[I don't know, I read that and just couldn't stop laughing...]

Sounds like a bone Dems were trying to throw to Repubs to get them on board.

[Constitution Update]

THATS EXACTLY MY POINT.

Whereas before, you don't get hit as much;now, health slowly disappears

 

I'm not complaining I die when I get piled.

 

So? That's both a benefit and a disadvantage, although it's more beneficial for the lower levelled people than the higher levelled ones.

 

 

I think that's his point, genius. He's saying it isn't a fair system.

[What's the deal with book readers?]

There is truth in the saying, "The book was so much better than the movie." It's usually because there's so much more story and details in a typical novel that it's very hard to try to fit it all in a 2 hour movie. Things inevitably get left out. Movies are more like a short story, meant for one sitting. It doesn't mean that movies are terrible though. Is a person mentally lacking because they prefer movies? No. Movies are generally not as mentally stimulating though. I'm an avid fan of both.

 

As far as busy schedules, if you have time in your day to watch television, play video games, write on discussion forums, etc., then you have time to read. We all prioritize how we choose to spend our free time, no matter how much of it we have.

 

I still think that you can get just as much out of any medium as you would out of a book. Yeah, various mediums have their various ways of telling a story but I still stick by that all of them, if done right, can prove to be "mentally stimulating". I think books, video and video games all can be very stimulating if created correctly.

 

The thing I don't get are people reading the standard formula romance novels or the like and thinking they are smarter for doing so. It's no difference than watching some action flick with no real story or playing a video game without any substance. It's the small minority of these medium's that really can be stimulating I think.

 

Just a small example but look at the game's Braid and Flower. I think both of these have a very interesting message that, sure, might not rank up to the "classics" of literature but are still very interesting in their own right and certainly shouldn't be viewed as inferior or just "games". Same thing could be said for film as well but not being a big movie person I really can't cite and decent examples.

 

Okay, I think we are talking about different things. People are not "mentally lacking" when they watch a movie, as the OP snidely asked. However, books are more stimulating. Literally.

 

What you are debating is a matter of taste. I'm not debating the quality of the story here. When you read a book, your brain is more engaged. For example, you are given details that may describe something instead of just showing you a picture. Through the course of reading, your brain will constantly trigger memories and senses as a reference to help you understand the descriptions. In a literal sense, this is how you are using your imagination. The more that you use these areas of the brain, the stronger the pathways will become, like exercise.

 

Movies do not stimulate the brain in the same way. When watching a movie, your brain become sort of a reactionary tool. Your brain is bombarded with images (and audio), and is busily trying to filter it so it can make sense of it all. Most of this gets dumped in short-term memory and forgotten almost as soon as you see it. Your brain filters most of it out so you can access the most important information immediately. This is why, even if every little detail could be present in a movie as described in a book, the only thing that will be of significance is whatever the filmmaker is focused on in the shot.

 

The underlying point is that you do not get the same stimulation with these different mediums.

 

Back on topic: Does it automatically make you "smarter" than the person next to you? No, not necessarily, and that's not the point. I would equally find it ridiculous for anybody to snobbishly claim this to be true. Reading can improve your own mentality, and strengthen your own education.

 

I do think that it'll just take time though. It's taken long enough for books to be accepted as "artistic" and I think in time other mediums will follow suit.

 

That's news to me. When were books not accepted as artistic?

[The Earth is FLAT!!]

IT'S NOT FLAT!!!

 

...it's lumpy.

[What's the deal with book readers?]

What's the story with people who read books (usually fiction type books- for entertainment) who think that they are some kind of supreme intelligent being and that people who do not read books are, well to put it bluntly, idiots.

 

Anybody who reads books purely for the sake of feeding some superiority complex is living a very hollow life, possibly even self-esteem issues. I've probably met a few people along these lines, but I haven't met anyone yet that takes it to the extreme you've mentioned. It may be equivalent to people who join Mensa and pay money so they can have a badge to remind them how smart they are.

 

Is it some kind of revolutionary concept that different people have different likes and dislikes? Is a person mentally lacking because they prefer watching a movie over reading a book? Do these pseudo-intellectuals not realize that some people in this world have extremely busy schedules and can't be cabbaged to devote a large amount of time to read a book?

