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Dawntide Dev interview Sandbox's suffer from the same problem...

sartoksartok Member Posts: 79
in The Pub at MMORPG.COM

I saw this interview with a dawntide Dev somewhere and thought this was very well put.

 

GS: What are the main features that differentiate your game from a sandbox like Darkfall online, for example?



WAI: The majority of sandbox games coming out lately all suffer from the same problem: they are far too heavily invested in combat to create environments that encourage players to alternately compete and cooperate, as opposed to just compete 24/7. A true sandbox MMOG is not about fighting or crafting or any single thing in particular, it’s about the possibility of doing all the individual things.

The entire sandbox concept revolves around all options being relatively equal, both in terms of depth and variety. A crafter should have as deep and involved a gaming experience as a fighter or an explorer, otherwise crafters and explorers won’t play the game, and that’s a killing blow to a sandbox game, because the killers need the more peaceful types both for supply and prey, and the peaceful types need the killers to provide an unpredictable element of excitement.

 

Comments

  • VengerVenger Member UncommonPosts: 1,309
    Originally posted by sartok


    I saw this interview with a dawntide Dev somewhere and thought this was very well put.
     
    GS: What are the main features that differentiate your game from a sandbox like Darkfall online, for example?


    WAI: The majority of sandbox games coming out lately all suffer from the same problem: they are far too heavily invested in combat to create environments that encourage players to alternately compete and cooperate, as opposed to just compete 24/7. A true sandbox MMOG is not about fighting or crafting or any single thing in particular, it’s about the possibility of doing all the individual things.
    The entire sandbox concept revolves around all options being relatively equal, both in terms of depth and variety. A crafter should have as deep and involved a gaming experience as a fighter or an explorer, otherwise crafters and explorers won’t play the game, and that’s a killing blow to a sandbox game, because the killers need the more peaceful types both for supply and prey, and the peaceful types need the killers to provide an unpredictable element of excitement.

     

     

    The first paragraph is right on the money but the second paragraph drives right off the cliff and repeats the same problems that lead to UO downfall to EQ and then to introduction of trammel.  Where people are paying to be someone else enjoyment.  Those that forget the past are destine to repeat it.

    The only way that the sheep/wolf design philosophy will work is if both sheep and wolf have equal danger and having a player driven justice system gives the wolves next to no danger. 

    Why would anyone want to play a game where the killers have all the benefits and everyone else gets the shit end of the stick?

  • PhelimReaghPhelimReagh Member UncommonPosts: 682

    I think this is why I'll never find a MMORPG that I like.

     

    Developers think that crafters play MMOs eagerly awaiting the excitement offered by some twitchy anti-social person to come destroy what they've created?

     

    Sweet fancy moses, I should give up now. LOL.

  • laokokolaokoko Member UncommonPosts: 2,004
    Originally posted by sartok
    because the killers need the more peaceful types both for supply and prey, and the peaceful types need the killers to provide an unpredictable element of excitement.

     



     

    That's wrong.  The peaceful types just dont' play sandbox game. 

    I don't think the peaceful types think it's fun and exciting to be prey on.

  • Vagabond80Vagabond80 Member UncommonPosts: 36

    Anecdotal sure but I'd consider myself a peaceful type and I'd still play a sandbox game... the more games I play the more I think I prefer sandbox.

     

    I think it also depends on the style of crafting/gathering too, if i'm out grinding ore by the ton and get ganked and lose everything that'd turn me off the game pretty quickly.. Danger isn't exciting in that situation because the reward isn't exactly great... it's just time consuming.

    If I'm out in a 'danger' zone trying to get the 1 or 2 super precious components for a high lvl item and there are killers in this zone there then that'd be good.

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