Is Warcraft a "ripoff" of Warhammer?

[Hellishreaper]

It basically is Warhammer. They were contracted to make RTS games for GW, but GW broke contract and left Blizzard with unfinished projects. Why do you think hydralisks look so much (or, rather, exactly) like Tyranids?

That's not to say, of course, that Warhammer is better than Warcraft. Generally, GW makes shit, and Blizzard shits gold.

I fail to see what your point is, the only RTS game GW wanted blizzard to make was what is now known as Warcraft: Orcs and Humans, they just slightly modified parts of it to not actually be warhammer anymore when GW broke contract.

[Tenjen]

seriously isnt there already a thread about this?

[Cannis866]

Do you see Varian in Warhammer? Do you see Death Knight class in Warhammer? Do you see: same characters, similar lore, same races or similar places? No? Then it's not a "ripoff". Maybe they just based somethings on Warhammer, but it's not ripoff.

you might want to read the lore on Arthas and Archaon. Alot of the same lore between them with some minor differences between them. But the majority is the same.

[Wildmoon]

Warcraft and Starcraft lore have already developed too far that it almost doesn't have anything to do with Warhammer anymore.

[Deleted]

If you like Blizzard than they made their own iteration of Warhammer universe
If you hate Blizzard than they copied the theme and made small modifications.

[Gothicshark]

are you sure? have another go

Nice you use a 4th edition mini to prove a point, find a mini from first or second edition D&D (ad&d) Ral Partha made the popular ones.

[cFortyfive]

Yea, and those things don't look like hydralisks.

Not that it actually matters but I am pretty sure you could given a bit of skill easily put something together from 2nd edition tyranids that looks a lot like a zerg unit. Of course this also has a lot to do with the common alien stereotype. Although of course the later editions look a lot more zergish.

[LilSaihah]

Nice you use a 4th edition mini to prove a point, find a mini from first or second edition D&D (ad&d) Ral Partha made the popular ones.

Even better! Compare that second one to this and this.

DnD:
Flat stomach
Distinct tusks (Warham troll teeth look like they're all of equal length from that shot, but can't quite tell)
Color (I've been operating under the assumption that we use the earliest point)

Warhams:
Pointed ears
Nose (maybe, can't quite tell with those front images from D&D)

At best, that's a 50/50 split. At worst, that's 80/20 in favour of DnD.

[Deleted]

Inspired yes, rip off no.

But Warhammer's got a far ritcher background and writing, apart from when Matt Ward gets involved.

[Pull My Finger]

Most of the Blizzard crew is Jewish or Metal.

LOL, hilarious statement. Love this thread.

[Paladin885]

*looks at poll results*


clearly, no one knows anything about blizz pre-WC3.

Everyone should know that back when they did rock-n-roll racing and lost vikings they were suppose to do a RTS or turn-based game on WARHAMMER but never went through with it. So, instead, they made they own game with WC1 being basically a clone of WARHAMMER.

Since then, they have evolved it into their own game, but u can still see the "inspirations." lol (looking at you, green orcs)

[Gothicshark]

Even better! Compare that second one to this and this.

DnD:
Flat stomach
Distinct tusks (Warham troll teeth look like they're all of equal length from that shot, but can't quite tell)
Color (I've been operating under the assumption that we use the earliest point)

Warhams:
Pointed ears
Nose (maybe, can't quite tell with those front images from D&D)

At best, that's a 50/50 split. At worst, that's 80/20 in favour of DnD.

Back in the AD&D era the GW and Ral Partha figures where used primarily for D&D, I didn't realized Warhammer was it's own game until I worked in a Game store. Also as a socal game store manager I heard a lot of things from people in the industry about how everyone rips everyone off.

It's actually funny because what I was told by someone famous in Blizzard (can't say who), They copied GW mostly on WC and SC, but then GW started to copy right back, SC was a straight up rip off but than GW copied the races that Blizzard used.

example:

(D&D)Space Elves (spelljammer)


-> Eldar (GW)


-> became Protos (Blizzard)


-> became Tau(GW)

[Verdugo]

(I hope EA buys the GW licenses and hands them off to Bioware.)

Goddamnit no! What the hell we would get. Imperium with morals? Interspecies sex? Eye of Terror permanently sealed? Tricolor ending? Even I cant comprehend the amount of bullshit Bioware would be capable of.

