I apparently don't spend enough time reading about gaming theory. I have run across a new (to me) term - that is, "sandbox".
The idea, as near as I can tell, is that the "sandbox" is a style of RPG where there isn't any direction or plot, rather, a world to explore for the players, and the GM just adapts to whatever they want to do. Explore, or get into a beef with someone, or whatever.
I honestly can't say I like games like this, and I'm wondering why. I've certainly played in them before, although it's really been years since I even encountered one of these.
If I had to guess, it seems far too open ended for my taste, at least these days. It seems to imply a long campaign, which is not something I have time for, anymore, and also seems to lack what I find increasingly interesting in gaming, which are in-character limits and specifics. In other words, I really want less freedom, not more. I want hard choices, and when I've got the freedom to just wander away from trouble, that lessens the fun for me. Far better, for me at least, to have a very constrained character, which some sort of goal or problem, and a limited set of tools to accomplish it.
Am I interpreting this term correctly? How do you feel about these sorts of games?
Monday, November 30, 2009
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