Creating a Sandbox Campaign

[Briton]

So recently I had the idea that in a campaign where the material plane got destroyed, all the sentient races were transported to the elemental planes. Strangers in foreign plane, all the surviving 'mortals' must make a home in the elemental planes, which is dangerous in itself.

My campaign is based on Pathfinder. One idea for a campaign in the fire plane was that the mortals have managed to make a home in the City of Brass by basically becoming next-to-slaves for the Noble Efreet. However, their is talk the noble Efreet may evict the mortals from the city of brass, which is basically a death sentence since most races from the material plane can't survive long in fire plane. Long story short, the PCS find a location where races from the material plane could survive and start to set up a nation.

So this led to me wanting to ask a question: Has anyone else done something like this before? I have looked at the Kingmaker campaign which has helped, but I would like input from others. How would you make a sandbox campaign like this? Any tips for a curious DM?

[John Longarrow]

So your running a sandbox game and you've got some neat stuff going on in the back ground?

Run it like a normal sandbox game. Start with the characters. Talk to the players about character motivations. Figure out character back ground and how they fit into your game. Give them a bunch of hooks they can play with and let them go! Find out what grabs the characters attention and build as they go.

Remember, sandbox games are all about catering to the character's motives and goals. So long as everyone is on board with this and willing to go along with character motivations your players will be writing the adventure path for you, you just need to fill in encounters and dialog!

Don't get wrapped up in what else is going on in the reality. If the player don't interact with it don't worry too much about it. Keep mental notes of what is going on out of site but don't dwell upon it. Until the players interact with it you really don't need to spend a lot of time on it.

[Florian]

This is a bit tough because "Sandbox" usually means the freedom to explore the setting and environment, pursuing own goals and maybe follow plot hooks at a whim.

That´s a bit hard to do when you already have the "big plot" in and two environments that restrict player agency - the social repression in the City of Brass and the inability to freely explore the plain without massive magic.

[Briton]

true, its a bit more of a guided sandbox than a true sandbox. While exploring the city of brass may be more difficult, the wilds will be able to be explored (at least thats the plan). Still figuring out ways for PCs to explore a bit more freely. Ideas are always accepted.

[John Longarrow]

Guided Sandbox? Not sure what you mean by that....

You'd need to explain what you are trying to run if its not a sandbox game. Do you have a story arc already planned out that the players will be interacting with? Do you know how you want that arc to run?

[Crake]

All my attempts at sandbox games have been generally met with analysis paralysis and decision shellshock by my players, generally resulting in one or two players being the leading force and everyone else just kinda coming along for the ride, resulting in everyone being frustrated, the leading players for having to do all the work, and the trailing players for not getting the same attention as the leading players.

This is just my anecdotal evidence though, other tables may handle it better, but in my experience, sandbox games don't work out well, especially when players want to do their own things, unless you're willing and able to do individual RP away from the table with each of the players.