Agility Pyramid 16-Jan-2006
A recent sandstorm has uncovered an ancient pyramid between Sophanem and Nardah. Thousands of years under the sand have taken their toll on the construction, but those daring enough to make the dangerous ascent to the top will find riches waiting for them.
In this agility update you will make your way to the top of a pyramid by jumping gaps, balancing on planks, dodging moving walls and much more. Complete the course for an agility bonus and to find an ancient treasure.
This course has an entry requirement of level 30 agility. To find it, move due east from the Crocodile pond north of Sophanem, running past the Wanderer's tent until you see the pyramid. Talk to Simon when you get there!
We have also made some slight tweaks to Doric's Quest. Much like with our area improvements last year on Lumbridge and Port Sarim, new graphics and slight game play alterations will be added to improve the general feel of the quest. More quests will follow shortly. This will not change any of the rewards, so don't worry, you won't be missing out.
Now that the Mage Training Arena has been available for a couple of weeks, we've updated the website with information about its features and the rewards you can earn there.
Nearly 5000 RS-classic accounts banned 12-Jan-2006
As regular classic players will know the classic game was being seriously spoilt by players breaking rule 7. We won't let cheats spoil our games, so we are currently permanently banning nearly 5000 accounts which our system has flagged as using macro software in breach of our rules. RS-classic will be brought back online once that operation is complete.
We recommend all players make sure they are aware of our rules, which are there to keep the game enjoyable for our millions of players. We simply won't let a small minority spoil the game for everyone else. If you don't know the rules already then please make sure you Read them here!
As you know our focus these days is on the main RuneScape game which is far more advanced than RS-classic. The main reason we are keeping RS-classic online at all is to support some of our loyal players who have been with us for years and want to play the old version of the game they are used to. We've therefore decided the best way to stop the cheats just creating new accounts to cause trouble in RS-classic all over again, whilst still supporting the loyal players who have been playing RS-classic fairly for years, is to close RS-classic to new accounts. As such only accounts which have played RS-classic at least once in the last 6 months (since it went members only on August 3rd 2005) will be able to do so from now on. This allows the currently active players of RS-classic to continue playing, whilst keeping out the cheats trying to spoil it.
If you attempt to log into RS-Classic and haven't played since August 3rd then you will receive a login error message.
The latest and greatest version of RuneScape - which 99% of our players use - of course remains open to everyone (except rule breakers). It has much better anti-cheat technology and we will also be taking a strong stance against rule-breakers in the current version of the game, but without the need to restrict account signups.
The Hand in the Sand 10-Jan-2006
Finally! The answer to a conundrum that has confounded the best minds in the lands - how do the sand pits stay full? Of course the other question is: whose severed hand is that? Find out with the help of Bert the sand pit worker and his friends in a strange and funny tale of murder, mystery, bad puns and sand. Use your crafty skills in more than one way to gain rewards in both the crafty arts - thieving and crafting! You can also earn Bert's gratitude and a lifetime's supply of sand!
Mage Training Arena changes
After reviewing some player feedback we felt that the prices of items available in the new Mage Training Arena needing adjusting. Hopefully some of the items will be more affordable and you should be able to buy back a decent amount of runes with the Pizazz points you earn.
We have also adjusted the Telekinetic area so that when you complete five mazes in a row you will be given a bonus of ten law runes. The number of mazes you have completed will now be stored if you log out or leave the area so that you can continue where you left off.
In other news...
Rumors have been heard of a malignant cat dragging innocent people off to a strange mirror world and locking them in jail! If this happens to you, you'll meet an experienced convict known as Prison Pete who'll help you escape.
Other rumors speak of an obsessive sandwich lady traveling the world with her tray of tasty morsels. If she offers you a free snack, make sure you take only what she says you can have, or she'll get angry...
Mage Training Arena 4-Jan-2006
Far too many incidents have been brought to light of inexperienced wizards causing some pretty horrific accidents (and we use the word 'accident' very lightly).
So whether you're a mage of experience or you're someone in need of a little training, you'll want to travel north of the Duel Arena to find a grand building of magical design: The Mage Training Arena! In this building, the magical powers of RuneScape seem to have a mind of their own, so you'll find some very unique ways to practice the art of magic whilst collecting points to trade for prizes. Shazzam! There's a great deal on offer: you can have a go at moving statues around mazes with the power of your mind, or perhaps you'd like to try hunting for items to practice the art of alchemy. Or maybe you'd rather live dangerously and try your hand at frantically turning bones to bananas just to stay alive? It's your choice.
If you train long and hard enough, you could be the proud owner of some funky new robes! Trust us - wearing these, you will not go unnoticed as you strut your stuff around the dunes of Al Kharid. There's also the chance to look into upgradeable wands and maybe even a new spell...
Intrigued? Why not take a visit and train to become a mage of irrefutable power...
...or at least put an end to those horrific accidents.
Your guide for the arena awaits you in the entrance hall.
Please note that the Xmas update has been removed today.
Behind the Scenes - January 4-Jan-2006
The month of January will include several amazing updates, most with a very strong sand theme.
We kick off the New Year with the introduction of the Mage Training Arena. Over the last few years, many wizards have come to an unfortunate end because of a lack of training in the less aggressive spells. Too many royal vases have been smashed from a badly directed telegrab or alchemy spell, and the Wizards' towers have received one too many insurance claims. In response to this they have unearthed an old deserted building thought lost to the Kharidian sands forever.
Several games can be played there, all with the intention of learning the finer arts of magic. Do well, and collect some unique robes and even talking merchandise! This update is one of the most beautiful updates we have had in a long time and should not be missed.
