Fallout: New Vegas Developer Disapproves Of Some RPG 'Advances'

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Comparing the RPGs of today to the RPGs of the past can sometimes be like comparing apples and oranges. RPGs have undergone some changes in past years, and while of most of those of changes were geared toward making the genre more accessible to a larger group of gamers, there are some that aren’t crazy about them.

Specifically, Obsidian chief RPG designer Chris Avellone thinks that features like compasses and waypoints undermine the sense of adventure these RPGs are supposed to instill. He explained his stance in an interview with IndustryGamers:

I’ll say the “advances” have been more for player convenience, sometimes good, sometimes bad, in my opinion. Journals, quest compasses that point directly to the goal and show you the route, auto-maps, etc. are helpful; at the same time, I think it undermines the thrill of victory and discovery and a lot of what makes an RPG an RPG (exploration, notably).

Even though he takes issue with some of those newer features, there are also some he prefers, saying that the advent of branching story arcs and morally gray choices have greatly improved RPGs, and that voice acting, while tedious and expensive, brings a lot to the feel of RPGs.

Still, anyone who has been a fan of RPGs for years knows that there’s a fine line between exploring and being hopelessly lost in these kinds of games, and when it comes down to it, I’d rather have a journal or a waypoint I can look at that reminds me of my objective. Games like Skyrim and Obsidian’s own Fallout: New Vegas allow for such accessibility while keeping the handholding to a minimum – there are waypoints that show you exactly where you need to go to complete your objective, but there’s nothing stopping you from leaving the beaten path and getting lost in the wildness at the same time.

That’s the middle ground that seems to work best, but then again, not everyone will have the same opinion when it comes to how they prefer their RPGs. What’s your preference? Do you prefer to have helpful tools like journals and compasses, or would you rather be left to find your own way? Head down to the comments section and share your thoughts!