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Put your money where your mouth is...there are sandboxes out there..

donjndonjn Member UncommonPosts: 816
in The Pub at MMORPG.COM
I never got why Ashen Empires did not take off and become more mainstream. I almost feel it is unfair now because newer sandbox games like Linkrealms are going to get a Steam launch and Ashen Empires never had that chance.

Ashen Empires is an Ultima Online-like game for those of you that don't know, and yes I am talking to all of you who are sick of the questing-on-rails, themepark MMOs. There is no limit in the amount of skills you can do on one character. You are free! make that battlemage! As for Ultima Online and Ryzom, I assume most of you are familiar with these two.

I read these forums a lot. This place seems to be a massive complaining location for people who are sick of all the typical MMOs and want something more sandbox. And a lot of you don't care about graphics.

So my big question is this?

Why aren't more of you either playing Ashen Empires, Ryzom or Ultima Online?

All three of these are amazing sandboxes.
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Comments

  • RhevinRhevin Member UncommonPosts: 611
    donjn said:
    Why aren't more of you either playing Ashen Empires, Ryzom or Ultima Online?
    Because. I am burnt out of MMOs. So I bought a motorcycle. It goes vroom.

    ________________________
    Two atoms walk out of a bar. The first exclaims, "Damn, I forgot my electrons." The other replies, "You sure?". The first explains, "Yea, I'm positive."

  • donjndonjn Member UncommonPosts: 816
    Rhevin said:
    donjn said:
    Why aren't more of you either playing Ashen Empires, Ryzom or Ultima Online?
    Because. I am burnt out of MMOs. So I bought a motorcycle. It goes vroom.
    So why visit a site about MMOs if you are burned out on MMOs? Makes no sense.
  • JDis25JDis25 Member RarePosts: 1,353
    I am playing AA because it nicer on the eyes. I can't bare to look at clay, legos or the ground, on a game that I am going to play long-term.
    Now Playing: Bless / Summoners War
    Looking forward to: Crowfall / Lost Ark / Black Desert Mobile
  • RhevinRhevin Member UncommonPosts: 611
    donjn said:
    Rhevin said:
    donjn said:
    Why aren't more of you either playing Ashen Empires, Ryzom or Ultima Online?
    Because. I am burnt out of MMOs. So I bought a motorcycle. It goes vroom.
    So why visit a site about MMOs if you are burned out on MMOs? Makes no sense.
    Because I've been here since 2004. I like to keep up to date on the current status of gaming.

    ________________________
    Two atoms walk out of a bar. The first exclaims, "Damn, I forgot my electrons." The other replies, "You sure?". The first explains, "Yea, I'm positive."

  • YanocchiYanocchi Member UncommonPosts: 677
    donjn said:
    So my big question is this?

    Why aren't more of you either playing Ashen Empires, Ryzom or Ultima Online?

    All three of these are amazing sandboxes.

    Played Ashen Empires and earlier when it was Dransik. It's been empty space void of players for many many years.
    Baldur's Gate Online - Video Trailer
    * more info, screenshots and videos here

  • SquishydewSquishydew Member UncommonPosts: 1,107
    edited September 2015
    When people say they want a sandbox, what i think they really mean is they want a sandbox with the polish of an AAA title like WoW.

    If a sandbox where to be successful, It's going to have to be accessible in some way, and It's going to need graphics that'll hold up against themepark competitors.

    The games you listed look and feel outdated, sandboxes wont shine until their production quality is on par with the themeparks we get.

    ( all personal opinion / thoughts ofcourse, not saying thats what people want or mean, its just what i think they want or mean, even if they don't realize it. )
  • donjndonjn Member UncommonPosts: 816
    GrayImpact said:
    When people say they want a sandbox, what i think they really mean is they want a sandbox with the polish of an AAA title like WoW.

    If a sandbox where to be successful, It's going to have to be accessible in some way, and It's going to need graphics that'll hold up against themepark competitors.

    The games you listed look and feel outdated, sandboxes wont shine until their production quality is on par with the themeparks we get.

    ( all personal opinion / thoughts ofcourse, not saying thats what people want or mean, its just what i think they want or mean, even if they don't realize it. )
    In other words, something along the lines of ArcheAge I assume? Okay I guess that makes sense.
  • KyleranKyleran Member LegendaryPosts: 43,975
    donjn said:
    I never got why Ashen Empires did not take off and become more mainstream. I almost feel it is unfair now because newer sandbox games like Linkrealms are going to get a Steam launch and Ashen Empires never had that chance.

    Ashen Empires is an Ultima Online-like game for those of you that don't know, and yes I am talking to all of you who are sick of the questing-on-rails, themepark MMOs. There is no limit in the amount of skills you can do on one character. You are free! make that battlemage! As for Ultima Online and Ryzom, I assume most of you are familiar with these two.

    I read these forums a lot. This place seems to be a massive complaining location for people who are sick of all the typical MMOs and want something more sandbox. And a lot of you don't care about graphics.

    So my big question is this?

    Why aren't more of you either playing Ashen Empires, Ryzom or Ultima Online?

    All three of these are amazing sandboxes.
    Because I'm playing EVE.

    "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






  • MMOvisionMMOvision Member UncommonPosts: 112
    *snip*

    So my big question is this?

    Why aren't more of you either playing Ashen Empires, Ryzom or Ultima Online?

    All three of these are amazing sandboxes.
    Because I'm playing EVE.
    ^ this.    Eve is still all there is for Quality AAA Sandboxes.  Let me say this again.   Eve is ALL THERE IS for QUALITY AAA Sandboxes.

    It has it's flaws, it has a small population.   But still more active, lively, and polished then every single sandbox option out there.        I don't think it's wrong for people to want MORE than 1 AAA Sandbox to choose.
  • SavageHorizonSavageHorizon Member EpicPosts: 3,480
    edited September 2015
    donjn said:
    I never got why Ashen Empires did not take off and become more mainstream. I almost feel it is unfair now because newer sandbox games like Linkrealms are going to get a Steam launch and Ashen Empires never had that chance.

    Ashen Empires is an Ultima Online-like game for those of you that don't know, and yes I am talking to all of you who are sick of the questing-on-rails, themepark MMOs. There is no limit in the amount of skills you can do on one character. You are free! make that battlemage! As for Ultima Online and Ryzom, I assume most of you are familiar with these two.

    I read these forums a lot. This place seems to be a massive complaining location for people who are sick of all the typical MMOs and want something more sandbox. And a lot of you don't care about graphics.

    So my big question is this?

    Why aren't more of you either playing Ashen Empires, Ryzom or Ultima Online?

    All three of these are amazing sandboxes.
    The only true sandbox mmo that i can't think off is Wurm Online.

    http://www.wurmonline.com/

    Explained here http://www.wurmpedia.com/index.php/Basic_Knowledge

    Great Vid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvBDYdVQoPw

    Tell me what other mmo's lets you pack your boat up with food and equipment and then lets you sail over a server boarder right into another server, yup that's right you can sail right into another server, a whole new world.


    How's that for exploration, you can be gone for weeks.
    Post edited by SavageHorizon on




  • RhevinRhevin Member UncommonPosts: 611
    MMOvision said:
    *snip*

    So my big question is this?

    Why aren't more of you either playing Ashen Empires, Ryzom or Ultima Online?

    All three of these are amazing sandboxes.
    Because I'm playing EVE.
    ^ this.    Eve is still all there is for Quality AAA Sandboxes.  Let me say this again.   Eve is ALL THERE IS for QUALITY AAA Sandboxes.

    It has it's flaws, it has a small population.   But still more active, lively, and polished then every single sandbox option out there.        I don't think it's wrong for people to want MORE than 1 AAA Sandbox to choose.
    Yea know, I really, really wish I could get myself to stick with that game. I'll play for a month and give up. Next year I'll play for another month, then give up. Just feels like I'm sitting down 6h of boredom to only end in 7s of shear terror of getting podded.

    ________________________
    Two atoms walk out of a bar. The first exclaims, "Damn, I forgot my electrons." The other replies, "You sure?". The first explains, "Yea, I'm positive."

  • AAAMEOWAAAMEOW Member RarePosts: 1,617
    People wants big budget sandbox game.  And they are just blaming themepark mmorpg as scapegaot.  Because it seemed only themepark game is getting the budget.


  • GardavsshadeGardavsshade Member UncommonPosts: 907
    edited September 2015
    I simply want a Sandbox MMO that's NOT built from the beginning as a PvP MMO and later tacks on PvE, or worse... uses the so-called PvE areas as just a "rich plain upon which Gazelle graze". Pfft. Feeding Ground design philosophy.

    DAoC wasn't a sandbox MMO, but it did strike a balance between PvE and PvP and that was one of it's best features in my opinion. There was absolutely no way an enemy could survive long on the PvE side, if they could even get there. Now why?? can not sandbox MMO Devs incorporate that kind of design into their sandbox MMOs?

    I want a AAA, or a good quality, PvE Sandbox MMO. Sandbox does not have to mean PvP.

    (and it seems I won't have to wait forever, a true PvE sandbox mmo is in development now. I do put my money into a current sandbox mmo right now but that mmo was made for PvP and it shows. Too many features meant for PvP create loopholes on the PvE servers. My patience is wearing thin with that mmo)
  • sunandshadowsunandshadow Member RarePosts: 1,985
    I've tried Ryzom twice, and for all its points of interest, the sad fact is that it isn't fun.  The crafting is interesting but not fun.  The combat is not fun.  The gathering is not fun.  The only fun parts are the worldbuilding, the character customization and maybe 20% of the quests. :/
    I want to help design and develop a PvE-focused, solo-friendly, sandpark MMO which combines crafting, monster hunting, and story.  So PM me if you are starting one.
  • sunandshadowsunandshadow Member RarePosts: 1,985
    I simply want a Sandbox MMO that's NOT built from the beginning as a PvP MMO and later tacks on PvE, or worse... uses the so-called PvE areas as just a "rich plain upon which Gazelle graze". Pfft. Feeding Ground design philosophy.

    Totally agree with that.
    (and it seems I won't have to wait forever, a true PvE sandbox mmo is in development now.

    Which one would that be, and is it solo-friendly? I'm waiting eagerly for a solo-focused PvE sandbox or sandpark MMO which isn't totally P2W and isn't an FPS and isn't high-tech or high fantasy or horror. A lot of the current sandboxes, even if they have PvE servers, are ruined for me by mandatory or heavily focused on group play. That's why I didn't put money into Xsyon, and why I don't play A Tale In The Desert any more (well it has other problems too, like being abandonware, but the social experiment design is mainly what makes the gameplay experience unpleasant.)
    I want to help design and develop a PvE-focused, solo-friendly, sandpark MMO which combines crafting, monster hunting, and story.  So PM me if you are starting one.
  • KarahandrasKarahandras Member UncommonPosts: 1,703
    MMOvision said:
    *snip*

    So my big question is this?

    Why aren't more of you either playing Ashen Empires, Ryzom or Ultima Online?

    All three of these are amazing sandboxes.
    Because I'm playing EVE.
    ^ this.    Eve is still all there is for Quality AAA Sandboxes.  Let me say this again.   Eve is ALL THERE IS for QUALITY AAA Sandboxes.

    It has it's flaws, it has a small population.   But still more active, lively, and polished then every single sandbox option out there.        I don't think it's wrong for people to want MORE than 1 AAA Sandbox to choose.
    Apart from the 'small population' (except compared to wow and a couple of asian mmos) this.

    As to the ones on the list.  Ashen empires, really?  Ryzom is ok but a very heavy grind and as someone else said just not fun.  Ultima is ea doesn't really need that much more said.

    Why aren't more people playing them, well when was the last time you saw them advertised.  People aren't going to be playing something they've never heard of.
  • StormakovStormakov Member UncommonPosts: 200
    donjn said:
    I never got why Ashen Empires did not take off and become more mainstream. I almost feel it is unfair now because newer sandbox games like Linkrealms are going to get a Steam launch and Ashen Empires never had that chance.
    To be fair, Linkrealms has been in development and playable for over 5 years and it's barely made any progress. 
  • SavageHorizonSavageHorizon Member EpicPosts: 3,480
    Gardavsshade said:
    I simply want a Sandbox MMO that's NOT built from the beginning as a PvP MMO and later tacks on PvE, or worse... uses the so-called PvE areas as just a "rich plain upon which Gazelle graze". Pfft. Feeding Ground design philosophy.


