Anarchy Online (AO) is a science fiction MMORPG released in June 2001 by Funcom set on the world of Rubi-Ka and its extra-dimensional twin, the Shadowlands. It is one of the few popular MMORPGs that makes use of a science fiction setting as opposed to the more common fantasy setting.

Background and story

The story is set in the years following June 29475; the current game year is 29482. The story of Anarchy Online revolves primarily around two factions, the hypercorporation Omni-Tek and the rebel worker caste, the Clans. These two factions are fighting for control of Rubi-Ka. In addition to these two, there is a third faction of Neutral observers, people who have decided to take no side in that particular conflict. The war has been waged on and off for centuries. In addition, there have been larger conflicts between Omni-Tek and other corporations over the control of Rubi-Ka.

Rubi-Ka, a seemingly useless desert planet, is of such tremendous importance because it is the only known source in the universe of the fictional substance notum. Omni-Tek, having been granted exclusive ownership rights to the planet, controlled notum for many years and benefited tremendously when it was discovered that the mineral would revolutionize, and eventually become the key component of, nanotechnology. The discovery of notums properties led to the development of technologies that seem very much like magic, including programs that create things such as fire and ice, heal injury, shield people from harm, affect their physical bodies, and even achieve resurrection. Notum even makes its way into the very genetic makeup of some sub-breeds of humans.

Due to Omni-Teks unfettered control of Rubi-Ka, the corporation was largely free to do as it wished with its colonists and the planet. For most of the early years, Omni-Tek did its best to treat its people well, even to the point of receiving commendations for its treatment of workers. However, over the centuries, Omni-Teks policies degraded, until finally, approximately 500 years after the planet was first settled, a significant number of poorly-treated colonists rebelled and began to secretly trade stolen notum to a rival corporation. This led to a series of wars between Omni-Tek and the colonists, and between Omni-Tek and its rival corporations.

The background of the game is described in greater detail in the book Prophet Without Honor: Anarchy Online Book 1, by the Anarchy Online creator Ragnar Tørnquist. A detailed timeline of events, from the discovery of Rubi-Ka until 29479, is available at the official Rubi-Ka Timeline page.

Character creation and professions

After the selection of a breed, players choose from a multitude of faces, their height, and their body size, then select one of 14 professions:

Adventurer, Agent , Bureaucrat , Doctor, Enforcer , Engineer, Fixer, Keeper, Martial, Artist, Meta-Physicist, Nano-Technician, Shade, Soldier, Trader

Gameplay content

Skill system

Base skills:

As in many RPGs, characters in anarchy online credits gain experience points, and thus levels, through defeating enemies and completing missions. However, a characters level has almost no direct impact on his capabilities. Instead, the game is skill-based. Each level awards the character with a number of Improvement Points, which may be spent at any time to raise skills of the players choice. It is these skills that determine what a character is capable of doing. The improvement cost of each skill depends on profession; however, no skill is denied outright to anyone. Since there are 85 improvable skills, character development is flexible and complex.

Perks:

The perk system adds skills to the base skills a player has earned. Players earn one perk point every 10 levels, and one perk point each level after they reach level 200 (40 total points). These are only available to those with the Shadowlands or Alien Invasion expansions.

Research:

Anarchy Onlines third skill system comes in the form of research. Research is gained by designating a percentage of your earned xp towards research lines. This percentage can be changed in real-time with no time limits. Each profession has around 7 unique research lines, each of which have up to 10 levels of improvement. Unlike perk lines, once a player has learned a new line of research it cannot be lost or reset. Research is only available to those with the Lost Eden expansion.

Social

There are a variety of social elements in Anarchy Online, ranging from emotes to social clothing. Over 200 new social clothing items were added with Alien Invasion, on top of the hundreds of existing social clothes. A variety of emotes are also available to express emotions or dance at parties at one of the many night clubs. Several popular shoutcast radio stations like GridStream Productions are operated by players which, among other things, help organize in-game events.
In the 17.8 patch of Anarchy Online, a social equipment tab was also added in order for players to display whatever clothing and armor they wish while still getting the benefits of armor and weapons located in their regular wear tab.

Economy

The in-game currency is the credit. Unlike many MMOs, Anarchy Online has no traditional money-making class. Shops do provide basic items up to a certain quality, but almost all mid- and high-level items must be looted in one way or another. Because of this much of the games economy comes in the form of trade and barter with other players in major cities. Those with goods and services that others want will find no lack of money. For instance an Engineer who has the skills to craft an item, or a Fixer who can acquire items quickly from missions. The Alien Invasion expansion allows organizations to create market buildings where individuals can set up personalized shops.

Additionally, not all items are bought with credits. Victory Points are acquired through PvP battles, Paid Points are bought with real-world money, and Veteran Points are awarded to long-time players. Items acquired through Paid Points and Veteran Points are not beneficial toward the skill of the characters, nor do they serve as a significant advantage over players without these points. Instead, they serve as either social items or items of small conveniences.

Future of Anarchy Online

While the game may have been created in 2001, the game community is still very much alive with the introduction of the free-play program as well as the Lost Eden expansion. Although Funcom is busy preparing two new MMORPGs in various stages of development (Age of Conan, and The Secret World), the company has seen a lot of growth in the last few years and Anarchy Online still appears to be one of their top priorities. In 2007, Anarchy has received major content updates to most of the Shadowlands areas, additions to Alien Invasion content, new Lost Eden items and encounters, and several new high-level encounters on Rubi-Ka. The game was also recently migrated to new blade servers and plans are in the works for a graphics engine overhaul in 2008.