Why did games have what I call the “paper thin progress wall” where progress
It's usually because there's content in the barred area that assumes certain events (usually critical path) have already occurred, which would break if the player were to go there before those events happen. This is a…
It's usually because there's content in the barred area that assumes certain events (usually critical path) have already occurred, which would break if the player were to go there before those events happen. This is a classic formula - the player engages with the game world, which rewards her with new abilities and progression that expand the size of the world she can explore. This is the classic Legend of Zelda formula. It is normal that developers gate significant parts of the world behind plot events, earned traversal mechanics, or other methods. It's so that we don't overwhelm players with too much stuff at once, keep the cognitive load reasonable, and allow for a consistent overall experience from start to finish.
When players see these paper thin progress walls it can break immersion because it's arbitrary and doesn't make sense within the greater narrative of the game. This is called ludonarrative dissonance and can pop up from time to time in a variety of places. As long as we as developers come up with a cohesive reason that works within the rules and world the game has established, the dissonance usually melts away and players don't notice. This is also the reason why players are able to accept fire breathing dragons in their fantasy games but not cars or spaceships.
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