WoW and 4e - where's the beef?

[Rechan]

I've seen a lot of criticism of 4e. Some I think are valid, some aren't.

The one criticism that continues to baffle me is the comparison between 4e and World of Warcraft. I see it thrown around all the time. Not just here, but in RL, elsewhere on the internet, etc.

I've played 4e, and I've World of Warcraft; I don't think the comparison is very apt. They have two similarities that I can find, and otherwise are different beasts.

I've noticed that of those that make the claim, very few have played World of Warcraft.

So here's my question:

To those who say it's like WoW, how many of you have played WoW?

 

[Hunter In Darkness]

Well no good will come of this. I have played WoW but not 4e, so can't say. But 4e does look and read (to me) like a manual for a video game

Not saying anything bad about the game play wise as I have not nor do I plan to play it , just commenting on the look and how it read is all

 

[Blizzardb]

I've actually never played WoW, but I've played quite a few WoW clones like Warhammer: Online and LOTRO. In my opinion, D&D 4E is no more similar to them than it is to any other computer RPG (a genre that D&D inspired in the first place). Also, it is no more similar to them than any of the older editions was.

I think the main reason people are making this comparison are the class roles and the MMORPG archetypes (tank, etc).

 

[Hunter In Darkness]

I've actually never played WoW,

Oh man with your name that is just classic.


I think one of the issue is the look, another is the class roles and over all way the classes works. I could be wrong but I have been told that by someone who tired it for 2 months and sold his books


Others won't think that and some will latch onto anything just to hate it.

 

[Rechan]

I think the main reason people are making this comparison are the class roles and the MMORPG archetypes (tank, etc).

Which baffles me.

The archetypes exist in MMOs because they exist in RPGs. The archetypes are based on the four man D&D team: Fighter, Thief, Cleric, Magic-User.
Fighter = Tank
Magic-User = Blaster
Cleric = Healer
Thief = Damage dealer

The only difference between MMOs/4e and earlier editions of D&D is the earlier editions didn't spell this out. Anyone who played, that lacked a Melee based class, or a Healing class, felt that they were not well-rounded. In fact, you ask a group missing one of these, "So, what do you guys need?" they can tell you. The earlier editions also assumed that you had all those archetypes filled.

Other RPGs make this obvious; HERO, for instance, has archetype classifications they spell out. Brick, Blaster, Martial Artist, etc.

 

[Blizzardb]

Oh man with your name that is just classic.

My nick was "Blizzard" when Blizzard were called "Silicon & Synapse". They stole it from me

 

[Hunter In Darkness]

well what ya do is get a bunch of your friends together , put on costumes and Raid the office...ya might go to jail but Gods that would be funny.

 

[Leatherhead]

4E closer resembles City of Heroes/Villains to be honest.

 

[TwinBahamut]

But 4e does look and read (to me) like a manual for a video game

Not saying anything bad about the game play wise as I have not nor do I plan to play it , just commenting on the look and how it read is all

If 4E looked and read like a videogame manual, it would be 15 pages long (5 pages for each language), be printed in black and white, and wouldn't explain a damn thing.

*grumbles about sorry state of videogame manuals these days*

To address the main topic, I have not played World of Warcraft, but I don't really see the comparisons. I don't think 4E resembles that game any more than any other version of D&D has resembled any other videogame with a fantasy setting and a class system.

 

[Wormwood]

I play WoW about 20 hours a week, 4e a small fraction of that.

They aren't any more alike than any other version of D&D was.

FOR THE HORDE!