Originally posted by Kyleran Theme box or sand park are probably better terms to describe this title, as most still agree it is not really a sand box style mmo by the classic definition.
What features would you say are sandbox-like?
If I get you right you want Every Mob in game to be your level at the START of the game? Is that the only beef you have with it? Before people said you had to follow a main storyline and were outraged, now we find out its only 5-6 hours long. Is 5-6 hours that bad to have to go through, would you consider that linear? Should the game have NO Quests? Is that what you want? Idk you tell me.
No quests would be a huge start.
that would be a huge fail, but good luck in finding a great game that does that. In addition, the game is NOT quest hub based. If you think it is you are sadly (not surprisingly though) misinformed.
Yup, I think most of you envision some 2020 gaming. I don't think you'll see what your asking for, for at least another 5 more years. One step at a time. Take what you can get now my friend. Its the best you can get and atleat 500% better end game sandbox then every MMO out to date.
Don't rob yourself of the 4/5 of the gameworld as an END GAME sandbox just because you have to go through 1/5 of it as a leveling system.... it would be shame to see you threw away such fun over that 1/5 of what you don't like.
That 2020 game you mentioned was prevalent and common in the early days of MMO's. That is what a great many of us want and are looking forward too but thanks to the success of Blizzard and WoW. The linear, quest driven, hand-holding success of WoW has stagnated the genre for way too long and from what we've seen, ESO doesn't deviate enough from this gamestyle hence the negativity it has received. Well that and it actually deviated from what the original RPG single player series were like. That's the issue I have with the game. Don't tell me that many of the elements of Skyrim couldn't be done because these Devs didn't try. Especially considering many of those elements were present back in the early MMO days, pre 1999.
I think you need to look up the term sandbox and learn what it actually means. ESO is as far from a sandbox as a game can get. Hell it isn't even an open world game from we've been told.
What I was saying in that post you quoted was to another person who defined sandbox much different then you do.
I think what your saying, you will see all of those elements in the game based off whats been relased to date through videos, devs, and other people. It was even said by the Creative Director that even the leveling system is a Marrowind type leveling system as far as monsters go from 1-50.
I agree Blizzard has stalled a lot of these games developments, but I think ESO is the first step in Next Gen games that puts us in a better position to demand better games in the future, a Benchmark if you might say for this type of game.
I think you'll be happy to see the linar part of the game is only the tutorial and the intermediate zone I posted earlier with the video included. There is no hand holding past the tutorial and intermediate zone, it becomes fully open play, and the main storyline from 1-50 is only 6 hours long, that's not too hard to swallow for people who want Open play.
I think its still a lot like SKYRIM besides the addition of classes, which have been explained so thouroughly that I'm 100% confident to say that its not even going to affect the way you want to play and freedom, I think the guild you pick for skill will be a lot more major then your class you pick.
To me I could say SKYRIM was a sandbox, that's how I define it. Again theres other people who define it more extreme then I do, I try to think what is realistic in the gaming industry today, and if someone takes too big of a step that most MMO players don't recognize anything in a game, it will cause that Title to fall on its ass. So I say one small step for gamers, One giant step for sandbox.
I'm confident you'll love this game when it comes out just off of what I hear you say although I cannot say the same for some who wanted what I think of as 2020 gaming. I think ESO returns to the Large world MMO's of old and the freedom they used to have.
Originally posted by Kyleran Theme box or sand park are probably better terms to describe this title, as most still agree it is not really a sand box style mmo by the classic definition.
What features would you say are sandbox-like?
If I get you right you want Every Mob in game to be your level at the START of the game? Is that the only beef you have with it? Before people said you had to follow a main storyline and were outraged, now we find out its only 5-6 hours long. Is 5-6 hours that bad to have to go through, would you consider that linear? Should the game have NO Quests? Is that what you want? Idk you tell me.
