General: Ten Most Misused Words in MMOs

Dana · May 2009

This week's list counts down ten words that are way over-used by MMORPG fans, journalists and developers. These words are tossed around so often that they've lost all meaning.

Every group of people has its own variant on language. Whether it’s a group of friends with inside jokes, colleagues talking shop, or any other sub-group of society, people will always use “insider language” that anyone who isn’t “in the know” will have a tough time picking up. If you have ever been at a work function with a spouse or significant other, you are probably familiar with the phenomenon, it presents itself right around the time two people start talking about the regional interoffice roundtable, your eyes glaze over and you head for the bar.

The world of MMORPGs is no exception. Developers, players and journalists all share a common vocabulary that includes words and terms like: PvP, RvR, Raid, Guild, Grind, Gank, Exploit, Loot, Farm, Bot… The list is near endless. It isn’t that all of these words are foreign to the rest of the English speaking world, but when you’re talking about MMOs, the word “farming” doesn’t mean tilling fields and milking cows, it means: performing collection actions over and over again in order to increase wealth and / or resources, often for the purpose of Gold Selling.

Read it all here.

Seeshin · May 2009

Sorry to bother you, but the link just takes me back to the mainpage. Problem on my end or what?

Dana · May 2009

Originally posted by Seeshin

Sorry to bother you, but the link just takes me back to the mainpage. Problem on my end or what?

Including the link does help. Fixed.

mrw0lf · May 2009

'tis a good list, think I would have had 'NextGen' in there. Every game I've played for the last 5 years has advertised itself as nextgen, but I'm fked if I can see how they're any different from the last.

Sarr · May 2009

Finally someone said it... I'm tired of being called a "fanboy", as I'm not any fanboy. According to true meaning, I'd rather be a "hardcore D&D Online" player, as I'm very active yet I see the flaws of DDO where they are for me, and errors of Turbine when they make it (in my opinion).

People who like to complain call everyone who is positive about anything a fanboy, beacause... it's easy and doesn't require even a slightest thought. It's just like an offense or insult now, without any truth to it.

What am I talkin about? Here's this quote:

"Over the last few years though, as arguments over released and upcoming games has heated up, the label of Fanboi and Hater has been thrown around so much as to have changed meanings almost entirely. Instead of describing an over-enthusiastic fan who is incapable of recognizing even the smallest flaw in his or her chosen game, the term Fanboi is now being used to label anyone who expresses a positive opinion about a game or company. Similarly, the term that was once reserved only for people who steadfastly refused to see any positive points at all about a given game is now being applied to any person, fan or no, that dares to point out any flaws that might exist in a game."

Kyleran · May 2009

'Carebear' deserves a place on the list, maybe in slot #12 or something.

Good article though and I agree with most of them. (there really are too many WOW clones IMO though)

Dana · May 2009

Originally posted by mrw0lf

'tis a good list, think I would have had 'NextGen' in there. Every game I've played for the last 5 years has advertised itself as nextgen, but I'm fked if I can see how they're any different from the last.

Good one!

Definitely cannot get 'em all, but you're right about NexGen!

Zapleaf · May 2009

Yes!! Thank you for this! I so agree with almost all the words you have up trhere and how they actually weave there selfs into thwe world of online line gaming. a Huge problem with the world "WoW Clone" i find is it is more of a trend to say it rather then a smart person analizing the data and coming to a conclution.

If you look around you, yiou can find half-brained morons screaming WoW Clone at anything that had a 3d aspect to it. I have tried to have a conversation with people who say this kind of stuff but you can tell right away they are truly the morons of the webz, so nothing you can do about it.

Sarr · May 2009

I'd also include "fast paced" or "innovative combat" ; ). Ah, how many times I've seen it, and they're only variations of WoW, GW or D&D Online combat systems...

fmaalex · May 2009

+1

WoW clone bugs me the most...indeed ppls who got their MMO baptism from WoW seems to think every MMO that features mobs to kill, quest to do and weapons to craft is a WoW Clone. WoW may have combine the features successfully and in a way where it is difficult to beat, but it doesn't mean they "invented" the feature, but try and put that through a WoW "fanboi"'s head is more difficult that trying to understand Sarah Palin's speech.

Asellia · May 2009

I don't agree with this, I use "WoW Clone" to describe these hundreds of mmos that use the same "Click to Attack", and watch the fight style combat. That bores me to tears. WoW was the first one to notably do it, as it followed a lot of other generic systems too. "Generic RPG" systems, I personally like WoW, but I would love to see more real-time combat MMORPG. These Psuedo-turn based games so many companies seem to be making are getting extremely old to me.

Dana · May 2009

Originally posted by zidane01970

I don't agree with this, I use "WoW Clone" to describe these hundreds of mmos that use the same "Click to Attack", and watch the fight style combat. That bores me to tears. WoW was the first one to notably do it, as it followed a lot of other generic systems too. "Generic RPG" systems, I personally like WoW, but I would love to see more real-time combat MMORPG. These Psuedo-turn based games so many companies seem to be making are getting extremely old to me.

That's the point of the entry. WoW was FAR from the first to do it.

Thradar · May 2009

Hardcore - "Never Google Image this word."

LMFAO!!!! This article is win just for that.

Unknown · May 2009

I know a good candidate for #5 : Blizzard's next MMO.

