01-Feb-2011 - Behind the Scenes - February

[Dexek]

They’re back! The Wilderness and free trade both make a triumphant return this month after the biggest vote in our 10-year history...but they are not alone. If you’re not gambling fortunes on the GE or risking life and limb in our new revenant dungeon, why not try this month’s quest: The Prisoner of Glouphrie? Don’t forget to take along a brand new pottery urn, collect some demon ashes and make use of the improved shortcuts along the way!

 

The Wilderness and Free Trade

 

Our first update this month will see the return of the Wilderness and free trade! If you’re not sure what we’re talking about...where have you been, hiding under your pet rock? There has been a huge referendum where over 1.2 million players voted, 91% of whom were in favour of the return of the Wilderness and free trade. What does this mean? Well, in a nutshell, it means that you will soon be able to give gifts to your friends, charge what you like for your Grand Exchange sales, and take part in the most dangerous sport in the whole of RuneScape: Wildy PKing!

 

If you need to know more about how PKing and free trade works, read the new Wilderness and free trade starter guides in the Game Guide. PKing can be great fun and can bring you huge rewards, but only ever PK with gear you can afford to lose – there won’t be a gravestone there to protect your stuff. You have been warned!

Other changes brought in with the return of the Wilderness and free trade includes:

 

* The new, revenant-filled Forinthry Dungeon, where the revenants drop all the unique PvP gear previously found on the PvP and Bounty Hunter Worlds.

* Limitless staking for members.

* Improved Chaos Elemental drops (and a chaotic new look).

* Faster respawn times on the Wilderness runite rocks.

* Unlimited party room drops.

* Outside of the Wilderness, gravestones will have their timers increased and repair/bless costs reduced to 0.

 

For more information about the Wilderness and free trade, check out the Wilderness & Free Trade Q&A thread on the forums.

 

The Prisoner of Glouphrie and Gnome Graphical Rework

Our next planned release for February will see a graphical update to the gnomes. With new chat heads, models and even new statues, the gnomes can once again stand proud as one of the best-looking races in the game. And what better way to showcase these new graphics than with a sequel to our gnome storyline...The Prisoner of Glouphrie.

 

"We’re going to need an adventurer: someone who will recklessly bound into Arposandra, throw a gnome over their shoulder and be back home in time for cocktails."

 

Golrie has noticed that a slip of paper he’s been using as bookmark is actually a letter from his grandfather, discussing his search for the mythical city of Arposandra. Put your Agility, Thieving, Construction and Runecrafting (60+) levels to the test in this most gnomic of adventures. Complex puzzles with generous XP rewards and additions to the glider network await as you explore the fabled city for the one gnome who can reveal it to the world! High-level farmers will also be pleased to hear that completing the quest will give access to a new spirit tree patch and faster access to Lletya.

 

Look out for some gnomic community events to support the update!

 

Pottery Update and New Crafting Methods

 

Later this month, we plan to reshape the way that pottery works within RuneScape. We’ll be streamlining the process of using the pottery wheels and making the entire process far more accessible and rewarding, giving players other options to raise their Crafting level.

 

Players will soon have the option to throw and fire urns from levels 1 to 81 Crafting. Once made and fired, you will need to attach the appropriate rune to them so they can be teleported away when full. The urns come in many varieties, from cracked cooking urns to decorated woodcutting urns, which collect the scraps often left behind by standard training. The best part is you don’t have to fill them yourself! All you need to do is have it in your inventory while training the skill.

 

Once an urn is full to the brim, simply use its teleport option for a hefty chunk of XP in the related skill. As an example, teleporting the lowest level Woodcutting urn would give 160 XP on teleport, and the highest level (members-only) Fishing urn will see you net 1,900 Fishing XP.

 

Demon Ashes

 

We’re also planning to change the 100% ashes drop from demons to work more like standard bones. All monsters that used to drop ‘ashes’ will drop a new type of ash; depending on the order of demon, these will be impious (imps and fiends), accursed (lesser and greater) or infernal ashes (black, abyssal and tormented demons, nechryaels, and most boss demons). These new ashes can either be scattered for XP (just like burying bones), or you can take them to the Ectofuntus for bonus XP (where they will not require grinding or to be put in a pot; just add ectoplasm).

