The best sandbox out now is Uncharted Waters Online. It's a Japanese game, which is Asian only in the sense that the Mario and Zelda games are. When people here say "Asian", they usually mean "Korean" or "Chinese".
I guess it's not a 100% pure sandbox, but no game is a 100% pure sandbox, or for that matter, a 100% pure theme park.
another recomendation, i think i shuld give it a try.
how is the cash shop though? would i have to spend a fortune to be competative at PVP or could i get away with putting away a "sub fee" to one side and using that to buy stuff?
If your goal is to get into piracy as quickly as possible, then expect to pay quite a bit for item mall stuff--including a random and potentially large amount depending on what it takes to get you an item mall ship. Item mall stuff for +30% experience, fame, and skill rank gain will help you level up faster, too.
If you're only into exploration, trading, and/or crafting, then you could play free for a while until you've got tens of millions of ducats saved up, pay $10 to get some special shipbuilding permits, and then have no real need for any more item mall stuff for several months after that. Personally, I've played for five months and only paid $10 (total) so far. And I have no problem with paying $15/month (as I have in quite a few other games); it's just that as an adventurer, I see no need for it.
Even if you want to get into PVP eventually, if you've played for several months before you want to PVP, then you'll be able to get a normal high level ship and not need to get an item mall version. The advantage to the item mall version of high level ships is that it effectively lets you use a high level ship while you're low level yourself.
Imagine if in WoW, Blizzard sold a bunch of level 80 greens in an item mall, except that you could use them starting at level 20. That would give you an enormous gear advantage over other level 20 players, even though it wouldn't make you nearly as strong as a real level 80 player (who would have more and higher level skills, among other things). But once you're level 80 yourself, you can equip normal level 80 gear and have no need for the item mall versions anymore. That's about how the NC ships in UWO are.
The best sandbox out now is Uncharted Waters Online. It's a Japanese game, which is Asian only in the sense that the Mario and Zelda games are. When people here say "Asian", they usually mean "Korean" or "Chinese".
I guess it's not a 100% pure sandbox, but no game is a 100% pure sandbox, or for that matter, a 100% pure theme park.
another recomendation, i think i shuld give it a try.
how is the cash shop though? would i have to spend a fortune to be competative at PVP or could i get away with putting away a "sub fee" to one side and using that to buy stuff?
If your goal is to get into piracy as quickly as possible, then expect to pay quite a bit for item mall stuff--including a random and potentially large amount depending on what it takes to get you an item mall ship. Item mall stuff for +30% experience, fame, and skill rank gain will help you level up faster, too.
If you're only into exploration, trading, and/or crafting, then you could play free for a while until you've got tens of millions of ducats saved up, pay $10 to get some special shipbuilding permits, and then have no real need for any more item mall stuff for several months after that. Personally, I've played for five months and only paid $10 (total) so far. And I have no problem with paying $15/month (as I have in quite a few other games); it's just that as an adventurer, I see no need for it.
Even if you want to get into PVP eventually, if you've played for several months before you want to PVP, then you'll be able to get a normal high level ship and not need to get an item mall version. The advantage to the item mall version of high level ships is that it effectively lets you use a high level ship while you're low level yourself.
Imagine if in WoW, Blizzard sold a bunch of level 80 greens in an item mall, except that you could use them starting at level 20. That would give you an enormous gear advantage over other level 20 players, even though it wouldn't make you nearly as strong as a real level 80 player (who would have more and higher level skills, among other things). But once you're level 80 yourself, you can equip normal level 80 gear and have no need for the item mall versions anymore. That's about how the NC ships in UWO are.
Ya UWO is what I am playing right now too.
Seamless Map of whole earth.
Doing India and South East Asia Runs while dodging Pirates (The Red PK type player) is really fun experience.
The Economic System is Both NPC and Player Based, it is one of the best I have played ever for such a game, POTBS pales in comparison inthat department.
The Crafting system is quite nice, quite complex very versatile...except Shipbuilding, this one is really not for the fait hearted can take you a couple of years to master it if you are playing casually without grinding it. POTBS had the better system in that department, but in almost all other areas it does not.
The game does have content for 3 years worth of play.
There is an Economical Contention System in place, Nations can fight for ownership of many ports in Europe and all the ports outside of Europe.
There is also a monthly even called Epic Feud, it is a military way to Port Contention natuions go at war with one another and people fight it out in an Epic way.
Owning ports has any economical advatages to the owning nation plus of cource renown in the meta game.
Individuals can own their own farms and produce good to trade, Companies can establish own Colonies and Devellop them.
You can also have your own house in yoru capital, it is instanced.
You can specialise as an Adventurer, or Combat type (Maritime), or a Trader.
But it is pretty sandboxy you can mix and match skills from all three paths and basically make a Hybrid Build, my char is Hybrid, Combat/Trader, and I been raising Shipbuilding since it launched (a year and a half ago) 5 more ranks to go for mastery.
You can play the game without having to spend cash at the shop, but it helps if you have some to invest on yourself, specially on enhancers for XP/Speeds etc and when your Higher Ranks on the Ship mod Permits.
In the actual Combat Mechanics Department I have to say I prefer POTBS than UWO, but it is not bad either it is just different, may get a bit to get used to it but the Starting Tutorials as an Apprentice, you learn 80% of the game, so pay attention all the info is pertinent it is not just for fluff.
And you will use the principles it teaches as you play.
Finally, this is a long term game, do not expect to master everything in two months time. And you have to like sailing in the age of Sail, there is lots of sailing to be had.
There is also Avatars of cource and landfighting and dungeons to discover (more aimed at Adventurer path).
And the game can be played both at a solo capacity for the lone wolves out there or as a group.
Nations are France, England, Itally, Spain, Portugal the Dutch and the Turks.
The Turks are an "endgame" faction you cannot start with em you can switch later one to them if wish be.
France is an underdog Nation, not as strong in numbers as others, but close knitted, les Drama and backstabby than others.
But you can make a multinational Company if you wish provided you are willing to make some compromises and no internal drama is generated by the Contentetion systems participation and potential conflicts of interest, just take a more mature membership.
Tip, make friends, having good connections can permit you to bypass the Bazzar's Inflated Prices and be able to buy commodities and goods at preferential prices in direct Trade with other players. But if you are a group of people you can actually cooperate and produce everything your slves for internal needs and use the bazzar on occasion.
No matter what path you choose or build, the game has an adventrous flavor once you start going out to unsafe waters.
But even in safe waters in the begining it will be a challenge from NPC's, expect to sink a few times in early stages.
All in all it is a Japanese game (KOEI) which has been very well designed in its original form in my opinion, and while it is published to us by a Korean Company (NETMARBLE) they have kept most of it intact, albeit it is a bit monetized in its F2P version that we can play.
If you played EVE before you will find many similar aspects to the games (bar the fact that one is in space and the other in the age of sail), but it has an active skill system that you raise by your actions, and it has tactics in combat, maneuvering and firing at your command, no die roll select and forget nonsense.
Consider European Waters as Empire Space and Everywhere outside it is like 0 sec, where you can be attacked or attack anyone.
And there are two levels of Notoriety, you can sink any nation ships including your own, that would make you Pirate (Red), or you can sink ships of other nations but not your own, that would make you Privateer (orange). Or you play defender of others and Pirate hunter, and participate in Nation vs Nation contention your choice.
- Duke Suraknar - Order of the Silver Star, OSS
ESKA, Playing MMORPG's since Ultima Online 1997 - Order of the Silver Serpent, Atlantic Shard
Aside from that theres the usual minecraft, terraria, skyrim trio. Soon theres going to be cube world but Im not sure...that might be linear but I really didnt check on it much at all. Looked nice though!
Red dead redemption is good too
skyrim isnt really a sandbox, its more a sandpark
I thought Skyrim was a single player RPG?
it is, and RPGs can also be sandbox, themeparks, and sandparks.
RPG is the genre, sandbox / themepark is just the gamestyle the game has.
If you hadn't said "no asian", I would still recommend Asheron's Call. I recently went back to that game....Its really neat. Loved it when if first came out (for a few years) and am loving it again now. Graphics are not up to par with what we consider to be good now, but its definitely playable.
uncharted waters online yes a F2P but you can do anything and get anything ingame for free. I have not played it for a year but it was fun and best sandbox around with a population playing it.
I have to say eve. I hated it. I could never get into it, the gameplay looked boring. However, I gave it a fourth chance, and after finding a noob corp who taught me everything the game has to offer I'm hooked. Why wouldn't you want to smuggle drugs and erotic dancers across star-systems?
Can only recommend Eve, and I have played them all. I like a lot of them, don't get me wrong, but when someone asks what game to play it's hard to recommend MO or Xsyon etc due to how incomplete those games are. Darkfall is, well it's Darkfall, still can't recommend someone play that. UWO was ok, but last time I played, maybe a year ago, it was your very typical 'asian' f2p game, lots of what seemed liked kids playing. Saw a bunch of names that I cannot retype here without being banned. Seemed like very little moderation. Game seemed ok, just not into asian made games myself. Wurm, Xsyon and the rest are good, just very niche or incomplete. They are good games, just hard to play sometimes.
Eve is the only game that feels complete and polished. You can do pretty much whatever you want and there are many viable playstyles. Immersion is really subjective, Eve isn't immersive in the sense you feel like your flying your spaceship around in space, however if you get involved in politics, diplomacy, piracy etc, you can get pretty damn immersed in the game.
Quick question...in Uncharted Waters Online..can you be a crew member? At least for a time..or do you have to work toward a ship and be a Captain/Commodore/Whatever?
I would have to say Asherons Call is by far the best sandbox out there. but it did come out in 1999 so the graphics arnt the best shinny thing out there. but the game play is the best.
Quick question...in Uncharted Waters Online..can you be a crew member? At least for a time..or do you have to work toward a ship and be a Captain/Commodore/Whatever?
Quick question...in Uncharted Waters Online..can you be a crew member? At least for a time..or do you have to work toward a ship and be a Captain/Commodore/Whatever?
RefMinor largely answered this, but I'll elaborate.
You must always have a ship at all times. You can have up to five ships, but one is active. You can buy a new ship, switch to it, and get rid of the old, so you're not stuck with the same ship forever. You cannot sell or trade away your active ship, so no matter what happens, you'll always have one. You can and should replace your old ship by something better quite a few times, though.
Quick question...in Uncharted Waters Online..can you be a crew member? At least for a time..or do you have to work toward a ship and be a Captain/Commodore/Whatever?
RefMinor largely answered this, but I'll elaborate.
You must always have a ship at all times. You can have up to five ships, but one is active. You can buy a new ship, switch to it, and get rid of the old, so you're not stuck with the same ship forever. You cannot sell or trade away your active ship, so no matter what happens, you'll always have one. You can and should replace your old ship by something better quite a few times, though.
Comments
Fallen Earth, its more a hybrid, but IMO not a bad game at all.
Godz of War I call Thee
If your goal is to get into piracy as quickly as possible, then expect to pay quite a bit for item mall stuff--including a random and potentially large amount depending on what it takes to get you an item mall ship. Item mall stuff for +30% experience, fame, and skill rank gain will help you level up faster, too.
If you're only into exploration, trading, and/or crafting, then you could play free for a while until you've got tens of millions of ducats saved up, pay $10 to get some special shipbuilding permits, and then have no real need for any more item mall stuff for several months after that. Personally, I've played for five months and only paid $10 (total) so far. And I have no problem with paying $15/month (as I have in quite a few other games); it's just that as an adventurer, I see no need for it.
