If RuneScape Were Mobile

Artistic representation. Not actually RuneScape on an iPhone.

One thing I have been very disappointed in even before I purchased my iPhone is that the device is incapable of running the game. Runescape, written in Java, was designed to run on as many platforms as possible through the use of any standard web browser. The iPhone is unique in its distinction of containing a mostly functional web browser, Safari. So it would seem only logical that Runescape would run just fine on the iPhone. Sadly, Apple, in a stroke of illogic that boggles the mind, has prevented the use of Java on the iPhone. That needs repeating. Java is a platform whose main design is to run on as many kinds of devices as possible. Java is a leading force within the mobile phone market. Java is a cornerstone of web based application. Yes, Java is restricted on the number one leading Internet enabled mobile phone.

Before I go on, I want to address what some of you may have seen on the Internet concerning the iPhone and Runescape. There are some videos out there showing what appears to be Runescape running on an iPhone…

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Time To Do Some Weeding

After reading some of the feedback about the February 2009 minor update delay and the feedback to some of the Mark Gerhard’s posts about RWT I have come to the conclusion that the people at Jagex really do need to make a few separate areas for some “special” players. Most of the feedback was constructive and proper. But a lot was so mind numbingly idiotic I nearly had to scream.  And that is why I suggest the following separate and restricted Runescape Worlds.

Brat World: Let’s get the most needed world out there first. I think an easy way of getting a point across would be to restrict players who get mutes or temporary bans to a special type of “half-way-house” world to play on for a month of two. Of course those worlds would need to be quick chat only, and maybe even a more restrictive version of the current quick chat. If not quick chat only then at least filter out the word “noob.”  That would be traumatizing to most of the people sent to these worlds because they don’t know how to chat without using ”noob”  in every other sentence. There would only need to be two of these worlds, a free player world and a members world. If they are always full then too bad for people waiting to get connected. It isn’t supposed to be pleasant. Also maybe some other restrictions could be placed on these worlds. Like a two hour daily play limit. I would like to see such a world nice enough for “rule breakers” that they actually feel like they have been given a chance to redeem themselves and yet unpleasant enough so people won’t purposely try to get sent to one of these world.

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Thoughts on Real World Trading

After reading the nice personal post by Jagex CEO Mark Gerhard I decided to read through many of the replies he received. I couldn’t read all of them because there were already 5000+ replies within the first day. But of the ones I read, most were well reasoned, well written, and well thought out. But I did read a few comments that made me want to reply but I didn’t want to waste the space on a 5000+ rely thread in the forums, so I will do it on my personal blog.

Real World Trading: Someone mentioned that real word trading doesn’t hurt anyone. I do take exception with this point, at least in part. I understand that a person selling a character or goods for real world money would still need to work to get that character to where it is valuable or get those items through various other means such as mining or what-not. In that respect it seems alright. Someone did the work. Why shouldn’t they get paid? In fact, that is how the internal Runescape economy works. Many people buy items they would rather not work on getting. I for one almost never cut down trees, I buy the logs. I buy the secondary ingredients for summoning pouches because I am not going to spend hours hunting around for those ingredients. That is what drives the internal Runescape economy.

But here is what people forget. Runescape is designed for everyone, no matter who they are in the real world. Remember that 80% of the people who play Runescape are free players…….

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A Horse is a Horse…

This next idea is one that just recently started formulating in my brain, unlike my other ideas about weather and healthcare that have been festering for years. I think we should have true beasts of burden, not just the nominal activities we get with the Summoning skill. Wooooo… imagine wavy lines going down the screen as I go off on a brief tangent…

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Whether to have weather?

The Runescape Channel

If I had to name one thing about Runescape that truly disappoints me, it is its complete lack of weather. Other quality MMORPGs incorporate weather systems, and I even fondly remember playing a text based MUDD in the early nineties that attempted basic weather features. Weather is long overdue in Runescape.

Weather should have many wide ranging effects on day to day life in Runescape. Imagine not having to water crops if you plant them while it is raining. Or better yet (or worse depending on your opinion), crops in a drought stricken area may need additional watering to ensure proper growth. Maybe a freak snow storm could block the pass up through White Wolf Mountain and force players to go around another way till the weather clears. Rare rains in the desert would allow players to walk freely without needing water sacks. And forget about having a high success rate on making fires if it is raining.

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Wanted: Dynamic Stat Side Bar

I would really love to see one of the major Runescape fan sites, those who already provide dynamic signatures and dynamic avatars, design a dynamic blog side bar. It shouldn’t be all that hard to do as it simply would be a reworking of a dynamic signature, but sized taller than wider. Many blog sites allow images in the side bars, including WordPress.com and Blogger.com. For now I am working on a simple design but it is not dynamic and I have to manually update it in PhotoImpact if I want it to be current. So if there is anyone out there who is, or who knows someone, at Runescape Bits & Bytes, SXSSniffer, RuneUniverse, LeetScape or the many other sites that already provide dynamic signatures, please get this idea out of my head and into a working environment.

On a side note, on my own site I developed a “widget” that does load my stats automatically.  But a dynamic side bar image like the currently available signatures would still be a nice option.

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A Day Without A Night

Roaming the Varrock Streets At Night

This next idea stems from my long time love of the game SimCity. I have been playing SimCity in all its incarnations right up to and including SimCity Societies (though this last SimCity is my least favorite). The nice thing about SimCity is that it includes a very visually stimulating and mentally interesting day/night cycle. It is this day/night cycle that I think Runescape is desperately missing and would add another nice touch of realism.

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Pick-pocketing and Bank Robbing

Ever since I began playing Runescape I have always thought it would be fun if we could pick-pocket other players. I mean, thieving is such a valuable skill, why can’t we use it on each other too. Of course there would have to be restrictions. Like maybe you would need level 50 or above thieving and could only steal from other level 50+s. Maybe restrict it to the Wilderness.  And if you get caught you have to pay your victim a certain amount (and if you have no GP on you then you get arrested).

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Healthcare

We already have a doctor costume.

For my first all whacked out idea, I think the Runescape world (also known by the official name of Gielinor) should incorporate a health care system. More specifically, I think players should be able to get sick. I don’t mean “poisoned.” I am talking outright sick. Players should be able to catch colds. Maybe have a plague hit Lumbridge. Oh, the possibilities.

I will use a common cold to describe my idea for a health care setup in Runescape.

A common cold could effect a player by temporarily lowering that player’s maximum hit points by a certain percentage and would last a specific game time. Maybe hit points could be lowered variably by up to ten percent over three hours (the length of illness would also be variable). A cold wouldn’t kill a player, just make them weaker. It could also effect other skills. Reduce the players strength and attack slightly.  Also, take Agility down a notch or two while we are at it.

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