RuneScape 2014 - Power to the Players

[Th e Doctor]

 

 

The new year's almost here, and we're resolved to make 2014 the best year in RuneScape's history. For that to happen, though, things need to change. We'vetaken stock of 2013 - what went well, and what not so well - and our new year's resolution is clear.

 

In 2014, we're taking RuneScape back to its roots – making it a truly collaborative effort between developers and the community. I don’t just mean things like picking the results of in-game battles or the occasional content poll – it needs to be more radical than that. I want to give the power to the players to decide what we do and when it happens.

The New Poll System

In mid-January, we’re going to launch a new in-game poll system, which will give members at least one new content poll to vote on each week. In total, there will be up to seven guaranteed content polls each month, covering a range of topics including quests, minigames, combat updates, skills, bosses, reworks, core gameplay changes and much more besides. Polls dealing with the biggest questions might last as long as a month, whereas smaller polls might run for seven days.

 

These polls will decide which content we work on first and what direction to take while developing them. You won’t need to worry if your favourite option doesn’t quite make the cut – valid content will appear again in future polls.

 

The polls will also focus on things that really mean something to you: high-level content; important game storylines; and the everyday mechanics of the game that you spend much of your time with.

 

It’s not possible to ask all the big burning questions straight away so we’ve tried to get a real mix of things in for each month. So - what are the polls we're launching with in January?

• Invention vs Elf City: our biggest and most anticipated updates. Which do you want first?
• What type of Easter event do you want? Traditional fun with bunnies and eggs, or a comedy 6th Age event featuring Marimbo and Brassica Prime?
• Which group of creatures should receive a drop table rework first?
• Which new dragon would you like to be added to game?
• Decide on a themed map for the brand-new, secret minigame we're working on!
• Should we change the quantity and type of game worlds?

These are just the very start, but give you an idea of how wide-reaching the polls will be. Each week there will be another important decision for the community. In time, I’m keen on having your suggestions to go into the poll system too.

 

Polls - when completed - will be commissioned as new projects, and work will begin on them straight away! Each piece of content will have an ETA, and we'll keep you updated as development progresses.

We'll Handle the Rest

There will be a few things we won’t be asking for votes on. We’re focused on the future, so we won't be polling things from the past like EoC, or things essential to the day-to-day upkeep of the business, such as microtransactions. While we do need your feedback on these things, they're not what the new poll system is for - you'll be able to give us your thoughts on the forums, as always.

 

We also still need to make updates for smaller groups of players, or updates that attract new players to the game, which won’t be appropriate for large-scale polling.

Overall, though, the majority of content updates - and all major updates - will have been selected by you.

Here's to the Future

The Power to the Players poll system is the cornerstone of our plans for RuneScape in 2014, but we’ve got some other important changes in the works, too.

• Firstly, we want to increase emphasis on high-level content. New content from last couple of years has been aimed at quite a wide spread of player levels, so we’re going to focus more specifically at higher level content and activities for veterans.
• Secondly, we need to increase the number of quests we release. This year we really upped the fidelity and depth of quests, but in doing so sacrificed quantity. So we’re going to have more of a mix: from epic quests full of innovative content and high production values, to traditional, more story-focus quests like we’ve made in years past.
• Thirdly, we’re going to improve the everyday gameplay experience by having our Ninja Team focus on fixing niggling issues, implementing quick-win features and listening to your suggestions for small-scale improvements. This should improve everyone's quality of life within RuneScape.

As always, we’re being ambitious, but with hard work and your help, everything here can be achieved. Above all else, we’re determined to make RuneScape the game you want it to be.

I’m sure that you’ve got lots of questions after that little lot. For now, take a look at our Power to the Players FAQ, and look out for more info leading up to the launch of the polls in the week of January 13th!

 

Thanks for reading. See you in 2014!

 

Mod Mark

 

RuneScape Design Director

 

Discuss this on the forums.

 

I for one am oddly optimistic about this.

[Wkw]

This has been posted and heavily discussed in the update teaser topic already

[Miss Lioness]

imo it deserves its own thread as it is a rolling thing. Every week from the 13th on...

[Platinum_Myr]

I think it does deserve a new topic as well. This could go well, I think. Or it could go horribly with polls ending up being "obvious".

 

Also, as said on other threads... anyone who votes for something other than Priffdinas... I don't care who or where you are, I will find you.

[Quyneax]

'Power to the players'? Since Jagex is in control of what we vote for and what the content will end up being, not to mention all the information we'll have about future updates, there is basically zero power transferred here. Even ignoring that, it's stupid to pit Invention against Prifddinas. They should both have been in-game already.

 

So yeah, 100% rhetoric with a dash of stupid.

[Alg]

Also, as said on other threads... anyone who votes for something other than Priffdinas... I don't care who or where you are, I will find you.

I dunno, I'm leaning more toward invention simply because Priffindas just seems like old player bait right now, especially since it's being pitted against another highly anticipated update for no real reason. Maybe when they tell us more about it...

