this has been the only game that ive actually taken time to answer their rating and feedback windows in their story quests and pvp beta.

thats how excited Anet has gotten me  about this game!

Though Technically a Themepark as the previous posters have very well stated, I am allowed to explore and quest any where I like, and it is that openness that reminds me of SWG.  My freinds and I have stated many times, we can log in and one one us will say "well..pick a direction to head" lets go see what we can discover.  Such a good feeling.  

In reference to Housing, I have not read anything on it, so I can not speak to that portion.

Cheers,

Faulkner

Nice interview Garrett, was entertaining and informative!

I love that the dev's are playtesting right now- it mirrors my experience with the last beta weekend that GW2 is a more polished game in its testing phase than recent titles (read: TSW) after their first month beyond release.

I think the sandbox comment was just thrown in there to rile people up in the comments!

I love that they've put so much effort into the engine to be able to tweak and patch the game while it's actually live. They had this in GW1 but the GW2 engine is so much more complex and the world is no longer instanced I was sure they'd stick with the typical MMOG maintenance and downtime. I'm so glad they brought that over from GW1. Gone are the days of servers coming down for maintenance (which is innevitibly extended for a few hours). Now you just relog to get the patch and your set. They can make a number of changes and tweaks without even needing to relog even. It's awesome.

Totally looking forward to GW2. I haven't been this excited for a game since Star Wars Galaxies (even WoW didn't hype me as much) and after playing 100+ hours from the beta weekends and stress tests I really enjoy the game. It brings back a lot of those old MMOG feelings that no MMOG has given me since the days of Anarchy Online and SWG. (EQ was my first MMOG, AO my favorite of all time.)

Originally posted by BadSpock

Originally posted by WellzyC

 

Those things are coming.

Personal instance is already in game, changed based on story... but Guild Halls, in-game Hall of Monuments, and housing all coming post-launch.

 

Link please? ty

Originally posted by Jessina

Originally posted by BadSpock

Originally posted by WellzyC

 

Those things are coming.

Personal instance is already in game, changed based on story... but Guild Halls, in-game Hall of Monuments, and housing all coming post-launch.

 

Link please? ty

http://www.guildwars2guru.com/topic/18447-guild-info-discussion-thread/page__st__180#entry887047 scroll down to find Martin Kerstein

Originally posted by BadSpock

Originally posted by colddog04

Originally posted by BadSpock

Those things are coming.

Personal instance is already in game, changed based on story... but Guild Halls, in-game Hall of Monuments, and housing all coming post-launch.

But it'll likely be instanced housing which is not really a sandbox feature.

The sandbox comment was Garrett Fuller's opinion, not the person he was interviewing and I personally disagree with it. There really are not any sandbox features in the game at all. The only thing remotely resembling a sandbox feature is level scaling, making the world feel more open than your standard themepark. But even with that, you just have access to more rides.

I have no clue why he threw that in, but it is sure to create controversy.

Ok - let me explain it (how I see it)

Is GW2 a sandbox? No.

Is GW2 a theme park? Yes.

What is a theme park? It's a physical plot of land in which there are many rides and attractions for you to partake of and participate in.

What is a sandbox? It is a physical plot of land in which you have the tools to modify the plot itself and create new objects.

What GW2 is is a non-linear theme park.

You are not directed from 1-cap led by the hand, yes there are plenty of "rides" and locations in this themepark, but you can choose when to go to them (if at all) and how often you visit.

Because it is a non-linear themepark, some people (myself included) get that same feeling of wanderlust one generally gets in a well-made sandbox game (UO, SWG, Skyrim, etc.)

In most themeparks since WoW, you are led from ride to ride and you do not get a choice as to which ride you go to first and how often you are able to ride them and you are not able to go back and re-ride the same rides again because they tell you you've out grown them.

This is a linear themepark - straight line through content.

GW2 is a non-linear themepark, and as such "feels" a bit more sandboxy.

I suppose that's actually very accurate, and kind of makes me realise that for all the years I was pining for a sandbox, I would have been happy with a non-linear and unguided themepark like GW2. 

