For The Fun Of It

Here is the release of the new quest Rocking Out ………
Direct quote from Runescape’s Update page:

There are many mysteries of the seas - hidden treasures, ghostly ships, pirate fashion - but few are as intriguing as the tale of Rabid Jack. Revered by a few, feared by many, his name is known by virtually all that sail the seas.

The problem is, no pirate is willing to talk of Rabid Jack. Whether out of terror or a determination to keep his history hidden, the pirates have taken an oath of silence on the subject: particularly annoying for any adventurer who wants to send Rabid Jack to a watery grave.

All is not lost, however, as one pirate has been given charge of the secret. Is it as easy as walking up and talking to him? Arrr, you should know better than that, landlubber! The pirate resides in ‘The Rock’ - an island prison for brigands and buccaneers - and he seems reluctant to pass on information without some assurances.

Needless to say, the path to your goal is a windy one, with some interesting stops on the way. Your path may even cross with the strong-arm of the Customs Office, some pirate implings and a multi-purpose seagull…

Summary
Where to start Rocking Out:

Speak to Bill Teach in Mos Le’Harmless or Port Phasmatys
Requirements to complete Rocking Out:

Level 60 Agility
Level 63 Thieving
Level 66 Crafting
Level 69 Smithing
The Great Brain Robbery
Access to:

A new way to train your Thieving skill
Pirate implings to hunt and catch
New pirate clothing, including reverse and double eye patches!

In other news…

The Menaphite action kilt was appearing as blue in your inventory even though it’s red when you put it on. It’s now correctly showing up as red in your inventory.

Similarly, the iron and steel gauntlets from the Fist of Guthix minigame were the wrong shades of grey, making the iron ones look like steel and the steel ones look like iron. Their colours have been switched round now.

Finally, you can now store broad-tipped bolts in your bolt pouches.

Action kilt? Lame name….

So on with the quest and I’ll be getting it up as soon as I get all the screenies and whatevers done. Sounds interesting! It’s going to be pizza night for us so we can work on it! Smiling!

From Runescape - about reporting people:

6 June 2008 - Reporting Academy Forum Next

We had a great response to our new Forum, the Reporting Academy, which contains useful information about when to send abuse reports. Thank you everyone who posted and asked questions.

The accuracy of the reports coming in has noticeably improved since its release. Due to the level of demand we’ve been experiencing, we have now opened the second section of the Reporting Academy, which is certainly a recommended visit. In the meantime, here are some of the top tips available from the Reporting Academy.

Noob:

Being called a noob can be annoying. You may have a bad game of Castle Wars, for example, and find that a player follows you around afterwards, calling you a ‘noob’. As irritating as this may be to you, please do not report it unless there is something more serious that you’d like us to take a look at! If the player is really bothering you, add them to your Ignore List - that way, you’ll have no more trouble from them.

Filtered language **** ***:

It may be that you have wandered RuneScape and seen someone activate the in-game chat filter. The filter removes inappropriate words, so you do not need to send us a report. If a person is annoying you by continuously using the filter, we would advise you to use your Ignore List. To sum up: don’t report for starred-out language only, as the filter has done its job. Of course, if there is something other than starred-out language that you are concerned about, please send us a report about that player.

If you enjoyed those top tips, there are plenty more in the new update of the Reporting Academy. We look forward to seeing you soon on the Forums.

The Reporting Academy can be found in the ‘Support’ section of the official RuneScape Forums.

RuneScape Community Management

I see too many people threatening to report sometimes and others reporting because someone yells report someone. The problem is that so many people goof around with a friend and take too long to show they are friends that they get reported by report happy, mod-want-to-be s, adding to the load of problems. A lot of people get banned because it seemed they did something and when they are reported, the rest of the convo is not included either. I would like to urge people to tease each other in private messages to avoid getting reported. Or let people know right away somehow that you are playing around with a bud! I have typed **** playing around with Prime when in real life I call him BRAT all the time and someone shouted “reported for bad language!” That is wasting everyone’s time. But it was also the last time I typed anything like that on purpose - at least on public message. So just be careful how you tease others - You are beink vatched zat all timez!

