Information AboutRunescape |
''RuneScape'' is a Java -based MMORPG operated by Jagex Ltd. With over nine million active Free Accounts 1 and more than one million paid member accounts,2 ''RuneScape'' is rated among the most popular Online Game s in the world.3 More than five million unique players access their accounts to play ''RuneScape'' at least once per month.4 ''RuneScape'' offers both free and subscription content and is designed to be accessible from any location with an Internet connection and to run in an ordinary Web Browser without straining system resources.5 Andrew Gower created ''DeviousMUD'', the forerunner to ''RuneScape'', in 1998, running a week-long public Beta test. Rewritten and renamed, the first version of ''RuneScape'' was released to the public on 4 January 2001 . Since its release, the game has been praised for its Free-playing abilities and its availability on a web browser. ''RuneScape'' takes place in the Fantasy -themed realm of Gielinor ,6 which is divided into several different kingdoms, regions, and areas.7 Players can travel throughout the gaming world on foot, by using Magical teleportation spells or devices, or mechanical means of transportation.8 Each region offers different types of monsters, materials, and quests to challenge players. Players are shown on the screen as customisable Avatars . They set their own goals and objectives, deciding which of the available activities to pursue. There is no linear path that must be followed. Players can engage in Combat with other players or with monsters, complete quests, or increase their experience in any of the available Skills .9 Players interact with each other through trading, chatting, or playing combative or cooperative mini-games. HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT from DeviousMUD, the forerunner to ''RuneScape'', which was never released to the public.]] ''DeviousMUD'', the forerunner to ''RuneScape'', was created in 1998 by Andrew Gower . The game, which was never publicly released, used Isometric Graphics . In 1999, Gower completely rewrote the game, albeit with no improvements to the graphics or several other aspects of the game. This version was released as a public Beta version for approximately one week before it was withdrawn.10 As a '', Manchester , UK 11 December 2003 . The isometric view was replaced by a mixture of both Three-dimensional and Two-dimensional Sprites . The game, renamed ''RuneScape'', was released to the public as a Beta version on 4 January 2001 11 and was originally operated from their parents' house in Nottingham. In December 2001, the Gower brothers and Constant Tedder formed Jagex to take over the business aspects of running ''RuneScape''. On 27 February 2002 , a membership service was made available, allowing players who choose to pay a monthly fee to access a variety of additional features including new areas, quests, and items. This service significantly changed the focus of the game. As ''RuneScape'' became more popular, Jagex began planning major changes. Although only a graphical update was initially planned, "The biggest update ever..." - ''RuneScape Game Updates News'', 2006 . Retrieved 4 March 2006 On 2007 ). ''RuneScape'' Game Updates News. Retrieved on 27 June 2007 . On 5 July 2007 , an article was released in which Andrew Gower told an interviewer he saw a release of RuneScape onto the Seventh Generation of gaming consoles (the Wii , the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 ) as "tempting"; however, he states that there are no current plans to do so.12 Servers , Canada , United Kingdom , Netherlands , Australia , Finland and Sweden .]] There are about 140 ''RuneScape'' servers located throughout the world, which are numbered and referred to as ''worlds'' by players and by 2003 ). Retrieved 31 July 2007 . Each of the ''RuneScape'' servers allows 2,000 players to connect simultaneously, allowing a maximum capacity of approximately 280,000 players online at any given time. The servers are divided into free servers, accessible to all players, and Member servers, accessible only by those players who choose to pay a monthly fee for additional content. Unlike many other MMORPGs, ''RuneScape'' characters are not bound to a particular server, but rather can switch freely among the servers each time they access the game. In addition to the ''RuneScape'' servers, there are two members-only servers for ''RuneScape Classic'', both located in the United Kingdom. Each of these is limited to 1,250 players, allowing a total number of 2,500 simultaneous ''RuneScape Classic'' players. Only players who played ''RuneScape Classic'' in the six months prior to 12 January 2006 can currently log onto the ''Classic'' servers. Advertising To support ''RuneScape's'' free content, advertisements are displayed above the playing screen on the free-player servers. On 13 July 2006 , Jagex signed an exclusive marketing and distribution contract with WildTangent Games, which granted WildTangent the right to handle advertising in and around ''RuneScape'' in the United States. The deal also allowed WildTangent to distribute ''RuneScape'' through the WildTangent Games Network, a distribution channel, reaching over 20 million consumer PCs. WildTangent has stressed that this agreement will not change the way ''RuneScape'' is presented and that they plan to make the presence of the advertisements, vital to ''RuneScape'', as non-invasive as possible. Jagex