Quick definition:A feature that lets a player jump instantly or quickly between distant locations they have already discovered, skipping the journey across the game world.
Meaning
Fast travel allows a player to move between points on a map without walking the whole distance. The feature is a staple of open-world and role-playing games. The player picks a destination from a list or a map, and the game moves them there, often with a short loading screen.
Most games let players use it only for locations already discovered, so that exploring still has a purpose. It saves time in large worlds, particularly when returning to towns to sell items or hand in quests. Many maps mark the available points with special symbols.
Designers balance convenience against immersion. Free travel can make a world feel small, while no travel at all can make repeated trips tedious. Compromises include limited travel points, travel costs, fast mounts, shortcuts and vehicles that make journeys enjoyable in themselves.
Origin:Fast travel describes the purpose of the feature, which is to move across the map quickly. Large worlds made walking long distances tiresome, so designers added teleports, vehicles and map menus to save time. The phrase is common in open-world and role-playing games, and no single game or designer is credited with creating it.
Example:Having finished a quest in the far north, Gina opens her map and selects a village in the south. A brief loading screen appears, and she arrives at its gate. The trip would have taken twenty minutes on foot, but she keeps the saved time for a long conversation with the blacksmith.
Did you know?Fast travel is debated. Supporters value the convenience, while others say it weakens exploration and the feeling of scale. Some games limit it with costs, cooldowns or the need to visit a location first, and others leave it out.