That freedom to explore where and when I like makes all the difference in the world to me, lack of hand holding and not being forced down that one same path every other player is is way more important to me than whether or not I can build a non-instanced farm in the end.

I generally view the term 'Themepark' with some negativity as it's generally meant a very pre-canned and linear experience on rails in the wake of WoW. Sure EQ was technically a themepark, but it was so open ended and unguided that it delivered a much different and much more engrossing experience for me than subsequent themeparks did.

All in all, it certainly says something positive about GW2s structure that it's a themepark which I have a hard time labelling as a themepark.

Can't wait to see where they go from here.

I'm fine if there are server issues when GW2 releases (probably not for me, since I'm playing on the headstart release). As long as everyone else is affected, I'm fine with lag :P

Go Norn or Go HOME!

Yesyesyes, we're all looking forward to GW2.

It is NOT a sandbox though.

Originally posted by WellzyC

He lost me at the "very much a sandbox" part. Unless they implement some sort of player housing, guild town or things of that nature, not sure how that statement has any validity.

Don't get it either.

All I've read about this game was about dynamic events and PVP. Nothing about player generated content at all.

1. Some may call it sandbox, some may call it ice cream, or whatever, I call it the game of the year! (btw Mr. BadSpock is right)

2. I will buy this game in October - yes, let me put it this way: I have some experience with disappointing launches.

Originally posted by colddog04

Originally posted by BadSpock

Originally posted by colddog04

Originally posted by BadSpock

Those things are coming.

Personal instance is already in game, changed based on story... but Guild Halls, in-game Hall of Monuments, and housing all coming post-launch.

But it'll likely be instanced housing which is not really a sandbox feature.

The sandbox comment was Garrett Fuller's opinion, not the person he was interviewing and I personally disagree with it. There really are not any sandbox features in the game at all. The only thing remotely resembling a sandbox feature is level scaling, making the world feel more open than your standard themepark. But even with that, you just have access to more rides.

I have no clue why he threw that in, but it is sure to create controversy.

Ok - let me explain it (how I see it)

Is GW2 a sandbox? No.

Is GW2 a theme park? Yes.

What is a theme park? It's a physical plot of land in which there are many rides and attractions for you to partake of and participate in.

What is a sandbox? It is a physical plot of land in which you have the tools to modify the plot itself and create new objects.

What GW2 is is a non-linear theme park.

You are not directed from 1-cap led by the hand, yes there are plenty of "rides" and locations in this themepark, but you can choose when to go to them (if at all) and how often you visit.

Because it is a non-linear themepark, some people (myself included) get that same feeling of wanderlust one generally gets in a well-made sandbox game (UO, SWG, Skyrim, etc.)

In most themeparks since WoW, you are led from ride to ride and you do not get a choice as to which ride you go to first and how often you are able to ride them and you are not able to go back and re-ride the same rides again because they tell you you've out grown them.

This is a linear themepark - straight line through content.

GW2 is a non-linear themepark, and as such "feels" a bit more sandboxy.

I completely agree with everything you just said. And my personal experience with the game supports it.

I also agree and that is what has me so excited.  I am obviously excited about the prospect of GW2 itself, but I am probably more excited about the prospect this type of gameplay will have on future MMOs.  I see the hybrid Themepark/Sandbox as the future and GW2 is the first major step.

My view is that GW2 is built primarily on the themepark premise but with lots of sandbox elements included, which is great.  I'm hoping the next generation will take this a step further and build a game on a sandbox premise and sprinkle in themepark elements.  It's  a subtle, but important distinction. 

For now I'll happily take GW 2 and look forward to what games may come.

Originally posted by WellzyC

He lost me at the "very much a sandbox" part. Unless they implement some sort of player housing, guild town or things of that nature, not sure how that statement has any validity.

From the responses IM see to this , I dont think very many people even know what a sandbox game is.

Originally posted by lalapoo

Originally posted by WellzyC

He lost me at the "very much a sandbox" part. Unless they implement some sort of player housing, guild town or things of that nature, not sure how that statement has any validity.

From the responses IM see to this , I dont think very many people even know what a sandbox game is.  Its definetely not GW2.