Developing realistic and populated cities in RPGs presents a unique challenge due to their significantly higher cost and complexity compared to more traditional environments like dungeons. Obsidian studio design director Josh Sawyer explained this phenomenon in a recent Q&A vlog, stating that a town can be roughly four times as expensive to create per unit of area as a dungeon.
Sawyer elaborated that this expense stems from several factors. Towns typically require a high density of non-player characters (NPCs), each with their own dialogue and often custom appearances, demanding more development time and resources. "We realize: 'Holy crap, we spent forever trying to do these maps,'" Sawyer noted, recalling the development of Twin Elms in Pillars of Eternity as an example of a costly urban area that also presented pacing challenges for players.
While a generalization, Sawyer's observation reflects the development realities faced by studios like Obsidian and Black Isle. He pointed to games such as Baldur's Gate 2's Athkatla, Disco Elysium, and Zero Parades as successful implementations of dense urban settings. However, he also noted that Disco Elysium and Zero Parades had an advantage in not needing to integrate as many believable combat encounters as other RPGs.
Other games, like Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines and Cyberpunk 2077, faced notoriously difficult development cycles, partly attributed to their ambitious urban environments. Even Baldur's Gate 3's* city, while a point of defense for some players, shows the strain of its complex urban design, particularly in its later acts.
Despite the development hurdles, urban settings remain a compelling element in RPGs for many players and designers. Examples like Novigrad and Oxenfurt in The Witcher 3 are frequently cited as highlights. For those seeking an urban RPG experience, Sawyer also recommended the early access title Moves of the Diamond Hand.