Originally posted by killion81 This whole thread is proof that marketing works. However, with an NDA in place, what the developers have to say about the game doesn't mean a whole lot. Put your money where your mouth is and drop the NDA. If what you say is true, the testers will have the same thing to say. If what you say is marketing spin, we'll all know that pretty quickly as well...
I think so many people have been lied to in MMO marketing that they don't know when they see the TRUTH, because it hasn't existed for years in the industry... ESO is the first game in a VERY long time that is being upfront and honest with us.
It is regrettably clear that OP did more damage than help to ESO reputation.
There is no doubts by any means that ESO is a “theme park” game, and nothing wrong with that.
ESO is a “theme park” game right because it supposed to be based on Elder Scrolls Story/Idea.
It means you supposed to do, what this story tells you.
All this talk about “sand box” game play in Elder Scrolls is coming from people who actually missed the whole idea of Elder Scrolls. Of course you can go anywhere and do almost anything in Skyrim, but it is much like a perk, not a main future. You can do anything, but if it will be not related to NPCs involved in a quest, it will be just grinding. If it will involve that kind of NPCs, it still be questing. And it is not like a “sand box” at all. On another hand quests could be interesting and have not expected ending (and more than one). So “theme park” also could be fun.
Of course, there could be many definition of game style we call “sand box”.
Everyone could make up his own definition. But if we want to understand each other, we should agree on some definition, which might make more sense.
I remember at the beginning of this term, people use it as opposite to “theme park” game style.
We should however differentiate “sand box” style game, from “sand box” game elements.
“Sand box” game elements, could be like
Freedom of exploration
Large world
Players influence on game world
Etc., etc.
But pure “sand box” game is something different.
To make right conclusion you need to compare game with real sand box.
And you should ask right questions:
Is anybody giving you a tasks for your messing around with a sand in sand box?
Is anybody imposing some kind of story on your activity in sand box?
Is there anything but the sand in sand box?
If you’ve got your answers straight, you do understand:
No quests allowed in “sand box”
No Lore, or story line in “sand box”
Nothing but items made by players.
It means NO SCENARIO.
And that means NO RolePlaying.
It means pure “sand box” game cannot be even RPG.
And it cannot have Alliances (No Lore), and AVA, etc., but you can have open world PVP.
But you might not like it.
So, there is a way – compromises.
You do not need pure “sand Box”, you just need some elements.
But talk about non-linear quest line or something is not even related to “send box” concept (remember- no quests)
Guys, please do not make statements based on your own definitions, which nobody shares.
Originally posted by Kyleran Theme box or sand park are probably better terms to describe this title, as most still agree it is not really a sand box style mmo by the classic definition.
What features would you say are sandbox-like?
If I get you right you want Every Mob in game to be your level at the START of the game? Is that the only beef you have with it? Before people said you had to follow a main storyline and were outraged, now we find out its only 5-6 hours long. Is 5-6 hours that bad to have to go through, would you consider that linear? Should the game have NO Quests? Is that what you want? Idk you tell me.
No quests would be a huge start.
An MMORPG without quests is no diffeant then....
StarForge, Rust, Dayz....
And yet progression in Asheron's Call, Ultima Online, Dark Age of Camelot and Everquest was done without quests but through exploration and hunting.
Sandbox means open world, non-linear gaming PERIOD!
Subscription Gaming, especially MMO gaming is a Cash grab bigger then the most P2W cash shop!
Bring Back Exploration and lengthy progression times. RPG's have always been about the Journey not the destination!!!
I think to kkarrabbass above I just have this to say to you.
I think its sad that people break their NDA over this part of the game, and others call the WHOLE game linear over something the DEV's of the GAME have already RELEASED to us and is just a small fraction of the game.
To call this game a Theampark is a great disservice to this game, if its not sandbox to you then its closer to Open Play, but by all means it is definatly not Themepark.
Originally posted by killion81 This whole thread is proof that marketing works. However, with an NDA in place, what the developers have to say about the game doesn't mean a whole lot. Put your money where your mouth is and drop the NDA. If what you say is true, the testers will have the same thing to say. If what you say is marketing spin, we'll all know that pretty quickly as well...
