NieR: Automata Director Opens Up About How to Make Players 'Feel Free'

The Game Developer Conference (GDC) in San Francisco is still going on strong, and many prominent members in the industry have a lot to share with the gaming community. Nier: Automata director Yoko Taro was one of them.

During a recent panel, Taro took on the dreaded topic of "open world fatigue" while also discussing player freedom. Making a player feel free in-game is important, regardless of whether or not the title is open-world. Making a closed off space feel expansive however can be tricky, and that's where Taro comes into play.

In true Taro fashioned, he started off the discussion by jokingly referencing how his hit of a game was "basically stolen" from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Beyond the humor, the topic of "open world fatigue" is something that has been coming up more and more for gamers, particularly in the west.

It seems that the pattern has become increasingly present regarding a title either being a shooter or an open-world experience. That's not the definitive case, mind you, but has been increasingly popular. The pros for open-world games can also be seen as cons ... for the player not fully comfortable with this setting, an open-world title can feel oppressively overwhelming. There are 10 quests to replace very 1 completed. Some gamers, like myself, thrive on this game mechanic but it is easy to see how it may not be everyone's cup of tea. The idea of an open-world project doesn't appeal to all developers either, and that's where the creative teams get a little more creative.

Another important distinction he also made was that "high levels of freedom" does not equate to "feels free." To focus on the player feeling free, Taro says creating an appropriate "frame" is important. According to Taro, the player's perception that the world is expanding is the true root of freedom in-game. Not about how much land can be covered, but looking at a bike and then being able to ride said bike. Seeing a person and being able to speak with them. "Freedom is in a future that you did not have in the past," said Taro and that philosophy is definitely applicable to the game world.

It's about surprise. He creates these self-imposed limitations in games ... makes the player feel like they can't do something, only to "surprise" them later that those limits weren't as limiting as originally thought. It's a framework within a framework within an established framework.

This philosophy was very present in Nier: Automata and we definitely saw that with the replayability factor as well. Basically ... well played, Taro, well played. Again, though - he jokingly-but-seriously says not to credit him with that thought process, because he "stole" that too from The Legend of Zelda.