Tip.It Times: 1 Feb 2009

[n_odie]

Time for a new release of the: >>>Tip.It Times!<<<

 

 

 

When replying please make sure to clarify the article you are replying to! Thanks!

 

 

 

Enjoy all the articles!

 

~Odie

[Socc]

FIRST POST@!$#%$^&^*&(*^%$#%$%!$#@%$U^#ETGSAER@$#!@#%^#$shift+11!@#

 

i win

 

 

 

Should be interesting to see if the subscriptions skyrocket or plummet.

[n_odie]

Just a note, an additional article was added about 15 minutes after original release. :thumbup:

 

 

 

As far as the subscriptions, while the cost of the subscription is no problem for me the point of High Speed is a very good point. I have already found myself looking at fiances and thinking, "how can I reduce my bills?!?" :?

[Kimberly]

"Is The Shift Coming?" was a very interesting article, yet they hardly touched on other international economies. Americans are not the only people who play runescape, after all! What about England's recent bank nationalization due to the Labor party, or the recent economic collapse of Sweden?

 

 

 

But regardless, that's not the point of the article now is it ;D You'll actually see LOTS of online businesses, be it gaming or otherwise, performing in the green this year. Just look at Amazon.com! They've actually seen GROWTH! I don't think there will be much of a decline in membership. Web-based businesses are just too stable right now. ;3

 

 

 

BRB LOL READING THE OTHERS!

[3hitm4g3u]

Felt like a few facts were skipped over in the God wars article but it was a good read.

[Earth_Poet]

I think traditionally, the gaming industry remains fairly stable through economic downturns. For many folks like myself, playing games like Runescape is actually a money saver. Instead of going out to a club or a restaurant, you can opt to stay inside and play games. Also, I don't have absolute proof of this, but hasn't the movie industry always done well through recessions?

[Wachtwoord]

I kinda disagree with the economy article. First of all, most people I know pay their own membership with their pocket-money. So they will easily be able to continue paying. I doubt many parents will cut on pocket-money either, in modern society that is seen as a sign of extreme poverty. Of course a few are forced too, but those are the very minority. As for the parents who do pay: $5 per month isn't that much. I know it is for some families it is, but I doubt that is for majority of the RS players. Most children I met have pretty well educated, relatively much earning parents, to whom $5 is nothing.

 

For those reasons, I doubt anything spectacular will happen at all. Maybe a very little decline, but nothing notable.

 

 

 

Note: all my assumptions are solely based by my own experience and friends. I can be totally wrong.

[Abc1230]

I don't think the economy will really affect runescape too much. If you can afford an internet connection, 5 bucks a month probably isn't a big deal.

[introuble3]

Lately I've been really enjoying the history articles as before I haven't really read about the history of Gielinor. Also a good article on the on the economy though as people have already said for most people $5 a month is not much, and web-based companies right now are faring pretty well. The issue of how fast your internet is though is something that makes sense as getting a faster internet (which I would like) can cost a fair bit of money depending on how fast you want it (though rs doesn't require a fast internet connection so that's a plus for them).

[wurmskin]

The God Wars article had a very interesting insight as to the lore of RuneScape. Looking forward to the more detailed analysis of the different factions and forces that was promised at the end of it : .

[Sorator]

The God Wars article was interesting, and I look forward to the next one.

 

 

 

However, the writer should remember that gnomes, and quite possibly dwarves (don't remember at the moment), are rather stout supporters of Guthix, and so they would be working to end the violence, not take any particular side.

[mikeg0477]

I keep reading that $5.00 isn't that much money, and I agree- mostly. As someone who has been unemployed for 2 months now, my finances are stretched to the limit (I know, "get a job" you say).

 

That $5.00 is food, heat, electricity, phone, etc. In my area, jobs are scarce and the competition is fierce. How can I justify spending that money on recreation? I know that I'm not the only one in this situation, so don't be so quick to say that any amount is "only" so much.

 

 

 

That said, since I prepaid for my members account for a year (6 months to go! :thumbsup: ), I at least don't have to worry about RS for a while...as long as I can afford internet hookup. #-o

[Maulmachine]

A lot more could have been done with the economic one, it should have been done by someone experienced in the field and done 1 week later. The reason for this is that jagex's economic data comes out shortly,and that would have been very interesting, had it been incorporated.

