Originally posted by Wharg0ul

Originally posted by gorecki

Originally posted by Wharg0ul 

WHAT fucking "facts" are you talking about here?? You contradict my statement, (with no example of what could be considered "better), and make empty irrelevant comments that make absolutely NO sense!

And the part that has me laughing my ASS off, is that you DARE to say that I look like an idiot, after making a post that has us all wondering if you have suffered some kind of unfortunate head trauma.

Wow....hehehe...thanks for the comedy relief.

 

Uhoh i sense a wounded e-peen...

 

Your senses betray you, young padawan.
 

To be "wounded", damage would have to be done..and I hardly call an un-intelligible post by a laughing stock to be "damage".

Simply cause for amusement.

Howeveer..I believe I detect someone trying to fit in with the cool kids by using popular e-slang?

Look at you, just lashing out everywhere.

Yep, confirmed wounded :)

There were groups of people out there in the void who actually thought Darkfall had any chance of being good?

Where are you people, I've got random worthless crap then I mean to sell upon you by exploiting your clear lack of common sense thus resulting in a hefty financial benefit to myself. Unoriginal I know but fiscally sound.

Really though...where are you guys I need the money.

Originally posted by grimal

A) Felt like a shareware title from beginning to end (don't ask me my level because in the end it doesn't matter)

B) Horrific sound and graphic animation...first person but no bounce when  walking?

C) Lack of quests

D) Horrible...absolutely crappy UI...please, my 5 month old daughter could write something better

E) A monthly fee on top of what I just mentioned? Gimme a break.

F) The constant immediate server down-times with no warning

You sound like an ex-WOW/LOTRO/EQ2 player expecting Just Another Standard WOW clone MMO (TM).

complaining about lack of quests, lol...

my favourite part is where you plead for everyone who disagrees with you to keep an open mind. nice.

Originally posted by Vagrant_Zero

There were groups of people out there in the void who actually thought Darkfall had any chance of being good?

Where are you people, I've got random worthless crap then I mean to sell upon you by exploiting your clear lack of common sense thus resulting in a hefty financial benefit to myself. Unoriginal I know but fiscally sound.

Really though...where are you guys I need the money.

Darkfall *is* good. WOW is the real scam: a hamster-wheel job you have to pay for.

Originally posted by grimal

Admittedly, didn't provide my reasons as to why I thought the game stank, but here's my origi

nal post:

http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/thread/228322/page/1

Interesting to see how and by whom I was attacked for that thread.  In a way, it was a blatant attempt to stir up the fanbois.   But I also tried to mimic them...so often we saw the posts of how great darkfall was because of the great pvp, full loot...but really, nothing was really provided beyond that. One could simply deduce that the ones making these claims were impressed by only these executions...Some of us had seen it before (UO for me...and I admit, daunting as it was, when I first played UO I felt as I had been thrown in the deep water...sink or swim...by the way, this was pre-trammel (dont even know what that is since I played in 98))

 

In any case, my reasons (sure, ease to say now one could argue) were always the following:

A) Felt like a shareware title from beginning to end (don't ask me my level because in the end it doesn't matter)

B) Horrific sound and graphic animation...first person but no bounce when  walking?

C) Lack of quests

D) Horrible...absolutely crappy UI...please, my 5 month old daughter could write something better

E) A monthly fee on top of what I just mentioned? Gimme a break.

F) The constant immediate server down-times with no warning

I could go on and on..you've heard it all before.

The point I am trying to make is this....to all the people who so VIGOROUSLY defended the game, calling those of us out which didn't agree with you, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE for the sake of the genre and the sake of your own lives, learn to keep an open mind about things....when someone voices an opinion/view against/for something and you DON'T AGREE, try to see it in another light.

Rambant Fanboi/Hater attitude will never help any game nor any person in life.

If I'm wrong, I'll try to admit it.

As a side note: I didnt' talk to my father for the last 12 months of his life.  I was wrong.  It's not worth keeping a grudge.  Once a loved one is gone....they are gone.  There is no "reboot" or "restart" in this life.

