So someone saysFollow

'Themepark' MMO simply means that your path is more guided or 'on rails' compared to 'sandbox' which leaves it to you when and what to do for content.

XIV will be much more themepark style than XI. Personally, I prefer a sandbox heavy mix of the two. Have enough structure that there feels like a clear path to progression, but allow for detours and pit stops along the way with different types of content.

This question is similar to which do you like better Halo or CoD. It's all a matter of preference.

In trying to appeal to a wider demographic, FFXIV is going to be much more casual-focused than FFXI. It is also openly professing to be a "themepark" or "amusement park" MMORPG. To quote Yoshida, the game's producer:

FFXI was never sandbox in any way..

I think you're a bit off here man... you do know Halo 4 has a short story line and is mostly for online multiplayer too right? Anyhow, the comparison is bad.... (also you're comparing multiplayer with singleplayer... wtf?)

FFXIV won't be a themepark, you can ALWAYS go explore on your own, no one is holding you back. There will allways be a natural progression in areas which you fight in like any other MMO (FFXIs old starter areas -> dunes -> gufim -> joungle -> sh*tadel -> etcetcetc) but the fact of the matter is you are not forced to take that path. If you want to do missions of course you have to go to the NPC, like in any other game that does not have a magical fairy who give you rewards off your own imaginated quests. Do you really think SE is going to make one narrow path that every single player has to follow and never branch out of? No...

I think you guys are misunderstanding the meaning of themepark vs Main Story line... On that note, achievements can be done in nearly any order (exceot level progression etc) it's not set on rails.

The point was that the games have many similarities, but one is more story driven than the other. Halo 4 does have multi-player online games, but most of the focus is on the campaign story. BO2 has single-player campaign mode, but the focus is on multi-player free for all. BO2 will probably have DLC maps that you can play in multi-player online games, but Halo 4's DLC is going to be mostly Spartan Ops, which are single-player or Co-op story based scenarios.

I'm not comparing multi-player to single-player, just pointing out that one game is more focused on a certain area of gameplay than the other. Only really brought it up to show that while the games are similar, people will have a preference for one over the other due to the difference.


You could totally strike out on your own and whack a zillion trees/mobs to level up your DoH/DoL, but if you decide to ride the attraction, the guildleves lead you to areas with nodes/mobs suitable to your level.

In WoW, you could wander into the opposite factions starting areas and grind out mobs for levels, but you learn more about your class, race and faction if you complete the quests in your own areas. You get a grip on your skills/spells/abilities, the lore and introduction to the NPCs that you will see develop the story.


Themepark as it relates to MMOs is pretty much a mirror of what they represent in real life. An attraction built for fun and entertainment. You subject yourself to someone else idea of what might be fun or entertaining.


Spot on man, spot on.

Edited, Nov 19th 2012 12:20pm by FilthMcNasty