Could a combined theme park and sandbox mmo work?

[Chickat]

Could an mmo that was both theme park and sandbox work, and if so how do you think it would be? Are there any games already like this?

[Vankrys]

i think star citizen is leaning that way

[Deleted]

If done correctly, properly yes. How? I have no idea

[SodiumChloride]

Don't see why not.

In fact, I believe Blizzard should move in that direction, since it's obvious they cannot pump out enough "rides" for their "theme park" to keep players subbing.

Theme park things like raids and dungeons will carry on as they do now, but in addition Blizzard needs to add other things that aren't raids - and PVP.

[Tekkommo]

If it worked, it would be the perfect MMO.

[Erolian]

Idk play runescape and find out. I mean the controls and platform suck but if they somehow just ported everything into WoW's engine so that everything actually ran correctly and didn't look like a smoking pile of shit it would probably beat current mmos by a mile

[Dezerte]

About 80-90% Sandbox and 10-20% Theme park is the sweet spot for me.

I'm thinking of games like Minecraft/Don't Starve/Mount and Blade, to get an idea of what I'm talking about.

[Parrin]

I always think of theme park as required, and sandbox and free-form. If you want a true combination, would some of it need to be required content?

[Deleted]

I think this would be the real "Next gen" mmo.

How could it work? No idea but maybe something like this:

Take WoW as a base and scrab the classes and factions. Add a skillpoint based "class system" and 3 factions that can be joined or left freely(well not entirely free, with traitor and bounty hunting systems maybe)

Having crafting skills using the same skill mechaniques that the "class system" uses, so you can either be a 100% fighter or a 50% crafter 50% fighter or whatever else, this would limiting the amount of crafters around.

Making crafted items be as good as raid items but of course it will require certain items and mterials only a crafter can pick up but needs a group of fighters to get to those ressources like teh hide of a big red dragon taht only a skilled crafter can skin but of course not kill alone.

Still having raids and dungeons that drop items and stuff and add them frequently.

Have a big world where you can actually own houses , territory and fight for them but you shoudl not be forced to do. Maybe with the faction system. If you join a faction you have benefits but you have to engage in territorial battles, or you stay neutral ... you miss out certain benefits but you are not required to take part in those battles (pvp)


Mhm that is pretty much all I can think of in 5 mins.


The basic Idea is, giving players the choice to have comlete freedom on what they do but don't force them to take this freedom and the consequences that will bring

[Dezerte]

100% Sandbox wouldn't be fun, unless we get plenty & powerful tools to shape the world. There are so many games that claim that they are "Sandbox" as an excuse for skimping out on content of the game, and the tools given to the players in the game have little if any effect on the world.

[Ebonheart]

Could an mmo that was both theme park and sandbox work, and if so how do you think it would be? Are there any games already like this?

From what we've seen so far, The Elder Scrolls Online is heading this way.

Well people often forget an MMO often comes with its own restrictions. You can only do so much in an MMO before people start abusing the game to their own advantage. Cause often times people just get pissed when they don't get things their way.

Like TES being called a "sandbox MMO" but you can't explore the other 2 factions. I mean there is a reason.

However, I do feel such a game would work, but it would evolve over the course of the game's life cycle. I mean the game would start of by being a sandbox game early on in its life cycle with certain theme park elements. However, as the game ages, it will shift towards more of a theme park design only because there is only so much a player can explore.

That is what WoW is going through, though they were never much of a sandbox MMO. But levelling was a big part in WoW and now all of a sudden Blizzard is introducing all these boosters, heirlooms to level your characters up where their focus is solely on end game. The sad part is that levelling in WoW has become so tedious and boring. The quests are lame and uninspiring. The world looks horrible and it doesn't help when the NPCs are simply dull and boring.

However, I've never had that problem with Skyrim and I've done the same quests a dozen times and I've enjoyed it every time I've done it. Its cause the world is so beautifully done and the NPCs are engaging.

For this kind of MMO to work, it would depend highly on player driven content. Not only that but these kind of games often require large development teams and it just wouldn't work as a F2P game.

[Drakhar]

We'll find out when EQNext releases.

[Ebonheart]

I think this would be the real "Next gen" mmo.

How could it work? No idea but maybe something like this:

Take WoW as a base and scrab the classes and factions. Add a skillpoint based "class system" and 3 factions that can be joined or left freely(well not entirely free, with traitor and bounty hunting systems maybe)

Having crafting skills using the same skill mechaniques that the "class system" uses, so you can either be a 100% fighter or a 50% crafter 50% fighter or whatever else, this would limiting the amount of crafters around.

Making crafted items be as good as raid items but of course it will require certain items and mterials only a crafter can pick up but needs a group of fighters to get to those ressources like teh hide of a big red dragon taht only a skilled crafter can skin but of course not kill alone.

Still having raids and dungeons that drop items and stuff and add them frequently.

Have a big world where you can actually own houses , territory and fight for them but you shoudl not be forced to do. Maybe with the faction system. If you join a faction you have benefits but you have to engage in territorial battles, or you stay neutral ... you miss out certain benefits but you are not required to take part in those battles (pvp)


Mhm that is pretty much all I can think of in 5 mins.


The basic Idea is, giving players the choice to have comlete freedom on what they do but don't force them to take this freedom and the consequences that will bring

Taking WoW as an example is just shooting yourself in the foot. Its a terrible way to start of. Everything is scaled so small.

You are better of playing Elder Scrolls Online.

[Drakhar]

You are better of playing Elder Scrolls Online.

Trash designed for console play relying on name alone.

Pass.

[Deleted]

Taking WoW as an example is just shooting yourself in the foot. Its a terrible way to start of. Everything is scaled so small.

You are better of playing Elder Scrolls Online.

Of course it is too small.

I took it not becasue oft its landmass but because most people know the game and can easier understand what I mean.
Also WoW is the game that people think of if you refer to themepark games.

It was by no means meant to be the perfect game to be changed into a sandbox/themepark hybrid.

[Fencers]

Could an mmo that was both theme park and sandbox work, and if so how do you think it would be? Are there any games already like this?

There could be no such thing. No current or foreseeable future game could ever be such either. It's a contradiction in terms.

[Vladimeir]

There could be no such thing. No current or foreseeable future game could ever be such either. It's a contradiction in terms.

I agree, It wouldn't work.

However, people do this kind of thing in Minecraft all the time. There are mods that can give you you're own lot that only you have permissions to build on and people do build little coasters. The issue is, once a "business" model gets introduced, it no longer works out.

[TaurenNinja]

Fun, probably. But I'm not sure if that could bring something of long-lasting value for the competitive gaming crowd.

[Chickat]

There could be no such thing. No current or foreseeable future game could ever be such either. It's a contradiction in terms.

Funnily enough, the Everquest next premier looks like what i said. Sure its way more sandboxy, but also seems to have some theme park elements.

[Valeron]

Sandpark right?

Most "sandbox" mmorpgs are that anyway.