The implicit and unexpected value of an update

[AlexDT]

I've gotta say, I agree with the OP. The only [remotely] recent update that's changed my playing style in any significant way was the G.E. At level 62 summoning, I can't see any real uses for the skill, so I'm disappointed there. Most recent quests have been underwhelming, and the stories seem forced. I'd probably love the God Wars Dungeon, but I've never had the opportunity to go. The G.E totally sneaked up on me, and I'm thankful that it did. I'd rather Jagex give us almost no indication of an imminent update, instead of hyping it so dramatically.

[snowball]

I hope they don't let us down with the PvP worlds at the least. I h8 PKing (sooo very much) but I like the idea of PK anywhere to return.

 

 

 

as for Summoning, I was hyped out, but I didn't use it as I expected i would. Still, If I plan to fight in a multicombat area or train skills, I've always got a helper =). Seriously, an evil turnip is much better than I would have thought. It added a few thousand exp to my range

[jettrider]

I had a topic on another site about this. I'll repost the first post here.

 

 

 

Everyone loves an update. It's exciting to see new content on the front page and know there's something new to do. I am a level 138 character who has all quests done and has played every minigame seriously. For the purposes of this most, I will be looking at this news list first and second pages and be ignoring graphical/polls/misc. updates that don't really affect the game itself. Please note that I'm not complaining about the frequency of updates or the intended audience of them.

 

 

 

(This is where you might want to scroll down to the discussion point if you're short on time.)

 

 

 

The Runecrafting Guild: This was a very exciting update primed by Behind the Scenes. The minigame is called fun by some and boring by others, but the fact remains that at max speed and token gaining, obtaining and using tabs is 4.5k exp/hour slower than using a Graahk to Runecraft. As you have to pay to repair pouches, it is only useful if you're playing the minigame. Tabs for slayer tasks? They're not useful enough to justify the time spent getting them. The omni talisman? A quick one-time RC boost that is of minimal use. The ability to buy pouches and the astral tabs for switching magics are the only redeeming features of the guild and minigame, which suffer from a terrible quitting-game system leaving teams outnumbered.

 

 

 

Meeting History: A sequel is much better than starting a new storyline, but this is a short quest that has no good reward in sight. Afterwards you can hunt for some more useless junk.

 

 

 

I'd like to mention quests at this point. Too often a new storyline is started or extended rather than finishing a series. This means we have too much yet too little variety at once. Also, quests give tend to give one-time exp bonuses without giving a long-term benefit as they should. You'll read about this later when I discuss Smoking Kills.

 

 

 

Item Lending: A useful update but one that spawns a new generation of begging. Now we can lend for cash? Just promotes the making and using of junk. Instead of exchanging pouches for shards and keeping money in the game, scrolls will be made just to trade with. A good concept with too many negative side effects.

 

 

 

Spirit of Summer: This quesy made me angry. Instead of bringing a sequel quest to the wilderness, we must go off on a new tangent before we can have useful updates.

 

 

 

One could make the argument that the whole staff can't work on one update at once. But this statement doesn't apply because they could choose one of the many unfinished storylines to work on instead.

 

 

 

Rocking Out: Another infuriating quest. Instead of tying it in to an existing pirate storyline, we must take in a new one. Also, the quest ends in such a bad spot that I can't help but think that it was cut short for an earlier release. Few people thieve the custom files and the quest offers no other long-term benefits.

 

 

 

Toktz-Ket-Dill: This quest was particularly annoying because we have needed entrance to the Tzhaar city for a long time. Instead we got a little-used mining spot far from the bank. Few people will return to the quest area after completion, which is the core problem.

 

 

 

Perils of Ice Mountain: This quest was a slap in the face because it would have tied in much better as a sequel to Dwarf Cannon. The ability to smith pickaxes would be very easy and an update to the cannon would have been welcome. Besides; who thinks Dwarf Cannon wasn't a low-level quest?

 

 

 

Legacy of Seergaze: Although this quest has decent rewards, it extends a storyline further when it doesn't need to be. I'd prefer if the quest had included entrance to the castle and leave us just short of hunting down the ruler of Meiyerditch.

