Pure Essence on free servers 20-Apr-2006
It has been brought to our attention that some free players who used to be members have had their essence converted into pure essence which they now can't use.
Don't worry, we are aware of this and are working to fix it. In next week's update we will make it so that whilst free players can't mine any more pure essence they can however still use/trade any which was automatically converted.
If you haven't already read it, then please see the previous news post entitled Rune Essence adjustment for more details on the Rune Essence changes.
Rune Essence adjustment 20-Apr-2006
Today we have made an adjustment to rune essence mining due to players breaking rule 7 and rule 12, using macros to mine the rune essence and then sell it.
As you are probably aware we have various systems in place to detect people breaking rule 7 and ban them. These systems work very effectively at detecting people breaking this rule, and make macroing a really bad way to try and train a high level character.
The problem we are now solving is not a problem with our macro detection systems which are still working well, but rather a problem with banning being an ineffective punishment against abusers who only use very low level accounts, and who have no intention of ever playing the game properly.
Over the last few weeks we have banned literally hundreds of accounts a day for macroing at the rune essence mine. However the bans were ineffective as the abusers could just create more low level accounts that they didn't care about to mine more. We also track trades so we can ban the recipiant of the illegally obtained items, but the abusers in this case were swapping the runes for gp, and then selling the gp for real world money on auction sites. Of course the person buying the gp for real world money gets banned, because we track the money they received in an unbalanced trade to a macro account, but the seller doesn't care that their customers get banned shortly after, as they have their real world money by then.
The fundamental problem is that rune essence was one of the few areas of the game which could be used to generate a reasonable amount of RuneScape money on a 'throwaway' low level free account. Normally to earn large amounts of money quickly you need to level up an account first, and then of course you care if it gets banned so our normal deterrent is effective.
We have therefore split rune essence to have 2 grades. Normal essence can only be used to make the six basic runes, whereas pure essence can be used to make any rune. You can mine both types of essence at the same place as before. The kind of essence you receive is automatically decided when you mine the rock. You will always get pure essence only if your mining is over 30 and you are on a members' world, otherwise you will get normal essence.
As a one-off event whilst we introduce this, existing essence in your bank and inventory will have been automatically converted to pure essence if you are a member or have other members-only items in your bank, provided you have level 30 mining or runecrafting.
Since free players can only craft the six basic runes anyway, the normal essence is just as good for its intended purpose of letting free players do low level rune crafting. However it is not so useful for selling to members who want to make law and nature runes (who we believe buy the vast majority of rune essence in Runescape) which should reduce its price significantly and make it a much less appealing proposition for real world traders.
The only people who should be significantly affected by this are players mining very large amounts of essence on free accounts purely to sell to members. There are better way of making money on high level free accounts anyway, so this change should only really affect players trying to making large amounts of money on a low level free account - which is of course the exact idea.
We would also like to yet again remind our players NOT to break rule 12 and be tempted to buy RuneScape gold for real world money. Nearly all the gold being offered for sale in this way was generated by cheating on 'throwaway' accounts. If you buy it not only are you encouraging further cheating, but you run the very real risk of being banned yourself as the money you receive is dirty money and will be tracked. Again we have banned countless players for breaking rule 12 and fuelling this problem, and will continue to do so.
We hope most players will agree we shouldn't let rule breakers spoil this game, and we are determined to not let them do so. As well as banning, where necessary we will also make minimal changes to the game to make rule breaking unviable.
***Easter Guide, Contact, and new Polls*** 19-Apr-2006
I have finally finished my Holiday Easter 2006 Guide. Sorry for the late arrival, I plan on getting new holiday guides out in the first 3 days, but I didn't come up with the idea until the night before. Click here to view it. I switched my Runescape picture to the normal one from the winter, snow-covered one. I have now also added a Contact Me... page where you can send me an email! Click here to go to the form page. All you need to do is fill out the form and click the "Submit" button and I will receive it. You can use this feature to send ideas for new polls too. My Polls page has a few polls for you to fill out and send in your opinions. Also look at the new page for the mini-game "Pest Control" because it looks really cool and should be a favorite!
Pest Control 18-Apr-2006
The Void Knights are a military order who have helped serve Guthix and his penchant for balance since the early Fourth Age. It is their job to ensure that the flux of good and evil coming through to RuneScape each day remains constant, but there are some beasts they find more difficult to accept than others.
On a series of islands in the far south of the world they have found some portals that are nothing but pure evil, which must be shut down at any cost.
Pest Control, the biggest update of the month is finally here!
This update includes:
- A new cooperative combat-based minigame
- 7 new kinds of deadly monster
- A new island featuring a bank and shops
- A new food item: field rations
Protect the Void Knight from the invading hordes for 20 minutes or go and destroy the portals yourself while your friends rebuild the smashed barricades left behind you. With boats visiting the portals as soon as enough volunteers are available, we are confident this game will become a firm favourite for fans of cooperative gameplay.