 

 

and you base these opinions on what? posts you have read?

I'm no rabid fanboy mate, but admitedly a fan. But please keep an open mind on things untill you have experienced them for yourself!

You talk about "constant, imediate downtime with no warning" when does this happen? in 5 weeks i have not had this happen. If i am lying please pull me up on this :) there is regular maintenance but always with a warning..usually an hour before.

The UI while hard to get to grips with at first, becomes rather instinctive after a few hours and serves it's purpose, which is to make things like looting a risk!

I wont ask you your level, as there arent any..and anyone who had played it or researched it would already know that. Heck even the ones that hate the game now that!

Lack of quests i agree with but would not want too many more, that would destroy the ideals of the game.

Bounce when your walking? no coment haha!

Did you think you actually had a point to make when you wrote this? the reason i ask is because there does not seem to be any wrote down..i think you might have missed out what you really wanted to say!

Originally posted by javac

Originally posted by grimal

A) Felt like a shareware title from beginning to end (don't ask me my level because in the end it doesn't matter)

B) Horrific sound and graphic animation...first person but no bounce when  walking?

C) Lack of quests

D) Horrible...absolutely crappy UI...please, my 5 month old daughter could write something better

E) A monthly fee on top of what I just mentioned? Gimme a break.

F) The constant immediate server down-times with no warning

You sound like an ex-WOW/LOTRO/EQ2 player expecting Just Another Standard WOW clone MMO (TM).

 

complaining about lack of quests, lol...

 

my favourite part is where you plead for everyone who disagrees with you to keep an open mind. nice.

It's amazing that the only thing you saw out of that list was "lack of quests",  and then gave the "Go back to WoW"  fanboi reply.   If that's the only thing you can see on that list to defend, then this game is in HUGE trouble....lol.

Originally posted by gorecki

Originally posted by Wharg0ul

Originally posted by gorecki

Originally posted by Wharg0ul 

WHAT fucking "facts" are you talking about here?? You contradict my statement, (with no example of what could be considered "better), and make empty irrelevant comments that make absolutely NO sense!

And the part that has me laughing my ASS off, is that you DARE to say that I look like an idiot, after making a post that has us all wondering if you have suffered some kind of unfortunate head trauma.

Wow....hehehe...thanks for the comedy relief.

 

Uhoh i sense a wounded e-peen...

 

Your senses betray you, young padawan.
 

To be "wounded", damage would have to be done..and I hardly call an un-intelligible post by a laughing stock to be "damage".

Simply cause for amusement.

Howeveer..I believe I detect someone trying to fit in with the cool kids by using popular e-slang?

 

Look at you, just lashing out everywhere.

Yep, confirmed wounded :)

nah, I'm just an ass

Originally posted by grimal

Originally posted by lethys

 Thanks for the really important thread.

 

And for the equally important reply.

This issue is old news, you even said yourself you wonder why you posted it, and it's a thread giving reasons why you made a seperate thread three months ago.  This is pointless garbage and it seems that with the Internet, people can just post up whatever pointless nonsensical thoughts that come to their heads.  This thread seems to have oil and gasoline all over it with the intention of starting a fire, but it's not going to happen.  Everyone already got their steam for the game out.  The only person getting flamed here is you, and I don't even like Darkfall either.

To the OP:

If you want your statements to ever be considered a "view point" and you want other to read your "views" with an open mind then you need to learn to change your choice of words when you write.

Example: "had a crappy UI" is not a "view" its a statement formated in the way of a fact.

That is 99.99% of the problems with the negitive posts. Not that they have views, but that they state them as facts.

Additionally, when it comes to gaming trying to convince someone that they dont actually like something is a bit silly dont you think?

Its like saying "I used to like jazz but then someone explained to me the reasons I actually dont like jazz I just wasnt aware of it and now I dont like jazz"

OR

"I use to like jazz then someone explain to me why I shouldnt like jazz and now I dont"

Originally posted by javac

Originally posted by Vagrant_Zero

There were groups of people out there in the void who actually thought Darkfall had any chance of being good?

