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RuneScape: Review
Ok, I'm going to try reviewing a game.
RuneScape is a high-fantasy themed browser game programmed in Java, developed and published by Jagex Ltd. The original version was released in January 2001, and P2P was released in 2002. In 2004, Jagex released RS2, a second edition (not a sequel) of the game, with improved graphics and a new 3D engine. Two years later, in 2006, the game engine was upgraded again, allowing further improved graphics and content that wouldn't be possible before. RuneScape's graphics are currently being updated in small steps, one town and one NPC type at a time.
Thus, my review begins.
Graphics: RuneScape's graphics, despite many updates, remains to be one of its weak points. RuneScape is browser-based, which doesn't allow for spectacular graphics. The current, updated graphics look a bit worse than Asheron's Call when it was in early development. Human NPCs have a mere 500 polygons. Players, who haven't been updated yet, have about 150. There is no sky; in fact, you cannot see beyond fifty feet from where you're standing. The reason behind this is that Jagex caters to people with low-end computers, and those who don't spend a lot of time at home and therefore don't have the time to play a client-based game.
There's a bit of a unique style in RuneScape's graphics, but, of course, quality > style.
Overall graphics rating: 8/15
Community: The community of RuneScape is something that is frequently criticized. On F2P servers, a good chunk of the players are below the 13-year age limit. There is a lot of solicitation (wanna be my bf?) going around, even though it is against the rules. 8-year olds roam around the map, cursing like sailors. In P2P servers, the situation is somewhat better. Still, many members are still very rude. There are some mature, polite players (such as yours truly) but they form the minority.
Part of the reason to this horrible community is that RuneScape is advertised on Miniclip, a site with many games for kids. Putting RuneScape on Miniclip was a horrible decision on Jagex's part, despite the tens of thousands of paying customers it has brought. Jagex has yet to remove the game from Miniclip, despite much pressure from players. The other, more important reason is that RuneScape, being a browser game, is easily accessible for kids. Anyone can play RuneScape from home, the library, etc.
Overall community rating: 5/10
Sound: The sound effects on RuneScape are quite basic. All you need to replicate them are a good recorder, various metal instuments, your vocal chords, and a kazoo. The music in RuneScape is of fair quality and is often fun to listen to. However, music is something that's mostly based on opinion.
Overall sound rating: 4/7.5
Performance/Lag: If you have a good system with a decent internet connection, you won't experience very much lag with RuneScape. The system requirement is a mere 500 MHZ and 128 megabytes of RAM. Sometimes when Jagex is updating the game or fixing a bug, you'll run into some lag, but most of the time you won't.
Overall performance/lag rating: 8/10
Gameplay: The quality of RuneScape's gameplay is debatable.
Combat: RuneScape's combat is your basic auto-attack style, much like EverQuest. Click on an NPC, and your character automatically starts attacking. There is some strategy involved, but overall it is quite dull.
Quests/Minigames: One of RuneScape's strong parts. Quests are long, complicated, and feature compelling storylines. There are only 130 quests, but RuneScape's quests aren't like quests in other games, and it equates to about 300-400 by most games' standards. Minigames are fun activities within the game. They contain most of the few instances that are in RuneScape, and are very fun. Some, like Castle Wars and Barbarian Assault, involve complex strategy. Some, like Pest Control and Fight Pits, just involve killing. Lots of killing.
Grind: RuneScape has a lot of grind. An action that takes a few seconds gets you about 100-200 XP. I should mention to you that it takes 13,000,000 XP to max out one skill. And there are 23 different skills, including 7 combat skills. And that brings us to the next part.
Skills: RuneScape is a level-based game, meaning that the skills are fixed and you'll need a certain amount of experience points to get a level (not sure if skill-based works the same way). As mentioned before, there are 23 skills. Some are useless, like Firemaking, but most are unique and essential to the game.
Content: RuneScape is a sandbox game. There are a lot of things to do in the game. You can train skills all day, kill other players, do quests, play minigames, etc. What you do in-game is up to your own preferences.
Overall gameplay rating: 13/20
Customer Support: Jagex's CS is... well, not good. There are, I believe, a bit over 100 customer support employees. 100 people tending to the needs of 5,000,000 players. Actually, that'd be 5 people and 50 automated message machines tending to the needs of 4,000,000 F2P players, and 95 people and 10 automated message machines tending to the needs of 1,000,000 paying customers. Even if you're P2P, you'd be lucky to get a response from an actual person within 48 hours of sending a query. In F2P, you'll get an automated message in 3-4 days, or a personal response in a month or two.
