I would like to see the individual player definitions of this since it's thrown around so often.

I think it's either used virally (possibly by the companies themselves) or by players to shun interest in those that have no further interest in playing wow. What better way to infect the game other than say it's a copy of another. No one likes copies when the original is around with a healthy population.

One of the words has a true definition.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/clone

Clone n.

4. One that copies or closely resembles another, as in appearance or function:

4. To produce a copy of; imitate closely:

My opinion is that ppl look at gui features and consider them a reference to call something a clone which is incorrect logic since using TWYP for movement is just not as intuitive or as familiar as WASD even in non mmo games. Aren't there inherent elements in an RPG that are not specific or owned by wow? Things like quests, a health bar, a skill bar.

So what makes you call something a wow clone? Please be specific about the elements.

For ex.

Does a health bar make a wow clone?

Do quests make a wow clone?

Do races make a wow clone?

What unique features are weighed against the clone features?

If you have more unique features than cloned features, do you still label it a clone or are you even weighing both sides and leaning on a direct number count of cloned features to equal a clone with no further explanation?

For example, If a game has quests, levels, and an elf, is this enough to say "wow clone" empirically while disregarding all other aspects of the game?

Personally, their are no WoW clones. Only EQ/UO clones with tweaks.

But if people are referring to games that come AFTER WoW only, then usually it has to do with the similarity of UI's, features found in the game such as battlegrounds, or the crafting system, quest system, etc. (whatever the compared game may have that is similar I suppose). Or maybe just the ease of leveling or obtaining gear (WoW is BY FAR the easiest MMO out there).

For me it's basicly when I'm playing a game and feel like I'm kinda just playing wow again, then think to myself I might aswell just be playing wow instead of this (by the way, I don't play wow at all as I don't like the game very much). This is my opinion of a wow clone.

Originally posted by Goatgod76

WoW is BY FAR the easiest MMO out there.

Really?

I've always found wow easy to play (then again I find most games easy to play once you adapt) However, It feels just as hard as any mmorpg regarding progress/grinding, i.e gold, gear, rank etc . What do you mean by easy?

I think they are referring to some of the fundamental aspects of game design that WOW successfully took from other games, namely classes, levels, a straightforward crafting system, and a linear character progression.

I think all too often, the term WOW clone is used as an insult.  But I think it is also a term that by itself shows the import of WOW's impact on the mmo genre, for better or worse.  I think the real problem lies with the fact that there just are not that many attractive mmo alternatives to the WOW clone phenomenon.  There is Eve, Darkfall and Fallen Earth.  Then there are some older games that are still around but extremely dated and have lost a great deal of their relavence to the mmo community, atleast as defined by subscription numbers.

Eve Online I have heard is a great game, but many can not relate to being a ship.  And Darkfall and Fallen Earth are from independent developers that just don't have the resources to put out a triple A title, but who offer a glimmer of hope to those desperate enough to make compromises.

Sorry, EQ was less popular and less solid a game.  Therefore people will use the term WOW Clone (until an even better MMORPG comes along.)

WOW Clone as a term belongs to the same amazingly-vague category as Hardcore.  In other words:

• Ask 10 players, get 10 definitions.
• Use the term in a thread, watch things devolve into pointless arguments and trolling.

lol still using the term EQ Clone They call it a WoW clone because it has the same interface just like every other online game basicly its retards defense why the game sucks or why they wont play it. Its quite retarded if you ask me.

I don't know...a WOW clone appears to be any game ...created after WOW (except, apparently, EVE)...that involves spamming buttons from time to time. I have noticed, though, that the degree in which a game approaches the title of WOW-Clone is inversely proportionate to how much the poster likes/hates the game in question.

Originally posted by Shari

I've always found wow easy to play (then again I find most games easy to play once you adapt) However, It feels just as hard as any mmorpg regarding progress/grinding, i.e gold, gear, rank etc . What do you mean by easy?

I think one of the most attractive qualities of WOW is it is so easy to pick up and start playing.  It eases you into the game, and you can really invest a lot of time into it.  But in terms of depth, it is can be rather shallow.  Take the crafting for example.  You input the components and maybe some extra components to craft an item.  It is pretty straight forward, which to some could be a plus.  But a more complex system might be something SWG used, where the components had quality values, there was experimentation and risk for failure.

