Support NeoGAF

[adamsapple]

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 won't have a mini map to preserve its sense of discovery, says producer

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 won't include a minimap for its exploration, though a compass will be added to the explorab…

www.eurogamer.net

"There won't be mini maps in the levels," said Meurisse. "When there's a mini map, you can end up relying on it. And we want players to discover the world as the expedition does it. They don't have a map because every previous expedition failed. So yes, sometimes it can be difficult to find their way."

He continued: "What we added on the world map that wasn't in the preview demo is just a compass, so you can find north easily and get your direction more easily." There will also be an overview map of the entire game world.

Meurisse explained the game is balanced between fairly linear, or semi-open levels with side path opportunities, which are accessed through the JRPG-style explorable world map. This is intended to tell a focused story. "The design approach has some links with FromSoftware games," he said, "where it's very linear levels but really intense ones. We don't have the mastery of ideas that they have, but it was part of the inspiration."

"The will for searching for something more unique made it natural to link with the art references we knew the best, for being French," he added," but it wasn't a specific studio guideline to say 'we are French, we want to do something French'". Still, he's "happy and proud" of the French inspiration.

"New technology allows smaller teams to do big AA 3D hits, whereas five or 10 years ago, it wasn't really achievable," said Meurisse. He cites Hellblade, A Plague Tale and Mortal Shell as examples of smaller teams creating AAA-looking realistic games, but outside of these most indie studios previously had to use stylised or 2D graphics. "Now, thanks to new studios and new tools and great people, it makes a game like this very possible," he said.

 

[ElFenomeno]

Perfect. Let's get back to smaller games, more dense, depth.
Nothing worse than opening the map, seeing 1000 question marks and then tick them off like homework.

 

[Zacfoldor]

I'll allow it but don't pull a launch wukong. If you don't have a map, the areas need to be easy not to get lost in and you need to account for all of our obsessive collecting as well.

That said, I think I'm spoilt. There were no From maps before ER that I know of and that's how I preferred it then. What have I become. Oh neogaf, you are breaking me down, what am I becoming? I'm debased over AC Shadows and now I'm on here begging for maps. What have I become.

 

[mayham2199]

I'll allow it but don't pull a launch wukong. If you don't have a map, the areas need to be easy not to get lost in and you need to account for all of our obsessive collecting as well.

That said, I think I'm spoilt. There were no From maps before ER that I know of and that's how I preferred it then. What have I become. Oh neogaf, you are breaking me down, what am I becoming? I'm debased over AC Shadows and now I'm on here begging for maps. What have I become.

I love souls games but I can't stand not having a map it drives me crazy. Knowing that walking down this hallway might lead to the boss or further in the dungeon and the other way I missed an important item.

I always just pull up maps on my phone/PC now so I can follow along. I don't care if it's not kosher to do it. I have much more fun with these games when I have a map in front of me. I wish the levels would at least map themselves out as you make your way through it.

 

[TintoConCasera]

That's pretty based. Hope the game does well and more devs start designing their games for non-dummies.

 

[HRK69]

I love souls games but I can't stand not having a map it drives me crazy. Knowing that walking down this hallway might lead to the boss or further in the dungeon and the other way I missed an important item.

No but seriously, I think having no map is half the fun

 

[RafterXL]

I love souls games but I can't stand not having a map it drives me crazy. Knowing that walking down this hallway might lead to the boss or further in the dungeon and the other way I missed an important item.

I always just pull up maps on my phone/PC now so I can follow along. I don't care if it's not kosher to do it. I have much more fun with these games when I have a map in front of me. I wish the levels would at least map themselves out as you make your way through it.

I love that Souls games don't have maps. Elden Ring was fine with it because it's so damn big, but if a game has a map I spend way too much time checking it and making sure I've explored every inch and done every thing. No map just let's me chill out and explore.

 

[GHG]

I love souls games but I can't stand not having a map it drives me crazy. Knowing that walking down this hallway might lead to the boss or further in the dungeon and the other way I missed an important item.

The map is created in your head as you play.

 

[mitch1971]

You should have left the link to the article out, so we had to go and find it ourselves.

 

[mayham2199]

I love that Souls games don't have maps. Elden Ring was fine with it because it's so damn big, but if a game has a map I spend way too much time checking it and making sure I've explored every inch and done every thing. No map just let's me chill out and explore.

That's why I love collecting everything and getting all the items. In a souls game those items you collect can really make a difference.

The map is created in your head as you play.

Yea I need the real thing. I got to much going on in my life to memorize a virtual environment. Especially if I'm hoping in an out which I'm doing with Lies of P right now. Thankfully Lies of P is kind of small really and the other routes dead end very quickly. Unlike Fromsoft who will create a whole new route to a bonus dungeon that you aren't even supposed to get to yet.

 

[AJUMP23]

I like the maps but it isn’t a dealbreaker. I memorized or drew my own for Zelda on the nes.

 

[RoboFu]

Making maps use to be part of the fun.

 

[bender]

This game is going to make me renew my Gamepass subscription.

 

[TintoConCasera]

I love how in King's Field IV you get a bunch of maps, but they are so shit you barely use them any way.

Would be cool if more games did this. Instead of perfect, almos GPS maps, gives us a paper with a few scribbles and let us figure out what it means.

