Any MMO with the following is a "WoW Clone" to me:
123456789- ablility bars
RPG style gameplay.
To not be a WoW Clone you would need:
To take the RPG out of your game and replace it with FPS or some other genre.
GW2? WoW Clone
TOR? WoW Clone
I feel that you are using the term "WoW clone" completely incorrectly. WoW did not invent this stlye of gameplay at all, and it didn't even make it famous. As to the second part, I'm relatively sure WoW didn't invent, innovate, or even remotely improve the RPG aspects of an MMO. Having strong RPG elements seems to me like it would actually *set apart* that MMO from a possible WoW clone designation.
But if to you, WoW clone just means MMORPG with skills attached to numerical hotkeys... then yeah. 99% of MMOs, including those that *came before it*, are "WoW clones."
Any MMO with the following is a "WoW Clone" to me:
123456789- ablility bars
RPG style gameplay.
To not be a WoW Clone you would need:
To take the RPG out of your game and replace it with FPS or some other genre.
GW2? WoW Clone
TOR? WoW Clone
I feel that you are using the term "WoW clone" completely incorrectly. WoW did not invent this stlye of gameplay at all, and it didn't even make it famous. As to the second part, I'm relatively sure WoW didn't invent, innovate, or even remotely improve the RPG aspects of an MMO. Having strong RPG elements seems to me like it would actually *set apart* that MMO from a possible WoW clone designation.
But if to you, WoW clone just means MMORPG with skills attached to numerical hotkeys... then yeah. 99% of MMOs, including those that *came before it*, are "WoW clones."
Never said WoW invented anything just thats how I use the term. I would say EQclone but no one would get wth I am talking about.
I phrased that wrong and I apoligize (I suck w/o spell check).
I should have said, If an MMO has those traits that to me they are a standard MMORPG.
KOTOR and The Witcher play differently and have different machanics but are still concidered RPGs.
Any MMO with the following is a "WoW Clone" to me:
123456789- ablility bars
RPG style gameplay.
To not be a WoW Clone you would need:
To take the RPG out of your game and replace it with FPS or some other genre.
GW2? WoW Clone
TOR? WoW Clone
I feel that you are using the term "WoW clone" completely incorrectly. WoW did not invent this stlye of gameplay at all, and it didn't even make it famous. As to the second part, I'm relatively sure WoW didn't invent, innovate, or even remotely improve the RPG aspects of an MMO. Having strong RPG elements seems to me like it would actually *set apart* that MMO from a possible WoW clone designation.
But if to you, WoW clone just means MMORPG with skills attached to numerical hotkeys... then yeah. 99% of MMOs, including those that *came before it*, are "WoW clones."
Never said WoW invented anything just thats how I use the term. I would say EQclone but no one would get wth I am talking about.
I phrased that wrong and I apoligize (I suck w/o spell check).
I should have said, If an MMO has those traits that to me they are a standard MMORPG.
KOTOR and The Witcher play differently and have different machanics but are still concidered RPGs.
Fair enough. I see what you're saying now. In a very general sense, I do agree with you.
I think a few games deserve the title of WoW clone because they copy a majority of WoW's mechanic almost identically. This doesn't make them bad games, but they certainly aren't original in any way. Games like Warhammer Online and Rift have some obvious influences from WoW that it's hard not to compare them to WoW when describing them.
One popular use of the word "clone" in gaming back before the popularity and mainstream success of MMOs was to describe games that copied Diablo's mechanics after it was released. There was a slew of games that tried to capitalize on Diablo's success by making games with similar dungeon crawling loot dropping gameplay, most being vastly inferior to Diablo.
I think a lot of people abuse the term too. Every MMO with "themepark" (another abused term) elements is now immediately considered a "WoW clone" by most. To be fair, I think games like Age of Conan, Aion, Final Fantasy XIV, Vanguard, etc. that are considered "themepark" shouldn't be labeled as WoW clones, because mechanics wise they have little in common with WoW aside from sharing a few basic "themepark" elements.
I think a few games deserve the title of WoW clone because they copy a majority of WoW's mechanic almost identically. This doesn't make them bad games, but they certainly aren't original in any way. Games like Warhammer Online and Rift have some obvious influences from WoW that it's hard not to compare them to WoW when describing them.
One popular use of the word "clone" in gaming back before the popularity and mainstream success of MMOs was to describe games that copied Diablo's mechanics after it was released. There was a slew of games that tried to capitalize on Diablo's success by making games with similar dungeon crawling loot dropping gameplay, most being vastly inferior to Diablo.
I think a lot of people abuse the term too. Every MMO with "themepark" (another abused term) elements is now immediately considered a "WoW clone" by most. To be fair, I think games like Age of Conan, Aion, Final Fantasy XIV, Vanguard, etc. that are considered "themepark" shouldn't be labeled as WoW clones, because mechanics wise they have little in common with WoW aside from sharing a few basic "themepark" elements.
From what I gathered when people say "WoW Clone" they are using it to insult any game that has the tank/healer/dps trinity, and a raid/PvP focused endgame.
Take ToR for instance out side of these two things WoW and TOR share nothing in common, DIfferent plot, setting, mechanics, Factions, races everything you could possible think of they are different in save for two things.
I think the inablility to see games like TOR, AION, and RIFT for what they are instead of simply labeling them WoW Clones because they share only two things is whats killing the genre and what we get is crappy indi sand box games instead of real improvement in COmbat (GW2) or story (TOR).
Think about this for a sec. WoW has 10 million+ subscribers. Thats $15 each per month or roughly $150 million dollars a month thus a little shy of 2 Billion dollars a year, not counting box and expansions. Game designers and companies who actually make games and finally investors who pay for the games see this from the start. In what direction do you think the majority will go?
