Free (Massively) Multiplayer Online Gaming
After playing millions of them, talking to people about them, I decided to write a guide entry on them.
Overview What actually are they, and what aren't they?
Everquest, Earth and Beyond, Ultima Online - these are NOT free multiplayer online games. You have to pay for them all, monthly, yearly or whatever.
There are thousands of free multiplayer online games. If you don't believe me, check MPOGD.com for some of the latest ones. MPOGD also hosts a monthly chart.
Some games, like the ones you find on Shockwave are online games, but not what I am talking about. Some of the Shockwave games do allow more than one person to play, but they are not Massively Multiplayer.
Massively Multiplayer Online games (MMOG's) involve many people from across the globe, all coming together to play, sometimes in teams. There are many categories of MMOG's, which brings us on to the next secton.
Types of Online Games MMORPG's, PBEM, Strategy, Action...
First of all, all the games I am going to mention are free, none are Pay2Play (P2P), I hate P2P games, with the exception of Earth and Beyond maybe, so I am going to steer clear of them in this entry.
The most common type of Online game is the strategy type. They come in many forms, but most are the same deep down, just with different settings (Future, past, present, other worlds etc.). Check Fatelords for a decent example of the most common type of strategy (and indeed the most common) Online Game. Fatelords comes in later though.
Play By E-mail (PBEM) has been going on for a very long time. There are thousands of Star Trek PBEM's, check out Bravo Fleet for a selection! PBEM usually invloves RP (Role Playing - playing as a fictional character either you made up, or was made up for you), such as the Star Trek simulations. However, there are a few strategy titles, suck as Powers Edge, but they can be slow, and are tick-based (scroll a bit further down for that).
Then we get on to Action, adventure, Role-playing. Most take the form of normal game genres, so I wont go into that.
Timing Real-time, turn-based, tick-based- Real-time - Anything you do is done straight away, you can do as much as you like, usually when you like.
- Turn-based - During periods of inactivity, or at certain times, you gain turns, which you use to do certain things, these certain thing are also instant.
- Tick-Based - Every (lets say 3 hours, it differs from 30 seconds, to a day) another tick goes by, and you get another chance to do something, you are limited to what you can do, and then you have to wait for the next tick before doing anything else. Sometimes what you do takes place straight away, sometimes at the end of the tick.
Software Software based, Shockwave, Flash, Browser only...
Many games (Such as Fatelords) are playable just in your browser, they require no plugin, no software to download. Some games (Wulfram2) require you to download some software and install it, just like a normal game, usually much smaller though! Some games require a plugin to your browser - Shockwave, Flash, 3dGroove, or even custom stuff that the makers of the game made.
Whatever it uses, it achieves the same results...FUN!
Examples
Just a little hand-picked directory of the few examples we have mentioned, I have played all of these, so I can give my opinion.
TVSOnline - Also hosts 'It's War!', TVSOnline is a superb strategy/RPG, team-based, browser-based, tick-based. You play in a space-ship fighting for your team, earning points as you fight, which add to your total. When your total reaches a certain amount you level up - this means your statistics are improved, which makes you stronger. There is a turn every 3 hours 24/7. This game seriously takes over your life, some people in TVSOnline stay up all night playing!!
Fatelords - Mentioned earlier. Tick-based (15 minutes), browser-based, alliances allowed, strategy. Restarts every so often, currently in the second round. Very good, very polished space strategy game. You take over planets, micro-manage the resources and the buildings, then build up an army to take over your enemies planets. The person with the highest points (determined by planets, military power, resources etc.) at the end of the round wins, but I don't think they get anything!!
Wulfram 2 - Real-time, action, software based, 3d first person, team-based (but on the spot). Dated graphics, and a steep learning curve defines this awesome tank fighting game. Your have a base which you must defend, while destroying the other teams base, to win, you must destroy all the enemies repair pads (where dead people respawn) and kill all the team members. Great fun, you have the option to attack, defend or build up the base. Set in the future, your tanks hover and you have a variety of weapons at your disposal. Absolutely brilliant! Second to TVSOnline.
Where can I find more!
So I've got you hooked? Check these directories out:
MPOGD.com - mentioned. Big, commercial, has a lot, but beware, some of the games cost!! Has a monthly chart which YOU vote for.
Game2k.com - A once stop directory for games overall, but it has a section for online games. Some free, some costing, check the beta ones for free games.
Multiplayer.com - May seem quiet, but updates now and then, has a lot of games, again, some pay, and it doesn't tell you which ones!
Top Web Games - Second to MPOGD.com, has a weekly chart but not a big list of games.
Gamesdex - Has loads of games, but they are difficult to find, awkward layout. Has a chart, but don't trust it. Ragnarok Online has been on it for ages, but Ragnarok is closed at the moment!!
Closing Comments I hope I haven't ruined your life by introducing you to these games, they really sap your time away, and before you know it, your phone bill comes through...Grab a chair...
Seriously though, The games I have mentioned are all great, I play them regularly, if you see someone called davesoms or Jalada, it's probably me, so say Hi!!
If you need any advice about Free Massively Multiplayer online guides, then post to this entry, and I'll try and get in touch, I'm afraid I can't really give out an e-mail address. Sorry.
See you in the games!!
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Jalada
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