There isn't a good fantasy sandbox on the market currently. That's all there is to it. The few that there are, are horribly made. This is proven by the extremely low subscription count. Players play good games. EVE is the only one, but it's sci-fi. I will wait for Archage most likely, hoping that they can convert it's eastern market appeal to the western gaming market. I'm not holding my breath though.
I don't see myself playing a MMO for a while. I can only bang my head up against a wall so many times with the current MMO field.
I'm in the same boat as you.. However, by the time the leaves start falling and the seasons change, I always get that MMORPG itchy feeling... Unfortunately, the choices range from Been there done that, to ehh don't even wanna try that....
Rallithon Oakthornn (Retired Heirophant of the 60th season)
There is grind in every single MMO out there. I never understand when people give that as a negative about a game. EQ had grind, WoW has grind, UO had a lot of grind, (MO, DF) has grind, LOTR has grind, EVE has grind. Do you see my point? If you don't want grind, don't play a MMO. The whole point is to create a time-sink (grind) that keep people playing your game. The only difference is how those games deliver said grind to you, the player.
This is only true is you think grinds can be fun. For me, grinding isn't fun. In UO, I would go kill monsters in a dungeon and steal from other players for hours. I did it for fun, skill gain was just a by product.
Another example: in warhammer online I did the battlegrounds and shit so I could kill other people and win the scenarios, leveling up was just a by product.
This is only true is you think grinds can be fun. For me, grinding isn't fun. In UO, I would go kill monsters in a dungeon and steal from other players for hours. I did it for fun, skill gain was just a by product.
Another example: in warhammer online I did the battlegrounds and shit so I could kill other people and win the scenarios, leveling up was just a by product.
I agree to a point. UO (and sanbox/virtual MMOs) by nature don't have the same "grind" mentality that a lot of people think about. When most people bring up grinding, they think about endless hours of killing mobs just to gain levels or some specific item - such as Lineage 2. Or end game dungeon grinding like in WoW.
I think the difference is the way the grind is perceived. Grinding in UO or Darkfall is generally either about 1) obtaining gold which is then used to fund everything else you do in the game; house owning, crafting, character development, combat equipment, reagents, etc. 2) To raise skills.
However, the skill grind in these games was always overlooked because of macroing. As much as I love skill based games and believe it's the better of the two systems (level based or skill based), macroing is an enormous flaw skill based games run into. I like being good - but let's face it. None of us really enjoy leaving our computers on overnight while we run a script/macro that someone else most likely wrote so that we can hack away at a friend who is also running the same script so that we gain combat points and/or healing (Because without healing we dieeee!) JUST so that we stay competitive - because we KNOW someone else is doing it across the sea (and most likely doing a better job).
When someone can bring a skill-based system to the table that somehow cripples the benefits to macroing, we'll have ourselves a good system. Grind free!
But to each their own. Grinding mobs. Grinding skills. Grinding gold. I never really was bothered by it if the game was something I enjoyed playing. Hell. I actually liked grinding mobs more than I ever enjoyed grinding end game duneons, like in WoW. Talk about boring...
There is grind in every single MMO out there. I never understand when people give that as a negative about a game. EQ had grind, WoW has grind, UO had a lot of grind, (MO, DF) has grind, LOTR has grind, EVE has grind. Do you see my point? If you don't want grind, don't play a MMO. The whole point is to create a time-sink (grind) that keep people playing your game. The only difference is how those games deliver said grind to you, the player.
This is only true is you think grinds can be fun. For me, grinding isn't fun. In UO, I would go kill monsters in a dungeon and steal from other players for hours. I did it for fun, skill gain was just a by product.
Another example: in warhammer online I did the battlegrounds and shit so I could kill other people and win the scenarios, leveling up was just a by product.
You were still grinding, it was just masked in a manner that you found paletable.
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
There is grind in every single MMO out there. I never understand when people give that as a negative about a game. EQ had grind, WoW has grind, UO had a lot of grind, (MO, DF) has grind, LOTR has grind, EVE has grind. Do you see my point? If you don't want grind, don't play a MMO. The whole point is to create a time-sink (grind) that keep people playing your game. The only difference is how those games deliver said grind to you, the player.
This is only true is you think grinds can be fun. For me, grinding isn't fun. In UO, I would go kill monsters in a dungeon and steal from other players for hours. I did it for fun, skill gain was just a by product.
Another example: in warhammer online I did the battlegrounds and shit so I could kill other people and win the scenarios, leveling up was just a by product.
You were still grinding, it was just masked in a manner that you found paletable.
That's fine. This is turning into a dumbass semantic debate about what grind means. Don't really care one way or another, I just know what I find fun and what I don't find fun.
