What would you do if you were the head of Runescape?

[Sobend]

SCENARIO: Sudden changes are happening in Jagex headquarters. Activity numbers are low, there is discontent among the active players, and the staff has run out of ideas. In order to bring the game back to its former glory in middle school campuses across the world, Jagex fires the current head of Runescape and decides to hire you for that position. You are now the head of a large multiplayer game and have increased influence. There is a problem though: what should you do?

 

If I were the head of Runescape I would acknowledge not only is Runescape struggling but the genre is struggling (see World of Warcraft for example). However, one similar game is going strong and that is League of Legends. I would not copy what League of Legends is doing but try to look at some things you could learn from that game.

 

I would also consider improving the combat system. Right now the combat system is fun for PvM but useless for PvP. Since PvM is nearly entirely members only most new players will never get a taste of PvM. Therefore I suggest reforming the system a bit so it is compatible with PvP. Right now the combat system is way too powerful and offensively based for PvP. Maybe adding in some more defensive abilities and reducing the power of attack abilities at least in the presence of players would be a step in the right direction.

 

And of course I would listen to the players for ideas. Jagex has always been doing this though, even if not with 100% efficiency.

[O hai im KAMIL]

First thing I'd do is start involving the community a lot more. I remember when Jagex came out with the fansite awards and at the time we received early content notices, interviews with staff and the such; now it means absolutely nothing. Getting the various fansites more involved in the game and having a much greater voice would result in a better game, with content that the community actually wants and likes.

 

I'd also scrap the F2P version entirely, and give every current F2P member and any new signups 1 month of free membership. Let's face it, there's nothing to do in F2P anymore; it's dead. With that done I'd drop the price of membership by a few dollars.

 

Finally, I'd completely rework the PvP system. No idea what it would become, but the current system is a failure. This is where the community/fansites come in, we had a pretty strong PvP section so I'm sure those members could provide valuable insight into how it could possible be improved.

[Sobend]

I'd also scrap the F2P version entirely, and give every current F2P member and any new signups 1 month of free membership. Let's face it, there's nothing to do in F2P anymore; it's dead. With that done I'd drop the price of membership by a few dollars.

I'm not sure I'd do this. It's useless to place freeplay at a decent level, but at low levels it still has good material. There are 12(?) freeplay quests and new combat gear up to level 50. And if Jagex is going to fix the PvP system freeplay won't be useless anymore. Another thing Jagex could do to revive (high level) freeplay is to bring back the high scores for freeplay. Taking away the highscores eliminated the recognition of any freeplay accomplishment. I'm not sure why Jagex felt the need to do that in the first place. Nobody got members because they weren't on the highscores.

[Luvandpower]

I would create a babymaking skill that can co-reside with Summoning. Most of the older players have played for a very long time and grew up playing the game ( assumption ) so I would imagine by now they have at least a basic understanding of contraception.

[Adam?]

I would probably sell all my stock and abandon ship.

[Cody Michael]

First thing I'd do is start involving the community a lot more. I remember when Jagex came out with the fansite awards and at the time we received early content notices, interviews with staff and the such; now it means absolutely nothing. Getting the various fansites more involved in the game and having a much greater voice would result in a better game, with content that the community actually wants and likes.

 

I'd also scrap the F2P version entirely, and give every current F2P member and any new signups 1 month of free membership. Let's face it, there's nothing to do in F2P anymore; it's dead. With that done I'd drop the price of membership by a few dollars.

 

Finally, I'd completely rework the PvP system. No idea what it would become, but the current system is a failure. This is where the community/fansites come in, we had a pretty strong PvP section so I'm sure those members could provide valuable insight into how it could possible be improved.

This is the only answer I've ever seen that makes perfect sense to me.

[Phoenix Rider]

I would raise fanbase moral by scrapping the lodestone network and the bread and circus called the Squeel of Fortune. That'll send a message to the community that we're through monkeying around with the players. I'll probably sack who ever was responsible for the Nexus too.

 

After that, it's just a matter of engaging the fansites. Stuff like getting them involved in game events and activities, advertising them on the front page and having seeking their suggestions and feedbacks will help foster a sense of community and respect in the fanbase. More people will play if they see Jagex treating them like adults rather than children that are easily fooled by colours and shiny things.

