In open world games, do you go back and forth between areas a lot, or methodically work through them?

[StaceyPowers]

If you are playing an open world game, do you usually try to methodically do a bunch of quests in a small geographic area before proceeding to the next, or do you instead distribute quests in specific areas evenly across time and do more running back and forth?

I notice I bunch the quests together, almost like I am playing a linear game. I think I do this sometimes because it makes more logical sense to me from an immersion standpoint. I also believe it just helps me keep track of what I am doing. It’s ironic though.

[m76]

I usually follow the narrative. If it makes sense to do something at that time, I'll do it, but if the narrative says I must hurry somewhere else I do that ignoring everything else. It's ironic that most RPGs actually punish you if you follow the narrative instead of doing every last sidequest at every location instantly.

[NightmareFarm]

I rarely do any side quests in open world games. 

[Justin11]

When I see that, the game is too difficult to move through, and their is no direction that will guide me towards moving to the next chapter of the game. I don't have option again, but to deploy side quests. 

[Withywarlock]

I tend to try and uncover the entirety of the map, then clear out the zones one-by-one. This usually doesn't work out as intended because Lady ADD takes the wheel and puts me back on the road to the main quest. In Elden Ring similar things have been happening, except the next main boss I need to kill is a wee bit too powerful for me, so I'm going after optional ones to level and gear up first.

[Patrik]

i personally do, i mean, that's the point of playing open world games, to explore the environment and enjoy it!

[Empire]

I do whatever I want. Depends on the game that you are playing. You can loot the boot in a 2km range then after awhile you end up doing the same location again as the loot has became back again. Servers restart means loot are back. I do like to explore but at the same time I like to be in locations that I know my away round. 

[Reality vs Adventure]

It depends on the game. Ones where I get to explore the countryside, I explore one region at a time so I get familiar with the land to satisfy my inner compass. Driving games I let it take me wherever the quest takes me because the streets are a maze so it's harder to satisfy that inner compass. Red Dead Redemption I've been playing, I go back and forth on my horse letting quests take me wherever. Something like Assassin's Creed, I don't like getting pushed out into the map. RDR and AC is a good comparison because RDR has more immediate quests and AC is usually do at your own pace quests. 

[killamch89]

Honestly, it depends - I tend to explore a lot but I'll follow the main quest and then towards the end, I'll start doing more sidequests.

[Head_Hunter]

When the going gets tougher, their is always alternative to channel to another means and keep making the progress. When I see that the battle is becoming to hard, I'll create more dude quests to keep up with the watch. 

[Yaramaki]

On 4/3/2022 at 10:52 PM, NightmareFarm said:

I rarely do any side quests in open world games. 

Any specific reason why? I get skipping the busy work but do you also skip the more important side quests then? 

[Darth]

It depends a bit on the game, to be honest. For example, with Rockstar games like GTA and Red Dead Redemption, I like to explore the whole world as quickly as possible so the moment they give me some freedom, I try to go through the whole map. But with Horizon Zero Dawn, I've just been following the story and sticking to the area it wants me to stay in.

[NightmareFarm]

6 hours ago, Yaramaki said:

Any specific reason why? I get skipping the busy work but do you also skip the more important side quests then? 

They dont feel necessariy and I find the main plotline more interesting. The side quests just feel like filler narratively that arent connected to the main plot, I don't find them entertaining at all. I only feel the urge to complete them if I need XP for certain equipment or to level up if i'm underlevelled. 

[Crazycrab]

I'm more methodical, I tend to wind up the side quests and stuff in a area before moving on.  It can be annoying sometimes when you get what I like to call the dreaded "Skyrim Spiral" where you pick up one quest but end up finding 3 or 4 more while doing it.  Then of course you start them and find even more even more!  Drives you bloody crazy!

Edited April 5, 2022 by Crazycrab

[killamch89]

7 hours ago, Darth said:

It depends a bit on the game, to be honest. For example, with Rockstar games like GTA and Red Dead Redemption, I like to explore the whole world as quickly as possible so the moment they give me some freedom, I try to go through the whole map. But with Horizon Zero Dawn, I've just been following the story and sticking to the area it wants me to stay in.

Same - I always explore GTA games to memorize the map so that I know where to go when I want to find something/someone in-game.