-> became Tau(GW)

Tau may be aliens with caste systems but thats where simmilarities end. They have no psychic power, are strong atheists and sceptics and dont destroy entire worlds "just cause" (in fact, they are the only ones who dont do that in wh40k universe).

[LilSaihah]

I can't really see the connection between Eldar and Protoss visually, myself. I hear it a lot but I can't see it. Tau and Protoss I can see, but not Eldar.

Goddamnit no! What the hell we would get. Imperium with morals? Interspecies sex? Eye of Terror permanently sealed? Tricolor ending? Even I cant comprehend the amount of bullshit Bioware would be capable of.

CONTROL THE CHAOS GODS
MERGE CHAOS AND THE EMPEROR
DESTROY THE WARP

I can see it now.

[Dahak]

In the interest of some continuity, since the original question has been firmly answered...
Games Workshop/Citadel Miniatures originally had a contract to produce a LOTR game, WAY back. That contract ended, leaving them with a lot of models, and nothing to do with them.
They then created Warhammer as a way to use those assets, which is why the basic layout of 1st edition is so similar to LOTR.
Warhammer developed it's own history and world (as did 40k). They are no longer (and haven't been for at least 20 years) a rip-off of LOTR, and have a very detailed and complex multiverse, rich in lore and backstory. And Matt Ward screwing with things and making long-term fans facepalm.

Warcraft: Orcs and Humans, as a rebranded Warhammer: Orcs and Humans, along with Starcraft, were made as Warhammer games. When the license was removed, rather than waste all the money they put into development, they hashed out the basic Warcraft and Starcraft. The games (including expansions) after those first ones are original, and make a distinctive effort to distance themselves from their origins. Warcraft now has a reasonably detailed world, rich in lore and backstory. And Richard Knaak scriwing with things and making long-term fans facepalm.

[Gothicshark]

Goddamnit no! What the hell we would get. Imperium with morals? Interspecies sex? Eye of Terror permanently sealed? Tricolor ending? Even I cant comprehend the amount of bullshit Bioware would be capable of.

The errors of the EM3 ending do not change the fact that some of the best story telling in video game history has come out of Bioware. Also they control Mythic now and have the Fantasy Licenses.

---------- Post added 2012-12-25 at 12:45 AM ----------

I can't really see the connection between Eldar and Protoss visually, myself. I hear it a lot but I can't see it. Tau and Protoss I can see, but not Eldar.

Sorry for size, but to see the eldar up close in full gear as they are played.



Also Eldar, especially Dark Eldar play exactly like Protos.

CONTROL THE CHAOS GODS
MERGE CHAOS AND THE EMPEROR
DESTROY THE WARP

I can see it now.

LOL, funny.

[Verdugo]

And Richard Knaak scriwing with things and making long-term fans facepalm.

At least Grottos writings can be considered as "propaganda" of the Imperium. Everything that Knaak spits is 100% canon.

The errors of the EM3 ending do not change the fact that some of the best story telling in video game history has come out of Bioware. Also they control Mythic now and have the Fantasy Licenses.

Its still doesnt change the fact that their writing style is too idealistic for WH style.

[Deleted]

Typical idiotic mmo champ discussion going no where.

Infracted. Please post constructively.

[Gothicshark]

At least Grottos writings can be considered as "propaganda" of the Imperium. Everything that Knaak spits is 100% canon.



Its still doesnt change the fact that their writing style is too idealistic for WH style.

True, since Micheal Moorcock is a major source of Lore for GW I doubt any North American publisher has it in them to reach the dark pits of chaos that GW has in its lore.

---------- Post added 2012-12-25 at 12:57 AM ----------

Tau may be aliens with caste systems but thats where simmilarities end. They have no psychic power, are strong atheists and sceptics and dont destroy entire worlds "just cause" (in fact, they are the only ones who dont do that in wh40k universe).

Actually they took the physical style of the Protos more than anything, in the typical FU type of coping, instead of bad ass ancient warriors they are young techno hippies who fight for the greater good.

The Tau out of their armor and Mecha look just like the Protos and Draenei

[Tastyfish]

how is Everquest better than WoW?

Time active, and amount of expantions. Player designed gear.... WOW is superior, just saying that EQ does have a few things (minor) on it, still.