That's because sandbox titles that came out have been few and mostly shit at their launch, or far too buggy, while a lot of high-production-quality MMO's that weren't sandbox have been produced.
The fact that an indie game like Xsyon, that is far, far from an AAA level of production, has a lot of launch problems and doesn't even have half of its announced features implemented yet, still gets a highly positive preview and 2 thumbs up recommendation should say enough about their not favoring themepark MMO's above sandbox MMO's.
Me thinks that those convinced that sandbox titles are discriminated upon and that the mmorpg.com team is biased towards themepark MMO's, suffer from being biased themselves.
While I agree that most sandbox MMOs are rather crappy coded indie games I don't see why there shouldn't be anyone writing a sandbox column once a week because of that.
And there are at least 2 sandboxes in the making: CCP is making World of darkness online and Bethesda has had a MMO department for over 3 years even if it is seceret what they are making, but I assume it is a sanbox (Even if that is just a guess, one of the founders of Mythic is the head of the department so I might be wrong).
Throw the guys a bone, we have a dude writing about F2P games every week, a sanbox article will still be interesting reading.
I will personally play any good game, if it is a themepark or a sandbox matters little to me as long as I have loads of fun.
Now I am suddenly being put in the role of being against a sandbox column, I thought I was pretty clear in the 3,4 posts in this thread...
I disagreed with the theory or belief of some in this thread that the mmorpg.com staff are all sandbox-hating themepark fanbois, which I find a belief that reeks of high degree of bias itself.
Also, I disagreed that sandbox titles aren't getting their spot in the sunlight, but find that the frequency and amount of sandbox articles and news is proportionate with the number of sandbox titles in comparison to non-sandbox titles like themepark and F2P MMO's.
Those were the things I disagreed with. If sandbox fans want to push for more exposure to sandbox titles than that subgenre is getting right now, by all means. Heck, in one of the recent threads here I proposed myself for a gameforum section for ArcheAge, I even filled in a detailed submission in the message box (on the Gamelist page) for it
The ease with which predictions are made on these forums: Fratman: "I'm saying Spring 2012 at the earliest [for TOR release]. Anyone still clinging to 2011 is deluding themself at this point."
Now I am suddenly being put in the role of being against a sandbox column, I thought I was pretty clear in the 3,4 posts in this thread...
I disagreed with the theory or belief of some in this thread that the mmorpg.com staff are all sandbox-hating themepark fanbois, which I find a belief that reeks of high degree of bias itself.
Also, I disagreed that sandbox titles aren't getting their spot in the sunlight, but find that the frequency and amount of sandbox articles and news is proportionate with the number of sandbox titles in comparison to non-sandbox titles like themepark and F2P MMO's.
Those were the things I disagreed with. If sandbox fans want to push for more exposure to sandbox titles than that subgenre is getting right now, by all means. Heck, in one of the recent threads here I proposed myself for a gameforum section for ArcheAge, I even filled in a detailed submission in the message box (on the Gamelist page) for it
Hyperboling are we?
No one said that MMORPG.COM are sandbox hating themepark fanboys. All that is being said is that some more focus could be done on sandbox games as even F2P has got its own weekly/bi-weekly column. So why not for the sandbox sub-genre?
It could be opinion articles or whatever aslong as it focus on sandbox. And to the guy who said it is not us against them. Well it kinda is because themeparks are the opposite of sandbox. Where as one focus on creating a virtual world, the other one tries to put single player elements in an MMORPG in an attempt to just make a good selling game. They are fundamentally different.
That is why I dont care for themeparks no matter how much money they sink into the titles. As they are basically single player games in an MMORPG setting. Vastly different from sandbox MMORPGs, which puts the focus on the world and not on one single character.
That does not mean they cannot be fun, heck I have put over 500 hours into WAR. But a virtual world, they are not.
Of course it was hyperboling, but also in the same line as other hyperboles and black&white statements like these ones:
Originally posted by Yamota
But seriously, isnt there ANYONE on the MMORPG.COM staff that likes sandbox titles with a little bit of depth?
Originally posted by Evasia
For years mmorpg.com are themepark fans they always write or review good about themeparks
I dont say this site is bad at least we have something to talk about and sandbox news and new games plus forums have home here but many visititors over years who post here most are in favor of sandbox but mmorpg.com staff is in favor of themeaparks:(
At least some should also be sandbox lovers and write nice articles about sandbox.
There are a number of sandbox oriented posters on mmorpg.com who make it 'us vs them', as can be seen by continuing and persistent trashtalking and gamebashing of non-sandbox MMORPG's by sandbox fans, and by the attitude that if you like sandbox AND themepark MMO's and talk positively about non-sandbox MMO's, then you're one of 'them' in their eyes.
As the comments that the mmorpg.com staff only likes themepark MMO's and dislikes/hates/ignores sandbox MMO's are a clear proof of, since quite a number of the staff has commented and shown on various occasions to like sandbox titles as well.