For those who demand something new, some new direction, well, a lot of start up game companies have been trying this for years. Replace twitch with shooter. Replace WASD/mouse with a different basic type of UI controls (DCUO). Replace quests with some different type of content. Make combat faster or more movement oriented (a la FPS). Make it open world PvP w/full loot. Combine Open World PvP w/full loot and a PvE base start section. EvE can be considered a modest success (300,000 base the last time I heard) but are already incorporating PVE/RPG expansion to try to bring more subs.
All this is simple common reality. For those who continually complain about "WOW clones" you do have the option of giving the game industry a try. Gather your own ideas, find the money and go for it. So far most attempts have failed, including those with 'new' ideas and mechanics. Success for you may be a game which stays for a long period and makes some money. There are a few. But a 'WOW KILLER"? Facts say that based on long term subs and profit, not yet.
Liking a game is entirely subjective. Most people have their own opinion on what is fun, what they like to spend their time and money doing. The majority at the moment seem to like Fantasy MMO and WOW. The new upcoming games are attempts to get a 'piece' of this money pie. I myself check out games whose IP interest me most. Being retired I have online gaming as a hobby. I will be buying and playing SWTOR, TSW and GW2 and will check out Neverwinter because I am an old D&D fan.
Comments
Any MMO with the following is a "WoW Clone" to me:
123456789- ablility bars
RPG style gameplay.
To not be a WoW Clone you would need:
To take the RPG out of your game and replace it with FPS or some other genre.
GW2? WoW Clone
TOR? WoW Clone
I don't care about innovation I care about fun.
I feel that you are using the term "WoW clone" completely incorrectly. WoW did not invent this stlye of gameplay at all, and it didn't even make it famous. As to the second part, I'm relatively sure WoW didn't invent, innovate, or even remotely improve the RPG aspects of an MMO. Having strong RPG elements seems to me like it would actually *set apart* that MMO from a possible WoW clone designation.
But if to you, WoW clone just means MMORPG with skills attached to numerical hotkeys... then yeah. 99% of MMOs, including those that *came before it*, are "WoW clones."
Never said WoW invented anything just thats how I use the term. I would say EQclone but no one would get wth I am talking about.
I phrased that wrong and I apoligize (I suck w/o spell check).
I should have said, If an MMO has those traits that to me they are a standard MMORPG.
KOTOR and The Witcher play differently and have different machanics but are still concidered RPGs.
I don't care about innovation I care about fun.
Fair enough. I see what you're saying now. In a very general sense, I do agree with you.
I think a few games deserve the title of WoW clone because they copy a majority of WoW's mechanic almost identically. This doesn't make them bad games, but they certainly aren't original in any way. Games like Warhammer Online and Rift have some obvious influences from WoW that it's hard not to compare them to WoW when describing them.
One popular use of the word "clone" in gaming back before the popularity and mainstream success of MMOs was to describe games that copied Diablo's mechanics after it was released. There was a slew of games that tried to capitalize on Diablo's success by making games with similar dungeon crawling loot dropping gameplay, most being vastly inferior to Diablo.
I think a lot of people abuse the term too. Every MMO with "themepark" (another abused term) elements is now immediately considered a "WoW clone" by most. To be fair, I think games like Age of Conan, Aion, Final Fantasy XIV, Vanguard, etc. that are considered "themepark" shouldn't be labeled as WoW clones, because mechanics wise they have little in common with WoW aside from sharing a few basic "themepark" elements.
From what I gathered when people say "WoW Clone" they are using it to insult any game that has the tank/healer/dps trinity, and a raid/PvP focused endgame.
Take ToR for instance out side of these two things WoW and TOR share nothing in common, DIfferent plot, setting, mechanics, Factions, races everything you could possible think of they are different in save for two things.
I think the inablility to see games like TOR, AION, and RIFT for what they are instead of simply labeling them WoW Clones because they share only two things is whats killing the genre and what we get is crappy indi sand box games instead of real improvement in COmbat (GW2) or story (TOR).
I don't care about innovation I care about fun.
Think about this for a sec. WoW has 10 million+ subscribers. Thats $15 each per month or roughly $150 million dollars a month thus a little shy of 2 Billion dollars a year, not counting box and expansions. Game designers and companies who actually make games and finally investors who pay for the games see this from the start. In what direction do you think the majority will go?
For those who demand something new, some new direction, well, a lot of start up game companies have been trying this for years. Replace twitch with shooter. Replace WASD/mouse with a different basic type of UI controls (DCUO). Replace quests with some different type of content. Make combat faster or more movement oriented (a la FPS). Make it open world PvP w/full loot. Combine Open World PvP w/full loot and a PvE base start section. EvE can be considered a modest success (300,000 base the last time I heard) but are already incorporating PVE/RPG expansion to try to bring more subs.
All this is simple common reality. For those who continually complain about "WOW clones" you do have the option of giving the game industry a try. Gather your own ideas, find the money and go for it. So far most attempts have failed, including those with 'new' ideas and mechanics. Success for you may be a game which stays for a long period and makes some money. There are a few. But a 'WOW KILLER"? Facts say that based on long term subs and profit, not yet.
Liking a game is entirely subjective. Most people have their own opinion on what is fun, what they like to spend their time and money doing. The majority at the moment seem to like Fantasy MMO and WOW. The new upcoming games are attempts to get a 'piece' of this money pie. I myself check out games whose IP interest me most. Being retired I have online gaming as a hobby. I will be buying and playing SWTOR, TSW and GW2 and will check out Neverwinter because I am an old D&D fan.
I will continue to use the term WoW clone. Even moreso because it irritates the fanbois of the particular game I'm calling a WoW clone.