How Elden Ring uses architecture to freak you out
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Date: 2023-12-10
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Comments and reviews: 30
-lukasspielmann108
Also, I would like to add that the game world of elden ring is much more vibrant than in the dark souls series. There, everything is super bleak all the time, everything is run down to the brink of collapse. The world itself is barely clinging to life, which is a major plot point.
Meanwhile, in elden ring, the open world part is teeming with life, you have squirrels, sheep, wolves, turtles, you have little forests and lakes and so on. There's still ruins, but they are on average much more grandiose than in dark souls, usually through sheer size. There's something. uplifting about them, whereas in dark souls everything was weighing down on you.
I really wish I could have experienced the lands between at their prime, whereas I never had that desire in the souls series - with the possible exception of anor Londo.
All of this combined makes it much more pleasant to just exist in the lands between than in lordran, on top of the improvements to pacing discussed in the video.
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Also, I would like to add that the game world of elden ring is much more vibrant than in the dark souls series. There, everything is super bleak all the time, everything is run down to the brink of collapse. The world itself is barely clinging to life, which is a major plot point.
Meanwhile, in elden ring, the open world part is teeming with life, you have squirrels, sheep, wolves, turtles, you have little forests and lakes and so on. There's still ruins, but they are on average much more grandiose than in dark souls, usually through sheer size. There's something. uplifting about them, whereas in dark souls everything was weighing down on you.
I really wish I could have experienced the lands between at their prime, whereas I never had that desire in the souls series - with the possible exception of anor Londo.
All of this combined makes it much more pleasant to just exist in the lands between than in lordran, on top of the improvements to pacing discussed in the video.
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-an0idiot0of0use
This is such a great topic to make a video on, thank you! The amount of detail that Fromsoft puts into their games in terms of architecture, map design, and environmental storytelling is one of the main reasons why I'm absolutely bonkers for the Souls games and Elden Ring.
During my current playthrough of ER I'm taking my time to really analyze every part of the world as I progress - Trying to pay attention to enemy/item locations and see if I can make a connection as to WHY it was placed there, looking at the geography to make sense of what exactly happened the thousands of years prior to the game's setting, paying heavy attention to all NPC dialogue and carefully reading item descriptions in order to piece together lore and context clues about which area the game is leading me to next, etc.
Needless to say, I'm a nerd and I really like this game. -
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This is such a great topic to make a video on, thank you! The amount of detail that Fromsoft puts into their games in terms of architecture, map design, and environmental storytelling is one of the main reasons why I'm absolutely bonkers for the Souls games and Elden Ring.
During my current playthrough of ER I'm taking my time to really analyze every part of the world as I progress - Trying to pay attention to enemy/item locations and see if I can make a connection as to WHY it was placed there, looking at the geography to make sense of what exactly happened the thousands of years prior to the game's setting, paying heavy attention to all NPC dialogue and carefully reading item descriptions in order to piece together lore and context clues about which area the game is leading me to next, etc.
Needless to say, I'm a nerd and I really like this game. -
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-lukasspielmann108
You really put into words what I've noticed but couldn't formulate properly. I really need to be in the right state for touching any of the dark souls games, I need energy and concentration and that creates a sort of mental barrier when I run low on those. The dark souls games are work. Incredibly rewarding work, but work nonetheless.
I don't have the same barrier with elden ring, I can open that up whenever, because if some stuff is too intense, I can always leave and explore and still make progress in the game. You can really set the pace yourself, which makes it so much better overall. High-intensity soulslike combat pairs beautifully with the contrasting low-intensity exploration.
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You really put into words what I've noticed but couldn't formulate properly. I really need to be in the right state for touching any of the dark souls games, I need energy and concentration and that creates a sort of mental barrier when I run low on those. The dark souls games are work. Incredibly rewarding work, but work nonetheless.
I don't have the same barrier with elden ring, I can open that up whenever, because if some stuff is too intense, I can always leave and explore and still make progress in the game. You can really set the pace yourself, which makes it so much better overall. High-intensity soulslike combat pairs beautifully with the contrasting low-intensity exploration.
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-elenarishel6311
Penn Station and Moynihan Train Hall are very good analogies when it comes to architectural terror. The first time I rode a train, I had to change trains in NYC. On my way to my destination, I ended up in Penn Station, and I never had to go above ground. It was all corridors and shops and dim lighting in the evening, more functional than appealing. On my way back I got off at Moynihan Hall, which was shown in the video, full of bright skylights and massive spaces. I was completely convinced I had gotten off at the wrong stop and was lost in NYC, hours away from home, but the buildings are right across the street from each other.
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Penn Station and Moynihan Train Hall are very good analogies when it comes to architectural terror. The first time I rode a train, I had to change trains in NYC. On my way to my destination, I ended up in Penn Station, and I never had to go above ground. It was all corridors and shops and dim lighting in the evening, more functional than appealing. On my way back I got off at Moynihan Hall, which was shown in the video, full of bright skylights and massive spaces. I was completely convinced I had gotten off at the wrong stop and was lost in NYC, hours away from home, but the buildings are right across the street from each other.
