In the realm of open-world games, the contentious issue of fast travel often sparks debates among players. Striking the right balance between ease of exploration and maintaining the thrill of navigating a vast world is a delicate task. Hideaki Itsuno, the director behind Dragon’s Dogma II, asserts that if players resort to fast travel, it’s a clear indication that the game world lacks excitement.
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“Is travel boring? That’s simply not true. It’s only a problem because your game is dull,” remarks Hideaki Itsuno, the visionary mind steering Dragon’s Dogma II, in an interview with IGN. “All you have to do is make travel enjoyable. That’s why you strategically place discoveries for players, design enemy spawn methods to create varied experiences, or force players into blind situations where they don’t know if they’ll be safe ten meters ahead.”
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“We’ve put a lot of effort into designing a game where you might encounter someone, and something might happen…” Itsuno adds.
The first installment of Dragon’s Dogma restricted the casual use of fast travel and consumed resources. Dragon’s Dogma II maintains a similar system but introduces some innovations. One notable addition is the use of ox-drawn carts that can only traverse specific paths. These journeys come with a warning, signaling their lack of security. For instance, goblins may obstruct the path, necessitating players to engage in combat. Alternatively, a griffin might swoop down, posing a threat to and potentially destroying the cart.
Hideaki Itsuno argues that these situations occur organically, not preordained. If a griffin attacks a cart, it is drawn to the animals pulling it. Kento Kinoshita, the lead designer of Dragon’s Dogma II, adds that the game world is teeming with such unscripted scenarios. These not only spice up journeys between two points but could also lead players to discover new areas, characters, and plotlines.
Dragon’s Dogma II is slated for release on March 22, 2024, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC (Steam).
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