I have several 'ideal games' in my head, some of which are theme-parks, some of which are sandboxes, and some of which are difficult to sort into either category.
As it is, though, EVE already fits my ideal sandbox model and is only getting better, so at this time I see more need for a theme-park game that provides what I want out of that model: an RPG experience in multiplayer that can currently only be had in single-player games. Fully instanced, fully voiced, story-driven gameplay that wraps 2-5 players into a story together as well as into their own private subplots. Needless to say, The Old Republic has my attention, but I also sense this possibly coming from The Secret World and World of Darkness.
We are lacking a good medieval fantasy sandbox, though, and I have some hope that Mortal Online will be to fantasy what EVE is to sci-fi, but I'm not holding my breath.
Favorites: EQ, EVE | Playing: None. Mostly VR and strategy | Anticipating: CU, Pantheon
I understand the term Sandbox "play in a big sandbox and do/make of it what you want" but why are people frequently refering to other games as Themeparks... the only true themepark game is Rollercoaster Tycoon... we aren't queuing for rides or eating candyfloss in the others...
I understand the term Sandbox "play in a big sandbox and do/make of it what you want" but why are people frequently refering to other games as Themeparks... the only true themepark game is Rollercoaster Tycoon... we aren't queuing for rides or eating candyfloss in the others...
The term themepark refers to where in a phemepark you go to your rideand the ride follows a pre-set path to give you the 'Ride'.
In a themepark game you are told where you need to go next to level up be it a certain location with next level mobs or it tels you where the next quest giver can be found, then you enjoy the ride which is on a set path to the next level be it a area where you kill the same mobs repetidly or a new quest giver who gives you his set of missions.
So to sum it up in a VERY basic way themeparks have a set path or paths you have to follow in order to advance. While a sandbox doesant have set paths rather it has several things you can do in any order and at any time.
Another great example of Moore's Law. Give people access to that much space (developers and users alike) and they'll find uses for it that you can never imagine. "640K ought to be enough for anybody" - Bill Gates 1981
Hands down I prefer sandbox, as I am sure most do, but we will keep getting crap theme park games because they are way more simple to make. WoW pretty much made a formula that anyone can copy. As far as your opinion of the 2 good sandbox games, I found it astonishing that you left out UO. UO was the first great MMORPG and it happened to be a sandbox game.
Hands down I prefer sandbox, as I am sure most do, but we will keep getting crap theme park games because they are way more simple to make. WoWEverquest pretty much made a formula that anyone can copy. As far as your opinion of the 2 good sandbox games, I found it astonishing that you left out UO. UO was the first great MMORPG and it happened to be a sandbox game.
Fixed that for ya.
"You'll never win an argument with an idiot because he is too stupid to recognize his own defeat." ~Anonymous
Besides, apart from the character development, current SWG offers far more diversity then preCU in the forms of crafting, playercities and space.
I disagree, particularly in regard to crafting.
Sure they may have added some new furniture schematics and clothing colors, but they also remade the game to be loot-centric, removed decay, etc. Crafting is now completely optional, and most people just roll an alt to grind their bits or whatever, whereas pre-CU, it was a viable playstyle with more depth than combat.
Sandbox/themepark hmmm...this could be good. I never said themeparks were no fun or i hated them. I played WoW i had fun for a while, i just prefer sandbox games. But a sandbox game with a little more PvE content like, themepark games would be good in my mind.
I could vote for my favorite, but this vote won't make much of a difference in people. Theme-park is for casual players that don't want to invest a lot of time. Sandbox is for people who have several hours a day to play. Each have their own place and purpose. If you have 5-8 hours a day to play video games, then god love ya. If not, then there will always be a need for mmos that don't require that much time to have fun.
