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===''Hydlide'' (1984) to ''Drakkhen'' (1989)=== [[File:Hydlide.png|thumb|''[[Hydlide]]'' (1984), one of the first fully-scaled on-foot open-world games, along with ''[[Courageous Perseus]]'' (1984).]] Released in [[Japan]] at around the same time in 1984, the [[action role-playing video games]] ''[[Hydlide]]'' and ''[[Courageous Perseus]]''<ref name="perseus">[https://www.giantbomb.com/courageous-perseus/3030-50596/ Courageous Perseus] at [[Giant Bomb]]</ref> were the first true open-world video games in the modern sense of the word. They were the first games to feature on-foot, outdoor exploration in a fully-scaled, continuous open world. They marked a significant departure from earlier attempts at exploration, which was either limited to open dungeon exploration but with no outdoor exploration (such as earlier role-playing games and adventure games), or outdoor exploration represented by an overworld that is not to scale. Modern open-world game design largely traces back its origins to ''Hydlide'' and ''Courageous Perseus'', especially through their influence on ''The Legend of Zelda''. [[File:Zelda1.png|thumb|''[[The Legend of Zelda]]'' (1986), the most influential open-world game.]] ''Hydlide'' and ''Courageous Perseus'', the first fully-scaled on-foot open-world games, influenced ''[[The Legend of Zelda]]'' (1986), which adapted a similar open-world design on a larger scale. ''The Legend of Zelda'' was the most influential open-world game, with most open-world games today tracing their roots to ''The Legend of Zelda''. With [[non-linear gameplay]], it set the foundations for later [[Action video games|action]]/[[adventure video games]] games like ''[[Metroid]]'' and [[role-playing video game]]s like ''[[Final Fantasy]]'', while influencing most modern games in general.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121118055022/techland.time.com/2012/11/15/all-time-100-video-games/slide/the-legend-of-zelda-1986|title=ALL-TIME 100 Video Games |publisher=[[wikipedia:TIME|TIME]] |author= Peckham, Matt |date=2012-11-15 |accessdate=2014-08-12}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-legend-of-zelda-25th-anniversary-a-look-back/1100-6347962/|title=The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary A Look Back|publisher=[[GameSpot]] |author= Mc Shea, Tom |date=20121-21-12 |accessdate=2014-08-12}}</ref> For example, ''The Legend of Zelda'' also went on to inspire the constant-scale continuous open world designs that later appeared in ''[[Times of Lore]]'' (1988), the ''[[Ultima (series)|Ultima]]'' series from ''[[Ultima VI: The False Prophet]]'' (1990) onwards<ref name="cgw">''[[Computer Gaming World]]'', issue 68 (February 1990), pages 34 & 38</ref> (which in turn inspired [[The Elder Scrolls (series)|''The Elder Scrolls'' series]]), the ''[[Grand Theft Auto]]'' series (which its creators called "''The Legend of Zelda'' meets ''Goodfellas''"),<ref name="ign">http://ign.com/articles/2001/09/10/rockstars-sam-houser-mouths-off</ref> and ''[[The Witcher]]'' series (its creators cited ''The Legend of Zelda'' as inspiration behind its world design). There were several early games that offered players the ability to explore an open world while driving a variety of ground vehicles. ''[[TX-1]]'' (1983),<ref name=TX-1>{{MOTG|10004|TX-1}}</ref> ''[[W:c:dataeast:Kamikaze Cabbie|Kamikaze Cabbie]]'' (1984), ''[[The Battle-Road]]'' (1984)<ref name=Battle-Road>{{MOTG|7055|The Battle-Road}}</ref> and ''[[Out Run]]'' (1986)<ref name=OutRun>{{Cite web|author=Brian Gazza|url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/outrun/outrun.htm|title=Outrun|publisher=Hardcore Gaming 101|accessdate=2011-03-17}}</ref> were non-linear driving games that allowed the player to drive through multiple different paths that lead to different possible routes and [[Multiple endings|final destinations]].<ref name=TX-1/><ref name=Battle-Road/><ref name=OutRun/> ''[[W:c:dataeast:Kamikaze Cabbie|Kamikaze Cabbie]]'' (1984) and ''Turbo Esprit'' (1986) provided free-roaming city environments and have been cited as influences on ''Grand Theft Auto''.<ref name="rg20">Retrorevival: Turbo Esprit, ''[[Retro Gamer]]'' issue 20, page 48. [[Imagine Publishing]], 2006.</ref> ''[[River City Ransom]]'' (1989) was an early sandbox [[Beat 'em up video games|brawler]] reminiscent of ''Grand Theft Auto''.