How does Naughty Dog let you explore the worlds of Uncharted and The Last of Us without the clunky navigational aids found in other linear games? The answer: Through smart use of composition, eye-catching design, and in-world waypoints. Let's dig in.

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Sources:

GDC Vault: "Uncharted 2 Art Direction"
http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1012359/Uncharted-2-Art

Max Level: "From Uncharted to The Last of Us: An Hour with Emilia Schatz"
http://maxlevel.org/uncharted-last-us-hour-emilia-schatz-pt/

The Main Street Mouse: "What's a Weenie?"
http://www.themainstreetmouse.com/2013/05/13/whats-a-weenie/

Recommended reading / viewing:

The Psychology of Video Games: "Why Do Color Coded Clues in Level Design Work?"
http://www.psychologyofgames.com/2013/09/why-do-color-coded-clues-in-level-design-work/

Shape of Play: "Composition Techniques and Player Direction"
https://shapeofplay.wordpress.com/2013/06/25/composition-level-design/

Map Core: "Level Design in The Last of Us"
https://www.mapcore.org/articles/development/level-design-in-the-last-of-us-part-one-r46/

World of Level Design: "L4D2 Level Design Tips"
http://www.worldofleveldesign.com/categories/left4dead_mapping/l4d2-level-design-tips-part1.php

Games shown in this episode (in order of appearance):

Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (Naughty Dog, 2011)
Enslaved: Odyssey to the West (Ninja Theory, 2010)
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Infinity Ward, 2007)
BioShock (Irrational Games, 2007)
Tomb Raider (Crystal Dynamics, 2013)
Everybody's Gone to the Rapture (The Chinese Room, 2015)
The Last of Us (Naughty Dog, 2013)
Mirror's Edge (EA DICE, 2008)
Left 4 Dead 2 (Valve Corporation, 2009)
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (Naughty Dog, 2009)
BioShock 2 (2K Marin, 2010)
Gears of War (Epic Games, 2006)
Journey (thatgamecompany, 2012)
Dark Souls (From Software, 2011)
Half-Life 2 (Valve Corporation, 2004)
Crash Bandicoot (Naughty Dog, 1996)
Half-Life 2: Episode Two (Valve Corporation, 2007)
BioShock Infinite (Irrational Games, 2013)

Music used in this episode:

Small Beginnings (Uncharted 3)
Inverted Island (Monument Valley)
Amateur Cartography (Monument Valley)
The Spire (Monument Valley)

Uncharted 3 OST © Naughty Dog
Monument Valley OST © ustwo games

Other credits:

"Bioshock 60FPS 1080P Gameplay Max Settings GTX 770" - Jprime777
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCtV-tyqAco

"A Model Day at Magic Kingdom" - The Disney World Videos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCwc5499_7c

"The Disneyland Story - Part 1" - freedogshampoo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIrq3RFUQPU

"Walt Disney Presents: Disneyland 1961" - The Disney Nerds Podcast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgug68QQxls

http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/Collection/art-object-page.46569.html
The Boating Party, Mary Cassatt

https://flic.kr/p/bYopFW
End of the Tunnel, Ivan Saracino