exploration in video games, what do you want?

[TheLastStarFighter]

bananaking21 said:

TheLastStarFighter said:
Absolute, far and away best exploration I've experienced is Xenoblade. Bizarre, beautiful open world. You are rewarded for exploration. What truly makes it extra good though, is that the whole world is connected, and what you see in the distance can be eventually reached and explored as well. There is no "background. And the strange nature of the world makes you want to see it from every angle just to try to grasp the enormity of it all.

what are you rewarded with?

also what you said seems a lot like skyrim but without the tons of side missions, is there any difference between the exploration with skyrim and Xenoblade?

Actually there are tonnes of side missions in Xeno, I think like 50-100 in the first zone alone. The game rewards you in a bunch of ways, some traditional, some unique. Exp and skill bonuses, are some, as well as finding unique items, quests or places where you can find needed items easier. But it also rewards the player with unique glimpses into the world around you. For example, the game world you are exploring is a giant titan. You are walking through forests and planes and ruins that are built on top of the giant creature's legs, arms, wings, etc. Throughout the game if you walk off the beaten path you may get a glimpse of the creature's leg descending down to the endless ocean, or a creepy view of the rival titan staring you down with evil red eyes from hundreds of miles away. It ads to the atmosphere and mythology of the world and is verymuch like real world exploration and the intrinsic rewards you get from exploring a new place. Also, since almost everything you can see is reachable, it's like the whole world is teasing you or challenging you to try to find a way to reach every point. When you do you may find an ancient ruin or new side story to play out. Also, you get a bonus when you discover everything on a map.