Sorry, I don't see how The War Z could be on a list of sandbox MMORPGs.
I have read-up on the game and didn't see any sandboxy features, it's not an MMO (population cap of 250 people on a server?) and it has few RPG elements.
I maintain this List of Sandbox MMORPGs. Please post or send PM for corrections and suggestions.
amazing topic, thanks for updating it..that's exaxtly what I was looking for to find UO alternatives..still, nothing on the list good enough at the moment *grins*
I hope EQN or AE will be good enough to fit in this list when out..
1. Glitch will be closing shop, therefore I have removed it from the list.
Another one bites the dust, sad that Glitch is closing shop so soon after the relaunch. A weird little game that could have found it's niche, sadly it didn't, partly because technology shifted away from Flash - and Glitch depended heavily on Flash. In a way it was a game made for browsers, mobiles and tablets, but using a technology that didn't find it's way onto mobiles and tablets. End of the road.
2. Outer Empires entered the list.
Also a game with a "history", also a game made for browsers and with mobiles and tablets in mind - and also a game that closed shop and relaunched in it's current form. I wish them luck. Though there's a marked difference as well. Outer Empires comes as F2P game - but of the kind where F2P is practically little more than a free trial, for the full game experience you need a subscription, but it's a cheap one ($4 per month).
As always, reasonable comments and suggestions welcome.
I maintain this List of Sandbox MMORPGs. Please post or send PM for corrections and suggestions.
I think you are one of the remnants of the true MMORPGs.
The UO design philosophy school.
I however, cannot agree with
Fallen Earth
Critery it fails to satisfy: No effect on other players or on the world.
Reason: It suffers from 2 diseases I call
World is Static
Players in a Bubble.
It features some "binary" towers/areas that groups can switch possession on and off. They are static. One group has it, or another one has it. That does not fullfill "cause effects on the world" by any stretch of the imagination.
It features Factions that hate each other, are in war, yet, the choice of being part of a Faction has no effect on whether or not players can start causing effect on other players of opposing Factions.
These flaws are so dramatic that I quit this game as soon as I realized their current design prevented me from drinking of the expected Sandbox Experience tm.
With that said, keep up the good work.
There will be deceivers trying to bury your thread. Trying to hide the truth about the only true MMORPGs. There is a strong lobby trying to dumb people down and forcing them these other "MMOs", even this very website is a core part of the problem. There are also paid people to push forward their "entertainment" as the standard. 90% of the player base never touched a true sandbox and never ever had the opportunity to experience it.
I'm glad this thread exists because there was a thread a couple of weeks ago where the poster claimed that there were 0 mmos for sandbox players to play, and implied that intelligent people played and discussed sandbox games. Now we have a list of games that the intelligent poster doesn't know exist.
I'm enjoying Eve at the moment as my son got me hooked on it and I love the economic aspect of it.
Just to mention some (of many sub designs of the above areas): Auction Houses, Fast Travel, Instantaneous Grouping are "inovations" that cause many side effects wich are antagonic in nature to the "Sandbox Experience" tm.
Each and many design "inovation" intended to fix particular issues, ended up destroying major aspects of what made the MMORPGs what they were and the experiences they provided.
Its like they added "globalization", "homogeneization" into design of MMORPGs. They also removed any political, administrative, juridic aspects as if attempting to literally dumb down people in real life through their game designs.
So players dont ultimatelly interact with games in any way that could enhance and make them perceive the main spheres of action a human being can take in its life: CREATE, CONTROL, CHANGE, UNDERSTAND.
We are mainly left with Obbey and Destroy aspects.
If someone made a MMORPG news/website/forum with the focus on the Sandbox games (old, current, upcomming) according to the OP criteria, gatekeeping it from all the garbage, I would be interested to lend my strenght.
If someone made a MMORPG news/website/forum with the focus on the Sandbox games (old, current, upcomming) according to the OP criteria, gatekeeping it from all the garbage, I would be interested to lend my strenght.
Well I believe there has been only two true MMORPG sandbox games AC and Xsyon the rest are missing to much in the game to be a sandbox with limits to development and your freedom. Not saying the others don't qualify but if you use what the OP says EQ would be the 3rd sandbox game, it had far more sandbox features than the rest listed. But EQ was not a themepark or a sandbox those terms where not used back than.
Originally posted by Thorbrand Well I believe there has been only two true MMORPG sandbox games AC and Xsyon the rest are missing to much in the game to be a sandbox with limits to development and your freedom. Not saying the others don't qualify but if you use what the OP says EQ would be the 3rd sandbox game, it had far more sandbox features than the rest listed. But EQ was not a themepark or a sandbox those terms where not used back than.
What features is EvE missing to not make it a sandbox?
Originally posted by Thorbrand Well I believe there has been only two true MMORPG sandbox games AC and Xsyon the rest are missing to much in the game to be a sandbox with limits to development and your freedom. Not saying the others don't qualify but if you use what the OP says EQ would be the 3rd sandbox game, it had far more sandbox features than the rest listed. But EQ was not a themepark or a sandbox those terms where not used back than.
What features is EvE missing to not make it a sandbox?
And EQ only made a few features on that list. Open world, persistent, crafting. Pretty much it and I wouldn't even consider crafting because every single item was crafted from loot drops. No real player customization (yes it had the skills that you put points into but max level increased with level), was a level based game, loot driven game, class driven game so all members of that class were identical, no way to alter the gameworld, no way to own the gameworld...
Btw the terms were used back then.
Just because you don't like it doesn't mean it is bad.
Both Mortal Online and Xsyon have changed their payment models. Both games are now listed as
Subscription and free to play, free client
Cash Shop: No
Looks to me like both games are adopting a payment model that can be advertised as "free to play" but is in fact a model where you can try the game for free but need a subscription if you want to stay for longer. I believe it's an okay payment model, at least they didn't introduce a cash shop.
I hope that both of the games get more people checking them out with this change. I never played Mortal Online but my months in Xsyon have been amongst the most memorable in any MMORPG I played in the last 10 years.
I maintain this List of Sandbox MMORPGs. Please post or send PM for corrections and suggestions.
I list games that are playable by the general public. That means the games are either released or in some open testing stage. I do not list games in development that are in closed testing.
I maintain this List of Sandbox MMORPGs. Please post or send PM for corrections and suggestions.
If someone made a MMORPG news/website/forum with the focus on the Sandbox games (old, current, upcomming) according to the OP criteria, gatekeeping it from all the garbage, I would be interested to lend my strenght.
We have too many Sticky threads as it is, no one ever seems to look at them years after they have gone up and say "do we still need them". Look at the number of replies to some of them, they clearly need to go.
Love has been suggested before - but I didn't include it because it's not an MMORPG in the strict sense: as far as I know there's no character progression, no character skills. The developer doesn't call it an MMORPG as well, he calls it an adventure game.
I know that it's a borderline decision in the case of Love but I decided to be strict. Frankly, once I list games without RPG progression mechanics I also have to list 2nd Live, There and probably a bunch of those social games and a score of Farmville-like browser games. None of those are RPGs, but they are sandbox and online ...
---
And, be careful when you ask for stickies - or the staff here decides to bury the thread in the "Looking for Game" subforum where most people will never see it again.
Minor edit to the original post: temporarily removed Darkfall from the list. As of now there is no Darkfall playable by the general public. The old Darkfall is down, the new one not yet released. I'll make sure to add Darkfall again when the game gets released or has an open beta (if it should get one).
I maintain this List of Sandbox MMORPGs. Please post or send PM for corrections and suggestions.
Grats to OP for keeping this list updated. Kind of sad to look at the Game List on this site and compare it to the amount of games on this list. Sandbox needs more love!
Salem? It's considered in beta, but getting a key is a matter of going to the website and getting one. The give a certain amount out every day or something. Has literally every feature you listed as a requirement.
Originally posted by gnomechef Runescape is far from sandbox now. May as well call WoW sandbox now too.
Even with the combat upgrade, it still ticks nearly every box on OP's list - the only one that's questionable is the ability to effect the game world, though the latest update (the God statues) adds to that.
Salem? It's considered in beta, but getting a key is a matter of going to the website and getting one. The give a certain amount out every day or something. Has literally every feature you listed as a requirement.
Thanks for the suggestion. I played Salem and although I personally don't like the game I will put it on this list as soon as it is officially in open beta.
I'm aware that the game is practically released since a few months (cash-shop is in business, "beta"-keys are readily available, no wipe planned before release). Still, I stick with the traditional definition of "open" beta.
I maintain this List of Sandbox MMORPGs. Please post or send PM for corrections and suggestions.
Comments
Sorry, I don't see how The War Z could be on a list of sandbox MMORPGs.
I have read-up on the game and didn't see any sandboxy features, it's not an MMO (population cap of 250 people on a server?) and it has few RPG elements.
I maintain this List of Sandbox MMORPGs. Please post or send PM for corrections and suggestions.
amazing topic, thanks for updating it..that's exaxtly what I was looking for to find UO alternatives..still, nothing on the list good enough at the moment *grins*
I hope EQN or AE will be good enough to fit in this list when out..
Time for an update
I maintain this List of Sandbox MMORPGs. Please post or send PM for corrections and suggestions.
Congratulations on your thread.
I agree with your criteries.
I think you are one of the remnants of the true MMORPGs.
The UO design philosophy school.
I however, cannot agree with
Fallen Earth
Critery it fails to satisfy: No effect on other players or on the world.
Reason: It suffers from 2 diseases I call
World is Static
Players in a Bubble.
It features some "binary" towers/areas that groups can switch possession on and off. They are static. One group has it, or another one has it. That does not fullfill "cause effects on the world" by any stretch of the imagination.
It features Factions that hate each other, are in war, yet, the choice of being part of a Faction has no effect on whether or not players can start causing effect on other players of opposing Factions.
These flaws are so dramatic that I quit this game as soon as I realized their current design prevented me from drinking of the expected Sandbox Experience tm.
With that said, keep up the good work.
