Heist - New Minigame

[chenw]

Members only

Heist is here - a multiplayer minigame where robbers must make away with loot, while guards do their best to consign them to the slammer.

Don disguises to get your hands on the swag, or follow your hunches to unmask sneaky crooks. Make your escape or pursuit across procedurally generated environments themed after iconic RuneScape locations.

Rewards include a range of perks, helping you lay down the law or pull off more daring capers, as well as bonus XP in Hunter and Thieving.

Read on for more information, or log in and head north of Falador to jump straight in!

Casing the Joint

Climb up the airship ladder just north of Falador. You'll be given the option to join a public game, start up a private game, or to join a private game already in effect. To join a private game you'll need the name of the player hosting it, and - if applicable - the entry key they've set for it.

Once you're in the lobby area, head north to queue as a guard and south to queue as robber. Here, you can chat to Sir Vyvin or Liara - the leaders of the two sides - to get more information, browse rewards or try out the tutorial. The game will begin when there are 2-5 players on each side.

Before the game starts, players will be able to vote on which map theme they'd prefer - including the Canifis option selected in our recent poll!

Breaking In

Heist takes place on maps populated by crowds of NPCs. The aim of the game for the robbers is to steal bags of loot from the bank and return it to their start point, while the guards' objective is to stop them.

Robbers can click on any NPC on the map to adopt their appearance as a disguise. Use this ability to blend into the crowd, creep closer to the bank and make away with the loot!

To counter this, guards have the ability to accuse anyone on the map whom they believe to be a robber. To do this, simply click on your suspect.

If the guard's accusation is correct, the robber will lose their disguise and most of their run energy. Then, the chase is on - guards have a brief opportunity to catch the revealed robber and handcuff them, which - if successful - will leave them incapacitated for a time.

If the accusation is false, though, the citizen won't be happy. Too many mistakes will get a guard thrown in jail by Internal Affairs to cool off for a while.

If a robber is handcuffed twice, they'll be locked up in jail. Unless they can escape within one minute, they'll be turned into a guard and set against their former cohorts for the rest of the game.

The game ends when one of the following conditions is met:

• The robbers deposit twice as many bags of loot as there are members of their team (robbers win).
  Note that if a robber logs out or otherwise leaves the game, the total loot required to win is not reduced.
• Every robber is turned into a guard (guards win).
• 20 minutes pass (guards win).

Tricks of the Trade

Heist is simple to play, but it requires skill, cunning and a keen eye. The best robbers will be able to mimic citizens to fool the guards, while the most successful guards will be the ones who can spot suspicious behaviour a mile off.

Teamwork's also important. Sharing information and working with your teammates to accomplish your goals is a path to success. Robbers can also pickpocket guards for jail keys, which they can use to spring their teammates from jail, or to free themselves.

Each map is uniquely laid out, and much of the scenery can be used. Hide in hay carts (or give them a good poke!) and clamber up the side of buildings for amazing rooftop chases. Depending on the theme of the map, there may be special features, too.

The citizens will sometimes need assistance. If you see someone asking for help, you can fulfil their request for a reward - a bag of loot for a robber, or eyewitness information for a guard.

These are just the basics - every game of Heist is different, and the best way to learn it is to try it out. Gather some friends, pick a side and start devising your own strategies!

Swag

Playing Heist earns you reward points, which can be exchanged by right-clicking Sir Vyvin or Liara and selecting 'Rewards'. If you're on the winning side, you'll also earn win points, which can be turned in for extra reward points.

Most of the rewards on offer are helpful perks that'll improve your performance in Heist. Each of these is specific to one of the two sides.

For example, for playing as a guard, you can unlock the ability to deploy security sensors, or earn access to a Wanted board that shows you the current disguises of players on the robbers' team. Robbers' perks include the ability to throw smoke bombs, or to smuggle a shovel into jail to make your escape!

Reward points can also be spent on hearty helpings of bonus XP in Hunter or Thieving.

Enjoy!

We hope you enjoy Heist as we do. It's already a huge hit here in the office and - most importantly - it creates great stories. Be sure to get on the forums and tell us all about your daring escapes, your eagle-eyed police work, and - of course - your most spectacular failures!

Have fun, and be sure to give us your feedback.

