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Is there an ideal sandbox MMORPG for me?
Greetings!
An old timer, old-style gamer here, looking for a perfect sandbox MMO for his taste and expectations.
I tried out dozens of MMORPGs, maybe even hundreds of them by now, but just couldn't find one matching my leading criteries, so I am trying to get some suggestions or advises here this time.
So I will try to summarize what kind of MMORPG is what I actually seek for, mentioning only my leading expectations:
First of all things which I am not so demanding about:
The game can be both free or pay-based. -if I finally find the perfect one for my taste, I won't feel sorry to pay ANY amount of money for playing it.
The game topic and environment can vary, from fantasy and science-fiction to an apocalyptic zombie survival world, as long the graphic looks nice and realistic enough, along with good enough SFX. (so much older, and cartoon-anime type games excluded)
Since I recently bought a new, pretty "strong" computer, system requirements don't matter, I will surely be able to play even the newest games on high enough graphic settings.
The came can more or less PvP centric, as long it contains enough PvE opportunities as well. (so extremely PvP centric games ar excluded)
Now to my actual demands and expectations:
1. First of all, I am looking for a COMPLETELY OPEN WORLD SANDBOX type MMORPG. That means, it should feature a huge, diverse world, (and map), where the player can move totally freely, wherever he wants, doing whatever he wants, without any type of restrictions, meaning without any story, quest, level, mission, advance, skill, or achievement-related limitations. I would also prefer totally randomly placed and grouped AI monsters in the game-world or in its regions,, so not in a 'weakest to strongest" skill level order, but totally randomly mixed. So there should be no "easier or harder" parts of the map, but each ot them would contain various types of weaker and stronger NPCs, eventually environment-related, but totally regardless of the player's current, or estimated skill level, game-advance, or achievements.
Quests or missions MAY ocuuse now and then, they may even influence one's advance by speeding it up a bit, with certain rewards or boosts, but none of them should be obligatory to complete for further game advance. (offline example: Dead Rising 2 Off The Recors sandbox mode, or State Of Decay Breakdown) This automatically excludes the existance of a standard "game story", which one is forced to follow. The only exception would be an alternative type story, which one either chooses, or totally ignores to follow, but it may by no means have any significant influence on the game itself. (offline example: GTA series, or Elder Scrolls Oblivion and Skyrim)
2. Secondary, it should feature a detailed enough character creation/customization,the more diverse and varied, the better.
This is important to me in order to identify myself with my chosne created character more and better while playing.
3. Totally unrealistic graphics, sound effects, and environment are excluded, so please suggest me no cartoon or anime-type games, with their modern, round faced anomated/cartoon character types.
4. PvP should normally exist, (be allowed), and may even be a significant element of the game, but only withing certain moderate limits, so too much PvP centric/oriented games like Mortal Online, Darkfall, Fallen Earth, or even DayZ in its current staduim of development.
So the main focus should still remain on PvE combat and eventual team/group play when united with other players. (but PvP possibility should normally be also present)
5. There should be only one main character, only one protagonist the player is controlling, eventually with one, but by no means more occasionally, but by no means constant AI compaignon. (examples: Elder Scrolls and Dead Rising series, or Risen 3)
In case of larger parties, the game should feature either real time, or turn based movement, but definitely only a a TURN BASED COMBAT, and the party should have AT LEAST 6 MEMBERS or more. (examples: Wizardry 8, XCom, or Jagged Alliance series)
So for example please don't suggest me neither real time nor turn based MMORPGs with (so often featured) 4 member parties.
6.. This one is important: The game should feature an ACTIVE COMBAT SYSTEM. (examples: Tera, RaiderZ, or Dark Souls 1-2)
So all games with passive, tab targeting combat type excluded.
I wish to actually use my own controlling skills and reflexes during combat, instead of just sit and watch how it evolves automatically, while merely pressing some shortcut keys for certain special moves, boosts, skills, spells, or actions.
So people, I am eager to read your game suggestions here!!!
In addition:
I read a lot about Elder Scrolls Online, and watched many gameplay videos about it also, but I didn't dare to risk buying it for now, (even a short period game subsciption counts for expensive here in my country), since 1st I want to make sure it is just the type of the game I desire, meaning it fulfills all the expectations I listed in this forum topic.
So those who play it, or played it before, would Elder Scrolls Online be the perfect choice for me?
