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List of Sandbox MMORPGs [Updated: December 18, 2012]

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  • wrekognizewrekognize Member UncommonPosts: 388

    Originally posted by Larsa

    Originally posted by wrekognize

    Linkrealms should definitely be on this list.

    Link Realms isn't released, wrek, it's in closed beta. At least there's an "Apply for Beta" on their website. :)

     Could the list have games currently in Beta or development like Linkrealms or  Repopulation?

    Beta in Linkrealms is pretty easy to get into at this point. And the environment is pretty live.

  • LarsaLarsa Member Posts: 990

    Originally posted by wrekognize

    ...

     Could the list have games currently in Beta or development like Linkrealms or  Repopulation?

    Beta in Linkrealms is pretty easy to get into at this point. And the environment is pretty live.

    Wrek, I thought about listing games in beta or development before I started this list but decided against it.


    1. It would be a bitch to correctly maintain the list. When to put a game onto the list? I'm sure there are dozens of games in "development" in various stages, starting from a few ideas on a napkin up to having a website with trailers and screenshots.

    2. I'm also sure that it wouldn't take long and some fan (not meaning you!) came along asking to list game XYZ and all he has seen is a website with some art sketches and a rough feature list. It's practically guesswork whether the game ever releases and what the feature set might be at release.

    3. For games in development and closed testing it's impossible to say whether it really qualifies as sandbox. All we have is what the studio/publisher claims and nobody knows whether the game will release with that feature list or not. Thus we'll have discussions with people claiming "It's a sandbox" but nobody can really check that claim because the game's still in development and not open to the public.

    Thus I get a lot of work maintaining the list and we all get a lot of discussions for little benefit because we cannot play the game anyway, after all it's still in development. :)


     


    (I'll have a second look at Link Realms, I really want this list to be as unbiased as possible.)

    I maintain this List of Sandbox MMORPGs. Please post or send PM for corrections and suggestions.

  • Heinz130Heinz130 Member Posts: 227

    Thx alot for this list

    WoW 4ys,EVE 4ys,EU 4ys
    FH1942 best tanker for 4years
    Playing WWII OL for some years untill now
    many other for some months

  • LarsaLarsa Member Posts: 990

    Anyone here who has actually played Free Realms or Wizard 101?

    I know, they're both aimed at kids, but from the feature list they might fit the description of a sandbox MMORPG. I have no experience with either of them.

    BTW: I decided to exclude Second Live from the list. It's not an MMORPG, has no character development, no crafting and no resource system. Yes, I know one can make stuff in that game, but the stuff isn't made out of in-game resources but pure "Photoshop" work, they seem to have their own editor. The company running the world annex chat-room doesn't call it an MMORPG too.

    I maintain this List of Sandbox MMORPGs. Please post or send PM for corrections and suggestions.

  • LarsaLarsa Member Posts: 990

    Updated the OP.


    • Added Shores of Hazeron to the game list in the OP.

    • Added text that I list games that are playable by the general public, i.e. games that are either released or in open testing. I do not list games in closed testing.

    I maintain this List of Sandbox MMORPGs. Please post or send PM for corrections and suggestions.

  • RekindleRekindle Member UncommonPosts: 1,206

    I played UO and EQ back in the day.  EQ is not a themepark game. Despite the name, it only had a few quests.

  • helthroshelthros Member UncommonPosts: 1,449

    It's a shame how short this list is

  • EyrothathEyrothath Member UncommonPosts: 200

    Add "Face of Mankind" and "Linkrealms" to the list!