Mod Chris L and the RuneScape Team

How to start Heist:

Climb the airship ladder just north of Falador. Speak to Sir Vyvin or Liara for more information.

Requirements:

You must be a RuneScape member.

In Other News

• Swing on over to Solomon's Store to pick up new circus-themed teleport animations. Death Lotus darts have been improved:
  • They are now created 25 at a time.
  • The number of Ascension shards needed to create them is reduced to 25.
  • Their range of attack has increased to six squares.
  • Ava's devices can now pick up Death Lotus darts.
• Free players now have access to the Daily Challenge system. They may have up to 2 Daily Challenges at a time.
• The quartermaster who previously handed out rewards for the Daily Challenge system has been replaced by Challenge Mistress Fara, and the surrounding area has been updated.

 

 

[hide=Patch Notes]

 

17-Feb-2014 13:45:17

 

The following fixes and tweaks have now been implemented. If you believe a change has not been documented, either in the patch notes or the news posts for this week’s update, please detail the change so that it may be added.

As always, be sure to submit a bug report should you encounter a gameplay bug or graphical glitch in-game.

Graphical:

• The new resting animation has been tweaked to stop capes from floating.
• The hole in the wall should again be visible during the 'Rat Catchers' quest.
• Airut bones have been scaled up in size to better match the creature they are dropped from.

Skills, D&Ds & Minigames:

• Player will now be able to complete the 'Try not to step on any aquatic nasties while searching this crate.' treasure trail clue scroll when part-way through the 'Salt in the Wound' quest.
• Tooltips on the Player-Owned Ports crew roster interface will now report the correct amount of resources.
• The 'set caller' option in Clan Wars will now correctly display an interface to enter a players' name.
• The Fleet Admiral title can now be correctly activated and previewed on female characters.
• Several camera issues have been resolved upon completion of Mobilising Armies games.

Quests, Challenges and Achievements:

• Sseveral sound effects and the music used in 'The Blood Pact' quest have been updated.
• An issue with the 'Stolen Hearts' weight puzzle, which was stopping weights from being dragged, has been fixed.

Opening Game:

• The environment lighting settings used across the area have been updated.
• The Challenge master area in Burthrope has been graphically updated.
• The Imperial Guard Quartermaster has retired and has been replaced with Challenge Master Fara.
• The lodestone system will now display better for free players.
• The graveyard area near the entrance to the crypt in Lumbridge has been graphically updated.
• The animations being used by goblins in the Lumbridge area have been graphically updated.
• Some quests have been removed from the Path system, and an introduction to daily challenges has been added in their place.
• The animations used on several combat abilities - Slice, Backhand, Kick, Slaughter, Piercing Shot, and Asphyxiate - have been updated.
• The tombs used inside the church in Ashdale have been updated to make them look less like coffins.

Other:

• The giant mole can now be harmed by familiars.
• Ultra-growth potions now drop from the giant mole correctly when in a LootShare group.
• The trail left by the giant mole when it digs now always indicates the direction it is heading in.
• Players will now be able to deal appropriate damage with ranged abilities whilst using a serpentine crossbow.
• A new button has been added under the polls interface to take you to the web page showing the results from previous polls.
• Free players can now use magic notepaper correctly.
• Reinforced, strong and mighty slayer helmets now return summoning scrolls correctly after being infused.
• The "don't show this again" checkbox now appears on several warning interfaces around Gielinor.
• Malevolent armour now degrades into the correct amount of energy when dropped via a PvP kill in the Wilderness, instead of only one energy.
• A typo in the speech for Legio Sextus has been corrected.
• Aa spelling mistake in the dialogue for the fairies in Zanaris has been fixed.
• Several force walk tiles have been removed from Lumbridge.
• A typo in Harrallak's dialogue has been fixed.
• Aa typo in the message players see when entering Port Phasmatys has been corrected.
• A force walk tile in Burthrope, near Imperial Guard Quartermaster, has been removed.
• Activated auras can now be removed through the Loadout interface.
• Torva armour now displays the correct information in the Skill Advance Guide.
• Duradel now gives the correct advice when asking for tips on slaying aviansies.
• Several typos in the tooltips of the Gear interface have been fixed.
• The yew bow is no longer listed as a members item in the Ranged Skill Advance Guide.
• The remaining marathon checkpoint locations have been removed from the world.
• The monks of Entrana now recognise scrimshaws.
• Dropping pet strykewyrms now works correctly on free worlds.