What i like about sandbox games is that there's no pressure on you to do things, like everytime i log into a "themepark" i know what im suppose to be doing, which can be to raid/grind/pvp endlessly to get something while in a sandbox i have the freedom to do whatever im feeling like rather than having to put up with things. Themepark games also to me lack in other things to do, as defined a themepark game has a set path for you to follow and beside following that path theres nothing else to do. Well there's raids or dungeons but to me that just feels like having to grind them to get gear for the pvp part of the game and well thats about all they have to them. A usual themepark also gets boring for me after i hit the level cap as i have all the skills and good gear and all left for me to do is grind while in a sandbox there really isnt any end game. I still enjoy and do play themepark games but thats because i havent found a good sandbox for my taste.
Care to elaborate what some of the things you can do freely in sandbox games are?
John.A.Joid summed what i was gonna say in his post, there's just no pressure on you to do things and yo do whatever you feel like and that alone opens alot of possibilities.
Sandbox with themepark please. Im getting sick of this absolute chosing for one thing or the other in these stupid polls. One doesnt have to exclude the other. PreCU SWG with a lot of current NGE SWG content would have been a far more complete product. Its just stupid to limit your choices. Besides, apart from the character development, current SWG offers far more diversity then preCU in the forms of crafting, playercities and space. With upcoming chronicles and droid engineer update it gets even better. For me the ideal situation would be preCU professions combined with NGE new features and content. To bad that those limited thinking precu vets who confuse nostalgia for a game feature, wont see this. Anyway, wont matter. I see very little chance for a new MMO with as many features and freedom as in SWG (all features old and new combined) or UO. Except some failed attempts from Indie developers, who dont make it because of impatient player hate and lack of funds.
You have to choose one or the other. Yes giving a sandbox game theme-park qualities still makes it a sandbox it doesnt change the classification. Elaborating on the detail of adding theme-park qualites is good, just dont complain about the lack of choices because there are only two choices and..your a stupid poll.....meanie
We dont celebrate your independance day. But I agree partying is always a good idea
About the two choices. Your poll is themepark or sandbox. If your sandbox contains a themepark, then that choice covers both options. So you could get rid of the themepark option.
Okay, so sandbox = freedom, themepark = guided content
I prefer a sandbox world with alot of guided content inside, like EVE Online has their mission and exploration systems.
I remember SWG pre-cu-nge having some cool sortoff epic / storyline missions too, just not too many of them.
So it is the combination of a sandbox world with theme park content that makes an mmo a winner, imho.
Of course, skill based characters, player owned structures, complex crafting/economy, freedom, interdependancy, socializing and community are all things I value in a sandbox, and should be present, alongside it's theme park content.
If you are interested in subscription or PCU numbers for MMORPG's, check out my site : http://mmodata.blogspot.be/ Favorite MMORPG's : DAoC pre ToA-NF, SWG Pre CU-NGE, EVE Online
Well then. I want a game that is Niether of these. I want full Blown Chaos.
Or Like these new ones Were there is Tons of Questing and Trade skill's But the ability to grind if you want But actually be able to get decent exp. everquest exp? But also get Decent exp from questing. Wow questing? Why does it seem every single game that comes out HAS to be one or the other?
Sandbox with themepark please. Im getting sick of this absolute chosing for one thing or the other in these stupid polls. One doesnt have to exclude the other. PreCU SWG with a lot of current NGE SWG content would have been a far more complete product. Its just stupid to limit your choices. Besides, apart from the character development, current SWG offers far more diversity then preCU in the forms of crafting, playercities and space. With upcoming chronicles and droid engineer update it gets even better. For me the ideal situation would be preCU professions combined with NGE new features and content. To bad that those limited thinking precu vets who confuse nostalgia for a game feature, wont see this. Anyway, wont matter. I see very little chance for a new MMO with as many features and freedom as in SWG (all features old and new combined) or UO. Except some failed attempts from Indie developers, who dont make it because of impatient player hate and lack of funds.
For me the ideal situation would be preCU professions combined with NGE new features and content. To bad that those limited thinking precu vets who confuse nostalgia for a game feature, wont see this.
You were on to something until you wrote that ...
I do not think many pre-cu vets would have been opposed to pre-cu-nge swg with more guided content added, just as most of the eve online players are not opposed to adding more and better missions.