Later this month we see the addition of another agility course, but this time in the sands near to Menaphos. Rumors of a glint of gold sparkling on its pinnacle are unsubstantiated, but the appearance of an archaeologist has helped the rumor spread. This course is aimed at mid-level athletes.
The Burthorpe games room has finally opened its doors to some more games! Later this month you will be able to go and play Runeversi and Squares as well as competing at the current Draughts and Runelink games.
Squares is an old game played between the Duke of Lumbridge and King Roald of Varrock back in their math lessons when they were children. It's based around the simple principle of putting lines down on a board, scoring points when you complete a 'square', but tactics and logic play a big part.
More random events will also enter the game this month, with visits from a friendly sandwich lady and Prison Pete. Help sort out baguettes and pop balloon animals soon!
Two quests this month develop more of the desert gods' storylines and answer the age old question – where does all the sand in the sand pits come from? Who brings it there? Help Bert the sandpit worker come to terms with a strange discovery as you take on the challenge of The Hand in the Sand. Be careful though, or the puns might just kill you. Dust off that chisel and hammer as you attempt to make statues...
Also this month look out for more readers' letters, one brand new slayer monster for mid-level characters and some new fillings for your baked potatoes!
6 new Australian servers online! 28-Dec-2005
Hello, I hope you all had a very happy Christmas. We're back to work now, and we've just got six new Australian servers online! Hosted in Sydney, Australia - these servers have a super fast connection to the main Australian and New Zealand ISPs we tried. This means they should provide a better game for our players from that part of the world. Players outside Australia/New Zealand on the other hand would be best off sticking to their usual servers. The Australian servers are setup to provide the best connection speeds locally, so may be quite slow from the rest of the world.
Postbag from the Hedge 19-Dec-2005
After a few months of looking for a lvl 2 man in the Wilderness, the RuneScape postie has returned with another sackful of letters. Perhaps he has managed to deliver yours? Find out now in the latest installment of Postbag from the Hedge. Fascinating interviews with Wizard Traiborn and Hans can be found inside, as well as some more information regarding the elusive evil chicken (bwuk bwuk). Don't forget, if any of you want to write to any of the NPCs in the game and ask that burning question that's been bothering you for years, write to POSTBAG@JAGEX.COM... if Postie Pete can find them that is...
Christmas update for all players 19-Dec-2005
This update is for free and member accounts - Happy Christmas!! Diango needs help - the Pixie workers whom he hired to help in his workshop aren't working out. They're so accident prone that despite all their hard work, they're getting nothing done. Find Diango down in the Draynor market and he'll tell you where his workshop is. Once there, you’ll need to put together some marionettes and paint some baubles, as well as packing them into the appropriate boxes. Talk to the local pixies for more information on what exactly to do once you're down in the workshop. Once you've finished at least one box-load of puppets, you'll be required to drop them off at the Taverley Members' Gate, where a familiar face will be waiting for you. Completing boxes of puppets will earn you a special woolly hat! If you want to, complete more boxes for even more rewards. Different hats can be achieved by completing 1,2,4 and 8 boxes. You can also give some boxes of baubles to Rosie, the pixie supervisor. Completed boxes will earn you a special colourful scarf! As with the puppets, more completed boxes will result in different scarves when you complete 1,2,4 or 8 boxes. Rosie has unfortunately had several problems with Imps invading the workshop and stealing all the baubles, so if you don’t fancy painting them, you can always retrieve them from the Christmas imps hanging around the Varrock Xmas tree. Don’t forget you’ll still need to pack them in boxes before you can give them back to Rosie. Finally, those pesky Imps have not only stolen Rosie’s baubles, but all the ones from the Varrock tree too. What is it with Imps anyway? Why are they such thieves? Where do they live anyway? Can they fly? If they can teleport, how come they never drop runes when they die? Rest assured, none of those questions will be answered in this update. However, if you take 5 boxes of decorations, you can decorate the tree yourself! Those that do so will find a special marionette for them under the tree. If you should be unfortunate enough to misplace or lose your marionette, you can get another one from the large box by the ladder to the pixie workshop. Lost scarves and hats can be retrieved from Diango himself.
Please note - The Christmas event will be removed on the 3rd of January. The hats, scarves and gift marionettes will remain for those who've taken the time to help out Diango, Rosie, the mysterious stranger and decorated the tree in Varrock. All player-made marionettes, their component pieces, baubles and boxes containing each will disappear, including the tree itself. The festive imps, the hooded stranger and Diango's hired workforce will also be moving on after another busy Christmas. Of course, no-one likes to miss a good ceremony, least of all a certain lowly monk who will need your assistance! Will you be able to help his dreams come true? With the appearance of a strange new weapon and some Devious Minds, you may find yourself biting off more than you can chew... Head over to the temple on the River Salve and find out!
Devious Minds 19-Dec-2005
This quest features some of the highest non-combat skill requirements ever to be released into the game and requires you to have completed Doric's Quest! A strange combination you might think, but is it as strange as the quest itself? We will let you decide...
RuneScape Posters 15-Dec-2005
We are now offering a great new poster through the Jagex shop. The Poster is currently only available to UK players. Anyone wishing to buy one should check out the Jagex shop now! To get your poster in time for Christmas, you will need to purchase one by Saturday 17th December 2005 at the latest. Orders placed after this date cannot be guaranteed in time for Christmas. Customers from outside the UK should note that we are working on providing them with the opportunity to buy posters in the future.