Ninja Fixes:

• Five and ten year veteran capes are now available to free players.
• There is now an option to allow servants in a Player-Owned House to take payments automatically.
• The buy limit on barrows totems has been increased to 50.
• Using stun abilities on the Queen Black Dragon now deal damage to her.
• There is now an option to set a spell for both main hand and off-hand weapons together.
• Multiple players can now interact with Agility pipes at the same time.
• The message players receive when a liquid gold nymph rises out of the lava is now more noticeable.
• The Ardougne elite cape and the spirit cape can now be stored on the Cape Rack.
• Pets and familiars can no longer be taken into the Falador Party Room.
• Players will now receive a message when they reach 100% respect in the Artisans' Workshop.
• The guards at West Yanille gate have wedged the doors open permanently.
• The Champions Challenge scroll interface has been updated.
• Rhe duration of the Dagannoth King's respawn timer has been increased due to feedback from last weeks update.
• There is now a sound effect when a crystal geode drops.
• The beams will now disappear immediately in the Ascension Dungeon room after Quintus has been killed.
• The clerk at the Seers' courthouse will now give players more information on why they may not be able to enter the court room.
• The "reading map" animation, that is used when a player is viewing the world map, has been updated.
• The animation used when praying at an altar has been updated.
• The animations for cleaning grimy herbs and using a pestle and mortar have been updated.
• The animation used when spying on a penguin has been updated.
• The animations for creating summoning pouches, converting summoning scrolls and recharging Summoning points have been updated.
• The animation used when shearing sheep has been updated

[/hide]

[chenw]

"Their range of attack has increased to six squares."

 

THAT would explain why i thought asc's ranged were reduced when I was at QBD with OH darts...

 

About frigging time updates:

 

• Using stun abilities on the Queen Black Dragon now deal damage to her.
• There is now an option to allow servants in a Player-Owned House to take payments automatically.
• Players will now receive a message when they reach 100% respect in the Artisans' Workshop. (I am about to start artisan's lol)

[Saradomin_Mage]

Started a game and realised I was somehow the only one inside :P o

[Galasrin]

 

"Their range of attack has increased to six squares."

 

THAT would explain why i thought asc's ranged were reduced when I was at QBD with OH darts...

 

About frigging time updates:

 

• Using stun abilities on the Queen Black Dragon now deal damage to her.
• There is now an option to allow servants in a Player-Owned House to take payments automatically.
• Players will now receive a message when they reach 100% respect in the Artisans' Workshop. (I am about to start artisan's lol)

 

 You forgot an "About frigging time update":

 

• Pets and familiars can no longer be taken into the Falador Party Room.

[Ambler]

Good update, even better ninja fixes. Time to save some ticks while training construction. :thumbup:

[yuyuhakush13]

• Rhe duration of the Dagannoth King's respawn timer has been increased due to feedback from last weeks update.

THANK YOU 

 

[Saradomin_Mage]

Both robbers got arrested.

 

Camping the jail cell now.

 

Lol.

[Ammako]

 

"Their range of attack has increased to six squares."

 

THAT would explain why i thought asc's ranged were reduced when I was at QBD with OH darts...

 

About frigging time updates:

• Using stun abilities on the Queen Black Dragon now deal damage to her.
• There is now an option to allow servants in a Player-Owned House to take payments automatically.
• Players will now receive a message when they reach 100% respect in the Artisans' Workshop. (I am about to start artisan's lol)

 You forgot an "About frigging time update":

• Pets and familiars can no longer be taken into the Falador Party Room.

 

You both forgot an "About frigging time update":

• Five and ten year veteran capes are now available to free players.

It only took them 2¾ years.

[Riptide Mage]

Don't know what jagex was smoking when they decided 5k bonus exp was a good reward for a 20 minute game, when you can earn 100k exp in 20 minutes normally.

[Sy_Accursed]

Well my fear has turned to reality.

All the loot is in 1 place and the guards can just stand there and there is a graphical indication of when someone takes loot.

 

This is entirely too easy for guards and too hard for robbers because robbers can't do anything to not making it obvious when they pick up loot whilst guards don't have to do anything but sit by the loot and spot who takes it.