[Kimberly]

A lot more could have been done with the economic one, it should have been done by someone experienced in the field and done 1 week later. The reason for this is that jagex's economic data comes out shortly,and that would have been very interesting, had it been incorporated.

 

 

 

Ah to be sure though, "me" will write an essay to accompany it :D

[Vincent]

[hide=rant on economy]what a bunch of chicken littles the media and others are. besides, lots of people dont live in mansions and eat steak every night anyway and i'm talking about entire nations not doing so great prior; along with many people living in "rich countries" not doing so great. where was the fuss then? lots of people knew you cant stretch credit as far as it was. basically corporations and banks were and are screwing people over. they were and are stretching the economy out and extending lines of credit for the sole purpose of maintaining or increasing their profit margins. i'm supposed to be sad for them when they stop gaining profits? better to be the screwee then the one being screwed. i didnt lose billions, what recession? i dont live on credit anyway. that line on my bank statement is a debit payment. it's a stretch relating this to runescape but we'll go with it.

 

 

 

i receive calls almost daily about people wanting to "reduce my credit card debt" i have to laugh, i dont use credit cards! :) it's a sunny day in my neck of the woods. maybe corporations' profit margins shouldnt be the first priority when judging and mitigating an economy. no good jobs because the corporations are shutting down? who put us there? ask this question. since when are we dependent on wall street and those bigwig fatcats? if we are or were noone to blame but our selves for allowing that. and since when did the corporations make it their priority to provide good jobs and benefits? oh wait, they didnt. they went after profit margins. want a house you cant afford? a car you cant afford? dont worry there's someone that will take advantage of your situation and give you a line of credit and in turn you will be obligated to make them rich.

 

 

 

smoke and mirrors all of it or a lot of it anyway. i remember reading a quote from someone that fit this entire situation perfectly. they said, why am i getting the corporate financial forecast? i'm not interested in corporations, i'm interested in my medical insurance, my job, my savings, my investments, my education, my home, and my financial outlook. now the government wants to "save the corporations" the big fat whales that they are and "threatened" for extinction, yeah right. save them so they can continue to run things into the ground; good thinking. no. i learned early on; look out for #1. yourself=#1.[/hide]

 

 

 

jagex will do fine. like you said, membership is cheap. it's entertainment. when people are troubled they seek entertainment to get their troubles off their mind; it's human nature. but, just a thought, ok the internet hasnt been as hard hit as some places so, i'm guessing some people will want to exploit that and you guessed it people will. and some of the business jerks involved/ media corporations may choose to get more involved like they have on youtube; parasites that they are and bloodsuckers; if someone comes up with an idea that's better than theirs they want to get rid of it so they can eliminate competition and let the public settle for mediocrity. that should be more topical and severe a threat i would think, but i could be totally wrong. :P

[Jenove]

considering u can play rs for free as opposed to Wow This will most certainly mean more playrer and money thanks to advertising

[Phox1515]

Conversely, as people look to cut spending, RuneScape could be viewed as a very economical alternative. With more expensive console systems with associated expensive games, a parent would certainly rethink purchasing hundreds on a console, games, and online access in lieu of simply paying a $5 monthly rate to placate their game-thirsty child.

 

 

 

if the parent has even half a brain he'll know that is way way mroe expensive... rs is about 60 a year...a new playstation 3 is $400... thats 6.6 years of rs.... in that time i bet there will already be a sequal to ps3 long time out.... in by then the ps3 obsolete like ps2 is now... runescape on the other hand is never obsolete... its the samer thing every day with updates every week or 2

 

 

 

oph and vincent its not so much the corp that we are worried about its our job... for insartnce.... starbucks goes out of business... thats a HUGE corp. what ahppens to all those 10s of thousands of people withoit jobs now? they ave to find work elseware... well now what about us smoes who didnt have a job in the first place... if that starbucks person get s the job we tried for well now we have a problems.... and the same issue happens every day... wamu got bought out... 1000s of people laid off... now they need jobs... thats the reason why we care about the corps having there money safe... your health insurance... if that company goes down so does your and every one else health insurance with them... its not ALWAYS our fault. but i do agree with the part about where people buy expensive car or houses then cant afford.

