I mean the real answer for how to "mind control" players into following your throughline is just leaning on the existing industry visual grammar for communicati

I mean the real answer for how to "mind control" players into following your throughline is just leaning on the existing industry visual grammar for communicating with players. * Make the place you want the player to go lit up, and other areas darkened. * Make ledges, ladders, and other intractable elements you want the player to know are interactive yellow. * Pick a thematically appropriate "this is a wall" like the very common smattering of furniture and use it liberally to signal that this is the wrong way. * Don't use loops that aren't small, self contained, and that the player can see are loops. Don't use "diamond" maps where players must choose between two paths that end at the same place without making it painfully obvious that's what's happening. Elden ring with the grand lift vs the cave did it well. * Make not-the-main-paths short and put a useful but not necessary or particularly valuable item at the end as a reward for players exploring and signal that this is the end. It's not magic or anything, but players have likely played so many games that use these and similar visual cues that they've interned them without even realizing.