Future Update Discussions

[Kimberly]

1) The technologies the dwarves, gnomes and cave goblins use are not common place - most of the world is still man-powered torch-lit areas.

 

This is exactly what I just said. How exactly would divination spread these technologies? And why would we turn to divination to usher the world into a new technological age, when these things already exist? Why would we force the world into a new age dependent on the energies divine energies we're siphoning? That doesn't clear anything up at all, which is why I'm looking forward to more information.

 

2) We have been told we wouldn't be getting a new large area until current continent is done, however visiting other worlds can easily use small closed off areas eg gorak plane, cosmic plane, lost city etc. Also they didn't say we would be doing it anytime soon, just that it opens up the possibilities.

 

...which is almost exactly what I just said too >_> So I guess at least we're on the same page...

[Tansuo]

I fear that they did not mention one technology(ies) in particular - the Elemental Workshop.

[bleep] everything if they go back to that and make it important.

[Scherzo]

New elemental quest required for the skill - and for every (untradeable) resource you need, you need to make it from scratch

[Binary Mage]

I think that the kind of technology they are talking about isn't really mechanical-electrical like a lot of folks seem to think--from the concept art, hints, and leaks, I'd say that it's more of items imbued with godly power. Think of the Sixth Age Circuit we've been given as an example of this--using god energy to power complex circuitry and psuedo-electronics. (Perhaps this is the teaser in TWW that they meant?)

 

The idea is basically that they are deposits of godly energy all around the world, we extract them from nodes using Divination, then use the energy to power the sci-fantasy devices we'd make using the second skill, as a sort of Artificing. Using the power of the gods against them, or against other gods in a way--elevating humans' abilities to be able to fight them without their faces melting off.

 

This sort of idea of Artificing being used as a sci-fi fantasy hybrid has become very popular lately, a notable instance being Hextech devices/robotics from League of Legends. The entire idea that magic can be used to create things that we would otherwise consider futuristic and beyond our point in history.

 

At least, that's my theory--created from all of the teasers, hints, and in-game references we've seen so far.

[Ezkaton]

I've just been catching up on a weeks worth of stuff and this actually looks rather worthwhile. I'm even excited for divination again, after the past few months of waiting and constant disappointment.

 

I'm interested to see how they make this content and how it works, especially with the analogy of two islands, and choosing kings etc being entirely up to us. But unfortunately Kim, I think you're ultimately right at the end. It will take 5 years + for ALL of this content to come to a head and be released. Just thinking about the scale of it. Every God, every opportunity, just every single little thing has to be accounted for by the end of it. It all requires different scripts and the like that all have to be written. For example:

 

 

Hypothetical example: Battle of Lumbridge type scenario.

The aftermath of the battle gives the player 3/4 options which in itself has a certain consequence which is available to all, no matter what God you chose:

 

1: Zamorakian Demon - Killing the Duke.

2: Zarosian Mahjarrat - Letting the Duke go.

3: Saradominist - Keeping the Duke in?

4. Serenist Elf - Keeps the Duke prisoner.

5. Godless - Free's the Duke and takes Lumbridge castle for themselves.

 

So you are a Zarosian, and you choose what you want from those options. That *should* (if Osborne is right) have implications for you. Future reference to the battle from Zarosians will comment on how you let the Godless in and the Duke is free. Or how Zamorakian demon killed the Duke and you let "the enemy" take a foothold in the God you're supposed to support territory.

Unless most of it is written now, and unless they give us very finite distinct options - ie. Let's trim the above down to three: Duke keeps his seat, is freed, or is taken prisoner/killed - that Jagex may have bitten off a lot more than they can chew.

 

If it's the former I have a feeling a lot of player choices will be retconned, like most of the lore has been time and again, just so it fits.

 

 

 

Also I'm massively disappointed about the quests side of it. Sure new quests are good. Sure they want people to play them. But seriously, they're making it so that "Grandmaster" level quests require basically the medium/master type levels. It's a nice thought really, Jagex had kinda shot themselves in the foot with DG when they said there'd be a 120 finale - when, even 3 years after it's creation there's only ~8000 players with 120.

 

But what was said will mean that Grandmasters will be grandmaster no more. Which makes me feel that epic things like WGS, NR, RotM, and VSB wont really happen again for a long long while. Sure high levels haven't truly been forgotten, with a load of other content afterwards for us. And whilst yes, it is arguable that we even get a better deal what with having "extra content" for once we finished a quest, but will we ever see the like of the boss battles, or anything from those previous GM quests?

[Kimberly]

I think that the kind of technology they are talking about isn't really mechanical-electrical like a lot of folks seem to think--from the concept art, hints, and leaks, I'd say that it's more of items imbued with godly power. Think of the Sixth Age Circuit we've been given as an example of this--using god energy to power complex circuitry and psuedo-electronics. (Perhaps this is the teaser in TWW that they meant?)

 

Yet if this godly power exists, it comes from somewhere. Siphon enough of this godly power and what's to stop that person from becoming an idol of misguided worship all over again? That's if everyone and their mother could siphon. There is a chance that whatever Guthix did to us allowed us to divine things and siphon them off, which means we would be the only person capable of performing divination. But that's stretching it, so let me get back to my original point..

