One example: The way Bethesda games track an enormous number of physics enabled objects across their open worlds. I feel like most games in the last 10 years have made a point of simplifying their physics systems to a point of near-nonexistence.
Bethesda knows that when I dump 500 wheels of cheese on the floor of my house in Whiterun, I want it all to still be exactly where I left it when I come back 20 hours later.
Fair point. I can’t really think of any games that have done that, either. Interesting that there haven’t been more physics sandbox style open worlds, come to think of it…
The physics part isn’t even really that important, I think. It helps pile things up, but it’s not tantamount to what makes a Bethesda game.
It’s from a culmination of decisions that lead to it. To letting you pick up all these miscellaneous items. To saving where these items are stored. To letting you go anywhere you want to. And on top of all that, having a fully functional game working along side all that. It’s a freedom you don’t get in most other games. Sometimes people ask why it’s even necessary, I like to think Bethesda responds with: Why not?
Nobody else makes them because indies don’t have the resources to make them like Bethesda and AAA devs don’t have the luxury to invest in such a niche experimental and expensive genre.
Valheim does a really great job with this. I think the closest I’ve seen in a game. The other part of this is that’s part of what makes their VR Ports so good.
One example: The way Bethesda games track an enormous number of physics enabled objects across their open worlds. I feel like most games in the last 10 years have made a point of simplifying their physics systems to a point of near-nonexistence.
Bethesda knows that when I dump 500 wheels of cheese on the floor of my house in Whiterun, I want it all to still be exactly where I left it when I come back 20 hours later.
Fair point. I can’t really think of any games that have done that, either. Interesting that there haven’t been more physics sandbox style open worlds, come to think of it…
The physics part isn’t even really that important, I think. It helps pile things up, but it’s not tantamount to what makes a Bethesda game.
It’s from a culmination of decisions that lead to it. To letting you pick up all these miscellaneous items. To saving where these items are stored. To letting you go anywhere you want to. And on top of all that, having a fully functional game working along side all that. It’s a freedom you don’t get in most other games. Sometimes people ask why it’s even necessary, I like to think Bethesda responds with: Why not?
Nobody else makes them because indies don’t have the resources to make them like Bethesda and AAA devs don’t have the luxury to invest in such a niche experimental and expensive genre.
Valheim does a really great job with this. I think the closest I’ve seen in a game. The other part of this is that’s part of what makes their VR Ports so good.
good point. I still have daggers that refuse to stay in their display boxes and move around the house mysteriously, though 🙃
I prefer to suspect the radiant engine before Lydia or Ysolda (well, Serana maybe lol).