Talking of Free MMORPGs
#1
Hi Lurkers,

I came accross an interesting piece of news today:

http://www.funcom.com/funcom/news/press_re...2-15.3371778497

Short version? If you sign up for Anarchy Online before January 15th you can play for free for one year. Yup, that's right, one year of free online gaming.

Good? Bad? It works just for the original game (with no expansion packs), and I have no idea what AO is about (other that they're bleeding customers like crazy these days). But, in the spirit of other free trials we've had in the past here at the Lounge, like the Saga of Ryzom, Lineage II or Knight Online, a few Lurkers may be interested in this (Hi Lochnar, Tai, Jim! ;) ).

I may be up to something but this weekend I'll be busy, and next one I'm going to Spain until the 10th of January :)
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#2
I may need to try this out.

Thanks for putting this up. I'll try and download it this weekend.


My feeling on MMORPGs is that if they are charging monthly fees than the initial game should be cheap! As in the cost of production or less (read as: bargain bin price at the store or free download - providing the game manual in .pdf would be a nice bonus too :) ). That or the monthly fee should be extremely cheap. A game that offers both a single player and multiplayer function would obvoiusly get more leeway than a game that's online only.
The Bill of No Rights
The United States has become a place where entertainers and professional athletes are mistaken for people of importance. Robert A. Heinlein
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#3
I haven't spent too much time researching the site, but I believe the subscription only applies to the original game, sans expansion pack.

Still amazing good, but thought I'd point it out before anyone spends too much time looking at expansion information!

Cheers,

Munk
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#4
Huh? What? Did someone say something about free gaming? :P

It does look like something different that might be worth looking into. Unfortunately, it comes at a time that I have developed a terrible addiction to another little title whose name I shall not mention. I have a month to think about it but I suspect that, if the word is spread by forums like this, they will fall back on this clause:
Quote:You can play free of charge until 1\1 2006. Should Funcom deem that a too high-increase in server load or other unforeseen events will lessen the experience for existing players the offer will be terminated at our discretion.
Lochnar[ITB]
Freshman Diablo

[Image: jsoho8.png][Image: 10gmtrs.png]

"I reject your reality and substitute my own."
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#5
I'm all over this. A year's free gaming is too good to pass up. I'm downloading the client now (hey look they do bittorrent the RIGHT way, with a REAL client!), and I've already registered an account.

Thanks for the heads up. I'm just mad you scooped me on this freebie :angry:
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#6
LochnarITB,Dec 16 2004, 04:47 PM Wrote:I have a month to think about it but I suspect that, if the word is spread by forums like this, they will fall back on this clause:
[right][snapback]62983[/snapback][/right]

I just checked some various freebie sites, and this offer is on all of them.
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#7
Just a reminder to always read the fine print. I was just reading my registration confirmation email.

Quote:Thank you for becoming a member of Anarchy Online, the world’s leading
SCI-FI Online universe! Now that you have registered your information
with us, you can log in to the game and enter the exciting, futuristic
world of Rubi-Ka with no fees for basic Anarchy Online until January of
2006! (This is a savings of: $179.40!)

No charges will be made unless you decide to start subscribing to any of
the Anarchy Online expansion packs. The free trial is considered a purchase
unless you cancel before the free period is over at 1/1 - 2006. If you do
not cancel you will be billed in accordance with the recurring plan you
select in the registration, if you have chosen to enter your credit card
information.

Remember to cancel your account BEFORE 1/1/06.
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#8
No thanks, currently I'm indulged in saving Paragon City from villainous scum with the aids of the pals from Amazon Basin, my freebie seeking hands are at rest, for now :D
"Turn the key deftly in the oiled wards, and seal the hushed casket of my soul" - John Keats, "To Sleep"
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#9
So, uh -- does anyone know how to play this game? Any tips for newbies?
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#10
DeeBye,Dec 16 2004, 08:00 PM Wrote:So, uh -- does anyone know how to play this game?  Any tips for newbies?
[right][snapback]63009[/snapback][/right]

Don't? I played in the open beta a while ago, and there is nothing I can recommend about this game beyond it being free. The graphics may be unique if unprofessional, but the gameplay is the most basic of pointless grinding that there can be. This latest stunt is probably a desperation move out of them being in financial trouble for falling quite behind all of their competitors, and in my view it's for them failing to offer anything worthwhile at all.
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#11
Well, so far I've started and I've been asked to kindly go and kill some rats ^_^

I don't think I'm going to hand my spandex over for this game, but hey, it is free after all.

