ABSTRACT
Games that we’ve explored in the preceding chapters feature gameplay set in environments that are mostly experienced linearly, which means that every player will encounter a prescripted sequence of events in more-or-less the same order. In contrast, the genre of open-world games like Minecraft, and the Grand Theft Auto series gives players near-innite freedom to explore sprawling 3D environments at their own will. Such games signicantly reduce the game designer’s ability to predict player activity because the sandbox nature of such environments means that player’s can set personal gameplay challenges and enact their own stories. This raises the question of whether designers of open-world games can incorporate the dramatic curve and transition techniques without depriving players of their freedom. The critical issue is tracking the player’s self-instigated call-to-action and turning points since players are free to set their own challenges. In the following case studies, we will explore various possibilities to apply our dynamic composition framework to open-world games, irrespective of this ambiguity and reduced design foresight.
