How to Avoid this Fatal Sandbox Error
I think one of the big mistakes people make when trying to run a sandbox campaign is taking the idea of "You're free to explore" so seriously that you avoid anything that might nudge them in a certain direction. But isn't it the nature of choice that you prefer the option you chose over all the alternatives? If players have no reason for wanting to go in one direction over others, it's not much of a choice. So look for ways to break up the symmetry of the sandbox. These don't necessarily have to be big, elaborate plots. Though a good sandbox ought to have NPCs hatching plots. When things go wrong, it could generate a mystery to solve. Or it might just land in the PCs laps. But it doesn't have to be that plot-heavy. When I was experimenting with Appendix A (random dungeon design), I started tossing in a chance for a roll on Appendix I (dungeon dressing), particularly in empty rooms and at corridor intersections. The dungeon dressing tables include thi