 

There is truth in the saying, "The book was so much better than the movie." It's usually because there's so much more story and details in a typical novel that it's very hard to try to fit it all in a 2 hour movie. Things inevitably get left out. Movies are more like a short story, meant for one sitting. It doesn't mean that movies are terrible though. Is a person mentally lacking because they prefer movies? No. Movies are generally not as mentally stimulating though. I'm an avid fan of both.

 

As far as busy schedules, if you have time in your day to watch television, play video games, write on discussion forums, etc., then you have time to read. We all prioritize how we choose to spend our free time, no matter how much of it we have.

 

I like reading books from time to time, but I am not one of these would be philosophers who try to read as many fiction stories as possible. Sure, your vocabulary and writing skills may improve if you constnatly have your nose in a book. But what does that really do other than make you appear to be more intelligent? Anyone can come out with a sentence full of complex words and whether they truly know the words or not does not make a difference in how smart the person truly is at the end of the day.

 

I think we often confuse educated with intelligence, because the two are often considered synonymous in our culture. I do believe there is a connection to how much one chooses to read and the quality of the education. No, general reading probably doesn't improve your intelligence.

 

I also believe you managed to answer your own questions here. Reading helps to improve your communication skills. Effective communication aids in presenting clear ideas. You will be able to formulate your opinions in a concise way for others to better understand you. It's not only about gaining a complex vocabulary, but also helping to improve your ability to understand complex ideas. Sure, you could thumb through a dictionary or thesaurus for a fancier word, but discovering new words in a book will give it context. It reminds me of when my little cousin was tasked with a weekly school project of finding new words in a dictionary and using them in a sentence. This inevitably led him to walking into a room one day and saying, "Boy, something smells queer in this room." Once the laughter died down, we had to explain that though he used the word correctly in a sentence, there was still something he needed to know.

 

Reading also stimulates the mind in a literal sense. There are studies that show it can improve cognitive thought and memory retention. There are some experts who believe routinely reading may even help to prevent dementia. Think of it as exercising your brain. If you don't lose it, you will lose it.

 

I remember on another forum someone posted a statistic saying X percent of american families do not own/read X amount of books, and people were discussing how sad that was.

 

It is a sad statistic. Children whose parents regularly read to them at an early age statistically perform much better in school than those who do not. Their reading comprehension skills develop far earlier.

 

 

Anyone else feel the same or am I the only one who hates scum that try to validate their intelligence or lack thereof?

 

I don't feel the same way. I don't think this statement makes you look any better than the people you are describing either.

[Abortion]

Anyway, on topic, one thing I never got was why abortion isn't just legal. If a woman wants to get an abortion than she can go get it. If an abortion is against her ideals, than just do whatever the hell else you would do with it.

This may sound... offensive, but pro-lifers are ultimately destroying the world by making overpopulation come faster. It's a tiny difference, but it'll grow exponentially over time.

 

It's a gray area. When do you consider it to be a person? At conception? At birth? Then it gets into the rights the mother has to the fetus versus the rights the community has to protect it.

[Money and Inflation]

You will find inflation is almost a given in any MMORPG, especially one that has been this popular for so long. All in all you'd have to admit Jagex has done pretty good to maintain the economy for this long....up until the last couple of years that is. For years, High-Alching was the number one reason for inflation. It continued to funnel more and more gp into the game out of nowhere as it was the preferred way to training Magic. Unfortunately, it was sort of a necessary evil in the game. Back then, there really wasn't anything to draw money back out of circulation. Barrows equipment began drawing a small amount out when repaired, but that wasn't nearly enough. Then something happened:

 

Apparently, one of the reasons for the Construction skill was for it to be a money sink, and take some dosh out of the system. Did it work much at the time?

 

Yes it was and yes it did at the time. Prices across the board crashed as players were racing to level the new skill. It took a few months for prices to even back out, and some never quite did. Sometimes, you'll hear people refer to it as the Construction Recession. Today, not quite as many people train Construction as quickly. Plus there are many more ways for gp to enter into the economy than before, meaning more inflation.