There is a horrid smell coming from the well in Pollnivneach that is more than upsetting people’s stomach. A newcomer named Sumona has lost something incredibly valuable somewhere in Pollnivneach (what’s the guess it’s down in the well?) and, of course, she needs your help! Beware and prepare!

Requirements:
Level 25 Crafting
Level 35 Slayer
Level 85 Combat
The Restless Ghost Quest
Icthlarin’s Little Helper Quest
Dealing With Scabaras Quest would be helpful
Able to defeat level multiple 90 foes or greater - so protect from melee or good armour - but not any that is really expensive and best food. The fights are rough!

Items needed: Cat speak amulet, ghost speak amulet, desert equipment or the enchanted water tiara with a good amount of charges in it (load with the amount of charges you want by having 3 times the water runes in your inventory - no more - and using the tiara with the water runes), cat, pickaxe, earmuffs, dueling ring and the slayer face mask. Use the pharaoh’s scepter to get over to the agility area by using the second option teleport - to Jaleustrophos - if you have one. Take a rope if you haven’t gotten access to the scabarite area shortcut because it will make returning later a whole lot easier. You will need mage or range attack to kill some skeletons. Good armour and best food.

Start the quest by talking to Sumona in Pollnivneach, by the well near the middle of the town. The Magic Carpet drops you off very close to the well and Sumona. She’ll tell you that she’s lost her twin sister! You need to jump down the well…

As you attempt to go down the well, a stray cat named Ali Cat wants to speak to you. You will need to wear the cat speak amulet. Ali does not want you to go down the well. He tells you to go find Catolax - a master SLAYER.

Catolax died a longgggg time ago and was buried near the ruins of Ullek, somewhere east of the Agility Pyramid. Ali warns you to beware of redheads and to take your cat friend. The problem is that there are banshees and smoke down in the well and you wouldn’t be able to survive without some kind of protection for both - which, of course, you do not have.

If you haven’t tied a rope to the shortcut, you will have to go all the way down around the south, and through the swamp by pushing through weeds until you get to the fallen pillar. The dark brown elbow at the north west of the swamp is where the pillar is.

Climb over the fallen pillar and go west across the top.

You should attach a rope from the top rock if you haven’t already made this accessible. Be careful - those skeletons are 125s. Just jump over the low wall, put on protect from melee and tie the rope to the rock. Now you will have access.

If you have access to the shortcut already, go down the two slides into the agility area.

Then use the short cut up in the South East of the pyramid. This is the point you would be standing if you had to tie the rope to the rock. Then just hop over the wall to the east. If you are using desert gear, refill your waterskins from the spring. You will need good melee, magic and range protection soon though.

Walk North and you will see a sealed door on the west wall of the cavern - the more southern red exclamation mark. Make sure your cat is out of your inventory and you are wearing your cat speak amulet. Go through. It won’t open if you don’t have your cat out. Those skeletons hit hard so hurry!

In the next area, you will find a holey wall on the west wall.

Talk to your cat and it will unlock the entrance for you. If you forgot a pickaxe, there is a steel pickaxe stuck in the wall near the hole - visible in the above screenie.

Basically, there are two side paths and a middle - Catolax (Cadillacs spelling pun?) is trapped in the middle at the end. You need to clear the two sides before being able to get to the middle.

There will be three ranging skeletons inside on the west path. You will have to range or mage them because they are on the other side of a crevice.

Then use pickaxe on door. Go through door. Search the walls for traps and disable them. They are the odd markings. They don’t stay disarmed for long so hurry. Then head north.

Enter the room with a sarcophagus - there will be 2 skeletons and 2 zombies you’ll have to kill. When they are dead, a mummy warrior will climb out of the sarcophagus and attack you.

Kill the mummy and pick up the Range path key. Open the door to the east and pull the lever inside.

Head back to the entrance and you will now see an entrance opened in the east. Do the same on this side. There are another three skeletons that mage you. Kill these and destroy the broken door inside. Disable the traps with the device in the right hand wall.

Get to the next sarcophagus and kill the two zombies and skeletons. After you kill the mummy warrior, pick up the magic path key, and unlock the door to the west so you can pull the lever.

All traps are now disarmed and you go talk to Catalax.

He’ll tell you the secret of combining earmuffs and a slayer facemask to enable you to enter the well. Put the ghost speak on now and talk to him.