Where are you people, I've got random worthless crap then I mean to sell upon you by exploiting your clear lack of common sense thus resulting in a hefty financial benefit to myself. Unoriginal I know but fiscally sound.

Really though...where are you guys I need the money.

 

Darkfall *is* good. WOW is the real scam: a hamster-wheel job you have to pay for.

Darkfall is on the lowest rung of good, really.  If anyone thinks that it is any less of a hamster-wheel game than WoW, your fooling yourself. As a matter of fact, it being a player-influenced and centric environment makes for a greater and necessary grind for skill advancement to compete in the only combat content the game has to offer; fps content against other players that macro-grind their skills up while their afk for 3/4 of the day.

Originally posted by lethys

Originally posted by grimal

Originally posted by lethys

 Thanks for the really important thread.

 

And for the equally important reply.

This issue is old news, you even said yourself you wonder why you posted it, and it's a thread giving reasons why you made a seperate thread three months ago.  This is pointless garbage and it seems that with the Internet, people can just post up whatever pointless nonsensical thoughts that come to their heads.  This thread seems to have oil and gasoline all over it with the intention of starting a fire, but it's not going to happen.  Everyone already got their steam for the game out.  The only person getting flamed here is you, and I don't even like Darkfall either.

Lethys, please learn not to bump threads that you feel shouldn't exist.  It's kind of like yelling at the echo to stop, don't you think?

I don't really agree with the original poster on most of his comments, but I do have a sinking feeling about Darkfall at the moment.

I played Darkfall, cancelled a few weeks back.

I had no constant server downtimes or anything like that. I just felt the game lacked content.

What's bothering me at the moment, even though I am no longer a subscriber, is how they are implementing the server transfers to the North American server. It makes me glad I left when I did.

I don't know anymore...I guess I'll leave the arguing to you guys. I'm sadly disappointed in how AV has handled the game. The mechanics were fine with me...

I don't think I ever qualified as a fanboi, but I certainly wasn't a troll.

Originally posted by Nihilist

I agree with your criticisms, but people just wanted an open pvp game to succeed since the market is flooded with boring WoW clones.

 

I defended the game pre-release, but after playing it I now see the crapfest for what it is.

 

 

Would you all stop with the stupid "WoW clone crap". WoW was not the first MMO by a longshot and it in itself copied many, many other games before them. The only thing that makes WoW popular is that you can play it on a 10 to 15 year old system with nearly no trouble.

This thread is a perfect example of about 12 arguments that have already been argued ad nauseaum. 

Yes WoW stole everything they had from something else.

Yes everything else stole everything else from everything else.

Doing something origional seems to be just putting a new spin on an old idea at this point.

HOWEVER, lets not be narrow minded and think that there are no good things left to be discovered, there surely are.

There is no point to arguing if DF is a good or bad game, there are plenty of posts on this topic, I'd wager over 10 threads at least.

You are melting my brains with redundancy!

Originally posted by khartman2005

Originally posted by Nihilist

I agree with your criticisms, but people just wanted an open pvp game to succeed since the market is flooded with boring WoW clones.

 

I defended the game pre-release, but after playing it I now see the crapfest for what it is.

 

 

 

Would you all stop with the stupid "WoW clone crap". WoW was not the first MMO by a longshot and it in itself copied many, many other games before them. The only thing that makes WoW popular is that you can play it on a 10 to 15 year old system with nearly no trouble.

you seem to be mis-understanding the terminology. A "wow-clone" is a cheap piece of quest-based themepark trash churned out by a money-grubbing corporation who is simply attempting to cash in on the MMO genre as a result of the dollar signs they see in the popularity of WoW. They aren't makeing a game for the sake of making a game, or for ANY reason other than to try to milk Blizzard's cash-cow.

the term is NOT an implication that any game with some of the features found in wow is a clone, at least in it's proper definition.

Just wanted to clear that up for ya....

Originally posted by Wharg0ul

Originally posted by khartman2005

Originally posted by Nihilist

I agree with your criticisms, but people just wanted an open pvp game to succeed since the market is flooded with boring WoW clones.

