Episode 96 – The Scale of Game Worlds

It’s part two of our series on open-world games! This week, we discuss the scale of game worlds and the impact it can have on player experience. When can compression break immersion? Is there such a thing as “too big?” And is the dream of a 1:1 scale map at all feasible? Jim, Doc, and Chris discuss these issues and more, with particular focus paid to both The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Horizon Zero Dawn, along with open-world classics like Grand Theft Auto, Elder Scrolls, Red Dead Redemption, and Bully — yes, Bully is a classic, deal with it! Plus, we respond to a listener question about mobile games, Doc shares a secret from Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, Jim tells another disturbing tale from a Dungeons and Dragons campaign, and we debut a new segment: Reading List.

Want to hear more? We cut some content from this episode for time, but you can still check it out in this week’s Bonus Compatible.

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You may also enjoy “Role With It,” the show where the Backward Compatible crew and their guests tell improvised stories through roleplaying games. Check it out on SoundCloud (@role-with-it) or subscribe on iTunes.