[zooey]

What's been said, get rid of SOF, Lodestones and all the stuff that's purely there to make the game too easy. Then I'd either: shorten up the tick system so combat doesn't feel sluggish or revert to the simplistic combat system. The short bit of EoC I played just felt too slow compared to other MMOs.

 

Then try to release as much actual content both expanding on what's currently in game and establish new storylines to last for a while

Edited October 19, 2013 by Zooey

[Lonelywolf]

id just redirect it 2 world of warcraft & get #cashmoney from blizzard

[thepope1322]

I'd implement more social media features because that's what the kids today are into.

[Sobend]

I'm not sure if increasing the role of fansites is going to do much. Sure its a good thing and might help with the current players but is it going to get more people to play Runescape? I don't think increasing the role of the fansites is a magic spell that is going to save the game. Is it going to help? Yes. But if that is the only idea you have for increasing Runescape activity as the head of Runescape you should probably start looking into another career.

 

And I think some fansites still get early previews of content and maybe even interviews

[Jacky]

I've never understood whats wrong with SOF? It's their choice to spin, doesnt effect you remotely. If Jagex gains money, good. They can use it to improve the quality of the game.

[reepicheep]

I've never understood whats wrong with SOF? It's their choice to spin, doesnt effect you remotely. If Jagex gains money, good. They can use it to improve the quality of the game.

I would mostly agree with you in that it's not horrible but it does add a bit of a pay-to-win element to Runescape, which is rarely a good thing.

[Jacky]

I've never understood whats wrong with SOF? It's their choice to spin, doesnt effect you remotely. If Jagex gains money, good. They can use it to improve the quality of the game.

I would mostly agree with you in that it's not horrible but it does add a bit of a pay-to-win element to Runescape, which is rarely a good thing.

It's entirely your choice. It's like playing a game without cheat codes. If you want to use the codes, sure do it. But if you don't, you dont have to.

 

Runescape isn't a competition anyways, its a game. Play it how you want to, paying for SOF is optional, and if you dont want to pay it, you don't have to.

 

Sure Runescape has lost it's integrity, but Jagex are a profit company.

[reepicheep]

I've never understood whats wrong with SOF? It's their choice to spin, doesnt effect you remotely. If Jagex gains money, good. They can use it to improve the quality of the game.

I would mostly agree with you in that it's not horrible but it does add a bit of a pay-to-win element to Runescape, which is rarely a good thing.

It's entirely your choice. It's like playing a game without cheat codes. If you want to use the codes, sure do it. But if you don't, you dont have to.

 

Runescape isn't a competition anyways, its a game. Play it how you want to, paying for SOF is optional, and if you dont want to pay it, you don't have to.

 

Sure Runescape has lost it's integrity, but Jagex are a profit company.

Runescape doesn't have to be a competition, but it often is. Because of that, it's entirely reasonable for people who got their 99 in a skill without any help from the SoF to feel cheated when people with money have it slightly easier. It'd be like cheat codes if it weren't for the fact that it's an MMORPG.

[Jacky]

It comes down to how you view a game - Do you get thrills from competiting against others? Personally I'm beyond competing against others (Except for small competions), as rank chasing is a endless goal. I try to find enjoyment by experience Runescape differently, varying my tasks.

 

What is the competition against? Random people you've never met before and just represent numbers on a hiscore. It's best to get out of that mindset. Spinning anyways, is ridicously overpriced, it's a very small minority that are able to spin on an extent they buy 99s.

[reepicheep]

It comes down to how you view a game - Do you get thrills from competiting against others? Personally I'm beyond competing against others (Except for small competions), as rank chasing is a endless goal. I try to find enjoyment by experience Runescape differently, varying my tasks.

 

What is the competition against? Random people you've never met before and just represent numbers on a hiscore. It's best to get out of that mindset. Spinning anyways, is ridicously overpriced, it's a very small minority that are able to spin on an extent they buy 99s.

I disagree. Competition can make the game interesting. Why else would PKing even be a thing, for example. That's not to say that you have to be competitive to enjoy the game, but it's also silly to write competition off as coming from a wrong mindset. And though spinning may be expensive and it won't get you a 99 easily, it's still against the spirit of the thing.