 

Why would we be wasting time distributing stuff like this, and not what already exists? Something not tied to a "tainted well" so to speak and fully in the hands of the inhabitants of Gielinor?

 

It just feels like what we did in the past (which was quite considerable even before the Gods decided to start mucking things up) doesn't mean much at all. That's why I'm hoping for more official information soon. I know all of these things can be explained by other theories, but they just don't sit well. Divination of itself sounded swell on its own, but I just can't see the motivation for us as players to use it to work in new technologies. Cres was awesome, but the work of the gods. Sixth age circuit is awesome, but not the design of any worldly creature. The Ascended were the work of the Virius Ocellus, fused with Guthix's energy, and they went mad and set up a mindless Guthix-beast to worship.

 

Nothing good has come of us [bleep]ing with the energy of the Gods. Why would they merrily let you tap into the essence that is them or powering them unopposed? Why would we want to? We've got the tools to take them on as it stands seems like.

 

[hide=Slight tangent here of speculationscape]Feels like that we're doing this and maybe tap into a source of power tied to the Elder gods. The elders, by the way, who we know next to nothing about. Some of which are decidedly nasty little fellows (the Elder God of Frenenskarakdfidfsaolk for example.) And they're starting to remember that Gielinor exists. If what we siphon from these godly energies are at any way tied to them, we're screwed.

 

So what, we'd aggravate the Elders, causing the Gods fighting over Gielinor to help you defend against the angry Elder Gods, and it'd be over in one brief battle. That feels almost as cheap to me as the dragonkin swooping down and killing Lucien, then [bleep]ing off to god knows where never to be heard of again. [/hide]

 

It's like just as everything is coming to an epic climax, it kind of...deflates a bit. I just don't want the same to happen again. That's kind of why I'm unsatisfied with the current theories about how Divination will "usher in a new technological age of Gielinor".

 

(E: A lot of revision and (slightly) less runon sentences. Sorry!)

[strilmus]

since the divine energy (or maybe it's just anima mundi, although summoning seems to be more tied to that) come from the land itself, it's possible that it just involves "borrowing" some energy from the elder gods, since they're still on gielinor (sleepin like guthix), and it seems like it'd be awful hard to hide figures of that size without them being, oh, i don't know, the actual continents

[Binary Mage]

Just an exciting observation: The mask shown in the Promotional Art for the Masks update is actually the Mask of Devilry, which represents Dustdevils, which it looks nothing like. Very interesting. Seems like Dustdevils will be getting a much-needed makeover update relatively soon. :D The helm for the Banshee also shows a similar graphical upgrade.

 

Wonder if there's another slayer update coming, or it's potentially just gonna be lumped in with another Desert-related thing.

[Dax]

I really gotta say that all of the Slayer SoF masks look absolutely horrible. I've destroyed all of them so far. The Helmet of Keening is the best looking one so far, but I'd have to have a good outfit to go with it. The Dust Devil helms look really bad, and I'm not sure why they went with them in the ad I saw.

[Alg]

but I'd have to have a good outfit to go with it.

Necromancer robes. You're welcome. :razz:

[Dax]

but I'd have to have a good outfit to go with it.

Necromancer robes. You're welcome. :razz:

 

Necromancer robes - The weird thing that shouldn't go with anything, but somehow goes with everything.

[Sy_Accursed]

I've just been catching up on a weeks worth of stuff and this actually looks rather worthwhile. I'm even excited for divination again, after the past few months of waiting and constant disappointment.

 

I'm interested to see how they make this content and how it works, especially with the analogy of two islands, and choosing kings etc being entirely up to us. But unfortunately Kim, I think you're ultimately right at the end. It will take 5 years + for ALL of this content to come to a head and be released. Just thinking about the scale of it. Every God, every opportunity, just every single little thing has to be accounted for by the end of it. It all requires different scripts and the like that all have to be written. For example:

 

 

Hypothetical example: Battle of Lumbridge type scenario.

The aftermath of the battle gives the player 3/4 options which in itself has a certain consequence which is available to all, no matter what God you chose:

 

1: Zamorakian Demon - Killing the Duke.

2: Zarosian Mahjarrat - Letting the Duke go.

3: Saradominist - Keeping the Duke in?

4. Serenist Elf - Keeps the Duke prisoner.

5. Godless - Free's the Duke and takes Lumbridge castle for themselves.

 

So you are a Zarosian, and you choose what you want from those options. That *should* (if Osborne is right) have implications for you. Future reference to the battle from Zarosians will comment on how you let the Godless in and the Duke is free. Or how Zamorakian demon killed the Duke and you let "the enemy" take a foothold in the God you're supposed to support territory.

Unless most of it is written now, and unless they give us very finite distinct options - ie. Let's trim the above down to three: Duke keeps his seat, is freed, or is taken prisoner/killed - that Jagex may have bitten off a lot more than they can chew.

 

If it's the former I have a feeling a lot of player choices will be retconned, like most of the lore has been time and again, just so it fits.