 

Shortcut Improvements

 

Finally, this month, we aim to update many shortcuts so that they no longer require you to carry an item to use them, and are unlocking a few to add to the free game. Free-to-play will now be given access to the River Lum canoes, which no longer require a hatchet to make. However, using high-quality axes will speed up the process. Members with Construction levels up to 51 will also be able to build hidey-holes (at crossbow shortcuts) and rope racks (at eyries) in the following locations:

 

Hidey-holes:

 

* Falador’s north wall

* Yanille’s south wall

* Catherby’s cliffs

* River Lum (south of Lumbridge)

* Water obelisk island

* Musa Point

 

Rope racks:

 

* Eagles’ Peak eyrie

* Karamja eyrie

* Feldip eyrie

* Baxtorian Falls

 

Players building shortcuts at these locations will also be given some one-off Construction XP for doing so.

 

Mod Mark

RuneScape Lead Designer

[bored321]

Outside of the Wilderness, gravestones will have their timers increased and repair/bless costs reduced to 0.

:thumbsup:

 

Was hoping MOTM5 was this month too, but hey at least we will have something to look forward to next month.

[Toad]

Ashes looks quite good, I remember suggesting ashes should be able to be scattered as lots of slayer monsters drop them but I thought it'd never be heard quite nice that someone there had the same thought.

 

Gnome update - good but where's the monkey one, still gnomes seriously outdated, I guess it's a month of readjusting to the game so it'll be okay ;)

[Dax]

All looks like so much win.

 

GNOME UPDATE! YES!

[Esper_Jones]

The new quest will be awesome, but the demon ashes are going to be perplexing. Why now, after all the time requesting it?

 

Either way, expect dragon bone prices to dip a bit.

[Magbill]

I like it, especially how the graves will work.

[Da_Latios]

Outside of the Wilderness, gravestones will have their timers increased and repair/bless costs reduced to 0.

Here's what caught my eye.

[Youmu]

Wildy and free trade? Increased gravestone timers? F2P canoes?

 

This is coming out to be a great month! :thumbsup:

[Dax]

Also, Bonecrusher better work on those ashes. :anxious:

[Vex]

Wonder how much prayer xp those ashes will give, & if bonecrusher (or a new item) will work with them.

[Mike_Ike111]

The new quest will be awesome, but the demon ashes are going to be perplexing. Why now, after all the time requesting it?

 

Either way, expect dragon bone prices to dip a bit.

 

Well if they give enough xp maybe prayer will be cheaper. Prayer is too expensive to train.

[Toad]

The new quest will be awesome, but the demon ashes are going to be perplexing. Why now, after all the time requesting it?

 

Either way, expect dragon bone prices to dip a bit.

 

Well if they give enough xp maybe prayer will be cheaper. Prayer is too expensive to train.

 

Bonecrusher is more useful on tasks ;)

[Saradomin_Mage]

The demon ashes thing looks like a good way to resurrect the ectofunctus.

And what, no Soul Altar for the Glouphrie quest? Damnit :(

[Jon Arcane]

Must admit I was hoping for MOTM5 but I certainly won't complain about a new Gnome quest and FINALLY getting to see them remodelled! The tweaks to gravestones are excellent, people should hopefully be more willing to be nice and bless them now.

 

The urns will be handy for fishing for me, every little bit of experience helps, I just cannot stand fishing! And the shortcut tweaks will be very handy, the amount of times I've wanted to use a shortcut but needed a mithril grapple was just far too annoying.

 

The demon ashes are a nice addition, better late than never? Doubt it'll effect me much personally but it's always nice to see little improvements and tweaks here and there for other users.

 

Looks like a good month! Bring on the quest!

[aspeeder]

Looking good, hope they can pull it off :thumbup:

[Racheya]

The crafting update looks to be pretty awesome :thumbsup:

[Hegelstad]

Looks promising, i have to say that this month will be very anticipated from my part.

[Mightybigboo31]

* Outside of the Wilderness, gravestones will have their timers increased and repair/bless costs reduced to 0.

 

For more information about the Wilderness and free trade, check out the Wilderness & Free Trade Q&A thread on the forums.

