Poll: Open worlds: Bethesda or Rockstar?

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TheLoneBeet

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Feb 15, 2011
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Bethesda. I like Rockstar's games and all but if you're bored the best you can do for fun is drive/ride around killing people. Meanwhile in any Bethesda game you can check out one of the hundreds of locations and do some exploring/looting. That just makes it for me. My best friend and I make a little competition out of it. We explore the map then when we hangout we compare to see who's found more of the locations and who got better items/loot out of it. He usually wins because I work full-time. Anyways. Bethesda.
 

natster43

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Jul 10, 2009
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Bethesda. I have enjoyed fallout 3 and New Vegas a lot more than GTA IV and Red Dead Redemption, their worlds just felt a bit bland for me. Red Dead Redemption was a lot better than GTA IV but I still enjoy the worlds of Fallout 3 and New Vegas more.
 

mentalkitty789

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Dec 30, 2010
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Grouchy Imp said:
I'm gonna go with Bethesda for two reasons. Number one is Daggerfall. That game was far bigger than any game released today has even a hope of touching, so Bethesda win on the 'scope' front. Number two is more gameplay related - Bethesda let you get straight on and play the game, whereas Rockstar doles out it's freedom in dribs and drabs meaning that you don't finish the tutorial until you're roughly halfway through the game, and quite often don't unlock the full map until around then either. So Bethesda take the 'freedom' element. And surely, scope and freedom is what defines the sandbox genre?
I agree with all of that, but I would also like to add it also depends what you can do inside that sandbox. A great big world you can go to where ever you want from the start of the game is great. If all you can do is run over people though, there isn't much point to it. Which I would again give to Bethesda, like running into the Shrines in oblivion, or stumbling upon some awesome extra, like in the first dungeon you see across the river, after getting out of the sewers. There is a hidden panel which leads to a necromancer's hideout. Also all the side plot lines, like the guilds, and other errands and missions.
 

AgDr_ODST

Cortana's guardian
Oct 22, 2009
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I would like to submit that solely for thier work on the excellent Saints Row Franchise, Volition deserves a place on your poll. But of the two if I must pick one, I think I'd go with Bethesda
 
Aug 17, 2009
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In a perfect world, Bethesda would design a game around a Rockstar open world story.

But if I had to choose, Bethesda has two FANTASTIC open world series, while Rockstar has one near perfect series split up into three different worlds. If we saw a Red Dead sequel that incorporated L.A. Noire's technology and GTA's...GTA-ness, it may very well be the greatest open world game ever.

But, Oblivion is, in my opinion, the best, so my vote goes to Bethesda.

I think a more interesting pairing would have been Bioware and Rockstar, and a series comparison between The Elder Scrolls and the "Shock" meta-series.
 

Vrach

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Jun 17, 2010
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They're completely different kinds of open worlds so tbh, I wouldn't compare them.

If I have to pick one though, Bethesda.
 

Krantos

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Jun 30, 2009
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Very. very different.

Rockstar tends to do a better job making them feel real and alive, at least at first glance. Bethesda, however, does a much better job of giving you stuff to do and ways to impact the world.

MY biggest problem, or one of my biggest, with RDR was that you could kill anyone you wanted, but then they'd be right back to life the very next time you entered town. In one game I dueled and killed the same guy at least 10 times. In Oblivion and Morrowind, if you killed someone, they stayed dead (unless they were marked as "essential;" then they just get knocked out."
 

Hristo Tzonkov

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Apr 5, 2010
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I'd have to say Bethesda as a personal preference.They kinda capture the feeling of freedom and roaming but they don't handle the fun factor as well as Rockstar but then again Volition beats them hands down at that.Both Guerrilla and Saints Row are epic worlds where you have a ton of fun.

On the subject matter: wouldn't it be awesome if Volition made Fallout 3 with Oblivion handling their writing...Just a dream.
 

LackofCertainty

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Apr 14, 2009
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Xaio30 said:
Bethesda rules the RPG Sandbox.
Rockstar rules the mayhem Sandbox.