Dying during the Pest Control game is the same as dying in Castle Wars (no item loss and no trip to Lumbridge), so you have no excuse not to visit! Speak to the Squire at the southern end of Port Sarim to try out Pest Control today!
***A new piece of Music, Setup, and Page*** 16-Apr-2006
I am working on an Easter guide to help newbies get their magical ring! I have also added the Easter song played when you go underground into the rabbit's warren. My legal page is finally done and as most of you could see, I was busy re-arranging my old news section. The point of this was to make the pages load faster and to make it more simple to read/navigate. The news posts are placed 10 per page, listed from newest to oldest, and there are currently 5 pages. Once I was nearly done, I decided to add an ALL page where all of the old news would be placed together for people that like to look at the big picture. Note that this page is extremely long and will take a long time to load (I only recommend if you have DSL or cable internet). I have finished that project today and next time I plan to forewarn people of these events and make them run smoother. After I get my Easter guide up and running, I will be re-arranging the links to the RuneScape world map so they will take up less space. I hope you enjoy all of the new things!
New RuneScape Forums! 10-Apr-2006
Today we have released the new version of the RuneScape forums, improving on the style and look of the old forums. As well as making it easier to navigate around, we have removed the need to log in to the forums in order to read them. Members will still be able to post by logging in using the link at the top of the forums page.
We have also added a host of new features - here are some of them:
Bump button
If you look next to the reply button, you'll see a new feature - "Bump". Clicking this will move the thread to the top of its forum. This feature has been added to remove the need for people to post "bump" messages, which will in turn make it much easier to see the actual conversation in the thread.
Note you can only bump your own thread, and you can only bump one thread every 10 minutes, to avoid this system being abused.
Message previews
The message preview feature will allow you to know what your message will look like before it's posted. You'll find the "preview" button next to the "add" button when you're adding a message.
FMod and JMod colours
Jagex Moderator posts have changed, so that now they will be gold. There will also be a gold crown next to their names. Similarly, Forum Moderators will have a green crown next to their name as well as keeping the green background on their messages
Smilies!
When you add messages, you can also add smilies :)! Check the smiley legend (available when adding a message) to see what smilies you can use.
User profiles
If you're logged in, on the main forums page, in the top right, you'll see "My Profile". This shows the list of the last threads you posted in, as well as your post count and gives you the option to turn smilies on or off.
Quick-Find codes
At the very bottom of a thread page there is now a "Quick Find Code" - if you put this into the "Quick Find" box at the top of the page it will take you back to that thread. This means you can jump straight to a thread by knowing this number, and will help in the forum emergencies forum.
Jump to forum
Also in the top right, there is a drop-down box which will let you go straight to another forum without navigating to the front page. Speedy!
Updated search (multiple words)
You can now search by typing in multiple words, and any thread which has any of the words will show up in the results, sorted by relavence. If you want to search for a whole phrase, use quotes around your search
Updated wordfilter
The wordfilter has been updated, making sure everyone is protected from bad language.
Go visit the new look RuneScape Forums!
Easter bunnies infest RuneScape! 10-Apr-2006
Easter bunnies are infesting RuneScape!
Children around RuneScape were expecting the Easter Bunny to bring them eggs this week, but instead of one big bunny they have found dozens of little ones! The bunnies are contained in two areas, south of Falador and north-west of Varrock.
Unfortunately the new rabbits haven't quite grasped the spirit of Easter, and rather than handing the eggs out they are burying them in the ground. Bring a spade to dig them up again and give them to the children (or eat them yourself).
One of the eggs has a rather interesting effect that will unlock a new emote, and, if eaten in the correct place, will open up a whole new area. If you venture into the rabbit warren you can discover who is behind the rabbits' strange behaviour, and perhaps even earn a new magical ring.
The Easter eggs will all melt on 24th April, and the rabbits and their warren will disappear. Players who have unlocked the new emote will still be able to use it, and those who have obtained the magic ring will be able to keep it.
Rag and Bone Man 10-Apr-2006
If you are travelling along the road from Varrock to the Temple on the River Salve, you might notice the camp of the Rag and Bone Man (Rune HQ Link), who is looking for help, and would not turn down a hand, leg, or any other bone to be honest! His expanding collection needs to be finished off.
Low level players will be able to help him complete the bare bones of the quest. More experienced players will then be able to help him further and get extra rewards. Good luck and bone voyage!
Armour model changes
You will find that we've altered the appearance of a small number of armour items in this week's update, including chainmail tops, the camoflage kit and certain pieces of kit found in the Barrows. These changes are to make the models more flexible for animating. With these changes it will allow us to do more impressive animations of your characters in the future.
Of course some players will prefer the new models, whereas others will prefer the old ones. But once you also bear in mind that as well having an improved new look, this allows a greater range of animations, we feel it's definitely worth the change.
The combat stats of the items will not be affected in any way.
A Soul's Bane 3-Apr-2006
A rift in the ground has opened in the lands to the west of the Digsite. All manner of bizarre noises have been escaping from it, and yet a sorrowful mother waits at the top, unafraid. She is waiting for her long lost son, Tolna, who has been missing for 25 years, and she needs your help!