 

 

 

All these above updates are examples of an update that few people will use on a long-term basis. They don't really add anything to the game. They extend a storyline that should be finished and start new ones instead of finishing an existing storyline. Below, I'll discuss some good updates.

 

 

 

The Bank Update: A solid, requested update. Good things happen when Jagex listens to player ideas. The best part is that we get to customize the tabs. But yeah, a good update that followed through and will be used forever.

 

 

 

New Lumbridge: Although I am a very high-leveled player, I found these good, balanced updates. The explorer's ring is incredibly useful for f2p use, and it's good to have a diary that anyone can and will complete.

 

 

 

Smoking Kills: Just behind Summoning as the top update in years. It leaves the previous slayer training method untouched but adds many features that make Slayer faster and more enjoyable. It's fair to say that anyone who seriously trains slayer has used or thought about these rewards. Also, the update is unique for everyone; what order will you spend your points, and which tasks will you block?

 

 

 

Quick Chat and Level-up Banners: These are improvements. Quickchat, though annoying, is very useful to find muted players and communicate with them. Also, the level banners are more detailed and informative yet easier to access.

 

 

 

This set of updates will not fizz out like Rat Pits or Trouble Brewing. They will be widely used and add something useful to RuneScape.

 

 

 

OK, to the main discussion point. I am discussing updates that will only be played when they are new and have little use to RuneScape. Vinesweeper comes to mind; this game is NOT worth playing for exp or seeds. It adds nothing and, in my opinion, was a waste of Jagex's time to develop. I will use Rat Pits as the ultimate failure. NO ONE, even on the themed world, plays it. It was a stupid update and I think they knew it. Why have they not yet changed that world to Lootshare? Your guess is as good as mine. Why does the QA team keep changing updates to give lower rewards? Why are you not awarded MANY more Vinesweeper points per flagged seed and make the minigame useful?

 

 

 

Because this is, after all, a QA fault. These updates are "nerfed" before they even come out. A mild nerf after one week wouldn't hurt; give the update a chance to be good before it is condemned. An example can be found in Smoking Kills, if they had made cancelling a task take 4000 points instead of 400. Why nerf something to make sure that it won't be used?

 

 

 

Too many updates, it seems, are not worth the effort because they are no more efficient than the average training methods. Actually, they're so much slower that very few people bother to use them. You cannot pull out the "fun" card because they could easily have updated one of the MANY current minigames or quests. To put it simply, new updates don't pack enough punch to alter the training methods accepted as most efficient, or even to contend with them. Quests are completely off the point and don't finish anything; a quest feels like an odd job now instead of interesting gameplay.

 

 

 

I think this is quite wrong. These are updates, not downgrades; they are supposed to add useful content to the game instead of new junk programming lines that increase the size of RuneScape. NOTE: I am not asking for insanely useful updates that nerf previous training methods. But this is just my opinion; what do you think?

 

 

 

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I think the All Fired Up minigame is great. Mainly because of the ring of fire and flame gloves, which make a small but useful difference that WILL BE USED. Also the adze is quite useful for power woodcutting. Not the greatest for cash - but that's something that balances out the good parts for powercutting.

[magmaguard3]

I hate it when I'll imagine all kinds of things for updates, and most of the time they turn it out good but not what I wanted them to be. I'm already speculating about PvP. \

[DieselX]

The solution is to come in with zero expectations. The best things in life are surprises. Overthinking just ruins all the magic,

[nickeley102]

The solution is to come in with zero expectations. The best things in life are surprises. Overthinking just ruins all the magic,

 

'tis true, but its hard not too look forward to things. I am more impressed with jagex for the updates that i didnt expect (that are awesome) than i am dissappointed with then revolutionary updates that i dont use

[Plugpoint]

Grammar is important thing

 

Rofl :wall:

 

 

 

OT: I'd been looking forward to bank tabs for years.. then they eventually came out after I'd sold pretty much everything so I could turn F2P. Epic timing ftl :roll:

[Will H]

I would train summoning to useful levels if I had the time/money, and personally I love the bank tabs. Only problem was that Jagex didn't bother to put in a lock/unlock system.