You cannot really compare the two.
I agree with the first part, but I don't feel like Rockstar rules the mayhem sandbox anymore. Rockstar's been steadily stepping farther and farther away from the GTA3 mayhem that they get credit for.

As Jeff Cannata said on the weekend confirmed podcast. "It's like Rockstar dumped [the mayhem mechanic] in the trash, and then Volition came around and said, 'Hey, this is a perfectly good mechanic!'"

As far as open world mayhem goes, nothing compares to Red Faction: Guerilla for me. (but I'm sexually aroused by knocking buildings over, so that explains that)


For this poll, Bethesda wins.
 

Ranorak

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Feb 17, 2010
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Bethesda, hands down.

What else is there to do in GTA besides races and the main story line? A few collectables?
The open world from Rockstar serves for 2 things. A big buffer between missions like the ocean in The Wind Waker, and a place to just kill people for a few minutes.

As for Bethesda, the game IS the world. Every town has something to do. Places to go people to slaughter.
It serves a purpose.
 

baddude1337

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Jun 9, 2010
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Radoh said:
That's a really good question actually, took a second to ponder that.
What it boils down to with me is Bethesda's worlds seem to have more in it, where Rockstar for the most point have less in them. Bigger, but not as filled out.
Basically this. Rockstar's may be pretty to look at but ultimately you can do a lot more in Bethesda games.
 

aarontg

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Aug 10, 2009
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I choose bethesda since the games uses thier world so well. There's plenty to discover if you venture off the beaten track as in a rockstar game you just sort of stumble over things and all the other side objectives (such as the challenges) are available from the start.
 

TheDrunkNinja

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Jun 12, 2009
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A lot of people have been adding the Assassin's Creed series into the mix so I'll address all three games here.

In open world games, I feel what distinguishes one game over another isn't the mechanics or even the overall concept. Yes, it is damn impressive to create a near perfect representation of 15th century Italy, and the fact that I can say I've explored it is a pleasure of mine. But, let's be honesty, why am I running around that open world of Rome or driving around in a funny parody of New York city? The great flow of the free running mechanic in Assassin's Creed and the ability to drive over pedestrians while listening to those funny radio shows. While those are great things, let's face it: those have nothing to do with the finely crafted and detailed locations and environments within the games.

I have to be honest that when I think back to playing Assassin's Creed 2, the only thing I can remember about the open world I just explored is a blur of Florentine buildings and streets with carts of hay at every street corner. I know there are unique locations, but in the end what makes the open world aspect of the game memorable is the mechanic of running, jumping, and climbing, not the world itself. Why is that? Well, probably because I'm not actually exploring the world. I'm getting from point A to point B as quickly as possible. Same with GTA. Same with most open world games these days (I can't talk about Red Dead Repemption since I haven't played it). In games like the Elder Scrolls and Fallout, the entire open world mechanic is the open world, i.e. exploration. You want to find new locations, talk to people you find on the road, look for new and interesting places. Finding these new places and people will introduce new experiences, quests, and stories. They aren't all laid out on your map; you have to look for them. Any location you find, you add to your map and now have the ability to fast travel back to it. Nothing is just given to you, you need the desire to work for them before you can have it. Bethesda does this like a pro, not only having memorable locations and characters, but giving you the wander lust to explore and seek them out.
 

Bran1470

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Feb 24, 2010
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rockstar because at least when i play one of their games it doesn't crash every 5 minutes -.-
 

fragmaster09

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Nov 15, 2010
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Bethesda... GTA and RDR are good, and so are the Fallout's(never tried Elder scrolls), but i just find fallout to be better
 

Sansha

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Nov 16, 2008
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Rockstar, here's why:

In Bethesda worlds, committing a crime or generally doing wrong has one consequence: death.

Rockstar worlds tend to grade you on your actions and respond accordingly.
 

C-man101

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Apr 19, 2008
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whilst i've always loved rockstar's games i think they messed up with their last few games. Also i've always been a HUGE fan of Bethesda's games, so i think i'll have to go with Bethesda.