But hey, as I stated before, if you want to ask for more sandbox info on the site, go ahead.
The ease with which predictions are made on these forums: Fratman: "I'm saying Spring 2012 at the earliest [for TOR release]. Anyone still clinging to 2011 is deluding themself at this point."
I think you are just making a mountain out of a mole. Simply put there are some of us who are sick and tired of themepark MMOs and sick and tired of reading a gazzilion articles about how the next themepark MMO is so great, where as they are pretty much the same old we seen before.
So all that would be nice is to have some staff impressions of sandbox titles. Some analysis on upcoming sandbox titles and maybe a look in the past about sandbox titles.
And if you like sandbox titles and themeparks, then good for you. But dont expect that to be natural because they are vastly different type of games, so much that I doubt they should even share the same genre.
Comments
While I agree that most sandbox MMOs are rather crappy coded indie games I don't see why there shouldn't be anyone writing a sandbox column once a week because of that.
And there are at least 2 sandboxes in the making: CCP is making World of darkness online and Bethesda has had a MMO department for over 3 years even if it is seceret what they are making, but I assume it is a sanbox (Even if that is just a guess, one of the founders of Mythic is the head of the department so I might be wrong).
Throw the guys a bone, we have a dude writing about F2P games every week, a sanbox article will still be interesting reading.
I will personally play any good game, if it is a themepark or a sandbox matters little to me as long as I have loads of fun.
Now I am suddenly being put in the role of being against a sandbox column, I thought I was pretty clear in the 3,4 posts in this thread...
I disagreed with the theory or belief of some in this thread that the mmorpg.com staff are all sandbox-hating themepark fanbois, which I find a belief that reeks of high degree of bias itself.
Also, I disagreed that sandbox titles aren't getting their spot in the sunlight, but find that the frequency and amount of sandbox articles and news is proportionate with the number of sandbox titles in comparison to non-sandbox titles like themepark and F2P MMO's.
Those were the things I disagreed with. If sandbox fans want to push for more exposure to sandbox titles than that subgenre is getting right now, by all means. Heck, in one of the recent threads here I proposed myself for a gameforum section for ArcheAge, I even filled in a detailed submission in the message box (on the Gamelist page) for it
The ACTUAL size of MMORPG worlds: a comparison list between MMO's
The ease with which predictions are made on these forums:
Fratman: "I'm saying Spring 2012 at the earliest [for TOR release]. Anyone still clinging to 2011 is deluding themself at this point."
Hyperboling are we?
No one said that MMORPG.COM are sandbox hating themepark fanboys. All that is being said is that some more focus could be done on sandbox games as even F2P has got its own weekly/bi-weekly column. So why not for the sandbox sub-genre?
It could be opinion articles or whatever aslong as it focus on sandbox. And to the guy who said it is not us against them. Well it kinda is because themeparks are the opposite of sandbox. Where as one focus on creating a virtual world, the other one tries to put single player elements in an MMORPG in an attempt to just make a good selling game. They are fundamentally different.
That is why I dont care for themeparks no matter how much money they sink into the titles. As they are basically single player games in an MMORPG setting. Vastly different from sandbox MMORPGs, which puts the focus on the world and not on one single character.
That does not mean they cannot be fun, heck I have put over 500 hours into WAR. But a virtual world, they are not.
My gaming blog
Of course it was hyperboling, but also in the same line as other hyperboles and black&white statements like these ones:
There are a number of sandbox oriented posters on mmorpg.com who make it 'us vs them', as can be seen by continuing and persistent trashtalking and gamebashing of non-sandbox MMORPG's by sandbox fans, and by the attitude that if you like sandbox AND themepark MMO's and talk positively about non-sandbox MMO's, then you're one of 'them' in their eyes.
As the comments that the mmorpg.com staff only likes themepark MMO's and dislikes/hates/ignores sandbox MMO's are a clear proof of, since quite a number of the staff has commented and shown on various occasions to like sandbox titles as well.
But hey, as I stated before, if you want to ask for more sandbox info on the site, go ahead.
The ACTUAL size of MMORPG worlds: a comparison list between MMO's
The ease with which predictions are made on these forums:
Fratman: "I'm saying Spring 2012 at the earliest [for TOR release]. Anyone still clinging to 2011 is deluding themself at this point."
I think you are just making a mountain out of a mole. Simply put there are some of us who are sick and tired of themepark MMOs and sick and tired of reading a gazzilion articles about how the next themepark MMO is so great, where as they are pretty much the same old we seen before.
So all that would be nice is to have some staff impressions of sandbox titles. Some analysis on upcoming sandbox titles and maybe a look in the past about sandbox titles.
And if you like sandbox titles and themeparks, then good for you. But dont expect that to be natural because they are vastly different type of games, so much that I doubt they should even share the same genre.
My gaming blog