10 Things Every Video Game Needs To Learn From The Witcher 3
9. How To Design Environments
Environmental design is always enormously important, especially in the RPG and open-world genres. A balance has to be struck between making the world feel real and natural, but still logically designed so that a player can explore without getting completely lost. The world of Witcher 3 achieves this balance with near perfect results. Everything, from cities to forests to mountains feels alive, while at the same time are easily manoeuvrable. Its not long before youre able to traverse landscapes and large cities purely on memory, and thats because the design across the board is top notch. This is elevated by the amount of detail put in every aspect of the world. Cities and towns bustle with activity as people go about their business, and wildlife populates the diverse habitats you explore. Everything feels so rich and lived in; its easy to get immersed in it all. To be sure, there have been plenty of milestones in open world environmental design throughout the history of the video game industry. And while The Witcher 3 doesnt necessarily break new ground, the way in which is hones the craft is to be commended, and it would be wise for future games to follow its lead and build upon its successes.