    I want a AAA, or a good quality, PvE Sandbox MMO. Sandbox does not have to mean PvP.

    Wurm Online but it depends if you are willing to look passed certain aspects.

    This lady explains it best https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvBDYdVQoPw




  • sunandshadowsunandshadow Member RarePosts: 1,985
    I was so disappointed in Wurm Online's combat when I tried it...  And Xsyon's is the same kind.  Yuck.
    I want to help design and develop a PvE-focused, solo-friendly, sandpark MMO which combines crafting, monster hunting, and story.  So PM me if you are starting one.
  • Saxx0nSaxx0n PR/Brand Manager BitBox Ltd.Member UncommonPosts: 999
    sunandshadow said:
    I was so disappointed in Wurm Online's combat when I tried it...  And Xsyon's is the same kind.  Yuck.

    Our 64 player version of Life is Feudal will officially launch in October of this year which is very similar to both of these titles albeit with good combat. The more exciting aspect I am looking forward to is the start of our large scale mmo beta tests next spring. Considering 90% of the assets created for our 64 player version seamlessly integrate into our mmo the development will be brisk and focused on performance and quality of play for the mmo.

    Life IS Feudal
  • SavageHorizonSavageHorizon Member EpicPosts: 3,480
    sunandshadow said:
    I was so disappointed in Wurm Online's combat when I tried it...  And Xsyon's is the same kind.  Yuck.
    Hence why you should watch the vid in my link, it's all explained. Fact is we are talking sandbox features not combat animations or graphics. People either want sandbox or they don't, waiting for some ultra modern graphical animations sandbox mmo will have you waiting forever.

    Graphics and animations have nothing to do with what makes an mmo sandbox. If you can't look beyond this then you will be here in ten years time still searching.




  • LoktofeitLoktofeit Member RarePosts: 14,247
    donjn said:

    Why aren't more of you either playing Ashen Empires, Ryzom or Ultima Online?

    All three of these are amazing sandboxes.
    • Played the crap out of UO for years. ENjoyed every crazy minute of it. KInda done playing UO. 
    • Really enjoyed Ashen Empires. Not sure why I stopped playing other than my guild had no interest in it and I wanted to play the MMOs they were playing. 
    • Ryzom was neat, but at the time I played (2005?) was incomplete, mediocre, and about the lowest quality MMO I had experienced in graphics, performance and design when compared to everything else. YMMV. In all the years that Ryzom has been plodding along, there has always been a much more polished, higher quality alternative to it. Ryzom -  like Xsyon, Mortal Online, Darkfall and many other titles -  is a great idea on paper, but seemed to be lacking the resources, money, or talent to make it what it should be. 

    There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
    "Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre

  • Saxx0nSaxx0n PR/Brand Manager BitBox Ltd.Member UncommonPosts: 999
    I was so disappointed in Wurm Online's combat when I tried it...  And Xsyon's is the same kind.  Yuck.
    Hence why you should watch the vid in my link, it's all explained. Fact is we are talking sandbox features not combat animations or graphics. People either want sandbox or they don't, waiting for some ultra modern graphical animations sandbox mmo will have you waiting forever.

    Graphics and animations have nothing to do with what makes an mmo sandbox. If you can't look beyond this then you will be here in ten years time still searching.
    You can have graphics and good combat animations. We have been using DX9 but are going to implement DX11 in 2 to 3 weeks  Life is Feudal DX11

    Life IS Feudal
  • HeraseHerase Member RarePosts: 993
    MMOvision said:
     I don't think it's wrong for people to want MORE than 1 AAA Sandbox to choose. 
    I agree, but the question, is are they willing to support it? It's easy to say we want this and that, but if they're not willing to support and be part of the game, how can they expect anything to happen? 

    I don't know, from my point of view seems people like to be vocal about sandbox or old school gaming, but aren't willing to be part of it.
  • Loke666Loke666 Member EpicPosts: 21,441
    I just havn't found a sandbox MMO I like in a long time. Sure, Ryzom had it's points but it feel kinda old now.

    I will give Life is feudal a shot when I have the time though.
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