[Jacky]

Oh - Thats a different type of competition. I'm referring to competition that has no impact on you. If they brought the weapon which was the determining factor in your death, thats different in a PvP situation.

 

Competitng against other peoples for ranks, spins have a very minimal affect due to the unrealistic cost of it.

 

It's against the spirit yeah. But really. It looks bad but it's real effect is very slim.

[reepicheep]

Oh - Thats a different type of competition. I'm referring to competition that has no impact on you. If they brought the weapon which was the determining factor in your death, thats different in a PvP situation.

 

Competitng against other peoples for ranks, spins have a very minimal affect due to the unrealistic cost of it.

 

It's against the spirit yeah. But really. It looks bad but it's real effect is very slim.

I get that you're referring to a competition that doesn't have a direct effect on you, PKing was perhaps a bad comparison. Buying spins has an effect on that competition, however little, and that's just not a positive thing if you want to keep things as fair as possible.

[Jacky]

Oh - Thats a different type of competition. I'm referring to competition that has no impact on you. If they brought the weapon which was the determining factor in your death, thats different in a PvP situation.

 

Competitng against other peoples for ranks, spins have a very minimal affect due to the unrealistic cost of it.

 

It's against the spirit yeah. But really. It looks bad but it's real effect is very slim.

I get that you're referring to a competition that doesn't have a direct effect on you, PKing was perhaps a bad comparison. Buying spins has an effect on that competition, however little, and that's just not a positive thing if you want to keep things as fair as possible.

It's MUCH less than people who brought cash to train buyables, or brought bots to train themselves. Jagex has simply stemmed the money flow to them instead to 3rd party.

[reepicheep]

Oh - Thats a different type of competition. I'm referring to competition that has no impact on you. If they brought the weapon which was the determining factor in your death, thats different in a PvP situation.

 

Competitng against other peoples for ranks, spins have a very minimal affect due to the unrealistic cost of it.

 

It's against the spirit yeah. But really. It looks bad but it's real effect is very slim.

I get that you're referring to a competition that doesn't have a direct effect on you, PKing was perhaps a bad comparison. Buying spins has an effect on that competition, however little, and that's just not a positive thing if you want to keep things as fair as possible.

It's MUCH less than people who brought cash to train buyables, or brought bots to train themselves. Jagex has simply stemmed the money flow to them instead to 3rd party.

If you were talking about bonds I'd totally agree, but there's no reason to spend a lot of money to buy very few items. Bonds are a reasonable purchase and apparently have caused an average reduction of 80% in bots. SoF probably didn't do anything like that.

[Jacky]

If its a very small effect, why does it matter? Very few people spin past 99, and what competition is there for 99s in terms of ranks, when every skill has 10,000s of people with it?

[reepicheep]

If its a very small effect, why does it matter? Very few people spin past 99, and what competition is there for 99s in terms of ranks, when every skill has 10,000s of people with it?

It matters because it does have an effect and it shouldn't. It doesn't matter very much, but it does matter.

[Jacky]

If its a very small effect, why does it matter? Very few people spin past 99, and what competition is there for 99s in terms of ranks, when every skill has 10,000s of people with it?

It matters because it does have an effect and it shouldn't. It doesn't matter very much, but it does matter.

Can you feel that your enjoyment/gameplay has suffered because of SOF?

 

It's effect is so minimal, that it is neglible.

 

'It doesn't matter very much, but it does matter', so you're saying it's physical impacts don't matter, but it morally goes against what you believe is a 'fair game'?

[reepicheep]

If its a very small effect, why does it matter? Very few people spin past 99, and what competition is there for 99s in terms of ranks, when every skill has 10,000s of people with it?

It matters because it does have an effect and it shouldn't. It doesn't matter very much, but it does matter.

Can you feel that your enjoyment/gameplay has suffered because of SOF?

 

It's effect is so minimal, that it is neglible.

 

'It doesn't matter very much, but it does matter', so you're saying it's physical impacts don't matter, but it morally goes against what you believe is a 'fair game'?

I'm saying the actual impacts are probably negligible but that that doesn't excuse it. So more or less what you think I said, yes.