OS Neutral Sandbox Environments- If You Are Going To Explore Which Would You Choose?

[Huntn]

Forget about the game, it's mechanics, optimization, modes, etc, if you had a sandbox world/universe to explore, which would you find most compelling based on the environment? Which would you choose A, B, C, D, all, or?

A

B

C

D
​

Spoiler: Game image names

A= ARK: Survival Evolved
B=Elder Scrolls: Oblivion
C= Fallout 4
D= Elite Dangerous

For myself, it would be A or B as most compelling, these worlds seem to scream, "EXPLORE ME"! I would not rule out C and D, played D (space is cool) but petered out...too big and empty. All of these environments can be deadly, but I feel the most dread in the post apocalyptic world, anticipating mutants or raiders hiding behind every rock or ruin, while despite the danger, I can still enjoy the beauty of the others. The most important aspect is minimal screen loads which break immersion. How about you?

 

[Washac]

B and C for me

 

[Pakaku]

C looks nearly stylized, and I like that kind of aesthetic. A also looks interesting.

 

[Khalanad75]

B for me. Looks like the environment I would want to explore in real life as well.

 

[Jack426]

I would say:

1st: B
2nd: C/A
3rd: D

Edit: You should add the snowy mountain range of Canada from the game "The Long Dark." I'd choose it as my 2nd choice and would move "C" and "A" to my 3rd choice.

 

[AngerDanger]

I'm seconding the B and C vote.
B is serene and inviting. C is not the former, but I'm fascinated by the prospect of modern consumer items stripped of their context and use by an apocalyptic scenario.

This thread could really use a poll.

 

[Huntn]

The first game is Ark. The game is in prerelease on Steam, looks fantastic, I've always thought a prehistoric world would be cool to explore, but reports are the optimization on it sucks currently.

B for me. Looks like the environment I would want to explore in real life as well.

That's the hook for me, an attractive world to explore.

I would say:

1st: B
2nd: C/A
3rd: D

Edit: You should add the snowy mountain range of Canada from the game "The Long Dark." I'd choose it as my 2nd choice and would move "C" and "A" to my 3rd choice.

Just checked this out on Steam. It looks interesting, but coooold.
http://store.steampowered.com/app/305620/

 

[Jack426]

Just checked this out on Steam. It looks interesting, but coooold.
http://store.steampowered.com/app/305620/

Very! I would like to explore it, but not for long.

Not to stray from the thread topic, but if you haven't played it, I highly recommend trying it. Way different from any other survival based game, more realistic in terms of actually "surviving." I think the coldest I saw it get was -30°F, combined with the howling wind, you feel cold just playing the game.

P.S If you own an Xbox One, you can try the game for free.

 

[Suture]

I'd probably pick "A" right now because that's a new environment for me.

 

[Huntn]

I'd probably pick "A" right now because that's a new environment for me.

It's in pre-release on Steam, reported that in its current state the optimization is bad, you die a lot, and if you are on a public server, your possessions are likely to be looted. However, there is a rumor you can host your own server- unverified.

 

[Suture]

Is it kind of like a Day-Z type of game? I've always been interested in those types of games.

 

[Huntn]

Is it kind of like a Day-Z type of game? I've always been interested in those types of games.

It's a dino/survival game, I suppose it could be something like zombies with substituted dinos, larger and faster. Watch a video at Steam.

 

[Suture]

I wish you didn't send me that link. I'm interested in the game now, and my "I will get to this later" list is already far too long...

 

[Janichsan]

Completely indepently of how it is implemented in the game used as example: my pick would be D.

There is so much mind-blowing sh*t out there, anything else pales in comparison.

 

[Nightarchaon]

Personally, im playing, and enjoying, the biggest sandbox of them all, minecraft.

 

[whooleytoo]

"A" or "C" for me. A looks dramatic and interesting, and - for some reason - the broken down, ruined nature of the landscape in C makes it much more interesting. B is pretty, but just seems a bit too generic to me. Like if you wandered around in it, the most interesting thing you'd find is a cow.

D is enormous, but ultimately fairly empty. BUT (and this is the biggest but I could put in here) when they implement procedurally generated planets with atmospheric entry and landing - and if they do it right - then D will be amazing. Imagine something like this, with binary/trinary stars and incredibly rich nebulae in the sky, and being able to dive down valleys and canyons.

 

[Huntn]

Personally, im playing, and enjoying, the biggest sandbox of them all, minecraft.

Minecraft needs some angles other than "right". However, that does not mean I don't play it.

"A" or "C" for me. A looks dramatic and interesting, and - for some reason - the broken down, ruined nature of the landscape in C makes it much more interesting. B is pretty, but just seems a bit too generic to me. Like if you wandered around in it, the most interesting thing you'd find is a cow.

D is enormous, but ultimately fairly empty. BUT (and this is the biggest but I could put in here) when they implement procedurally generated planets with atmospheric entry and landing - and if they do it right - then D will be amazing. Imagine something like this, with binary/trinary stars and incredibly rich nebulae in the sky, and being able to dive down valleys and canyons.

D could be No Man's Sky. "This" (your link) appears to be a link to "shadertoy" and no images.

 

[Dark Void]

I'd choose B - I personally just like that type of environment.