Overall customer support rating: 4/7.5
Roleplaying: Depends on your definition of roleplaying. If it means that what you do is only dependent on your preferences, then it's pretty good.
Overall roleplaying rating: 4/5
Overall Rating: 46/75
Or: 61.333%
____________________
Have played: RuneScape, EQ2 (free trial), Last Chaos, Silk Road, Dungeon Runners.
Currently playing: RuneScape, Dungeon Runners.
The notion that graphics, or anything else for that matter, are anywhere near as important as gameplay/fun is so utterly ridiculous that anyone who shares such a view should be placed in an asylum.
Comments
Runescape is a game like no other. It sucks where most of the competitors shine - graphics - but takes the lead in any other aspect. To me it's still the best game I've ever played online. Let me explain: usually in the current MMOs you get a toon with an easy to gimp character system, a few tasks (aka "go and kill that..." quests), and the possibility to kill everybody. That's it. Well, Runescape is different: you get a very simple character (and may I say almost impossible to gimp - yup, the character system is that simple; you have to be a complete idiot to gimp it, and even then, you can fix it within a few levels). So you won't spend too much time thinking "where should I add this point"? Instead you can enjoy the game, and believe me, you'll have your hands full for quite some time (especially if you go P2P - which I strongly suggest).
So what can you do in Runescape? Pretty much everything: you can sove quests - and you'd better, because you can't become a hero or a legend without solving almost all the quests. Some of them are important (such as killing the dragon quest which allows you to wear rune plate or the one in Entrana that opens the fairy kingdom so you'd e able to purchase the first dragon weps). Quests are one of the most fun inducing parts of the game: they are original, elaborate, diverse, and very rewarding. Some are linked (sequels). Some are very easy, some are quite difficult, and some require the help of friends.
If quests are not your thing, you can work on your skills: many to chose from, ALL are important, linked and practical. For instance you can mine for ores, then get the oreas to the furnace to produce metal bars and finally make armor, weapons, or jewelry. Or you can go and harvest some grains, grind it in the windmill, prepare some dowe and cook some bread, pizza, or delicious pies. See? All the skills envolved are linked. Not to mention all the obtained products are good for sale and you can make good money, especially if you are patient enough to max your skills - they are very time consuming, but very rewarding in the end, and the best part is that you can train whenever you feel like.
Then you can explore! And exploring is on a totally different level in Runescape: you can start playing now, and next year you'd still have some maps uncovered. Yup, the Runescape world (THE MEMBER WORLD) is huuuge, and new content is added all the time.
There are also a lot of mini games to try in game, which are fun to play and can reward a lot of goodies.
Or you can go treasure hunting (one of my favourite things in game); it's very addictive, and if you can handle the lvl 3 hunts, you can end up with quite unique and valuable items (such as the "god armors").
Last, but not least: the PvP. The original Runescape PvP area was called "wilderness". It's lvl organised (in the lower lvls you can only fight players of equal lvls); if you go further, the lvl difference increases and you can fight lower or higher lvl players - but beware of the archer packs! The thing is, in wilderness are the most rewarding goodies: mines full of valuable minerals with faster regenerating rate, special dungeons and training grounds, the lvl 3 hunts end there too, and some other items and beasts can be found only here. The higher the risk, bigger the reward.
So ppl, make an effort and go pass the outdated graphics, this game is huge and will keep you hooked for years - ypu, it's that reach in content.
Yea. Sometimes u have to look past that grphically outdateed game, and see what actually goes on inside. It's easy for people who have never ever played to say," Oh, I won't play RS, have you seen its graphics?" Theres more to a game than that.
I believe that people played this game because it was very different
But now that there is no pking, there is no ability of free trade, the game is not nearly as good as it used to be. Runescape was easily my favorite game i have played, and i would always make pures and go pking. But since there is terrible custamor support, and Jagex cut the population in half with there terrible updates, the game is not what it used to be. This game would be better if Jagex werent the one making the updates.
Mike u have been posting on loads of RS forums but i agree with mostly everything that you have said. If i had to sum up the RS year in, i dunno, 1 sentence?, I would say, Good, up until November, then very very very very very bad, with bad customer support.
This game used to be more fun back when there were only 3000 people online. I swear it turned into complete shit afterwards.
yea k33no, ive seen around the posts too. Its been a sad couple of months.
Ever since the trade update;
- No more giving birthday gifts to players
- No more private drop parties for a celebrartion, birthday, war victory, etc...
-Flax might drop to like 30gp each because that will be the only way you make make money
RuneScape is becoming not that good of a game.. I dont like their customer support either. My account is locked because I moved
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