07-Dec-2010 - Tools for Clans {Developer Blog}

[Den]

Tools for Clans

by Mod Chihiro 07-Dec-2010

Clans are a big part of the RuneScape community. Over the years, millions of players have been a member of one of the thousands of varied clans. Each clan has its own aims and identity, and many of them have been with RuneScape for several years.

 

But running and organising a clan needs tools to help manage and communicate with clan members; at the moment, we know that we don't provide you with the tools you need. We have been using the friends system to give you what we can (i.e. Clan Chat), but we have always known that this is just the first step towards full clan support, and that we are going to have to come up with something better for the long term.

 

This is not a small job, and we are not treating it as such. The good news, though, is that this job is now beginning. We're currently pulling together a list of features and requirements that we'd like to be able to provide for clans, and outlining all of the work that needs to be done.

 

None of the technical departments escape the work, for new Game Engine and Web Systems features are needed. We'll also require new servers to host and store all the clan information, plus a team of content developers working on integrating clans features into the game.

 

We can't give you too many details yet, as with any such technical project details can change, but we can confirm a few things that we know the community have been asking for a long time.

 

We will be giving you a separate 'clan list' similar to the current friends list, but with features specific to clans. This will free up the friends system to be used as it was originally intended: to keep track of your friends. We'll also be adding extra customisation options to assigning clan rank names, and improving labelling members of your friends list while we're at it.

 

We'll be keeping you up to date with progress, and talking to clans and clan leaders (in the clan forums) about some of the finer details we'd like your feedback on, but the main thing we wanted you to know is that clan support is on its way.

 

We also have been watching (and will continue to watch) the forums for interesting clan-related ideas. If you'd like to discuss the content of this blog, visit the Tools for Clans forum thread.

 

To find out more about clans, check out our knowledge base article.

 

Link to the article on Runescape.com: http://services.rune....ws?post_id=109

[Danny_TeamDan]

Cool, more small improvements for the clan world, what they should do is remove cwa and add more pvp worlds. Also improving the RSOF and giving each clan their own web page with an option for other runescape players to click on apply to this clan and that sends a message or a notice to the clan leader/high ranks that this player would like to join and they can accept or decline. This would greatly help more clans grow and overall the interest of clanning would go up.

[Mdeoxys]

Looks promising, lets hope it turns out good for the clans! :)

[Sy_Accursed]

Praise be to High Lord Jamflex if I no longer have to brb, spend 15 minutes routing around staff forums on clan site to see what the current pass is to log on to a different account to do cc rank changes.

 

 

Hopefully this clan list thing will be a case of anyone ranked above x can access it from their normal account (obviously monly when they r in tht chat thou)

[RobocopIsWin]

Glad to see they're working on this, very much needed.

 

And Mod Chihiro posted this on the dev blog forum thread:

 

Yay! As an active player in a clan I am eagerly anticipating some clan changes which have been long awaited. Some I'd like to see is the ability to kick those one-time spammers (i.e. their name is left in chat for about 10 seconds after they leave in like a blue colour or something so can be kicked) and also the separate friends list as mentioned in the blog will be very useful.

 

~ Mime

 

@Mime

 

We are already working on this, we think we now have a robust solution, and hope to release this in the next week or two.

 

Thanks

 

mod_chihiro

 

If this update works as anticipated, I will love Jagex even more. :thumbsup:

[Triquos]

One word to describe this, and that is EPIC

[Kimberly]

The good news, though, is that this job is now beginning.

 

I took offense to this because I was under the impression that they were constantly looking on how to make the games more teamwork friendly. The fact that they're now 'just starting' seems horribly...wrong somehow. Either they're lying that they were helping to support clans then or they're lying that they're just starting to now. One is far more damaging than the other, so its no wonder they say this specifically.

 

I'm surprised they don't have a cavalcade of suggestions to begin with! I know the Clan Section's admin, Laikrob, frequently hosted questions for Jagex in the past. People have expressed what they want not only here, but all over the RSOF. Is this really all they can tell us so far? Or is the project they're working on now so vast that they don't have the resources to even say they're working on other projects yet?

