Originally posted by: skace
To continue this, give me one good example where you chose a seperate path in FC that allowed you to experience something in the game that someone who chose another path did not. And how common was this scenario.
I haven't exactly been following this thread, and I don't want to speak for the person you were having this discussion with, but I think that the difference in opinion merely lies in the nomenclature being used-- namely "open-ended".
I don't think that anyone means that Far Cry is open-ended in the sense that you can just walk around and do anything you want like a MMORPG. Yes, there are clear-cut objectives, just like Call of Duty. "Destroy the bunker" or "Defend X position".
I think that the difference lies in FC's ability to allow mulitple WAYS to achieve that objective. I remember playing COD and, like has been mentioned, going down a hallway, having 2 enemies appear, take cover, and start shooting. Past these, there are yet more enemies in another room that you need to get by. All of these stand in the way of your linear path to the objective (i.e. "get out of the palace and to your next objective").
To take FC's example, let's use the Fort level. Your objective is to plant explosives and destory that fort at the top of the hill. Yes, your linear objective is clear and you cannot deter from it. However, you start in a small raft and have at least 4 different paths to reach that fort. I've made it up to that fort without firing a single shot before (then all hell broke loose inside and those enemies I snuck by now joined in as well).
Another example would be the Carrier mission where your objective was to get into a raft and get the heck outta Dodge. That's clearcut enough. Well, there are obstacles in the way-- a chopper that begins firing at you instantly, a merc on a mounted machine gun waiting to mow you down, and about 7 other mercs on foot guarding that raft. I have read SEVERAL different ways players have got into that raft. Some meticulously taking out every single enemy, some rushing through as quick as possible while taking fire and then jumping into the raft, and some (like me) mistakenly fell into the water thinking that they would need to reload only to find that they could then shoot the chains that held the raft in place several stories above, and watch it float down to you in the water (bypassing all of the enemies except the chopper).
Again, I don't think it's about open-endedness... but more about a non linear PHYSICAL path to walk down. I find myself replaying and looking for more alternate ways to get from Point A to Point B. In COD, this can't be done.
FWIW, I love both games.