Sandboxes: I'm making the rounds again

xBludx

I've been going solely themepark for a while and getting the urge to get back into a sandbox. I've started lurking in various forums again. You might know what I'm talking about.

I want to know from current players the state of any of the games below. You will see my list and perhaps laugh at my gullibility, but the others like me will understand. As this list will show, I have been liberal in taking chances on Indy developers. Judge it how you will (fool who encourages shoddy game design, etc.). I just want a good sandbox game, or a game not on rails.

These are the games that I have purchased (except Dawntide) but do not play:

• 
  Darkfall: Waiting for ETA on 2.0 (even a very rough ballpark) and an answer on the wipe issue(s) before I give AV any more money. I liked the game enough to put 6 months into it, but at a certain point, I gave up. But I still think about it often.
• 
  Mortal Online: Was buggy and server was not stable so I quit about a month after release. 
• 
  Earthrise: It was buggy and unstable. I quit about a week after release (due to MO experience).
• 
  Xsyon: Had fun in beta, but after launch, I couldn't even really play (unstable). I recall there were wipes, roll backs, territory issues, etc. Again, quit after a week of trying to log in and play for more than 30 minutes at a stretch. Guild quit too.
• 
  Dawntide: Played in beta for about 3 days like a year ago. But it seemed buggy and I thought I would look in on this one later.
• 
  EVE: How could I forget it? But not interested in spaceships and spreadsheets. So this one is not on my possible play list. I tried to get into it 3-4 times but just couldn't.
• 
  Ultima Online: I don't know why, but way too laggy from where I live. I googled solutions and tried them all but no good. And I really don't want to put that much time into resolving tech issues. Although I wish I could experience all the good stuff I've read about this game.

By far, Darkfall was the best among these games in terms of stability and what I could accomplish, etc. Who is in any of these games now and since you are still paying a sub and logging in, you must be enjoying some aspects of the game. Please tell me about it. If you are playing Darkfall, my stance is kind of fixed until I hear from AV about eta/wipe, but I'd like to know your thoughts on those issues. Thanks!

KenFisher

Judging from your post, you're probably as on top of things as anyone.  Your assesment of the games status seems dead on.

 

Only things that come to mind not on your list is Saga of Ryzom and Vanguard.  From what I've heard, the questy side of Ryzom only lasts through the starting area, and is meant as a tutorial.  From there, it sounds free roaming.

 

Vanguard is a themepark but the design is very retro,  I assume based on early MMOs prior to the introduction of instancing as the norm.  If you like huge world and crafty, this could be something to look into.

 

Other than that... not a clue.  I've been working so much, I don't get time to game.

xBludx

Thanks for the ideas! 

Actually, I played the Vanguard trial for a bit but it didn't hook me. I might give it a try another time.

Saw the RipperX video on this site after your recommendation and I'm downloading Ryzom now. It looks interesting the more I read about it. 

Joliust

I am in the same boat, I am just playing the waiting game. When you get use to it, it is not so bad. The MMOs I am interested in are years away from release. My only hope is that they can deliver.

CagedApe

Google UO Hybrid if you want to experience UO before EA ruined it. I highly recommend it.

Reizla

Originally posted by CagedApe

Google UO Hybrid if you want to experience UO before EA ruined it. I highly recommend it.

...hope you're not advertising here for some private server..? *wink wink*

StoneRoses

Originally posted by ActionMMORPG

Judging from your post, you're probably as on top of things as anyone.  Your assesment of the games status seems dead on.

 

Only things that come to mind not on your list is Saga of Ryzom and Vanguard.  From what I've heard, the questy side of Ryzom only lasts through the starting area, and is meant as a tutorial.  From there, it sounds free roaming.

 

Vanguard is a themepark but the design is very retro,  I assume based on early MMOs prior to the introduction of instancing as the norm.  If you like huge world and crafty, this could be something to look into.

 

Other than that... not a clue.  I've been working so much, I don't get time to game.

Don't say that to a Vanguard Elitiest fanboi, they will flip and start raging.

Arebuxum

http://www.istaria.com/

Try it and see what you think.  The graphics may be a little dated but the game is pretty cool as far as gameplay, and if your looking for a gamewith heavy focus on crafting and PvE, then you may have a pretty close match to what you're looking for.

CagedApe

---

Originally posted by Reizla

Originally posted by CagedApe
Google UO Hybrid if you want to experience UO before EA ruined it. I highly recommend it.

...hope you're not advertising here for some private server..? *wink wink*

---

Of course not Merely suggesting a particular string to enter into google that might yield the results he's looking for.

BlackUhuru

Originally posted by xBludx

I've been going solely themepark for a while and getting the urge to get back into a sandbox. I've started lurking in various forums again. You might know what I'm talking about.

I want to know from current players the state of any of the games below. You will see my list and perhaps laugh at my gullibility, but the others like me will understand. As this list will show, I have been liberal in taking chances on Indy developers. Judge it how you will (fool who encourages shoddy game design, etc.). I just want a good sandbox game, or a game not on rails.

These are the games that I have purchased (except Dawntide) but do not play:

• 
  Darkfall: Waiting for ETA on 2.0 (even a very rough ballpark) and an answer on the wipe issue(s) before I give AV any more money. I liked the game enough to put 6 months into it, but at a certain point, I gave up. But I still think about it often.
• 
  Mortal Online: Was buggy and server was not stable so I quit about a month after release. 
• 
  Earthrise: It was buggy and unstable. I quit about a week after release (due to MO experience).
• 
  Xsyon: Had fun in beta, but after launch, I couldn't even really play (unstable). I recall there were wipes, roll backs, territory issues, etc. Again, quit after a week of trying to log in and play for more than 30 minutes at a stretch. Guild quit too.
• 
  Dawntide: Played in beta for about 3 days like a year ago. But it seemed buggy and I thought I would look in on this one later.
• 
  EVE: How could I forget it? But not interested in spaceships and spreadsheets. So this one is not on my possible play list. I tried to get into it 3-4 times but just couldn't.
• 
  Ultima Online: I don't know why, but way too laggy from where I live. I googled solutions and tried them all but no good. And I really don't want to put that much time into resolving tech issues. Although I wish I could experience all the good stuff I've read about this game.

By far, Darkfall was the best among these games in terms of stability and what I could accomplish, etc. Who is in any of these games now and since you are still paying a sub and logging in, you must be enjoying some aspects of the game. Please tell me about it. If you are playing Darkfall, my stance is kind of fixed until I hear from AV about eta/wipe, but I'd like to know your thoughts on those issues. Thanks!

All indie labels that made horrible games except EVE and UO which are great games made very well and have stronge subs.

If one of the top publishers would get some balls and finance a true Sandbox we might have a future in MMORPGS.

We just have to wait for the console WoW generation to catch up and demand better games, we are about 3 to 4 years out i think.

Games that are in the first stages of development are going sandbox route and will be ready to go in a few years, maybe 3.