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-Schraiber
I actually feel the opposite in some sense. The bespoke and intricately designed legacy dungeons were good and enjoyable and in contrast the open world was absurdly boring and bland. I hated every time I played through a great area like Stormveil only to be -rewarded- with the next boring palette swaps open world area that had nothing interesting to do. The open world dragged the game down hard and the brilliance of the legacy dungeons only emphasized that
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I actually feel the opposite in some sense. The bespoke and intricately designed legacy dungeons were good and enjoyable and in contrast the open world was absurdly boring and bland. I hated every time I played through a great area like Stormveil only to be -rewarded- with the next boring palette swaps open world area that had nothing interesting to do. The open world dragged the game down hard and the brilliance of the legacy dungeons only emphasized that
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-boozebeard9501
In regards to giant video game map reaction you expressed at the start, it's also pretty cool how they expand the world map as you explore more areas. It both makes the start of the game seem less intimidating and also later on was a constant source of shock and awe to discover that the world was actually EVEN bigger; every time I was like, surely this is the last zone?
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In regards to giant video game map reaction you expressed at the start, it's also pretty cool how they expand the world map as you explore more areas. It both makes the start of the game seem less intimidating and also later on was a constant source of shock and awe to discover that the world was actually EVEN bigger; every time I was like, surely this is the last zone?
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-SeantommyE
Nice video! Surprised there was no mention of how this compares in Elden Ring vs any other game with an overworld and dungeons. Games with this basic structure have been around for decades, and it's certainly a neat angle to approach that design from, I just found myself wishing the video went into more detail on -how- this concept was used: )
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Nice video! Surprised there was no mention of how this compares in Elden Ring vs any other game with an overworld and dungeons. Games with this basic structure have been around for decades, and it's certainly a neat angle to approach that design from, I just found myself wishing the video went into more detail on -how- this concept was used: )
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-spiridiums
I'm over 300 hours in on my FIRST character, and only on NG+ because I'm enjoying the exploration that much! Sure I'm helping a few friends play their way through, but the rewarding exploration of these open spaces and the excitement of (eventually) surviving a dungeon make it hard for me to put this game down.
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I'm over 300 hours in on my FIRST character, and only on NG+ because I'm enjoying the exploration that much! Sure I'm helping a few friends play their way through, but the rewarding exploration of these open spaces and the excitement of (eventually) surviving a dungeon make it hard for me to put this game down.
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-billmccormick4370
I love this game so much. The fact that you can spend countless hours playing and exploring and enjoying the game without even progressing the story isn't talked about enough. I wish people wouldn't focus so much on the difficulty. I honestly believe Elden Ring is the first game for everyone.
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I love this game so much. The fact that you can spend countless hours playing and exploring and enjoying the game without even progressing the story isn't talked about enough. I wish people wouldn't focus so much on the difficulty. I honestly believe Elden Ring is the first game for everyone.
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-Civilian08
This is one of the ways in which Breath of the Wild really failed. When people talk about the game's lack of dungeons, they're talking about this. Even the small areas are huge. Everything needs to accommodate big physics objects, so nothing feels intimate and designed for humans.
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This is one of the ways in which Breath of the Wild really failed. When people talk about the game's lack of dungeons, they're talking about this. Even the small areas are huge. Everything needs to accommodate big physics objects, so nothing feels intimate and designed for humans.
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-morestereo
simone! you bring up such interesting points and describe things that i-ve definitely felt but never even considered to articulate. it-s just. idk, really cool? - and the pacing of locations varying in size and form keeps the game from being completely and utterly overwhelming -
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simone! you bring up such interesting points and describe things that i-ve definitely felt but never even considered to articulate. it-s just. idk, really cool? - and the pacing of locations varying in size and form keeps the game from being completely and utterly overwhelming -
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-macavity7716
i haven't played any fromsoft games, but this video did such a great job breaking down the concepts that it made me realize the specifics of what DIDN'T work for me in other massive open world games that didn't use these tools as effectively [cough]dragonageinqusition[cough]
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i haven't played any fromsoft games, but this video did such a great job breaking down the concepts that it made me realize the specifics of what DIDN'T work for me in other massive open world games that didn't use these tools as effectively [cough]dragonageinqusition[cough]
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-theghosty99
I am begging everyone to watch the videos by The Tarnished Archaeologist about how this game tells you the story of the Lands Between through subtle details in its architecture. It will make you appreciate ER even more if you are interested in the lore at all.
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I am begging everyone to watch the videos by The Tarnished Archaeologist about how this game tells you the story of the Lands Between through subtle details in its architecture. It will make you appreciate ER even more if you are interested in the lore at all.
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-johannesb3522
Not a fan of the cartoonish edits that have popped up in some of the latest videos (especially since they seem a bit forced) but I found the topic itself to be interesting and the presentation was entertaining and thoughtful as always.
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Not a fan of the cartoonish edits that have popped up in some of the latest videos (especially since they seem a bit forced) but I found the topic itself to be interesting and the presentation was entertaining and thoughtful as always.