moderators have stated that there will be no ''in-game'' advertisements. Since computer users may use advertisement blockers which may discourage advertisers, Jagex introduced a rule that prohibits players from blocking the advertisements in the free game.14 Other languages On 14 February 2007 , Jagex released a German closed beta translation of ''RuneScape''. Currently, there are two German language servers online, one for each the free and members versions of ''RuneScape''.1516 MEMBERSHIP Membership in ''RuneScape'' is an optional service that provides extensive additional content and extra features when compared to the free version of the game. Most quests and several skills, as well as three-fourths of the world map, are reserved for members. Members can play mini-games with unique rewards, use additional items, and have access to improvements for nearly all skills. Paying users also receive considerably more storage space for their items, priority customer service, the ability to vote in most player polls, and the ability to post on the official forums. Regular game updates are usually reserved for members; however, a few updates each year affect the free version of the game.17 Monthly membership fees are set at £3.20 , $5.00 US, $7.20 CDN, €4.60 , $8.20 AUD or $8.90 SGD , if paid with a monthly subscription using a credit or debit card. Monthly subscriptions can be canceled at any time without losing the days for which the player has paid; however, refunds are not available for unused days if a player cancels or is banned due to rule infractions. Other payment methods are available, including PayPal , cheque or money order, and telephone providers in certain countries; however, these payment methods generally charge a fee added by the payment provider. Payments made by cheque or money order are typically for a set number of months.18 Members are granted access to members-only servers, which have no advertisements displayed during play. Although members can play ''RuneScape'' on free servers, members-only content and items are available only on member servers, and members cannot access free servers while standing in a members-only area. Membership benefits on the German Servers carry over to the English servers and vice-versa. GAMEPLAY New players begin in a secluded area populated only by other beginners, Tutorial Island .19 They are led on a set path where they learn most of the non-member skills needed to succeed in Gielinor , the realm of RuneScape. After completing the tutorial, players can access information from tutors located in the towns they explore. These non-player characters, or NPCs , can replace some basic equipment items if necessary. Sound ''RuneScape'' has music, sound effects, and ambient noises throughout Gielinor to enhance gameplay. The music is designed to enhance mood and help to define the underlying cultures of the various locations around Gielinor. Sound effects, such as the "sploosh" heard when a lobster trap is submerged in water, are heard as players train their skills. Ambient noises, such as the cry of seagulls flying over the ocean, occur in logical places. As different locations are visited by the player, new music for that area is unlocked, and can be played back later. Players can adjust the volumes of the music, sound effects, and ambient noises independently of each other.20 Graphics ''RuneScape'' can be run with high or low-detail graphics; high-detail mode enhances texture and design, whereas low-detail provides a cleaner look and can reduce 2006 . Retrieved 31 July 2006 . ''RuneScape'' places emphasis on granting players the ability to customise their characters by supplying a wide choice in character models. Unlike many games in the genre, player characters are always human; however, players can choose their gender and appearance from a variety of hairstyles and colours, body types, facial features, and default clothing options. On-screen appearance is further optimised by wearing or wielding items, with each different item having a unique image. Standard weapons of the same class, such as swords, use the same set of animations in combat; however, some special weapons have their own, distinctive animations that differ completely from those of other weapons in their category. Players' appearances can be changed using special equipment or during particular game events. Transformations into frogs, mushrooms, eggs, and other objects and animals can occur, depending on the circumstances. These "morphs" are temporary, and sometimes allow players to avoid negative gameplay effects or access otherwise unreachable areas; however, they restrict certain activities that human characters are normally allowed to perform.21 Every activity performed by a player, such as planting a seed in a 2007 . Skills See Also: RuneScape skills Skills in ''RuneScape'' are the abilities that enable players to perform activities in the game. Players gain experience in a skill when they perform activities that utilise that skill, such as mining ore from a rock to increase the mining skill. In general, the higher the level required to perform a task, the more Experience Points the player receives, and the more desirable the result. The total skill level of a player partly symbolises the player's status in the game. The ''RuneScape'' hiscore tables can be viewed by all players, and players with higher overall levels are well known within the RuneScape community. Upon reaching