And for the WoW Clone thing, yeah that is pretty pathetic, used by people who were born after at least 1993.

fmaalex · May 2009

Originally posted by zidane01970

I don't agree with this, I use "WoW Clone" to describe these hundreds of mmos that use the same "Click to Attack", and watch the fight style combat. That bores me to tears. WoW was the first one to notably do it, as it followed a lot of other generic systems too. "Generic RPG" systems, I personally like WoW, but I would love to see more real-time combat MMORPG. These Psuedo-turn based games so many companies seem to be making are getting extremely old to me.

You sir, are the exact people I am talking about...

Zapleaf · May 2009

Originally posted by zidane01970

I don't agree with this, I use "WoW Clone" to describe these hundreds of mmos that use the same "Click to Attack", and watch the fight style combat. That bores me to tears. WoW was the first one to notably do it, as it followed a lot of other generic systems too. "Generic RPG" systems, I personally like WoW, but I would love to see more real-time combat MMORPG. These Psuedo-turn based games so many companies seem to be making are getting extremely old to me.

Well i am glade you lead by example as to what i was referring to in my previous post.

ParkCarsHere · May 2009

THANK YOU!

This article needs to be a sticky in every single game forum on this website. Every point in this article describes what happens here, and many other gaming forums, to the letter.

WoW clone was the most accurate... nothing these days can be released without being labeled a "WoW Clone." If that's the case, why isn't WoW an EQ Clone?

In addition, the magic X number of subscriptions needed to be "successful" was very true indeed. I made a post about WAR's 300k subscription base in the WAR forums, and I am still amazed at how many people were calling it a failure. 300k sure seems like a lot to me, but apparently if games don't keep 500k for years after they release, they are all failures...?

Great article and a great read.

Sarr · May 2009

Originally posted by Dana

Originally posted by zidane01970

I don't agree with this, I use "WoW Clone" to describe these hundreds of mmos that use the same "Click to Attack", and watch the fight style combat. That bores me to tears. WoW was the first one to notably do it, as it followed a lot of other generic systems too. "Generic RPG" systems, I personally like WoW, but I would love to see more real-time combat MMORPG. These Psuedo-turn based games so many companies seem to be making are getting extremely old to me.

That's the point of the entry. WoW was FAR from the first to do it.

Wasn't Everquest first? Hmm, certainly not Ultima. But I have the feeing there was something similar before Everquest and Asheron's Call...

Unknown · May 2009

good list next gen should be there. WOW quotes are a waste of time and though blizzard dont get it right all of the time they do know how to make a good game. carebbear is such an insulting term to use.

way to look up hardcore lol certainly not carebear

be good

Fariic · May 2009

Sandbox/ themepark.

Excellent!

I'm going to reference that every time I see someone refer to an open ended MMO with no content as being a sanbox because you can use your imagination.

The fanboi (hate that word)/ hater one as well.

Can't really stand either of those words.

Been called a hater for being outspoken over a particular game myself. God forbit anyone calling me a hater actually have taken notice that I have pointed out some good things about a particular game. I've also seen a lot of fans who actually point out flaws in games get called a fanboi; they're just a fan.

Fanatics on the other hand...

Unknown · May 2009

" Will be a really good game "

Sarr · May 2009

Originally posted by kirzan

I know a good candidate for #5 : Blizzard's next MMO.
And for the WoW Clone thing, yeah that is pretty pathetic, used by people who were born after at least 1993.

Hmm. I was born in 1984. And I used that term. BUT I always knew it's not very fortunate term. Although I still did it... Why? Because most people usually don't have the slightest idea about MMO game before WoW "revolution". This game propagated MMO genre into mainstream gaming, so it's just most recognizable one.

That's why I used term "WoW clone" for games like WAR and LotRO. But real WoW-clones exist, and they're far from being as popular as these two.

So again, "WoW-clone" is over used and untrue, but works well imho if you only know what you're talking about. I started "mmo" experience in MUDs like Polish "Arcadia" or global "Genesis" Mud, and some other types Multi User Dungeons. They were and still are text precursors of our MMO market. Everyting was about imagination back then. You can try it now too : ).

Druz · May 2009

Then who was the first to do it? Do you really think you have made a good article here? Nothing you've said has had any thought put behind it and it shows you really don't understand the term WoW Clone. So many terrible arguments here I don't know where to start.

fmaalex · May 2009

Originally posted by Druz

Then who was the first to do it? Do you really think you have made a good article here? Nothing you've said has had any thought put behind it and it shows you really don't understand the term WoW Clone. So many terrible arguments here I don't know where to start.

This has to be Poke Jost

Druz · May 2009

Nice productive reply, by the way WoW Clone has never once assumed that WoW invented all of the mechanics that they have used so move along

Dana · May 2009

Originally posted by Sarr

Originally posted by Dana

Originally posted by zidane01970

I don't agree with this, I use "WoW Clone" to describe these hundreds of mmos that use the same "Click to Attack", and watch the fight style combat. That bores me to tears. WoW was the first one to notably do it, as it followed a lot of other generic systems too. "Generic RPG" systems, I personally like WoW, but I would love to see more real-time combat MMORPG. These Psuedo-turn based games so many companies seem to be making are getting extremely old to me.

That's the point of the entry. WoW was FAR from the first to do it.

Wasn't Everquest first? Hmm, certainly not Ultima. But I have the feeing there was something similar before Everquest and Asheron's Call...

Technically, you can trace it back forever, no doubt.

Most generally give EverQuest the first title. But that's just DIKU Muds done graphically, but nonetheless, I'm happy to give the badge to the first game to do it in 3D. It is responsible for most of the conventions of MMOs (hotbars, classes, static spawns, quests, radar, etc.).

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General: Ten Most Misused Words in MMOs

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General: Ten Most Misused Words in MMOs

Comments

Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV