by Lara Roberts

Created on: June 05, 2009

MMORPGS - or to give them their full title, Massively Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Games - are considered to be one of the fastest-growing businesses in the gaming world. With so many to choose from, the genre can seem a confusing place to the unsuspecting newcomer, or "newbie". Questions whirl as you trawl the pages upon pages of MMO lists. What does that mean? What is a "quest"? How do I talk to people? What is this game about?

The last, at least, should be fairly simple to answer. In short, an MMORPG is your average RPG placed firmly into an internet setting, adding the dimension of social interaction to a hobby usually considered solitary, even anti-social. They come in two main types, each of which can be separated into different styles, stories and settings. These types are "F2P", Free to Play, and "P2P", Pay to Play.
P2P, as it says on the tin, is a game that the player must pay for in actuality, whether this be going to the shop to buy a physical copy of the game (an example of this is Guild Wars, which is F2P after you buy the game client) or paying a monthly fee in order to access the main game client (Examples of these include the ever-popular World of Warcraft, and Final Fantasy XI). F2P, on the other hand, means that the game is completely free to download and play, and often these games are kept running by the use of an optional "cash shop", where players can choose to spend their real life money on items to enhance their gameplay.

So which to choose? It all depends on your budget. Some P2P games can carry a hefy monthly price tag, so it is always worth doing your research before you sign up to any of these games: but the good news is many of these companies offer introductory offers at a reduced price - an example being World of Warcraft, which offers 60 day trials for a significantly lower fee - and thus allow you to test drive the game before you make a decision.
However F2P games are only dependent on your own tastes. Since they have no charges attached, you are free to download and try out any game that takes your fancy. Both these types of game can come in all shapes and sizes, from futuristic to fantasy, cutesy graphics to gritty realism and everything inbetween. Make sure you check the market thoroughly for the sort of thing you really like!

Now, on to actual gameplay.

Most MMORPGs follow a simple gameplay pattern, although obviously each has its own special features and quirks that it is well worth investigating before you choose

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