RS Companion App Discussion

[Urza285]

I thought since this app is starting to really take off that a proper discussion would be nice. If anything that jagex would glean some dev information from the discussion.

 

As of this post this is the current news on the runescape companion app:

 

http://services.runescape.com/m=news/a=13/runescape-companion-web-app---dd-tracker

 

So far we've seen the release of the app and it allows:

 

- Friends list

- Clan members list

- Friends chat access

- Clan chat access

- GE bid viewing

- Price checking and past trending

- D&D checker

 

From the latest news post we can expect to see a bank checker to view our banks. Also we can expect further in the future to have the ability to post GE offers instead of just viewing them.

[Urza285]

Picture of the D&D tracker:

 

 

Item search:

 

 

Price checker:

 

[Sy_Accursed]

My override feelings with the 'app' is: It is not an app at all. It is a mobile website.

 

What I'd want from an app is something that runs persistently in the background and can thus push notifications to me about things like ge offers and D&D, a mobile website does not accomplish this as it requires having the browser open and viewing things manually and typically speaking it'll use far more data than an app would.

[Urza285]

Frankly from my understanding the app has to start from somewhere and they just chose their strong suit in web development.

[Sy_Accursed]

The trouble of course being 'starting somewhere' isn't really a start when it is an entirely different format and utilises entirely different technologies and coding structures.

 

They could put it in a wrapper and make it a glorified mobile website within an actual app but that won't really give it all the functionality of a true app and would essentially require them to code a mini-browser.

[Urza285]

The trouble of course being 'starting somewhere' isn't really a start when it is an entirely different format and utilises entirely different technologies and coding structures.

 

They could put it in a wrapper and make it a glorified mobile website within an actual app but that won't really give it all the functionality of a true app and would essentially require them to code a mini-browser.

Its not an app by your standards then... they define it anyways. I wouldn't mijd those notifications either.

[Blofeld]

I am yet to use it as currently as I have no need to use any of the features. I am however highly hopeful that bank access and GE use is a possibility. I would love to be able to do some causal merching whilst I am work and have no access to the actual game.  

 

They are definitely making gradual good progress though, it looks nice enough though I do hope there is possibility of an actual app, as oppsed to just the web one.

[Urza285]

I remember some time ago that they were discussing things with app developers. I also know blizzard has accomplished many of the same feats jagex desires to have within an app. I'm wondering/thinking that the budget might be the issue why they opted for a web app over an actual app.

[Blofeld]

I think budget is probably a fair guess. I mean what financial benefit is there to them by making an app. Are people really likely to start playing the game, or become members because it has an app? I very much doubt it, its just a nice addition to have as well as some good grounds for experimentation with the phone/tablet market.

[Urza285]

What other potential additions to the app do you guys want covered?

 

I was interested in seeing if they could create a character loadout page for gear showing the character and gear stats.

[Chaoy2]

What about a "news" tab like Shazam has, with a list of the recent updates and such that's on the RuneScape front page?

[Urza285]

What about a "news" tab like Shazam has, with a list of the recent updates and such that's on the RuneScape front page?

I think that's a good idea, but I don't think they would want to use dev time on a second news thread. Then again that concept would be good for looking at patch notes too.

[Mercifull]

No push notifications... *shakes head*

[Sorator]

It's not an app, it's definitely a mobile website, and why would I use that when I could just use the actual website or game?

 

Not to mention, it doesn't work on my phone (Droid X2 is too old to run standard Chrome). The only real thing I'd want it for is to give me an update when certain D&Ds become available to play again, or when ports ships return, for when I'm away from my laptop or doing something else on it, and I can't do that with this.

 

Give me an actual app that can push notifications, and that actually runs on my phone, and I might be interested. Or resume work on keeping the old toolbar up to date; it served the same purpose. As is, noty.