Ubisoft said that the open world in the game will have an “sense of exploration” with a more striking purpose.
Far Cry 3 lead designer Jamie Keen said that the new title will have improvements compared to Far Cry 2 concerning the open world setting which challenges the player to explore the game's world with a purpose. This is why the player's actions will have an effect on the environment.
“I think [Far Cry 2] pushed a lot of boundaries, but there were some bits where it wasn’t quite fully realized. The open world was cool, it was great, but it never quite comes to anything. It’s kind of left open and you just get a bit lost in it. We’re trying to make sure we don’t end up in that situation. It’s important that it has that sense of exploration, but it needs to be getting towards something. You never want to feel like you’re not getting anything back from the world or that you have to wait a while until you get to the next place.”, said Keen.
In Far Cry 2 the player could gather items in order to have more guns or other items. This system will be maintained in the new game, like Keen announced.
“That’s the sort of thing we do want. We want you to feel like wherever you’re going in the world, that’s it’s full of opportunity. It’s not inert. There’s stuff going on there. There’s stuff for you to find in the world. There are plants for you to pick up. There are animals you can hunt. There’s money to be find. There are activities and quests. You should never be wandering around this world saying to yourself: ‘Man, I wish I could get there more quickly.’ You’re always on your way somewhere. It’s kind of left open and you just get a bit lost in it. We’re trying to make sure we don’t end up in that situation. It’s important that it has that sense of exploration, but it needs to be getting towards something.” said the developer.
■ Jensen6