However, we ( the pre-cu-nge vets ) prefer that the fundaments of the game are sandbox, with guided content added on top.
SWG as it is now means nothing, I haven't played for a long time, but I doubt the crafting is meaningfull, doctors buffing, medics healing, entertainers healing, etc, the interdependance and freedom is gone, that is the point we pre-cu-nge vets make.
If you are interested in subscription or PCU numbers for MMORPG's, check out my site : http://mmodata.blogspot.be/ Favorite MMORPG's : DAoC pre ToA-NF, SWG Pre CU-NGE, EVE Online
Sandbox? More like litter box. Every game has limits and restrictions on what you can and cannot do and to simply say that because you have flexibility in one area you are playing a sandbox is silly.
First let me state that I have two active Eve Online accounts and while I am no longer as active as I used to be I do still play but to say that Eve is a sandbox is inaccurate. What it has is an open ruleset when it comes to player interaction but in other parts of the game especially the game play itself it is probably one of the most restrictive games out there.
For example, I would like to paint my ship purple...um no modifications or customization of your ship allowed. Can I interact with the NPCs in any meaninful way? um no. Can I colonize one of the planets? Um no. Can I get out and explore a planet? um no. Can I put a really big gun on a tiny ship? um no. Can I take bits of two different ships to make a new unique ship? um no.
Can I create a huge Ponzi scheme and steal lots of ISK from all of my fellow players and not fear any retribution? um yes.
Not really a sandbox guys. But that doesn't mean Eve can't be a lot of fun at times.
Now, I don't mean to pick on Eve but every game has some sort of restrictions or limits otherwise it simply wouldn't be practical to maintain. None of that means though that the games still can't be fun.
Sandbox? More like litter box. Every game has limits and restrictions on what you can and cannot do and to simply say that because you have flexibility in one area you are playing a sandbox is silly. First let me state that I have two active Eve Online accounts and while I am no longer as active as I used to be I do still play but to say that Eve is a sandbox is inaccurate. What it has is an open ruleset when it comes to player interaction but in other parts of the game especially the game play itself it is probably one of the most restrictive games out there. For example, I would like to paint my ship purple...um no modifications or customization of your ship allowed. Can I interact with the NPCs in any meaninful way? um no. Can I colonize one of the planets? Um no. Can I get out and explore a planet? um no. Can I put a really big gun on a tiny ship? um no. Can I take bits of two different ships to make a new unique ship? um no. Can I create a huge Ponzi scheme and steal lots of ISK from all of my fellow players and not fear any retribution? um yes. Not really a sandbox guys. But that doesn't mean Eve can't be a lot of fun at times. Now, I don't mean to pick on Eve but every game has some sort of restrictions or limits otherwise it simply wouldn't be practical to maintain. None of that means though that the games still can't be fun.
Look, when we talk about sandbox mmorpg's we mean mmorpg's with certain freedoms : skill based, non instanced world, a variety of equally valid proffessions ( fighter, crafter, mage, trader, etc ), player owned structures, etc
Yes the only true sandbox out there is Second Life, but thats not a game to me anymore.
Of course there are restrictions and not everything is player made, but you are nitpicking on semantics here.
If you are interested in subscription or PCU numbers for MMORPG's, check out my site : http://mmodata.blogspot.be/ Favorite MMORPG's : DAoC pre ToA-NF, SWG Pre CU-NGE, EVE Online
AC was a sandbox game in a truer since than EQ was at the time. As for me...hmmm...I'd like a sandbox first and foremost, with lots of toys in it for me to play with - if there were a couple of theme parks on the side...thats OK...just as long as I have complete freedom and the theme parks are not a requirement that must be participated in to get anywhere in the game - and it should be totally skill based - no levels and no classes!!!!
