Behind the Scenes � September 2013

[Alg]

Behind the Scenes – September 2013

 

The time has come for Saradomin or Zamorak to emerge victorious, as the Battle of Lumbridge reaches a dramatic climax. Not to be outdone, the rest of September has a sense of grandeur – complete super challenges for superhero gear and double XP; gear up for an axcellent finale to the dwarf quest series; prepare for an insane addition to Vorago; and claim domination of Daemonheim with a new Dungeoneering task set!

Super September

 

Members – Double challenge XP and 'Superhero' challenges throughout September!

This September, we're trying a new breed of bonus event: a 'super-challenge' every day this month, colossal rewards for completing super challenges, plus boosted XP from regular challenges! The event is called Super September, and it takes advantage of the Challenge System (for those of you who haven't used it, the Challenge System showcases content in RuneScape that you might have forgotten about by giving you a new challenge to complete every day).

Super September will add one super challenge to your Challenge System every day in September, on top of your conventional challenges. These challenges won't be what you've come to expect; they will be 'superhero challenges', and they'll require you to traverse the world, collaborate with other superheroes, and bring justice to the world of RuneScape. Be prepared to eat inventoryloads of bananas, contact the kings and queens of RuneScape, and kill the villains of the world!

There will be a new super challenge every day, starting today, so log in regularly to unmask the challenges. For those who complete a superhero challenge, there's a hulking amount of XP on offer. And that's not all: if you're a consistently active superhero, you'll be able to look the part. Superhero rewards are available every 5 challenges you complete, including a full superhero outfit, super titles, lightning bolts, claws, a superhero shield override, and my personal favourite – a new emote which takes you soaring through the air, landing dramatically on the ground with your fists on your hips, like a true superhero!

Two super challenges will have hiscore tables, lasting one week each. 'Farmyard Rampage' and 'Bulldog' will allow you to complete their requirements as many times as you like, with supreme superheroes being featured on a seasonal hiscore table. At the end of the week, the top 1000 on that table will be rewarded with a gold version of the superhero outfit!

If you want more from your Super September, look no further than the conventional challenges on your challenge list. Over the course of September, challenges will offer x2 XP, while already generous Dungeoneering challenges will give 1.25x XP!

So, remember to check your superhero challenge each day, and hand them in before September ends! Superheroes assemble!

Dungeoneering Task Set

 

Members – New task set

The true superheroes of the Dungeoneering Task Set are you – the players. The majority of tasks and rewards were suggested by you on the forums. We can't thank you enough for your contributions; the list is exhaustive and rewarding enough to bankrupt Bilrach!

So, what to expect? Easy tasks will include a game of Sinkholes, and defeating a boss solo. Elite tasks won't require level 99 Dungeoneering or above, but they'll take you pretty close: craft and wield a spiritbloom orb, or kill a warped gulega while avoiding its '1 lifepoint' attack. The majority of other tasks will be completeable regardless of whether you play solo or in larger groups. As a small sample, you can expect to wear a fully upgraded ring of kinship; gain the 'Beast Mode' title; and kite Bal'lak the Pummeller into his own rifts.

For rabid dungeoneers, the rewards will be the kicker. Take a deep breath, as there's a few of them: XP, Dungeoneering tokens, additional bind slots, Smuggler price reductions, secondary ring tracks, extended resource dungeons, additional gatestones, crab hands, and even a Thok headbutt override. And that's just scratching the surface. Many of these will be activated by wearing the Dungeoneering Task Set's reward item, the Dungeoneering Aura.

All of this neglects to mention the most daunting, but also the most awesome of rewards: a Dungeoneering 'hard mode'. Complete every floor on hard mode and you'll gain the prestigious 'of Daemonheim' title!

Will Daemonheim be the stage of victory, or your grave?

Birthright of the Dwarves

 

Members – Grandmaster finale quest

Continuing the theme of updates designed by you, Birthright of the Dwarves includes THREE elements made by players. Athonen won a competition to create a chaos druid leader, and Adraman produced a stunning concept of a 'chaos giant' creature [link to newspost], both of which arrive in-game. Additionally, several high level players came into the Jagex offices, armed with ideas from the community, helping us to design a new addition to the Lava Flow Mine.

These three will be included in our latest Grandmaster Quest, Birthright of the Dwarves, where you will explosively end the dwarf storyline. Form an army and take the fight to the Red Axe by assaulting their secret base, which will be filled to the brim with chaos dwarves, dwogres and cannoneers. It won't all be combat: there'll be mental battles to be won, as you travel into the memories of your allies and enemies. The fate of Keldagrim, Veldaban and a number of other characters will be left entirely to you, as you're presented with choices of great gravity on the way to victory.

Return in one piece and you'll be laden with rewards: grandmaster levels of XP, three new dragon weapons, an Imcando pickaxe that acts as a Mining/Smithing version of the inferno adze, and the aforementioned additions to the Lava Flow Mine.

So, if you plan to bring the dwarf storyline to a glorious end, make sure you are combat-ready, have completed King of the Dwarves, and have a Mining level of 80, a Smithing level of 82, and a Strength level of 85.

