When someone says that they want a sandbox game that gives players "freedom," what they seem to me as saying is that they want a game where there is no penalty for consequences. They might not out-right say that, but if a consequence is floated around as being introduced for the actions that they like to perfom in-game, then they will start to cry and whine about how that's making it "Less-sandbox." I've seen it happen in Darkfall, Mortal Online, and Xsyon.
[...] I'm a proponent of having multiple mini-story archs scattered throughout a game world over having one, single, story arch.
What ppl complain about are static penalities and forced non-combat zones set in a place by the devs, instead of having a player-driven system. Players are supposed to make, manage and defend their own safe zones. If you want safe zones, seek out player-created safe zones.
About stories in sandbox games, I think TSW and Undead Labs are unto something - Spread bits of information and story all over the place, and leave it to the players to piece the big picture together. Its a very non-linear, but there's still a feeling of progression. Sounds like that should work.
Perhaps "Trash Can" would be an appropriate label for some?
"Censorship is never over for those who have experienced it. It is a brand on the imagination that affects the individual who has suffered it, forever." - Noam Chomsky
What the community thinks is the last thing anyone cares about. Some publisher or marketing hack/psuedo blogger will come up with bullsh** terms to make him or herself sound like they are intelligent.
Instead of worrying about what label you want to put on the pile of sh** realize that you are quibbling over sh**. Nothing of importance or significance, just moronic happy dancing around in a flood of excrement.
Maybe people should, for once in this "modern" era of craptasticity, hold the developers accountable for the crap they shovel out the door?
Otherwise lets get to honest labels, massively multiplayer hamster wheel of impotence sounds about as accurate a label for every mmo released in the last 7 years as any other label you can pull out of your backside
When someone says that they want a sandbox game that gives players "freedom," what they seem to me as saying is that they want a game where there is no penalty for consequences. They might not out-right say that, but if a consequence is floated around as being introduced for the actions that they like to perfom in-game, then they will start to cry and whine about how that's making it "Less-sandbox." I've seen it happen in Darkfall, Mortal Online, and Xsyon.
[...] I'm a proponent of having multiple mini-story archs scattered throughout a game world over having one, single, story arch.
What ppl complain about are static penalities and forced non-combat zones set in a place by the devs, instead of having a player-driven system. Players are supposed to make, manage and defend their own safe zones. If you want safe zones, seek out player-created safe zones.
Except a player-driven system isn't going to work when you only have a few people in any particular area at one time. Hell, it barely works in real life. Except in real life the penalty for getting caught is generally rather steep. In a game world we either need a lot more tools (like having defensive structures such as the ones in Eve or an RTS) or we need the devs just plain make some places safer than others. Or both.
-------- "Chemistry: 'We do stuff in lab that would be a felony in your garage.'"
The most awesomest after school special T-shirt: Front: UNO Chemistry Club Back: /\OH --> Bad Decisions
Comments
What ppl complain about are static penalities and forced non-combat zones set in a place by the devs, instead of having a player-driven system. Players are supposed to make, manage and defend their own safe zones. If you want safe zones, seek out player-created safe zones.
About stories in sandbox games, I think TSW and Undead Labs are unto something - Spread bits of information and story all over the place, and leave it to the players to piece the big picture together. Its a very non-linear, but there's still a feeling of progression. Sounds like that should work.
Hype train -> Reality
Perhaps "Trash Can" would be an appropriate label for some?
"Censorship is never over for those who have experienced it. It is a brand on the imagination that affects the individual who has suffered it, forever." - Noam Chomsky
What the community thinks is the last thing anyone cares about. Some publisher or marketing hack/psuedo blogger will come up with bullsh** terms to make him or herself sound like they are intelligent.
Instead of worrying about what label you want to put on the pile of sh** realize that you are quibbling over sh**. Nothing of importance or significance, just moronic happy dancing around in a flood of excrement.
Maybe people should, for once in this "modern" era of craptasticity, hold the developers accountable for the crap they shovel out the door?
Otherwise lets get to honest labels, massively multiplayer hamster wheel of impotence sounds about as accurate a label for every mmo released in the last 7 years as any other label you can pull out of your backside
http://www.speedtest.net/result/7300033012
Why not simply combine all the elements from both subgenres to make the ultimate MMO?
Except a player-driven system isn't going to work when you only have a few people in any particular area at one time. Hell, it barely works in real life. Except in real life the penalty for getting caught is generally rather steep. In a game world we either need a lot more tools (like having defensive structures such as the ones in Eve or an RTS) or we need the devs just plain make some places safer than others. Or both.
--------
"Chemistry: 'We do stuff in lab that would be a felony in your garage.'"
The most awesomest after school special T-shirt:
Front: UNO Chemistry Club
Back: /\OH --> Bad Decisions
Agreed. A virtual world sounds great!!
The world is ready!!
I agree with the OP too. We are only limited by our imaginations. Good Thread.
See you in the dream..
The Fires from heaven, now as cold as ice. A rapid ascension tolls a heavy price.