RuneScape Discussion
- Be able to say, “no update this week.”
- RuneScape is in a very interesting spot where the game ping-pongs between monthly headliners and expansion-like content over 2-3 months - when there aren’t development delays.
- The community rhythm of needing to have weekly updates is largely a relic of the past. News posts should be used for relaying updates, patch notes, and community presence, and don’t need to fit in the stereotypical Monday news post format.
- Consider the following format:
- First week of the month announce the headliner.
- Second week, community initiative or game jam.
- Third week ninja strike.
- Fourth week a teaser for the next piece of content.
- Of course this is all subject to change but the point is that the news posts don’t need to be so rigid in that they always are accompanied with a Monday update and we may be seeing the start of this.
- This week they could have…
- Showcase Game Jam projects (they’re already online) with an explainer that says “look at all these cool things JMods have done as passion projects!”
- Include the images that are already on the internet with a comment from JMods.
- Showcasing these updates, many of which players want, lets the JMods express their passion and see the community’s reaction.
- This is likely a good thing since reaction to game jam projects are almost always positive.
- The alternative if the projects are not ready to be talked about is to just say nothing.
- Introduce Jack’s new stream format, highlight the fact he’s lead designer.
- Talk about Jack’s open policy for communication as he frequents the Discord. Talk about why communication is important for the content developers at Jagex.
- But also underscore how to communicate. Be civil. Be ready to have a discussion. Don’t go in angry.
- The key point: news posts should be fluid and with the support of CM, Jagex should get comfortable in moving away from “weekly” updates.
- “A casual place where we can hang out and talk about RuneScape. I understand people have frustrations. Voicing them directly to developers kinda puts developers off talking.”
- Lead Game Designer: Mod Osborne and before that Mod Mark
- Mod Keeper’s interpretation of the role of Executive Producer is much more like a facilitator, being the glue that keeps all the specialists together and letting other people perform their roles rather than being the face.
- Mod Jack’s Jagex overview: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1622254307?t=0h17m32s
- “I am absolutely not going to do a livestream where I’m going to criticize the design of something I don’t like… I have to walk that very careful line. There are aspects of Runescape that I would be critical of and there are aspects of RuneScape that I have been critical of. And there are player complaints that I might agree with. But I’m not going to go on a livestream and say, “that was shit.” I feel sometimes players are trying to bait us into doing that.”
- Mining and Smithing: Generally really happy with it. Mining is in a really good place. Not quite happy with Smithing. Main issue is not very good for spam creating items (burial creation).
- Most of the developers are playing RuneScape at least semi-actively. Everyone has their hit-list of things they’d like to fix. Could take a minute to explain but days to fix.
- Design vision and strategy: concrete decisions on the way things are made. Only some of the development team have seen that so far.
- Content developers: combination of scripters and technical designers from other games.
- Initially RuneScape updates were written by a single developer.
- Sometimes multiple content developers were put on a single project.
- First priority: ship content
- Second priority: what is that content going to do other than just give a thing? The economy. The balance between skilling and combat. General take: the balance is a bit off. The update in November will touch this.
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Listener Questions
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Other Things
- RL Batora - 99 Construction, October 12, 2022
- FSW Mage God - 99 Strength, October 12, 2022
- FSW Mage God - 99 Attack, October 12, 2022
- FSW Mage God - 99 Ranged - October 10, 2022
- Fight_caves - 120 Thieving, October 12, 2022
- Aomi - 99 Strength, October 11, 2022
- Aomi - 99 Attack, October 11, 2022
- 82ndairborne - 120 Smithing, October 7, 2022
- Tim2 - 120 Agility, October 7, 2022
- Teri_dax - 99 Herblore, October 6, 2022
A Special Thanks to Our Patreon Supporters
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- Todd E
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Show Data
- Episode Title: Dirty Words
- Teaser: Wilderness Flash Events are coming next week and we ask about expansions. We also lay out why no update weeks could become more common, share Game Jam results and then we take a dive into Mod Jack’s designing RuneScape livestream.
- Recorded Date: October 13, 2022
- Release Date: October 14, 2022
- Executive Producers: Shane, Cireon, and Tanis
- Hosts: Shane and Tanis
- Duration: 1:45:21
- Editing Notes: Patreon thanks pause, insert Pyrnassius and Thaxy update