 

 

 

amnother issue is that the money within united states had to go somewhere... someone has to ghas it... it didnt just burn up in flame one day... i think that someone is sitting ona nice pile of cash enjoying himself.... its prob more than 1 but thats the prob... the rich are greedy.... like scrooge.... they tend not to give there money away... they save and save nd save and enver spend... as a resualt money is not circulated and theres less for everyone else to have. we dont just print off free money.... new money yes but not extra.. the new stuf replaces the old... gets shredded and incinerated.... never to be seen in a cash register or bank again. the 3rd issue now is with people having way to biug of families.... i could start a whole nother discussion just on that alone in fact there already is one in my clan... but a readers digest example.

 

 

 

example only

 

2007 we have $1 for every person alive

 

remember we dont print off extra money only new

 

2008 2 mil children are born

 

end of 2008 well guess what... now the ratio has changed because we now have 2mil more children.... we need more money.

 

 

 

thats the issue too... people who have children unresponsbly... they cant afford it yet they still enjoy eachother un protected....

[waheera1]

Mildly disappointed by the economic article. As has been pointed out, America is not the only market in the world to be suffering, and even then it is not solely because of American problems that the rest of the world is now facing pecuniary troubles, unlike the Wall Street Crash of 1929. That said, I'm only mildly disappointed, because the points that were made were succinct and also accessible to those with a lesser understanding of basic economics.

 

 

 

I'm a little confused by the War Running article, as I thought it was supposed to be the finale this week, but for what it is I'm glad to see that a good standard has been maintained and will be interested to read the rest of the story whenever it comes. :-)

 

 

 

God Wars: I was half hoping Psycho_Robot might be the one to attempt this kind of a breakdown after his article last week fell a little short of its potential. That said, I think what is being attempted in this current take on the God Wars provides for an interesting backdrop to what could potentially become the backbone of the new mobilising armies minigame and has been seen to some extend in Armies of Gielinor (funorb). I hope that there is some kind of unifying finish to this split article and that it doesn't become just another incomplete history of the gods of runescape.

 

 

 

That's me done for now! :-) In general, nice work but as always things to look at!

[Zaaps1]

Ha! And here some of us are worrying about d claws falling 600k.

[Maulmachine]

Conversely, as people look to cut spending, RuneScape could be viewed as a very economical alternative. With more expensive console systems with associated expensive games, a parent would certainly rethink purchasing hundreds on a console, games, and online access in lieu of simply paying a $5 monthly rate to placate their game-thirsty child.

 

 

 

if the parent has even half a brain he'll know that is way way mroe expensive... rs is about 60 a year...a new playstation 3 is $400... thats 6.6 years of rs.... in that time i bet there will already be a sequal to ps3 long time out.... in by then the ps3 obsolete like ps2 is now... runescape on the other hand is never obsolete... its the samer thing every day with updates every week or 2

 

 

 

oph and vincent its not so much the corp that we are worried about its our job... for insartnce.... starbucks goes out of business... thats a HUGE corp. what ahppens to all those 10s of thousands of people withoit jobs now? they ave to find work elseware... well now what about us smoes who didnt have a job in the first place... if that starbucks person get s the job we tried for well now we have a problems.... and the same issue happens every day... wamu got bought out... 1000s of people laid off... now they need jobs... thats the reason why we care about the corps having there money safe... your health insurance... if that company goes down so does your and every one else health insurance with them... its not ALWAYS our fault. but i do agree with the part about where people buy expensive car or houses then cant afford.

 

 

 

amnother issue is that the money within united states had to go somewhere... someone has to ghas it... it didnt just burn up in flame one day... i think that someone is sitting ona nice pile of cash enjoying himself.... its prob more than 1 but thats the prob... the rich are greedy.... like scrooge.... they tend not to give there money away... they save and save nd save and enver spend... as a resualt money is not circulated and theres less for everyone else to have. we dont just print off free money.... new money yes but not extra.. the new stuf replaces the old... gets shredded and incinerated.... never to be seen in a cash register or bank again. the 3rd issue now is with people having way to biug of families.... i could start a whole nother discussion just on that alone in fact there already is one in my clan... but a readers digest example.

