Define "decent population". EVE has the largest out of the sandboxes I've tried. Other good games that had smaller populations would be Darkfall and Ryzom.
Current: None Played: WoW, CoX, SWG, LotRO, EVE, AoC, VG, CO, Ryzom, DF, WAR Tried: Lineage2, Dofus, EQ2, CoS, FE, UO, Wurm, Wakfu Future: The Repopulation, ArcheAge, Black Desert, EQN
Wakfu, it isn't the best sand box out there, and I'd argue it isn't much of one at all almost a hybrid. But it has a lot going for it, like a political system and ecosystem, as well as a different combat style. It's worth a look at the very least.
as of now i havent seen a sandbox mmo worthy of my time. I had hopes for Dawntide, but i think they closed it down to "re-make" the game or so i heard. And to the OP, u mentioned TERA, i may be wrong but i think tera is themepark.
Eve Online -> solid population, lots to do, 15$/month. my only beef with this game is that it takes weeks to train higher level skills and sometimes you'll be just wasting time doing nothing waiting for them to finish training.
Wurm Online -> most complex fantasy world, modifiable terrain, everything is player built, 7$/month (has free server too though, but with limitations). things take days/week to build, but the feeling of reward is amazing
best F2P:
Haven and Hearth -> Ultima Online graphics, but everything can be built. More of a hermit survivor game than an MMO though, but still lots of fun
Pirates of the Burning Sea -> it's a solid seafaring sandbox, good sea combat, so so land combat, lots of stuff to manufacture and trade
Uncharted Waters Online -> same as above, but slightly more trade focused and more slow in a sense
good on paper, but not so fun in reality:
Darkfall -> could have been amazing, but macroers and gankers, along with almost empty world make this more of a single player game with occasional ganking
Mortal Online -> also good on paper and beatiful, but tons of bugs and the game doesn't really have a clear direction
Xsyon -> this was supposed to be the sandbox of all sandboxes, but turned out to be a barely finished beta with almost nothing to do ingame
games to look forward to:
Archeage -> better be good or else!!! this may take 1 more year to develop though as it has only entered a closed beta in Korea very recently
nothing else...there really is nothing else out there that I would call sandbox
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
Pirates of the Burning Sea -> it's a solid seafaring sandbox, good sea combat, so so land combat, lots of stuff to manufacture and trade
Uncharted Waters Online -> same as above, but slightly more trade focused and more slow in a sense
PotBS is a theme park, not a sandbox. You go to one port, get a bunch of quests, do the quests, go to the next, higher level port, and so forth. It is rather different from the usual theme park games, but it's not sandbox at all.
PotBS and UWO really aren't very similar. PotBS is mostly about combat, while UWO has combat as only a relatively minor portion of the game. UWO is more about trading and exploration. And trying to figure out what you're doing, because Koei makes things complicated for the sake of making them complicated.
I think so many dont know whart a sandbox is compared to a theme park game. Thats probably why all these crap so called MMO's are released thinking it will be good.
If i can go anywhere, explore anything, have huge amounts of player content, be swept away just in one area for hours exploring, killing, harvesting, and just having fun, then i consider that a sandbox and a fun game.
If im stuck on a ship, led down a narrow passage of high cliff walls, cant explore, on a timed mission, told where to go, given everything in front of me because there is no exploration, and feel confined and cramped, then its a theme park and i hate those games. SWTOR was the biggest let down this decade to me due to most of this.
I dont mind mixes of the two though, long as i have a huge world and lots of fun exploring and so much more. But to be led around like a dog on a leash over and over, and having only dailies and pvp battles to keep me entertained at end game.............ill pass.
That is why i loved SWG so much, even after the NGE and with some of its flaws. It was one of the most indepth and explorable games ever in my opinion. Now all these mmo's are just to limited to be considered mmorpgs in my eyes. I shouldnt need developement content to keep myself entertained or happy. Thats a bad combo having to wait for new content when you can just make your own.
