This article made me think of Age of Decadence

[Infinitron]

First, there is exploration in the game. You can explore the town and find optional content ('situations' and items, like the artefact in the tower's cellar). So, since exploration (or the basic form of it) IS in the game, I thought it was clear that we aren't talking about the act of exploring and discovering new things, but the manner in which it's done.

Sure, the basic form of it. Which isn't very good or engaging. You seem to think that improving exploration by adding more player agency into the mix always reduces to the act of "chest clicking".

And you know, maybe in a high level sense, it sort of does, but as I said in my first reply to you ITT, these things are more than the sum of their parts.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Like I said, exploration wasn't the focus. It can be improved and be more than chest clicking, but in most RPGs that's what it is (not that there is anything wrong with it).

 

[Vault Dweller]

Just read a Telepath Tactics update:

"Thanks to your generosity, we're currently sitting pretty at $24,690 pledged, which leaves us only $3,310 away from having proper dungeons in Telepath Tactics. Traps, buttons, levers, openable doors, stone blocks and pressure plates--I don't know about you, but I'm actually pretty excited about this one!"

This IS pretty fucking cool since dungeons have stopped being dungeons a long time ago, but how many games offer that? Grimrock did, but it was the main feature in the game. My point is that doing it right and offering more than just puzzles are a huge undertaking, and doing it wrong (some chests here and there) isn't worth the effort.

 

[MicoSelva]

I think Infinitron has a point, but for the sake of argument, let's assume that exploration = walking and chest clicking only. I'd still prefer to have it this way than don't. Having my character teleported instantly to a quest is nice in theory (the game does not waste my time, I experience quality content only all the time, etc.), but having my character actually walk to a quest has, among others, the following advantages:
- I experience the game world in the process. This is actually important to get immersed (watch out, buzzword!) in the game. It helps maintain the illusion fo the game world being more "world" and less "game".
- I learn the game world (not the same as above). Walking somewhere means I now know how to get there from my previous location. I also get to know know where my character/party has been and won't waste time trying to visit a place I've already visited on a quest (because I was teleported there and back, never knowing where exactly the quest took place).
- I might change my mind on my way to a quest and actually wander off to do something else. It's nice to have a choice.

 

[Longshanks]

it's not the exploration that is key but the skill use.

This sentence is just weird to me. "Skill use" is a verb, it's something that you do. "Exploration" is what it achieves, it is the objective. You can't exactly separate the two.

Key in terms of roleplaying. More skill use is good, and of importance to an RPG, be it for training a pony or exploring. The exploring part is a side aspect and as such resources need to be judiciously deployed. The core comes first, the trimmings are applied where the effort makes sense and where they do not detract from the core.