 

 

 

Also I'm massively disappointed about the quests side of it. Sure new quests are good. Sure they want people to play them. But seriously, they're making it so that "Grandmaster" level quests require basically the medium/master type levels. It's a nice thought really, Jagex had kinda shot themselves in the foot with DG when they said there'd be a 120 finale - when, even 3 years after it's creation there's only ~8000 players with 120.

 

But what was said will mean that Grandmasters will be grandmaster no more. Which makes me feel that epic things like WGS, NR, RotM, and VSB wont really happen again for a long long while. Sure high levels haven't truly been forgotten, with a load of other content afterwards for us. And whilst yes, it is arguable that we even get a better deal what with having "extra content" for once we finished a quest, but will we ever see the like of the boss battles, or anything from those previous GM quests?

 

From all they have said it seems to be:

 

World events like the battle for lumbridge the outcome is decided as a community - in the metaphor this is the boat we are all on and we all have to go to the same island.

 

Then between world events there will be choices in quests etc that impact the island specifically for us in terms of cosmetic differences and variations in what npcs say and who survives what etc.

[strilmus]

i'm fairly sure they're making comparisons and references to technology because the second skill will involve engineering machines that make use of divine energy since divination is a gathering skill and makes no reference as to what that energy would be used for in of itself

 

i just hope it doesn't turn into just another analogue for steampunk

[Sy_Accursed]

i'm fairly sure they're making comparisons and references to technology because the second skill will involve engineering machines that make use of divine energy since divination is a gathering skill and makes no reference as to what that energy would be used for in of itself

 

i just hope it doesn't turn into just another analogue for steampunk

 

I think there will be a more indirect link than that (since they are not a pair)

I imagine divine energy will be used with firemaking, crafting, construction, smithing, runecrafting etc. to make things akin to the sixth age circuit.

Then the 2nd skill will, in my opinion, involve making more complex devices via components made with the other skills; but equally they have said the 2nd skill is tied to the lore of us changing the world and bringing new things to people so I think perhaps it could be more of a 'service' or 'seller' skill whereby we make things with other skills then bring them to the people, ultimately altering the world around us.

Eg you convince King Lathas of the benefits of some new lighting system then you get to install it in ardy.

You convince king Rolad about some new enchanted armour and get to forge it to improve the guards.

[Urza285]

I got the feeling it might be a slight magical steampunk thing and I am mildly ok with it. Runescape isn't exactly all medieval and they are quite eclectic and wouldn't seem to complete a bit more of its personal with an inclusion of steampunk in it.

[Sy_Accursed]

Just an exciting observation: The mask shown in the Promotional Art for the Masks update is actually the Mask of Devilry, which represents Dustdevils, which it looks nothing like. Very interesting. Seems like Dustdevils will be getting a much-needed makeover update relatively soon. :D The helm for the Banshee also shows a similar graphical upgrade.

 

Wonder if there's another slayer update coming, or it's potentially just gonna be lumped in with another Desert-related thing.

 

Interestingly many of the slayer creatures (and others) due seem overdue a makeover. The cave ones all got done fairly recently, but the tower did not, which is especially notable since we saw concept art for them in the slayer tower video.

 

The video shows Infernal mages, abby specs, Banshees, Gargoyles and Abby Demons.

Notably the banshee style is far more inkeeping with the keening mask

The gargoyle faces match the new mask much more.

Abby demons (though blue rather than red in the art) are more in keeping with their mask too.

 

[Saradomin_Mage]

Don't think the Slayer Cave monsters have been updated, actually. Something must have stolen the budget for that, considering that that BTS is months and months old.

[Sy_Accursed]

I coulda sworn the cave ones got updated

 

Crawlers, cocktrices basilisks etc. all got new looks. I think maybe a few later ones got missed (like aquanites and jellies) but they certainly mostly got new looks around the time the dungeon did.

[Saradomin_Mage]

Nah, they've looked like that since the first update in 2008 that came with Smoking Kills. Sound effects at least got updated recently though.

[Sy_Accursed]

Fair enough, but the cave ones by and large look better than the tower ones imo anyway; don't think they really need an update for the most part where as many of the tower ones look quite old and dated eg the overly big and blocky banshees the rather plain abby specs, the slightly block gargs the very out of palce with the rest abby demons.

[Drazhor]

A few of the creatures got updated graphics, though I'm not entirely sure if they were with the actual Fremmy slayer caves being graphically updated themselves

[V O R K]

Hehe could be entirely possible Binary, that'd be great.

[Wkw]

Considering that the lost of the slayer monsters in the tower.. and in the game, look the same as they did when the skill came out, one has to expect that it is going to be updated.

 

Except for the Clock tower south of Ardougne. That thing is the same as it was in 2005

[Kaida23]

Except for the Clock tower south of Ardougne. That thing is the same as it was in 2005

 

A clock tower frozen in time? How very meta.

[Scherzo]

Considering that the lost of the slayer monsters in the tower.. and in the game, look the same as they did when the skill came out, one has to expect that it is going to be updated.

 

Except for the Clock tower south of Ardougne. That thing is the same as it was in 2005

 

That's not true though. I remember when they updated the slayer monsters a few years ago. Spectres became nicer, but harder to click on, for one.