Will Open World Harm Shenmue 3?

I agree 100% that I don't want things like random battles or waypoint markers and the like, but on the topic of the open world and exploration; I would like to see more 'purpose' to some of the interiors and buildings. Even if it's just more things you can purchase to give some incentive to go and explore the little shops dotted around Shenmue's world.

I understand they can't all be big and important, but it feels like such a 'waste' that most people will never walk into that random tea shop that has a fully created and furnished interior and unique character to talk to. Or when you do, Ryo just asks for directions to his next objective.
 
MadeMan said:
I agree 100% that I don't want things like random battles or waypoint markers and the like, but on the topic of the open world and exploration; I would like to see more 'purpose' to some of the interiors and buildings. Even if it's just more things you can purchase to give some incentive to go and explore the little shops dotted around Shenmue's world.

I understand they can't all be big and important, but it feels like such a 'waste' that most people will never walk into that random tea shop that has a fully created and furnished interior and unique character to talk to. Or when you do, Ryo just asks for directions to his next objective.
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I concur and while I don't necessarily want random battles I would like more battles or optional opportunities to fight such as sparring or tournaments. Although, there are a ton of new activities being added so it should be better than ever. Shenmue II had quite a few little secrets to find in those buildings but, I did want more, especially in Kowloon whose lack of secrets was quite disappointing.
 
Jigen said:
I concur and while I don't necessarily want random battles I would like more battles or optional opportunities to fight such as sparring or tournaments. Although, there are a ton of new activities being added so it should be better than ever. Shenmue II had quite a few little secrets to find in those buildings but, I did want more, especially in Kowloon whose lack of secrets was quite disappointing.
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Oh yeah, I loved the street fights in Kowloon for the same reason! More opporunities to fight like prize fights or tournaments would be really fun, without them being 'random', but set fights and challenges.
 
I was playing FFXV just the other day and made me re-realize what’s important is certainly quality over quantity. You have a big open world that is filled with a big forest, but nothing in it makes sense. With the last Dragon Quest game, at least there are walls to protect the towns from all the monsters that lurk about. The open world has to make sense, and it should be something you can interact with, not just be eye candy. In the end, it just needs to stick to its original vision of FREE and I’m positive we’ll get the best Shenmue we could ever ask for.
 
I think it's more to the notion that Shenmue III will be entering a generation where Big Open Worlds are a thing. Me personally I'd be happy with 3X locations the size of Shenmue 1. But as mentioned scale isn't everything and the last thing I want is a massive world with nothing in it - It's something which I have become increasingly fed up with within games.

I think the Yakuza series has done a great job personally. It doesn't offer a World/City with a massive scale but what it does offer is a wonderful City Scape packed with interactive content - From shops, Parks, Mini-games, NPC Encounters & Side Stories there is always something to do while playing through Yakuza and I've never been left bored - Trying to finish all the content within the game is another matter entirely though. But interestingly Yakuza doesn't really have transportation like many open world games(Unless 4-6 Do which I've yet to play), which lessens the pace you can go through the areas. I hope Shenmue III is like this, I don't want to suddenly have access to a mopped and rush through streets.

I think what is important to Shenmue is the daily Schedule. In Shenmue 1 I'd wake up, walk past the Kitty to feed them, then get further involved in question the towns folk. Then by 9pm it's time to head home, feeding the Kitty once more and time for bed. Many open world games your character just spends all hours of the day doing tasks to where the time of day never makes a difference - Apart from certain missions starting at a select time. Shenmue's time structure is what made it far more immersive to me and I think having a job at Bailu Village and tasks to do during a certain time makes the world feel more real - I'm really hoping aspects of this happen in Shenmue, as later parts of Shenmue II even seemed to ditch it a bit.
 
I agree with the schedule. Many open world games don’t really have an organized presentation of time flow and I felt ONLY Shenmue has ever gotten this. Most other games, it just feels random
 
RyoHazuki84 said:
I was playing FFXV just the other day and made me re-realize what’s important is certainly quality over quantity. You have a big open world that is filled with a big forest, but nothing in it makes sense. With the last Dragon Quest game, at least there are walls to protect the towns from all the monsters that lurk about. The open world has to make sense, and it should be something you can interact with, not just be eye candy. In the end, it just needs to stick to its original vision of FREE and I’m positive we’ll get the best Shenmue we could ever ask for.
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100% this.

I'll probably get bashed for this but when I played breath of the wild, I felt the same thing. A big open world with npc's that are devoid of character, side quests that make me fetch and carry and a story that was lacking.

Compare that to Majora's mask. A small, intimate world where almost every npc had a rich personality and side quests didn't feel like a chore. The little pieces of dialogue that you'd get from everyone for wearing different masks felt like a reward. I fell in Shenmue for the same reasons. I always said that I'd be happy with a smaller world because there's a better chance that we'll get the attention to detail that made us love the original game.
 
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