 

I'd just rather not vote for another Birthright of the Dwarves when I could have voted for a skill.

[V O R K]

Yeah I have my eyes on invention too, they can burn the elfen lands and it's crystal city to the ground for all I care.

 

Unless there's hybrid crystal armour to be found :o!

 

>;D

[Miss Lioness]

[Dedicated] Elf City HL Hub [qfc]355-356-111-65248985[/qfc]

[Unknown_Warrior]

Invention slated for July/August at the earliest? Which it probably won't make since everyone wants Priffdinas?

Wasn't it supposed to be out very early in 2014 after it was postponed from late 2013?

 

July is early 2014 now?

[Leik]

I just want that damn new skill out asap so I can get it over with. I really don't care much for the Elf quests or city. I will be very disappointed if it's released in mid/late 2014

[Wkw]

Invention slated for July/August at the earliest? Which it probably won't make since everyone wants Priffdinas?

Wasn't it supposed to be out very early in 2014 after it was postponed from late 2013?

 

July is early 2014 now?

Hey, Dungeoneering started to get worked on back in 2004, mind!

http://services.runescape.com/m=news/newsitem.ws?id=208&allcat=true

[Unknown_Warrior]

To be honest, I get a whole Duke Nukem Forever vibe from Priffdinas. Years of waiting, letting hype pile up, then someone decides to work on it to get it out of the way and it turns out shit.

Plus, the way they seem to be treating is all wrong. The reason we want it is because it's the finale of the longest running quest line in RuneScape, NOT because we desire a high level hub or an elf city for the sake of an elf city.

 

But of course, people will vote for it. And, yeah, it'll probably be a neat place. But it won't be gotten from a liberation by guerilla soldiers overthrowing an evil regime who've exploited their crystaline goddess like we imagined it for all these past years.

[aerendil]

"we've taken stock of 2013"(cough), you've gained stocks from 2013 you mean; and as for micro transactions being vital to game bottom line….. 

 

Bah humbug, I honestly don't think much of this tbh. INstead of making inventing a whole new skill, integrate it into divination, as div is lacking right now. Make 1 broad skill, instead of having two hollowed out stump skills. 

 

Elf quests; too little, too late, I barely remember the elf quests, as i and i suspect many others did them near release. The storyline's lost value, and few people really care.

 

Still, good show if they actually do some of what they say they will.

[Kittysthetic]

I, for one, agree with Quyneax & Aerendil, but that's my take on this. I can't see myself being optimistic like some others are. I feel a little weary about this whole "Power to the Players" mumbo-jumbo. 

[Th e Doctor]

Elf city vs. Inventing (goddamn it just call it engineering)

 

 

It seems fairly easy to have priff be a hub where the main portion of training the new skill could take place. I have to assume, *hope*, (optimistically dream?) that they have a semblance of an idea for what they want the new skill to look like and contribute to the game. Making us choose is silly. 

[Sy_Accursed]

To be honest, I get a whole Duke Nukem Forever vibe from Priffdinas. Years of waiting, letting hype pile up, then someone decides to work on it to get it out of the way and it turns out shit.

Plus, the way they seem to be treating is all wrong. The reason we want it is because it's the finale of the longest running quest line in RuneScape, NOT because we desire a high level hub or an elf city for the sake of an elf city.

 

But of course, people will vote for it. And, yeah, it'll probably be a neat place. But it won't be gotten from a liberation by guerilla soldiers overthrowing an evil regime who've exploited their crystaline goddess like we imagined it for all these past years.

 

I think it will be gotten from such things...but only after Jagex make the entire elf series a flashback 5th age quest line so we can spend a few months listening to npcs allude to how we saved them before we actually get to play the saving of the city.

[Wkw]

Why can't they just make the elf finale a 6th age quest?

 

Wouldn't that make sense? Oh... wait.. jagex

[Sy_Accursed]

Why can't they just make the elf finale a 6th age quest?

 

Wouldn't that make sense? Oh... wait.. jagex

 

That could work, but I think they are too smart to try it.

It's one thing making a story arc leap the 5th-6th age boundary allowing the later parts to not require the early parts to play when it is one of the grander stories spread across a number of quest lines; but to do it with a single coherent a-b quest line I think they'd be hit in the face with masses of rage if the finale suddenly did not require all the preamble.

 

To me there are only 2 logical routes:

1) Elf series is entirely sixth age with the finale unlocking the city - essentially keep it simple son.

2) Elf series is entirely fifth age with the finale 'saving' the city - opens up the option for Jagex to open the city (and elf lands) for all and thus allow Seren to get more in the mix for sixth age story and maintains the story concept of the elf series; just played in flashback.

[Alg]

It's strange how something as simple as a time skip makes their options regarding the lore so needlessly complex.

[Dreezer]

It's strange how something as simple as a time skip makes their options regarding the lore so needlessly complex.