Sandbox with themepark please. Im getting sick of this absolute chosing for one thing or the other in these stupid polls. One doesnt have to exclude the other. PreCU SWG with a lot of current NGE SWG content would have been a far more complete product. Its just stupid to limit your choices. Besides, apart from the character development, current SWG offers far more diversity then preCU in the forms of crafting, playercities and space. With upcoming chronicles and droid engineer update it gets even better. For me the ideal situation would be preCU professions combined with NGE new features and content. To bad that those limited thinking precu vets who confuse nostalgia for a game feature, wont see this. Anyway, wont matter. I see very little chance for a new MMO with as many features and freedom as in SWG (all features old and new combined) or UO. Except some failed attempts from Indie developers, who dont make it because of impatient player hate and lack of funds.
I am sorry but this does not make any sense to me. What excactly is a sandbox themepark game? That is like saying up-down and dry-wet.
Sandbox games cant by definition be themepark as they have mutually exclusive elements. Sandbox are free and non-linear when it comes to progression. Themepark games are linear and are basically on tracks so how is it possible to combine those two?
Sandbox with content is not the same as a themepark. Sandbox worlds are basically virtually worlds, where as themepark "worlds" are like amusement park with events.
As for the choice it is easily sandbox for me. Themeparks completely destroy all immersion for me in MMORPGs.
A hybrid is the way to go. The deep setting with a hold your hand tutorial seen so often in theme parks getting players up to speed, but then all the freedom of a sandbox at the players fingertips with multiple storylines to take part in. The problem with sandboxes and casual users or unexperienced users is getting dropped into the world and having no clue what to do. If they start off with a very hold your hand themepark approach that gradually gets the player acclimated to the environment and game world and then opens up into a huge sandbox even the themepark diehards would probably realize how nice freedom is.
The first company to successfully make a AAA hybrid of the two styles will do extremely well I think.
I am sorry but this does not make any sense to me. What excactly is a sandbox themepark game? That is like saying up-down and dry-wet. Sandbox games cant by definition be themepark as they have mutually exclusive elements. Sandbox are free and non-linear when it comes to progression. Themepark games are linear and are basically on tracks so how is it possible to combine those two? Sandbox with content is not the same as a themepark. Sandbox worlds are basically virtually worlds, where as themepark "worlds" are like amusement park with events. As for the choice it is easily sandbox for me. Themeparks completely destroy all immersion for me in MMORPGs.
It's this kind of thinking though that results in so many games that are one extreme or the other. You can take elements from both and blend them together to create something really great. There are good elements in both types of games. Why can't a sandbox have a themepark tutorial with optional storylines and epic quests while still having the itemization, crafting, player generated content, player driven economy, skill based system of a sandbox.
One good example of a hybrid/mix is having the skill based system of a typical sandbox, but allow users to declare that they are X class. There could be 100 classes, and to be that class you have to have the required skills, and by selecting the class you get a bonus to one thing while a negative to another.
An example would be Paladin:
Required 1 Hand Sword Skill: 50+
Required Shield Skill: 50+
Required Healing Magic: 30+
Required Heavy Armor: 30+
Bonuses:
10% bonus to healing, 15% bonus to defense, 5% bonus to blocking with shield
Negative Effects:
10% Reduction in Melee Damage, 5% Reduction in Offensive Spell Damage
Bonus Ability:
Lay On Hands~
You get my drift by now. I actually think Mortal Online at one point was planning a system something like this.
Take EVE for example, you can add content to planets that make it into a theme park game, the missions are somewhat of a theme park sense and basically a hybrid game can be sandbox and have instances that are like theme parks but have them be huge instances.
My only requirement in a game is the ability to be someone and to progress in a game without the need to horde: xp and/or items.
If i ever get hooked to another MMO, i go straight economy as it is more fun and intellectual than just hack and slash. Having wealth rocks. I want a game where intellect actually matters. Too bad ebayers make it so peopel cna just buy currency without using their brains on how to earn it.
Catch me streaming at twitch.tv/cryomatrix You can see my sci-fi/WW2 book recommendations.
both together for me and its a huge source of disapointment that no devs have had a proper go at it. The economy, crafting, player housing and citys from swg were amazing and I'd like to see those sort of features alongside lots of content, achievements, quests, deep character progression.
