General Discussion

So tired of hearing that everytime someone reviews a new MMO.  What the hell do you expect from a game that would not make it a WoW clone?  You have a character, you use abilities, you kill monsters, there are zones, instances, and pvp areas.  How does having those make a game a WoW clone?  WoW's UI is a near replication of the AC UI which came out years before.  Experience gaining, levels, quests, and even talent trees were all around before WoW existed.  Instances were around before WoW existed.

It is seriously retarded.  "I just played X and you have to kill creatures for exp, OMG it is such a WoW clone!"

Do characters have to be giant mushrooms who fly upside down and participate in soil cultivation and moisture trapping in order for a game not to be labled a WoW clone?

WoW didn't even invent anything.  EQ, DAoC, AC, AO, CoH, SWG, etc. were all out before WoW arrived and they have the exact same mechanics that WoW does.

The Warhammer UI is so close to being IDENTICAL to WoW it's pretty sick..maybe that's where it's coming from..just a guess.

 I love how everyone complaining about the term "WoW Clone" never actually understands what people mean by the term. Pro-tip here: It's not about things the game DOES have, it's about things the game lacks or gives too freely. Levels have been around since long before MMOs. However, we didn't get spoon fed MMOs with the complexity and depth of a bendy straw before then, and now that's all you find at every turn being churned out every few months to turn a quick buck. "WoW clones." 

Originally posted by Sepulcher

So tired of hearing that everytime someone reviews a new MMO.  What the hell do you expect from a game that would not make it a WoW clone?  You have a character, you use abilities, you kill monsters, there are zones, instances, and pvp areas.  How does having those make a game a WoW clone?  WoW's UI is a near replication of the AC UI which came out years before.  Experience gaining, levels, quests, and even talent trees were all around before WoW existed.  Instances were around before WoW existed.

It is seriously retarded.  "I just played X and you have to kill creatures for exp, OMG it is such a WoW clone!"

Do characters have to be giant mushrooms who fly upside down and participate in soil cultivation and moisture trapping in order for a game not to be labled a WoW clone?

WoW didn't even invent anything.  EQ, DAoC, AC, AO, CoH, SWG, etc. were all out before WoW arrived and they have the exact same mechanics that WoW does.

Many people are tired of levels, quests, classes and linear themepark progression. They want skill systems, and a sandbox enviroment. While these were available in limited quantity before WoW, after WoW's massive success, games ceased to be original, and started endlessly regurgitating the features of WoW over and over again in an attempt to grab a piece of the cash pie.

I don't think it has anything to do with the features being available before WoW, it has to do with WoW being the most successful with those features. Other developers see WoW's success, copy what they have in the game(even if those features originated elsewhere), and pump out a "WoW clone".

People are tired of it, and that is why you see the phrase "WoW clone" being thrown around everywhere. They are yurning for something original, and originality hasn't been seen since before WoW. Before the dark times, before the Empire.

OP:

Elvis was the KIng of rock and roll. He was NOT the first rock and roll artist.

The Beatles were the Kings of the Pop music in the 60's/ They were NOT the first pop band (not even from England).

Both were NOT the first but sold well over the millions.

WOW was not the first MMORPG, but it is King because its paid (western) subscriptions are into the millions.

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All products that wanted to imitate the King(s) were one day flies in each of the branches. Imitations don't sell as much as the "original" and are mostly badly received.

Simple: it is what's first known by the masses that strikes first and is considered the King (or the original).

The rest is for the history books.

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Oh and btw: a miniature game or a book are NOT MMORPG's.

I lol'd when I saw the view count go up so quickly.

WoW clone threads are just DA BOMB!

EDIT: I R GUD INGLESH SPEEKR

Originally posted by Capn23

I lol'd when I saw the view count went up go up so quickly.

 

WoW clone threads are just DA BOMB!

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Originally posted by Abrahmm

Many people are tired of levels, quests, classes and linear themepark progression. They want skill systems, and a sandbox enviroment.

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Exactly.

WoW did take a lot of features from games that had been around before, but then by its own (freakish) success codified them into immutable law for almost every MMORPG made since. And the problem is that the template they seized upon is one which has problems maintaining long term interest for the players. If you've done it once, then there's not much desire to ever do it again. That is, at least on my part...

I'd also add that in addition to skill systems and a sandbox environment, there are lots of other features - granted not necessarily original ones either - but which these days remain largely ignored. And which do help to maintain long term interest in a MMORPG. Most important of them I'd say might be random generation and variable damage types. Random loot stats, random crafting results, random mob AI, random resource generation - you name it. And the need to think about how you are prepared for any particular type of fight long before you get into it. However the WoW playbook says make everything generic and you won't have people whining about 'balance' and 'equality'. But myself, I find that plain gruel is a very, very boring diet to be spoon fed every day.

Trademarks of a WoW clone----

Quests grants best XP. Thus you feel strongly compelled to 'quest' and self directed activites just sort of die

Mob XP nerfed. Didnt notice that WoW was too bad but successive WoW clones have nerfed mob XP to hell. Developers do this to even the playing field so all Classes can be soloed at same pace

Meaningful World pvp is pushed aside in favor of Instanced pvp grinding. once again players are being strung along by carrots.

Linear pattern to acquire Gear

Items grant insane ultimate power

Levels grant ultimate power. Level 60 just wipes the floor with a Level 20.

PVP pushed aside for static PVE worlds

Tight, rigid Classes. Lack of choices in development of your character. It's almost as if the developer made this character for you and told you to grind this straight jacket to level cap . Cant be truly unique.

Character customization is just messed up. It's all bout gear- so no way to make yourself standout unless you do some silly dance at Raids from sunup to sundown

Lifeless static worlds that players cannot impact

Light to no Death penalty

Yep most of this may have existed before but WoW sealed the deal.