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Thomas Mahler expressed reservations on Crimson Desert's level designs and open world interactivity

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Alrighty

Are people just looking for any random developer or janitor's opinion make you think less or be less anticipated about this game? I'm not sure what the point of sharing this is
 
Some of the best games ever made are open world games. Just because every inch of them aren't elaborate, intricately designed "levels", doesn't make the game shallow.


Is The Witcher 3 shallow? Breath of the Wild? Tears of the Kingdom? Elden Ring? Red Dead Redemption 2?

Is GTA VI going to be "shallow"?
 
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I respect him for creating great games, but there's something off about his attitude. He comes across as arrogant and overly self assured. In my opinion, if you're a game developer who's also a CEO or in a high-level position, it's better to keep a lower profile and be more measured with what you say on social media.
 
Gonzito said:
I respect him for creating great games, but there's something off about his attitude. He comes across as arrogant and overly self assured. In my opinion, if you're a game developer who's also a CEO or in a high-level position, it's better to keep a lower profile and be more measured with what you say on social media.
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I would say appropriately confident and articulate. I wish there were more like him making games.
Negotiator101 said:
He's being realistic, it's not going to be the next must have title unfortunately and expectations need to be put to realistic levels.
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It could be amazing! Then again... they also made Black Desert Online which is total crap, so my expectations aren't good ones.
 
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It's a reasonable perspective but an odd time to share it. He says he's going to play the game so why not wait a few days and do that first? It's not like the game is months away from release, it's literally coming out in 2 days. That way you can either confirm or alleviate your worries about the open world and then tweet based on actual facts rather than assumptions.
 
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...if even the geniuses at Nintendo and From Software struggle to fill up this massive amount of space with interactivity, it's likely that they didn't solve this issue either.

I find this design philosophy is the opposite of my desire in open world games. Rather than building ten interactivity concepts and then replicating them hundreds of times for the sake of density, I'd rather see developers build five really in depth interactivity concepts and use them all of once as that will make them memorable (please excuse the arbitrary quantity examples). I use the example of the stage coach heist in Elden Ring which felt really special the first time it appeared and less the subsequent times. Being afraid to let your open world breath, so to speak, shows very little faith in your audience, but perhaps that is warranted. Density of content is exactly why I ignore Ubisoft games and I find it a little sad that so many other studios have followed their lead. You can also design your traversal and the systems within your sandbox to interplay with one another that will engage your players without having to litter your open world with something to do every ten steps.
 
Gekikara said:
It's a reasonable perspective but an odd time to share it. He says he's going to play the game so why not wait a few days and do that first? It's not like the game is months away from release, it's literally coming out in 2 days. That way you can either confirm or alleviate your worries about the open world and then tweet based on actual facts rather than assumptions.
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Or you know... just write what you're feeling since it's relevant to the video he just watched.
 
Gonzito said:
I respect him for creating great games, but there's something off about his attitude. He comes across as arrogant and overly self assured. In my opinion, if you're a game developer who's also a CEO or in a high-level position, it's better to keep a lower profile and be more measured with what you say on social media.
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Yep, some of his response here on gaf towards some members were a bit puzzling to say the least, the same exact response from that will power dude would earn a 20 pages topic to shat on him...

He does have a point but yeah...
 
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He is right about the new Zeldas being empty boring worlds.
But Witcher 3 and Elden Ring show you how amazing large worlds can be.
And GTA has been doing it successfully for over 20 years.

Sounds like this guy makes tiny games and he is intimidated by the big ones.
 
Maybe they can swap level design and optimization tips then, seeing No Rest for the Wicked is an unoptimized mess of a game so far and has been for well over year since going into EA.
 
I understand he's making a general point, but one should probably first go hands-on with said vast world before having something to say about it, particularly when you're presenting a counterpoint involving someone who actually has played it. This reads like "I am so very smart" drivel and the smelling of one's own farts that happens so often with social media.
 
MastAndo said:
I understand he's making a general point, but one should probably first go hands-on with said vast world before having something to say about it, particularly when you're presenting a counterpoint involving someone who actually has played it. This reads like "I am so very smart" drivel and the smelling of one's own farts that happens so often with social media.
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I swear, yesterday, someone told me you were well within your rights to give feedback on a game you haven't played yet.

Raven77 said:
More no name losers spreading fear uncertainty and doubt about a game they haven't played.

It's pathetic actually.
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A level design - who has shipped good games - talking about level design in open world games, and expressing his reservations about level design in this new open world game.

None of that matters until Will Powers chimes in though.

Speaking of which, look at this interaction. You didn't do shit, Will! lmao
 
I love the retarded argument that an open world needs to be filled to the brim with shit to do and it needs to be everywhere. No slow moments allowed. No "appreciating the visuals/scenery".

Open World games don't need to be COD.
 
delishcaek said:
I love the retarded argument that an open world needs to be filled to the brim with shit to do and it needs to be everywhere. No slow moments allowed. No "appreciating the visuals/scenery".

Open World games don't need to be COD.
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Yeah exactly, it's part of the exploration. It can be done poorly like any other mechanic but it's part of the experience that many people enjoy when it's done well. You don't need detailed "level design" to have interesting terrain, just some verticality hopefully.
 
Loomy said:
I swear, yesterday, someone told me you were well within your rights to give feedback on a game you haven't played yet.
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Not the same case. He's a professional who is invoking his "authority" in the field. The fact is that he has never worked on an open world and he has no idea about CD because he hasnt even played it.

I dont get the point of behaving like this, other than envy. arrogance and sheer bitterness. It's not a good look.
 
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