Maybe crafting and housing from swg, citys, from swg and shadowbane, pvp from shadowbane, acheivements, mounts, quests, accessability from wow, aa system from eq2, graphics and sound from aoc, tomb of knowledge from war. I'd like to see minigames etc from games like free realms too, give us places to meet and have a quick 5 minute game of darts, or poker, or chess or racing whatever, things to fill the time and make it more like a world you live in.
Comments
I have several 'ideal games' in my head, some of which are theme-parks, some of which are sandboxes, and some of which are difficult to sort into either category.
As it is, though, EVE already fits my ideal sandbox model and is only getting better, so at this time I see more need for a theme-park game that provides what I want out of that model: an RPG experience in multiplayer that can currently only be had in single-player games. Fully instanced, fully voiced, story-driven gameplay that wraps 2-5 players into a story together as well as into their own private subplots. Needless to say, The Old Republic has my attention, but I also sense this possibly coming from The Secret World and World of Darkness.
We are lacking a good medieval fantasy sandbox, though, and I have some hope that Mortal Online will be to fantasy what EVE is to sci-fi, but I'm not holding my breath.
sandbox
gamertag - Swaffle House
I understand the term Sandbox "play in a big sandbox and do/make of it what you want" but why are people frequently refering to other games as Themeparks... the only true themepark game is Rollercoaster Tycoon... we aren't queuing for rides or eating candyfloss in the others...
The term themepark refers to where in a phemepark you go to your rideand the ride follows a pre-set path to give you the 'Ride'.
In a themepark game you are told where you need to go next to level up be it a certain location with next level mobs or it tels you where the next quest giver can be found, then you enjoy the ride which is on a set path to the next level be it a area where you kill the same mobs repetidly or a new quest giver who gives you his set of missions.
So to sum it up in a VERY basic way themeparks have a set path or paths you have to follow in order to advance. While a sandbox doesant have set paths rather it has several things you can do in any order and at any time.
Another great example of Moore's Law. Give people access to that much space (developers and users alike) and they'll find uses for it that you can never imagine. "640K ought to be enough for anybody" - Bill Gates 1981
Hands down I prefer sandbox, as I am sure most do, but we will keep getting crap theme park games because they are way more simple to make. WoW pretty much made a formula that anyone can copy. As far as your opinion of the 2 good sandbox games, I found it astonishing that you left out UO. UO was the first great MMORPG and it happened to be a sandbox game.
Fixed that for ya.
"You'll never win an argument with an idiot because he is too stupid to recognize his own defeat." ~Anonymous
I disagree, particularly in regard to crafting.
Sure they may have added some new furniture schematics and clothing colors, but they also remade the game to be loot-centric, removed decay, etc. Crafting is now completely optional, and most people just roll an alt to grind their bits or whatever, whereas pre-CU, it was a viable playstyle with more depth than combat.
More fluff? Yes. More diversity? Not even close.
Sandbox/themepark hmmm...this could be good. I never said themeparks were no fun or i hated them. I played WoW i had fun for a while, i just prefer sandbox games. But a sandbox game with a little more PvE content like, themepark games would be good in my mind.
Tried: EvE, DnD Online, LotRO, WAR, AoC,
Played: UO, SWG(pre-cu), GuildWars, FFXI, WoW
Liked: UO, SWG, GuildWars
Disliked: WoW, FFXI
True True..my mistake.
Tried: EvE, DnD Online, LotRO, WAR, AoC,
Played: UO, SWG(pre-cu), GuildWars, FFXI, WoW
Liked: UO, SWG, GuildWars
Disliked: WoW, FFXI
I could vote for my favorite, but this vote won't make much of a difference in people. Theme-park is for casual players that don't want to invest a lot of time. Sandbox is for people who have several hours a day to play. Each have their own place and purpose. If you have 5-8 hours a day to play video games, then god love ya. If not, then there will always be a need for mmos that don't require that much time to have fun.
/a puff of smoke, I'm gone
Care to elaborate what some of the things you can do freely in sandbox games are?
