[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:02.57,0:00:07.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Hi, this is Mark Brown with Game Maker's Toolkit,\Na series on video game design.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:08.95,0:00:14.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If you ask me, Rocksteady's Batman games are\Na good example of why bigger isn't always better.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:15.42,0:00:19.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The first game in the trilogy, Arkham Asylum,\Nwas a pleasant surprise. Not only was it a
Dialogue: 0,0:00:19.78,0:00:24.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,great game, and a great licensed game, but\Nit was a killer Batman game. The developer
Dialogue: 0,0:00:24.37,0:00:28.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,figured out what made this dude interesting\N- how he was more than just a rich guy who
Dialogue: 0,0:00:28.63,0:00:31.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,punches hooligans while his underpants are\Nshowing.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:31.42,0:00:36.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For starters, Arkham Asylum had truly loony\Nvillains who got inside the dark knight's
Dialogue: 0,0:00:36.53,0:00:41.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,head. And it also had free-flowing combat\Nthat mimics the martial arts of the animated
Dialogue: 0,0:00:41.43,0:00:47.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,films, and when Batman fought goons with guns\Nhe'd hide in the shadows and use fear to trip
Dialogue: 0,0:00:47.08,0:00:52.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,up his opponents. Like a reverse horror game,\Nas if you're playing as the Xenomorph in Alien: Isolation
Dialogue: 0,0:00:54.01,0:00:58.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Those two main mechanics simply didn't require\Nthe massive open city that had, at the time,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:58.47,0:01:00.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,become synonymous with super hero games.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:00.80,0:01:03.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Nowadays,\Nthey're all endless runners for iPhone).
Dialogue: 0,0:01:03.36,0:01:09.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, instead, we got the smaller, more intimate\Nenvironment of the Arkham Asylum mental hospital.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:09.10,0:01:14.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But then we got sequels. And things, inevitably,\Ngot bigger. Arkham City gave us a few urban
Dialogue: 0,0:01:14.84,0:01:19.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,blocks, and switched the structure from Metroidvania\Nto full open world. And in Arkham Knight,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:19.95,0:01:22.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we get a mini Grand Theft Auto.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:22.29,0:01:27.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But does Batman really benefit from the extra\Nsquare footage? I'm not convinced.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:27.79,0:01:32.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For one, the main gameplay systems in Asylum\Ndidn't actually gain anything from going open
Dialogue: 0,0:01:32.79,0:01:37.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,world. In actual fact, they kind of suffered.\NThe predator mode got lots of new gadgets
Dialogue: 0,0:01:37.31,0:01:41.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and wrinkles in the sequels, but it always\Nworked best in the purpose built rooms of
Dialogue: 0,0:01:41.48,0:01:46.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Asylum, that encouraged you to play smart\Nto isolate your foes, rather than the random
Dialogue: 0,0:01:46.29,0:01:48.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,rooftops of City and Knight.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:48.34,0:01:52.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the combat got plenty of new features,\Nbut it quickly becomes tiresome when you have
Dialogue: 0,0:01:52.03,0:01:56.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to fight dozens of random goons who are littered\Nabout the open world.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:56.23,0:02:00.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Sandbox games should ideally contain mechanics\Nthat need a sandbox. Like attacking bases
Dialogue: 0,0:02:00.91,0:02:06.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in any way you wish in Far Cry, or the elaborate\Ncop chases in Grand Theft Auto. Otherwise,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:06.30,0:02:11.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you've just built an incredibly elaborate\Nmenu system to jump between gameplay moments.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:11.57,0:02:16.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,To its credit, Rocksteady did add more mechanics\Nthat made better use of the larger play space.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:16.14,0:02:21.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But was anyone really asking for Batmobile\Ntank warfare, or Assassin's Creed-style tailing
Dialogue: 0,0:02:21.53,0:02:26.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,missions, or - that old favourite - liberating\Ntowers?