I think so many people have been lied to in MMO marketing that they don't know when they see the TRUTH, because it hasn't existed for years in the industry... ESO is the first game in a VERY long time that is being upfront and honest with us.
LOL, really?
Then why is the NDA still around? Its getting to the time now where most if not all games have dropped NDA on release as well as expansion content. 8 weeks is the bare minimum for thsis to happen and when it was that late before they let people talk the games completely sucked. We're less than 9 weeks now away from the release of this game yet NDA firmly in place.
Also if there isnt another beta test next week then that is also pretty telling. If the next beta test is more f the same, as in just seeing the first couple zones of each area then that is also very telling. If they dont address the glaring issues that have existed in every beta test most have seen that is also very telling.
They cant be honest because they dont say anything.
This so called Q&A where youre taking questions from the biggest fanbois who ever lived, and more than likely skipped over and out right dodged actual question people want to know the answers to is a joke. When you control the questions and the audience ANYTHING can sound good. They didnt even bother to slip in an obligatory "why is the game subscription based?" question just to make it appear to be something else. it was a puff piece and a softball session.
If anything this goes to show theyre really trying to hide what a pig this thing really is going to be. Honest, not hardly. But they sure know how to fool the people who dont know any better.
Sandbox is like Eve. One guy messed up some kind of payment a universe war breaks out causing tons and tons of damage. ESO is nothing like that, it is a theme park game. Nothing wrong with that at all. Trying to say its a sandbox game is just patently false. It barely counts as open world if you have to wait till you max level to where ever you want. In Everquest you could go anywhere you wanted in the open world. Something might kill you terribly for doing so but it was possible. A good rogue could pretty much wander anywhere he wanted.
Its not really a sandbox... Its progression, sure you can roam where you want to within a given area... but you still only open up new quests by being a certain level... and the mobs you fight have to be of a certain level that you can manage.
I bet if you've maxed out your character you can roam freely at that point to any of the 3 kingdoms. Ultimately I will be slaying people in pvp if it actually works properly. I am highly skeptical of the pvp... bunch of aoe ultimates and aoe heals... aoe damage... is what I predict in large scale pvp
Originally posted by funyahns Sandbox is like Eve. One guy messed up some kind of payment a universe war breaks out causing tons and tons of damage. ESO is nothing like that, it is a theme park game. Nothing wrong with that at all. Trying to say its a sandbox game is just patently false. It barely counts as open world if you have to wait till you max level to where ever you want. In Everquest you could go anywhere you wanted in the open world. Something might kill you terribly for doing so but it was possible. A good rogue could pretty much wander anywhere he wanted.
EVE is a SCI-FI genre PVP Sandbox. Eve also has missions and quests, which some on here that say SANDBOX ONLY would disagree with even EVE being a sandbox.
ESO is an MMORPG sandbox or open gameplay game at most. Something I think a lot of people have to define yet.
RUST and DAYZ is more of a SAND BOX ONLY game that some of these people want.
I think when it comes down to it, ESO is the closest thing to sandbox how ever you define it, that MMORPG's have ever seen to date.
I think when it comes down to it, ESO is the closest thing to sandbox how ever you define it, that MMORPG's have ever seen to date.
I have no idea why you want people to think this is like a sandbox. But, it is kind of amusing. I feel a little bit bad for the few that might actually consider what you are saying and take it as truth-ish only to be severely disappointed once they buy in.
Oh how the unwashed are still convinced because a dev said so. Why dont you stop with your silly proof posts and wait tell you try it. And as a disclaimer M.B. this does not mean I am breaking an nda by voicing my opinion. But ill expect your warning or ban. Lol
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I think when it comes down to it, ESO is the closest thing to sandbox how ever you define it, that MMORPG's have ever seen to date.
LO-fucking-L
Go play Wurm Online, SWG, Vanguard, Mortal Online and Darkfall then come back and tell me ESO is "the closest thing to sandbox...that MMORPG's have ever seen to date."