 

I defended the game pre-release, but after playing it I now see the crapfest for what it is.

 

 

 

Would you all stop with the stupid "WoW clone crap". WoW was not the first MMO by a longshot and it in itself copied many, many other games before them. The only thing that makes WoW popular is that you can play it on a 10 to 15 year old system with nearly no trouble.

 

you seem to be mis-understanding the terminology. A "wow-clone" is a cheap piece of quest-based themepark trash churned out by a money-grubbing corporation who is simply attempting to cash in on the MMO genre as a result of the dollar signs they see in the popularity of WoW. They aren't makeing a game for the sake of making a game, or for ANY reason other than to try to milk Blizzard's cash-cow.

the term is NOT an implication that any game with some of the features found in wow is a clone, at least in it's proper definition.

Just wanted to clear that up for ya....

The term is thrown around for every game lately and quite frankly a lot of us are sick of hearing it.

Originally posted by khartman2005

you seem to be mis-understanding the terminology. A "wow-clone" is a cheap piece of quest-based themepark trash churned out by a money-grubbing corporation who is simply attempting to cash in on the MMO genre as a result of the dollar signs they see in the popularity of WoW. They aren't makeing a game for the sake of making a game, or for ANY reason other than to try to milk Blizzard's cash-cow.

the term is NOT an implication that any game with some of the features found in wow is a clone, at least in it's proper definition.

Just wanted to clear that up for ya....

The term is thrown around for every game lately and quite frankly a lot of us are sick of hearing it.

That is because (almost) every game is what he just said a WoW clone is (beside the last money-grubbing corp part, all gaming companies are that, including AV even though they pretend not to be).

If you are sick of it then mail the companies that are spewing the crap out like *cough* Turbine... If a bird walks like a duck, swims like a duck and and quacks like a duck then I call that bird a duck. 

Originally posted by Yamota

Originally posted by khartman2005

you seem to be mis-understanding the terminology. A "wow-clone" is a cheap piece of quest-based themepark trash churned out by a money-grubbing corporation who is simply attempting to cash in on the MMO genre as a result of the dollar signs they see in the popularity of WoW. They aren't makeing a game for the sake of making a game, or for ANY reason other than to try to milk Blizzard's cash-cow.

the term is NOT an implication that any game with some of the features found in wow is a clone, at least in it's proper definition.

Just wanted to clear that up for ya....

The term is thrown around for every game lately and quite frankly a lot of us are sick of hearing it.

 

That is because (almost) every game is what he just said a WoW clone is (beside the last money-grubbing corp part, all gaming companies are that, including AV even though they pretend not to be).

If you are sick of it then mail the companies that are spewing the crap out like *cough* Turbine... If a bird walks like a duck, swims like a duck and and quacks like a duck then I call that bird a duck. 

Why would I mail Turbine other then to thank them for a great game? I do not see how anyone can call Lord of the Rings Online a WoW clone. I played WoW for about 2 months before I could not stand it any longer. I, on the other hand have a lifetime founders subscription to Lord of the Rings Online.

Many games share certain qualities, that does not make them clones of each other.

Originally posted by khartman2005

Originally posted by Yamota

Originally posted by khartman2005

you seem to be mis-understanding the terminology. A "wow-clone" is a cheap piece of quest-based themepark trash churned out by a money-grubbing corporation who is simply attempting to cash in on the MMO genre as a result of the dollar signs they see in the popularity of WoW. They aren't makeing a game for the sake of making a game, or for ANY reason other than to try to milk Blizzard's cash-cow.

the term is NOT an implication that any game with some of the features found in wow is a clone, at least in it's proper definition.

Just wanted to clear that up for ya....

The term is thrown around for every game lately and quite frankly a lot of us are sick of hearing it.

 

That is because (almost) every game is what he just said a WoW clone is (beside the last money-grubbing corp part, all gaming companies are that, including AV even though they pretend not to be).

If you are sick of it then mail the companies that are spewing the crap out like *cough* Turbine... If a bird walks like a duck, swims like a duck and and quacks like a duck then I call that bird a duck. 

