A good RPG world should include both outdoor and dungeon-type areas. For multiplayer RPGs, I think Asheron s Call is a great example of a complete RPG world. With the biggest 3D world seen yet in computer games, Dereth has deserts, mountains, swamps, villages, forests, and fortresses. Beneath this very thorough landscape, though, are dozens of different types of dungeons. The world of Asheron s Call certainly is large, but in making such a massive environment, it is not half as detailed as it could have been.
Many dungeons have repetitive and boring textures.
Single-player worlds do not need the immensity that has become the trend for multiplayer RPGs, but should be large and diverse enough for some decent exploration. Baldur s Gate s world is much larger than Torment s, but is full of long stretches of unimportant wilderness. Torment, on the other hand, still has a good-sized world, however, every square foot seems unique and important. I d prefer Planescape s smaller, but more detailed game world, but perhaps with a little more room to explore. The closest any game has come to this seems to be Ultima 9, although I ll admit to never playing it due to the excessive amounts of poor reviews it received.