Use earmuffs on the face mask to get Masked Earmuffs and put it on now. He will warn you that Sumona does not expect you to succeed.

Have your cat speak amulet and your ear muff mask on. Head for a bank to prepare for your upcoming fights. Then go back to Pollnivneach.

Go down the well.

You’ll encounter multi combat Mighty Banshees (level 90). Keep heading north and you’ll find a magical barrier. Kill a banshee and obtain a banshee voice. Use the banshee voice on the barrier to pass through the barrier. It looks like a little purple shirt. Once you finish this quest, you won’t need to get the banshee voices any more.

Put protect from range on now to protect yourself before the cut scene finishes. A Banshee Mistress (level 111) will immediately attack using mage - step right up to her. She calls for her minions to help her. Several insectoidal monsters using range will attack and hit hard! Keep attacking the Banshee because as soon as she’s dead the others stop. These things hit hard so putting range on before they show up helps a great deal. My hitpoints went down very far and fast the instant they showed up - wish I would have had protect from range on right away!

Once she is dead, you are safe because the minions will be killed by the “twin” sister, Jesmona. You will be able to speak to Catolax without using ghost speak now.

Return to Sumona in Pollnivneach to finish the quest and get your rewards.

Congrats - Quest Complete!

.

Once you have completed the quest - speak to Sumona again and learn all about Slayer Rewards.

Supposedly, even though she did not expect you to survive, she gave her word to help you on Runescape. By the word of the Gods, she must now help you train Slayer. Well…. I am not sure I want to work with someone who had hoped I would die. Each of you must decide your path for yourself now. May your days and nights in Runescape continue to improve the totality of your existence.

The rewards include access to:
Two new dungeons
An expansion to the Slayer skill
A new Slayer Master and some new Slayer gear

A new feature called Slayer Points is in effect after the completion of this quest. The following are the three screens you can choose from.

Buy:

Learn:

Assignment Tally:

Additional notes:
I’ve heard that the gem in the ring is actually a slayer gem, not the dragon stone. The colors are different in the crafting in game guide……… hmmmmmmmm…………….. Looking in the skills manual………. can’t find it so if anyone knows which gem is used in making it, can you let me know?

The broad leaf sword is much better than the spear and one handed.

News from Runescape - Direct Quote………………….

5 June 2008 - Smoking Kills Next

Someone new has moved to Pollnivneach and, by some twist of fate, they are not called Ali! This strange new neighbour is called Sumona, and she has lost something very valuable in the depths of the Pollnivneach well. Mighty rewards are on offer for anyone willing to return what she has misplaced.

Meanwhile, eery wails and vile stenches seem to be pervading the streets. This may be unlucky for the Pollnivneach tourist trade, but at least there is something in it for adventurous types. In fact, they may be turned to one’s advantage when dealing with the mixed bag of unpleasantness beneath Pollnivneach…

With potentially epic, if unspecified, Slayer rewards on offer, this is a venture best-suited to those who risk their lives for curiosity. Let’s hope that curiosity is better for them than it is for cats.

Summary
Where to start Smoking Kills:

Talk to Sumona in Pollnivneach
Requirements to complete Smoking Kills:

Level 25 Crafting
Level 35 Slayer
Level 85 Combat
The Restless Ghost
Icthlarin’s Little Helper
Access to:

Two new dungeons to explore
An expansion to the Slayer skill
A new Slayer Master and some new Slayer gear

In other news…

We have introduced two new worlds for those who prefer to chat, or be chatted to, with Quick Chat. The worlds are 160 and 161. Conventional chat may not be used on these worlds - they are for Quick Chat users only.

NOTE - We would like to remind players that we have absolutely NO intention of removing free chat from the game, either now or in the future. Quick Chat is designed to be an optional alternative to normal chat.

Quick Chat users can now chat to their friends on FunOrb, and vice versa. Simply select a friend from your Friends List and then choose what you want to say from the ‘General’ and/or ‘Inter-game’ menus within Quick Chat.

We have made efforts to stop the strange ‘dancing’ effect that occurs when fighting monsters on the same square as you. You should find that, instead of moving from side to side, you find a more suitable position to attack the monster from.

Dragon square shields have been updated, thanks to observant players who noted that its two halves wouldn’t make a square!

