No Sidepaths, No Exploration, No Freedom: Difference between revisions

[[File:linear.jpg|link=Star Wars: Dark Forces Saga|frame|<small>HmmmDecisions, which way do I go?</small> decisions...]]

Just as a gamemaster in a [[Tabletop Games|tabletop game]] may create [[Broken Bridge|artificial rules, boundaries and obstacles]] to keep his players on the game track that he has designated (a procedure known as [[Railroading]]), so too a video game may employ such tactics in order to force the player down a [[The One True Sequence|specific path or method]] toward the goal. And one of the easiest ways to keep a player from wandering off is, quite simply, to give the player nowhere to wander to.

Technically, [['''No Sidepaths, No Exploration, No Freedom]]''' is the polar opposite of the [[Quicksand Box]]; it describes level architecture which forces the player down a singular path. This trope is most common in [[First-Person Shooter|First-]] or [[Third-Person Shooter|Third Person Shooters]] (except, usually, tactical shooters) and platform games, wherein the challenge is generally supposed to be the enemies and/or [[Malevolent Architecture|obstacles]], not in figuring out which way to go. It can also crop up in RPGs as a very visual form of [[Railroading]]. The trope is forgivable in 2D [[Platform Game|Platform Games]]s such as ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'', which allow only forward progression due entirely to the limitations of the geometry; not everything is a [[Metroidvania]]. It only applies in situations where, intuitively, you'd ''think'' there might be other areas of a place to explore, but these are [[The Law of Conservation of Detail|not implemented because they are not plot-important]].

This is becoming [http://h-2.abload.de/img/thumbs_hornoxe_com_picnamg.jpg much more common these days], what with the enormous graphical detail of modern level design limiting the number of paths that can be [[Copy and Paste Environments|made at the required quality]]. Also, [[Story to Gameplay Ratio|story]] is much easier to place in a game that is linear as opposed to one that involves heavy exploration. A popular method for enforcing this type of level architecture these days is by the use of [[Locked Door|Locked Doors]]s, which adds a bit of verisimilitude by suggesting that, yes, other areas do normally exist in this location, but due to game constraints you won't be going in there; this can still be jarring if you're armed with powerful explosives or weapons ''designed'' for breaching doors and still can't get by a flimsy door, and more so if you destroy some such doors during the game but can't do anything to others.

In terms of [[Sliding Scale of Linearity vs. Openness]], most examples of this trope are actually level 2, due to most level 1 games not even providing any freedom of movement to attempt exploration in the first place.

Not to be confused with scripted games such as [[Adventure Game|Adventure Games]]s or [[Action Adventure]] which use more subtle techniques to keep the player from going [[Off the Rails]] of the game's plot. Some of them do have levels that resemble this -- Comparethis—Compare [[Maze]] -- or—or a [[Closed Circle]] series of rooms; but it's generally frowned upon in [[Interactive Fiction]] unless it's essentially a [[Cutscene]].

See also [[Broken Bridge]], [[The Law of Conservation of Detail]], [[Space-Filling Path]], [[The One True Sequence]], [[Rail Shooter]], [[Master of Unlocking]], and [[Quicksand Box]] for when developers go too far in the other direction.

* Most of ''Makeruna! Makendou Z'', with the exception of the jungle towards the end (where you could end up going in circles). Only one item pickup in the game, and you can't even revisit old areas. It's even mentioned in [https://web.archive.org/web/20100311084034/http://www.pcenginefx.com/PC-FX/html/pc-fx_world_-_game_reviews_-_m.html the review]

* ''[[Half Life]]'', like the ''Jedi Knight'' games, usually justifies this with such things as [[Space-Filling Path|collapsed ceilings]], [[Broken Bridge|Broken Bridges]]s and [[Locked Door|Locked Doors]]s. The justification loses any credibility after the Nth invocation.

*** Although it was as chaotic as a long walkway can ever be.

** Twilight Princess as a whole can fit here. It departs from its predecessors by enforcing linearity with the plot and [[Brokenbroken Bridge|broken Bridges]]s rather than through implication and [[Cardboard Obstacle|obstacles]], and making [[Sequence Breaking]] nearly impossible.

** ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword|The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword]]'' ditches the vast overworlds of other games, instead making them feel more like [[Dungeon Town|dungeons]]. While there's definitely sidepaths, minigames and sidequests, the world is overall a lot more linear.

* The regrettably forgettable ''[[Warhammer 4000040,000]]'' FPS ''Fire Warrior''.

* The weird, little known FPS ''You Are Empty'' is the epitome of this trope. Whenever it seems like you might have more than one choice (two paths, two corridors, two doors...) expect one of them to be blocked by collapsed walls and ceilings, fences, gates, locked doors and... [[Insurmountable Waist High Fence|furniture]].

** This is what befell many current-generation FPS, as opposed to first-generation FPS (such as ''[[Doom (series)|Doom]]'') which took place in a maze and the player must shoot to survive and find the way and/or keys to the next level, the gameplay which resembles a simplified Dungeon Crawling (or ''[[The Legend of Zelda (video game)|The Legend of Zelda]]''). Now, most single player FPS campaigns resembles rail shooters such as [[Time Crisis]], the gameplay being 'shoot all the enemies and advance to the next area'. The gameplay difference in common is that you can move your character and (almost all) having no visible time limit.

* ''[[Clive Barker's Jericho]]'' is perhaps the worst, with monochrome and identical layouts and shallow sidelets that are fruitless to explore. There are no pickups in the game and plot coupons are only delivered on the intended track.

* ''[[Killer 7Killer7]]'' lives and breathes this trope. There are only two directions you can move: forward and backwards. This is on purpose. Granted, there ''are'' forks.

** ''[[Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days Over 2|Kingdom Hearts 358 Days Over 2]]'' is even moreso of this trope. Since you play as Roxas going on specific missions assigned to you by Saix, it is largely linear and one-goal based. Because of this, in almost all missions, they even ''block off'' some of the paths of a world that "are not necessary for the mission." The only extras you really get are going around to find extra Heartless to fill up your Bonus Gauge.

* ''[[Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia]]'' has many levels that are very short and only have one path from left to right. It's a departure from the more recent [[Metroidvania|Metroidvanias]]s, but not too different from the 16-bit and earlier entries in the series.

{{quote| '''Wheatley:''' ''Look at this! No rail to tell us where to go! OH, this is brilliant. We can go where ever we want! Hold on, though, where are we going? Seriously. Hang on, let me just get my bearings. Hm. Just follow the rail actually."}}

* [[Electronic Arts]]' [[Play StationPlayStation 2]] [[Third-Person Shooter]] ''X-Squad''.

* In the [[Blades Of Avernum]] community, anything designed by Terror's Martyr. The [[Avernum]] series is known for its huge outdoors and nonlinear approach to play... meanwhile, Terror's Martyr designs tiny, tiny outdoor sections, and scripted blocks to your path everywhere, so that you don't wander off the correct order of completing his scenarios.

* A variant is present in ''[[Silent Hill]]'', which the protagonists themselves will usually attempt to justify with "I don't need to go that way" or something similar; however, since the town itself is (at least in ''2'') a proven [[Genius Loci]], it's possible that the protagonists are being purposely railroaded into going where the town wants them to go, whether they're aware of it or not. You ''can'' backtrack to areas you've visited before (minus any plot-important ones, for obvious reasons), but there's usually no point in doing so.

* The first Xbox-[[PlayStationPlay Station 3]] Ninja Gaiden, while mostly linear, still allows for a bit of exploration and you can return in previously visited areas for hidden items or challenges. Its sequel however, plays this trope totally straight: don't think, just go forward and slaughter everything that crosses your path! [[Point of No Return|Points Of No Return]] are frequent not only between but also inside the chapters, and exploration elements are kept to the very minimum. Even the puzzles are never more complicated than opening a door with a key that you can find effortlessly. The first half of the last but one chapter consists litteraly in going through a straight line corridor; the [[PlayStationPlay Station 3]] port Sigma 2 takes it [[Up to Eleven]]: not only are the already petty puzzles outright removed, but the doors [[A Wizard Did It|open by themselves]], so combat is pretty much the only thing you have to do.

* Several levels in ''[[Dawn of War]] 2: Retribution''. You notice this very quickly if you add Jump Infantry or teleport infantry to your squads, as they will magically -- andmagically—and for no reason whatsoever -- bewhatsoever—be unable to use their abilities outside the one true path through the level. This gets especially bad during the {{spoiler|Exterminatus}} level, which teases you with multiple alternate paths that all get blown up immediately when you get close to them.