 

When they introduced a new PVP system, it brought along with it hyperinflation. In the old PVP system, players fought one another for the items their opponent was carrying. Jagex scrapped that concept during the trade restrictions. What ended up being introduced was a new system based on the potential of getting a good drop. Now there was simply a bar set on the value of your items in order to get an expensive statue dropped, which was traded in for cold hard cash. First, it was doing something PVP had never done before: bringing in new gp into the game out of nowhere. Second, it was bringing in this new gp at an alarming rate. Soon, people were no longer flocking to PK, but to farm gp out of the new system.

 

As I said, inflation over time is almost a given in these types of games, but the inflation we've seen over the last year or two has been dramatic. The GE doesn't help to stabalize the prices either as (despite what Jagex claims) we do not set the prices, only control if they go up or down. If it continues on this path, then Jagex will eventually have to raise the gp cap of 2 billion, or players will eventually end up in a barter system, where some will began preferring items over cash. Of course, the latter would be difficult anyways when everything is tethered to the GE prices and trade restrictions.

[Tip.it Times 28 March 2010]

I agree that fun is important in a game; that's fairly obvious. Rewards are nice, too. The article almost polarizes the two concepts. A game can be both fun and rewarding. Usually, when we talk about the relevance of fun it's because it's been stripped of any rewards worth seeking out. It becomes the answer to a frequent question: Why are people still playing this game? It's the last thread left holding any player's interest, and it doesn't take much to snap, usually the next "fun" update. Go ask the people playing in the Games Room about the relevance of fun. Oh yeah....there aren't any.

[New Skill Tomorrow??]

They did a Thanksgiving update and multiple April Fool's updates/posts(not sure on the origin of April Fool's).

 

Also, we've got dibs on the red suit santa in the U.S.

 

They did a Thanksgiving update after years and years of promising not to incorporate national holidays.

 

And they got dibs on the christmas cracker. :wink:

[charms]

You might have better success with these questions in Help and Advice Section. There really isn't anything to debate here.

[Name change headaches]

I only wanted the opportunity to change my name ONCE. I'm happy now. The more you change your name, the more you lose your identity. That leads to the confusion we are discussing.

[New US Heathcare Reform Legislation Passed by Legislature]

Finally, they did it. I was beginning to lose hope, but maybe now we can work towards some actual reform now.

 

:lol: at everyone screaming about NHS or universal healthcare. I'm not happy with the bill because these things aren't in it.

[Tip.it Times 21 March 2010]

Thanks to jp7725 for excellent editing!

 

Thanks for writing a good article.

 

Like AirWales said, it brought back a lot of memories of how we used to play the game. Some good, some bad. With regards to bosses, I think it's always been a matter of trying to stay ahead of the curve. There was a time when it was unheard of to solo KBD or the KQ. As better equipment continues to come out, many bosses of the past get left behind. So what happens? They are replaced with new ones like the Corp. Beast. I also think Jagex has been working hard to find new ways to incorporate everybody. Stealing Creation comes to mind as a great example.

 

With regards to teamwork, I do like most of your points, but I'd rather not see the single player campaigns dissolve. Sometimes I like playing in teams, sometimes I don't. I always thought the most annoying part of Hero's was locating someone to help me. Sometimes it can be a pain to find a boss team: not everyone is on at the same time, people want to play for different lengths of time, not everybody is stocked up and ready to go, nobody wants to play one of the positions, etc.. Simply because of these reasons do I agree that coop play should be the most rewarding, but I still like much of my single player game as well.

[Constitution Update]

1 damage used to give 4 xp. So now 1 damage gives 0.4 exp. Of the 10 possible hits (X.0 -X.9 where X is an integer) the average hit would be X.5 or so. So you're actually gaining...2 xp more per hit...? That sounds incredulously large.

 

???*confused*

 

Sorry, but you're wrong. You gained 1.5 xp in HP for every 1 damage dealt. You also gained 4.5 xp in melee experience that could either be used on one skill, or spread across all three at 1.5 xp each. I was only referring to HP/Const though.

 

Now that I've looked it up, they haven't divided up the xp evenly like I thought. Now we divide the damage dealt by 7.5. That means you're actually getting even less than I had assumed for a 0.5 hit. Today, 5 damage equals 0.67 xp. That means truthfully, you're not really gaining any advantage AT ALL with the partial hits.

 

Good point you bring across. Perhaps Jagex just dreamt that it would be too difficult?