 

[hiddenmarkov]

will go with ARK (A). Mainly because I have close to 7 years in eve. Been around space a bit an understatement. I have thought I have gone into new space areas for the first time, right clicked and said wth.....when was I here as I see a bookmark for a location. Being more wise than brave I don't follow up to the mysterious bookmark if no clue. Landing into pos guns on a hostile pos not one of the more fun things do in the game.

Fallout have many many many hours in that game. Boston will be a switch I am hoping. Hoping its not just a feeling of reskinned DC area tbh lol.

that and ark has been good for so far with limited play I have had.

 

[colocolo]

My first post in years.

The game is fantastic, I've found I really enjoy survival games, and this one is truly special.
Granted, optimization-wise it has a long way to go, but each (almost daily) patch speeds it along just a little. It is absolutely playable on my 2013 Retina MBP on mid to low settings (OS X).

There are PvE and PvP servers, official, unofficial (we host one at the office), and you can also play locally, though it is such a big world that playing it alone makes it feel a little bit empty.

I discovered it last week, and am really hooked on it right now!

It's in pre-release on Steam, reported that in its current state the optimization is bad, you die a lot, and if you are on a public server, your possessions are likely to be looted. However, there is a rumor you can host your own server- unverified.

 

[Huntn]

I wish you didn't send me that link. I'm interested in the game now, and my "I will get to this later" list is already far too long...

Evil laugh, hehe...

I'd choose B - I personally just like that type of environment.

I love Elder Scrolls: Oblivion. Played it and most of its expansions for all most 2 years. Just started Elder Scrolls Online and so far, I'm liking what I see. The combat using a hand held weapon though is meh.

will go with ARK (A). Mainly because I have close to 7 years in eve. Been around space a bit an understatement. I have thought I have gone into new space areas for the first time, right clicked and said wth.....when was I here as I see a bookmark for a location. Being more wise than brave I don't follow up to the mysterious bookmark if no clue. Landing into pos guns on a hostile pos not one of the more fun things do in the game.

Fallout have many many many hours in that game. Boston will be a switch I am hoping. Hoping its not just a feeling of reskinned DC area tbh lol.

that and ark has been good for so far with limited play I have had.

If you don't mind some vulgar words, what do you think of this review?

My first post in years.

The game is fantastic, I've found I really enjoy survival games, and this one is truly special.
Granted, optimization-wise it has a long way to go, but each (almost daily) patch speeds it along just a little. It is absolutely playable on my 2013 Retina MBP on mid to low settings (OS X).

There are PvE and PvP servers, official, unofficial (we host one at the office), and you can also play locally, though it is such a big world that playing it alone makes it feel a little bit empty.

I discovered it last week, and am really hooked on it right now!

The above YouTube review says you die a lot, describes it as having great potential, but also says optimization is crap and it should have never been released in that state. It also critizes the servers and sanctity of individual possessions. What do you know of the availability of servers, are you playing solo or multiplayer? I read you can set up your own server with friend invites, so if I jump on ARK, that would be the ideal direction for me.

 

[colocolo]

Evil laugh, hehe...

The above YouTube review says you die a lot, describes it as having great potential, but also says optimization is crap and it should have never been released in that state. It also critizes the servers and sanctity of individual possessions. What do you know of the availability of servers, are you playing solo or multiplayer? I read you can set up your own server with friend invites, so if I jump on ARK, that would be the ideal direction for me.

I have played it a lot the past two weeks. You die a lot until you understand the mechanics. I have not gotten into older servers, where people tend to have a big technological advantage that perhaps makes it easy for them to kill you a lot. I play mainly on my office server (lan play is almost like single player as you don't have the threat of evil players lurking) and on a new multiplayer server.

Optimisation wise, i get around 20 fps on my 2013 Retina MBP, but I tend to put the graphics on low-medium. As I said before, it could be a lot better, but every patch makes it run faster. We have an older 2011 iMac on the office that really struggled in the game, but with one of the later patches (185.0 I think it was) it became a lot more responsive, and is now playable on the lowest of settings.
If you play on an old PvP server yes, it would be quite easy to steal all of you possessions and destroy all of your structures if the other tribe is better than yours, but I imagine that is what you are looking for if you choose those servers (you can always choose PvE).

I am actually looking forward to a tribe war a couple of weeks from now, risking my base on the server I'm on. When I want to build and explore, I just play on my office server with friends.



I find it a great game, I've enjoyed it way more than I thought I would, and it seems like it has endless possibilities. It is for certain the best Early Access game I have played, and I am a sucker for buying anything that Steam throws at me (and I hardly play any of them for more than 20 minutes).

Highly recommended!

 

[whooleytoo]

D could be No Man's Sky. "This" (your link) appears to be a link to "shadertoy" and no images.

I don't know a huge amount about NMS other than having seen a few demoes, but I'm very tempted by it. I don't yet know how big the universe will be, or varied, or how much interaction there will be with your surroundings.. I'll have to have a look.

On the link - is it going to a page with code on the right and a video pane on the left? For me, it occasionally doesn't load the video but will do on reload.

It's an impressive site, lets you do in-browser shader coding and viewing. That was one of the examples that someone posted on the Elite forums about how planets should look.

A couple of other impressive examples here:

Elevated (in case the above link still doesn't work)
Canyon
Seascape

 

[LadyX]

A and C.

 

[Huntn]

I'm about two weeks into A which is ARK Survival Evolved. It's a pretty incredible sandbox world. You can find two threads in the forum, a discussion thread, and a guide thread. When you first start out, death happens frequently.