Ok here is a new quest. Smoke Kills. Primefalcon and I will get it started soon and I’ll add it to the Quest Guides listed on the right. It’s Thursday in the US. So for everyone having a bit of a fit about no update - you can relax now and have a smoke if you have ‘em.

I am not quite sure what it would be like to only use quick chat but I sure don’t want to have to only use it!

No more Runescape Fight Dance? Ohhhhhhhhhhhh - I’m going to miss that. Does that mean it won’t take as long to start an actual fight now, too, or just that we don’t have to keep circling whatever was sort of ignoring us?

Ok - off I go to set up the quest guide photo file and post on Marlaine’s Musings. I will get that up before the end of the this day! Smiling - hopefully I’ll find tips and tricks no one else tells, as usual!

Here is the latest update for Runescape from their front page:

2 June 2008 - Behind the Scenes - June
Instead of beginning with a starter or main course, we will skip straight to desert this June! If that pun doesn’t kill you, the beasties just might in Smoking Kills, our brand new desert quest. At the start, it won’t seem too dangerous: a red-headed citizen of Pollnivneach has lost her sister down a well and wants you to retrieve her. Explore the depths, however, and you’ll find yourself in situations more uncomfortable than sand between your toes.

Aside from a touch of trap-dodging and cat whispering, Smoking Kills demands the best of seasoned slayers, who will need to use their resources in innovative new ways to survive. Those who manage it will find their Slayer skill improved, with extra gear, a new Slayer Master and some pretty special rewards that will raise their Slayer game.

So, we’ve had the sun and the sand - now fer the sea, me hearties! Rabid Jack has been pretty quiet recently, seemingly taking a holiday from his nefarious ways. That would be the perfect opportunity to gather information on the old sea dog, but the pirates of the great seas won’t say a word. Instead they will point you towards The Rock - the only prison in RuneScape where it’s harder to get in than out…

This, the second of our quests this month, will have you punishing your liver with Braindeath’s ‘rum’, finding imaginative uses for a seagull and getting up-close and personal with 50% Luke’s wooden leg! It’s all in a day’s work for an intrepid would-be pirate who’s used to Rocking Out once in a while.

At the end of the month, there will be a break of a couple of weeks with no game updates. These two weeks are hugely important to us, as they allow us to prepare for the major graphical improvement in early July. It’s one of the most complex releases we’ve ever attempted, so we need the extra time to get it ready and make sure the launch goes smoothly.

You can read more about this update in our Image of the Future and Image of the Not-So-Distant-Future newsposts, along with our Development Diary - A New Look RuneScape. The second Development Diary on the subject will be released later this month.

Sooooooooooooo new graphics in July. Two quests! The first will help slayer and give us a new slayer master - wowow! I wonder if it’s a higher one or slips in between Vannaka and Duradel………

And a pirate quest………. get out your pirate wardrobe for that one!

Finally = will your computer stand up to the new graphics package? I hope ours will - I can hardly wait to see the new look of Runescape! I started when it was the 2d version and our little bitty characters walked around stiff legged and took forever to get from Fally to Varrock. But now……… even Runescape today is far and away much improved!

This is Primefalcon and I on our last day on Classic Runescape. We didn’t know they were going to cut people off if you didn’t keep visiting and we didn’t know it was our last time on the old RS, but that’s the breaks. This was a screenie from May 2005. What a difference! BTW, Primefalcon was still in Australia and I was in Wisconsin when I took this screenie.

I accidentally deleted the post about the Quick Chat updates so I will repost it now………dang it! The post about the New Graphics Update follows this one. Sorry about that! The comments on that post also got deleted when I was going to reply. Please resubmit any comments and sorry about that - this blog is set up a bit differently than my others and I am not quite used to it!

21 May 2008 - Quick Chat

This week brings the Quick Chat system - an optional method for chatting to players in RuneScape.

You may activate the Quick Chat system by clicking on your name in the chat window or the speech bubble next to it. This brings up the Quick Chat menu, which replaces your chat window. You may revert to the normal chat system at any time by pressing ‘Esc’ or the ‘X’ in the top-left corner.

The Quick Chat menu houses a list of requests, responses, greetings and other commonly-used sentences. You can choose from these by selecting them with your mouse or via shortcut keys. Once you have made your selection, your character will say your chosen chat option.

