Even in "true" seemless worlds like UO and Vanguard you would still feel the loading blip when you passed between "zones" even if there wasn't an actual screen.

Earthrise will be a true open world, but it is not out yet, expected release is end of 2009.

I would define an "open world" as a game without any sort of invisible wall (or too-steep-to-climb hillside, etc.) that prevents you from going where you want and keeps you following some pre-determined path taking you from content to content.

I would say the most open world I've played in would undoubtedly be Vanguard.  Too bad it never could hold my attention for some reason.

And the least open world that I can think of would definitely be Warhammer.  I felt like each tier was on tracks that took you from start to finish.  Themepark games just aren't for me, I guess...

Edit: As for zoning, I don't really have a problem with the occasional load screen if it keeps my fps a little higher, but instances are another story entirely.  They definitely work in some games, but completely remove the "open world" feel for me.

 Fallen earth is not seemless by any means, it does have instances.

Originally posted by Korvenus

Vanguard and Lineage 2 are the only mmos I know of that are Open World.

You also can add Asheron's Call.   But yeah..Vangaurd and L2 are definitely the only two true open worlds.  WoW is pretty open for th most part so I might add it to the list.

Originally posted by Legato89

Which MMOs are true open world MMOs? So far I can think of WoW and maybe LotRO. Definitely not a MMO like WAR where each zone is between a loading screen.

Vanguard without a doubt.  No instances, no zones, the ability to go anywhere that meets the eye.  I like the screenshot below because I'm flying directly over my non-instanced house and in the back ground is Varryn Dunes, Razad and Rahz Inkur (all diffrerent chunks) and you can see specs about Rahz Inkur which are either players flying in on their mounts or some of the Wyverns that circle the palace.

www.mortalonline.com/

No instancing and currently no noticeable loading.

Dark and Light 

Having no zone doesn't exactly make it true open world.  It just doesn't use a zone system.  

Instance is considered a zone whether it reset or not, and a large amount of games applied instance even before Wow was created.  The original concept of zone was both a technological limitation and also practical way to set up a game world that make it easy to work with.  However, current MMORPG have developed engines and ways that allow seamless maps, which is a good step forward, but at the same time it is not considered revolutionary.

If you meant true open world as in that on every server there is only one instance of any single area and also seamless.  Then the answer is abviously that there are no game world that is purely "open". At least not yet.

On an interesting note, the main reason instance was adapted is due to the fact that the game world is currently not an actual world.  Instance was used because there are huge populations out to do the same thing in the same area, thus there was a need to allow all players to do the same content without interfering each other.  This implies that, the existence of instance zones means the game world in MMORPG is not diverse enough for the players to consider it as a "world" yet.

Lineage 2 is open

Originally posted by Neosai

On an interesting note, the main reason instance was adapted is due to the fact that the game world is currently not an actual world.  Instance was used because there are huge populations out to do the same thing in the same area, thus there was a need to allow all players to do the same content without interfering each other.  This implies that, the existence of instance zones means the game world in MMORPG is not diverse enough for the players to consider it as a "world" yet.

It would suck if there were randoms in shadowfang keep killing arugal when my party just got there.

WoW had the best designed open world and the only instances were dungeons which I prefer anyways because I hate having to queue up and camp mobs in a boring designed cave just so it can be seamless. The good things about WoW's isntances is they're built into the world naturally so you have to run there and go through seamless terrain to run to the instance. Then you exit out somewhere else at the end of it and it's all built like it was on the map. So they feel very natural and don't break the immersion of the rest of the seamless world.

EVE Online isn't a seamless open world because you have to load into stations and jump at gates, it's just split up into lots of zones which all look the same but from the background being a different colour lol.

Lotro I didn't like because you had to load into houses which I don't see any need for that when WoW's are just as detailed.

SWG had great seamless worlds but the problem is the content sucked and half the quests in the game was going to the same looking cave or bunker and that was boring. I wish they put the same effort into all the quests as they did Jabba's Palace etc etc.

Vangaurd's I didn't like because the game was just bland and boring, you didn't wanna explore cause there was nothing amazing about the art or the lore or any of the design. Plus the character models are ugly as fook.

Originally posted by John.A.Zoid

WoW had the best designed open world and the only instances were dungeons which I prefer anyways because I hate having to queue up and camp mobs in a boring designed cave just so it can be seamless. The good things about WoW's isntances is they're built into the world naturally so you have to run there and go through seamless terrain to run to the instance. Then you exit out somewhere else at the end of it and it's all built like it was on the map. So they feel very natural and don't break the immersion of the rest of the seamless world.