There were times when I appreciated WOW's simplicity in crafting out of a desire for expediency, but over time it felt lacking because everyone with the same components could input the same ingredients and get the exact same article.  With SWG, that was not the case.  You could really carve a niche for yourself in the SWG world by excelling where others failed, simply because you understood the underlying mechanics of crafting better than your peers.  There was risk and reward, and sometimes failure too, which made the successes all the sweeter.

The greatest investment into WOW is simply time.  There is no complexity, no finesse.  It is straightforward and that is not necessarily bad depending on what your are interested in experiencing at this particular point in time.

I'm against calling any game a clone. I think developers see other traits MMOs have and try to implement the good ones. It's part of video game evolution. Some people like it or hate it. Either way it's a neccessary part of development. At the same time creating their own differences is a good idea. People seem to call anything that feels familiar a clone. I don't see people calling  CoD a Medal of Honor clone.

Originally posted by BarCrow

I don't know...a WOW clone appears to be any game ...created after WOW (except, apparently, EVE)...that involves spamming buttons from time to time. I have noticed, though, that the degree in which a game approaches the title of WOW-Clone is inversely proportionate to how much the poster likes/hates the game in question.

Are you saying EVE came AFTER WoW? If so, your incorrect on that one. EVE has been here since 2003. WoW released in 2004.

However, if your simply saying the UI isn't the same, then yeah, I agree =P. Just not sure what you mean exactly, so covering the bases.

Lol did any of you ever play Closed Beta for WoW they orignaly wanted to go with a much more engaging interface but they thought this would hinder the game so we have got the crap we have today.

http://media.worldofwarcraft.com/movies/video_loader/wow_video.htm?vid=wow-ects-2001-gameplay&dir=movies/ects_01&rating=wow

Originally posted by Goatgod76

Originally posted by BarCrow

I don't know...a WOW clone appears to be any game ...created after WOW (except, apparently, EVE)...that involves spamming buttons from time to time. I have noticed, though, that the degree in which a game approaches the title of WOW-Clone is inversely proportionate to how much the poster likes/hates the game in question.

 

Are you saying EVE came AFTER WoW? If so, your incorrect on that one. EVE has been here since 2003. WoW released in 2004.

 

However, if your simply saying the UI isn't the same, then yeah, I agree =P. Just not sure what you mean exactly, so covering the

 

 The latter....of course I've even heard games created before WOW being referred to as a WOW-clone. EVE is definitely NOT one of them.

I would make a distinction of context to diferentiate between two commonly used and derogatory definitions of the term;

1) As a blanket term used to describe what the OP refers to as inherent elements in an MMO. Most fantasy themed games in the genre follow the formula of a similar UI, the use of levels/classes, a lore a la Tolkien, etc. Certainly WOWs success has encouraged this, although it may be argued that many of its basics were set by EQ as well as single player RPGs, and that the use of intuitive and familiar elements in design is not in itself imitation. While it may be used in this sense as an actual reference to Warcraft (which certainly always means its not as good) It may also be used generically to simply describe uninspired design in which sense the user would mean the term to refer to WOW as itself being bland an unimaginative.

2) As a specific denominator of bad quality, the game being judged to aim at imitating WOWs worst features. Many of us do consider Warcraft to apeal to the lowest common denominator (hence the McDonalds analogy) and the term may be used to accentuate a games perceived flaws (unchallenging gameplay, mechanic PvP, features that divide the comunity, etc.) implied to be influenced by adoption of what the devlopers perceive to be WOWs virtues.

In truth, there probably is no such thing as a true WOW clone, except perhaps for a few f2ps, as World of Warcraft is not itself, in its basics, an original game despite a couple of inovations. Most games, whatever their success level, do atempt to bring some unique or inovative elements to the table, and the term WOW clone, on both the working definitions ive provided, is used to minimize this elements or to criticize their relevance.

The term "Wow Clone" is just used as a synonym for "PvE themepark".

Often by people who hate all PvE themeparks and/or are complete morons.