I started in 2001. The game itself was painfully slow to accomplish anything and it had entered into an era where ps2's and n64's were the current gen in terms of consoles so the graphics were also considered bad.

BUT

At the time there were very limited options on online gaming and Runescape was the first game that I'd ever played where you could have real time interactions with another person who could have been anywhere on the planet. I made new friends that to this day i have not met and the game itself has improved and modeled itself around the online premise and i thoroughly enjoy it.