Sandbox Games
- Thread starter blueshift
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Caporegime
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thanks?
As Brennen said, sandbox games are few and far between, especially in console space. The only real place for true sandbox atm is probably the MMO space, more specifically Eve Online. The devs give you the basics, and give you a vast amount of space to do whatever you want.
As console games are constantly being pushed to be more accessible, the sandbox nature is being taken away. Some games claim to give you freedom, yet there is a storyline preventing certain things. Just Cause 2 is probably the closest thing to sandbox around at the moment, as there are no restrictions on to where you can go, and what to do there, but there is a reason behind doing it. Sandbox is more a case of 'I do it becuase I want to, not becuase some NPC asks me to'.
Anyway, wall of text aside, good detailed post by OP
As console games are constantly being pushed to be more accessible, the sandbox nature is being taken away. Some games claim to give you freedom, yet there is a storyline preventing certain things. Just Cause 2 is probably the closest thing to sandbox around at the moment, as there are no restrictions on to where you can go, and what to do there, but there is a reason behind doing it. Sandbox is more a case of 'I do it becuase I want to, not becuase some NPC asks me to'.
Anyway, wall of text aside, good detailed post by OP
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Caporegime
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Really? So can you play Golf in Eve Online? by your definition there is no such thing as a sandbox game. Eve online is no more sandbox than GTA or Just Cause. They all provide an open environment with a limited number of things to do.
That's exactly what I was getting at. To my knowledge the only sandbox game I can think of is Garrys Mod. Or a big box of Lego
Hardly. GTA or Just Cause have no freedom in comparison, especially GTA. You are restricted on where you can go at certain points, you can't see the whole world until later parts of the game. Can you choose what career you wish to persure in either of those games? No, you are a protagonist and nothing more, you don't choose his background, or have any impact on what his future holds, it's set out for you.
Eve, you create a character, and choose to do what you wish, albeit be a golf expert as you said. My point was that console games are all linear in order to appeal to a wider audience. If the next Elder Scrolls had no main story, and instead you just walked around a huge continent aimlessly, with no guidance, would it sell as well as it's predecessors? No.
Console and Sandbox do not mix. My comment on it mainly residing in the MMO space was becuase you have a community to influence what you do. This doesn't make it linear as you choose the people you play with, they aren't spawned in certain places just by loading up the game, and if your play style changes, the people you play with may as well, but there is nothing stopping you from carrying on the same, just because you decided to retire from being a soldier, to becoming a socialite.
I'm not arguing against the point you made, as I agree there are no totally sandbox games, except that ancient one I don't see very often, called 'Real Life'
Apologies for any typos, don't have the energy to proof read
Eve, you create a character, and choose to do what you wish, albeit be a golf expert as you said. My point was that console games are all linear in order to appeal to a wider audience. If the next Elder Scrolls had no main story, and instead you just walked around a huge continent aimlessly, with no guidance, would it sell as well as it's predecessors? No.
Console and Sandbox do not mix. My comment on it mainly residing in the MMO space was becuase you have a community to influence what you do. This doesn't make it linear as you choose the people you play with, they aren't spawned in certain places just by loading up the game, and if your play style changes, the people you play with may as well, but there is nothing stopping you from carrying on the same, just because you decided to retire from being a soldier, to becoming a socialite.
I'm not arguing against the point you made, as I agree there are no totally sandbox games, except that ancient one I don't see very often, called 'Real Life'
Apologies for any typos, don't have the energy to proof read
This is true of Eve to a degree. You may choose your portrait and a name but what difference does it make? Can you explore the Eve universe from the off? Only if you're very lucky.
So, to go off around the universe you need money and experiance points. Money can be got through grinding missions and exp is got through menu clicking. Hardly "sandbox", do what you want kinda thing is it?
Want to be a pirate and bash seven shades of brown out of honest working miners? You'll need a lot of exp points and a load of ISK to buy a suitable ship. These things are got through structure, linearity.
I'm not having a go Schnoob, though I am an Eve victim in remission, it is far from non-linear. Replace the stars with interconnecting rooms/dungeons like doom and it would hardly change the premise of the game.