From the start we knew we wanted to incorporate the exploration and combat together in a way that makes them feel connected and interwoven, not just exploration on this map and fighting on that map/UI.
The seamless transition is only part of the approach. But there's more we can do to make everything feel connected, and hopefully fun and enjoyable!
By adding interactable objects into the levels, we can create changes that take place in the map. Those changes will be impactful for both exploration and combat.
For example, imagine a tree that can be knocked down to form a bridge between two platforms. This creates a new area for exploration as well as a chokepoint for strategy (pairing greatly with some of the combat tricks like Overcasting)
Do we have a full list of all the possible objects and interactions? Or how the interactions work? ... No... But that's part of the fun of getting to figure things out along the way!