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Message: <blockquote data-quote="kenada" data-source="post: 8646223" data-attributes="member: 70468">I like the Alexandrian’s <a href="https://thealexandrian.net/wordpress/45321/roleplaying-games/thought-of-the-day-sandbox-simulation" target="_blank">definition</a> of sandbox: A sandbox campaign is one in which the players are empowered to either choose or define what their next scenario is going to be. It doesn’t nail down a specific type of sandbox, but it can be suitably descriptive when paired with an appropriate adjective.For example, I usually refer my campaign as an “exploration-driven sandbox”. That’s because the basic premise is going out into the wilds to find out what’s there, and the PCs are empowered to decide how to go about doing it.Yes. Some approaches are very high prep. They demand a lot of detail, so the GM always has an answer when the players go somewhere. In that type of sandbox, play is about experiencing the details of the setting. The approach I fell into for my game is lower prep than that (except for the part where I decided to create a homebrew system to support it, but I don’t think that’s strictly required).Before we started, I intended to have much more detail than I have been using. I generated a setting using the procedure described in Worlds Without Number. I put it into a mind map and then never bothered to write it up into anything. I also created a hex key, but it’s remained skeletal 10+ sessions into the campaign. I’ve added details here and there, but the plan going forward is to lean into the system and what the PCs discover to add details.One part that I think is important for an open-world campaign is having some way for the world to continue in motion outside of what the PCs are doing. There are various structures to manage this (e.g., threats/fronts from PbtA games, factions in SWN or BitD, the GM determines based on various factors, etc). What works best will probably depend on one’s inclination as a GM as well as how the rest of the campaign is prepped. For my game, I’m leaning towards something faction-like (but the details are still a bit sketchy).</blockquote>

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