 

Why would I mail Turbine other then to thank them for a great game? I do not see how anyone can call Lord of the Rings Online a WoW clone. I played WoW for about 2 months before I could not stand it any longer. I, on the other hand have a lifetime founders subscription to Lord of the Rings Online.

Many games share certain qualities, that does not make them clones of each other.

DFO would have been great IF, it had insured the security of its client...and had all the content it advertised. Frankly the lack of content, buggyness, afkmacroing, and the hacking were its greatest failing.

I have to admit though, I did laugh my arse off when I saw that ship bieng stolen that had what 20-30 peeps on it, and the guy still got away with thier ship. DFO is so hardcore it has flying SHIPS! BUWHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaa(cough).

Originally posted by vader999

Originally posted by khartman2005

Originally posted by Yamota

Originally posted by khartman2005

you seem to be mis-understanding the terminology. A "wow-clone" is a cheap piece of quest-based themepark trash churned out by a money-grubbing corporation who is simply attempting to cash in on the MMO genre as a result of the dollar signs they see in the popularity of WoW. They aren't makeing a game for the sake of making a game, or for ANY reason other than to try to milk Blizzard's cash-cow.

the term is NOT an implication that any game with some of the features found in wow is a clone, at least in it's proper definition.

Just wanted to clear that up for ya....

The term is thrown around for every game lately and quite frankly a lot of us are sick of hearing it.

 

That is because (almost) every game is what he just said a WoW clone is (beside the last money-grubbing corp part, all gaming companies are that, including AV even though they pretend not to be).

If you are sick of it then mail the companies that are spewing the crap out like *cough* Turbine... If a bird walks like a duck, swims like a duck and and quacks like a duck then I call that bird a duck. 

 

Why would I mail Turbine other then to thank them for a great game? I do not see how anyone can call Lord of the Rings Online a WoW clone. I played WoW for about 2 months before I could not stand it any longer. I, on the other hand have a lifetime founders subscription to Lord of the Rings Online.

Many games share certain qualities, that does not make them clones of each other.

LoTRO despite you liking the game is a perfect example of a total ripoff. From the interface to the skill trees, to the tooltips on items, to vendors, to mob placements, quest givers and map layouts, when I first tried LoTRO I couldn't believe they didnt get sued for it. The second closest that comes to WoW is Warhammer, just considering basic mechanics without delving into PvE/PvP/raiding/FFA/Full Loot/RP/Lore etc.

Now take a look at something like AoC or Darkfall, it has its own style whether you agree they're good or bad games, the basic systems employed are totally different. Hell look at GW, AO, EvE, AC, or Shadowbane, the only other ones I'm familiar with, if you can't see how different the basic games are from equipment stats, skills, mob placement, maps, NPC (vendors, questgiveres, etc) etc to WoW/LoTRO I despair. Although this could be more to do with you being an ex EQ/DAOC player where if those mechanics are similar, you would take them as granted.

I see you mentioned EQ? Wonder if that is who WOW ripped off? I swear the WOW worshipers figure out more ways to work a comment into a thread than Bizz can to keep people grinding.

Originally posted by khartman2005

Originally posted by Yamota

Originally posted by khartman2005

you seem to be mis-understanding the terminology. A "wow-clone" is a cheap piece of quest-based themepark trash churned out by a money-grubbing corporation who is simply attempting to cash in on the MMO genre as a result of the dollar signs they see in the popularity of WoW. They aren't makeing a game for the sake of making a game, or for ANY reason other than to try to milk Blizzard's cash-cow.

the term is NOT an implication that any game with some of the features found in wow is a clone, at least in it's proper definition.

Just wanted to clear that up for ya....

The term is thrown around for every game lately and quite frankly a lot of us are sick of hearing it.

 

That is because (almost) every game is what he just said a WoW clone is (beside the last money-grubbing corp part, all gaming companies are that, including AV even though they pretend not to be).

If you are sick of it then mail the companies that are spewing the crap out like *cough* Turbine... If a bird walks like a duck, swims like a duck and and quacks like a duck then I call that bird a duck. 

