Dragon’s Dogma 2 does fast travel right
In Dragon’s Dogma 2, you have to earn the ability to fast travel. More games should follow its example.
Instead of running for hours on end, I fast travel in open-world RPGs. It’s practical, but also has its downside. If I can reach my destination in a matter of seconds, I risk letting the world pass me by. It’s a shame, vibrant fantasy worlds are one of the most important reasons for why I play games.
A good fast travel system isn’t used every two minutes. If I decide against fast travel in favour of walking and exploring the game world, the developers have done their job well. Hideaki Itsuno, Game Director for Dragon’s Dogma 2, shares this opinion.
In an IGN interview, Itsuno explains: «Travel [on foot] is boring? That’s not true. It’s only an issue because your game is boring. All you have to do is make travel fun.» He makes it clear that Dragon’s Dogma 2 players can’t rely on free fast travel at all times.
From A to B in seconds
Itsuno-san is right. I want to explore a living game world on foot or horseback. I want to interact with NPCs, hunt, fight off bandit attacks, investigate strange empty houses along the way, find out why that skeleton ended up there. In short, I want to lose myself in the world.
Of course, I sometimes want to progress with a quest, advance the story or take a valuable item off a certain boss. Then I’ll happily teleport to the desired location within seconds. In these situations, I don’t need an immersive world, but a practical one.
Source: mapgenie.io
Fast travel in Dragon’s Dogma 2
Dragon’s Dogma 2 boss Hideaki Itsuno doesn’t completely get rid of fast travel. In the new game, oxcarts travel between hubs. These can fall victim to attacks, Itsuno says: «While riding one, you might find the path blocked by goblins and have no choice but to get off and join the battle. Then as you do, a Griffin might swoop in and destroy the entire cart with one blow, forcing you to walk the rest of the way while cursing its name.»
The developer sells these mini-events as a bonus. I fear raids could quickly become repetitive, remembering my days as a high-level Pokémon Trainer and having to run through tall grass in early-game areas. I’d be constantly attacked by overzealous Pidgeys, wiping them out in a single annoyed attack. That’s why I hope the oxcart in Dragon’s Dogma 2 will be a valid means of transportation and not a gauntlet.
Source: Nintendo
How to add value to fast travel
Dragon’s Dogma 2 will probably adopt another means of transportation from its predecessor. Here’s how it works: you find a handful of Portcrystals in the world – or buy them at a staggering price. Place a Portcrystal anywhere on the ground to create your own fast-travel point. A maximum of ten can be active at any time. To teleport, you need a Ferrystone. It also costs gold and is destroyed when used.
Source: Bethesda Game Studios
I think this system makes sense. Instead of treating fast travel like a disposable commodity, Dragon’s Dogma makes every instant journey precious. It applies a basic principle of economics: if availability decreases, the value of a good increases. The system seems more mature and well thought out than the oxcart mini-game.
In Dragon’s Dogma 2, you can only afford to teleport back and forth willy-nilly later on. Good. After all, I want to earn my spurs, fail sometimes, build something and experience the world. I’m confident Hideaki Itsuno will find a good balance to make journeys in Dragon’s Dogma 2 gripping.
My retreats have names like Middle Earth, Skyrim and Azeroth. If I have to part from them due to IRL commitments, their epic soundtracks accompany me through everyday life, to a LAN party or to my D&D session.