In a recent Q&A vlog on his YouTube channel, Obsidian studio design director Josh Sawyer addressed the scarcity of contemporary urban settings in modern role-playing games. Sawyer identified the primary obstacle as the substantial difficulty and cost associated with developing these environments compared to other RPG locations.
Sawyer explained that, based on experiences at both Obsidian and Black Isle, a town is generally four times more expensive per square foot than a dungeon of equivalent map size. While he noted this is a generalization, it reflects the reality of their past projects where teams often realized too late how much time and resources were consumed by creating these maps. The increased expense stems from the need for a high density of non-player characters (NPCs), extensive dialogue trees, and a greater volume of custom assets to make the setting feel realistic and populated.
The director cited Twin Elms in Pillars of Eternity as a specific example where the studio faced these challenges. He acknowledged that while the area was expensive to produce, it also served as a pacing issue that many players did not appreciate. Despite the difficulties, Sawyer emphasized that creating believable urban environments is achievable, pointing to successful examples such as Baldur's Gate 2's Athkatla, Disco Elysium, and Zero Parades.
However, Sawyer noted that titles like Disco Elysium and Zero Parades hold an advantage because they do not require the same level of believable combat encounters found in other RPGs. The discussion highlights why games with dense urban settings, such as Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines, Cyberpunk 2077, and Baldur's Gate 3, often face notoriously difficult development cycles or noticeable technical seams in their city areas.
Sources: PC Gamer.