(I would hate to spend so much money for another sheer disappointment you know)
Comments
I only read the last paragraph
Elder Scrolls online is neither open world, nor a sandbox
Tahnks, this excludes at least one of the candidates!
Short Answer: No.
Expanded Answer: Definitely not.
I really hope that *insert game name here* will be the first game to ever live up to all of its pre-release promises, maintain a manageable hype level and have a clean release. Just don't expect me to hold my breath.
And may I ask WHY?
Which one of my listed expectations is that much demanding and unrealistic???
Each of them already exist in many games, (check all the examples I mentioned), so why would it be so impossible adding them all up in one simgle online game then?
For the ones that i would suggest, im personally a sandbox addict.
Currently Out:
Elite Dangerous
Rust
Reign of Kings
Side note: Some people will suggest Darkfall... i warn you, dont do it, its like dating someone who is immature, that they never know what they want and their inconsistent.
Upcoming games:
Crowfall
Divergence (Not very promising anymore)
And, ESO is b2p now and the cash shop and sub arent even suggestive currently, so id say go for it, its worth the plunge, its currently becoming as open as any elder scrolls game, which is good.
As a UO player I think my list would be similar to yours.
At present ESO is my choice, but I try to ignore questing unless I absolutely trip over a quest.
I do wish though that I could pvp anyone I put on my ignore list, now that would be fun
Playing: Darkfall New Dawn (and planning to play Fallout 76)
Favourite games have included: UO, Lineage2, Darkfall, Lotro, Baldur's Gate, SSX, FF7 and yes the original Wizardry on an Apple IIe
Why? Because the game simply doesn't exist.
I don't need to check your examples, I wouldn't have replied if I hadn't already read your post.
I'm not saying I wouldn't love a game with your list of requirements. I'm not even saying it's impossible to have them all in one game.
The question was "Is there an ideal sandbox MMORPG for me(you)?" and the answer is simply no.
There isn't.
I really hope that *insert game name here* will be the first game to ever live up to all of its pre-release promises, maintain a manageable hype level and have a clean release. Just don't expect me to hold my breath.
Death is nothing to us, since when we are, Death has not come, and when death has come, we are not.
ESO is still boring and i am waiting for bllodborne!
if you want to play the best gaming series ever made,have fun and something challenging not dumb quest grinding,buy bloodborne.
sorry, nothing is good anymore, no matter people say GW2, or any other game that is even remotely close to the word "Sandbox" but unfortunately you are in the wrong year to look for those kind of MMO
maybe in the future, yes, but not that i know now would fit in what you want.
EVE is the current king ( still is ) of Sandbox.
my last best sandbox MMO was Vanguard, and i can only wish someday a big developer will revive Vanguard with improved graphics and servers, that is truly one of the best Sandbox ever created.
So What Now?
EVE Online would top the list here with fulfilling the requirements. It is the ultimate MMO sandbox out there at the moment.
Sci-fi mmo, 12y old, still growing still getting expansions -free- and most important, 1 single universe server cluster, no different 'realms' with 1000 ppl on it.
There is a Fanfest going on this weekend, fans gathering, new content being announced by the devs, you can play solo, small group or join alliances up to 10.000 players or more and be part of a space empire with sovereignty warfare.
Then again the game is a full loot pvp/pve game, you are never 100% safe, you are required to actually think as there are maybe (very possibly) spies and saboteurs + thieves of your enemies in your ranks. Everything you own ingame can be lost if you are not careful.
(That 6-month-years old friend you used to carebear with might be a future thief or a spy)
Plus the game has a steep learning curve, you are never done learning, do not expect to reach 'max level' in 1 day like WoW, the game has no levels btw, your brain capacity and ambition are the the key to what you can achieve in the game.
Plus you are the ship you are actually flying, you do not have a real body to walk around with in game, unless you want to walk as a fluff human in a station room or play the 1st person ground shooter on the Playstation.
You can pay a subscription for it, or when you have ingame capital buy timecodes and play for free.
The game requires dedication and actuall using your brain mass, hence why many themepark Blizzard fans end up as canon fodder and they leave the game because it is 'boring' after they get pwned, and you have to be social to get into it....playing solo and never talking to anyone is a#1 reason for players to leave the game after the trial.
=I love the game, playing it since beta13y ago nonstop, my ingame funds have enabled me to play for free on 5 accounts at his moment, ppl come, ppl go, empires are born and die again plus you get to know thousands of players because it is one big place.
