History Main / SlidingScaleOfVideoGameObjectives

* ''Riven'' (the sequel to {{Myst}}) falls in this category ("Find Katherine, capture Gehn using this book, signal Atrus"). So does ''Revelation'' ("Keep an eye on Yeesha"), although in this case the instructions are not only vague but actively misleading...

* ''{{Myst}}'' literally drops you into a new universe without any instructions whatsoever. ''Exile'' and ''Uru'' (from later in the story) function in much the same way.

* ''VideoGame/JediOutcast'' had mission objectives like "Investigate the Outpost". Ooooooooookay. There were usually specific tasks you had to accomplish, but you had to figure out for yourself exactly what those tasks might be.

* ''[[DarkForcesSaga Jedi Outcast]]'' had mission objectives like "Investigate the Outpost". Ooooooooookay. There were usually specific tasks you had to accomplish, but you had to figure out for yourself exactly what those tasks might be.

* The DarkForcesSaga managed to sneak these into certain levels.

* Most JamesBond-inspired games following ''VideoGame/GoldenEye1997'' take the "sequentially revealed objectives" route.

For those that cannot be won at all, see KobayashiMario.

* Most of the memories in ''AssassinsCreedRevelations'' have an optional objective needed for "full synchronization" (100% as opposed to 50%). 100% synch of an entire memory sequence unlocked cheat codes, while a full synch in all sequences earned you an achievement.

* [[{{STALKER}} FIND STRELOK. KILL STRELOK.]] [[spoiler: You can do this in the first couple of minutes of the game if you wish.]]

* The SNES version of ''{{Alien 3}}''.

* ''{{Flower}}'' on PS3. Although since you can't die, it's really only "reach the end of the level."

* ''{{Fallout}} 2'' was notable because almost ''the entire game'' was optional. If you could avoid having your level 2 Chosen One's [[YourHeadAsplode head squished like a grape]] from the enemies you find there, you can go straight from the tutorial level to the Enclave bases.

Objectives in a Video Game or TabletopRPG may be described in a variable amount of detail; the variety of such specificity goes along a sliding scale thusly:

* ''{{Doom}}'' -- just run through the game, shooting anything that gets in your way, and reach the exit.

* ''{{Fallout}} 2'' was notable because almost ''the entire game'' was optional. If you could avoid having your level 2 Chosen One's [[YourHeadAsplode head squished like a grape]] from the enemies you find there, you can go straight from the tutorial level to the Enclave bases.

This trope can also show up in other media, normally in a MissionBriefing.

* ''GoldenEye 007''

* Most JamesBond-inspired games following ''GoldenEye'' take the "sequentially revealed objectives" route.

* ''DeadSpace''. "Thanks for fixing X, Isaac, but now Y is broken! Fix it!"

* ''SupremeCommander'' combines this with a "sequential map". As objectives are completed, new ones will appear in an area of map that is suddenly made available that the player could not see before.

* In Arma 2 objectives will present themselves in missions and you can choose right then and there to accept or ignore them. Completing them effects how the campaign does overall, especially in regards to the disposition of the locals.

* ''{{Halo Reach}}'s [[spoiler: final objective is "survive". Somewhat subverted in that you don't win.]]

* ''TronTwoPointOh''

* The Assault gamemode of ''UnrealTournament'' is based around a mixture of this and Win: the attackers have to accomplish several objectives in the specified order to win while the defenders merely have to hold them off until time's up. Then the roles are reversed and the former defenders have to beat the time of the former attackers and/or (in ''[=UT2004=]'') accomplish more objectives than the former attackers.

* ''[=~Tron 2.0~=]''

* ''DeusEx''

* ''{{Tron}} 2.0''

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* ''{{Halo Reach}}'s [[Spoiler: final objective is "survive". Somewhat subverted in that you don't win.]]