I would personally like to see them release a podcast on the "Overland" creation aspect of Pantheon. They could detail some of the usual landmarks, encampments, congregational spots, mob spots, neutral areas, safe spots, quest spots, dungeons, points of interest, and locales, etc. that go into the design of the Overland in many MMoRPGS and then directly compare and contrast them with those of Pantheon (underwater?). On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have the unique design elements of the Overland that accompany the design of any MMo that makes it standout and feel special to other MMos. This includes everything inbetween environmentally and the objects that might fill it, that doesn't include the various interactable NPCs. Such as, the environment and sprawling landscape building that tie every other piece of explorable content together, hidden passageways, foliage, unique architecture, interactions, scripted events, and anything else unique environmentally that might pop up, etc..
Of course with the design elements that are more unique in nature, they will be harder to lump into categories, but it would be nice if they gave some examples for the simple goal of intrigue without divulging too much with these specifically as they will be unique to the game.
There are general categorizable things like the "scripted events" found in Skyrim that makes those events seem more dynamic, such as near the beginning where you're traveling down a road and wolves seemingly pop out at you from nowhere because you've traveled down thtat road and triggered that event. Scripted events based on time of day combined with location too would be interesting, such as coming across a wandering npc/merchant only when those criteria have been met, these will be interesting for people to uncover and may even generate a whole secret finding community off of them.
Of course, creating the Overland could involve anything of note, not merely environmental. If this is too broad a subject, then maybe one on Environment and World-Building would be better ("Building the environment of Pantheon" or something similar)?
A Travelogue might be too revealing.
What I'd prefer is something like a multi-part Ken Burns style narration of The Deicide Wars, with context and commentary alternating with direct quotes from the Official Lore.
I guess I'm hoping VR never does what kenf333 wants. I want to explore, and be surprised by what's over that hill, what's down that river. Knowing encampments, safe spots, quest spots, would absolutely ruin Terminus for me. Fortunately I think VR is unlikely to do that. It's smacks to much of having quest givers have a giant question mark over someone's head.
I liked the grey-box broad view, like they did on mad moors and surreounding halfling area? with a figure for size. It wasnt finished, but it was a very broad overview of the area. Knowing that there might be said spots of relative safety as shown in the amberfaet area sometime ago is enough to know that they might exist elsewhere. I would think VR is clever enough to dial up or down the camoflage/hide in plain sight/obviousness aspect of it. Like in amberfaet, which would be considered a dangerous place, where there are few open corners or nooks where one could safely camp out or rest for a bit, its good to know there is a somewhat obvious or known/detectable camp area just over there, or up one level and to the right from word of mouth/off-line maps. Or like in Mad moors there might be a less obvious safe spot in the form of a spriggan pollen (archeological) expedition which provides succor IF there is one with suitable faction- that we saw might be possible from Fearthale. (if not spectres could mow right over you whilst the spriggans camoflage themselves temporarily by rooting and appearing like the local foliage) . I also was satisfied with the description and the mere drawing of "the well" I mean, to me, thats at least a week or two just to see what its about and maybe return to for another week or two or more later on.