 

Why would I mail Turbine other then to thank them for a great game? I do not see how anyone can call Lord of the Rings Online a WoW clone. I played WoW for about 2 months before I could not stand it any longer. I, on the other hand have a lifetime founders subscription to Lord of the Rings Online.

Many games share certain qualities, that does not make them clones of each other.

I play WOW for years, LOTRO a few months. WOW did alot right, which is why its a sucess. Fact I played WOW longer then I did my all time favorite game which was DAOC. And the simple reason is WOW didnt try to reinvent its game like Mythic did with DAOC, aka Trials of Atlantis expac. Had LOTRO been true to the basic premise of Tolkiens books, it would have been a epic rvr canvas nothing else except perhaps...a true to IP Warhammer could have been. In my opinion both IP's were flushed to do precisely what you claim they didnt in LOTRO.
 

Further regarding the game that is the namesake of this forum, DFO, even IT, had more novel ideas then LOTRO did. Sorry, but I just dont see LOTRO the same way you do, but then again, I never bought a founders sub.

I like cookies.

Originally posted by vader999

Originally posted by khartman2005

Originally posted by Yamota

Originally posted by khartman2005

you seem to be mis-understanding the terminology. A "wow-clone" is a cheap piece of quest-based themepark trash churned out by a money-grubbing corporation who is simply attempting to cash in on the MMO genre as a result of the dollar signs they see in the popularity of WoW. They aren't makeing a game for the sake of making a game, or for ANY reason other than to try to milk Blizzard's cash-cow.

the term is NOT an implication that any game with some of the features found in wow is a clone, at least in it's proper definition.

Just wanted to clear that up for ya....

The term is thrown around for every game lately and quite frankly a lot of us are sick of hearing it.

 

That is because (almost) every game is what he just said a WoW clone is (beside the last money-grubbing corp part, all gaming companies are that, including AV even though they pretend not to be).

If you are sick of it then mail the companies that are spewing the crap out like *cough* Turbine... If a bird walks like a duck, swims like a duck and and quacks like a duck then I call that bird a duck. 

 

Why would I mail Turbine other then to thank them for a great game? I do not see how anyone can call Lord of the Rings Online a WoW clone. I played WoW for about 2 months before I could not stand it any longer. I, on the other hand have a lifetime founders subscription to Lord of the Rings Online.

Many games share certain qualities, that does not make them clones of each other.

LoTRO despite you liking the game is a perfect example of a total ripoff. From the interface to the skill trees, to the tooltips on items, to vendors, to mob placements, quest givers and map layouts, when I first tried LoTRO I couldn't believe they didnt get sued for it. The second closest that comes to WoW is Warhammer, just considering basic mechanics without delving into PvE/PvP/raiding/FFA/Full Loot/RP/Lore etc.

Now take a look at something like AoC or Darkfall, it has its own style whether you agree they're good or bad games, the basic systems employed are totally different. Hell look at GW, AO, EvE, AC, or Shadowbane, the only other ones I'm familiar with, if you can't see how different the basic games are from equipment stats, skills, mob placement, maps, NPC (vendors, questgiveres, etc) etc to WoW/LoTRO I despair. Although this could be more to do with you being an ex EQ/DAOC player where if those mechanics are similar, you would take them as granted.

The funny thing is that a lot of this is based on opinion and perception.

Case in point: The characters in LOTRO dont' have skill trees as you claim above.  They do have slots in which they affix traits that serve some of the same function as a skill tree, but not exactly the same way.  Additionally, the traits are earned differently from just leveling, as in WoW.

Conversely, do you know which game DOES have skill trees?  That's right, AoC - the one you said has it's own style.  It has three skill trees (just like WoW) for each character, and the feat points spent in these trees are gained by leveling, like in WoW.

Many of the games you listed have similarities to WoW.  Fans of a particular game will make claims that their chosen game has aspects that makes them "totally different", while others are just clones.  I believe most of them are pretty similar.  While each has its own variation on how it does things, they usually aren't nearly as radical as a fanatic would claim.