John.A.Joid summed what i was gonna say in his post, there's just no pressure on you to do things and yo do whatever you feel like and that alone opens alot of possibilities.
You have to choose one or the other. Yes giving a sandbox game theme-park qualities still makes it a sandbox it doesnt change the classification. Elaborating on the detail of adding theme-park qualites is good, just dont complain about the lack of choices because there are only two choices and..your a stupid poll.....meanie
Edit: Happy Independence Day! Kaboom Pow....pow..pow...........BOOOM!
We dont celebrate your independance day. But I agree partying is always a good idea
About the two choices. Your poll is themepark or sandbox. If your sandbox contains a themepark, then that choice covers both options. So you could get rid of the themepark option.
Okay, so sandbox = freedom, themepark = guided content
I prefer a sandbox world with alot of guided content inside, like EVE Online has their mission and exploration systems.
I remember SWG pre-cu-nge having some cool sortoff epic / storyline missions too, just not too many of them.
So it is the combination of a sandbox world with theme park content that makes an mmo a winner, imho.
Of course, skill based characters, player owned structures, complex crafting/economy, freedom, interdependancy, socializing and community are all things I value in a sandbox, and should be present, alongside it's theme park content.
If you are interested in subscription or PCU numbers for MMORPG's, check out my site :
http://mmodata.blogspot.be/
Favorite MMORPG's : DAoC pre ToA-NF, SWG Pre CU-NGE, EVE Online
Well then. I want a game that is Niether of these. I want full Blown Chaos.
Or Like these new ones Were there is Tons of Questing and Trade skill's But the ability to grind if you want But actually be able to get decent exp. everquest exp? But also get Decent exp from questing. Wow questing? Why does it seem every single game that comes out HAS to be one or the other?
Sandbox! No doubt!
Best sandbox game out there (at least pre-cu) is/was Star Wars Galaxies
Yes, sandbox and themepark combined is the best.
You were on to something until you wrote that ...
I do not think many pre-cu vets would have been opposed to pre-cu-nge swg with more guided content added, just as most of the eve online players are not opposed to adding more and better missions.
However, we ( the pre-cu-nge vets ) prefer that the fundaments of the game are sandbox, with guided content added on top.
SWG as it is now means nothing, I haven't played for a long time, but I doubt the crafting is meaningfull, doctors buffing, medics healing, entertainers healing, etc, the interdependance and freedom is gone, that is the point we pre-cu-nge vets make.
If you are interested in subscription or PCU numbers for MMORPG's, check out my site :
http://mmodata.blogspot.be/
Favorite MMORPG's : DAoC pre ToA-NF, SWG Pre CU-NGE, EVE Online
Sandbox? More like litter box. Every game has limits and restrictions on what you can and cannot do and to simply say that because you have flexibility in one area you are playing a sandbox is silly.
First let me state that I have two active Eve Online accounts and while I am no longer as active as I used to be I do still play but to say that Eve is a sandbox is inaccurate. What it has is an open ruleset when it comes to player interaction but in other parts of the game especially the game play itself it is probably one of the most restrictive games out there.
For example, I would like to paint my ship purple...um no modifications or customization of your ship allowed. Can I interact with the NPCs in any meaninful way? um no. Can I colonize one of the planets? Um no. Can I get out and explore a planet? um no. Can I put a really big gun on a tiny ship? um no. Can I take bits of two different ships to make a new unique ship? um no.
Can I create a huge Ponzi scheme and steal lots of ISK from all of my fellow players and not fear any retribution? um yes.
Not really a sandbox guys. But that doesn't mean Eve can't be a lot of fun at times.
Now, I don't mean to pick on Eve but every game has some sort of restrictions or limits otherwise it simply wouldn't be practical to maintain. None of that means though that the games still can't be fun.
Look, when we talk about sandbox mmorpg's we mean mmorpg's with certain freedoms : skill based, non instanced world, a variety of equally valid proffessions ( fighter, crafter, mage, trader, etc ), player owned structures, etc
Yes the only true sandbox out there is Second Life, but thats not a game to me anymore.