 

You were wondering that, too?

 

Or more likely, the players never complained because they would have left immediately after getting bored.

 

If they didn't complain, then how did Jagex find out? Heck, how would you even know they weren't coming back? Honestly, here's how I'd imagine it really happened. Jagex brought in some random kids for a focus group, let them play Runescape for an hour, and then had them fill out a questionnaire about what they liked and didn't like. Then, we all get an update based on the critique of a handful of kids who had never played before and probably didn't like the game anyways. *sigh* Welcome to corporate life.

 

EXP is one issue. Boredom is another. There was no difficulty gaining EXP since every hit gave you a significant amount of exp for that low level range. But hitting so many 0s can get boring, although the EXP gain is reasonable.

 

What does it say about the intelligence level of the player who is genuinely fooled by no longer seeing zeroes in this update? Since that's what we're talking about now: tricking them into believing they're really getting something out of this.

 

This is just speculation, though, I've no evidence whatsoever to back up what I said earlier.

 

Hey, that's all we can do, since this was the first either of us had heard of the problem.

 

About woodcutting and such. That's different. That's not what people do for fun. People are driven by either quests/bragging rights/what have you OR money. Both of which are strong motivators. Whereas early level fighting is for fun, for exploration. If people find they take near forever to kill a mere goblin (or at least they FEEL LIKE it, hitting so many 0s), they might get discouraged, since there's no real motivation behind it other than fun. And these people might turn to other games for fun any time, since they aren't really "absorbed" into the game yet.

 

Now who's speculating? i've only trained combat for skills and cash (and no, it's not because of all the zeroes I've had to endure). Believe it or not, many people do train these other skills for fun.

 

You don't jump right in and make money off of woodcutting or fishing either. It takes time trying to cut "Tree" down with level 1 Woodcutting. Firemaking has very little advantages. It usually takes several tries (and fails) before you can light those first couple of logs. They are very much relevant to the discussion. It takes time to find success in the tasks, then you gain those first few levels, then you gain xp faster, then you access new ways to make money.

 

This game takes planning and patience to succeed in. Runescape was not aimed at casual gamers. That's what FunOrb is for.

[Constitution Update]

I'll step up and take a few swings.

 

I already mathematically proved it to speed up training. Rather insignificantly, but still, small things add up and become big things.

 

If 1.5 xp was gained per 1 point of damage dealt, than only 0.75 xp was lost by rounding down 0.5 damage. Given the amount of times you would deal fractional hits along the long road to 13 million xp the difference would be, just as you admit, insignificant. It's hardly worth mentioning as an added benefit.

 

Also, we weren't assuming before this update that we were losing fractions of xp, because we didn't know it existed. A 1/100 scale is just as accurate (or inaccurate) as a 1/1000 scale. Theoretically, there will always be a "more accurate" scale regardless of what you choose.

 

Young people like to see hits of more than 0. People find it boring when you hit 0 because you accomplish nothing. Hitting a 1 now, although a much poorer hit than the 1 in those days, would still be better than hitting a 0. As in if you hit ten 1s(or any other combination adding up to 10) now compared to hitting nine 0s and a 1 last time, isn't that more interesting than previously?

 

I never noticed a mass of complaints from new players regarding this. That very Dev. Blog was the first time I had ever even heard of it. Hitting multiple zeroes is a consequence of having a low Attack level, not an inaccurate life points scale. Landing hits more frequently is the reward to training your Attack level. It never was so difficult to gain xp to be considered discouraging or impossible. If it were, we all would've abandoned it long ago. Sure, it may take a little more time to land your hits, but the same could be said about the first few logs you cut, or the first few logs you try to light, or the first few shrimp you catch, etc. The higher the level you attain means the less often you will fail; this has long been the basic formula for progression in the game. If new players were leaving because they were hitting too many zeroes in the first hour or two of playing, then why would they be interested in any other aspect of this game? This is especially true in a game that can take years to master.

 

Ok, I won't say this update was one of the most beneficial updates to the game, but in no way did it hurt the game. Aesthetics are subjective. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder". What you think is ugly might be pure beauty incarnate for some people.

