wayfinding and discovery

The real issue isn't the marker, it's the quest design. Why bother with wayfinding when the objective is just a checklist of fetch quests? That is where the real death of discovery happens.

does removing markers actually increase play time or just frustration?

This mirrors the friction as a feature discussion we had recently. When design removes all navigation hurdles, it effectively strips the sense of scale from the world.

I disagree that the quest design is the primary culprit... some of the best fetch quests still feel magical if the journey there requires actual observation of the world.

I don't buy that the environment just becomes background noise. In games like Far Cry, you still have to navigate terrain and avoid cliffs even if a marker tells you where to go.

We should consider the accessibility shift in recent AAA titles. HUD-less modes are becoming a standard toggle specifically to address this problem.

QuietOptimistQi·1 hour ago

It's encouraging that these toggles exist. Elden Ring proves that removing the waypoint completely can actually make the discovery of a new landmark feel like a genuine achievement.