  • UsulDaNeriakUsulDaNeriak Member Posts: 640

    yes, Face of Mankind is a sandbox. acrtually a very unforgiving one.

    the list becomes better and better. good job!

    played: Everquest I (6 years), EVE (3 years)
    months: EQII, Vanguard, Siedler Online, SWTOR, Guild Wars 2
    weeks: WoW, Shaiya, Darkfall, Florensia, Entropia, Aion, Lotro, Fallen Earth, Uncharted Waters
    days: DDO, RoM, FFXIV, STO, Atlantica, PotBS, Maestia, WAR, AoC, Gods&Heroes, Cultures, RIFT, Forsaken World, Allodds

  • Heinz130Heinz130 Member Posts: 227

    Correction,EU is not sandbox

    Ive played EU for 3-4 years,the only single sandbox content present in the game is housing,what you can just buy pre-maid MA houses/aps

    Theres also "lands" but they are so overpriced (in irl USD cash) that you just cant buy one if ure not rich

    aside that theres no SB

     

    Well if housing is enough to name a game has SB,im sorry for this reply

    WoW 4ys,EVE 4ys,EU 4ys
    FH1942 best tanker for 4years
    Playing WWII OL for some years untill now
    many other for some months

  • KenFisherKenFisher Member UncommonPosts: 5,035

    One criteria that I think is missing is player created/joinable factions and/or player created political system (the simplest being guilds).  In my understanding a major "sand" feature is the ability to make allies and enemies as opposed to having a designer choose your enemies for you (for example with racial based factions).


    Ken Fisher - Semi retired old fart Network Administrator, now working in Network Security.  I don't Forum PVP.  If you feel I've attacked you, it was probably by accident.  When I don't understand, I ask.  Such is not intended as criticism.
  • LarsaLarsa Member Posts: 990

    Thanks for your replies.

    @Eyrothath: Linkrealms has been suggested before but cannot be listed because it's still in closed beta. When they go open beta or release it will get listed. I will look into Face of Mankind, I didn't play it. Hehe, I always thought it was some action shooter, never had a closer look at it.

    @Heinz130: I assume you mean Entropia Universe? I never played it, I included it here because people in this thread mentioned it and after having a look at their features and forums I thought it might fit the criteria. I will have a second look at it.

    @Action: I think I don't know a single game where it's impossible to create guilds, thus it's a feature that every MMORPG has anyway, no matter whether sandbox or not. As for your suggestion about the ability to chose your enemy: I understand it's important for you but generally conflict is no necessity for a sandbox, see for example Istaria or ATitD.

    I maintain this List of Sandbox MMORPGs. Please post or send PM for corrections and suggestions.

  • jtcgsjtcgs Member Posts: 1,777

    How about a standalone sandbox that that got a mod to make it an MMO?

    Mount and Blade Warband got a massive mod that took a few years to make that turned it into an MMORPG...last I heard there are near 10,000 people playing it on the servers.

    “I hope we shall crush...in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations, which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of our country." ~Thomes Jefferson

  • LarsaLarsa Member Posts: 990

    Interesting info, jtcgs, thanks. I didn't know about it.

    Hehe, looks like I now also have to define how many people a server needs to support to be called an MMORPG server. Found a serverlist for the Mount&Blade mod. Largest server I have seen has a limit of 250 spots. Not yet sure how to handle these cases, or do I have to check every single NWN 1/2 server too?

    I'll think it over. :) Thanks again for the suggestion.

    I maintain this List of Sandbox MMORPGs. Please post or send PM for corrections and suggestions.

  • UsulDaNeriakUsulDaNeriak Member Posts: 640

    Entropia got a full blown player-driven economy, a free skillsystem based on usage and a non-linear zone design. the quests have been added later and are just another tool and not comparable to theme-parks quests. of course they dont have terraforming and the player housing is limited. however, playerhousing is just 1 tool. there is no need for playerhousing in a sandbox. it is just a common tool. however this is a sandbox, by the criteria above. it is more sandbox than Darkfall imho.

    i would not call Mount&Blade a MMORPG. but I define the 1st M = Massive as "theoretically all players can meet in one PERSISTENT zone, which is not the gamehub". if this is not given, it is a multiplayer game like League of Legends and Two Worlds. but this is my definition. i am very convinced, that numbers alone mean nothing!

    played: Everquest I (6 years), EVE (3 years)
    months: EQII, Vanguard, Siedler Online, SWTOR, Guild Wars 2
    weeks: WoW, Shaiya, Darkfall, Florensia, Entropia, Aion, Lotro, Fallen Earth, Uncharted Waters
    days: DDO, RoM, FFXIV, STO, Atlantica, PotBS, Maestia, WAR, AoC, Gods&Heroes, Cultures, RIFT, Forsaken World, Allodds

  • KenFisherKenFisher Member UncommonPosts: 5,035

    Originally posted by Larsa

    Interesting info, jtcgs, thanks. I didn't know about it.