There is grind in every single MMO out there. I never understand when people give that as a negative about a game. EQ had grind, WoW has grind, UO had a lot of grind, (MO, DF) has grind, LOTR has grind, EVE has grind. Do you see my point? If you don't want grind, don't play a MMO. The whole point is to create a time-sink (grind) that keep people playing your game. The only difference is how those games deliver said grind to you, the player.
This is only true is you think grinds can be fun. For me, grinding isn't fun. In UO, I would go kill monsters in a dungeon and steal from other players for hours. I did it for fun, skill gain was just a by product.
Another example: in warhammer online I did the battlegrounds and shit so I could kill other people and win the scenarios, leveling up was just a by product.
You were still grinding, it was just masked in a manner that you found paletable.
Are you trying to change the definition of grind?
Forever looking for employment. Life is rather dull without it.
There is grind in every single MMO out there. I never understand when people give that as a negative about a game. EQ had grind, WoW has grind, UO had a lot of grind, (MO, DF) has grind, LOTR has grind, EVE has grind. Do you see my point? If you don't want grind, don't play a MMO. The whole point is to create a time-sink (grind) that keep people playing your game. The only difference is how those games deliver said grind to you, the player.
This is only true is you think grinds can be fun. For me, grinding isn't fun. In UO, I would go kill monsters in a dungeon and steal from other players for hours. I did it for fun, skill gain was just a by product.
Another example: in warhammer online I did the battlegrounds and shit so I could kill other people and win the scenarios, leveling up was just a by product.
You were still grinding, it was just masked in a manner that you found paletable.
There is grind in every single MMO out there. I never understand when people give that as a negative about a game. EQ had grind, WoW has grind, UO had a lot of grind, (MO, DF) has grind, LOTR has grind, EVE has grind. Do you see my point? If you don't want grind, don't play a MMO. The whole point is to create a time-sink (grind) that keep people playing your game. The only difference is how those games deliver said grind to you, the player.
This is only true is you think grinds can be fun. For me, grinding isn't fun. In UO, I would go kill monsters in a dungeon and steal from other players for hours. I did it for fun, skill gain was just a by product.
Another example: in warhammer online I did the battlegrounds and shit so I could kill other people and win the scenarios, leveling up was just a by product.
You were still grinding, it was just masked in a manner that you found paletable.
That's fine. This is turning into a dumbass semantic debate about what grind means. Don't really care one way or another, I just know what I find fun and what I don't find fun.
Hate to bash your argument, but... You were grinding 100%. In your case, you just allowed something else to occupy your brain while doing your grinding to make yourself perceive that you were actually doing something else.
I will give Fallen Earth a shout out here,..I haven't played in awhile but I really liked what was going on, it 'could' be cool,
BUT
as mentioned it seems the 'sandBox' hopefuls always sway towards too much harsh PvP,..
and yeah EveOnline is sandbox,..but it's like a different apple than what I think the OP is looking for,..at least until Ambulation comes around or something,..
There is grind in every single MMO out there. I never understand when people give that as a negative about a game. EQ had grind, WoW has grind, UO had a lot of grind, (MO, DF) has grind, LOTR has grind, EVE has grind. Do you see my point? If you don't want grind, don't play a MMO. The whole point is to create a time-sink (grind) that keep people playing your game. The only difference is how those games deliver said grind to you, the player.
This is only true is you think grinds can be fun. For me, grinding isn't fun. In UO, I would go kill monsters in a dungeon and steal from other players for hours. I did it for fun, skill gain was just a by product.
Another example: in warhammer online I did the battlegrounds and shit so I could kill other people and win the scenarios, leveling up was just a by product.
You were still grinding, it was just masked in a manner that you found paletable.
That's fine. This is turning into a dumbass semantic debate about what grind means. Don't really care one way or another, I just know what I find fun and what I don't find fun.
Hate to bash your argument, but... You were grinding 100%. In your case, you just allowed something else to occupy your brain while doing your grinding to make yourself perceive that you were actually doing something else.
There is grind in every single MMO out there. I never understand when people give that as a negative about a game. EQ had grind, WoW has grind, UO had a lot of grind, (MO, DF) has grind, LOTR has grind, EVE has grind. Do you see my point? If you don't want grind, don't play a MMO. The whole point is to create a time-sink (grind) that keep people playing your game. The only difference is how those games deliver said grind to you, the player.
This is only true is you think grinds can be fun. For me, grinding isn't fun. In UO, I would go kill monsters in a dungeon and steal from other players for hours. I did it for fun, skill gain was just a by product.