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Parish|first=Jeremy|title=Retronauts Carjacks Grand Theft Auto|url=http://www.1up.com/news/retronauts-carjacks-gta|publisher=[[1UP.com]]|accessdate=23 January 2012|date=2008-04-29}}</ref> Another early open-world game reminiscent of ''GTA'' was ''[https://www.giantbomb.com/takeshi-no-chousenjou/3030-25669/ Takeshi no Chōsenjō]'' (''Takeshi's Challenge''), a 1986 [[Family Computer]] video game only released in Japan; it was an unusual game for its time, featuring free-roaming gameplay while, much like ''GTA'', allowing players to randomly attack any people (and having to escape police if the player murders a person) or even punch random objects (including menus). Another precursor was [[Speed Rumbler]] (1986), which featured a combination of [[Run and gun video games|run & gun]] shooter with [[Racing video gamess|driving]] mechanics, resulting in a new action game hybrid that would inspire games like ''Grand Theft Auto'' decades later.<ref>[http://www.giantbomb.com/speed-rumbler/3030-20704/ Speed Rumbler] on [[Giant Bomb]]</ref> The [[Metroidvania]] school of game design introduced side-scrolling open worlds. Early examples of open-world Metroidvania game design included ''[[Brain Breaker]]'' (1984/1985), ''[[Xanadu]]'' (1985) and ''[[Metroid]]'' (1986). The Metroidvania school had a significant influence on open-world gaming (source?). Other early examples of open-world games released during 1985-1986 include ''[[Star Luster]]'' (1985),<ref>{{Cite web|title=Star Luster|work=[[Virtual Console]]|publisher=[[Nintendo]]|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/wii/vc/vc_slr/|accessdate=2011-05-08}} ([http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nintendo.co.jp%2Fwii%2Fvc%2Fvc_slr%2F&sl=ja&tl=en&hl=&ie=UTF-8 Translation])</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Szczepaniak |first=John |year=2015 |title=The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers |volume=2 |pages=506 & 982 |quote=technically impressive real-time first-person 3D space shoot-em-up (imagine ''Elite'' but without vector graphics); with intense combat and a large free-roaming map containing enemy bases and refuelling stations, players need to plan their attacks strategically.}}</ref> ''[[Baraduke]]'' (1985),<ref>{{Cite book |last=Szczepaniak |first=John |year=2015 |title=The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers |volume=2 |page=498 |quote=''Baraduke'' has a lot of iconic sci-fi elements, including from the ''Alien'' films. It's also a rather fun and intense free-roaming 2D shmup}}</ref> ''[[Brain Breaker]]'' (1985),<ref>{{Cite web|author=John Szczepaniak|url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/JPNcomputers/Japanesecomputers4.htm|title=Retro Japanese Computers: Gaming's Final Frontier|page=4|publisher=Hardcore Gaming 101|accessdate=2011-03-16}} Reprinted from {{Citation|title=Retro Japanese Computers: Gaming's Final Frontier|work=[[Retro Gamer]]|issue=67|year=2009}}</ref> ''[[Riglas: Tamashii no Kaiki]]'' (''リグラス'') (1985),<ref>{{Cite book |last=Szczepaniak |first=John |year=2014 |title=The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers |publisher=SMG Szczepaniak |volume=1 |page=7 |isbn=978-0-9929260-3-8 |quote=''Riglas: Tamashii no Kaiki'' – large free roaming RPG exclusive to Japanese computers, worth checking out}}</ref> ''[[Romance of the Three Kingdoms (video game series)|Romance of the Three Kingdoms]]'' (1985),<ref name="cgw"/> [[Gutchan Bank|''Gutchan Bank'']] (1985),<ref>[https://fm-7.com/museum/products/jit39lzg/ Gutchan Bank]</ref> ''[[Metroid]]'' (1986), ''[[Dragon Quest]]'' (1986),<ref name=gsutra_20games>{{Cite web | last = Harris | first = John | title = Game Design Essentials: 20 Open World Games | publisher = [[Gamasutra]] | date = September 26, 2007 | url = http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/1902/game_design_essentials_20_open_.php | accessdate = 2008-07-25}}</ref> and ''[[The Legend of Zelda]]'' (1986).<ref>{{Cite web|title=15 Most Influential Games of All Time: The Legend of Zelda|publisher=[[GameSpot]]|date=|url=http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/15influential/p9_01.html|accessdate=2010-01-24}}</ref><ref name=gsutra_20games/> The first open-world 3D video games were [[SystemSoft Alpha|SystemSoft]]'s ''[[Yūgeki-ō]]'' (1985),<ref name=":0">[https://necretro.org/Y%C5%ABgeki-%C5%8D Yūgeki-ō]</ref> [[Arsys Software]]'s ''[[Wibarm]]'' in 1986 and ''[[Star Cruiser]]'' in 1988. They were both the first to use [[Three-dimensional|3D polygon graphics]] to render their open-world environments. Later in 1989, [[Infogrames]] would release ''[[Drakkhen]]'', an Action RPG with real time tactic elements as well as a day an night cycle. The game did not employ a fully 3D [[game engine]], instead implementing a hybrid approach using vectors and bitmapped [[2.5D#Scaling along the Z axis|character-scaling]] [[algorithms]]. This possibly makes Drakkhen the first 3D open-world RPG with real time tactics.
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