(It still baffles me that a supposedly techno-future themed game still requires me to go out and kill hapless furry tiny creatures with swords as a rite of passage for my newbie characters).

EDIT: erm, nonsensical grammar is not as funny as you'd think.
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#12
I downloaded this game and have been playing for a few days. Have a level 9 soldier on server 1. Not too bad for a freebie.
The Bill of No Rights
The United States has become a place where entertainers and professional athletes are mistaken for people of importance. Robert A. Heinlein
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#13
Well, since I'm currently lacking in funds, am somewhat bored with my current games, and always on the lookout for something to do, looks like Im going to give AO a chance after all. Downloading now...is it strange to have a download speed of 15 and an upload speed of 40 with BitTorrent?
"You can build a perfect machine out of imperfect parts."
-Urza

He's an old-fashioned Amish cyborg with no name. She's a virginal nymphomaniac fairy princess married to the Mob. Together, they fight crime!

The Blizzcon Class Discussion:
Crowd: "Our qq's will blot out the sun"
Warlocks: "Then we will pewpew in the shade"
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#14
Urza-DSF,Dec 19 2004, 10:59 PM Wrote:Downloading now...is it strange to have a download speed of 15 and an upload speed of 40 with BitTorrent?
[right][snapback]63185[/snapback][/right]

That's not strange at all.
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#15
Hmm, guess I was lucky with a speed that started at 15 down and 19 up. Later it went to 29 down and 26 up B)
The Bill of No Rights
The United States has become a place where entertainers and professional athletes are mistaken for people of importance. Robert A. Heinlein
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#16
jahcs,Dec 20 2004, 12:48 PM Wrote:Hmm, guess I was lucky with a speed that started at 15 down and 19 up.  Later it went to 29 down and 26 up B)
[right][snapback]63213[/snapback][/right]

Yep, did the same for me, then finally settled around 40-60 as it finally finished downloading.

Now I just need to figure ou what Im suppost to do about these items and stats...
"You can build a perfect machine out of imperfect parts."
-Urza

He's an old-fashioned Amish cyborg with no name. She's a virginal nymphomaniac fairy princess married to the Mob. Together, they fight crime!

The Blizzcon Class Discussion:
Crowd: "Our qq's will blot out the sun"
Warlocks: "Then we will pewpew in the shade"
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#17
DeeBye,Dec 16 2004, 10:44 PM Wrote:Just a reminder to always read the fine print.  I was just reading my registration confirmation email.
Remember to cancel your account BEFORE 1/1/06.
[right][snapback]62999[/snapback][/right]

Or don't provide credit card info...
Former www.diablo2.com webmaster.

When in deadly danger,
When beset by doubt,
Run in little circles,
Wave your arms and shout.
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#18
Hi Lurkers,

Well, I came across mention of an apparently newish free MMORG today:

http://www.megagames.com/news/html/freegam...universal.shtml


The company's site is:

http://www.theuniversal.net/


I haven't tried it or explored the Universal web site much. Some worlds are apparently wierd (and maybe poorly designed), but the zaniness of it all should appeal to some people; it might well generate a love/hate type reaction.

"Each world can be a totally different experience: some are cool, some are weird, some are easy, some are dangerous, and some are just daft places to sit and chat to your mates while you watch monkeys playing in the sun." Hmmm, DeeBye, that latter sounds like your kind of place! :)

Has anyone here given this a try? Or heard anything about it?

Regards,

Dako-ta


"There is a vast difference between an open mind and one so vacant that the wind blows through."

-- found in a post on a Geology-related forum
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#19
Dako-ta,Dec 25 2004, 08:34 PM Wrote:Hi Lurkers,

Well, I came across mention of an apparently newish free MMORG today:

http://www.megagames.com/news/html/freegam...universal.shtml
The company's site is:

http://www.theuniversal.net/
[right][snapback]63552[/snapback][/right]

This actually looks kinda cool. The client is under 8 MB too. I will give this a shot.
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#20
There is always this from Fileplanet too , noticed it yesterday .

Wish is the first Ultra Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (UMMORPGTM), with tens of thousands of simultaneous players in a single world, without any zones or "shards." With Wish's single-world approach, Mutable Realms employs a dedicated Live Story Team whose singular purpose is to keep the game story moving forward, providing a fresh gaming experience for our users each time they play. Beta 2.0 doesn't start until January 1st, but download it now

http://wishvault.ign.com/static.php?page=Welcome
Take care
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