Comments on: Did Blizzard Borrow “Cataclysm” Concept from Conan Author? http://www.wolfsheadonline.com/?p=3980 MMORPG design & commentary Tue, 07 Sep 2010 23:23:09 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Garumoo http://www.wolfsheadonline.com/?p=3980&cpage=1#comment-8947 Garumoo Tue, 15 Jun 2010 13:35:42 +0000 http://www.wolfsheadonline.com/?p=3980#comment-8947 I would suggest that Blizzard/Activision are well inspired by Disney ... not so much for content, but rather in rampant borrowing of public domain cultural heritage, high polish, and subsequent stingy legal protectiveness.    I would suggest that Blizzard/Activision are well inspired by Disney … not so much for content, but rather in rampant borrowing of public domain cultural heritage, high polish, and subsequent stingy legal protectiveness.   

]]> By: Wolfshead http://www.wolfsheadonline.com/?p=3980&cpage=1#comment-8943 Wolfshead Mon, 14 Jun 2010 06:26:29 +0000 http://www.wolfsheadonline.com/?p=3980#comment-8943 <blockquote>Wow, from the beginning, has been about gathering all the best parts of myth and legend and reimagining them, with all the best parts of video gaming. Unabashedly so.</blockquote> How convenient for Irvine, CA and how nice of you to make excuses for them. In other words, let me paraphrase: "We are unashamedly stealing and borrowing everything and anything from all fantasy genre's and repackaging it for our unsuspecting players -- who probably are too lazy to read the classics in the first place -- so please don't call us on any of our theft because we are so bold and blatant about it. But if anyone dares to borrow any of our re-purposed, re-hashed, regurgitated "IP" than we'll sick the lawyers on you..."

Wow, from the beginning, has been about gathering all the best parts of myth and legend and reimagining them, with all the best parts of video gaming. Unabashedly so.

How convenient for Irvine, CA and how nice of you to make excuses for them. In other words, let me paraphrase: “We are unashamedly stealing and borrowing everything and anything from all fantasy genre’s and repackaging it for our unsuspecting players — who probably are too lazy to read the classics in the first place — so please don’t call us on any of our theft because we are so bold and blatant about it. But if anyone dares to borrow any of our re-purposed, re-hashed, regurgitated “IP” than we’ll sick the lawyers on you…”

]]> By: Yig http://www.wolfsheadonline.com/?p=3980&cpage=1#comment-8942 Yig Sun, 13 Jun 2010 23:48:04 +0000 http://www.wolfsheadonline.com/?p=3980#comment-8942 Another glaring oversight in this comparison would be that in the Wacraft Lore, there was already an event similar to this. Over 10,000 years ago in the War of the Ancients, the world of Kalimdor was one massive super continent, like Pangea. In the War, between the Night Elves and the Burning Legion, the land was shattered and scattered apart across the entire planet, leaving the gaping Maelstrom you see on the map of Azeroth in the middle of the ocean. While this article is a bit old, I think it would be the responsible thing to do to actually point this out and announce your original hypothesis as unlikely. A fantasy story having a second cataclysm hitting a world 10,000 years later if anything is novel, rather than a rehash. It's unfair for you to judge this based on Howard's Conan, and wrong to criticize it as plagiarism. Another glaring oversight in this comparison would be that in the Wacraft Lore, there was already an event similar to this. Over 10,000 years ago in the War of the Ancients, the world of Kalimdor was one massive super continent, like Pangea. In the War, between the Night Elves and the Burning Legion, the land was shattered and scattered apart across the entire planet, leaving the gaping Maelstrom you see on the map of Azeroth in the middle of the ocean.

While this article is a bit old, I think it would be the responsible thing to do to actually point this out and announce your original hypothesis as unlikely. A fantasy story having a second cataclysm hitting a world 10,000 years later if anything is novel, rather than a rehash. It’s unfair for you to judge this based on Howard’s Conan, and wrong to criticize it as plagiarism.

