First off my title is incorrect. There does not have to be any VERSUS in it really. A game can be both.
There seems to be a pretty common understanding of Sandbox but Story/RPG mode seems to be a bit loosey Goosey. Many seem to say 7d2d is turning into an RPG and not a Sandbox game. Thing is RPG just stands for Role Playing Game. An immersive Sandbox helps create RPing by its very nature as long as it follows a cohesive setting and game mechanics.
STORY MODE. This is where I think it gets connected to being called RPG because a lot of games that call themselves an RPG have a linear path that pushes them through a story. Well... that is how you make bad Story Mode (in my opinion) and it only gets saved by cutting edge cutscenes and lots of police AND a great story line.
The thing is you have to put a ton of effort into story mode for it to carry a game. Think multiple paths the story can take, multiple endings, tons of variability in doing the story progression. Its a hard nut to crack in my opinion because it puts all the work on the game designer.
An IMMERSIVE sandbox game enhances role playing. Concentrate on IMMERSIVE SANDBOX and you automatially get roleplaying. Instead of creating an inflexible A to B to C story line what pays off more is adding FLAVOR via Story. You add STORY elements to explain the setting, to explain the dynamics between NPCs like bandits and traders (whenever we get bandits). Let us know through story how the outbreak started. Use story elements to set up things like Drones (why are their drones? My RP on that is survivors were sent out to film themselves surviving for elites in some island refuge untouched by the plague) The whole idea of a Story Mode versus an Immersive Sandbox mode is doomed because you will have to do a heck of a lot for Story mode to compare. And players will do the STORY MODE what? A couple of times if it forced you to step outside of the immersive sandbox?
Story mode could be completely done as one off quests that give us more info on the game world or help us get special unique loot. You want your players to have reason to redo those Story elements time and time again not go through it once then go back to immersive sandbox. They need to mesh and work tell together and be replayable together or the effort on Story Mode doest pay off in replayability.
There seems to be a pretty common understanding of Sandbox but Story/RPG mode seems to be a bit loosey Goosey. Many seem to say 7d2d is turning into an RPG and not a Sandbox game. Thing is RPG just stands for Role Playing Game. An immersive Sandbox helps create RPing by its very nature as long as it follows a cohesive setting and game mechanics.
STORY MODE. This is where I think it gets connected to being called RPG because a lot of games that call themselves an RPG have a linear path that pushes them through a story. Well... that is how you make bad Story Mode (in my opinion) and it only gets saved by cutting edge cutscenes and lots of police AND a great story line.
The thing is you have to put a ton of effort into story mode for it to carry a game. Think multiple paths the story can take, multiple endings, tons of variability in doing the story progression. Its a hard nut to crack in my opinion because it puts all the work on the game designer.
An IMMERSIVE sandbox game enhances role playing. Concentrate on IMMERSIVE SANDBOX and you automatially get roleplaying. Instead of creating an inflexible A to B to C story line what pays off more is adding FLAVOR via Story. You add STORY elements to explain the setting, to explain the dynamics between NPCs like bandits and traders (whenever we get bandits). Let us know through story how the outbreak started. Use story elements to set up things like Drones (why are their drones? My RP on that is survivors were sent out to film themselves surviving for elites in some island refuge untouched by the plague) The whole idea of a Story Mode versus an Immersive Sandbox mode is doomed because you will have to do a heck of a lot for Story mode to compare. And players will do the STORY MODE what? A couple of times if it forced you to step outside of the immersive sandbox?
Story mode could be completely done as one off quests that give us more info on the game world or help us get special unique loot. You want your players to have reason to redo those Story elements time and time again not go through it once then go back to immersive sandbox. They need to mesh and work tell together and be replayable together or the effort on Story Mode doest pay off in replayability.