my recommendation is Aion on the InfiniteAion server (private server). It has just as many people and sometimes even more players than on retail. nice graphics but lotsa grinding
It's the same with Perfect World International. It's a very nice game to look at but every quest is either "talk to ___" or "kill 20 _____"
Runescape's basically p2p, with the amount of content you can't access as a free member. A good free TBS\RPG game is Battle for Wesnoth. Otherwise I would second Dungeons and Dragons Online and League of Legends. I'd consider DDO superior to WoW as there is more defined character classes, more tactics and gives you more choice, even if the world isn't quite as open.
Ill say League of Legends if been playing it since Jarvan IV came out (like 7 months ago?) and i still love playing it
Lucent Heart Pick your poison and play on the UK or the US server, I personally like the Moderation on the UK better, but I made some good friends on the US server that I hang out with and play other games with now. Its a Zodiac themed MMO, with a class system based on advancement. Start as a novice and follow the simple starting quest lines to get to your first class of warrior or mage, and branch out from there. I have a high level top teir Mage-type on the US server, or belts out nukes. If you know the combenations well, you can party with some friends for some badassery. The only downside of the game is the Durability of gear. Tip to make best use however is to ONLY REPAIR WHEN BROKEN. since each time you repair lowers the maximum durability by a set amount. Unless using a minotize cloth [event given sometimes I think but its mainly a little cash shop item. ._.; inexpensive though and on the UK server the cash shop isn so much a "cash" shop as an event shop where you spend Stardust Points you receive from moderator driven events.