For anyone who doesn't want to read the post and just know the question. It is...
Where did Diablo II's interface stylings originate from? What ancestral game (if any) preceded Diablo II to cause this form of interface/gameplay style to be used? (if you're not going to read the post, then I'll add, we're talking "precisely" almost down to window positioning and screen percentage measurement, not, "you shoot fireballs in one game, and you shoot fireballs in the other")
Reasoning for this Thread:
I was having a conversation with a friend about how similar Aion was to WoW, in terms of interface/execution. The interface is extremely similar, game play, down to holding down left and right clickers was the same. Character management and inventory system also shared extreme similarities. Even their Flight Path type of interface used grossly the same interface. (same modal box size, same layout, same positioning of elements, list style, etcetera) This all excludes the combat "chain" system which is present in the game, along with the flying, and character customization are really some of the only unique aspects. (then again, if you didn't put something unique in the game it'd be almost a clone, and not worthy of developing)
He argued that, it wasn't similar, just that every single similarity the interface, controls, and UI elements shared to WoW were simply, "standard." I later researched in to previous MMO's such as Matrix Online, Earth and Beyond, Everquest, Ragnarok Online, Star Wars Galaxies, Eve Online, Neverwinter Nights, etcetera, and I found the definition of "standard" seemed to be relative, being that all these games had interfaces fairly different from WoW's by the same standards.
The only games that really shared similarities that were so strong were Everquest, WoW, and Aion.
Everquest I can't account for why, is so similar to WoW. WoW's interface is simply channeled mostly from Diablo II's, and Aion, well, Aion just seemed to copy the biggest most successful MMO in history, (WoW) which is a smart move right? The best business model for them would be to take que's from the most successful competitor.
That question leads me to this, if WoW's ancestral interface came primarily from Diablo II, and Aion's from WoW. What came before Diablo II that championed the same style of interface?
Loose definition of this interface style:
A singular Move/Action bar lined up horizontally at the bottom of the screen.
Square action icons within a frame. (seems mundane, but this didn't HAVE to be designed like this)
Character management system with imagery of the character in the center, and slots for equipment on or around the characters' persons.
Square/Grided inventory management system. (again, doesn't seem very special, but think about it, they could've chosen a plain 'list' like Final Fantasy or some other form of management)
Possibly any other similarities you can see.
It's also staunchly amazing how the games that seemed to share the greatest similarities to Diablo II's interface also ended up being the most successful amongst their competition.
Anyone see a pattern, in the fact that character customization and equipments appear on the "right" side of the screen in Aion, WoW, and Diablo II, and moves/build customization appears on the "left" side? Who started that trend? Because it seems to be almost a brainwash by developers to mysteriously all do the exact same thing. I've yet to see a developer, that didn't follow that pattern. (again, a sign of influence or unconscious inspiration by a predecessor)
Also can anyone clarify why Everquest and WoW's interface seem to be very similar to each other and Diablo II's when every other MMO on the market didn't seem to go the same route as them when they were released?
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Where did Diablo II's interface stylings originate from? What ancestral game (if any) preceded Diablo II to cause this form of interface/gameplay style to be used? (if you're not going to read the post, then I'll add, we're talking "precisely" almost down to window positioning and screen percentage measurement, not, "you shoot fireballs in one game, and you shoot fireballs in the other")
Reasoning for this Thread:
I was having a conversation with a friend about how similar Aion was to WoW, in terms of interface/execution. The interface is extremely similar, game play, down to holding down left and right clickers was the same. Character management and inventory system also shared extreme similarities. Even their Flight Path type of interface used grossly the same interface. (same modal box size, same layout, same positioning of elements, list style, etcetera) This all excludes the combat "chain" system which is present in the game, along with the flying, and character customization are really some of the only unique aspects. (then again, if you didn't put something unique in the game it'd be almost a clone, and not worthy of developing)
He argued that, it wasn't similar, just that every single similarity the interface, controls, and UI elements shared to WoW were simply, "standard." I later researched in to previous MMO's such as Matrix Online, Earth and Beyond, Everquest, Ragnarok Online, Star Wars Galaxies, Eve Online, Neverwinter Nights, etcetera, and I found the definition of "standard" seemed to be relative, being that all these games had interfaces fairly different from WoW's by the same standards.
The only games that really shared similarities that were so strong were Everquest, WoW, and Aion.
Everquest I can't account for why, is so similar to WoW. WoW's interface is simply channeled mostly from Diablo II's, and Aion, well, Aion just seemed to copy the biggest most successful MMO in history, (WoW) which is a smart move right? The best business model for them would be to take que's from the most successful competitor.
That question leads me to this, if WoW's ancestral interface came primarily from Diablo II, and Aion's from WoW. What came before Diablo II that championed the same style of interface?
Loose definition of this interface style:
A singular Move/Action bar lined up horizontally at the bottom of the screen.
Square action icons within a frame. (seems mundane, but this didn't HAVE to be designed like this)
Character management system with imagery of the character in the center, and slots for equipment on or around the characters' persons.
Square/Grided inventory management system. (again, doesn't seem very special, but think about it, they could've chosen a plain 'list' like Final Fantasy or some other form of management)
Possibly any other similarities you can see.
It's also staunchly amazing how the games that seemed to share the greatest similarities to Diablo II's interface also ended up being the most successful amongst their competition.
Anyone see a pattern, in the fact that character customization and equipments appear on the "right" side of the screen in Aion, WoW, and Diablo II, and moves/build customization appears on the "left" side? Who started that trend? Because it seems to be almost a brainwash by developers to mysteriously all do the exact same thing. I've yet to see a developer, that didn't follow that pattern. (again, a sign of influence or unconscious inspiration by a predecessor)
Also can anyone clarify why Everquest and WoW's interface seem to be very similar to each other and Diablo II's when every other MMO on the market didn't seem to go the same route as them when they were released?