Originally posted by vader999

Originally posted by khartman2005

Originally posted by Yamota

Originally posted by khartman2005

you seem to be mis-understanding the terminology. A "wow-clone" is a cheap piece of quest-based themepark trash churned out by a money-grubbing corporation who is simply attempting to cash in on the MMO genre as a result of the dollar signs they see in the popularity of WoW. They aren't makeing a game for the sake of making a game, or for ANY reason other than to try to milk Blizzard's cash-cow.

the term is NOT an implication that any game with some of the features found in wow is a clone, at least in it's proper definition.

Just wanted to clear that up for ya....

The term is thrown around for every game lately and quite frankly a lot of us are sick of hearing it.

 

That is because (almost) every game is what he just said a WoW clone is (beside the last money-grubbing corp part, all gaming companies are that, including AV even though they pretend not to be).

If you are sick of it then mail the companies that are spewing the crap out like *cough* Turbine... If a bird walks like a duck, swims like a duck and and quacks like a duck then I call that bird a duck. 

 

Why would I mail Turbine other then to thank them for a great game? I do not see how anyone can call Lord of the Rings Online a WoW clone. I played WoW for about 2 months before I could not stand it any longer. I, on the other hand have a lifetime founders subscription to Lord of the Rings Online.

Many games share certain qualities, that does not make them clones of each other.

LoTRO despite you liking the game is a perfect example of a total ripoff. From the interface to the skill trees, to the tooltips on items, to vendors, to mob placements, quest givers and map layouts, when I first tried LoTRO I couldn't believe they didnt get sued for it. The second closest that comes to WoW is Warhammer, just considering basic mechanics without delving into PvE/PvP/raiding/FFA/Full Loot/RP/Lore etc.

Now take a look at something like AoC or Darkfall, it has its own style whether you agree they're good or bad games, the basic systems employed are totally different. Hell look at GW, AO, EvE, AC, or Shadowbane, the only other ones I'm familiar with, if you can't see how different the basic games are from equipment stats, skills, mob placement, maps, NPC (vendors, questgiveres, etc) etc to WoW/LoTRO I despair. Although this could be more to do with you being an ex EQ/DAOC player where if those mechanics are similar, you would take them as granted.

Now that is a confusing message in almost all dimensions

(1) first what is knowledge?  ideas and opinions passed on from generation to generation.  Everyone is ripping off everyone else.  You should not be talking or typing your are ripping off your mom

(2) user interface.  Every car looks alike, every door looks alike, every shirt looks alike, everything people interact with looks alike.  Fact is, there are industrial standards to enforce the look alike, such as dimensions and size of batteries.  So who is ripping off who?

(3) DF invented a new UI, that means its good?  The old saying is always wise, why reinvent a wheel for the sake of reinventing unless it is an improvement?  WoW does not invent much, they make the best mix of those that works.  That is all we want.  We use German made screw drivers in the past, not because its a new invention, but its a screw driver that works whenever you pull it out of your bag.  And it won't break.  Fact is, DF is being criticised for its stupid UI, its stupid mob AI, its stupid game mechanism, skill system.  New invention or attempts at being new, is not always good.  Unless it works.

(4) You do not need to label anyone as ex-EQ, ex-DAoC.  That is little short of personal discrimination.  Everyone is unique and have his own judgment.  The key issue is, how each and every gamer see the "new" features being implemented.  Or better still, how each and every gamer feel about the total package being delivered, no matter now much "new-ness" contained.  If the game is good, it is good, with or without newness.  A totally "original" game can be a pile of turd, look at DF.  A game with most features common to the majority can provide very refreshing gameplay, look at LOTRo.  That is how one gamer, ME, look at the total packages.  You can go on and argue with me about the details of each game, say how the eyes look lively in FF but far less lively in DAoC.  Yes, we can argue that, but it does not change my feeling about the overall "game-worthiness" of a game.  DF might provide ffa pvp with full loot, something not many games offer, but that along with the rest of the fiasco, still makes DF a pile of turd.  My view.

What am I looking for in a game?  Nobel prize invention?  Or just a game?