The average computer a player was using in 2004 to log in:
- Many were still using a 4:3 CRT monitor (LCD existed but was not popular yet) and a desktop computer to play. Most laptops didn't have enough power to run the game smoothly.
- Processor speeds were 2.0 - 3.4 Ghz
- Memory: 1 - 4 Gigabytes of RAM
- 3D cards had 256 or 512 megabytes ram
- People were using Windows XP, but some were still using Windows 2000 or earlier
- The game had to be installed via CD/DVDRom drive. The game was on 4 CDs (5 for the "Game of the Year" edition) which needed to be installed, and then patching had to happen. You could not download the initial game, and initial patch downloads could take an hour or more.
- Some players played via dialup modem, and this made their characters jump around as they walked when viewed by other players