]]> By: Yig http://www.wolfsheadonline.com/?p=3980&cpage=1#comment-8941 Yig Sun, 13 Jun 2010 14:44:20 +0000 http://www.wolfsheadonline.com/?p=3980#comment-8941 This is a poor comparison. Not only did Howard envision a cataclysm that changed the world, Tolkien as well had a world shattering cataclysm when Sauron and the island of the Numenorians sank. In fact, most all major fantasy stories, the Wheel of Time, Shannarah, etc etc, ALL OF THEM have a history or theme of the world being broken and rebuilt. A great majority of human myth and legend as well, here in the real world. Atlantis, the biblical flood and the Sumerian flood that the old testament was based on. The fact that the lore of Warcraft is one gigantic genre nod, a celebration of the love for myth and legend, and a gathering place of those ideas, where they are presented in a new way with the great eye only Blizzard has for slickness, it's silly to think you found some secret connection with Conan the Barbarian. You're grasping at arbitrary straws, especially when you think Chris Metzen doing Thrall's voice in the narration for the Cataclysm trailer in any way is meant to echo that of Mako in Conan the Barbarian. Wow, from the beginning, has been about gathering all the best parts of myth and legend and reimagining them, with all the best parts of video gaming. Unabashedly so. This is a poor comparison. Not only did Howard envision a cataclysm that changed the world, Tolkien as well had a world shattering cataclysm when Sauron and the island of the Numenorians sank. In fact, most all major fantasy stories, the Wheel of Time, Shannarah, etc etc, ALL OF THEM have a history or theme of the world being broken and rebuilt. A great majority of human myth and legend as well, here in the real world. Atlantis, the biblical flood and the Sumerian flood that the old testament was based on. The fact that the lore of Warcraft is one gigantic genre nod, a celebration of the love for myth and legend, and a gathering place of those ideas, where they are presented in a new way with the great eye only Blizzard has for slickness, it’s silly to think you found some secret connection with Conan the Barbarian.

You’re grasping at arbitrary straws, especially when you think Chris Metzen doing Thrall’s voice in the narration for the Cataclysm trailer in any way is meant to echo that of Mako in Conan the Barbarian.

Wow, from the beginning, has been about gathering all the best parts of myth and legend and reimagining them, with all the best parts of video gaming. Unabashedly so.

]]> By: Wolfshead http://www.wolfsheadonline.com/?p=3980&cpage=1#comment-8789 Wolfshead Fri, 23 Apr 2010 04:44:50 +0000 http://www.wolfsheadonline.com/?p=3980#comment-8789 Thanks for stopping by Jay! I just did a search on God of War and I found a case where a couple of designers were suing Sony. It seems they lost the case: http://thresq.hollywoodreporter.com/2010/03/judge-declares-peace-over-sonys-god-of-war.html I'm not sure if this is the case you were referring to. Thanks for stopping by Jay!

I just did a search on God of War and I found a case where a couple of designers were suing Sony. It seems they lost the case:

http://thresq.hollywoodreporter.com/2010/03/judge-declares-peace-over-sonys-god-of-war.html

I’m not sure if this is the case you were referring to.

]]> By: Jay Moffitt http://www.wolfsheadonline.com/?p=3980&cpage=1#comment-8788 Jay Moffitt Thu, 22 Apr 2010 18:52:37 +0000 http://www.wolfsheadonline.com/?p=3980#comment-8788 Wow, why do I always get to these great threads about a month late? Apologies. Enjoyed all the discussions above, especially about the "catclysm" events in history. Did other authors borrow from their predecessors? Sure! But what the post talked about mainly was the term "Cataclysm" and the voice-acting being similar. But I agree with the commenter that it seems the same style, even the same voice(s) in voice-acting dominate. It takes an awful lot of "borrowing" to get into court, and even more to prevail. Myself, I'm looking forward to a future decision on the "God of War" case as it goes to these elements. Otherwise, I've nothing to add, all the commentators made great points. Wow, why do I always get to these great threads about a month late? Apologies. Enjoyed all the discussions above, especially about the “catclysm” events in history. Did other authors borrow from their predecessors? Sure! But what the post talked about mainly was the term “Cataclysm” and the voice-acting being similar. But I agree with the commenter that it seems the same style, even the same voice(s) in voice-acting dominate. It takes an awful lot of “borrowing” to get into court, and even more to prevail. Myself, I’m looking forward to a future decision on the “God of War” case as it goes to these elements. Otherwise, I’ve nothing to add, all the commentators made great points.