In some areas of RuneScape, you can press ‘F10′ to bring up ‘context-sensitive’ chat. This is a list of chat options that varies according to where you are or what you are training. You can then use this menu to talk about subjects related to the area or activity. We expect this to be particularly helpful in those situations where you need to give team directions: in minigames like Castle Wars and Pest Control, for example, you will be able to suggest tactics at the touch of a few buttons.

We have also made Quick Chat available to muted players. We believe that this is a more suitable action to take against those who have previously abused the chat system. Additionally, Quick Chat can be used to chat with players on German worlds, since the system will translate whichever chat option you choose.

Due to the nature of Quick Chat, we cannot entirely predict how players will use it or what players will want from it. So, we would encourage any feedback that you have, to help us tailor the system to your chatting needs. To offer feedback, please post on the official Quick Chat thread in the Suggestions Forum.

As we mentioned in this month’s Behind the Scenes, Quick Chat is optional and an alternative to conventional chatting.
Changes to the ‘F’ keys:

Quick Chat brings some slight alterations to the handy shortcut keys:

* F4 now opens your inventory (which was previously ‘Escape’).
* F9 opens the quick responses of your Quick Chat menu.
* F10 opens the context-sensitive menus of your Quick Chat menu.
* F11 repeats the last phrase you said using the Quick Chat menu.

Since I deleted the post, I really can’t remember everything I said about it. I do have to say now that I see soooooooooo many people only using the quick chat stuff now instead of talking. Many pretend they can’t speak and many are becoming lazy about typing in general. Lots of people are sending messages just to be sending messages, which adds a lot of convo to the message screen. But I’ve also seen people who can’t speak English trying to use the chat system - tends to be a bit confusing but gets the gist across the country borders! So there are Pros and Cons concerning this update.

Here is the latest Runescape Update —– Wowow, the graphics are great! When these graphics come out, most players probably won’t be able to use them - which will be a shame. Primefalcon couldn’t use the high detail on his old computer. I probably won’t be able to use the new stuff on mine………sigh…….

A New Look RuneScape: Part 1 (of 2)

The saying goes that a picture speaks a thousand words, which is why we decided to first announce RuneScape’s new detail mode with a couple of screenshots. If you have not seen them yet, check out the ‘An Image of the Future’ and the ‘An Image of the Not-Too-Distant Future’ newsposts. The pictures in this Development Diary (part one of two) will continue to do most of the talking, but if you’d like to know everything about how this graphical update pushes the boundaries of Java-based online games, read on…

A brief history of Tools

“We’ve considered a hardware-rendered version of RuneScape a number of times in the past, but it was only two years ago that we felt Java was mature enough.”

Andrew
Lead Developer

The story of the this graphic update project began a year and a half ago, and who better to ask about it than Lead Developer, Andrew Gower: “We’ve considered a hardware-rendered version of RuneScape a number of times in the past, but it was only two years ago that we felt Java was mature enough.” We knew the things we wanted – textures, shadows, lighting, fullscreen – and it seemed the right time to start, as Andrew continues: “I tasked the Tools team to run a feasibility study to verify if it was possible to do what we wanted to do.”

Mod Nick, Head of Tools, says, “It wasn’t long before it became apparent that we wanted to do this, needed to do this to move forward and, more importantly, could do this, so it became my team’s main focus.” The Tools team, which develops and maintains all of Jagex’s in-house development software, then went about this study. They had to be very thorough, so spent around nine months researching things like how possible all of the features we wanted were, how we would do them, how they’d fit together, etc. Mod Nick says, “The feasibility study had to cover everything we wanted to achieve; we didn’t start any work on the game’s engine until we could prove, 100%, that nothing would stop us.”

It wasn’t just the Tools team that was bolstered for this project: “I was brought on to the project when it went into full development, concepting all the areas, and worked with Tools on how this project was actually going to work,” says Graphics’ Mod Farley. He continues with, “The actual development work wasn’t too hard. The main problem was the sheer size of the task: how to manage over 32,000 assets, all those map squares, etc.” It was clear from the size of the project that the Graphics team would need new resources, so it could work on this graphical improvement while looking after all of its existing responsibilities.