I have been playing Eternal Lands on and off for the past few weeks and its not bad. Its completely free, but they sell cosmetic things that you can't buy in game to support the game. I think they sell a few other things, but if if effects gameplay, you can also get with in game currency as well. You also have to pay to have a 24/7 merchant bot. I play free and I haven't had any trouble selling/buying on the market channel.
I like it because you can be a pure crafter if you want to. Or, go back and forth between combat, harvesting, crafting, etc.
The only bad thing is that its point and click movement. I got over that after aw hile though.
Have you ever played Final Fantasy Tactics? Wakfu is basically FF Tactics Online. You only control one character though, but the combat is similar. There is an ecosystem, where you can create life (plants or animals), or destroy them. This includes introducing new species to new areas. There is also an in-depth climate system, as well as a detailed political system. The game stops holding your hand around level 8, then you're off on your own to figure stuff out. And, it's produced by Square Enix (developed by Ankama).
Istaria is a nice PVE sandbox game. Best crafting system this side of UO. The Chaos server has a decent sized population. Lots of very helpful people there.
EVE if You are into space games. Wurm Online if You like more fantasy stuff. For something more unorthodox - You can try out Wakfu as mentioned - it's still in open beta so free and it has very interesting ideas along with turn based combat like in FF tactics.
But I think Archage is what sandbox peeps are really waiting for.
Archage will be bad, all gameplay videos show it. I hope I'm wrong but this will be just another asian grinder.
Right now mmo market is barren if you are looking for a sandbox to play and stay. EVE is going down the drain (slowly but surely) and other games have very little active players.
It's reality of today's world. WOWification of humanity has been complete:)
No fate but what we make, so make me a ham sandwich please.
Archage will be bad, all gameplay videos show it. I hope I'm wrong but this will be just another asian grinder.
Right now mmo market is barren if you are looking for a sandbox to play and stay. EVE is going down the drain (slowly but surely) and other games have very little active players.
It's reality of today's world. WOWification of humanity has been complete:)
I think you need to level up your trolling skills mate.
Archage will be bad, all gameplay videos show it. I hope I'm wrong but this will be just another asian grinder.
Right now mmo market is barren if you are looking for a sandbox to play and stay. EVE is going down the drain (slowly but surely) and other games have very little active players.
It's reality of today's world. WOWification of humanity has been complete:)
I think you need to level up your trolling skills mate.
I agree with this lol.
ArchEage <--- with an E btw. Is in closed beta, videos wont be the best thing in the world, and ive seen some decent vids.
Archeage has player housing, cities, crafting, moving items like boxes, can climb trees, farms, and so much more. Why would anyone want to play a dumbed down mmo that lacks so many features that could only imprve a mmo. To many people are on that WOW clone bandwagon and need to try new things. These mmo's are starting to look like they are the same exact thing with different skins.
Dont knock Archeage just yet.
Another sandbox that sounds very nice is "The Repopulation". The features in that game just look great.
Feature Overview
Hybrid approach which blends Sandbox and Theme Park mechanics.
Unique three Faction PvP (Player vs. Player) system which allows players to join one of the two major Nations (OWON or FPR), or form their own independent Rogue Nation. Rogue Nations are similar to Guilds in other games, except they also act as their own independent faction in PvP.
City building system allows Nations to form their own cities complete with Walls, Turrets, Harveters, Workshops, Houses, and other forms of structures geared towards benefiting the owning character, or the City as a whole. Cities can even be besieged by opposing Nations.
Skills based gameplay featuring over 100 skills, and 15 tiers of advancement within each skill. This includes Combat, Social, Rogue, Crafting, Medical and General skills trees.
Engagement system which provides randomly occuring events throughout the world. These events can evolve, spread and mutate based on how players respond to them. Visting the same location three times could provide you with three very different environments if players have allowed alien species or catastrophies alter an area. Engagements are both common and random, and all players who participate will be eligible for automatic rewards.
Advanced generated mission (quest) system ensures that players always have something to keep them occupied. Unlike generated quest systems of the past, our generated quests can be epic in scale.
Easily toggle between one of our two combat modes. Tired of 1,2,3,4 key mashing combat? Try our Action Mode combat which allows you to aim and shoot your way to victory. Or stick to RPG Mode combat, with a traditional MMORPG feel.
Numerous new twists on combat traditional MMO combat. Openings system allows players to take advantage of create openings for their allies and encourages teamwork. Momentum system allows you to take advantage of gained Momentum to use powerful abilities. Hide behind cover, croutch or lie prone. Gain experience against a particular species to gain edges over them in combat.
Players are not forced into combat. There are many non-combat related activities and ways to advance them independently of it. This includes an advanced crafting system which allows the creation of many advanced items.
Vehicle system featuring upgrades, vehicle to vehicle combat, and siege vehicles, in addition to the usual fast transport.
Customize your equipment with a fitting system that tailors items to your style.
Expect more from your pets. Tame animals and have them grow in power over time. Construct or purchase robots to perform a variety of tasks. Hire NPCs or take advantage of Genetically Engineered beings. Even control multiple pets at a single time.
Be rewarded for your travel through the exploration system.
Tired of farming the same Group or Raid bosses using the same old strategies? The Repopulation features a generated ability system for our boss mobs. This system allows bosses to a select number of abilities appropriate to their difficulty tier and species. This forces groups or raids to adjust their tactics on the fly.
Have an affect on the world. NPCs will spread word of your deeds to other players, or curse your name if you have treated them wrongly. Respond quickly to threats in an area and you can prevent them from becoming larger scale problems. Fail to do so and an area could fall under enemy hands.
Graphics need some major work, but the foundation for a good mmo is there.
Comments
Closest healthy one is EVE, coming is hopefully ArcheAge...
Define "decent population". EVE has the largest out of the sandboxes I've tried. Other good games that had smaller populations would be Darkfall and Ryzom.
Current: None
Played: WoW, CoX, SWG, LotRO, EVE, AoC, VG, CO, Ryzom, DF, WAR
Tried: Lineage2, Dofus, EQ2, CoS, FE, UO, Wurm, Wakfu
Future: The Repopulation, ArcheAge, Black Desert, EQN
What kind of sandbox?
Sci-fi or fantasy? Traditional EQ combat or something else? Does combat really matter for you?
Very important questions.
Writer / Musician / Game Designer
Now Playing: Skyrim, Wurm Online, Tropico 4
Waiting On: GW2, TSW, Archeage, The Rapture
I'm a big fan of EQ and FFXI, both sandboxish, and each has a decent population.
Obvious troll.
Minecraft is a good.
Wakfu, it isn't the best sand box out there, and I'd argue it isn't much of one at all almost a hybrid. But it has a lot going for it, like a political system and ecosystem, as well as a different combat style. It's worth a look at the very least.
EVE, Glitch, and RuneScape are the only sandboxes that would satisfy one looking for a population IMO.
Not that the others are bad games, but they're pretty barren compared to the 3 above and the normal themepark game.
as of now i havent seen a sandbox mmo worthy of my time. I had hopes for Dawntide, but i think they closed it down to "re-make" the game or so i heard. And to the OP, u mentioned TERA, i may be wrong but i think tera is themepark.
best P2P:
Eve Online -> solid population, lots to do, 15$/month. my only beef with this game is that it takes weeks to train higher level skills and sometimes you'll be just wasting time doing nothing waiting for them to finish training.
Wurm Online -> most complex fantasy world, modifiable terrain, everything is player built, 7$/month (has free server too though, but with limitations). things take days/week to build, but the feeling of reward is amazing
best F2P:
Haven and Hearth -> Ultima Online graphics, but everything can be built. More of a hermit survivor game than an MMO though, but still lots of fun
Pirates of the Burning Sea -> it's a solid seafaring sandbox, good sea combat, so so land combat, lots of stuff to manufacture and trade
Uncharted Waters Online -> same as above, but slightly more trade focused and more slow in a sense
good on paper, but not so fun in reality:
Darkfall -> could have been amazing, but macroers and gankers, along with almost empty world make this more of a single player game with occasional ganking
Mortal Online -> also good on paper and beatiful, but tons of bugs and the game doesn't really have a clear direction
Xsyon -> this was supposed to be the sandbox of all sandboxes, but turned out to be a barely finished beta with almost nothing to do ingame
games to look forward to:
Archeage -> better be good or else!!! this may take 1 more year to develop though as it has only entered a closed beta in Korea very recently
nothing else...there really is nothing else out there that I would call sandbox
I review lots of indie games and MMORPGs
Not a fan of your viglink user tracking.
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
i agree with wurm. its free till skills are 20. that can be months of playing. some play free way longer too.
i still play 90% of my free time. just over a yr.
building a home stead or village, boats. raise animals breed them, cooking. smithing, carpantry ect. wiki it and see.
Sandboxer.org is a joke.
EVE put out a major expansion and that site pretty much ignored it, while every announcement from Mortal Online gets plugged. It gets negligable hits
It is most likely run by a fan of MO purely to promote the game, but thankfully it gets negligable hits.
PotBS is a theme park, not a sandbox. You go to one port, get a bunch of quests, do the quests, go to the next, higher level port, and so forth. It is rather different from the usual theme park games, but it's not sandbox at all.
PotBS and UWO really aren't very similar. PotBS is mostly about combat, while UWO has combat as only a relatively minor portion of the game. UWO is more about trading and exploration. And trying to figure out what you're doing, because Koei makes things complicated for the sake of making them complicated.
I think so many dont know whart a sandbox is compared to a theme park game. Thats probably why all these crap so called MMO's are released thinking it will be good.
If i can go anywhere, explore anything, have huge amounts of player content, be swept away just in one area for hours exploring, killing, harvesting, and just having fun, then i consider that a sandbox and a fun game.
If im stuck on a ship, led down a narrow passage of high cliff walls, cant explore, on a timed mission, told where to go, given everything in front of me because there is no exploration, and feel confined and cramped, then its a theme park and i hate those games. SWTOR was the biggest let down this decade to me due to most of this.
I dont mind mixes of the two though, long as i have a huge world and lots of fun exploring and so much more. But to be led around like a dog on a leash over and over, and having only dailies and pvp battles to keep me entertained at end game.............ill pass.
That is why i loved SWG so much, even after the NGE and with some of its flaws. It was one of the most indepth and explorable games ever in my opinion. Now all these mmo's are just to limited to be considered mmorpgs in my eyes. I shouldnt need developement content to keep myself entertained or happy. Thats a bad combo having to wait for new content when you can just make your own.
I have been playing Eternal Lands on and off for the past few weeks and its not bad. Its completely free, but they sell cosmetic things that you can't buy in game to support the game. I think they sell a few other things, but if if effects gameplay, you can also get with in game currency as well. You also have to pay to have a 24/7 merchant bot. I play free and I haven't had any trouble selling/buying on the market channel.
I like it because you can be a pure crafter if you want to. Or, go back and forth between combat, harvesting, crafting, etc.
The only bad thing is that its point and click movement. I got over that after aw hile though.
Have you ever played Final Fantasy Tactics? Wakfu is basically FF Tactics Online. You only control one character though, but the combat is similar. There is an ecosystem, where you can create life (plants or animals), or destroy them. This includes introducing new species to new areas. There is also an in-depth climate system, as well as a detailed political system. The game stops holding your hand around level 8, then you're off on your own to figure stuff out. And, it's produced by Square Enix (developed by Ankama).
Istaria is a nice PVE sandbox game. Best crafting system this side of UO. The Chaos server has a decent sized population. Lots of very helpful people there.
But I think Archage is what sandbox peeps are really waiting for.
Yea...really banking on Archage PLEASE GOD BE AMAZING!!!
