# Free-form RPGs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 20, 2003, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-form-rpgs/149743 "2003-01-20T04:45:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![hobbes730](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/97f17d/32.png) [@hobbes730](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hobbes730)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-form-rpgs/149743/1 "2003-01-20T04:45:54Z")
I’m looking to get into the genre, and I’m wondering where to start. I played Alleria off and on a while back, it was pretty fun, but I’m looking for a little more variety. I’m looking for something with a solid history, large population, diversity, etc etc… and definitely something free. Having said that, can anybody recommend me a good free-form RPG? (feel free to turn this into a “My favorite RPG” thread") ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-form-rpgs/149743/2 "2003-01-20T05:10:20Z")
Having it be free makes things hard. There’s always Nethack. Dink Smallwood is free, but you get what you pay for (not that it isn’t funny) But, if you want the ULTIMATE RPG experience, free or otherwise, check out Progress Quest. [http://progressquest.com/](http://progressquest.com/) No, seriously: check it out, and stick with it. It’s got everything that makes an RPG an RPG. And the most intuitive user interface EVER envisioned. ---
**Author:** ![kgriffey79](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/2bfe46/32.png) [@kgriffey79](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kgriffey79)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-form-rpgs/149743/3 "2003-01-20T08:47:57Z")
Umm, how can you play this game, i loaded it and it just played for me! I just sat there while it killed stuff and sold the loot!!! ---
**Author:** ![BraheSilver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@BraheSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BraheSilver)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-form-rpgs/149743/4 "2003-01-20T08:57:59Z")
Hark! The fabled +5 Helm of Wooshing! ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-form-rpgs/149743/5 "2003-01-20T09:13:58Z")
lol. That’s hilarious _watches her character run around doing stuff_ ---
**Author:** ![ShadowWarrior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7993a0/32.png) [@ShadowWarrior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowWarrior)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-form-rpgs/149743/6 "2003-01-20T10:36:34Z")
I can’t even download it \ ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-form-rpgs/149743/7 "2003-01-20T12:14:41Z")
ShadowWarrior… it does exactly what griffey says it does. Kills stuff and sells the loot while you watch it run. ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-form-rpgs/149743/8 "2003-01-20T12:16:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BraheSilver \* > \*\*Hark! The fabled +5 Helm of Wooshing! \*\* Pffft. 4th post in, and already this has turned into a monty haul thread! ---
**Author:** ![CBCD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@CBCD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBCD)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-form-rpgs/149743/9 "2003-01-20T13:22:08Z")
Ah! Progress Quest! ‘Fetch me a woodchuck’. It does say it all about RPGs, doesn’t it? I played as a demi-Canadien. ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-form-rpgs/149743/10 "2003-01-20T14:58:23Z")
**Apos** , that is hysterical! Thanks for pointing it out. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowWarrior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7993a0/32.png) [@ShadowWarrior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowWarrior)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-form-rpgs/149743/11 "2003-01-20T15:40:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Obsidian Flutterby \* > \*\*ShadowWarrior… it does exactly what griffey says it does. Kills stuff and sells the loot while you watch it run. \*\* yeah, but that doesn’t explain why I can’t even download it… ---
**Author:** ![robertliguori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/46a35a/32.png) [@robertliguori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robertliguori)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-form-rpgs/149743/12 "2003-01-20T17:27:31Z")
Hey! Someone ported Dungeon Siege! ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-form-rpgs/149743/13 "2003-01-20T19:20:07Z")
My tongueblade can kick your tongueblade’s ass. Has anybody figured out how to enable 3d mode yet?! ---
**Author:** ![hobbes730](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/97f17d/32.png) [@hobbes730](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hobbes730)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-form-rpgs/149743/14 "2003-01-20T19:23:20Z")
Thanks for the responses, but if you’ll notice I was asking about **Free-form** RPGs, where you (generally) post your actions on a bulletin board and a moderator governs the outcome. ---
**Author:** ![hobbes730](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/97f17d/32.png) [@hobbes730](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hobbes730)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-form-rpgs/149743/15 "2003-01-21T21:03:27Z")
Bump. ---
**Author:** ![dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorkusmalorkusmafia/32/7266_2.png) [@dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorkusmalorkusmafia)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-form-rpgs/149743/16 "2003-01-21T21:43:13Z")
It sounds like you are looking for a play by email game. The link provided has some good places to start. There are also several places that you can look through Yahoo. Do a search there for PBEM or Play by Email and you will be directed to a bunch of different lists. ---
**Author:** ![dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorkusmalorkusmafia/32/7266_2.png) [@dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorkusmalorkusmafia)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-form-rpgs/149743/17 "2003-01-21T21:45:51Z")
Shadowwarrior, I can send you a copy of the other game. Luckily the licensing agreement is very lax. You may not be able to download it because you are in the UK but this will bypass it. Check your email in about 15 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowWarrior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7993a0/32.png) [@ShadowWarrior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowWarrior)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-form-rpgs/149743/18 "2003-01-22T10:20:45Z")
thanks dorkus - actaully the download starting working not long after my last post. I used to run a Play-by-email game - it was great fun, but eventually collapsed when players stopped responding quickly enough (or at all) - lasted about 3 months in all ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-form-rpgs/149743/19 "2003-01-22T10:28:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dorkusmalorkusmafia \* > \*\*It sounds like you are looking for a play by email game. The link provided has some good places to start. There are also several places that you can look through Yahoo. Do a search there for PBEM or Play by Email and you will be directed to a bunch of different lists. \*\* We;;. hell. If it’s PBeMs he’s after, I have oodles of those. Is there a particular game you’re after? Amber, D&D, Vampire, etc? ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-form-rpgs/149743/20 "2003-01-22T14:01:44Z")
My skraeling Tickle-Mimic just picked up a kobold penis! What an utterly bizarre thing to do. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-form-rpgs/149743.md?page=2)