There will be deceivers trying to bury your thread. Trying to hide the truth about the only true MMORPGs. There is a strong lobby trying to dumb people down and forcing them these other "MMOs", even this very website is a core part of the problem. There are also paid people to push forward their "entertainment" as the standard. 90% of the player base never touched a true sandbox and never ever had the opportunity to experience it.
I'm glad this thread exists because there was a thread a couple of weeks ago where the poster claimed that there were 0 mmos for sandbox players to play, and implied that intelligent people played and discussed sandbox games. Now we have a list of games that the intelligent poster doesn't know exist.
I'm enjoying Eve at the moment as my son got me hooked on it and I love the economic aspect of it.
I also think that sandbox
Economy design
Travel, Exploration design
Socialization design
Should be considered as criteries.
Just to mention some (of many sub designs of the above areas): Auction Houses, Fast Travel, Instantaneous Grouping are "inovations" that cause many side effects wich are antagonic in nature to the "Sandbox Experience" tm.
Each and many design "inovation" intended to fix particular issues, ended up destroying major aspects of what made the MMORPGs what they were and the experiences they provided.
Its like they added "globalization", "homogeneization" into design of MMORPGs. They also removed any political, administrative, juridic aspects as if attempting to literally dumb down people in real life through their game designs.
So players dont ultimatelly interact with games in any way that could enhance and make them perceive the main spheres of action a human being can take in its life: CREATE, CONTROL, CHANGE, UNDERSTAND.
We are mainly left with Obbey and Destroy aspects.
If someone made a MMORPG news/website/forum with the focus on the Sandbox games (old, current, upcomming) according to the OP criteria, gatekeeping it from all the garbage, I would be interested to lend my strenght.
http://www.sandboxer.org
What features is EvE missing to not make it a sandbox?
And EQ only made a few features on that list. Open world, persistent, crafting. Pretty much it and I wouldn't even consider crafting because every single item was crafted from loot drops. No real player customization (yes it had the skills that you put points into but max level increased with level), was a level based game, loot driven game, class driven game so all members of that class were identical, no way to alter the gameworld, no way to own the gameworld...
Btw the terms were used back then.
Thanks for the correction, original post edited.
I maintain this List of Sandbox MMORPGs. Please post or send PM for corrections and suggestions.
Small update. Original post edited.
Both Mortal Online and Xsyon have changed their payment models. Both games are now listed as
I maintain this List of Sandbox MMORPGs. Please post or send PM for corrections and suggestions.
Greed Monger should be added.
http://www.greedmonger.com/
From the original post:
What about Games in Development?
I list games that are playable by the general public. That means the games are either released or in some open testing stage. I do not list games in development that are in closed testing.
I maintain this List of Sandbox MMORPGs. Please post or send PM for corrections and suggestions.
Thank you, going to check that.
Love by Eskil Steenberg?
http://www.quelsolaar.com/love/index.html
-
Also why is this thread not stickied?
http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1014633/Classic-Game-Postmortem
We have too many Sticky threads as it is, no one ever seems to look at them years after they have gone up and say "do we still need them". Look at the number of replies to some of them, they clearly need to go.
Love has been suggested before - but I didn't include it because it's not an MMORPG in the strict sense: as far as I know there's no character progression, no character skills. The developer doesn't call it an MMORPG as well, he calls it an adventure game.
I know that it's a borderline decision in the case of Love but I decided to be strict. Frankly, once I list games without RPG progression mechanics I also have to list 2nd Live, There and probably a bunch of those social games and a score of Farmville-like browser games. None of those are RPGs, but they are sandbox and online ...
---
And, be careful when you ask for stickies - or the staff here decides to bury the thread in the "Looking for Game" subforum where most people will never see it again.
Minor edit to the original post: temporarily removed Darkfall from the list. As of now there is no Darkfall playable by the general public. The old Darkfall is down, the new one not yet released. I'll make sure to add Darkfall again when the game gets released or has an open beta (if it should get one).
I maintain this List of Sandbox MMORPGs. Please post or send PM for corrections and suggestions.
Grats to OP for keeping this list updated. Kind of sad to look at the Game List on this site and compare it to the amount of games on this list. Sandbox needs more love!
Though I'm happily playing Wakfu and Mabinogi :P
Salem? It's considered in beta, but getting a key is a matter of going to the website and getting one. The give a certain amount out every day or something. Has literally every feature you listed as a requirement.
http://www.salemthegame.com/
Please visit my youtube channel for some H1Z1/DayZ casual roleplay videos!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrQoK5VZlwBBzpsksmXtjMQ
Even with the combat upgrade, it still ticks nearly every box on OP's list - the only one that's questionable is the ability to effect the game world, though the latest update (the God statues) adds to that.
Thanks for the suggestion. I played Salem and although I personally don't like the game I will put it on this list as soon as it is officially in open beta.
I'm aware that the game is practically released since a few months (cash-shop is in business, "beta"-keys are readily available, no wipe planned before release). Still, I stick with the traditional definition of "open" beta.
I maintain this List of Sandbox MMORPGs. Please post or send PM for corrections and suggestions.