Ignorance is curable so please cure yourself.
ESO is through-and-through theme-park. It isn't even sand-park. It is pure theme-park! Just be happy with it and deal!
And yet progression in Asheron's Call, Ultima Online, Dark Age of Camelot and Everquest was done without quests but through exploration and hunting.
Well exploration progression is very very ESO based, and as for no storylines or quests, you don't have to do them to progress, there is NO PENALTY to Skipping Quests, Where would the Elder Scrolls game come in without those fundamental things in the game for people who DO LIKE to quest then?
Just because you don't like quests in a game that are OPTIONAL QUESTS, doesn't mean they SHOULDNT be in it. OTHER people play the game and so there is many different ways you can CHOOSE to Progress. Its not a SET path that you HAVE to go down. I don't get how other people doing quest bothers you so much if they want to do them? Does having optional quests available affect your gameplay somehow?
I think when it comes down to it, ESO is the closest thing to sandbox how ever you define it, that MMORPG's have ever seen to date.
LO-fucking-L
Go play Wurm Online, SWG, Vanguard, Mortal Online and Darkfall then come back and tell me ESO is "the closest thing to sandbox...that MMORPG's have ever seen to date."
Ignorance is curable so please cure yourself.
ESO is through-and-through theme-park. It isn't even sand-park. It is pure theme-park! Just be happy with it and deal!
I'll ask you to go play SKYRIM. That's all I can respond to something like that because that's ultimately what ESO will be like weather you like it or not!
Why 3 chars? Make a single char and visit every zone otherwise you will never experience the game as designed by the very same company that created 2000 hours of content for you in the past.
If there are choices in quests, then you need more than one character per faction to see all the variations on the content. Multiple characters are also the only way to experience the different class skill lines, or the different racial skill lines.
Originally posted by azzamasin
No quests would be a huge start.
A game without quests wouldn't be an Elder Scrolls game. Really, it wouldn't even be an RPG in the sense that the term applies to computer/video games.
Peace is a lie, there is only passion. Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory. Through victory, my chains are broken. The Force shall free me.
I think when it comes down to it, ESO is the closest thing to sandbox how ever you define it, that MMORPG's have ever seen to date.
LO-fucking-L
Go play Wurm Online, SWG, Vanguard, Mortal Online and Darkfall then come back and tell me ESO is "the closest thing to sandbox...that MMORPG's have ever seen to date."
Ignorance is curable so please cure yourself.
ESO is through-and-through theme-park. It isn't even sand-park. It is pure theme-park! Just be happy with it and deal!
I'll ask you to go play SKYRIM. That's all I can respond to something like that.
The problem people are having is that your definition of sandbox is all box no sand.
A theme park game can have an open world and exploration,it can have quest hubs or no quests at all.Nothing you are saying has anything to do with Themepark or Sandbox design but game features that can exist in both.
Originally posted by funyahns Sandbox is like Eve. One guy messed up some kind of payment a universe war breaks out causing tons and tons of damage. ESO is nothing like that, it is a theme park game. Nothing wrong with that at all. Trying to say its a sandbox game is just patently false. It barely counts as open world if you have to wait till you max level to where ever you want. In Everquest you could go anywhere you wanted in the open world. Something might kill you terribly for doing so but it was possible. A good rogue could pretty much wander anywhere he wanted.
EVE is a SCI-FI genre PVP Sandbox. Eve also has missions and quests, which some on here that say SANDBOX ONLY would disagree with even EVE being a sandbox.
ESO is an MMORPG sandbox or open gameplay game at most. Something I think a lot of people have to define yet.
RUST and DAYZ is more of a SAND BOX ONLY game that some of these people want.
I think when it comes down to it, ESO is the closest thing to sandbox how ever you define it, that MMORPG's have ever seen to date.