    Hehe, looks like I now also have to define how many people a server needs to support to be called an MMORPG server. Found a serverlist for the Mount&Blade mod. Largest server I have seen has a limit of 250 spots. Not yet sure how to handle these cases, or do I have to check every single NWN 1/2 server too?

    I'll think it over. :) Thanks again for the suggestion.

    MMORPG.com guidelines for submission specifies 500 in a single world.


    Ken Fisher - Semi retired old fart Network Administrator, now working in Network Security.  I don't Forum PVP.  If you feel I've attacked you, it was probably by accident.  When I don't understand, I ask.  Such is not intended as criticism.
  • LarsaLarsa Member Posts: 990

    Updated the OP.

    • Added Face of Mankind to the list. Please check whether the info in the OP is correct, it's not easy to get info about the game because their forums, marketplace and premium account benefits are only visible after logging in with a game account.
    • Had a new look at Entropia Universe. I decided to keep it on the list. The game has enough of the features listed in the OP to be put on this list. If you have objections please check the feature list in the OP and post why you don't think the game qualifies. FYI: payment model or having quests are no reason to exclude a game from the list. Neither payment model nor quests are mentioned in the feature list in the OP. 
    • For the time being I use the same criterium for MMORPGs as the staff here at MMORPG.com, i.e. a game needs to have servers supporting at least 500 concurrent players on a single server to be called an MMORPG. Happy to discuss this with you guys. 
    As always. discussions and corrections welcome.
     
    [Edit: Changed release date of Face of Mankind to August 31, 2006. I had wrongly listed the re-release date instead. Thanks to poster Uhwop for correcting me.]

    I maintain this List of Sandbox MMORPGs. Please post or send PM for corrections and suggestions.

  • orestes1986orestes1986 Member Posts: 10

    OP correct me if I am wrong or if somone already mentioned them, But I think that Ryzom and Miner Wars should be added to the list

     

    http://www.ryzom.com/en/

    http://www.minerwars.com/

    Ryzom is an mmo in which you can develope any scill you want according to what you are doing at the momment and Miner Wars let you do what you want with a fully destructable environment (and they say that it is about to have even more features as well like player runed fuctions etc)

     

    check them and tell me what you think

  • LarsaLarsa Member Posts: 990

    Thanks for your suggestions, Orestes.

    However:

    • Ryzom is already on the list, has always been. :)
    • Miner Wars isn't yet released or in open testing. I'm happy to have a look at it once it goes to open beta and release.
    You can find a post why I don't list games in development and in closed testing earlier in this thread.

    I maintain this List of Sandbox MMORPGs. Please post or send PM for corrections and suggestions.

  • Originally posted by Larsa

    Anyone here who has actually played Free Realms or Wizard 101?

    I know, they're both aimed at kids, but from the feature list they might fit the description of a sandbox MMORPG. I have no experience with either of them.

    BTW: I decided to exclude Second Live from the list. It's not an MMORPG, has no character development, no crafting and no resource system. Yes, I know one can make stuff in that game, but the stuff isn't made out of in-game resources but pure "Photoshop" work, they seem to have their own editor. The company running the world annex chat-room doesn't call it an MMORPG too.

    Wizard 101 is a themepark - in my opinion the best of the kiddy games.

     

    Free Reams - didn't play it long - actually it might qualify as a sandbox, don't remember having to do anything in any particular order.  Not sure if there's any building/changing environment going on.

