Assuming you''re the kind of person that likes exploration in your game, what is it about exploration that makes it fun for you? Is it the element of danger? Or finding something unusual? How would you improve exploration in games? -------------------- Just waiting for the mothership...

I think that the more items there are to find, the more interesting it makes the exploration. Of course, this isn''t the only aspect of exploration that makes it fun. I like large maps with hidden areas that are hard to find. Secrets help spice up a game.

"Remember, I'm the monkey, and you're the cheese grater. So no messing around."
-Grand Theft Auto, London

"It's not whether I win or lose, as long as I piss you off"
-Morrigan, Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo

I like exploration because there is the hope of finding something new that has never been seen before. Finding unusual things is neat too.

I know this maybe isn''t exactly what is meant by the original posting, but I like exploration if:
* It is challenging and mind taxing.
* Don''t get too repitive.
* Give rewards in some pleasing way.
With exploration I am not only talking about walking around in a world looking a for a magic object X to kill the monster Y, and in the process forcing you to look all over the map, which in my opinion is just as much fun as looking for a lost file on your harddisk or set of backups.

What I am talking about is exploring the possibilities in the game. Exploring the story tree that unfolds during the game. Exloring the possibilities in the dialogue. Trying out what weapon is best for which monster in quake.

This trying (exploration?) combined with common sense of the player should be rewarded by allowing him or her to get better at playing the game.

My point is that exploration CAN be fun as long as there has been taken care that it really is pleasing and fun to do. Far too many games has repititive exploration.
If you intend on doing exploration in the physical way (for instance by walking from room to room) you should do the following:

* Make the graphics so good that it was a pleasure to look at.
* Let the places that are being explored make sense - not just a set of interconnected rooms.
* Interspace the exploration with other things very often so it doesn''t get boring.

I think that Deus Ex is a perfect example on how to make exploration interesting. If you haven''t tried it do so.

If you can''t fullfil these requirements (for instance the graphics part) you should focus on other game aspects instead such as the story or your game will be boring as ****.

Just my humble opinion - at it is likely not the final word in that matter.

Jacob Marner

I like exploration because I like discovery.
exploring gives me the opportunity to see landscapes I didn''t know, to meet people I hadn''t met, to discover their culture, their lives. I allows me to open my eyes on things different to what I knew, and ultimately, it makes me understand the importance of what I already had.
Does it make any sense in the context of a game ? Well, probabaly only show you the difficulty of it, I guess.

I want different concepts to those we now, new ideas, new species, new thinking. If you want to make a good *exploration* game, don''t think that you need thousands star system generated randomly. I think that some very well thought out planets would do.

youpla :-P

I like exploration when the environment is engrossing or intriguing. I love games like Might and Magic II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, where I spent so much time moving arounds finding lots of tidbits.

I like the "physical exploration" which everyone has written about. Then I also like the exploration in the sense of using known elements about the game and seeing if they effect each other in more than one way. I like exploring the different possible ways to handle a single situation, although few games allow very much of this.







"NPC's are people too!" --dwarfsoft

"`Nazrix is cool.' --Nazrix" --Darkmage