Dwarf Graphical Update

 

Free players and members – Graphical update

A full-blown war between the Black Guard and the chaos dwarves demands scope, bombast and a new dwarf graphical rework. Duly, you can expect a complete graphical overhaul of all dwarves, not only in Keldagrim, but in the wider world too! From Thurgo to Veldaban, the dwarven models, animations and chatheads will all be brought in line with the stockier dwarves that you may have noted during What's Mine is Yours, or when training at the Artisan's Workshop.

Vorago's Little Surprise

 

Members – Twitch event and surprise gameplay update

There's more for combat enthusiasts in September than dwarves. Vorago has been testing your mettle for over a month now, and he's ready to unleash a spectacular new attack rotation on anyone worthy enough to face him. You better beware, as he'll be firing his new 'green bomb' this month!

This is only the beginning, as Vorago has only been warming up for a main event. We're keeping our cards close to our chest for the moment, but watch out for an exclusive Twitch event with Mod Chris L (Vorago developer), Mod Ryan and Mod Oliver (QA) to learn more about a surprise Vorago addition this month, when Vorago takes it to the next level for the most insane challenge yet!

Combat Timers

 

Free players and members – Combat ability bar improvements

With RuneScape3's new interface system you can move and customise where you see your buffs and debuffs. This month, we'll be adding the 'time remaining' to the effects on these icons (such as Overload), so you can have more accurate feedback on when they expire

The Battle of Lumbridge – The Epic Conclusion

 

Free players and members – World event escalations

Where do you go after all that? Well, this is the month when it happens: the Battle of Lumbridge blazes to a conclusion and a god stands victorious, while another is humiliatingly defeated. The world will be forever changed, as the shockwaves of this battle are felt in the world, as well as in upcoming game and quest content.

Before we get there, there are still choices to be made, and the tide of battle can still be turned. Choose between massive and powerful siege engines, which rain death and destruction down upon the battlefield, or mighty elite units who tear the enemy to pieces as well as stun those around them.

Make sure you have your say in the battle of Light and Chaos! Wherever the future of the 6th Age takes us, there is no turning back...

Solomon's Store Additions – Superhero Teleports and Hitsplats

 

Free players and members – New teleports and hitsplats

A quick mention should be made of three additions to the Solomon's Store this month, as they act as a sidekick to the Superhero September promotions. Critical hitsplats can be changed to comic book-style 'Pow!' and 'Bam!' Batman-style bubbles, while you will be able to purchase two new teleports: a superhero transformation before flying away, and a 'bulking up' teleport, where a fly makes you angry, changing you into a raging beast before leaping away. Incredible!

Enjoy!

Mod Mark

RuneScape Design Director

Discuss this here.

[Jolletzu]

Massive month content wise, just time to hope they can actually add all of those

[Sy_Accursed]

Decent month, but does DG really need a hard mode?

 

Also since DG is getting a hard mode can Blink PUHLEASE be moved to said hard mode and be given an easy mode?

 

Comparative to other bosses he is ridiculous between waiting like 0 seconds from knock down to vanishing and that darn magic dust stuff that can basically 2 hit and is near unavoidable (especially since you actually have to run towards it to try and kill him)

[Kaida23]

So the winner of the BoL takes over the crater and turns it into a giant temple? I'm not sure who I want to win now, they both look pretty badass.

[Platinum_Myr]

DG task list rewards seem pretty epic!!!

[Saradomin_Mage]

Guess making a hard mode for DG is easier than rebalancing it for every type of player :P

[Sy_Accursed]

So the winner of the BoL takes over the crater and turns it into a giant temple? I'm not sure who I want to win now, they both look pretty badass.

 

That concept art image is labelled as 'minion portals' and also looks near identical to the circular areas in front of each god where most of their fighters are spawning. It's not anything to do with the battle results.

[Cheefoo]

Holy shit, amazing month. About a week ago I was saying "Dungeoneering bosses are way too easy now, I hope they release a hard mode along with the task set." Looks like I got my wish! Furthermore, I can't believe they're already releasing the dwarf quest. Didn't the podcast they released a few weeks ago say that it would take months? And the dwarf graphical update would take even longer? I don't know how they did it, but I'm glad they did.

[Kaur]

As a small sample, you can expect to wear a fully upgraded ring of kinship;

How many tokens is that?

[Quasar]

I suspect Vorago's green bomb attack will resemble KK's green attack....A mechanic that works well at KK because it is easy to get back if someone screws up

[Saradomin_Mage]

As a small sample, you can expect to wear a fully upgraded ring of kinship;

How many tokens is that?

If it's just one style, 330k+

[Leik]

As a small sample, you can expect to wear a fully upgraded ring of kinship;

How many tokens is that?

3,878,580 Tokens, if they mean you have to have all classes fully upgraded. Only about 323k if they only mean 1 class.

[Kaur]

As a small sample, you can expect to wear a fully upgraded ring of kinship;

How many tokens is that?