  • waynejr2waynejr2 Member EpicPosts: 7,769
    Originally posted by Pale_Fire
    Originally posted by MMOExposed
    Originally posted by Pale_Fire
    Also, Asheron's Call and Everquest.  I know AC was/is sandbox.

    EQ is the first major theme park mmo

    I would disagree with this and with your thought on Vanguard, but, things like this ultimately come down to opinion.

    This is not somethig that is a matter of opinion like which brand of beer is best.  If you don't think EQ is a themepark, perhaps it's better for everyone else if you don't chime in with your thoughts.  You are obviously free to say what you want.

    http://www.youhaventlived.com/qblog/2010/QBlog190810A.html  

    Epic Music:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAigCvelkhQ&list=PLo9FRw1AkDuQLEz7Gvvaz3ideB2NpFtT1

    https://archive.org/details/softwarelibrary_msdos?&sort=-downloads&page=1

    Kyleran:  "Now there's the real trick, learning to accept and enjoy a game for what it offers rather than pass on what might be a great playing experience because it lacks a few features you prefer."

    John Henry Newman: "A man would do nothing if he waited until he could do it so well that no one could find fault."

    FreddyNoNose:  "A good game needs no defense; a bad game has no defense." "Easily digested content is just as easily forgotten."

    LacedOpium: "So the question that begs to be asked is, if you are not interested in the game mechanics that define the MMORPG genre, then why are you playing an MMORPG?"




  • LarsaLarsa Member Posts: 990
    Originally posted by Delvie
    ...

    Wizard 101 is a themepark - in my opinion the best of the kiddy games. ...

    Free Reams - didn't play it long - actually it might qualify as a sandbox, don't remember having to do anything in any particular order.  Not sure if there's any building/changing environment going on.

    Thanks for the info, Delvie. I'll have a look at Free Realms in the next days.

    Minor update to the OP.

    • Had to change Wurm's info about item-mall to Yes because one can actually purchase in-game currency for RL cash.
    • Changed Wurm's setting to Survival/Fantasy because I thought that describes the game better.

    I maintain this List of Sandbox MMORPGs. Please post or send PM for corrections and suggestions.

  • LoktofeitLoktofeit Member RarePosts: 14,247

    A few more:

     



    8BitMMO
    First release: June 2011
    Link to Website: http://www.8bitmmo.net/
    Payment Model: Free
    Item Mall: No
    Setting: Fantasy
    Game environment: 2D
    Client OS: Browser

    AfterWorld
    First release: April 2008
    Link to Website: http://www.afterworld.ru/
    Payment Model: Free
    Item Mall: No
    Setting: Post-Apoc, Sci-Fi
    Game environment: 3D
    Client OS: Browser

    Free Realms
    First release: April 2009
    Link to Website: http://www.freerealms.com/
    Payment Model: Free
    Item Mall: Yes
    Setting: Fantasy
    Game environment: 3D
    Client OS: PC Browser, PS3 Console

    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

  • LarsaLarsa Member Posts: 990

    Updated the OP.

    • Added AfterWorld to the game list. (Thanks @ Loktofeit, I didn't know that one)
    • Added Free Realms to the game list because people think that it qualifies, personally I have no idea. (Thanks @ Delvie and Loktofeit)
    • Changed the description "Item Mall" to "Cash Shop" for all games because we have a few games on the list now that don't sell items in their shop but do sell in-game currency for real life cash.
    • Changed the title of this thread to "sandbox MMORPGs" from "sandbox games", should have done that much earlier.
    I'll have a look at 8BitMMO (Thanks @ Loktofeit again) before I add it to the list, I'm actually not sure whether it's an MMORPG, might be my fault, I'll have a look at it anyway.
     
    As always, corrections and reasonable image discussions welcome.

    I maintain this List of Sandbox MMORPGs. Please post or send PM for corrections and suggestions.

  • KhaerosKhaeros Member Posts: 452

    By your definition, Runescape is a sandbox.  Might want to get on that.

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