 

Let's look further..

 

We'll also require new servers to host and store all the clan information

 

ORLY.

 

RIP Runehead 2005-2010, you'll be missed.

[Jolletzu]

Sup "clan base"

[Kimberly]

Sup "clan base"

 

Don't understand what you're trying to say. Clarify plox?

[Jolletzu]

Sup "clan base"

 

Don't understand what you're trying to say. Clarify plox?

Duh, you probably find out when it comes out anyway, thats pretty much all i know.

[Krampell]

So they found a new tab to replace the objectives.

 

Hope this will be great :D

[Golvellius]

:thumbdown:

Updates for gangs of teenage boys who dream of being like their favorite rapper won't amuse me.

I'm going to need a bigger ignore list while they are at it.

[green9090]

:thumbdown:

Updates for gangs of teenage boys who dream of being like their favorite rapper won't amuse me.

I'm going to need a bigger ignore list while they are at it.

What the ____ are you talking about?

[Kimberly]

:thumbdown:

Updates for gangs of teenage boys who dream of being like their favorite rapper won't amuse me.

I'm going to need a bigger ignore list while they are at it.

 

I can understand not wanting an update because you're not in a clan, but your perception of clans really couldn't be any farther from the truth. I feel sorry that you experienced some experience so bad that it made you hate clans so much. Because surely you wouldn't be insulting 30% of the community with no understanding of that community, right?

 

Right?

[Will H]

Can I hear a woot woot?

 

Very happy that Jagex is doing this, although it's been a long time coming. I think I'll join a clan soon, it might spice up the game a bit.

[HerHero]

Looking forward to this... Dungeoneering made me quit, but nice clan tools in-game might make me rejoin.

[Dax]

My main problem with the new RuneScape site layout is I miss seeing these appear. So it's like a week 'till I see them.

 

The changes sound awesome, too.

[xxshady]

Looking forward to this... Dungeoneering made me quit, but nice clan tools in-game might make me rejoin.

A completely optional piece of content made you quit the game that you like? You're really smart and you're not a 12 year old.

[HerHero]

Looking forward to this... Dungeoneering made me quit, but nice clan tools in-game might make me rejoin.

A completely optional piece of content made you quit the game that you like? You're really smart and you're not a 12 year old.

 

 

At the time I was already on-the-outs with Runescape and I was hoping that "The new skill" would re-spark my interest, but being somewhat of a completionist and hating Dungeoneering all it did was send me over the edge. I didn't rage or anything I just took a break/decided to quit; and until now I have yet to see anything that would make me start playing again.

 

As a player of 7 years I got burned out. Was my decision irrational? Partly, but hey...

[jettrider]

:thumbdown:

Updates for gangs of teenage boys who dream of being like their favorite rapper won't amuse me.

I'm going to need a bigger ignore list while they are at it.

 

At least you're consistent in style :shades:

 

I was a little disappointed with the blog though. If it's just a quick blog, then why not throw some ideas around instead of keeping it vague and dull? If it's updates in the making, why not provide eye candy of new interfaces to get people talking? The summoning blogs (though a very long-drawn out publicity stunt) were at least well-presented, while it seems the content of today's blogs is being moved to the High Level Forums and Clan Leader forums. Well, fine by me: just more motivation to max total.

[Omali]

:thumbdown:

Updates for gangs of teenage boys who dream of being like their favorite rapper won't amuse me.

I'm going to need a bigger ignore list while they are at it.

 

With that pissy attitude, don't worry about the ignore list, no one will want to talk to you anyway.

[Will H]

Looking forward to this... Dungeoneering made me quit, but nice clan tools in-game might make me rejoin.

A completely optional piece of content made you quit the game that you like? You're really smart and you're not a 12 year old.

 

Have you ever heard of the phrase 'The straw that broke the camel's back'?