It was expected that players will succeed in this on Saturday evening. It typically consisted of a challenge which represented a threat (usually a strong monster), and there was typically one way to beat it - with certain items, rituals etc., as it was typical that the standard abilities wouldn't work well or at all. The larp design that was most common in Croatian larp until a year ago was pretty much what I'd call railroaded. Most players adopted the 'sandbox good, railroad bad' mentality, but there was very little agreement of where the line is drawn. Railroad is more like a roller coaster ride. So sandbox design is like a box of legos - it can be anything. The simplest, and perhaps the most correct definition would be that railroading will always lead to the same ending, along the same path while sandboxing will allow players to set their own goals and paths. And as such it showcases two different approaches which are shown as different extremes in design paradigm: sandbox and railroading. This computer gaming term is important because it is often directly used in larping with its' meaning unchanged from its' roots. This imagery of freedom was passed on to the video game adaptation of the sandbox term, usually featuring open world and the ability to do whatever you want to and at your own pace, as opposed to regular games offering more of a railroaded experience (see the distinction between famous computer RPG series: Elder Scrolls vs Final Fantasy). The word was originally adapted from the children sand playgrounds, like the one in your local park where children can freely play with the sand and do whatever.

Sandbox at powerplay