Don't know how Funcom will make it work, but NeoWin is reporting that AO (I suppose it is the basic version) is free until sometime in 2007. They are remarketing the game as a sci-fi alterntive for all you Guild Wars and
WoW fans.
More here:
http://www.neowin.net/comments.php?c...amers&id=30387
I played the free version for a bit after the first release, and they didn't entice me to buy the expansions, but maybe this is your cup o' joe.