]]> By: Brigwyn http://www.wolfsheadonline.com/?p=3980&cpage=1#comment-8754 Brigwyn Fri, 19 Mar 2010 02:32:42 +0000 http://www.wolfsheadonline.com/?p=3980#comment-8754 You know. I really never thought much about that. But now that you've pointed it out. There is a lot of different aspects of WoW Lore that is heavily borrowed from many different Fantasy sources. I guess the question that will need to be asked is just <strong>"How much?"</strong> Great post. Lot's to think about. You know. I really never thought much about that. But now that you’ve pointed it out. There is a lot of different aspects of WoW Lore that is heavily borrowed from many different Fantasy sources.

I guess the question that will need to be asked is just “How much?”

Great post. Lot’s to think about.

]]> By: Enric Darkstone http://www.wolfsheadonline.com/?p=3980&cpage=1#comment-8733 Enric Darkstone Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:03:43 +0000 http://www.wolfsheadonline.com/?p=3980#comment-8733 As much as I'd like to pin this one Blizz as well, personally I think it's too broad and well-worn of a topic. As Stabs commented already, the apocalypse is pretty much covered in any religion. Generally just an attention-getter for any followers. "What's scary? DEATH! Who'll die? YOU! ...If you don't follow our beliefs that is..." As for the voice over guy, that's Chris Metzen. He's done extensive voice work for Blizzard. He's Thrall, Nefarious, now he's King Wrynn, and a handful of voices on at least Starcraft (but I don't recall him being in either Diablo.) Ironically the only asian voice actor Blizzard used was for Illidan in WC3 and it's expansion, who they dumped in BC. Might be others, but that's the only one I know of. Google Blizzcast 9. His voice is the first you hear saying "Blizzcast. You're official Blizzard Podcast." in the same style as the Cata promo. Then you can hear his normal voice as he reads the intro of the Arthas novel. You'll recognize his voice right away. As much as I’d like to pin this one Blizz as well, personally I think it’s too broad and well-worn of a topic. As Stabs commented already, the apocalypse is pretty much covered in any religion. Generally just an attention-getter for any followers. “What’s scary? DEATH! Who’ll die? YOU! …If you don’t follow our beliefs that is…”

As for the voice over guy, that’s Chris Metzen. He’s done extensive voice work for Blizzard. He’s Thrall, Nefarious, now he’s King Wrynn, and a handful of voices on at least Starcraft (but I don’t recall him being in either Diablo.) Ironically the only asian voice actor Blizzard used was for Illidan in WC3 and it’s expansion, who they dumped in BC. Might be others, but that’s the only one I know of.

Google Blizzcast 9. His voice is the first you hear saying “Blizzcast. You’re official Blizzard Podcast.” in the same style as the Cata promo. Then you can hear his normal voice as he reads the intro of the Arthas novel. You’ll recognize his voice right away.

]]> By: Rakarth http://www.wolfsheadonline.com/?p=3980&cpage=1#comment-8729 Rakarth Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:15:42 +0000 http://www.wolfsheadonline.com/?p=3980#comment-8729 Yes that was the point exactly. Allot of things inspired Blizzard to make their creations and Warhammer is most certainly one of those things. Warhammer in turn got allot from Tolkien and D&D no doubt about it still they did allot to extend their world. Yes that was the point exactly.

Allot of things inspired Blizzard to make their creations and Warhammer is most certainly one of those things.

Warhammer in turn got allot from Tolkien and D&D no doubt about it still they did allot to extend their world.

]]> By: The Best Of The Rest: Nazism Edition - We Fly Spitfires - MMORPG Blog http://www.wolfsheadonline.com/?p=3980&cpage=1#comment-8726 The Best Of The Rest: Nazism Edition - We Fly Spitfires - MMORPG Blog Sun, 07 Mar 2010 22:32:52 +0000 http://www.wolfsheadonline.com/?p=3980#comment-8726 [...] Blizzard rip of Robert E. Howard with their idea for the Cataclysm expansion? MMO blogger extrodonaire, Wolfshead, [...] [...] Blizzard rip of Robert E. Howard with their idea for the Cataclysm expansion? MMO blogger extrodonaire, Wolfshead, [...]

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