 

[GulfCoastZilla]

expedition, it’s in the title…..how tf you don’t have a mini map or even a fog of war mechanic? Shits dumb

 

[KimDongHwan]

No but seriously, I think having no map is half the fun

hahah that "Tarnished: Hmm... maybe I should investigate that cave" is so the legacy of Naughty Dog, what started as a really nice way to avoid adding yellow lines, ended up being one of the most annoying feature of modern gaming, characters that treat you as 5 year olds that cannot add 2 + 2 so they have to tell you all the time.

 

[Madflavor]

This game will live or die based on how good the story is. Combat looks good, but it seems fairly linear which is fine, so long as the story is good.

 

[Spukc]

Fucking bullshit people used to make their own maps or use guides back in the golden 16 bit days

 

[Humdinger]

Sounds good. I'm in favor of anything that increases the sense of mystery and discovery. From what I've heard, the levels are fairly linear, so we should be okay without a map.

 

[Closer]

expedition, it’s in the title…..how tf you don’t have a mini map or even a fog of war mechanic? Shits dumb

You can have expeditions with the objective to build a map too.

 

[Fbh]

Sounds good, as long as the level designs is solid and te exploration is rewarding

expedition, it’s in the title…..how tf you don’t have a mini map or even a fog of war mechanic? Shits dumb

From my understanding of the story, they are going into uncharted territory from which no one has ever come back.
Why would they have a map?

Also the levels look fairly linear. I doubt it's going to be some metroidvania style exploration where you actually need a map to find the one hallway 3 maps ago that you haven't explored yet

 

[R3TRO]

Boo…Sounds annoying

 

[djjinx2]

Fucking bullshit people used to make their own maps or use guides back in the golden 16 bit days

Fuck I used to ring premium numbers on dad's landline for tips and cheats lol

 

[Generic]

The lack of mini-map in a map with a world map is stupid. It only leads to padding (ie: the player will have to constantly open the world map instead of simply looking at the corner of the screen)

 

[anyasok]

I will also not buy it because this is a dumb ass decision. Wukong was fucking dreadful

 

[StereoVsn]

Yeah, I would rather have it as an option. Sure, make it off by default, but let us directionally challenged still have the feature available.

 

[BlackTron]

The lack of mini-map in a map with a world map is stupid. It only leads to padding (ie: the player will have to constantly open the world map instead of simply looking at the corner of the screen)

Pretty much this. You just toggled the minimap in Zelda 64 with an unused button. Now choosing to turn it off for you is some big artistic decision.

 

[YeulEmeralda]

Humans have been making maps for thousands of years. Its especially stupid in science fiction games when we are supposed to forget drones and satellites exist.

 

[NanaMiku]

I don't mind it as long as the map is easy to navigate.

 

[DownLikeBCPowder]

I think this game is going to be pretty damn good. Kind of excited. I like having less QOL features.

 

[TropicanaTwista]

I'll reserve judgement for the final product but this seems rather pointless, especially if it's already gonna have a world map. You're just requiring the user to have to go to a different screen to make sure they are going in the right direction or whatever.

People have already mentioned but that was my biggest gripe with wukong. I dropped it at the end of world 2 because of the lack of a map. Just want back and finished it last week since they patched it in and it went from good gameplay to met overall experience to one of my favorite games of the year. I don't need devs holding my hand, but stop making games a deterrent and a chore for your users.

 

[Ridicululzz]

Don’t mind that decision, personally!

 

[kpopSuperstar]

Im not sold on this game at all, everything i see of it gives me Forspoken vibes. The way the characters switch on the fly and the stiff running animation looks almost unfinished. Hope i am wrong.

 

[Brigandier]

Perfect. Let's get back to smaller games, more dense, depth.
Nothing worse than opening the map, seeing 1000 question marks and then tick them off like homework.

 

[Arsic]

Im not sold on this game at all, everything i see of it gives me Forspoken vibes. The way the characters switch on the fly and the stiff running animation looks almost unfinished. Hope i am wrong.

rofif good news! New game for you to play in April according to kpop.

 

[Black_Stride]

Im not sold on this game at all, everything i see of it gives me Forspoken vibes. The way the characters switch on the fly and the stiff running animation looks almost unfinished. Hope i am wrong.

Its a turn based RPG, how did you expect them to go from one character to the next to do attacks.
You want them pass a baton to each other after they do thri attacks or something?

 

[FewRope]

No but seriously, I think having no map is half the fun

This is literally just Nightreign

 

[Radical_3d]

I love souls games but I can't stand not having a map it drives me crazy. Knowing that walking down this hallway might lead to the boss or further in the dungeon and the other way I missed an important item.

I guess having fun exploring is not in the cards, is it?

 

[Myths]

Whether there’s a visible map or not means nothing to me. What contributes more to sense of discovery is looking at verticality and division… wondering how to unlock or access alternate paths. “I cleared the most the level (as far as main scenario or events) but not that part which I can see…? How do I get there?”

FF12 did this well imo.

 

[Sentenza]

That's a neat decision.
Minimaps are a scourge of modern game design.

 

[struggler_guts]

Sounds perfect, there's still a map just no minimap on the screen at all times

 

[TheChumpNation]

Whenever there's a minimap on screen I inevitably watch the map as much or more than I watch what's happening on screen. Not mad at this choice.

(unless I get frustrated in which case the devs are of course incompetent idiots)