Open-World or Plot-Driven?, Which do you prefer? Options

[TheDreamWriter]

This is the basis of a new long-term game project that I am developing (Explorer, exclusive to RPGRev).

It is an open-world explorer with no pre-set plot. The game will evolve around the player's game style.

If you complete a quest, it may unlock one quest but lock another from access. But, at the same time, you could sit at home farming.

Do people think it would be better for a game to be open-world or plot-driven?

~TDW

[rewells]

Both! Persona 3 and 4 mastered a happy balance, in my opinion. See my post An Analysis on Persona 4.

I need an objective to make me want to play a game, even if it's nothing more than "An Italian plumber must travel through magic drain-pipes to save the mushroom princess from evil turtle/dragons"....(see, the plot of Mario sounds really interesting even though it's a simple game). "You can plant turnips or go fishing or gamble!" on the other hand...not so exciting to me.

From what it sounds like, you are trying to make a game with a bunch of mini-games that can appeal to different players. That's fine, but I think you need some kind of backstory behind the world that the player is in. Give it a name and a history. Develop some interesting characters for the player to interact with. The plot doesn't have to "drive" the game, per se, but it can make your world worth exploring.