Another example: in warhammer online I did the battlegrounds and shit so I could kill other people and win the scenarios, leveling up was just a by product.
You were still grinding, it was just masked in a manner that you found paletable.
Are you trying to change the definition of grind?
How is that NOT grinding?
Then, by definition, EVERYTHING is a grind if that players experiences were a grind.
There is an emotional context to grinding that is crucial to its definition. We could also talk about journey/detination mentality but that is probably going a bit too far.
Forever looking for employment. Life is rather dull without it.
Fallen Earth seems to be a good choice. F2P if you want, with three levels of paid subscriptions available Has a cash shop feature, but it's mostly novelty items and mounts, nothing required for playing.
Fallen Earth seems to be a good choice. F2P if you want, with three levels of paid subscriptions available Has a cash shop feature, but it's mostly novelty items and mounts, nothing required for playing.
I agree while FE is not a pure sandbox game it mixes theme and sand well and also has a ton of players playing now
Comments
I'm in the same boat as you.. However, by the time the leaves start falling and the seasons change, I always get that MMORPG itchy feeling... Unfortunately, the choices range from Been there done that, to ehh don't even wanna try that....
Rallithon Oakthornn
(Retired Heirophant of the 60th season)
Pretty hard.
I mean there's complete sandboxes out there like Second Life.
There's community sandbox games like A Tale in the Desert.
Then there's a few pvp games out there that are sandbox-ish.
My personal favorite was Shadowbane just because of how open the builds were and the city building.
It's hard to define such a mallable genre really.
I used to play MMOs like you, but then I took an arrow to the knee.
This is only true is you think grinds can be fun. For me, grinding isn't fun. In UO, I would go kill monsters in a dungeon and steal from other players for hours. I did it for fun, skill gain was just a by product.
Another example: in warhammer online I did the battlegrounds and shit so I could kill other people and win the scenarios, leveling up was just a by product.
I agree to a point. UO (and sanbox/virtual MMOs) by nature don't have the same "grind" mentality that a lot of people think about. When most people bring up grinding, they think about endless hours of killing mobs just to gain levels or some specific item - such as Lineage 2. Or end game dungeon grinding like in WoW.
I think the difference is the way the grind is perceived. Grinding in UO or Darkfall is generally either about 1) obtaining gold which is then used to fund everything else you do in the game; house owning, crafting, character development, combat equipment, reagents, etc. 2) To raise skills.
However, the skill grind in these games was always overlooked because of macroing. As much as I love skill based games and believe it's the better of the two systems (level based or skill based), macroing is an enormous flaw skill based games run into. I like being good - but let's face it. None of us really enjoy leaving our computers on overnight while we run a script/macro that someone else most likely wrote so that we can hack away at a friend who is also running the same script so that we gain combat points and/or healing (Because without healing we dieeee!) JUST so that we stay competitive - because we KNOW someone else is doing it across the sea (and most likely doing a better job).
When someone can bring a skill-based system to the table that somehow cripples the benefits to macroing, we'll have ourselves a good system. Grind free!
But to each their own. Grinding mobs. Grinding skills. Grinding gold. I never really was bothered by it if the game was something I enjoyed playing. Hell. I actually liked grinding mobs more than I ever enjoyed grinding end game duneons, like in WoW. Talk about boring...
You were still grinding, it was just masked in a manner that you found paletable.
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
That's fine. This is turning into a dumbass semantic debate about what grind means. Don't really care one way or another, I just know what I find fun and what I don't find fun.
Are you trying to change the definition of grind?
Forever looking for employment. Life is rather dull without it.
How is that NOT grinding?
Hate to bash your argument, but... You were grinding 100%. In your case, you just allowed something else to occupy your brain while doing your grinding to make yourself perceive that you were actually doing something else.
I will give Fallen Earth a shout out here,..I haven't played in awhile but I really liked what was going on, it 'could' be cool,
BUT
as mentioned it seems the 'sandBox' hopefuls always sway towards too much harsh PvP,..
and yeah EveOnline is sandbox,..but it's like a different apple than what I think the OP is looking for,..at least until Ambulation comes around or something,..
lol
Then, by definition, EVERYTHING is a grind if that players experiences were a grind.
There is an emotional context to grinding that is crucial to its definition. We could also talk about journey/detination mentality but that is probably going a bit too far.
Forever looking for employment. Life is rather dull without it.
Fallen Earth seems to be a good choice. F2P if you want, with three levels of paid subscriptions available
Has a cash shop feature, but it's mostly novelty items and mounts, nothing required for playing.
I agree while FE is not a pure sandbox game it mixes theme and sand well and also has a ton of players playing now