Mod Farley says, “We brought in a team of almost 30 artists, giving opportunities to people new to the games industry, a lot of them straight out of university…they’ve really risen to the task.” Initially, we considered that a project of this scale might require more artists, but those we got proved to be so efficient and prolific, there was no need. “Some of them had limited experience, but they’ve all proven themselves. Some are now even running parts of the project on their own,” says Mod Farley. That Graphics project team, with the support of the Tools team, have put nine months of development into RuneScape’s new look, for a total project length of eighteen months.

Texture massaging

The first and perhaps most obvious improvement is that everything in RuneScape has been given a texture. In the other detail modes, most surfaces are simply shaded, as textures require more memory, something that we have to be very strict with to make RuneScape run through Java in a browser. Mod Farley says, “For example, previously, a brown surface could have been depicting mud, wood or clay, its actual substance only being derivable from context, but with textures, it’s easy to tell apart a muddy path, wood flooring or a clay object at a glance.”

“I once accidentally ended up with this crazy, jelly-like texture while trying to make a floor texture.”

Mod Lluis
Graphics

The way we implement textures in RuneScape is slightly different from the norm as, even though PC graphics cards can deal with textures, they still need to be downloaded by the RuneScape game client. As textures can have large file sizes, they would take too long to download. Mod Nick explains the process: “The Graphics team create textures in an editor, which then converts it into a series of instructions at a fraction of the file size. Instead of the game downloading a texture, it’s recreated on the player’s computer from that series of instructions, as and when it’s needed. This is called procedural texturing.” Texturing is not the only thing we do procedurally, which is what has allowed us to keep the experience of playing RuneScape in the new detail mode the same as it currently is (e.g. a comparable loading time after the initial download and no extra steps required).

Designing textures in this way requires more than artistic ability, though. Mod Farley says, “An artist controls a whole load of graphs, charts and nodes to build a texture; the combined art and math involved takes a lot of ability and skill. It’s more like sculpting than drawing.” Indeed, it can, on occasion, cause unexpected results, as Graphics’ Mod Lluis explains, “I once accidentally ended up with this crazy, jelly-like texture while trying to make a floor texture.” He kept it as, although it wasn’t ideal for a floor, it was perfect for the spirit jelly familiar.

Premium blend

Textures add a lot to the game, creating a more realistic and immersive environment, but one of the other enhancements related to texturing is better blending. You’ll be able to see in all the screenshots that the areas where surfaces meet is less pronounced and more natural. Mod Farley says, “Previously, paths had very hard edges, which showed up how we built the world. Now, with softer path blending, things look more organic.”

Before, everything was just flat colour, so we’ve had to introduce a greater variety of ground types to avoid over repetition. Blending has been implemented to allow both underlay and overlay textures too, for instance allowing a grass texture to be placed over a mud texture. The combined effect can be quite subtle and just looks natural. “If something just looks and feels right, if you don’t notice these things after the initial ‘Wow!’, then that’s real success,” says Mod Nick.

Wrestling with shadows

Every object in the game now casts a shadow based on where we’ve positioned the sun for that location. Mod Nick says, “Different areas will be sunny or gloomy, and shadows are created dynamically.” Different areas will be set at varying times of the day, subtly changing between map squares, allowing us to create specific atmospheres in each area. For instance, certain parts of Morytania now live within a permanent shadowy twilight…appropriately spooky for those living under vampyric oppression.

As it would in reality, the cactus shadow falls differently to the palm trees, due to the changing gradient of the slope.

Another effect that allows us to create atmosphere is the use of fog. The actual draw distance - how far away objects can be seen from - hasn’t changed. Previously, objects coming into a player’s view would just pop into existence. Mod Nick says, “The combination of blending and fogging allows us to introduce things on the horizon more naturally and smoothly.” The colour and thickness of fog can also be adjusted, so it gives Graphics another atmospheric tool to create, say, a murky swamp environment with a cloying, gangrenous fog (a real pea souper)…and who knows what monsters might be lurking within…

We hope this Development Diary has answered some of your questions regarding this imminent (’within a couple of months’) update. More questions will be answered in the lead up to release, both in the concluding part of this diary and in the usual ways (Behind the Scenes, newsposts, etc). Part two of this diary will focus on lighting, water effects, specular shading, fullscreen mode and more…

Go to Runescape’s main page to click links that will take you to the animated image of the flags moving in the wind. Very nice! I am hoping I will be able to see all of it - I do have a bit better graphics card in this computer thought - there is hope!