 

I agree that many players are being overdramatic, but I think your above statement suggests why so many just don't understand it. At this point, there is no substantial justification for the change. Yes, technically nothing is different, but it's not entirely subjective. It still gives me pause when I'm hit for 54 damage, and I have to remind myself that it's really only 5 damage before I waste my food. It changes what we were accustomed to doing. Eventually, we will get used to it, just like the hp bars last year. The big question is: Why such a change? So new players don't see zeroes seems like a flimsy excuse. Nobody stays a new player for very long (at least that new). We'll have to wait for future updates to see what the developers' true intentions were, but that's all speculation.

[Living Rock Caverns]

Thanks for the tips! What about a ring of life? Would that be suitable to take, or another ring?

[Living Rock Caverns]

I'm interested in mining at the Living Rock. I'm having trouble locating any posts discussing this. Could you explain what might be the most efficient equipment (familiars as well) to bring, as well as any tips on strategies, or at least point me to a useful guide. Thanks for all of your help in advance.

[LOST: The Final Season]

I'm a huge fan of the show. I've been watching ever since the first season. It seriously took a dip by the third season, but they managed to turn it around. Last season was really good, and this final season is setting up to be epic. Can't wait to see how it all ends.

[Constitution Update]

People are mainly upset because it's an obvious change they can plainly see. Unfortunately, it was only a cosmetic update. At this point, I do agree that it changes virtually nothing in terms of combat or xp gained. There are some aspects that do seem pointless, such as renaming the skill itself. For now, I don't see the significance of x10 the points system. We'll have to wait to see what the devs intentions were behind this with future updates. As it stand now, I have to agree that the update is useless.

[Gaming can make a better world]

The Institute for the Future? Sounds like a hippy organization.

 

On topic: I'm not sure how much we can bridge the gap between fantasy gaming and the real world. If anything, I think the real world has more influence on books, movies, games, etc. I grew up just before the internet exploded. What I find interesting is that communities such as what you would find in online gaming has made the world a little smaller. I've learned more about the everyday lives of ordinary people in other parts of the world, things I'm not sure I would understand as well in another method.

 

It's an interesting theory, because games are so commonly thought to be counterproductive. I agree with some of what she said, games help build problem-solving skills and such. Interesting concept to try and motivate gamers. On the other hand, there's so much talk about how video games desensitize us to so much. You're not going to trick people who work into thinking its a game.

[The works of...me?]

The Fatal Kiss

 

I can't let go

of my dreams of the past,

but my futures at stake,

I resist the fatal kiss,

cause I can feel that it's wrong,

but I've got too much on my mind

and I'm too filled with passion to care

 

You can't quite see

the troubles of my mind

and when I see you flinch

as you try to understand

the pain is unbearable

and I try to keep it from you

wishing for nothing but your touch

 

They walk by

those lingering stares

suspicious eyes laying us bare

but they don't know our love

and I could not care for them

as long as you stay here

with me, till the end...

 

Not bad. It sounds like its describing a torrid love affair. I would like to see a few more details; it sounds too generalized (and in some places a little cliche) as it is.

 

"futures" should be "future's".

 

"cause I can feel that it's wrong."

 

"cause" is too casual of wording for this poem. It's slang for "because". The line itself is too plain and needs rewriting.

 

The last line on the first strophe deviates too far from any natural rhythm of the poem. It feels clunky coming out of the mouth.

 

Give it another rewrite and share a little more with your readers. How is the pain unbearable? What does it feel like? What do you have overloading your mind? Why do people stare and disapprove? Concentrate on imagery, utilizing your senses (touch, see, taste, hear, smell), especially in a poem about love and intimacy. What does that touch feel like?

 

 

 

The Eternal Shepherd

 

Desires rule our lives

And I'm losing control,

you look for a better way

but mine is a difficult soul

 

In a world of lusts

greed and envy, too much pain

where's the virtue of love

when all we do is in vain

 

And the end is coming

My self lives in the past

mistakes never letting go

and the light is moving fast

 

In a world of lusts

greed and envy, too much pain

where's the virtue of love

when all we do is in vain

 

Pains of these days last forever

when we live for nothing but ourselves

and you're my guide through this cursed sin

I search for you with a heart of purity,

but my flesh cries and fears your love

 

I admit that I wasn't a big fan of this one. Use this one to extract a line or two out of for future poems.