Emergent game play through character action is what it is all about. Most of the questing stuff in Eve is because the learning curve is beyond ridiculous. I have not heard anyone on here say anything about DayZ or Rust so why do you keep saying that. No. EvE is a sandbox and is an MMO. Ryzom and Wurm are MMO and sandbox. ESO is a Themepark. On rails, with closed gates until you are tall enough to ride the ride.
A lot of people seem to forget that Skyrim can only achieve such levels of freedom (do quests and explore wherever you want at virtually any level) because of the game's level scaling. In Skyrim, the entire game is generated and modified constantly to match the player's progression. If he is level 2, merchants will sell weaker items, dungeons will have low-level monsters, bandits will use bad gear, etc. As he levels, so do all the other things in world. Meaning, at level 15, the noob bandits he dispatched right beside Riverwood are now significantly more powerful to compensate the fact that the player grew in power.
This mechanism is only realistically feasible in a single-player scenario, as it consists of an entire game world revolving around one player alone. However, the fact remains that many players do indeed prefer to experience a deleveled version of Skyrim. One must simply take a look at the amount of downloads made for mods that make this change to see this. While it is true that having a scalable world allows the player to run around and see much of what a game has to offer without many restrictions, such a feature imposes a multitude of problems to the feeling of progression, the difficulty, and to the overall immersion of the game. Just imagine how demoralizing and immersion-breaking it feels, being an esteemed dragon slayer, to have a hard time facing bandits that now wield rare and powerful elven swords.
I think were all just squabbling about the sand in the sand box, you don't like quests? then go make what you want with your sand. I want some optional quests, then I can play with my sand how I want. No ones forcing you to make what I want to make with my sand, I wont force you to make what you want with your sand. You want to run around grinding mobs and progressing that way, go for it, its your sand. Isn't that really what a sandbox is about?
Don't be the kid who kicks sand in my face and say NO QUESTS FOR YOU. I like my QUEST SAND CASTLE. If you don't like it don't build it. But by all means don't kick my castle over and say I cant play in the same sandbox as what you want.
Originally posted by funyahns Sandbox is like Eve. One guy messed up some kind of payment a universe war breaks out causing tons and tons of damage. ESO is nothing like that, it is a theme park game. Nothing wrong with that at all. Trying to say its a sandbox game is just patently false. It barely counts as open world if you have to wait till you max level to where ever you want. In Everquest you could go anywhere you wanted in the open world. Something might kill you terribly for doing so but it was possible. A good rogue could pretty much wander anywhere he wanted.
EVE is a SCI-FI genre PVP Sandbox. Eve also has missions and quests, which some on here that say SANDBOX ONLY would disagree with even EVE being a sandbox.
ESO is an MMORPG sandbox or open gameplay game at most. Something I think a lot of people have to define yet.
RUST and DAYZ is more of a SAND BOX ONLY game that some of these people want.
I think when it comes down to it, ESO is the closest thing to sandbox how ever you define it, that MMORPG's have ever seen to date.
Emergent game play through character action is what it is all about. Most of the questing stuff in Eve is because the learning curve is beyond ridiculous. I have not heard anyone on here say anything about DayZ or Rust so why do you keep saying that. No. EvE is a sandbox and is an MMO. Ryzom and Wurm are MMO and sandbox. ESO is a Themepark. On rails, with closed gates until you are tall enough to ride the ride.
Exactly the Linear part of EVE is the part that you can consider the Tutorial zone and Intermediate zone they talk about in ESO.... its no different. Beyond that, the game is up to you just like EVE. You want to do missions, bounties ect. go for it. its all yours. play in the sand how you want.
I just wanted to add also, isn't the Level of your ship in EVE the same as gated that you say in your post? you have to get a better ship then better ship so you can go into dangerous areas of the system to fight and survive.... yet you call EVE a sandbox, and I agree with that.
I think when it comes down to it, ESO is the closest thing to sandbox how ever you define it, that MMORPG's have ever seen to date.
LO-fucking-L
Go play Wurm Online, SWG, Vanguard, Mortal Online and Darkfall then come back and tell me ESO is "the closest thing to sandbox...that MMORPG's have ever seen to date."
