Minimum System Requirements
Pentium/Athlon 800 MHz
256 MB RAM
Windows 98SE/2000/XP
3.5GB Hard Disk Space
Direct X 9.0C
Broadband Internet connection 128kbps or higher
Direct X compatible sound card
Supported Direct 3D compatible Video Card
Minimum video cards: ATI 8500 or GeForce 3 or above (not MX)

Recommended System Requirements
Pentium/Athlon 1.5 GHz or higher
512 MB RAM
Windows XP
3.5GB Hard Disk Space
Direct X 9.0C
Broadband Internet connection 512kbps or higher
Direct X compatible sound card
Recommended video cards: Radeon 9600 SE series or GeForce FX5200 or higher
Not compatible with all integrated sound/graphics solutions (inc. Laptops)

Test System
(Sager 9860C Laptop - Upgraded)
Intel P4E 3.2GHZ
2GB Ram
Windows XP
80GB Serial ATA Hard Disk
Direct X 9.0C
10mb Internet connection
Creative Labs Audigy 2 PCMCIA Sound Card
GeForce GO 6800 PCI Express DDR-2 256MB

Intro

RF Online is a MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) where three races battle it out in Race Vs. Race Vs. Race PvP action for the worlds resources in an epic Sci-Fi Fantasy world.

Always looking for a daunting challenge and something new to play, I picked up RF Online with little knowledge on the game. After a couple weeks of playing, I'm going to bring you all my thoughts and opinions on a game that is trying to break into the very delicate market that is MMORPGs.

First off, if you are looking for something new and refreshing, RF Online isn't going to be it. However, it does offer solid PvP, a challenging grind, and a lot of interesting places to travel to. The entire game centers on daily Race Vs. Race Vs. Race "Chip Wars." The Chip Wars are a daily battle, in which each faction fights for the right to have uncontested mining opportunity in the Crag Mine Core. Here you mine for precious ore, which are used in crafting items or to sell.

So what is a "Force," you might ask. Basically Force is just another name for Spells. Most Forces give you buffs and healing. However some can also deal damage just like any other spell from other MMORPGs. The difference in RF Online over others is the way they skill up. Instead of skilling up a basic magic skill or healing skill that covers all spells under that trait. Each one must be done individually. So besides the normal grind of Experience Points, you also have to "grind" your class abilities. Each time you use an ability, it gains a percentage out of 100% for each level. This can be good or bad depending upon how you look at it. In some ways it keeps you from being power leveled. If you don't raise your skills, you can't get to the next tier of abilities to use. So you will find yourself at level twenty with level one abilities and no way of skilling them up efficiently or at all. However, if you forget to buy a Force (Spell/Buff) at low levels, you could find yourself spending hours as you get more into the game doing nothing but leveling them up. So when starting the game, make sure to pick and choose your abilities wisely to not leave yourself out in the cold when it comes time to wanting those tier 2 Forces.