 

That's the problem with an mmo where a game constanly evolves as opposed to a regular game where sequels are launched after a certain amount of time to continue on the story.

 

The story/lore of Runescape has become so complex that only the experienced players have a clear understanding of what comes before an what comes after 'the world wakes'.

 

implementing a big change (5th age -> 6th age) in a regular game is quite easy. implementing the same change in an mmo is practicly impossible due to the ever changing player base.

 

(tl:dr : new players have a very hard time understanding the story/lore of runescape.)

[strilmus]

i am reminded of a "joke" in the chosen commander where Zanik asks you about how long she's been gone, with response options ranging from a short while ago (for people who did the quests consecutively) up to the full length of time that has passed between the two quest releases (over two years)

[Platinum_Myr]

That's true of MMOs though, is that order of when events happened is important, and only the people playing from the beginning really get that. Personally, I think that they could very easily put the new "open the city" quest after the old ones, but still have it "6th age-y".

 

That is, you can't actually open the city without being friends with the elves, but they really will acknowledge the current goings on regarding the 6th age. (it would be horrible if they did not!)

 

I honestly don't think it would be bad. (Even though it would require the quest chain, they've already said that they wanted the place to be a high level area, so it's not bad if it had locks to get in via quests)

 

I really don't see how that would be bad? Make the quest 6th age time frame but still require the pre-guthix stuff.. I know why they chose not to do that for World Wakes.. but I don't see why it couldn't be allowed here.

[Sy_Accursed]

 

It's strange how something as simple as a time skip makes their options regarding the lore so needlessly complex.

 

That's the problem with an mmo where a game constanly evolves as opposed to a regular game where sequels are launched after a certain amount of time to continue on the story.

 

The story/lore of Runescape has become so complex that only the experienced players have a clear understanding of what comes before an what comes after 'the world wakes'.

 

implementing a big change (5th age -> 6th age) in a regular game is quite easy. implementing the same change in an mmo is practicly impossible due to the ever changing player base.

 

(tl:dr : new players have a very hard time understanding the story/lore of runescape.)

 

 

I don't think anyone with half a brain has trouble understanding what comes after the world wakes - everything that comes before outright tells you it is a flashback of the 5th age before it lets you begin the quest.

If anything more experienced players have a harder time placing these events precisely because we already did them and thus only know they are 5th age from an arbitrary list jagex gave us not from memory or experience of playing the quest in the frame of a flashback.

 

Also I think new players get it much easier than experienced players ever did as Jagex are quite consciously putting the lore front and centre and simplifying things. In recent months players can learn from a single quest lore details that it took us experienced players like 15 different quests, 3 easter eggs, 5 mod osbourne faqs/interviews and a sprinkling of logic based joining together to work out.

[Aiel]

they need to do away with this skill quest line skipping and just remove skill reqs from all previous quests but leave them to gain the rewards. Scale the combat better then it has been in recent quests. Quests must be done consecutively in their chronological order, but since skill reqs are now only for rewards, a new player could play through an entire quest line right off. 

[helring]

 

 

It's strange how something as simple as a time skip makes their options regarding the lore so needlessly complex.

 

That's the problem with an mmo where a game constanly evolves as opposed to a regular game where sequels are launched after a certain amount of time to continue on the story.

 

The story/lore of Runescape has become so complex that only the experienced players have a clear understanding of what comes before an what comes after 'the world wakes'.

 

implementing a big change (5th age -> 6th age) in a regular game is quite easy. implementing the same change in an mmo is practicly impossible due to the ever changing player base.

 

(tl:dr : new players have a very hard time understanding the story/lore of runescape.)

 

 

I don't think anyone with half a brain has trouble understanding what comes after the world wakes - everything that comes before outright tells you it is a flashback of the 5th age before it lets you begin the quest.

If anything more experienced players have a harder time placing these events precisely because we already did them and thus only know they are 5th age from an arbitrary list jagex gave us not from memory or experience of playing the quest in the frame of a flashback.

 

Also I think new players get it much easier than experienced players ever did as Jagex are quite consciously putting the lore front and centre and simplifying things. In recent months players can learn from a single quest lore details that it took us experienced players like 15 different quests, 3 easter eggs, 5 mod osbourne faqs/interviews and a sprinkling of logic based joining together to work out.

 

 

Not even close to everything that chronologically comes before TWW is labelled. There are so many quests that must come before it due to links to other quests that do its not even funny. Not to mention a small warning on the quest screen really isn't enough. They should have made a mechanic to all the switch easier like using enchanted key to start 5th age quests as "flashbacks" where once you choose to start from the key it teleports you to the start npc and starts it. That way its made clear through mechanics and not just text that these quests are different and took place in the past.

 

I think they probably should have made the cut more clear and could have avoided all of the confusion by making any quest before the 6th age launched into 5th age quests. But picking out a few major ones and leaving most that are 5th age without any sort of marker was a bad choice.