[Column] General: Says Goodbye to Runescape 2.0

SBFord · June 2013

With Runescape 3.0 looming on the horizon, The Tourist began to wonder what the magic of v2.0 was and whether or not the venerable game would continue to compete in today's crowded market. See what he discovered and then leave your thoughts in the comments.

Runescape's early life existed alongside heavy hitters like Everquest and Dark Age of Camelot. Against such competition, Runescape seemed empty. The animations and depth of gameplay just couldn't compare, and with no subscription fee, the game didn't seem to be much of an MMO. Thus, the earliest core MMO players wrote Runescape off. It wasn't a “real” MMO with no client or monthly surcharge.

Read more of Chris Coke's The Tourist Says Goodbye to Runescape 2.0.

Alomar · June 2013

Runescape was my first mmo, which I started playing as a 9 year old. Played it on and off until my early teens, ended up around lvl 115, and loved the game. Runescape was the start of my 13 year mmo experience and will always have a special place in my mind. I do plan on checking out RS 3.0 in some capacity whenever it releases.

Dreamo84 · June 2013

I think the game gets a rep as being some how casual or a kids game. Though the reality is this is a far more complex MMO than the vast majority of MMOs out there. Your hand will not be held in Runescape I assure you.

nethervoid · June 2013

I will definitely try Runescape 3. I think it's business model was just way ahead of it's time, and the openness it offers is really not very common any longer.

GameByNight · June 2013

Originally posted by nethervoid
I will definitely try Runescape 3. I think it's business model was just way ahead of it's time, and the openness it offers is really not very common any longer.

I would definitely agree. It was so far ahead of its time that people looked at it like it couldn't be in the same class. In fairness, I don't think it *did* compete with Everquest but that didn't stop it from evolving to do exactly that.

I have to wonder, is there a stigma around Runescape still or is that just something we old timers project onto the world?

strangiato2112 · June 2013

I see sandbox being used, can you really alter the world?

Or is the author incorrectly using sandbox because the game has a skill system for character progression and isnt based off of quest hubs.

Sandbox =/= skills instead of levels

Sandbox =/= not a theme park

Sounds closer to EQ1 than it does to a true sandbox.

strangiato2112 · June 2013

Originally posted by GameByNight

I have to wonder, is there a stigma around Runescape still or is that just something we old timers project onto the world?

Browser based game

Click to move (I loathe the feel of this, I would rather control my character instead of direct it)

those are two strikes against it, the first one is unfair the second is game ruining for many

Also has a stigma for having a young player base, not sure if thats true or not

flizzer · June 2013

Also my first MMO. I doubt I will return, after all "You can't go home again". But I am still happy it is around for a new generation to play. I still say I prefer the older look. With the new and improved look I feel it is getting closer to WoW, which I don't find a good thing.

Fusion · June 2013

You cannot make a game called "F2P" any more restricted than this is. At every turn, you get a 'upgrade to VIP/premium".. you can probably explore 10% of the game with F2P, so it's actually nothing like F2P, it's a glorified trial. Never seen such an 'agressive' approach to gaining paying customers, ever!

Bonemane · June 2013

Originally posted by Fusion
You cannot make a game called "F2P" any more restricted than this is. At every turn, you get a 'upgrade to VIP/premium".. you can probably explore 10% of the game with F2P, so it's actually nothing like F2P, it's a glorified trial. Never seen such an 'agressive' approach to gaining paying customers, ever!

I agree, I started Runescape back when it was truly F2P before the memberships started. After they implemented memberships they all but, completely forgot about the F2P portion of the game. Last I played I couldn't do anything because I had pretty much done everything in F2P since I started before there were even memberships!

Once you buy a membership the game mechanics force you to keep it because you won't be able to use any of the items you get, your bank space will be permanently full because of all the crap you get and when you take something out you won't be able to put it back in without buying membership again. I used to love Runescape, but ploys like this turned me off to it.

There are those that still champion the F2P parts, but I guarantee they haven't hit that wall where its just either non-stop fighting monsters to get your combat skills up or chopping wood/mining like a madman (and even then after awhile you need membership to further advance your crafting skills or collect necessary materials).

zasten · June 2013

Yeah, would be a cool f2p, except that it is not f2p (greed is not cool)!

