DEFINITION

Pathing

Good paths have a logic. A way of connecting with each other that feels natural, easy to remember or intuit, and carry us from A to B without friction.

<aside> ⤵️ Hierarchy of paths

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A path will vary in importance depending on what it connects. Main roads connect the most important nodes for the domain. Critical mission nodes are specific to the player progress.

• Main roads
• Road importance / density / frequentation
• Paths to link critical mission nodes
• Links to transition between paths
• Path intersections, path hubs
• Arborescence of smaller paths & dead ends
• Roads for vehicules
• Roads for pedestrians
• Secret roads

<aside> ⤵️ Roads for the player - Roads for everyone else

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Sometimes the player can take roads which cannot be used by anyone else, in the event of having special movement abilities. These roads are often the most important ones, the ones which make the player feel unique, powerful, have fun, and which link most conveniently to their mission objectives.

• Roads which can only be taken by the player
• Roads which take advantage of player movement abilities

<aside> ⤵️ Mind map

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Good pathings are easing to remember. The hierarchy helps most to achieve this. Someone should be able to direct you from A to B by only explaining a few steps (take the second right from the main road, then left at the Church, it's a small road. At the end of it you will go through a park, it's the blue house facing the statue, the main door is easy to identify).