If it's just one style, 330k+

I hope you're right.

[Saradomin_Mage]

Well, they did say you wouldn't need 99 Dungeoneering to finish the task set :P

[Kaur]

Well, you could earn the tokens via sinkholes.

Oh well, I'll probably end up maxing the whole ring anyways.

[Kimberly]

I really enjoy all the things coming out this month. :)

 

DG aura, that's pretty cool. Hardmode? Who knows if it will yet be worth it. I absolutely adore task lists though so I'm quite happy regardless. New quest? Amazing! BoL finally over? PRAISE JESUS. Fiiiiinally able to see time remaining on buffs? YES!

 

Last but not least? After years of waiting, finally...finally...

 

NEW DWARF MODELS

 

[Tansuo]

DG Hardmode.. anyone else remembering the GWD Hardmode that is 110% pointless?

[J35u5_M4]

I think I'm gonna love this month

 

New Quest, New Task Set, Super Challenges sound fun, Graphics Redesigns, Vorago improvements and those timers on the buff bar that I always wanted?

 

Good month indeed.

[Sy_Accursed]

I think I'm gonna love this month

 

New Quest, New Task Set, Super Challenges sound fun, Graphics Redesigns, Vorago improvements and those timers on the buff bar that I always wanted?

 

Good month indeed.

 

Vorago sounds more like dis-improvements considering he's already such a long winded unrewarding pita to cause him to be under-fought and thus cause t90 mage gear to go up up up. Adding new attacks just seems as thought it'll make matters worse, unless of course they tuck in an overhauled drop table and removal of the only 5 ppl or w/e get drops

[J35u5_M4]

I don't get why so

I think I'm gonna love this month

 

New Quest, New Task Set, Super Challenges sound fun, Graphics Redesigns, Vorago improvements and those timers on the buff bar that I always wanted?

 

Good month indeed.

 

Vorago sounds more like dis-improvements considering he's already such a long winded unrewarding pita to cause him to be under-fought and thus cause t90 mage gear to go up up up. Adding new attacks just seems as thought it'll make matters worse, unless of course they tuck in an overhauled drop table and removal of the only 5 ppl or w/e get drops

 

I don't know why so many people bash on Vorago, it's decent gp/h, if you get a team that'll split all cash from energies and such, and say a 6man team. And an average of 6 energies each kill, and 20 min each kill (Which is way too much). It's 3m/h for everyone from energies alone. Not includying the funfuns, the possible wand/orb, and well the supplies which would bring that down a bit, but I guess the regular drops could cover for supplies

[Flabberwocky]

So the winner of the BoL takes over the crater and turns it into a giant temple? I'm not sure who I want to win now, they both look pretty badass.

 

I think that's just artwork for the spawn points for each faction.

[HunterDexter]

I'm sure about it, already living 40 days in the crater, getting my cap every day and I recognice it.

[Quasar]

I don't get why so

I think I'm gonna love this month

 

New Quest, New Task Set, Super Challenges sound fun, Graphics Redesigns, Vorago improvements and those timers on the buff bar that I always wanted?

 

Good month indeed.

 

Vorago sounds more like dis-improvements considering he's already such a long winded unrewarding pita to cause him to be under-fought and thus cause t90 mage gear to go up up up. Adding new attacks just seems as thought it'll make matters worse, unless of course they tuck in an overhauled drop table and removal of the only 5 ppl or w/e get drops

 

I don't know why so many people bash on Vorago, it's decent gp/h, if you get a team that'll split all cash from energies and such, and say a 6man team. And an average of 6 energies each kill, and 20 min each kill (Which is way too much). It's 3m/h for everyone from energies alone. Not includying the funfuns, the possible wand/orb, and well the supplies which would bring that down a bit, but I guess the regular drops could cover for supplies

 

Vorago is productive if you have a perm team, but given that a) it is difficult to coordinate one and b) in teams that small you'll have a significant kill failure rate, Nex and KK end up being better for money for most players. I say this as someone who has done 200+ vorago kills.

[SwreeTak]

All I read was:

 

Time for Saradomin to kick Zamorak's *** out of Lumbridge finally.

 

 

Seriously though. A great month upcoming, but then I am usually one of few who are optimistic about every BTS... :P. I especially look forward to the BoL showdown and the dwarf final's quest. I am sure that the new pickaxe thing will be very useful. If it looks as cool as the adze does I will for sure equip it every time I am going to do mining or smithing.

And oh, where did you guys get the information that the winner was going to make a temple at the Lumbridge crater from? A huge Saradomin temple right there would just be awesome. Well, every place devoted to Saradomin of course is, but, yeah, you understand what I mean.

[Kaida23]

So the winner of the BoL takes over the crater and turns it into a giant temple? I'm not sure who I want to win now, they both look pretty badass.

 

I think that's just artwork for the spawn points for each faction.

 

That's very likely. I've been checking all of this from my phone so the image isn't very big. I may have been jumping to a conclusion there.

 

@Sweedishboy - that's my fault as above. :oops: