General Discussion

I didn't enjoy Guildwars combat much for some reason. The combat abilities of the different classes seemed really bland and uncreative. Another thing that is big for me that people always blow off is the source of combat power. Notice in most games including Warhammer all the classes draw from the same generic power source. In WoW spell users have mana, rogues have energy, and warriors have rage. This really gives the classes flavor and differentiates them. Why would a warrior draw from the same power source as a mage? Why would a rogue have the same power source as a warrior? Each combat class should have a differnt form of fueling their attacks or spells that goes along with what they are. I would have taken WoWs classes even further and made hunters use focus like their pets instead of mana since they aren't a real magic using class.
 

I'll agree that combat and general character control in World of Warcraft feels very fluid.

On the other hand.... Here's some food for thought:

If a player has a noticable advantage because of having better reflexes, does that not defeat the purpose of RPGs?

The whole point of RPGs is that you are the brains (and in some ways, not even that ) and your character the brawns. If character power in RPGs is going to be a projection of our own physical attributes (such as reflexes), we might as well duke it out for real! What you're supposed to do well is *design* and *lead* your character so that *he* will be faster, quicker, etc.. And the combat system has to reflect that if the game is going to have even a pretension of being an RPG.

So yes, an MMORPG with fully real-time, twitch-based, FPS-like control is actually doing away with a vital aspect of the RPG. Leave it to MMO action games, in my opinion. I'm thinking we'll have more and more of those in time anyway.

Anyone saying WoW is aouto-attack should be ignored.  Within EACH class there are many options, depending on which player or MPC you are up against.  Each class has its own issues with managing abilities, buffs, totems, pets, choice of weapons, wands.  that deosn't even get into the many ways that duo or group situations can be played out.  the suggestion that WoW allows you to point, click, and walk away is total BS.... MAYBE if you are warrior fighting mobs three or more levels below you, or a priest wanding the same way, otherwise, it is both fluid and compelling if approached correctly. 

This topic always brings out the kind of people who hate bands because they are popular.  I don't own it as a my pet little world, so it can't be any good.  I'm dying for other companies to learn the best aspects of WoW and bring new worlds, new flavor, new content to them... improve, don't ignore the obvious quality of combat, art design (as distinct from polygon count) and UI. 

nope.

l2 has the best combat by far

Originally posted by happytklz

Anyone saying WoW is aouto-attack should be ignored.  Within EACH class there are many options, depending on which player or MPC you are up against.  Each class has its own issues with managing abilities, buffs, totems, pets, choice of weapons, wands.  that deosn't even get into the many ways that duo or group situations can be played out.  the suggestion that WoW allows you to point, click, and walk away is total BS.... MAYBE if you are warrior fighting mobs three or more levels below you, or a priest wanding the same way, otherwise, it is both fluid and compelling if approached correctly. 

This topic always brings out the kind of people who hate bands because they are popular.  I don't own it as a my pet little world, so it can't be any good.  I'm dying for other companies to learn the best aspects of WoW and bring new worlds, new flavor, new content to them... improve, don't ignore the obvious quality of combat, art design (as distinct from polygon count) and UI. 

 

I think it depends on what you are fighting and if you are in a group situation.  Most of the mobs in WoW are made easy so that you don't need to be perferect to take down a mob.  You can win without exectuting everything perfectly.  If you are taking down an elite generally you have to execute your abilities perfectly or you wont have much chance of winning.  In Everquest every mob was elite weather outdoors or indoors so you have to execute your strategy near perfectly if you were a kiting class.  If you were a melee class you didn't much much of a chance generally.  I agree though that people are making it out to be to simple.  Perhaps because they are fighting only solo mobs or solo mobs that are somewhat below them in level.

The OP is correct. The flow of combat in WoW has yet to be reached in other games. My hat off to Blizz.

You may not like the low poly "cartoonish" graphics in WoW. You can argue that the game lacks complexities and depth. You most likely hate the community of non-gamer "WoW types" that play the game...

But there is no denying that a HUGE portion of WoW's success can be attributed to having some game basics that function at an extremely polished level; combat being one of them. People often claim that WoW is so simple it can be mastered within 3 days of picking up the game by a 10 year old. How would this be possible if the combat system was slow, clunky, and unnatural in control and response?

Hate WoW for the other reasons, but denying it credit for the things it does best is ludicrous.

 This is one of the things that has been dissapointing in AOC and WAR. I can understand why AoC didn't get it quite right, but at least they tried something new so deserve some credit for it. However WAR, which just uses the same combat system as EQ, I just find it hard to understand how an AAA title can get it so wrong. A game where you spend 95% of the game fighting should place combat as it's main priority and one of the things you build the game around. As it is, it just feels totally unconected.

Guild Wars has the best combat by far in my opinion. It's very fast-paced. In other words organised chaos. Gota love it.