Even though May is almost over, I will list the Behind the Scenes for May here so I can use it as a check list for the events due in May.

Runescape’s Behind The Scenes..

1 May 2008 - Behind the Scenes - May Next

It’s not unusual for dwarves to be involved in a spot of industry. In this month’s first quest, however, they may take it a bit too far. Nurmof, the pickaxe sales-dwarf in the Dwarven Mines, will have need of an energy source to power his patented pickaxe machine. Unfortunately for RuneScape, it looks like his choice will have severe consequences. Will you be able to clean up Nurmof’s act in this month’s low-level quest, Perils of Ice Mountain? (Updated)

Whatever happens in RuneScape, the cats seem to find their feet, and, this month, those feet - and the rest of their bodies - will get graphically improved to become even more adorable. We may be getting a wee bit enthusiastic by sprucing up the Gertrude’s Cat quest, but we’re sure you’ll appreciate what’s new (pussycat). (Updated)

You may know that the law talisman is a reward for the hard-to-beat Troll Stronghold quest. We feel that, not only is this a reward that everyone should be able to get their hands on, but it’s strangely low-level for a high-level quest. This month, we will be making the law talisman available to all members, so that anyone can craft law runes, or use the Assist System to help others make them. The Troll Stronghold reward will be replaced by two 10,000xp lamps and, if you have completed the quest already, Dunstan will be ready to hand you them. (Updated)

You wouldn’t find Party Pete fighting trolls in Troll Stronghold - that would mess up his marvellous new ‘fro! That’s right, Party Pete has an appointment with the Makeover Mage, all thanks to your votes in the Guaranteed Content Poll. Expect a startling new ‘do, threads and moves. You might even go “Woah! Dude…” when he throws some pretty spectacular shapes. (Updated)

Burning down the house will be the graphically reworked TzHaar. Like Party Pete, the TzHaar were voted, by you, to have their looks and animations reworked. There’s also the small matter of an improved Jad; this month, you will find the look of old is gone. What replaces it will be a whole lot more threatening…(Updated)

Which leads us neatly to a RuneScape first: a TzHaar quest! It seems that the TzHaar will have need of a JalYt - a human - to help kill a fearsome beast that has been tunneling through their structures. Normally, this kind of problem would be dealt with in-house, but the only access to the creature will be through a very small, human-sized hole. Will you be successful where the TzHaar have failed, in TokTz-Ket-Dill? (Updated)

Later this month, we introduce the Quick Chat system - an optional alternative to our normal chat system. Using Quick Chat, you will be able to use shortcut keys or your mouse to choose from a library of questions, answers, sentences and greetings. We expect this to be particularly helpful in minigames like Castle Wars and Pest Control, where faster communication is invaluable.

Muted players will have Quick Chat available to them. We believe that this will be a more suitable action to take against those who abused the chat system. Additionally, we have developed Quick Chat so it will be possible to talk to players on German worlds (and vice versa) since the system will translate whichever chat option you choose.

NOTE - The Quick Chat system will be completely optional, and normal chat will remain unchanged.

Level-up messages will be made more informative and less intrusive this month, with a raft of changes that we think you’ll appreciate. First, you’ll find that there’s much more information about what you can do at your hard-fought new level, from quests to skill milestones. Fireworks will fizz into the air as you rise up the levels, and steps will be taken so that your level up messages cannot be interrupted by combat or other events.

Random statistic signs will be seen on the streets of RuneScape. These will offer some interesting facts about the more popular activities of RuneScape. Would you like to know how many Varrock Palace guards are killed in a day? The stat signs will tell you exactly how many…

There will be a few smaller updates to round the month off. The first - Grind-X - will allow you to conveniently grind items with your pestle and mortar. We will also be introducing signposts to areas of RuneScape, making the world easier to navigate.

Finally, in the land of website updates, you can expect to help yourself to a Perils of Ice Mountain wallpaper, Players’ Gallery and a Postbag from the Hedge. (Updated)

The rest of this month looks like it will be more on the tech side of things so the upcoming update will not make anyone miss school or work. Smiling………