 

 

 

example only

 

2007 we have $1 for every person alive

 

remember we dont print off extra money only new

 

2008 2 mil children are born

 

end of 2008 well guess what... now the ratio has changed because we now have 2mil more children.... we need more money.

 

 

 

thats the issue too... people who have children unresponsbly... they cant afford it yet they still enjoy eachother un protected....

 

Did you just imply that the economic crisis is because of unsafe sex? Dude, you should like be a safe sex lecturer.

[Armadyllo]

RuneScape may or may not lose subscribers, but it doesn't need to lose people (and people are what makes an online community worth having). It can be played for free, after all, if you don't mind adverts. Some people subscribe and unsubscribe frequently according to what they can afford.

[Zaaps1]

Reading through the GWII article (which I loved), I think the recent Funorb game should have been taken into consideration.

 

 

 

For example, with its release, it is obvious that gnomes and dwarves are allied to Guthix. But aren't the gnomes fighting the Khazard Troops at Khazard battlefield? Does this mean the second God Wars have already been initiated?

 

 

 

Also, it should have been noted that in addition to Lanthas' and the Elves' strong foothold in Ardy, the Hazeel cult could also become a big force, especially since Hazeel has been resurrected.

 

 

 

The Menaphite Pantheon (as the Desert Gods are called), appear to be united by ancient bounds, but they do not function as a "team" so to speak. They fight amongst themselves, but they hold the potential to combine forces. They hold some of the biggest land area, but will face increasing difficultly with Zamorak. (Enankra was a servant of Zamorak, I believe, and the Haunted Mine was originally built as a Fortress against the Desert Nomads, as explained in Tarns' Diary, which reminds me, Tarn could be a big player for Zamorak as well.) But I'm sure the author will go much more in-depth on the Menaphite Pantheon.

 

 

 

I would not go so far as to say all of the Elves are loyal to Zamorak through Iowerth. Besides, Seren GAVE them crystal, and old loyalties or traditions as much are very, very difficult to erase or override (RL examples: Absolutism in Russia, Disunity in Europe, Religious Conflicts.) Plus, Seren powers the city of Priffdinias, which means she could end the power of Crystal weapontry if the elves betray her. (Which reminds me, the Wise Old Man, a Saradomin follower I believe, is planning to infiltrate Priffdinias. Is this important? Hasn't been touched for a while though.) Also, the Elves in Lleyta are still loyal to Seren as well.

 

 

 

Going on to Bandos now, don't forget that Zanik has a sort-of "Anti-Bandos" movement amongst the Goblins (she's dead, but that doesn't prove much since she was resurrected by Guthix before, and she has an entire tribe supporting her beliefs, but perhaps not her cause.). This could lead to potential disunity.

 

 

 

The only amendment I can think of for Saradomin would be that the Temple Knights are not what they seem to be. They could be signing other loyalties, so Asgarnia might not be so strong for Saradomin as thought out to be.

 

 

 

Overall, I loved the article. I found it extremely interesting to see a full analysis of the forces of each god. Next article, I would love to see the minor gods looked at, such as Marimbo (conflict with the gnomes and therefore Guthix?) the many Mahjarrat, and Lucien.

[XxTearGodxX]

I would read the Tip.It Times but they are released too often :(

[motocrossbri]

FIRST POST@!$#%$^&^*&(*^%$#%$%!$#@%$U^#ETGSAER@$#!@#%^#$shift+11!@#

 

i win

 

 

 

Should be interesting to see if the subscriptions skyrocket or plummet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

pft, yeah right. I always enjoy reading these times :

[Gandorf61]

The God Wars article made me think of the new Mobilizing Armies minigame for runescape that Jagex is working on. Anyone else seeing the fight for power being used in the new minigame? I think it probably will be and extension of the god wars.

 

 

 

The other two articles were also good reads.