Anarchy Online

What is it?: An online role playing game, 2001, Windows.
What computer or emulator will it run on?: A Pentium II, better Pentium III.
Tags: 3D, Surround Gaming, post-apocalyptic.

In dark alleys, beneath gleaming towers and the incandescent, hypnotic glow of glooming streetlights, under scorching twin suns far into the arid desert, on the outer fringes of the known universe, settlers and fortune hunters, corporate climbers and rebels vie for fame and glory. Choose your allegiance with care—your choice will forge our future.

Developed by Funcom Productions, Oslo, the makers of The Longest Journey, Anarchy Online was the first MMORPG in a science fiction setting, taking place in the year 30000.

Solitus: Similar to humans, these are good allrounders.
Opifex: With high agility and senses, but low stamina, they are similar to the elves in fantasy RPGs. Good as thieves.
Nano: As the name suggests, these intelligent but weak creatures make good nanotechnicians.
Atrox: These genderless brutes are all brawn and no brain.

Once you have decided on breed and gender, and have customized your appearance, you can choose one of twelve (or fourteen, if you have upgraded to the Shadowlands expansion pack) professions, ordered here by increasing difficulty:

Enforcer: Rather straightforward fighters depending on others to heal them.
Martial Artist: After the doctor and the adventurer the third best healer in the game.
Adventurer: An allrounder, and probably a good profession for a loner.
Soldier: Not quite as easy to play as the enforcer, the soldier relies more on defense and nanotechnology.
Doctor: Their medical knowledge also helps them against enemies. Weak on their own, they are invaluable in a team.
Fixer: They can hack into The Grid and thus transport themselves and their team anywhere in no time. For combat they prefer submachine guns.
Keeper (Shadowlands): Sort of a Paladin, SF style.
Nano Technician: A profession of medium difficulty. The name says it all: they rely solely on nanotechnology.
Engineer: They excel in constructing powerful battledroids and have access to unique nanotechnology to enhance and repair them.
Meta-Physicist: Similar to the nano technician, but more difficult to play.
Agent: Stealth, sniping and nanotechnology.
Bureaucrat: Good at nanotechnology, and natural leaders.
Shade (Shadowlands): A mix between a predator and a parasite. Shades can't wear any armor, but have nanotechnologiacally enhanced tattoos grafted into their skin to give them some protection (Planescape: Torment, anyone?).
Trader: In combat situations, they use unique nanotechnology which enables them to drain opponents of skills, energy and health, transfering those benefits to themselves or their allies.

How to configure Surround Gaming for Anarchy Online

At login screen, click 'Settings'.
Then, click 'Advanced Visual Settings'.
Then, click 'Change Graphics Device Settings'.
Set your resolution to 1920×480×32
In-game, use F8 to switch to 3rd person view (allows camera adjustment).
Use numpad +/– to zoom in and out.
Use numpad 4 and 6 to rotate camera.
Use numpad 8 and 2 to tilt camera.

Anarchy Online Homepage