Even if you want to get into PVP eventually, if you've played for several months before you want to PVP, then you'll be able to get a normal high level ship and not need to get an item mall version. The advantage to the item mall version of high level ships is that it effectively lets you use a high level ship while you're low level yourself.
Imagine if in WoW, Blizzard sold a bunch of level 80 greens in an item mall, except that you could use them starting at level 20. That would give you an enormous gear advantage over other level 20 players, even though it wouldn't make you nearly as strong as a real level 80 player (who would have more and higher level skills, among other things). But once you're level 80 yourself, you can equip normal level 80 gear and have no need for the item mall versions anymore. That's about how the NC ships in UWO are.
Ya UWO is what I am playing right now too.
Seamless Map of whole earth.
Doing India and South East Asia Runs while dodging Pirates (The Red PK type player) is really fun experience.
The Economic System is Both NPC and Player Based, it is one of the best I have played ever for such a game, POTBS pales in comparison inthat department.
The Crafting system is quite nice, quite complex very versatile...except Shipbuilding, this one is really not for the fait hearted can take you a couple of years to master it if you are playing casually without grinding it. POTBS had the better system in that department, but in almost all other areas it does not.
The game does have content for 3 years worth of play.
There is an Economical Contention System in place, Nations can fight for ownership of many ports in Europe and all the ports outside of Europe.
There is also a monthly even called Epic Feud, it is a military way to Port Contention natuions go at war with one another and people fight it out in an Epic way.
Owning ports has any economical advatages to the owning nation plus of cource renown in the meta game.
Individuals can own their own farms and produce good to trade, Companies can establish own Colonies and Devellop them.
You can also have your own house in yoru capital, it is instanced.
You can specialise as an Adventurer, or Combat type (Maritime), or a Trader.
But it is pretty sandboxy you can mix and match skills from all three paths and basically make a Hybrid Build, my char is Hybrid, Combat/Trader, and I been raising Shipbuilding since it launched (a year and a half ago) 5 more ranks to go for mastery.
You can play the game without having to spend cash at the shop, but it helps if you have some to invest on yourself, specially on enhancers for XP/Speeds etc and when your Higher Ranks on the Ship mod Permits.
In the actual Combat Mechanics Department I have to say I prefer POTBS than UWO, but it is not bad either it is just different, may get a bit to get used to it but the Starting Tutorials as an Apprentice, you learn 80% of the game, so pay attention all the info is pertinent it is not just for fluff.
And you will use the principles it teaches as you play.
Finally, this is a long term game, do not expect to master everything in two months time. And you have to like sailing in the age of Sail, there is lots of sailing to be had.
There is also Avatars of cource and landfighting and dungeons to discover (more aimed at Adventurer path).
And the game can be played both at a solo capacity for the lone wolves out there or as a group.
Nations are France, England, Itally, Spain, Portugal the Dutch and the Turks.
The Turks are an "endgame" faction you cannot start with em you can switch later one to them if wish be.
France is an underdog Nation, not as strong in numbers as others, but close knitted, les Drama and backstabby than others.
But you can make a multinational Company if you wish provided you are willing to make some compromises and no internal drama is generated by the Contentetion systems participation and potential conflicts of interest, just take a more mature membership.
Tip, make friends, having good connections can permit you to bypass the Bazzar's Inflated Prices and be able to buy commodities and goods at preferential prices in direct Trade with other players. But if you are a group of people you can actually cooperate and produce everything your slves for internal needs and use the bazzar on occasion.
No matter what path you choose or build, the game has an adventrous flavor once you start going out to unsafe waters.
But even in safe waters in the begining it will be a challenge from NPC's, expect to sink a few times in early stages.
All in all it is a Japanese game (KOEI) which has been very well designed in its original form in my opinion, and while it is published to us by a Korean Company (NETMARBLE) they have kept most of it intact, albeit it is a bit monetized in its F2P version that we can play.
If you played EVE before you will find many similar aspects to the games (bar the fact that one is in space and the other in the age of sail), but it has an active skill system that you raise by your actions, and it has tactics in combat, maneuvering and firing at your command, no die roll select and forget nonsense.
Consider European Waters as Empire Space and Everywhere outside it is like 0 sec, where you can be attacked or attack anyone.
And there are two levels of Notoriety, you can sink any nation ships including your own, that would make you Pirate (Red), or you can sink ships of other nations but not your own, that would make you Privateer (orange). Or you play defender of others and Pirate hunter, and participate in Nation vs Nation contention your choice.
Order of the Silver Star, OSS
ESKA, Playing MMORPG's since Ultima Online 1997 - Order of the Silver Serpent, Atlantic Shard
it is, and RPGs can also be sandbox, themeparks, and sandparks.
RPG is the genre, sandbox / themepark is just the gamestyle the game has.
If you hadn't said "no asian", I would still recommend Asheron's Call. I recently went back to that game....Its really neat. Loved it when if first came out (for a few years) and am loving it again now. Graphics are not up to par with what we consider to be good now, but its definitely playable.
There's probably a correlation there bro, just saying..
uncharted waters online yes a F2P but you can do anything and get anything ingame for free. I have not played it for a year but it was fun and best sandbox around with a population playing it.
it
Yep, Uncharted Waters Online, while it has its roots in Asia, it still is best sandbox around.
1. Uncharted Waters Online
2. Eve Online
3. Darkfall
4. Wurm Online
****************************
Playing : Uncharted Waters Online
****************************
I have to say eve. I hated it. I could never get into it, the gameplay looked boring. However, I gave it a fourth chance, and after finding a noob corp who taught me everything the game has to offer I'm hooked. Why wouldn't you want to smuggle drugs and erotic dancers across star-systems?
Played - M59, EQOA, EQ, EQ2, PS, SWG[Favorite], DAoC, UO, RS, MXO, CoH/CoV, TR, FFXI, FoM, WoW, Eve, Rift, SWTOR, TSW.
Playing - PS2, AoW, GW2
Did you just stoped playing after shooting the rats of the first tutorial? Because I can tell you that being in medium/huge fleet battles is pure fun.
"EVE is likely the best MMORPG that you've never really understood or played" - Kyleran
Can only recommend Eve, and I have played them all. I like a lot of them, don't get me wrong, but when someone asks what game to play it's hard to recommend MO or Xsyon etc due to how incomplete those games are. Darkfall is, well it's Darkfall, still can't recommend someone play that. UWO was ok, but last time I played, maybe a year ago, it was your very typical 'asian' f2p game, lots of what seemed liked kids playing. Saw a bunch of names that I cannot retype here without being banned. Seemed like very little moderation. Game seemed ok, just not into asian made games myself. Wurm, Xsyon and the rest are good, just very niche or incomplete. They are good games, just hard to play sometimes.
Eve is the only game that feels complete and polished. You can do pretty much whatever you want and there are many viable playstyles. Immersion is really subjective, Eve isn't immersive in the sense you feel like your flying your spaceship around in space, however if you get involved in politics, diplomacy, piracy etc, you can get pretty damn immersed in the game.
Quick question...in Uncharted Waters Online..can you be a crew member? At least for a time..or do you have to work toward a ship and be a Captain/Commodore/Whatever?
I would have to say Asherons Call is by far the best sandbox out there. but it did come out in 1999 so the graphics arnt the best shinny thing out there. but the game play is the best.
Vanguard
You get a ship as part of the tutorial.RefMinor largely answered this, but I'll elaborate.
You must always have a ship at all times. You can have up to five ships, but one is active. You can buy a new ship, switch to it, and get rid of the old, so you're not stuck with the same ship forever. You cannot sell or trade away your active ship, so no matter what happens, you'll always have one. You can and should replace your old ship by something better quite a few times, though.
Thanks to you and RefMinor