 

Someday I Swear I'll Understand

 

Sometimes the one you need most

ain't ready for you quite yet

I'll be here till the end of my days

waiting to earn a swollen heart

 

rainy days seem so lonely

when time runs dry, I still wait

holding on to you inside,

 

walking in the sand could never feel so good

the waves crash, and what I know falls through

the cold, it has never felt so warm

and the heat, has never never burned so true

 

This final one was my favorite. I think the final strophe was very well written. I like the idea of contrasting rainy days with timing running dry, and cold with heat. It lends to an impression that the narrator is out of sorts with the environment. Maybe (she?) will understand someday. I'd omit the 3rd and 4th lines on the first strophe. They're a bit cliche and don't really seem to add much to the overall poem. You could then combine the 2nd strophe with the first. Finally, pay attention to punctuation. It's okay to have end stops in the middle of a line.

 

Sometimes the one you need most

ain't ready for you yet.

Rainy days seem so lonely

when time runs dry. I still wait,

holding you inside.

 

Walking in sand never felt so good.

The waves crash, and what I know falls

through the cold. It has never felt so warm,

and the heat has never burned so true.

 

It's not a great rewrite, but maybe it will give some ideas.

[Tip.it Times 14 March 2010]

To be honest, I didn't think I would either, but then the opportunity popped up for me and I said, "Hey I may as well give it a shot" since it's not a permanent status (yes we can request for our statuses to be revoked if desired). I grew to like the role of helping out the community in a more functional manner, albeit still not that much different from the normal report button, but still something. Better to be able to mute someone who's spamming a dozen lines with racial slurs on the spot than watch and stare in horror after reporting them (or cringe at the thought that even though I might have the player ignored after reporting so many others may not). :shock:

 

The silver crown can be a curse and a blessing at the same time.... >.> If you cannot handle unwanted abuse appropriately (i.e. going off on them instead of ignoring/reporting them and moving on), this is definitely not something you want to do. If you can handle the abuse but are report happy on everything, I really don't recommend it either because context is a huge thing in the community. Taking pieces out to make someone look bad is just plain awful in my honest opinion. If you can handle the abuse, can take things in context, and is overall up to reading a lot of stuff before going out into the world with a mute-stick, then by all means give a shot. But don't feel pressured to stay being a player moderator forever. You can ask to step down. This is not a career job. This is a volunteer position.

 

There's a good reason why there isn't a quota of reports either.:razz: Can you imagine the number of mutes and reports going off, and how stressful it could be just PLAYING the game?:huh: It's like saying, "We expect the community to be this bad, so each of you must report this amount of people per month." Jagex does not hold these expectations because they hope that players can follow the rules and behave as appropriate. That being said, they don't expect a perfect community either, thus the introduction of the report abuse button and later player moderators.

 

Well, I don't have to worry about it anyways. I don't expect an invite anytime soon. :D I suppose it's a matter of perspective. Sure, there are times where we all wish we had the power to handle a situation ourselves. Your article I think outlined a lot of the cons that come with the responsibility: answering the same questions every day, unreasonable expectations from other players, player animosity towards you, etc.. I guess you have to weigh the good versus the bad, because you are always going to have to deal with the unwanted attention no matter how many articles you write. Like they say, heavy is the head that wears the crown. I respect the players that accept the added responsibility of becoming a player moderator FOR THE RIGHT REASONS.

 

Let me ask you, since Jagex announced they were reforming their policies on selecting player mods, have you noticed a change, whether better or worse? I like the idea of putting a greater emphasis on community leaders being selected rather than the number of reports.

[POLL: What were your thoughts on the Bonus XP Weekend?]

I have to admit, I was originally against the idea of "Bonus XP" weekend, but I feel it was handled very well. As long as it doesn't become too much of a routine than I don't see a problem with it. Once a year would be plenty.

[Tip.it Times 14 March 2010]

Personally, I don't understand why so many players would want to be a PMod. I guess for the distinction, like Mage pointed out. I don't think they know what they're asking for though. I appreciate what they are there for and all, but I wouldn't touch that job with a 39 1/2 foot pole.

[Dahmaroc?]

Is he pointing at something in the museum or just striking a pose for the camera?

 

If it will tie into the next skill, then what do you think it is? Archeology?