Ignorance is curable so please cure yourself.
ESO is through-and-through theme-park. It isn't even sand-park. It is pure theme-park! Just be happy with it and deal!
I'll ask you to go play SKYRIM. That's all I can respond to something like that because that's ultimately what ESO will be like weather you like it or not!
I have played Skyrim, broke 500 hours last week actually, started my second play-through this time with 250 mods.
But Skyrim isn't sandbox either, it's open world but it's not a sandbox though it has a few Sandbox elements. Hearthfire is the closest thing to a sandbox element.
Comments
that would be a huge fail, but good luck in finding a great game that does that. In addition, the game is NOT quest hub based. If you think it is you are sadly (not surprisingly though) misinformed.
There Is Always Hope!
What I was saying in that post you quoted was to another person who defined sandbox much different then you do.
I think what your saying, you will see all of those elements in the game based off whats been relased to date through videos, devs, and other people. It was even said by the Creative Director that even the leveling system is a Marrowind type leveling system as far as monsters go from 1-50.
I agree Blizzard has stalled a lot of these games developments, but I think ESO is the first step in Next Gen games that puts us in a better position to demand better games in the future, a Benchmark if you might say for this type of game.
I think you'll be happy to see the linar part of the game is only the tutorial and the intermediate zone I posted earlier with the video included. There is no hand holding past the tutorial and intermediate zone, it becomes fully open play, and the main storyline from 1-50 is only 6 hours long, that's not too hard to swallow for people who want Open play.
I think its still a lot like SKYRIM besides the addition of classes, which have been explained so thouroughly that I'm 100% confident to say that its not even going to affect the way you want to play and freedom, I think the guild you pick for skill will be a lot more major then your class you pick.
To me I could say SKYRIM was a sandbox, that's how I define it. Again theres other people who define it more extreme then I do, I try to think what is realistic in the gaming industry today, and if someone takes too big of a step that most MMO players don't recognize anything in a game, it will cause that Title to fall on its ass. So I say one small step for gamers, One giant step for sandbox.
I'm confident you'll love this game when it comes out just off of what I hear you say although I cannot say the same for some who wanted what I think of as 2020 gaming. I think ESO returns to the Large world MMO's of old and the freedom they used to have.
An MMORPG without quests is no diffeant then....
StarForge, Rust, Dayz....
I think so many people have been lied to in MMO marketing that they don't know when they see the TRUTH, because it hasn't existed for years in the industry... ESO is the first game in a VERY long time that is being upfront and honest with us.
It is regrettably clear that OP did more damage than help to ESO reputation.
There is no doubts by any means that ESO is a “theme park” game, and nothing wrong with that.
ESO is a “theme park” game right because it supposed to be based on Elder Scrolls Story/Idea.
It means you supposed to do, what this story tells you.
All this talk about “sand box” game play in Elder Scrolls is coming from people who actually missed the whole idea of Elder Scrolls. Of course you can go anywhere and do almost anything in Skyrim, but it is much like a perk, not a main future. You can do anything, but if it will be not related to NPCs involved in a quest, it will be just grinding. If it will involve that kind of NPCs, it still be questing. And it is not like a “sand box” at all. On another hand quests could be interesting and have not expected ending (and more than one). So “theme park” also could be fun.
Of course, there could be many definition of game style we call “sand box”.
Everyone could make up his own definition. But if we want to understand each other, we should agree on some definition, which might make more sense.
I remember at the beginning of this term, people use it as opposite to “theme park” game style.
We should however differentiate “sand box” style game, from “sand box” game elements.
“Sand box” game elements, could be like
But pure “sand box” game is something different.
To make right conclusion you need to compare game with real sand box.
And you should ask right questions:
If you’ve got your answers straight, you do understand:
It means NO SCENARIO.
And that means NO RolePlaying.
It means pure “sand box” game cannot be even RPG.
And it cannot have Alliances (No Lore), and AVA, etc., but you can have open world PVP.
But you might not like it.
So, there is a way – compromises.
You do not need pure “sand Box”, you just need some elements.
But talk about non-linear quest line or something is not even related to “send box” concept (remember- no quests)
Guys, please do not make statements based on your own definitions, which nobody shares.
And yet progression in Asheron's Call, Ultima Online, Dark Age of Camelot and Everquest was done without quests but through exploration and hunting.
Sandbox means open world, non-linear gaming PERIOD!
Subscription Gaming, especially MMO gaming is a Cash grab bigger then the most P2W cash shop!
Bring Back Exploration and lengthy progression times. RPG's have always been about the Journey not the destination!!!
I think to kkarrabbass above I just have this to say to you.
I think its sad that people break their NDA over this part of the game, and others call the WHOLE game linear over something the DEV's of the GAME have already RELEASED to us and is just a small fraction of the game.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80mHQNA45js 1:57:33 Nick the ESO dev explains the Linear tutorial and intermediate zone (Themepark part of the game)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80mHQNA45js 1:24:00 Nick the dev again.
Themepark > Open Play > Sandbox
To call this game a Theampark is a great disservice to this game, if its not sandbox to you then its closer to Open Play, but by all means it is definatly not Themepark.
LOL, really?
Then why is the NDA still around? Its getting to the time now where most if not all games have dropped NDA on release as well as expansion content. 8 weeks is the bare minimum for thsis to happen and when it was that late before they let people talk the games completely sucked. We're less than 9 weeks now away from the release of this game yet NDA firmly in place.
Also if there isnt another beta test next week then that is also pretty telling. If the next beta test is more f the same, as in just seeing the first couple zones of each area then that is also very telling. If they dont address the glaring issues that have existed in every beta test most have seen that is also very telling.
They cant be honest because they dont say anything.
This so called Q&A where youre taking questions from the biggest fanbois who ever lived, and more than likely skipped over and out right dodged actual question people want to know the answers to is a joke. When you control the questions and the audience ANYTHING can sound good. They didnt even bother to slip in an obligatory "why is the game subscription based?" question just to make it appear to be something else. it was a puff piece and a softball session.
If anything this goes to show theyre really trying to hide what a pig this thing really is going to be. Honest, not hardly. But they sure know how to fool the people who dont know any better.
Its not really a sandbox... Its progression, sure you can roam where you want to within a given area... but you still only open up new quests by being a certain level... and the mobs you fight have to be of a certain level that you can manage.
I bet if you've maxed out your character you can roam freely at that point to any of the 3 kingdoms. Ultimately I will be slaying people in pvp if it actually works properly. I am highly skeptical of the pvp... bunch of aoe ultimates and aoe heals... aoe damage... is what I predict in large scale pvp
EVE is a SCI-FI genre PVP Sandbox. Eve also has missions and quests, which some on here that say SANDBOX ONLY would disagree with even EVE being a sandbox.
ESO is an MMORPG sandbox or open gameplay game at most. Something I think a lot of people have to define yet.
RUST and DAYZ is more of a SAND BOX ONLY game that some of these people want.
I think when it comes down to it, ESO is the closest thing to sandbox how ever you define it, that MMORPG's have ever seen to date.
I have no idea why you want people to think this is like a sandbox. But, it is kind of amusing. I feel a little bit bad for the few that might actually consider what you are saying and take it as truth-ish only to be severely disappointed once they buy in.
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LO-fucking-L
Go play Wurm Online, SWG, Vanguard, Mortal Online and Darkfall then come back and tell me ESO is "the closest thing to sandbox...that MMORPG's have ever seen to date."
Ignorance is curable so please cure yourself.
ESO is through-and-through theme-park. It isn't even sand-park. It is pure theme-park! Just be happy with it and deal!
Well exploration progression is very very ESO based, and as for no storylines or quests, you don't have to do them to progress, there is NO PENALTY to Skipping Quests, Where would the Elder Scrolls game come in without those fundamental things in the game for people who DO LIKE to quest then?
