# Free MMORRPGs(or however the acronym goes)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-mmorrpgs-or-however-the-acronym-goes/190250>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [July 22, 2003, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-mmorrpgs-or-however-the-acronym-goes/190250 "2003-07-22T22:17:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-mmorrpgs-or-however-the-acronym-goes/190250/21 "2003-07-25T11:57:31Z")

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I’m not sure what a copy of UO will run you now. I got mine from a friend who didn’t play it anymore. I’m sure you could find the disks floating around somewhere used, maybe on ebay. Once you get them, you have to do a full install, including patches, but you don’t have to start an account…

Hmm…here’s a link that’ll give you a jump start: [http://www.fekt.de/help/newbiefaq.html](http://www.fekt.de/help/newbiefaq.html)

Remember, the free shards are run by enthusiasts. They won’t be as heavily populated as UO’s official servers (in the brief time I played around with it, the most heavily populated one I saw had, maybe 40 or 50 people on it?) and the code isn’t quite as polished either. You also have to worry about things like the shard operator’s cat taking a whiz on the server and bringing it down temporarily. 🙂 But, hey, it’s free. Sorta.

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**Author:** ![Alereon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alereon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alereon)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-mmorrpgs-or-however-the-acronym-goes/190250/22 "2003-08-06T02:27:37Z")

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[Runescape](http://www.runescape.com)

Runescape is a completely free, graphical Java-based (thus guaranteed to run on almost ANY computer) MMORPG. It’s medievil/fantasy based, with the whole run-around-with-swords-bashing-things motif, but also has a large array of skills and quests. There is a Members version available for $5 per month (which I strongly recommend) that expands the game world and allows new weapons, magical spells, and skills, but it is by no means necessary to enjoy the game.

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**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-mmorrpgs-or-however-the-acronym-goes/190250/23 "2003-08-06T03:36:17Z")

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There’s also [Dransik](http://www.dransik.com), which, while not free, IS a free download and comes with a free month. After that, the monthly charge is about 8-10 bucks. It’s sprite based, like UO, but _better_.

And no, I’m not just saying that because I’m one of the devs. 🙂

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**Author:** ![Super\_Gnat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Super\_Gnat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Super_Gnat)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-mmorrpgs-or-however-the-acronym-goes/190250/24 "2003-08-06T03:55:16Z")

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List of totally free MMORPGs from MPODG.

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