Has Runescape "Jumped the Shark"?

[Slayer_Jesse]

updates may have gotten generally smaller, but are still about the same quality. (medium low to medium high on a good day.) so unless we have a ton of climbing boots type updates in a row, we've got a ways untill the shark jumps and the fridge gets nuked.

[Blyaunte]

See, see, THIS is what I don't get. How can you claim that they've "jumped the shark" if the numbers go UP?

 

Because you don't understand the origins of the meme ...

 

When Fonzie jumped the shark on Happy Days, the programs that followed that episode lost a certain "quality".

 

After the shark jumping episode, the show itself remained immensely popular and lasted for six more seasons -- rating in the top 25 shows for 5 of those seasons. But after that particular program, there was a considerable drop in the quality of each of the programs. The focus of the show, itself, changed considerably after Ron Howard ("Richie") left the show. Then they spun off that awful "Joanie Loves Chachi" show ... :P

 

It's not that the game's numbers are declining, or its profitability, but rather the actual quality of additions and contributions made to the game of late.

 

The re-addition of Free Trade and the Wildy are not "new content" but rather a redux of old material. Not unlike Hollywood's current trend not to release any "new" or "risque" material, but rather offer up remixes, remakes and/or sequels of the same stupid movies, over and over and over again.

 

Looking back at the "quest arc" of the game, for example, there's been a serious decline in the quality of quest material since "While Guthix Sleeps". Nomad was something of an upswing in terms of "epic boss battle", but even that paled in comparison to WGS.

[Ginger_Warrior]

10k give away. Obviously means Jagex can afford to throw that kind of money away, so they are.

We'll be drawing 10 lucky winners each month throughout the year and entry couldn't be simpler: for each day in a given month that your account has membership credit, you'll automatically be given one entry into the prize draw. For those of you who aren't members, you can still enter for free by sending us a postcard, giving you one entry into the draw.

Why make it so leaned towards people who have given their money already? For the price of sending a postcard first class every day, you might as well buy one month's credit. The answer's pretty obvious: it's better from a commercial perspective to keep paying players hooked rather than players who don't contribute anything to the company other than ad revenue.

 

If they feel as though their membership credit is an investment which could earn $10,000, they'll stay. Question is, why don't Jagex trust the content of the game to do this already?

[iiLy]

10k give away. Obviously means Jagex can afford to throw that kind of money away, so they are.

We'll be drawing 10 lucky winners each month throughout the year and entry couldn't be simpler: for each day in a given month that your account has membership credit, you'll automatically be given one entry into the prize draw. For those of you who aren't members, you can still enter for free by sending us a postcard, giving you one entry into the draw.

Why make it so leaned towards people who have given their money already? For the price of sending a postcard first class every day, you might as well buy one month's credit. The answer's pretty obvious: it's better from a commercial perspective to keep paying players hooked rather than players who don't contribute anything to the company other than ad revenue.

 

If they feel as though their membership credit is an investment which could earn $10,000, they'll stay. Question is, why don't Jagex trust the content of the game to do this already?

Good question deserves a forum topic on its own, ill go start one.

[Ts_Stormrage]

I'll tell you when RS 'jumped the shark', and I'm quite sure most of you will agree with me:

 

Jumping the Shark (or Nuking the Fridge) is when "a particular production effort has surpassed its relevance and reached a point of decline in quality that it is incapable of recovering from". (direct wikiquote)

 

I believe I first felt that RuneScape had started to go down this path of lesser quality updates when they felt they had to update the ever-popular-due-to-its-simplicity minigame that almost everyone has played at some point:

 

[spoiler=Click here to get your mind blown]Castle Wars

 

 

/thread

[Ginger_Warrior]

...I miss 2006 CW. :-(

 

http://www.runescape...d/themed_worlds

 

"You don't have to do these things in these worlds, but you might find it both easier and more enjoyable to do so - imagine a game of Castle Wars with over a thousand other people!"

Why-oh-why? What was wrong with thirty people per team...?

[lagatag]

People say RS is dead or will die every update, for the past 8 years...

[iiLy]

People say RS is dead or will die every update, for the past 8 years...

 

Once again somebody fails to realize the actual discussion on this thread....

 

Its about quality of the game not the amount of people playing it.

[Will H]

Is it really possible to judge that while the game is still going strongly in terms of numbers of players? People come and go, very little of the players nowadays are the people who joined, and they may have become more mature or later on left to be replaced with less mature players. Runescape could have 'jumped the shark' multiple times for all we know, for an MMO the concept doesn't apply. There is no shark.

 

EDIT: Is 'Nuking the Fridge' a reference to that Indiana Jones travesty of a film?

[Fools_Taco]

 

 

Was that the last attempt of a company hoping to stop the rot though? I'm not so sure. The thing is, we all know 120 skillcapes are coming. I can picture a scenario where Jagex don't add any content from 100-120, they just release the skillcapes as another achievement to tick off the list. In which case, they're clearly using it as a hook to keep the players who have already maxed out or are near that stage from leaving. That would be the last act for me, but it hasn't come yet.