Some trailers with ingame footage you could look at are
and
and
"going into arguments with idiots is a lost cause, it requires you to stoop down to their level and you can't win"
hmm, isn't Bloodborne a PS4 exclusive title? I haven't done much looking into it because I'm a PC user mostly, but isn't that just another action rpg like Darksouls? How far along is the series anyway?
Death is nothing to us, since when we are, Death has not come, and when death has come, we are not.
EVE fits every one of your criteria for a sandbox, then you toss in the demand for action oriented combat a la Tera and it's off the list.
Same for all of your points, Elder scrolls fits many of them, but since not open world sandbox, off the list it goes.
You are doing it wrong. Instead of trying to find a game which fits all of your points, find one that that hits most, or at least the most important ones to you and play them despite any other self imposed limitations you set on yourself.
ESO just went B2P, so the cost is negligible right now to join, give it a try and enjoy it for what it is, not what it is missing.
If you don't change your expectations, likely you will never play another MMO again, and it will be entirely of your own doing.
"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
If you wanne play sandbox there are only 3 options
If you dont mind grafhics
Wurm online.
or
minecraft
last one will be eve online.. if you have patience to learn the game.
Every other reply with a game or mmo.. dont apply in genre sandbox settings..
Copperfield is spot on, when I think sandbox I'm thinking actually be able to change the world, your requirements are a bit strict so most of mine don't fit like a glove but here's some suggestions
I am sexier than Helen Keller blindfolded.
As said above, you're placing far too many restrictions that knock off some of the top actual sandboxes in the genre.
EVE is king, hands down. The depth and learning curve are second to none. The PvP is second to none. The crafting system is second to none, due to how it's so intricately linked with the game's economy. Further, the game actually HAS an economy. Most games have something resembling maybe a bartering system, or a crappy auction house which is eventually flooded with gear since none of it can ever be lost.
In EVE, your items and ships can be destroyed, meaning there is actual supply and demand. You can literally play the game and do nothing but play the market if that's your desire. There are so many 'career paths' in EVE that most players don't even know certain ones exist. If you can find a niche in the game where people want something you can provide, boom, you've just created a new form of income.
It has real-time combat, but it takes place on a larger more tactical scale. It's certainly not "action-based" but it has some semblance of reaction-based combat, while making it more about how well you know your character/ship vs the people you're fighting. A properly set up group can take out groups much larger and scarier than them if they know what they're doing. Smaller ships can take out bigger ships, etc. There is no "I-win" button in PvP. Players could sell game time cards for ISK, and all the money in the world won't make them capable of beating a well prepared player. It'll just make the loss hurt less. So in that regard, I find it to be a breath of fresh air compared to a lot of other MMOs where buying gold is pretty much an instant "I'm better than you" method of playing. In EVE, it's all about what your ship is prepared for, and whether or not you know enough to excel over others.
^SO MUCH THIS.
Seriously, OP, manage your expectations and you'll have a MUCH better time. This applies to everything in life, not just MMOs.
I really hope that *insert game name here* will be the first game to ever live up to all of its pre-release promises, maintain a manageable hype level and have a clean release. Just don't expect me to hold my breath.
It is very tough to find that so called "Perfect" MMO, but there is always a choice out there. Many listed are great options, with GW2, ESO, Darkfall, and even ArcheAge (I know I will get flack on this one) as good choices based on some of the desired features you listed. Another one you may want to check into is Life is Feudal: http://lifeisfeudal.com/. This one is still early alpha/beta and is not a complete MMO yet, but it has much of the open world, sandbox feel to it. Yet another is Origins of Malu: http://www.originsofmalu.com/. Again this one is in early beta and both are on Steam.
Even though there are a lot of doomsayers out there crying out that the MMO genre is dying, there are many great games out there and many in development.
man , try EVE for free 30 days and check are you really looking for real sandbox MMORPG!
https://secure.eveonline.com/trial/
All of my posts are either intelligent, thought provoking, funny, satirical, sarcastic or intentionally disrespectful. Take your pick.
I get banned in the forums for games I love, so lets see if I do better in the forums for games I hate.
I enjoy the serenity of not caring what your opinion is.
I don't hate much, but I hate Apple© with a passion. If Steve Jobs was alive, I would punch him in the face.
If the OP believe Elder Scrolls Online is a Sandbox after doing research of their own as they claimed, let him dream. Why mess that up?
Philosophy of MMO Game Design