What if Bioshock Infinite was an Open World?

The following is a design concept I recently made after the announcement of the new Bioshock being an Open World game. The design follows a style suitable for the original game release in 2013.

Introduction

The world would be a narrative driven, modular open world, divided in regions player frees to progress and obtain Vox's support. Vox populi are an in-game faction opposed to the main villain's army.

Each area is first occupied by Comstock, presenting an obstacle for the player to loot and find quests.

Game World

Traversal Vehicles / Structures

There are 3 main ways to travel across the map:

Sky-Line
	Available since the start of the open world phase, allowing free exploration; Can be used after Booker obtains the Sky-Hook in Town Center.
AirShip
	Used to travel from an air pier to another once the relative area has been liberated; Allows fast travel processed with a cinematic or a loading screen.
Zeppelin
	Roams around the map following a specific route visible to the players on the map; If not freed, enemies attack the player while the Zeppelin keeps going on route

None of the vehicles is actually "drivable" by the player, they either follow a path or have a loading:
Columbia is characterized by the floating structures, so while the game can adapt the connection between regions, the player may not, resulting in unclear world rules or feeling lost.

Grammar Map Design

Outpost
First occupied by Comstock, then Vox once free	Floating structure reachable with Sky-Lines
Safes the Siphon connection in Monument Tower	Contains a power supplier for the siphon in MT
Destroying the supplier allows tears in the area	Freed when enemies and supplier eliminated
Protected By
4 squads off 4 enemies each, 2 Heavy Hitters	2 Roaming airships and 2 specific squads

Zeppelin
Floating around the map with a specific route	To be conquered actively by the player
First occupied by Comstock's troops	Occupied by Vox Populi once freed by player
Can be used to move around the map	Freed when enemies and alarms are eliminated
Enemies airships backups come if alarm is rang	Player can break all alarms to stop backups
If nearby outpost is freed, Vox backup the player	Vox can't break the alarms, only the player can

Region
Defined location first occupied by Comstock	Freed progressing with quests and outposts
When freed become occupied by Vox	Can be occupied partly by Comstock's and Vox
Factions fight in the streets / air calling backups	After freed, few enemies troops still present

Airship
Airship sailed to an air pier in a specific location	Can be used to travel to other freed piers
Fast travel to other areas, loading / cinematic	Area needs to be freed to use / reach location

We saw what occupies the game world, but what happens in it? Let's take a look:

Points Of Interest

Monument Tower: Center of the map
Surveilled by squads and heavy hitters outside	Enemies troops and one handyman inside
Enemies airships roam outside the tower	Accessed twice in main story quests:
Rescue Elizabeth after the town sequence	Near ending to obtain Song

Finkton Tower: Left area of the map
Troops and barrage automatons outside the gate	Enemies airships roaming around the top
Accessed once for the main story quest	Accessible anytime after the story quest
Characterized by the luxurious look	In contrast with the rest of Finkton area

First Lady Zeppelin: Roaming around the map
Different from other zeppelin for the rich look	Romas between the two docks in the map
Accessible twice for story main story quests	Accessible anytime after the quests
After soldier's field	After Finkton Tower

Hand of the Prophet: Upper area of the map, Final Area
Surveilled by enemies' airships and troops	Enemies troops and handyman inside
Alarms for enemies to call for backups inside	Accessible once: Final quest

Live World Elements

Airship Fights
Comstock's troops and Vox airships meet	An air fight starts between ships
Each faction can call for backups	Amount of backups based on area domain
Heavy hitters can be called as last backup	The fight is over when one faction is dead

Road Fights
Each faction has troops roaming in each area	Two opposite troops meet and the fight starts
Each faction can call for backups	Amount of backups based on area domain
Heavy hitters can be called as last backup	The fight is over when one faction is dead

We talked a lot about the open world elements, now let's take a look at how players are spending their time in this world: What's the purpose of a world if nobody populates it? Warning, spoilers!

Objectives and Rewards

Story Objectives
Find Elizabeth	Bring Elizabeth to New York
Reach Elizabeth after her escape in Finkton	Find Comstock to stop him
Reach Comstock's House	Enter Comstock's House
Reach the Hand of the Prophet	Destroy the Syphon
Stop Comstock before everything begins

Story Objectives
Conquer Outposts	Conquer Zeppelins
Access Monument Tower	Free all the areas
Access the Hand of the Prophet

Rewards
Spatial Reward	Free areas to explore and loot with Vox's support and less enemy troops
Loot	Gears to upgrade and customize playstyle, Money to purchase upgrades / gears
Quest Reward	Specific loot, equipment, loot or areas for successfully completing a quest
Loadout	Weapons, Vigors and upgrades to upgrade and customize playstyle

Progression
Spatial (Free and safe areas and zeppelins)	Equipment (Gears, weapons, Vigors, upgrades)
Money (Allowing to buy needed items)	Support (Vox backup for objectives / quests)

If you are interested in Bioshock Infinite's progression, you can take a look at my previous articles.

Now let's talk about quests: What guides the player during the whole game?

Quests

Main Quests
Lutece's Questline:	Fitzroy Questline:
Elizabeth's and Comstock's related quests	Comstock's and Vox populi's related quests
Luteces Rewards:	Fitzroy Rewards:
Elizabeth story progression / past	Daisy Fitzroy story progression / past
Booker story progression / past	Vox populi story progression / past
Comstock story progression / past	Alternate Booker story past

Side Quests
Lutece's Researches:	Vox Populi requests:
Find specific equipment around the map	Free specific Comstock's areas
Travel across realities	Support specific fights against Comstock's troops
Luteces Rewards:	Vox Populi Rewards:
Research-developed Equipment	Vox's support during fights
World narrative details / story	Money

Core Aesthetics

Dynamics	Player Type
Player will explore the world based on his / her will and needs	Explorer
Player will go back to previous areas to look for details and items missed before	Achiever
Player will visit specific locations he / she wants to see / stay in	Socializer
Player will free outposts / zeppelins before receiving the quest	Explorer
Player will chose the quest of the person he / she is most interested in	Socializer
Player will complete all the quests to obtain all the rewards	Achiever
Player will complete all the quests to gain story information	Socializer
Player will explore and complete the quests to discover the story	Socializer
Player will chose which quest to accept in order to progress	Achiever

These are only the main generated aesthetics, an MDA analysis would provide further information.

Opportunity

Vox Populi's troops around the map will ask the player to help them defeat Comstock's troops:

Fights
Help Vox fighting enemies troops on airships / zeppelins or on the ground
Enemies squads are made of soldiers, snipers, heavy hitters and mosquitoes
Backups can be called by both factions up to heavy hitters
Eliminate all enemies troops to get a reward (money, gear, narrative details)

Items Recover
Reach an area surveilled by Comstock's troops and recover a specific item
The approach is decided by the player: stealth, by air, from the ground, and so on
If the player is spotted, backups can be called from Comstock's troops
Bring te item back to get a reward (money, gear, narrative details)

That's it! This was my design concept for an Open World. This could of course be expanded to talk about each element in detail, but being just a concept I don't think it would be the case.

I really hope you liked it, if you have any feedback, suggestion or thoughts let me know, I'd love to hear your opinion!

Thank you for taking the time to read this, I really appreciate it. See you soon!

What if Bioshock Infinite was an Open World?

Introduction

Game World

Traversal Vehicles / Structures

Grammar Map Design

Points Of Interest

Live World Elements

Objectives and Rewards

Quests

Core Aesthetics

Opportunity

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