the highest available level in a skill, members may obtain a special Cape , referred to as a " Cape Of Achievement ", which can be used to perform an Emote related to that skill. Many types of tasks can be performed in the game using skills. Some skills, such as defence and hitpoints, provide combat bonuses, while others, such as woodcutting and fishing, enable the player to collect resources that can be sold for a profit or personal use. Raw materials are converted into goods to be used in combat with skills such as fletching and cooking. There are also skills that allow players to kill certain NPCs, build their own houses, or move around the map with greater ease, to name a few.22 Combat See Also: RuneScape combat Combat is an important aspect of the gameplay in ''RuneScape'', as it is one of the most direct ways of gaining wealth and is needed to start and complete many quests. Combat level, determined by applying a formula to the seven combat skills, is usually referred to simply as "level". Combat level is the only information about the player that is visible to other players while in game. The minimum combat level is 3, which is the starting combat, while the maximum a player can be is 126. Other skill levels increase total levels and overall rankings which can be seen by other players on the official "high scores".23 Unlike most games in the MMORPG genre, ''RuneScape'' does not require players to choose a character class. Players are not bound to a specific category of combat, and they may freely change between the three styles of combat at any time simply by switching weapons, armours, or the form and focus of attack. Players can carry the weapons and armours of the three combat categories in their inventories, switching between or even combining the styles at will. Combat is subdivided into melee, magic, and ranged categories. Melee attacks are close range with or without weapons,24 magic attacks focus on using runestones to cast spells,25 and ranged attacks use projectile weapons.26 Most of the game's weapons are medieval or fantastical in nature and feature different strengths and weaknesses. Players die when they receive enough damage from combat, poison, or obstacles to cause their hitpoints to fall to zero. Players who die reappear at one of three respawn points (the town of Lumbridge by default, though members may change it to the city of Falador or to the Castle of Camelot upon completion of a quest to unlock each respawn.) with all their skills, including hitpoints, restored to normal levels; however, they lose all but three of their most valuable items that they were carrying at the time of death. A special Prayer increases this to four items, but recent Player Killing , denoted by a skull above the player's head, decreases this to no items and just one with the prayer. Quests 2007 . Many quests require players to kill particularly powerful monsters. Upon completing quests, players receive rewards that vary depending on the difficulty of the quest. Rewards often include coins, items, access to a new area, or an increase in skill experience. Quest points are also awarded for completing quests, the amount of which varies from quest to quest. Some quests require the player to have a specified number of quest points or to have previously completed certain quests before beginning the quest. Many quests are part of overlapping storylines that become more difficult as the player progresses through them. The longest of these has been in ''RuneScape'' since 2002 "Multi-part quest" - ''RuneScape'' Game Update News, 2007 . Interaction gameplay.]] Many NPCs populate the realm of Gielinor. Although some NPCs, such as shopkeepers, have game functions that require them to be unavailable for combat, most NPCs can be attacked. Attackable NPCs are generally referred to as 2007 . Retrieved 23 March 2007 . ''RuneScape'' also features independent mini-games for its players. Mini-games take place in certain areas and normally involve a specific skill. Mini-games usually require players to cooperate or to compete with each other. Popular mini-games include ''Castle Wars'', which is similar to the real-life game Capture The Flag , and ''Pest Control'', a highly combat-focused mini-game. Currently, all mini-games, with the exception of the Stronghold of Security, are available only to paying Members .28 Players can fight against other players in Player Versus Player (PvP) combat in certain areas of Gielinor. The most common place is in the Wilderness , where players risk their lives and their items fighting other players.29 Players can engage in PvP combat without risking their items in mini-games such as the Duel Arena, Castle Wars, and the TzHaar Fight Pits, and in combat arenas or dungeons in player owned houses. Players engaging in PvP combat in the Duel Arena can agree on rules for the duel such as allowing only melee attacks or preventing players from using potions or food during the fight. Random events Random events are short interludes that occur during the game, requiring some form of player input.30 They were introduced to deter players from using automated programs, known as Macro s, autoers, or Bots , to play the game with no human interaction. The use of such macros is explicitly forbidden and can result in the permanent ban of accounts found to be using them. Postings in the ''RuneScape'' forums by Andrew Gower suggest that random events were designed not only to hinder macroers but to alleviate the monotony that can occur while levelling skills for long periods of time (referred to as Grinding ).31 Some random events are simple, requiring a player only to click on an NPC or to leave the area temporarily; others require more sophisticated actions from players, who must respond to these events quickly and correctly to avoid a negative effect, such as being Teleported across the map or taking damage. Players are usually rewarded for responding correctly to random events. 