 

Loot needs to be spread around the map OR in a building guards cannot camp in and lacks graphical evidence of when loot is picked up.

[Nobody]

Wonder how long it will take people to find a way to make it boostable to make it more efficient than normal training. :P

[Blofeld]

Are there any new comp cape requirements with Heist?

[Sy_Accursed]

The jail thing is annoying me too.

 

Escpae jail in under 1 min or become a guard, great fun mechanic aside from the fact there is only 2 ways out:

1) A 1 use key pickpocketed from a guard either on you or brought by a team mate.

2) Buying the spade perk

 

And the key has an issue in that if any guards are there due to over accusing they can immediately capture you again.

 

Frustrating to say the least.

[V O R K]

Only bxp :(?

 

Darts buff best update :D brb pking naabes

[Saradomin_Mage]

Capped 2 loot in a game, then realised I was against 7 guards :P fun

[Drazhor]

Port sarim, Falador and Catherby are EXTREMELY saturated for me now...
Was happening in Varrock west bank the past few weeks too.

Making me wanna claw my eyes out

EDIT: Now it's alllll of Varrock. Though at least the fog has turned into blue sky and clouds

[Ammako]

Port sarim, Falador and Catherby are EXTREMELY saturated for me now...

Was happening in Varrock west bank the past few weeks too.

 

Making me wanna claw my eyes out

 

EDIT: Now it's alllll of Varrock. Though at least the fog has turned into blue sky and clouds

Oh, that?

That's just the new graphics from Ashdale, slowling rolling it out to everywhere.

[V O R K]

The Wilderness is blue now >_>

[HunterDexter]

Lot's of loot is stored into random houses, I just get those. :p

Problem is that Guards can accuse you in the Robberboat and stuff. :/ And the breaking free stuff and so on is off too.

But I like the game, and the mods are willing to change some aspects.

Also, the EXP while playing is getting revised. :)

[Matt258]

 

 

"Their range of attack has increased to six squares."

 

THAT would explain why i thought asc's ranged were reduced when I was at QBD with OH darts...

 

About frigging time updates:

• Using stun abilities on the Queen Black Dragon now deal damage to her.
• There is now an option to allow servants in a Player-Owned House to take payments automatically.
• Players will now receive a message when they reach 100% respect in the Artisans' Workshop. (I am about to start artisan's lol)

 You forgot an "About frigging time update":

• Pets and familiars can no longer be taken into the Falador Party Room.

 

You both forgot an "About frigging time update":

• Five and ten year veteran capes are now available to free players.

It only took them 2¾ years.

 

Woot! Five and ten year veteran capes are now available to free players. I'll be getting them on my accounts |^_^|

[Sy_Accursed]

Lot's of loot is stored into random houses, I just get those. :P

Problem is that Guards can accuse you in the Robberboat and stuff. :/ And the breaking free stuff and so on is off too.

But I like the game, and the mods are willing to change some aspects.

Also, the EXP while playing is getting revised. :)

 

I think a good fix would be to make it so guards cannot enter or see inside buildings and make the loot move around whenever a robber becomes a guard.

 

That way they can't camp it, but you still have to get by them.

 

Also infected units are so broken - you cant escape being them but noticeboard still tells people ur w/e the unit was b4 infection.

[Saradomin_Mage]

Lot's of loot is stored into random houses, I just get those. :P

Well, that explains a lot. I'll look for those next time lol.

[HunterDexter]

Does anyone know a viable way to escape a guard when accused? :s I just start running, but the energy drain is unbearable and it's impossible to get away, in my experience.

[Piu]

Cheap trick: Stretch your minimap interface as wide as the map spans. As a guard, pick all the robbers off spawn, they're the ones with the white dots. If you do it right, you should be able to pick 2-4 right off spawn. 

 

Cheap trick #2: Spam click on your robber after nicking so that your character automatically goes to his new spawn. 

 

This is what I mean, you can use the minimap for a lot of things too. 

 

 

Another example:

 

 

You'll notice it very easily because the dots don't move smoothly, they "jump" a few steps at a time. 

[Sy_Accursed]

Does anyone know a viable way to escape a guard when accused? :s I just start running, but the energy drain is unbearable and it's impossible to get away, in my experience.

 

First 2 robber perks help, but it's not easy to get away once ur accused.