2nd January 2009 - Behind the Scenes 2009

 

http://news.runescape.com/newsitem.ws?id=1598

 

So, the first post of the New Year and youll be wondering what the next 12 months in RuneScape will bring. The past year saw the introduction of PvP Worlds, RuneScape High Detail, Summoning, our first Grandmaster quest, combat minigames, and Distractions and Diversions. What can we do to top 2008?

 

 

 

Well, this is the challenge that weve set ourselves: 2009 has become our official Upgrade Year! So, what does that mean? It means our New Year's resolution is to tweak and polish what we've already got in the game alongside creating new content. For example:

 

 

 

* Doing the 'little' jobs that make a big difference (e.g. a 'You are here' arrow on the world map) and basically fixing all the annoying little niggles the game has. Things that may be the least glamorous to work on and talk about, but which really add up.

 

* Updating some of the earliest content/quests to bring it up to date, and take advantage of all the features we have added to the game engine since it was originally created. Also, reworking old clues that no longer work now the game is bigger (e.g. 'Look west of the mountains' was fine when there was only one mountain, but not now).

 

* Making the interfaces as intuitive, flexible and user-friendly as possible.

 

* Then, after all that, well start looking into abandoned and barely used areas/features of the game, and breathing new life into them.

 

 

 

Of course, we don't want to JUST do upgrades, so we're planning to do a mix of upgrades and new content. To achieve this we are planning on going back to releasing approximately four updates per month, which will alternate between upgrades and new content.

 

 

 

Weve been trawling the forums, pooling opinions from our game teams and inviting everyone at Jagex HQ to voice their opinions on what theyd like to see in an upgraded RuneScape. As a regular player, there will no doubt be at least one feature youve always wanted to see introduced, to make your time in RuneScape even better. Chances are that its already on our list, but to be on the safe side, why not let us know? Well be monitoring the forums, so please tell us what you want to see. We cant promise we'll do everything, but well try to incorporate any particular trends we see into our plans, and let you know.

 

 

 

Well, at the end of my first newspost, I just want to thank you all for your continued support through 2008, and I look forward to seeing you all in Gielinor in 2009.

 

 

 

Happy New Year!

 

 

 

Mod Vince

 

Head of RuneScape

 

 

 

2nd January 2009 - Behind the Scenes - January

 

http://news.runescape.com/newsitem.ws?id=1599

 

 

 

A new year often brings with it a sense of change or new adventure. For some, this rebirth is a nice, friendly affair, involving a new haircut and a resolution or two. For others, it means complex nesting rituals and a fiery demise...or perhaps a new beginning? Could we be talking about the legendary phoenix?

 

 

 

Our first update of the year is actually one we have been talking about for a while the new Summoning familiar you voted for during the Summer. Of course, we could have just produced a simple Summoning creature to follow you around and do the occasional funky trick, but we decided that a legendary creature such as the phoenix deserved the full treatment. So, it will have its own tutorial-style quest, in which you learn how to deal with the unusual nesting habits of the giant, fire-drenched beast, AND a repeatable challenge you can take on every day, should you wish.

 

 

 

Once youve helped the phoenix youll be able to summon a smaller phoenix familiar to help you in battle, just as you would with any other Summoning familiar. Not only will it be able to fight alongside you (dealing Magic damage), it will also have the ability to fire ashes at your opponents, temporarily blinding them and making it harder for them to attack. On top of this, the phoenix will be able to be reborn from the ashes, leaving nearby nasties scorched by the accompanying flames.

 

 

 

We will also be releasing the next of our Achievement Diaries this month this time set in the peaceful Seers Village and its surrounding woods and castles. As always, the intention of the Achievement Diary is to introduce some of the hidden or 'non-quest' activities associated with an area, so expect to be learning all about coal carts, the Piety prayer, forgotten sorcerers, poisoned chalices, pet fish and bullseyes! Rewards include additional experience when cutting down maple trees, and a handy flax picker (similar to Bert, who collects buckets of sand for you after the Hand in the Sand quest).

 

 

 

Another of the changes prepared for January is a great suggestion from our forums the ability to re-order your spell list. Now, dont worry, this is totally optional (and the default will still be the 'level order' setting you're currently used to), but youll be able to set up the list with the combat spells first, or the teleport spells first, etc. This is all managed via a handy series of buttons at the bottom of each of the three (normal, lunar and ancient) spellbooks. Were making this change because we feel it could be useful, but if you think it could be even MORE useful, wed like to know how - please let us know what you think.