32 COMMUNITY ''RuneScape'' players represent a wide range of nationalities and ages. Most players speak English to some extent. Players who speak languages other than English tend to gravitate to servers populated by other players who speak the same language; some worlds have larger numbers of players who speak Spanish , Dutch , French , German , or other languages. It is not uncommon, however, to see many languages on the chat screen throughout ''RuneScape''. A German Translation of ''RuneScape'' has recently been released as an open Beta . A set of official Forums created entirely by Jagex programmers is available to players on the ''RuneScape'' website. On the forums, players are able to participate in game discussions, play player-made forum games, make arrangements to buy or sell items, and interact with the community. Free players can read the forums, but posting on them is reserved for paying Members . The ''RuneScape'' forums are quite diverse, allowing thousands of players to access them at any given time. Each forum has its own specific list of rules enforced by Forum Moderators .33 Players can submit questions via an e-mail address listed on the website to any 2006 . Players can also submit original ''RuneScape'' related artwork, some of which is displayed in a gallery on the ''RuneScape'' website. Media featured have included sculpture, comics, drawings, and paintings.34 Many ''RuneScape'' Fansites have been established by players, none of which are supported or recognized by Jagex. In order to provide players with an alternative, official site to get the information they want or need, Jagex introduced the Knowledge Base,35 which offers information on gameplay, the main ''RuneScape'' rules, and account security.36 However, at least one major fansite has criticised Jagex for not recognising fansites' contributions to the development of its game.37 ''RuneScape'' has a player economy based largely around items produced using skills. Raw materials are collected using the Extracting Skills , such as ''fishing'', and are processed into more advanced materials with Processing Skills , such as ''cooking''. The products produced by processing skills, such as armour or food, are often sold and used by players in combat. Some players engage in Arbitrage , commonly referred to as ''merchanting'', in order to turn a profit in game by buying and selling items. Historically, Inflation has caused some instability in the game economy. Inflation is caused by a variety of factors, including the large number of resources put into the game by Macro ing.38 Rules and cheating Jagex has put in place a number of rules for player conduct, such as rules against offensive language, scamming, and bug abuse. Rules of Conduct . ''RuneScape'' Knowledge Base. Retrieved 2007 . The effectiveness of Jagex's hunt on abusers has been debated in an article posted on Twitchguru .39 There are also rules prohibiting the use of third-party software to play the game, known as macroing, and the sale of game items for real money, known as real-world or 2007 ). ''RuneScape'' Customer Support News. Retrieved 30 May 2007 . RECEPTION A study by Brunel University claims that playing ''RuneScape'', in some ways, can be beneficial to players. It can instruct players about working hard to achieve goals and that the nature of most games, including ''RuneScape'', can teach teenagers vital skills as they enter the labour market.40 An article on Twitchguru claims the opposite, that the skills and lessons learned in Runescape are not suitable for children.41 As of December 2003, ''RuneScape'' was one of the fastest growing out of all of the MMORPG s, having a userbase fifty percent larger than that of EverQuest .42 The game is praised for its free play abilities. JustRPG summarised the game with "In short, the game of Runescape is a fun, addictive game, and while the graphics may not be perfect, for a game written in Java, they aren't bad. The Skills are varied, the community is alright, and it'll eat up your time if you aren't careful," giving it a score of 83%.43 The Yahoo Buzz Log states that "while it may not be as easy on the eyes as some other popular online RPG games, like '' World Of Warcraft '', '' City Of Heroes '', or '' EverQuest '', ''RuneScape'' is still a lot better way to kill time than pushing around cells in a Spreadsheet ."44 PC Gamer UK in December 2003; states that while the "traditional RPG values of Quest ing, slaying Monster s and developing your character in a familiar Medieval setting" won't "have the big boys trembling in their +2 Boots of Subscriber Gathering," this is offset by the game's accessibility through a web browser, "compounded by a version of the game that allows free adventuring before players upgrade to a members account," describing the game as "an unsurprising success."45 REFERENCES EXTERNAL LINKS ; Official sites
; Wikis ; Top 3 Major fansites
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