EVE Online isn't a seamless open world because you have to load into stations and jump at gates, it's just split up into lots of zones which all look the same but from the background being a different colour lol.

Lotro I didn't like because you had to load into houses which I don't see any need for that when WoW's are just as detailed.

SWG had great seamless worlds but the problem is the content sucked and half the quests in the game was going to the same looking cave or bunker and that was boring. I wish they put the same effort into all the quests as they did Jabba's Palace etc etc.

Vangaurd's I didn't like because the game was just bland and boring, you didn't wanna explore cause there was nothing amazing about the art or the lore or any of the design. Plus the character models are ugly as fook.

I was shocked to find myself nod in agreement throughout this post. Still, I'd say even though John.A.Zoid does have a point about how EVE and Lotro handled this issue, it did not bother me that much: Gates in EVE just work well in terms of gameplay and in Lotro I got used to zoning in houses pretty quickly.

Though I also think WoW has a nice balance on this one.Looking back, I think I've never liked non-instanced dungeons. And zoning into other *continents* or *dimensions* is really not a big deal :)

Wurm online?..

I think there is another intepretation of 'open world' other than the usage here of seamless. Open world could also mean a very liberal world with room for exploration. I think EQ had aspects of that.

I agree with those that say instances does not mean "open" by default. I also believe a world can be extreemly open and have instances as well.

Two key points to notice for the "open" requirement.

1. mega huge world

2. I can actually get there without requiring myself to skill up, sure I might die there before too long but it should be reasonable to actually explore from the world go.

EQ2 is not open given requirement 2 and nearly requirement 1 to be honest.

Originally posted by John.A.Zoid

WoW had the best designed open world and the only instances were dungeons which I prefer anyways because I hate having to queue up and camp mobs in a boring designed cave just so it can be seamless. The good things about WoW's isntances is they're built into the world naturally so you have to run there and go through seamless terrain to run to the instance. Then you exit out somewhere else at the end of it and it's all built like it was on the map. So they feel very natural and don't break the immersion of the rest of the seamless world.

EVE Online isn't a seamless open world because you have to load into stations and jump at gates, it's just split up into lots of zones which all look the same but from the background being a different colour lol.

Lotro I didn't like because you had to load into houses which I don't see any need for that when WoW's are just as detailed.

SWG had great seamless worlds but the problem is the content sucked and half the quests in the game was going to the same looking cave or bunker and that was boring. I wish they put the same effort into all the quests as they did Jabba's Palace etc etc.

Vangaurd's I didn't like because the game was just bland and boring, you didn't wanna explore cause there was nothing amazing about the art or the lore or any of the design. Plus the character models are ugly as fook.

About Vanguard, i notice you are speaking for other people and not just yourself. Let's get it right, you didn't like VG world but plenty of other people did and still do.  Everyone i know explored while playing VG so speak for yourself.

VG world is far better than WOW world,as for character models,well again that's your opinion.

Originally posted by billynomates

About Vanguard, i notice you are speaking for other people and not just yourself. Let's get it right, you didn't like VG world but plenty of other people did and still do.  Everyone i know explored while playing VG so speak for yourself.

VG world is far better than WOW world,as for character models,well again that's your opinion.

people having debates about WoW graphics is hysterical to me. I couldnt stand the graphics long enough to even try that hyped up cartoon.

Originally posted by SEANMCAD

Originally posted by billynomates

About Vanguard, i notice you are speaking for other people and not just yourself. Let's get it right, you didn't like VG world but plenty of other people did and still do.  Everyone i know explored while playing VG so speak for yourself.

VG world is far better than WOW world,as for character models,well again that's your opinion.

 

people having debates about WoW graphics is hysterical to me. I couldnt stand the graphics long enough to even try that hyped up cartoon.

Warning : Warning : Darkfall Fanboy : Warning : Warning.

Because of your shallowness you missed a great game.

It looks like the key to this discussion is your inital interpretation of and open world. To some, open world is more like open spaces like in lotro. I think that as long as you don't have load screens and somewhat seamlessly move from one area to the next then you have an open world. Vanguard definatly fits but I think Eve does too. In Eve you could slowly travel without warping all around the solar system if you wanted to(but it would take weeks traveling in empty space). When going through a jumpgate there is a flash of light that zooms off in the distance and in an instant you appear at the gate you were jumping to, it is both seemless and maintains immersion.

Open world = explorable