
WoW - rms
http://mattmaroon.com/?p=396
======
rms
Escapism nails it.

Diablo was designed as a series of clicks and rewards. When you clicked on an
item in your inventory, a pleasant sound chimed. When you killed Diablo, you
got a better series of sounds and more things to click in your inventory.

WoW is so successful because it provides such a compelling alternative to
reality. In reality, there is risk, there is emotion, there is change. In WoW,
you just have a steady stream of clicks, a steady stream of rewards, and a
steady group of pseudo-friends (pseudo because they only exist as long as you
play WoW and they won't help you move) that don't judge you. In some ways, it
is better than reality. If nothing else, it is much easier. The only way to
get better is to play more, and the more you play, the more fun you have.

~~~
bprater
If it were just escapism, any MMO could claim that. But none do. Not anywhere
close to what Warcraft has achieved.

I think it's the magic combination of elements that has given WoW the
megacrown. And you've listed several. If you've played Wow, you get it, but
you don't exactly know why.

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mrtron
#1 Reason easily explained:

Blizzard

Their attention to creating what they consider the 'perfect' game on a
platform they create is mind blowing. They have had Starcraft 2 what any other
company would consider 'finished' for probably 2 years. But they run massive
beta tests, continually tweak and perfect the game.

It shows in every one of their products - look at the
Starcraft/Warcraft/Diablo series - not a single flop or poor game.

I bet you right now that Starcraft 2 becomes even more popular than the
original - and the original is still played in large numbers ten years later!

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ralph
Submitters, please spare a thought for those of us that read RSS. All I get
is:

    
    
        Subject: WoW
    
        [Comments][1]
    
           [1]: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=228117
    
        URL: http://mattmaroon.com/?p=396
        comments: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=228117
        

If it's worth bothering all of us with your submission, please take the time
to add a sentance covering the content if it's not obvious.

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rokhayakebe
Wow lets you create YOU.

Unlike the outside world WoW lets you create YOU as you imagine it in your
wildest dreams. A 360 degree control that cannot be found anywhere in real
life. The game is fair, you are who you want to be as long as you put the
necessary effort into it.

I can guarantee you that a lot of players would respond to their screen name
if you called them out in the street. You think they escape their bills and
work and family by playing, but it is the opposite. They escape their WoW life
by doing mundane things.

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iamdave
You mean after all this, it has NOTHING to do with the gameplay or the
following of users who migrated from the WC3 universe?

~~~
josefresco
Agreed, article was weak.

~~~
iamdave
Okay, the fact that I got down voted for a completely on topic comment is what
I'm talking about when I say people downvote just to disagree without
commenting themselves. Matt makes no comment on the gameplay factor of WoW and
I think for what it's worth, it's a great technical achievement when you look
at the amount of math and raw computations required for items, enchantments,
leveling, etc. I know this community isn't built around gaming or about
gaming, but I thought it was certainly worth pointing out at least in SOME
degree that WoW's success could have something to do with the gameplay, or at
least since he decided to talk about the social aspect of the game, mention
how many people came to WoW after the success of WC3.

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alaskamiller
It's not like Blizzard commissioned a set of commercials to explain this.

Shatner <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyUNDbo2KMU>

Mr. T <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqJE5TH5jhc>

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FET09MYis_g>

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNg5ysYd0zc>

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-ZqcW-xu5c>

------
xlnt
Matt,

You really don't play WoW. It doesn't even go up to level 82. Heh.

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globalrev
ROFL get a life you are missing so much if you think WoW is anything compared
to real life.

~~~
raganwald
"ROFL get a life"

Let me see if I understand what you are saying: You assume the author does not
have a life, and your response is to laugh so hard you fall off your chair?

That is not a very nice sentiment, and if I am correct in understanding your
point of view, it is especially unkind to attempt to publicly shame him for
what you perceive to be an unacceptable lifestyle.

I sincerely hope that the choices you make about relating to people in "real
life" are much more pleasant than the choice you made here.