 

 

 

Hopefully, youll have already read the Behind the Scenes 2009 newspost written by Mod Vince, the new Head of RuneScape. As he said, we intend to spend a lot of time this year reviewing older content, making it more useful and user-friendly, and ensuring that yesterdays content is of the same standard as tomorrows. The changes we plan to make cover all aspects of the game - this month well be increasing the length of the auto-logout timer from the current 90 seconds to about 5 minutes, and a You are here arrow on the world map. Were even looking back over our old word lists, to remove words accidentally starred-out in chat.

 

 

 

Last but not least, well be bringing you a new players gallery and the letters from Postie Petes January postbag.

 

 

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

Mod Mark

 

Lead Designer - RuneScape

 

I like the idea of an upgrade year, although I had hoped they would reveal a few of the things they planned to release.

 

 

 

January looks like fun, I wasn't expecting another AD so soon!

Looks promising.

 

 

 

They did tell us. OP just edited it in now :mrgreen:

the ability to re-order your spell list

 

 

 

Please, let us re-order our skills to :pray:

Power Woodcutting ... getting more powerful , free flax per day and updating the old stuff ... eh .. not bad :thumbup:

 

 

 

btw - PWNED - viewtopic.php?f=30&t=777342

I love the "You are here arrow" and "5 minutes timer" :ohnoes: :ohnoes: :ohnoes:

this month well be increasing the length of the auto-logout timer from the current 90 seconds to about 5 minutes,

 

 

 

This be the best update of the new year for sure :o

 

 

 

Mmm, wonder where mobilizing armies went..

might become a very good month

I love the "You are here arrow" and "5 minutes timer" :ohnoes: :ohnoes: :ohnoes:

 

 

 

 

 

yay! :thumbsup:

this month well be increasing the length of the auto-logout timer from the current 90 seconds to about 5 minutes,

 

 

 

This be the best update of the new year for sure :o

 

 

 

Mmm, wonder where mobilizing armies went..

 

 

 

I better not lag out with that 5 minute timer. :x

 

 

 

And where did mobilising armies go? Will that follow the path of wilderness tag?

 

 

 

Also: no lvl 95 slayer monster :|

Sounds like a good month.

 

The only downside is the log out timer, think about: "connection lost" you were just fighting a powerfull monster you could survive 90 seconds but can you survive 5minutes?

Hmm more experience each maple log after the new Achievement Diary :-#

 

Flax pickers, I hope this doesn't crash the Flax market

 

The re-order of the spells might be interesting \

 

 

 

Good month, I guess.

Phoenix looks meh :|

I can't see how the five minute timer is useful, and why is everybody raving about it. Like a couple of people have mentioned, it will probably guarantee your death if you disconnect whilst MHing or during a dangerous activity. The timer we have now is fine, people should pay attention to the screen every minute or so whilst fishing or woodcutting. It isn't hard.

So if you shut down window or go off the game link, will your character be in game for 5 minutes?

 

 

 

I think that Jagex will make the 5 minute only go for SAFE places.

Phoneix sounds low-level

 

Hope they resign the ugly skills interface aswell.

Oh yes.

 

 

 

I haven't even read more than a few sentences but I love this whole 'update year' thing. No more new poorly designed skills (summoning before batch 2 anyone?), just updating already existing game content. Awesome.

this month well be increasing the length of the auto-logout timer from the current 90 seconds to about 5 minutes,

 

 

 

This be the best update of the new year for sure :o

 

 

 

Mmm, wonder where mobilizing armies went..

 

 

 

 

 

It thought that too, and i looked on the page and couldnt find any info about it O_o

I knew jagex would "Work" more on mobilising armies so we first get it in Febuary, or they forgot to put it in :x

So if you shut down window or go off the game link, will your character be in game for 5 minutes?

 

 

 

I think that Jagex will make the 5 minute only go for SAFE places.

 

:ohnoes:

I can't see how the five minute timer is useful, and why is everybody raving about it. Like a couple of people have mentioned, it will probably guarantee your death if you disconnect whilst MHing or during a dangerous activity. The timer we have now is fine, people should pay attention to the screen every minute or so whilst fishing or woodcutting. It isn't hard.

 

I thought it was like this: When you lag out, your character would log out too, but if you were in battle, you would log out after 30 seconds.

Hmmm

 

The increase of the log-out timer has its ups and downs appereantly.

 

Still, aren't the 90 seconds enough to get you killed when your connection is lost?

i like that part about reordering the spell list and the seers diary <3

What's this with the NEW head of Runescape?

 

Has there been some sort of change I'm not aware of?

5 minute timer D:

 

i hope they update things like minigames and skills