 

The Prisoner of Glouphrie and Gnome Graphical Rework

 

Our next planned release for February will see a graphical update to the gnomes. With new chat heads, models and even new statues, the gnomes can once again stand proud as one of the best-looking races in the game. And what better way to showcase these new graphics than with a sequel to our gnome storyline...The Prisoner of Glouphrie.

 

"Were going to need an adventurer: someone who will recklessly bound into Arposandra, throw a gnome over their shoulder and be back home in time for cocktails."

 

Golrie has noticed that a slip of paper hes been using as bookmark is actually a letter from his grandfather, discussing his search for the mythical city of Arposandra. Put your Agility, Thieving, Construction and Runecrafting (60+) levels to the test in this most gnomic of adventures. Complex puzzles with generous XP rewards and additions to the glider network await as you explore the fabled city for the one gnome who can reveal it to the world! High-level farmers will also be pleased to hear that completing the quest will give access to a new spirit tree patch and faster access to Lletya.

 

Look out for some gnomic community events to support the update!

 

Pottery Update and New Crafting Methods

 

Later this month, we plan to reshape the way that pottery works within RuneScape. Well be streamlining the process of using the pottery wheels and making the entire process far more accessible and rewarding, giving players other options to raise their Crafting level.

 

Players will soon have the option to throw and fire urns from levels 1 to 81 Crafting. Once made and fired, you will need to attach the appropriate rune to them so they can be teleported away when full. The urns come in many varieties, from cracked cooking urns to decorated woodcutting urns, which collect the scraps often left behind by standard training. The best part is you dont have to fill them yourself! All you need to do is have it in your inventory while training the skill.

 

Once an urn is full to the brim, simply use its teleport option for a hefty chunk of XP in the related skill. As an example, teleporting the lowest level Woodcutting urn would give 160 XP on teleport, and the highest level (members-only) Fishing urn will see you net 1,900 Fishing XP.

 

Demon Ashes

 

Were also planning to change the 100% ashes drop from demons to work more like standard bones. All monsters that used to drop ashes will drop a new type of ash; depending on the order of demon, these will be impious (imps and fiends), accursed (lesser and greater) or infernal ashes (black, abyssal and tormented demons, nechryaels, and most boss demons). These new ashes can either be scattered for XP (just like burying bones), or you can take them to the Ectofuntus for bonus XP (where they will not require grinding or to be put in a pot; just add ectoplasm).

 

Loving all of these^

[BiJay]

Looks like a good month for F2P. Every update except the gnome thing is also for F2P. :o

[Dexek]

I'm most interested in the crafting update myself. I was sure to snag a stockpile of soft clay just in case. :thumbup:

[Jon Arcane]

"The next Runescape game update will be in approximately 1 hour."

 

Ohhhh it's coming :thumbsup:

[Logdotzip]

Just got this

 

 

[Gilformen]

gnome quest, yay, done the previous quests and have the noncombat reqs

 

grave update, yay

 

free trade, YAY

 

better shortcuts, yay!

[Kata_Phfract__the_slayer]

wow first page.

edit: meh good enough.

 

anyway.

 

Shortcut Improvements

 

Finally, this month, we aim to update many shortcuts so that they no longer require you to carry an item to use them, and are unlocking a few to add to the free game. Free-to-play will now be given access to the River Lum canoes, which no longer require a hatchet to make. However, using high-quality axes will speed up the process. Members with Construction levels up to 51 will also be able to build hidey-holes (at crossbow shortcuts) and rope racks (at eyries) in the following locations:

 

just win.

 

 

 

which collect the scraps often left behind by standard training.

so i can get firemkaeing xp from ash?

also win.

i wonder what skills this will efect, would we start seeing empty vials turning in to herblore xp? 0_o

 

 

 

# Outside of the Wilderness, gravestones will have their timers increased and repair/bless costs reduced to 0.

i saw this and all i thought was "errghh, a quick fix".

jagex REALLY where not prepaired for non-wildy deaths.

 

 

overall, good month, and good luck to all yee pkers!

[BloodAngel]

I would have preferred the Smithing update they mentioned almost a year ago to a Crafting one, but the Crafting one looks interesting nonetheless.

 

The bit about the Gravestones pleases me the most though :thumbup: