There is “exploration”, and then there is “obsessively grinding sidequests”. If you tie endings to the latter, that is … questionable design, especially when it’s not clear if you’re merely pursuing a sidequest or doing something that will lead to a completely different ending.
Yeah, I accidentally found a secret ending in one game because I kept grinding the arena fights for XP and turns out the secret final boss is the last fight
It is good design only if it’s good. The prevalence of Indy games in modern gaming culture has taught me that games should stick to what they do well. If exploration is a meaningful and engaging element it can be excellent. Most of the time in RPGs it’s a drag. And even if you don’t like it, the influence on the parts of the game that are good means you can’t skip it. In an RPG, collectables is something I never interact with because it’s boring. I am however getting every usable item there is even though I don’t enjoy doing so.
Encouraging exploration through rewards is not inherently bad design just because you don’t like it.
There is “exploration”, and then there is “obsessively grinding sidequests”. If you tie endings to the latter, that is … questionable design, especially when it’s not clear if you’re merely pursuing a sidequest or doing something that will lead to a completely different ending.
Yeah, I accidentally found a secret ending in one game because I kept grinding the arena fights for XP and turns out the secret final boss is the last fight
Chrono Trigger? There’s like 12 endings and I think one can be initiated like that.
No, but it was some JRPG, I think it might be a common trope
It probably is. I haven’t played a lot of JRPGs because they’re so long.
We’ve taken the largest map in video game history and hidden 1000 needles around it
My kinda game.
It is good design only if it’s good. The prevalence of Indy games in modern gaming culture has taught me that games should stick to what they do well. If exploration is a meaningful and engaging element it can be excellent. Most of the time in RPGs it’s a drag. And even if you don’t like it, the influence on the parts of the game that are good means you can’t skip it. In an RPG, collectables is something I never interact with because it’s boring. I am however getting every usable item there is even though I don’t enjoy doing so.