WDYM "Misusing" a mode?
Sandbox with everything unlocked
- Thread starter FunGaming
- Start date
"A sandbox is a style of game in which minimal character limitations are placed on the gamer, allowing the gamer to roam and change a virtual world at will. In contrast to a progression-style game, a sandbox game emphasizes roaming and allows a gamer to select tasks. Instead of featuring segmented areas or numbered levels, a sandbox game usually occurs in a “world” to which the gamer has full access from start to finish.
A sandbox game is also known as an open-world or free-roaming game."
Where does this definition come from?
I wasn't "discussing" anything, just reporting a quote from another thread.
HeatherG
Volunteer Moderator
As it was moderated because we don't discuss politics. You can refer to the forum rules for more details.
It wasn't a discussion about politics. It was used as an example of whataboutism / virtue signalling about how getting hung up on a game feature which is not even absent or radically changed from its inception, but rather is there, just a bit delayed.
The point is that the discussion is going in circles with entrenching positions which add nothing to the merit of the discussion itself. Also, aren't there like a dozen threads about this? Wouldn't it be better to simply merge them into a single megathread?
Depends on what search result you want to use:
a video game or part of a video game in which the player is not constrained to achieving specific goals and has a large degree of freedom to explore, interact with, or modify the game environment
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sandbox
There's another explanation but I think this one is more accurate for a sandbox mode, the other one is more a sandbox game explanation.
Most of the management building games I own, sandbox is at least unlimited money, no objectives and able to select a map. Many games only offer that.
There are quite a few with more options (research/building unlocked) but a sandbox game/mode is handled differently by every dev. There's no set standard for that.
Unlocking certain skins etc. by playing scenarios/career/challenge modes (in certain difficulties) is normal. I think it's great and rewarding.
If it's also unlocking dino species - in the middle about that one. Also obtaining a certain star rating to unlock something big (dinos/maps), that's someting I don't like to see.
Imo JWE handles sandbox mode as meta-game content, while PZ/PC handles sandbox mode as the main feature. For example: Challenge/Franchise in PZ is basically a slightly limited version of a sandbox mode, those modes don't have clear objectives either.
a video game or part of a video game in which the player is not constrained to achieving specific goals and has a large degree of freedom to explore, interact with, or modify the game environment
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sandbox
There's another explanation but I think this one is more accurate for a sandbox mode, the other one is more a sandbox game explanation.
Most of the management building games I own, sandbox is at least unlimited money, no objectives and able to select a map. Many games only offer that.
There are quite a few with more options (research/building unlocked) but a sandbox game/mode is handled differently by every dev. There's no set standard for that.
Unlocking certain skins etc. by playing scenarios/career/challenge modes (in certain difficulties) is normal. I think it's great and rewarding.
If it's also unlocking dino species - in the middle about that one. Also obtaining a certain star rating to unlock something big (dinos/maps), that's someting I don't like to see.
Imo JWE handles sandbox mode as meta-game content, while PZ/PC handles sandbox mode as the main feature. For example: Challenge/Franchise in PZ is basically a slightly limited version of a sandbox mode, those modes don't have clear objectives either.
I agree with you mate. I just don't see the point in having a sandbox mode at all, if you still have to go through the campaign to use it. I'm totally fine with unlocking skins through the campaign, challenge mode etc, because they don't do anything to alter the gameplay. It's just cosmetics. But different species of dinosaurs, buildings etc, have a direct link to how successful your park is. Therefore, I don't think it's appropriate, that you have to play the campaign in order to use the sandbox mode properly. During the first game, after the first couple of islands I started to get really bored with the story and the missions. I just wanted to build a beautiful park without doing all the side work. After I finished the campaign I made a couple of parks in Sandbox, but I still felt like it was a waste of time to go through the campaign first...
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I like sandbox as it is. So I think this is unfair to say "Either do it the way I want or remove it." I understand some people don't like the slow progress but some of us do so why can't we find a way to accommodate both.