Dialogue: 0,0:02:28.22,0:02:33.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One of the biggest victims of an open world is story. A strong narrative can quickly lose
Dialogue: 0,0:02:33.68,0:02:38.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,its structure and focus when players are given\Nso many distractions. In Arkham Knight, the
Dialogue: 0,0:02:38.27,0:02:43.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,urgency of stopping Scarecrow is undermined\Nby the huge wheel of side missions which see
Dialogue: 0,0:02:43.11,0:02:47.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you stopping bank robberies and blowing up\Ngun caches and training Azriel and tracking
Dialogue: 0,0:02:47.68,0:02:48.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,down a man bat.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:49.34,0:02:54.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,JIM GORDON: Look, I know you're busy. But anything you can do to help is going to save lives.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:54.46,0:02:58.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In a way, it emulates the feeling of Batman\Nbeing overstretched and having to put out
Dialogue: 0,0:02:58.78,0:03:03.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,fires - sometimes literally - but the simulation\Nis revealed as being quite hollow when you
Dialogue: 0,0:03:03.42,0:03:06.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,realise that there's no need to prioritise\Nmissions or act quickly.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:06.95,0:03:11.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Take two events that happen early in Arkham\NKnight. Two of Batman's allies are kidnapped,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:11.66,0:03:15.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,almost simultaneously, but unlike in the Dark\NKnight where Batman has to make a choice of
Dialogue: 0,0:03:15.95,0:03:20.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who lives and who dies, there are no such\Nstakes here. The Riddler will patiently wait
Dialogue: 0,0:03:20.55,0:03:25.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for you to come back to his bonkers underground\Nrace ways, and all his posturing about killing
Dialogue: 0,0:03:25.02,0:03:29.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,his detainee are hot air. Take your time,\Ndetective. It's just a side quest.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:29.76,0:03:35.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Open worlds can harm the pacing of gameplay, too. Ultra linear games like Uncharted 2
Dialogue: 0,0:03:35.64,0:03:40.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,can smartly dole out moments of shooting and\Nclimbing and story and puzzle solving at just
Dialogue: 0,0:03:40.95,0:03:45.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,right time to stop you getting bored and to\Nramp up challenge and slowly teach you mechanics.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:45.69,0:03:49.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Sandbox games aren't so good at this, and\Nyou can find yourself doing repetitive tasks
Dialogue: 0,0:03:49.88,0:03:52.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or facing a weird, wobbly difficulty curve.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:53.36,0:03:57.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I can see the case for open world games, of course.\NPlayers get more freedom, they can tackle
Dialogue: 0,0:03:57.40,0:04:01.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,missions in any order they want, and they\Nget a lot more content for their cash. And
Dialogue: 0,0:04:01.62,0:04:06.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,games like Fallout and Skyrim make terrific\Nuse of massive great worlds to faff about in.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:07.00,0:04:12.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But these days, I'm finding the promises of\Nbigger and wider worlds a bit of a turn off.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:12.10,0:04:17.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,TRAILER V/O: Just Cause 3 is a huge open world game with over 400 square miles of complete freedom.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:18.53,0:04:22.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You either end up with Assassin's Creed which\Nhas so much stuff to do that your map looks
Dialogue: 0,0:04:22.34,0:04:26.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,like someone spilled a tub of glitter on it.\NOr Codemaster's Fuel which holds a Guinness
Dialogue: 0,0:04:26.76,0:04:31.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,World Record for largest game world, but hasn't\Ngot a single interesting thing in it.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:31.51,0:04:37.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So maybe Arkham Asylum proves that open world\Ndoesn't necessarily need to mean open "world".
Dialogue: 0,0:04:37.37,0:04:41.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that game environments should be measured\Nby how much meaningful content is inside,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:41.19,0:04:43.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,rather than in square metres.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:43.13,0:04:47.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Arkham Asylum was tiny, but it had better\Npacing than Arkham Knight and a more focused
Dialogue: 0,0:04:47.53,0:04:52.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,story than Arkham City. It was claustrophobic,\Nbut the game's mechanics suited that. Spider-Man
Dialogue: 0,0:04:52.82,0:04:57.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,needs a big open world to swing about in,\Nbut Batman is at his best when he's locked
Dialogue: 0,0:04:57.04,0:04:58.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in with his opponents.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:58.66,0:05:03.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So for every monstrously massive open world,\Nwe need a few sandbox games that are tiny
Dialogue: 0,0:05:03.66,0:05:08.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and intimate. More games like Resident Evil\Nwith its cramped Spencer mansion or Gone Home
Dialogue: 0,0:05:08.78,0:05:10.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with its Portland town house.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:10.60,0:05:15.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Game worlds that are packed with details but\Nfree from padding. Worlds where you learn
Dialogue: 0,0:05:15.37,0:05:20.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,all the nooks and crannies and shortcuts as\Nyou retread familiar ground, instead of whizzing
Dialogue: 0,0:05:20.22,0:05:25.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,past it all in a sports car. Game worlds that\Nare memorable, not just cold, dull environments
Dialogue: 0,0:05:25.26,0:05:27.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,filled with content and features.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:27.26,0:05:31.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because, as Arkham trilogy director Sefton\NHill said, back at the release of Arkham Aslyum,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:31.90,0:05:37.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"It's easy to see how people fall into the\Ntrap of having so many features. It's natural
Dialogue: 0,0:05:37.20,0:05:38.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to equate features with quality."
Dialogue: 0,0:05:38.94,0:05:42.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,DAN STAPLETON: This has got to be number one for me, followed by Asylum
Dialogue: 0,0:05:42.02,0:05:45.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,DAN STAPLETON: Purely because of the amount of content there is.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:45.18,0:05:50.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"You want to do less, but do it amazingly\Nwell, rather than do more and have a load
Dialogue: 0,0:05:50.08,0:05:55.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of average stuff. There are too many games\Nout there that deliver lots of average content."
Dialogue: 0,0:05:57.18,0:06:01.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thanks for watching. Agree or disagree with\Nmy take on the Arkham trilogy? Let me know
Dialogue: 0,0:06:01.75,0:06:06.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,your thoughts in the comments. Plus, please\Ngive the episode a like, share it online,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:06.41,0:06:10.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and consider pitching in via Patreon. Your\Nsupport means everything.