Doing a very small portion of the game free, does not make it fp2, as said previously, the f2p part is basically just a trial.

I still have my account with a level 66 char, which is where you can take it to as fp2. But last time I logged in, some prick had hacked my account and sold off all of my gear, so I most likely will not bother playing again unless ALL of the other real f2p games go bust (no going to happen)!

Akulas · June 2013

One of the first 100 players into the live servers way back in the day when it was 2 guys running it in a basement. Was a good game pre GE. Squeals killed it for me though.

daltanious · June 2013

I'm sure many love it, but Runescape is F2P and it has all reasons to be F2P. If this would be year i.e. 2000, I would be more then happy with playing it ....but in 2013 ... well. Simply does not appeal to me with so many great games out there. Wondering if F2P would be banned by law how many games we would actually have alive today.

xpiher · June 2013

Its an open world theme park game. World shaking doesn't exist at all in any form even political

DAOWAce · June 2013

Never played 2.0; only remember playing the very basic UO style version waaaaaay back when I was in school.

Wonder if it will continue to stick around after 3.0 hits. Overhauls of games continue to remind me of what SOE did to SWG.

YouSama · June 2013

Still play it from time to time, still pay for it from time to time. Will definitely try 3.0.

To the people that say "this is becoming WoW, this sucks", let me remind you that WoW was the most sucessfull MMO of the last decade and if RS is becoming that, then it's a good thing, not a bad thing. Choose your words carefully and stop repeating the same old argument.

adam_nox · June 2013

I can't believe anyone ever played this. Unless you are illiterate, MUDs were a lot cooler back then, and had almost as good of graphics.

zasten · June 2013

Originally posted by daltanious
I'm sure many love it, but Runescape is F2P and it has all reasons to be F2P. If this would be year i.e. 2000, I would be more then happy with playing it ....but in 2013 ... well. Simply does not appeal to me with so many great games out there. Wondering if F2P would be banned by law how many games we would actually have alive today.

Only a very small part of it is f2p!

Many areas are not reachable unless you pay the sub!

drakolas · June 2013

Come on, at least get the skills right. There is no leathercrafting or pottery, those are both a part of the crafting skill. There also is no weaponsmithing, it's called smithing and includes making armor and weapons among other things. I'm glad Runescape has been getting some attention though, it's a game that I respect for the most part and it is very different from your typical MMO nowadays.

While there aren't really traditional dungeons, there are some similar areas with lots of bosses and plenty of "end game" content. The game is a VERY long term game so the focus isn't really on end game imo though as there are so many different things to do in comparison to other MMOs. Btw the three headed dragon was the King Black Dragon I assume?

Pivotelite · June 2013

Originally posted by adam_nox
I can't believe anyone ever played this. Unless you are illiterate, MUDs were a lot cooler back then, and had almost as good of graphics.

200 million registered accounts, pretty much everyone has played this and it's a damn fine game.

It was my first MMO and the MMO I played the longest, it has a do what you want feel to it, player run economy, player run gambling and PvP zones, players run this game and you do what you want in it.

I since stopped playing but for the 7 years I played on/off along with 5-6 IRL friends, it was definitely time well spent.

I miss drop parties, house parties and player run gambling, PK clans and luring clans were fun too. Also was part of a skiller clan once and a merchanting clan. Ah, a browser based game with more depth than any MMO on the market currently.

It's a shame it's combat mechanics and graphics are so outdated. Also endgame? After 10 years of the game being released only ONE person(within 2 months ago) has beaten the game. Beating the game would be reaching the XP limit in all the skills and completing all the quests.

Talk about endgame.

wordiz · June 2013

Runescape was a great game from day one. Glad they continue to upgrade the graphics every so often and keep it around, although I'd personally rather see a Runescape 2.

chopstix906 · June 2013

I think Runescape gets overlooked because it's a browser game, but I think a lot of big time MMOs could learn from it. The amount of freedom the game allows you with all of the skill progression always gives you something to do. Not to mention the bank that allows you to track the price of any good and decide when to buy and sell based on that history. The game went so in-depth in a lot of areas and when I look back on my time spent on it I get nostalgia. That being said, I think some of the graphics updates and changes they've made are bad and I wouldn't want to return. I just hope RS 3.0 is more along the lines of the older RS 2.0.

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