Definition of a sandbox game?

I've always thought a sandbox game is anything where you have freedom to do what you want,mess about with the in game engine.I see the gem system in POE as sandboxy for instance or the AI in Oblivion and a game like Minecraft is one of the purest sandbox games,not because it's open world but because you have total freedom to do what you want.

It seems though people see anything that is open world as sandbox like Sandbox=Openworld but I think a game can be open world and not be sandbox.While open world gives you freedom to go where you want it's not enough to call a game a sandbox game on that alone.I mean you can call open world a sandbox aspect but just seems weak on it's own and I think things like AI and Physics are much stronger sandbox aspects.I post this because I see games called sandbox it seems just because they are openworld.Thoughts?

By the way anyone remember 3D construction set ?,my earliest foray into sandbox things.

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Vakirauta schrieb:

I don't agree with you mate. PoE is not qualified for a sandbox game, you're limited in almost everything you do. Don't let the passive skill tree fool you.

I didn't say it was,I said the gem system was.

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Vakirauta schrieb:

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Kavlor schrieb:

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Vakirauta schrieb:

I don't agree with you mate. PoE is not qualified for a sandbox game, you're limited in almost everything you do. Don't let the passive skill tree fool you.

I didn't say it was,I said the gem system was.

Ah, okay. Still, how is it not limited? Almost all builds are dependant on just one skill end-game.

Well personally I swap and change skills all the time as well as the supports besides end game isn't everything.

Anyway more after other peoples definition rather than arguing mine.
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When I say definition I mean like:

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I've always thought a sandbox game is anything where you have freedom to do what you want,mess about with the in game engine

and then I gave examples of aspects and actual games,I don't consider games and aspects as the actual definitions but i can see how people might think that's what I meant.