Well since you asked, my favorite Sandbox Experience in an MMO so far was probably building a business with employees and trading in the volatile commodities markets of Runescape. I know that's not for everyone, but it was fun until Jagex changed the rules of Runescape and virtually destroyed the economy.

What I would like to do even more than build up a business is to build a kingdom of my own. I know there are nation sims and stuff out there, but I mean I want to do it in an MMORPG.

If I can do that, it would probably be my best sandbox experience ever. That experience may already be starting, too. Today I was playing Magic of the Gods and found out that I apparently can create my own kingdom in that game. So that's what I'm going to try to do. The humans don't even have a city of their own, much less a kingdom. Now THAT has got to be corrected! If anyone wants to help me, my character's name is Radnar.

I was thinking some time ago about the idea a customizable religon or belief system. Something that would grant a bonus of some kind to a guild or city, but would require a particular profession skillset to develop it and maintain it. Perhaps something resembling a mayor in SWG - but much more involved and detailed.

Or perhaps something based on astrology, with constellations affecting certain abilites depending on where they are in the sky.

UO was just fun in general everything about it.

Originally posted by showzen

UO was just fun in general everything about it.

I agree. My first real step into the Ultima universe was with IV Quest of the Avatar. I remember playing it on NES and I quickly filled a notepad up with all kinds of information to help me complete the game.

When UO first came out I was excited about exploring the UO universe and experiencing it with others. The first time I logged in UO there were people training their fighting skills on the training dummies. Leaving town to explore the wilderness was crazy and even crazier was going into dungeons. You never knew what was going to happen. Skill information was very very basic and noone knew the quickest way to raise anything. I remember seeing the first master/grand master on Atlantic and I was in awe at the rarity and impressed by the amount of time the person put into getting those skills up. Player killing didn't really bother me too much. It added suspense and I quickly formed bonds with other players and we travelled and worked together to get things done. I will never forget having to figure things out with no tutorial, newbie zone, websites. It really created immersion that I haven't felt in any other game since.

Originally posted by Dhaeman

A real marketplace. Anything better than average gear should be player created.

No instances.

This may be difficult if not impossible to implement but a skill system that allows you access to special skills/spells based on your combination of training. Maybe you master swordsmanship and you get 'slice' which is a regular damage skill. Then master animal training and you get a pincer attack skill (with swordsmanship) where you and your pet combine for damage. Then master tactics (along with the other 2) which allows access to 'decoy attack' which uses your pet you lure somebody while you stab the person from the side. My character would feel much more unique but I do worry about balance issues...

PvP is key to a successful sandbox experience. It doesn't require full looting or player looting of any kind. There can be anti-grief systems in place without ruining the immersion. But ultimately you need to always be competing against other players for individual prowess, guild strength, money, resources, etc.

Hi Dhaeman,

Certainly resources and territory control will be the reason for PvP.  But since the universe is ever-expanding, some players may venture far and away to build and establish colonies that may be highly defended by the time that thy are discovered by a well-organized band of raiders.  I'd like to read more suggestions and discussion about the style of 'anti-grief' systems mentioned.

Originally posted by FatalFX

In a sandbox mmorpg you can affect the world. Crusades Online is going to be a progressive universe where players explore and populate the galaxy, build outposts, grow economies, expand into cities, and then protect them from intrusion.

There is a need and an interest for factions and player-controlled factions, both large-scale and small-scale, which undoubtedly will enable groups of people to attack other groups of people, in space or on the ground. This will be the action and change taking place in an ongoing universe evolving through player participation.

In this new age of 'User Generated Content' {UGC} we find the success of 'Youtube' Myspace' Second Life' 'Facebook' Flickr' and so on. 

We feel it is the right time for freedom to reign and re-introduce the skill based sandbox style MMO.  Thus we would like to work with gamer communities to reveal and incorporate some of your favorite sandbox play-styles.  We are aiming for a balance where player-driven economics goes hand-in-hand with exploration and adventure. 

Please let us know what you would like to see in a sandbox style MMO.

 

Look no further Darkfall is comming the ULTIMATE sandbox game:)

Originally posted by FatalFX

Originally posted by Dhaeman

A real marketplace. Anything better than average gear should be player created.

No instances.

This may be difficult if not impossible to implement but a skill system that allows you access to special skills/spells based on your combination of training. Maybe you master swordsmanship and you get 'slice' which is a regular damage skill. Then master animal training and you get a pincer attack skill (with swordsmanship) where you and your pet combine for damage. Then master tactics (along with the other 2) which allows access to 'decoy attack' which uses your pet you lure somebody while you stab the person from the side. My character would feel much more unique but I do worry about balance issues...

PvP is key to a successful sandbox experience. It doesn't require full looting or player looting of any kind. There can be anti-grief systems in place without ruining the immersion. But ultimately you need to always be competing against other players for individual prowess, guild strength, money, resources, etc.

 

Hi Dhaeman,

Certainly resources and territory control will be the reason for PvP.  But since the universe is ever-expanding, some players may venture far and away to build and establish colonies that may be highly defended by the time that thy are discovered by a well-organized band of raiders.  I'd like to read more suggestions and discussion about the style of 'anti-grief' systems mentioned.

well i'd think that if somebody did decide to go out into the galaxy on their own, it would cost ALOT more then building their city near the main cities. And the fact that they will be away from all the trade. I'd suggest making space travel from planet to planet to be slow, slower for the planets towards the outer rim of a galaxy.

My favorite expirience in a Sandbox, would be Star Wars Galaxies Pre-CU. Being a noob and tryin to kill people of the other faction in battles that had more then 50 people. And the fact that every mob looked different, and they werent just bigger or a different color of another monster somewhere in the galaxy. Also you would have to go out and ask around to find a Weaponsmith or a armorsmith so you could buy some more gear, due to the fact the ones on your back are close to breaking.