 

 

That would cause even more people to quit. maxing out could only be done by a handful of people. Setting the bar THAT high would make even powergamers give up. You do realize that its a very small section of the runescape community that has maxed out.

 

120 in all skills would be like maxing out 7 times over currently. It would be impossible for any normal person to do.

 

Back on topic. I dont think they have jumped the shark. I have been playing MMORPGs for well over a decade and this is the FIRST TIME EVER i have seen a development team admit the screwed up and rolled back the changes they made. It just dosent happen. Usually large sweeping changes like what they did with fair trade are perminant. Developers never admit when they are wrong.

 

This was a breath of fresh air. Now we know if they screw the pooch on a future update they have the shuzpa to take their lumps, listed to the players and do what needs to be done.

 

I applaud what they did.

 

Oh ya and the only MMORPG i can think of that has ever closed up shop was horizons.

 

Ultima online is still up and running and people still play diablo 2 and everquest.

 

 

Runescape wont close the doors for decades. There will always be people willing to play and there will always be people re subbing for the nostaliga. Even i get the itch and fire up everquest for a month or two every so often.

[Bladewing]

however it would be very possible for 7 normal people to do

[Uzamak1]

Hey ob, how's it going?

 

I'm at work still, but later you can have your divine back, cos i got my Pernix top now :D

[Uzamak1]

They need to introduce a Slayer monster that requires a level of 125 to kill, and drops a chestplate that is a combination of pernix, torva and the mage thing, with a second special bar, that, when activated, allows your next hit to be power by stone of Jas and ignores all defence and prayers :-)

[Uzamak1]

Then i'll get one, sell it to Woox16, so he can solo that bad girl under GWD.

[iiLy]

Then i'll get one, sell it to Woox16, so he can solo that bad girl under GWD.

Its called an edit button on your OP, and furthermore this is an actual discussion thread, if you feel like saying random things then go make a random things thread.

[Bladewing]

Then i'll get one, sell it to Woox16, so he can solo that bad girl under GWD.

Its called an edit button on your OP, and furthermore this is an actual discussion thread, if you feel like saying random things then go make a random things thread.

Good question deserves a forum topic on its own, ill go start one.

[Low C]

Then i'll get one, sell it to Woox16, so he can solo that bad girl under GWD.

Its called an edit button on your OP, and furthermore this is an actual discussion thread, if you feel like saying random things then go make a random things thread.

Good question deserves a forum topic on its own, ill go start one.

 

Please do.

[Nathaninch]

Thread has jumped the shark

[iiLy]

Then i'll get one, sell it to Woox16, so he can solo that bad girl under GWD.

Its called an edit button on your OP, and furthermore this is an actual discussion thread, if you feel like saying random things then go make a random things thread.

Good question deserves a forum topic on its own, ill go start one.

 

I dont see a question here???

[la la la]

Just because you've grown out of it doesn't mean that RS has lost its luster to everyone. When you quit playing with action figures, did you decide that action figures had "jumped the shark" and would only go downhill from there? Obviously not - the next generation will fill in where we leave off.

[Ts_Stormrage]

EDIT: Is 'Nuking the Fridge' a reference to that Indiana Jones travesty of a film?

 

Yes

[Pirkka]

RuneScape jumped the shark when EvilPrayers were deleted.

[Blyaunte]

Thread has jumped the shark

I lol'd at this ... :lol:

 

Just to qualify further -- what I am asking is whether or not you think the "quality" of the game content is declining not the numbers of people playing, not the amount of money Jagex makes, not the nature of the players who have left, returned, retired, rejoined or are otherwise engaged or disengaged in the game's activities.

 

This is a discussion about the game's content.

 

Thank you.

[Freakyhair]

Thread has jumped the shark

I lol'd at this ... :lol:

 

Just to qualify further -- what I am asking is whether or not you think the "quality" of the game content is declining not the numbers of people playing, not the amount of money Jagex makes, not the nature of the players who have left, returned, retired, rejoined or are otherwise engaged or disengaged in the game's activities.

 

This is a discussion about the game's content.

 

Thank you.

 

 

If its a question of content then I dont think runescape has jumped the shark (is that australian term?) ,

I reckon in its players and in the way the game has evolved its jumped the shark, in how many players have ground 1000s of hours and completely ruined small acheivments.

 

but its content updates, like making really rare high level items with cool abilities, seem to be pretty good! when there is armour req 99s, and weaps req 99s and every skill has something at 99 you can do.. thats when runescapes content might be a bit lost. but until then theres a lot they can add!

[Will H]

EDIT: Is 'Nuking the Fridge' a reference to that Indiana Jones travesty of a film?

 

Yes

 

Then you get a cookie.