There are trees, the sound of wind, wild animals running ...maybe a beautiful spot to sit down next to a waterfall. Oh, whats that beneath the water, some forgotten ring sits there in the deep...a backpack lies there. Inside a book of lore of xxx. Back on the road, you here howls...its dusk turning to nightime. There could be some kind of minor encounter with goblin scouts? Wild animals in the area? Seek shelter in a cave on top of a hill...Its nightime. From on top, you see a cloaked figure arriving from the north in great haste, then he disappears...in his sted now stands a huge menacing bear smelling tracks...yours maybe? or the goblin scouts?
What Im saying is, these wilderness area don't have to be completely EMPTY. They add atmosphere and immersion to the game. Something to make you feel that your on an ADVENTURE and traveling.
You already have that in the game, but feel free to keep dreaming of that 500 Gb install size that no one else would be happy with.
BG2 did it. Its a 4GB and a 300h+ RPG adventure. Has 18 companions, romances, strongholds, has many spells etc...
For BG3 ...Cinematics dialogues and voices I would say is the bulk of that huge game size. Not the maps.
BG2 also had zero graphics and static backgrounds drawn in paint lol. You really don't understand game development do you?
I'm sure you would have also been fine if the game needed another 3 years in development just to make it even bigger.
Try watching this relevant video:
'A meaningful, smaller world >>>> a massive, open world'
BG3 also has vertical exploration, I'm not even sure any other games have this. A smaller map but with far more stuff in it because you can also go up and down.
