[PK]

I'm honestly confused, because the words "the sandbox is a lie" don't translate to "people cannot enjoy sandbox play" -- at least, not in any way that I can possibly see. Can someone explain where the insult is?

In fact, is there anything -- anything at all -- in the actual content of that section that disparages sandbox play or insults those who use it? Because I've reread it multiple times now and I don't see it, so if I'm missing something, I genuinely want to know. In fact, everything there looks like advice on how to run a campaign that feels like a sandbox even if the GM doesn't have the time to craft a thousand plot hooks in advance.

When I reviewed this article, I read "the sandbox is a lie" as shorthand for "how to fool your players into thinking the game is sandbox when you actually have it planned out." And I'm pretty darn sure that's how Christopher intended it. It's a section about making sure your players feel like they have free reign to go anywhere, without actually having to first map out every single plot hook of your game world.