Starquest Online if you are into Dark Space Sims.
"I am not in a server with Gankers...THEY ARE IN A SERVER WITH ME!!!"
Archage will be bad, all gameplay videos show it. I hope I'm wrong but this will be just another asian grinder.
Right now mmo market is barren if you are looking for a sandbox to play and stay. EVE is going down the drain (slowly but surely) and other games have very little active players.
It's reality of today's world. WOWification of humanity has been complete:)
No fate but what we make, so make me a ham sandwich please.
I think you need to level up your trolling skills mate.
I agree with this lol.
ArchEage <--- with an E btw. Is in closed beta, videos wont be the best thing in the world, and ive seen some decent vids.
Archeage has player housing, cities, crafting, moving items like boxes, can climb trees, farms, and so much more. Why would anyone want to play a dumbed down mmo that lacks so many features that could only imprve a mmo. To many people are on that WOW clone bandwagon and need to try new things. These mmo's are starting to look like they are the same exact thing with different skins.
Dont knock Archeage just yet.
Another sandbox that sounds very nice is "The Repopulation". The features in that game just look great.
Feature Overview
Hybrid approach which blends Sandbox and Theme Park mechanics.
Unique three Faction PvP (Player vs. Player) system which allows players to join one of the two major Nations (OWON or FPR), or form their own independent Rogue Nation. Rogue Nations are similar to Guilds in other games, except they also act as their own independent faction in PvP.
City building system allows Nations to form their own cities complete with Walls, Turrets, Harveters, Workshops, Houses, and other forms of structures geared towards benefiting the owning character, or the City as a whole. Cities can even be besieged by opposing Nations.
Skills based gameplay featuring over 100 skills, and 15 tiers of advancement within each skill. This includes Combat, Social, Rogue, Crafting, Medical and General skills trees.
Engagement system which provides randomly occuring events throughout the world. These events can evolve, spread and mutate based on how players respond to them. Visting the same location three times could provide you with three very different environments if players have allowed alien species or catastrophies alter an area. Engagements are both common and random, and all players who participate will be eligible for automatic rewards.
Advanced generated mission (quest) system ensures that players always have something to keep them occupied. Unlike generated quest systems of the past, our generated quests can be epic in scale.
Easily toggle between one of our two combat modes. Tired of 1,2,3,4 key mashing combat? Try our Action Mode combat which allows you to aim and shoot your way to victory. Or stick to RPG Mode combat, with a traditional MMORPG feel.
Numerous new twists on combat traditional MMO combat. Openings system allows players to take advantage of create openings for their allies and encourages teamwork. Momentum system allows you to take advantage of gained Momentum to use powerful abilities. Hide behind cover, croutch or lie prone. Gain experience against a particular species to gain edges over them in combat.
Players are not forced into combat. There are many non-combat related activities and ways to advance them independently of it. This includes an advanced crafting system which allows the creation of many advanced items.
Vehicle system featuring upgrades, vehicle to vehicle combat, and siege vehicles, in addition to the usual fast transport.
Customize your equipment with a fitting system that tailors items to your style.
Expect more from your pets. Tame animals and have them grow in power over time. Construct or purchase robots to perform a variety of tasks. Hire NPCs or take advantage of Genetically Engineered beings. Even control multiple pets at a single time.
Be rewarded for your travel through the exploration system.
Tired of farming the same Group or Raid bosses using the same old strategies? The Repopulation features a generated ability system for our boss mobs. This system allows bosses to a select number of abilities appropriate to their difficulty tier and species. This forces groups or raids to adjust their tactics on the fly.
Have an affect on the world. NPCs will spread word of your deeds to other players, or curse your name if you have treated them wrongly. Respond quickly to threats in an area and you can prevent them from becoming larger scale problems. Fail to do so and an area could fall under enemy hands.
Graphics need some major work, but the foundation for a good mmo is there.
Any pvpish - sandbox - game suggestions besides those mentioned already?
Probably not. Lets cry together.