I also feel like making you unlock the stuff in the main game is there for two main reasons
1) Tutorial - playing the levels teaches you how to play and use something. New players who just start in the sandbox may get frustrated as nothing works the way they expect or they can't figure out how to use a tool because they didn't play the main game where you get taught how to. Old players may get frustrated as they expect things to work as they did in the first game when something changed that you were informed about in the main game.
2) Discovery - I like playing sandbox at the end of a long day when I don't have the brain cells to do crunch management as I do on a day off. Having everything just unlocked would mean I would be spoiled about dinosaurs, features, and other veggies I hadn't made it to yet in main story mode (No I do not watch playthrough or anything like that till I'm done with a game).
This is why I suggested the old-school cheat code contra code unlock the thing. The player has to make an active choice to do it. People who don't want to be spoiled will not. People who get frustrated with the game not "working" because they didn't learn how to use it correctly by playing the main game will have actively chosen to do it to themselves. People who just want to sculpt a masterpiece park with everything can get all the brushes they want with no unwanted hassle. Do you have a particular problem with this suggestion?
I feel like without a survey this is just speculation. Some of us do, Some of us don't. Without hard numbers, this is just an opinion as to who is in the majority.
I guess your interpretation of sandbox is different then Frontier's.
Overall, I think it depends on the theme. If you compare it to PC or PZ, JWE has a different audience. You'll need to do a survey with every game for that.
Wihtout it, it's just speculation.
Personally don't think unlocked dinos or maps would spoil anything but I think a proper balance in locked/unlocked features is possible. Skins/certain researches
I always enjoy playing and unlocking features for sandbox mode, so i have no issues with JWE and JWE2. I put in a lot more hours into the game that way.
Like I said, every dev handles it differently. I bought Evil Genius 2 a while ago - unlimited money and select your map were the only options.
I do think sometimes people expect a sandbox game instead of a sandbox mode. I think Prehistoric Kingdom will offer more to people who prefer a focus on sandbox.
100% agree. I meant a JWE specific survey, I hadn't thought about systems though and that is a good point. Mainly just meant it as a be careful about speaking for others / assuming your opinion is the majority opinion.
It would most likely be minor spoilers, but if the map was the camp cretaceous map or the San Diego map (I know e already saw stuff in the trailer but had we not) it would give away something. Dinos is way more my personal taste though so completely understand.
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I will NOT buy the game until it does. Do not think it is right at all. Plus I feel the game is over priced. They fix the sandbox and the price I will rethink about it.
Yeah right
i get the point but i have to say unlocking is much easier and faster and the modes are really fun. While challenge was a chore in jwe here it can be very fun as you really have to manage not just pumping out star dinos, getting storms every few minutes . I have nightmares for that skin unlocks on jurassic difficulty lol. I dont get why people already complain. Its whole different when you play it yourself then watching videos and just look to complain. This is not a regular park builder jwe i its own thing and you simply playthrough then you can enjoy sandbox to the fullest.
Devs want it this way otherwise they would have changed it as this was a complaint in jwe already. So play it any unlock its not bad, its fun…
managing 10 scientists who will ruin your day when overworked or steal a lot of money lol. You will get lost at first you want to this this and this and forget it also money is a pain often(i played hard challenge at first) Its not baby easy like jwe but you havd several more ways to overcome it. And random events and what not. Play any you will have the stuff faster than you think because time flies when you play this i guarantee……it flies…….
Devs want it this way otherwise they would have changed it as this was a complaint in jwe already. So play it any unlock its not bad, its fun…
managing 10 scientists who will ruin your day when overworked or steal a lot of money lol. You will get lost at first you want to this this and this and forget it also money is a pain often(i played hard challenge at first) Its not baby easy like jwe but you havd several more ways to overcome it. And random events and what not. Play any you will have the stuff faster than you think because time flies when you play this i guarantee……it flies…….
Yes please. Give us the option to unlock everything in sandbox from the start. I'm one of those people who doesn't like playing campaigns, especially if it's forced to unlock things. People should have the option, at least, that way everyone can play how they want to.
Exactly. The campaign mode was so boring in the first game.
I really enjoyed it, so I would say to each their own. Not against having a way to unlock everything in the sandbox for those that just do not want to play the main game, but I love the way JWE was done and hope that JWE2 works in a similar way.