Of course there are restrictions and not everything is player made, but you are nitpicking on semantics here.
If you are interested in subscription or PCU numbers for MMORPG's, check out my site :
http://mmodata.blogspot.be/
Favorite MMORPG's : DAoC pre ToA-NF, SWG Pre CU-NGE, EVE Online
AC was a sandbox game in a truer since than EQ was at the time. As for me...hmmm...I'd like a sandbox first and foremost, with lots of toys in it for me to play with - if there were a couple of theme parks on the side...thats OK...just as long as I have complete freedom and the theme parks are not a requirement that must be participated in to get anywhere in the game - and it should be totally skill based - no levels and no classes!!!!
I am sorry but this does not make any sense to me. What excactly is a sandbox themepark game? That is like saying up-down and dry-wet.
Sandbox games cant by definition be themepark as they have mutually exclusive elements. Sandbox are free and non-linear when it comes to progression. Themepark games are linear and are basically on tracks so how is it possible to combine those two?
Sandbox with content is not the same as a themepark. Sandbox worlds are basically virtually worlds, where as themepark "worlds" are like amusement park with events.
As for the choice it is easily sandbox for me. Themeparks completely destroy all immersion for me in MMORPGs.
My gaming blog
A hybrid is the way to go. The deep setting with a hold your hand tutorial seen so often in theme parks getting players up to speed, but then all the freedom of a sandbox at the players fingertips with multiple storylines to take part in. The problem with sandboxes and casual users or unexperienced users is getting dropped into the world and having no clue what to do. If they start off with a very hold your hand themepark approach that gradually gets the player acclimated to the environment and game world and then opens up into a huge sandbox even the themepark diehards would probably realize how nice freedom is.
The first company to successfully make a AAA hybrid of the two styles will do extremely well I think.
It's this kind of thinking though that results in so many games that are one extreme or the other. You can take elements from both and blend them together to create something really great. There are good elements in both types of games. Why can't a sandbox have a themepark tutorial with optional storylines and epic quests while still having the itemization, crafting, player generated content, player driven economy, skill based system of a sandbox.
One good example of a hybrid/mix is having the skill based system of a typical sandbox, but allow users to declare that they are X class. There could be 100 classes, and to be that class you have to have the required skills, and by selecting the class you get a bonus to one thing while a negative to another.
An example would be Paladin:
Required 1 Hand Sword Skill: 50+
Required Shield Skill: 50+
Required Healing Magic: 30+
Required Heavy Armor: 30+
Bonuses:
10% bonus to healing, 15% bonus to defense, 5% bonus to blocking with shield
Negative Effects:
10% Reduction in Melee Damage, 5% Reduction in Offensive Spell Damage
Bonus Ability:
Lay On Hands~
You get my drift by now. I actually think Mortal Online at one point was planning a system something like this.
You can make a hybrid theme park/sandbox game.
Take EVE for example, you can add content to planets that make it into a theme park game, the missions are somewhat of a theme park sense and basically a hybrid game can be sandbox and have instances that are like theme parks but have them be huge instances.
My only requirement in a game is the ability to be someone and to progress in a game without the need to horde:
xp and/or items.
If i ever get hooked to another MMO, i go straight economy as it is more fun and intellectual than just hack and slash. Having wealth rocks. I want a game where intellect actually matters. Too bad ebayers make it so peopel cna just buy currency without using their brains on how to earn it.
You can see my sci-fi/WW2 book recommendations.
both together for me and its a huge source of disapointment that no devs have had a proper go at it. The economy, crafting, player housing and citys from swg were amazing and I'd like to see those sort of features alongside lots of content, achievements, quests, deep character progression.
Maybe crafting and housing from swg, citys, from swg and shadowbane, pvp from shadowbane, acheivements, mounts, quests, accessability from wow, aa system from eq2, graphics and sound from aoc, tomb of knowledge from war. I'd like to see minigames etc from games like free realms too, give us places to meet and have a quick 5 minute game of darts, or poker, or chess or racing whatever, things to fill the time and make it more like a world you live in.