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-00Clank
-So what if I ran into a giant lobster? I can just flee! -
>Here we see the Giant Crayfish, rearing up and cackling at the idea that the Tarnished could ever get far enough away or move fast enough to avoid being Liurnian Sniper'd
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-So what if I ran into a giant lobster? I can just flee! -
>Here we see the Giant Crayfish, rearing up and cackling at the idea that the Tarnished could ever get far enough away or move fast enough to avoid being Liurnian Sniper'd
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-grahamwalker2168
what I really like here is that your humour compliments your points rather than just being shoe horned in as it's 20 seconds since the last joke which is jarring. you're also funny which helps the humour too.
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what I really like here is that your humour compliments your points rather than just being shoe horned in as it's 20 seconds since the last joke which is jarring. you're also funny which helps the humour too.
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-KimSokolArt
Maybe this is why I adored Elden Ring, when I normally bounce off of open world games (including greats like BotW and Witcher 3) - despite having so much Stuff, exploration never felt rewarding in the same way.
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Maybe this is why I adored Elden Ring, when I normally bounce off of open world games (including greats like BotW and Witcher 3) - despite having so much Stuff, exploration never felt rewarding in the same way.
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-lahunica2726
Architecture plays a big role in Miyazaki's games, whether it be art wise, level design wise, thematically wise, atmopherically wise. By just looking at the architecture you can learn a lot from these games.
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Architecture plays a big role in Miyazaki's games, whether it be art wise, level design wise, thematically wise, atmopherically wise. By just looking at the architecture you can learn a lot from these games.
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-Mordalon
I'm actually getting my Masters in Library Science and was just recently reading some articles about publicly available spaces like Libraries and the article you bring up concerning this station in NY came up.
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I'm actually getting my Masters in Library Science and was just recently reading some articles about publicly available spaces like Libraries and the article you bring up concerning this station in NY came up.
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-AC_Church
Simone, if you haven't seen Tarnished Archeologist's vids check them out, they do these insane deep dives on Elden Ring lore through architecture and tiny details strewn about, i think you will enjoy
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Simone, if you haven't seen Tarnished Archeologist's vids check them out, they do these insane deep dives on Elden Ring lore through architecture and tiny details strewn about, i think you will enjoy
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-TheMarkoSeke
All these areas you list as examples are called -legacy dungeons-, and they're essentially areas akin to the ones in previous souls games, except they have an open world surrounding them.
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All these areas you list as examples are called -legacy dungeons-, and they're essentially areas akin to the ones in previous souls games, except they have an open world surrounding them.
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-aamr7434
the short (and extremely necessary) tangent into hostile architectural choices + the -but I digress- reminded me of every passive aggressive elementary school teacher i have ever known
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the short (and extremely necessary) tangent into hostile architectural choices + the -but I digress- reminded me of every passive aggressive elementary school teacher i have ever known
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-harryp6915
Thank you for teaching us about compression and expansion. It's something I've always felt and intuited in games, but never been able to identify or articlute. This vid slaps.
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Thank you for teaching us about compression and expansion. It's something I've always felt and intuited in games, but never been able to identify or articlute. This vid slaps.
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-scezumin
just be sure to eat that gold pickled fowl foot before using those runes (this comment directed at whoever grabs the controller while she's in the bathroom and does it for her)
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just be sure to eat that gold pickled fowl foot before using those runes (this comment directed at whoever grabs the controller while she's in the bathroom and does it for her)
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-gpvelev
I was expecting to hear the words -level design- a lot in this video, yet I never did. Isn-t the topic here exactly in the field of level design - pacing and flow within spaces?
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I was expecting to hear the words -level design- a lot in this video, yet I never did. Isn-t the topic here exactly in the field of level design - pacing and flow within spaces?
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-lucymain21
I played the first of the new Tomb Raider trilogy without EVER upgrading anything, because I didn't know you could - then when I finally did, it was so much easier -
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I played the first of the new Tomb Raider trilogy without EVER upgrading anything, because I didn't know you could - then when I finally did, it was so much easier -
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-Darleer
If Polygon gave you money to do a series of deep dive into architecture in games, I'd be very pleased. Heterotopias zine series is one of my favourite game-related read
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If Polygon gave you money to do a series of deep dive into architecture in games, I'd be very pleased. Heterotopias zine series is one of my favourite game-related read
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-CS_Mango
Thats a lie. There is about as much delight in caelid as there is the chance of escaping a lobster.
The former is hell. And the latter is actually a crayfish.
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Thats a lie. There is about as much delight in caelid as there is the chance of escaping a lobster.
The former is hell. And the latter is actually a crayfish.
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-AmyDentata
Most of Elden Ring's overworld map felt like a -bigature- made for a movie, or a very expensive tabletop wargame map, and I mean that in the best way possible
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Most of Elden Ring's overworld map felt like a -bigature- made for a movie, or a very expensive tabletop wargame map, and I mean that in the best way possible
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-stephlrideout
This is my favourite video series, as an architect. There's so much crossover between architecture and game dev, despite the wildly different skill sets.
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This is my favourite video series, as an architect. There's so much crossover between architecture and game dev, despite the wildly different skill sets.
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