[quote name='forsandifs' timestamp='1298027734' post='4775803']
I agree that we should certainly not limit the available options. But we also need to make sure that the player is not overloaded with information. The way to achieve both is to only feed the player information he wants to know. Which brings us to my information tree idea.
First present the player only with the absolutely essential mechanics. Then present the player with say 5 options that encompass in a very general way everything that the game has to offer. He can chose one interesting option and if he so wishes then be presented with another say 5 options which encompass everything respresented by that first option he made. Etc Etc... The player is never overwhelmed with information but has all the options in the game available to him, which he can consider in a manageable way.
how is this different than how WoW does it? Not picking on the concept or you. I just feel like I'm missing the differentiating factor.
[/quote]
I'm not explaining myself well.
WoW is a world where that is very much on rails in terms of gameplay. You can do X, Y, or Z and little else. The earlier you are in the game the more this is the case, but as a general rule its always the case.
Sandbox MMOs provide the player with tools which the player can use in flexible and interactive ways. This makes for a lot of possible gameplay options.
What WoW does well however is that it has user friendliness because it doesn't overwhelm the player with information or make the player feel at a loss as to what to do at any point.
The problem with Sandbox MMORPGs is therefore one of keeeping the available options and thus keeping the gameplay rich and varied (unlike WoW), informing the player of how to go about playing the inherently complex game, and making sure he is not overloaded with information.
WoW ensures the player is not overloaded by providing a limited number of gameplay options.
I propose that Sandbox MMOs ensure the player is not overloaded not by limiting gameplay options, but by limiting pedagogical help provided by the game to what the player choses to learn about, and limiting (mainly through generalisation) the pedagogical help subjects the player can choose from to a manageable number.
An example:
Player A spawns for the first time into the particular Sandbox MMORPG world. He is first told the basics of character control. Fine.
Now he wants to actually do something fun. But he doesn't know how. So the game provides an obvious help interface. This could be in the form of tutorial quests. So there are some obvious tutorial quest guys standing around ready to help the new player find something fun to do and learn the various parts of the game at his own pace.
One of the guys could be the guy that helps the player learn about Combat, another one could be the guy that helps the player learn about Crafting, another guy could be an Exploration helper, etc... Each of these tutorial quest guys gives the player a quest that gets the player started on the fun subject chosen by the player. Then they provide the player with 5 more quests, each of them going into suitable detail on the particular subject.
The Combat example might be an option of quests pertaining to Ranged Weapon Combat, Spell Combat, Melee Combat, PvE Combat, PvP Combat...
So we see in this example that the gameplay has not been limited at any point. If the player knows how to or figures it out for himself he can immediately go off and engage in any part of the gamplay he could wish to without further guidance from the game. But the if the player needs it or wants it he has readily accessible manageable information on how to get started on any particular area of gameplay he wants to get started on.
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