Friday, September 18, 2009

Runescape is bound to get easier

I guess I was sub-consciously looking for something like this for a while, because, when I saw Psychoticio's post at TruthScape, it was like a light bulb turning on in my head. That's it - a perfect explanation of Jagex's tendency to simplify skilling (and combat) with updates over time. Here is the quote (I usually don't quote like that, but I really want to have this text right inside the post. I would encourage you to keep an eye on TruthScape forum though, they do have a tendency to come up with iteresting topics and discussions):

"Most people don't understand-- MMO's like Runescape HAVE to get easier over time, it's an inherent part of the design of the game that can't be altered at this point. With updates to existing content, making something worse would be unwanted and keeping everything the same difficulty would get too boring-- so with updates to existing content, they're "upgraded" and made more useful. What's more useful? Faster exp, more gp, easier training, more efficent, etc. Quests-- rewards for quests are composed of what? To be a "reward" it has to be something that makes the game easier, faster exp, more gp, more efficient, etc. For most minigames, rewards are also needed to entice play-- these rewards are the same as quests.

My Point? By the MMO's very design, through rewards, upgrades, and natural evolution of play, gameplay and achievements become easier over time. No matter what, the entire game is slowly progressing to become easier and easier. This isn't JAgex's fault-- it's the natural structure of most MMO's. And it'll continue to get easier as time goes on. Five years from now, it'll be exponentially easier than 5 years ago from today, etc."

8 comments:

llocidul said...

That was pretty off, RS might get easier overtime but right now all they are focusing on are high level content.

Aximili E I said...

RS has gotten easier over time all you have to look back at the basic differences in how skills are leveled in RSC vs. RS2. For starters no make X, fatigue (sort of like a random...),30 inventory slots (which could be reduced if you where wearing anything...), no run, no right click, etc....

Merch Gwyar said...

At the risk of sounding like one of those elderly veterans around the fire, I have to agree with this.

Right now, in game, the Keldagrim Goldmines are relatively full. There's at least three people in there, including me, and our default conversation is, 'hi' 'hi' 'Isn't that new shortcut wonderful?'

In the olden days (ie last week) to use those caves, you had a long work to a bank. A NPC would take your gold for you, if you paid a commission in gold (less commission if you'd been and got yourself a ring of Charos(a). Now we're all skipping through the door and banking for ourselves. Easy, oh yes.

That's just one example. Let's not even get into the removal of the mugger in Varrock. :p

But I also agree with Llocidul. It's been a long time since I've had to consider that I might not be able to do the next update. There is so much high level content coming out at the moment, that at least one of them so far has been beyond me. It might be easier for levelling, but it's harder to complete and/or visit every aspect of the game.

Alex said...

And let's not forget - we like getting levels. Sure, they might be easier but nothing lights my face up like getting a ton of XP in a short time and then getting a level, even if that wouldn't be possible for a harder game...

Merch Gwyar said...

I suppose that we can also balance this against the fact that people who remember the harder ways have also had more time to get their levels.

Plus it does mean that we ignored a strategy. We could say, 'I'm not going to bother training that skill for five years, because, by then, it will be easier.' But we don't. We carry on training by whatever methods are currently accessible.

NeobotXP said...

We could say, 'I'm not going to bother training that skill for five years, because, by then, it will be easier.'

My mining has hardly been touched since I thought that exact thought when fatigue was released.

I am still waiting.

Vaskor said...

It's still getting easier with every update, even high level ones. And let's not forget Make-X options. I know, people complain that those actually slowed down some training methods, but, oh boy, they made a life of skillers so much easier!

Aximili E I said...

No kidding Vaskor there are times that I wish rsc had that for smithing...

 
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