If you choose to accept this quest into the unknown, you'll find yourself entering an adventure full of twisted monsters all created from the mind of a young boy driven to madness through incarceration. Through perseverance you may find yourself with a new place to train your combat!
Are you a Soul's Bane?
Behind the Scenes - April 3-Apr-2006
This month we are releasing two quests based in the Varrock area. The first of these tells the story of Tolna, a young lad who left Varrock years ago to seek his fortune. Little did he know that his journey would only take him a few feet before the cruel hand of fate would snatch him up and throw him down into the pit of despair. Recent surface activity in the area has unearthed some dangerous crevices into the caves below. After all these years, can the boy still be alive? And if so, what sort of condition will he be in? Adventurers willing to take on these questions are sure to be faced with some difficult challenges but will be rewarded with new training areas and some quite fantastic cutscenes.
The second quest of the month will start on the pass from Varrock to the Salve Temple. An odd old man carrying a large sack of bones has a problem and will need your help to solve it. Why is he collecting all these bones? Why is the mysterious sack on his back making odd mumbling sounds? Although this quest is designed for low level players, high end players will find a better reward from the optional "big boned" list.
Later this month the gnomes get a new advantage on the Khazard Battlefield with the appearance of Battle Tortoises. These armoured tanks, mounted by mages and rangers, are sure to be quite a challenge for the General and his troops, but beware - they leave quite an impression!
We are also updating the Wilderness this month with new teleportation portals and a repeatable minigame. The portals act as a new way of getting round the Wilderness, but be careful. Once a portal is activated, everyone in the immediate area will be moved away, so don't rely on it to get out of trouble... you may find that trouble follows you through!
Wilderness Tag features a series of pillars dotted around the entire of the wilderness, with players being invited to tag them, similar to the way the Agility Arena works but without the timers. Players who successfully tag all the pillars (featuring various levels of difficulty) are rewarded with a generous helping of combat XP in the discipline they choose. Be careful, though, it is the Wilderness after all.
As Easter approaches, the Easter Bunny starts preparing for the busy month ahead. This year, however, he is feeling a bit lazy and so has asked the local rabbits to give him a hand. Sadly, they aren't as clever as they are cute... so it's a good job the land is full of helpful adventurers to correct the mistakes they are making. With a new seasonal emote and magical eggs, we are sure you'll be happy to celebrate Easter with the kids of RuneScape.
The biggest update this month will be Pest Control, a brand new player vs monster minigame. The Void Knights are a military order who have helped serve Guthix and his penchant for balance since the early God Wars. It is their job to ensure that the flux of good and evil that come through to Gielinor each day remains constant, but there are some beasts they find more difficult to accept than others. The portals they have found are nothing but pure evil, and so must be shut down at any cost. Protect the Void Knight from the invading hordes for 20 minutes or go and destroy their portals yourself while your friends rebuild the smashed barricades left behind you. With 6 new creature types and boats visiting the portals as soon as enough volunteers are available, we are confident this game will become a firm favourite for fans of cooperative gameplay.
Also in April we launch city pamphlets to help newer players find out what Varrock can offer and more readers' letters, focusing on the thousands of letters you have sent in addressed to the mime.
Temple Trekking 28-Mar-2006
As many adventurers know, life can't be all dragon-slaying and rescuing maidens in distress. For one, dragons are pretty fierce and most maidens tend to be able to look after themselves these days. So, to be a little useful and perhaps earn a crust, the wily adventurer knows how to turn their skills to many a trade, such as the ability to be a guide.
Since Burgh de Rott has had a recent face lift, and the general store has been filled up with supplies, some of the villagers feel ready to brave the trip to Paterdomus, the temple on the Salve. Of course, there are some trivial dangers to keep an eye out for, but nothing that a well-prepared adventurer couldn't deal with.
So stock up your companion with food (just in case), dust off your trusty map and set forth in the new minigame: Temple Trekking.
Features:
- 3 different routes to choose from with varying difficulty.
- 3 different levels of NPC followers to escort.
- Weaker NPCs are more taxing to protect but offer greater rewards if you can keep them alive.
- Rewards from the trip are made in skill related items and tomes of learning - novel ways to level your XP.
- Challenge enormous swamp snakes and protect your trek companion.
- Tackle giant swamp snails and tentacle monsters!
- Solve tricky puzzle encounters.
- Use the temple trekking as a fun, more interesting way to get back to Misthalin.
This minigame is designed to be a more fun and challenging way of making money and gaining xp than your normal RuneScape routine, and gives you something else to worry about while crossing the perilous swamps of Morytania.
Of course, every adventurer likes to feel important – so what better way than to help villagers escape the evil clutches of the vampyre horde? If you really miss the damsels in distress you can always go back to them... but have a wash first. Damsels hate swamps.
NOTE – Only players who have completed last week's quest (In Aid of the Myreque) will be able to attempt this minigame.
