and was one of the high points in it. Playing GTA 4, the combat hasn’t clicked with me yet as neither free aiming or the lock on feels responsive to me. Also aiming while driving any vehicle is an exercise in frustration. I prefer free aiming when shooting weapons, but for my open world game there would be a close range fighting system as well.
Another problem that I have with just about every open world game is repeating missions, I don’t find it fun having to drive back to the mission spot if I fail, now this problem has been fixed in newer games like Saint’s Row and GTA 4, but it has given birth to another problem. A lack of mid mission check points, I hate starting a mission and having to drive half way across the city to be killed in a shoot out and have to repeat the whole process from the beginning. Any mission that has more then one section to it (ex: get into shootout, then escape from cops) really should have a checkpoint.
Designing missions for sandbox titles have 2 different takes on their design. First are missions that can be placed into the game space, such as a shootout on a street corner. CrackDown for the 360 is set up this way as each criminal leader was basically plopped down into one of the major structures in the city. This gives more freedom to the player on how to accomplish the mission, but limits the complexity and possible story of the mission. For open world games that give the player access to a variety of skills and powers these missions can be enjoyable , but will keep the majority of the story development (if there is a huge story) to cutscenes.
The other type are heavily scripted missions that for the most part pull the player into their own little world. The best examples are of course any story mission in the GTA series. The advantage is that a really creative designer can make some very interesting missions, the down side is that you really kill replayability of them in the process (note by replayability I mean different ways to play it, not replaying it because the mission is so good).
Playing GTA 4 now, while I can’t help but be amazed with the scope of the world RockStar has made, it makes it that much more jarring when something pulls me out of it. Such as getting used to the driving model, or having to drive across 2 islands as the only source of Internet is in one cafe. One thing that is starting to annoy me abit is the overall juvenile sense of the comedy in the game. I don’t like to hear expletives every 5 second when I’m playing a game, one thing it just reeks of immaturity and second it’s weird to have family around hearing this. The problem with GTA 4 is that besides Niko every guy has the same attitude it seems. I know that RockStar can do smart humor or create intelligent characters, San Andereas had a well developed African American as the star. Which is why I’m so sad that the comedy is pretty crude in GTA 4 at the point I’m at. Quite frankly I want to see an open world game with a strong female protagonist, not someone who looks like a porn star, or someone who is pretty much anti men, but someone in between.
After spending time with both Saint’s Row and GTA 4 I can see a different mindset present in each. Saint’s Row was created to be more gamey, with non realistic side missions and an over the top style. GTA 4 however is set to be an experience and less gamey, you can’t unlock super versions of weapons or go on insurance fraud missions (which would be awesome if they were in GTA 4). Both however from my point of view need to add in more elements of exploration and give me more options to do in the city.
So where does that leave us ? I think the problem that I’ve seen in most open world games is that not one of the elements is developed enough that it could stand on it’s own without the others. It makes it that when the elements work together well the game is amazing, when it doesn’t the game sucks. From that I can deduce that if we get the developers behind Gran Tursimo, Ninja Gaiden Black, and Shadow of the Colossus together to create an open world game. We would either have the greatest open world game in existence, or a jumbled up mess that cost millions of dollars. Either way it’s a chance I’m willing to take 🙂
Josh