Just because you don't like quests in a game that are OPTIONAL QUESTS, doesn't mean they SHOULDNT be in it. OTHER people play the game and so there is many different ways you can CHOOSE to Progress. Its not a SET path that you HAVE to go down. I don't get how other people doing quest bothers you so much if they want to do them? Does having optional quests available affect your gameplay somehow?
I'll ask you to go play SKYRIM. That's all I can respond to something like that because that's ultimately what ESO will be like weather you like it or not!
If there are choices in quests, then you need more than one character per faction to see all the variations on the content. Multiple characters are also the only way to experience the different class skill lines, or the different racial skill lines.
A game without quests wouldn't be an Elder Scrolls game. Really, it wouldn't even be an RPG in the sense that the term applies to computer/video games.
Peace is a lie, there is only passion.
Through passion, I gain strength.
Through strength, I gain power.
Through power, I gain victory.
Through victory, my chains are broken.
The Force shall free me.
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The problem people are having is that your definition of sandbox is all box no sand.
A theme park game can have an open world and exploration,it can have quest hubs or no quests at all.Nothing you are saying has anything to do with Themepark or Sandbox design but game features that can exist in both.
Emergent game play through character action is what it is all about. Most of the questing stuff in Eve is because the learning curve is beyond ridiculous. I have not heard anyone on here say anything about DayZ or Rust so why do you keep saying that. No. EvE is a sandbox and is an MMO. Ryzom and Wurm are MMO and sandbox. ESO is a Themepark. On rails, with closed gates until you are tall enough to ride the ride.
A lot of people seem to forget that Skyrim can only achieve such levels of freedom (do quests and explore wherever you want at virtually any level) because of the game's level scaling. In Skyrim, the entire game is generated and modified constantly to match the player's progression. If he is level 2, merchants will sell weaker items, dungeons will have low-level monsters, bandits will use bad gear, etc. As he levels, so do all the other things in world. Meaning, at level 15, the noob bandits he dispatched right beside Riverwood are now significantly more powerful to compensate the fact that the player grew in power.
This mechanism is only realistically feasible in a single-player scenario, as it consists of an entire game world revolving around one player alone. However, the fact remains that many players do indeed prefer to experience a deleveled version of Skyrim. One must simply take a look at the amount of downloads made for mods that make this change to see this. While it is true that having a scalable world allows the player to run around and see much of what a game has to offer without many restrictions, such a feature imposes a multitude of problems to the feeling of progression, the difficulty, and to the overall immersion of the game. Just imagine how demoralizing and immersion-breaking it feels, being an esteemed dragon slayer, to have a hard time facing bandits that now wield rare and powerful elven swords.
I think were all just squabbling about the sand in the sand box, you don't like quests? then go make what you want with your sand. I want some optional quests, then I can play with my sand how I want. No ones forcing you to make what I want to make with my sand, I wont force you to make what you want with your sand. You want to run around grinding mobs and progressing that way, go for it, its your sand. Isn't that really what a sandbox is about?
Don't be the kid who kicks sand in my face and say NO QUESTS FOR YOU. I like my QUEST SAND CASTLE. If you don't like it don't build it. But by all means don't kick my castle over and say I cant play in the same sandbox as what you want.
Exactly the Linear part of EVE is the part that you can consider the Tutorial zone and Intermediate zone they talk about in ESO.... its no different. Beyond that, the game is up to you just like EVE. You want to do missions, bounties ect. go for it. its all yours. play in the sand how you want.
I just wanted to add also, isn't the Level of your ship in EVE the same as gated that you say in your post? you have to get a better ship then better ship so you can go into dangerous areas of the system to fight and survive.... yet you call EVE a sandbox, and I agree with that.
I have played Skyrim, broke 500 hours last week actually, started my second play-through this time with 250 mods.
But Skyrim isn't sandbox either, it's open world but it's not a sandbox though it has a few Sandbox elements. Hearthfire is the closest thing to a sandbox element.
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