Guess what? This is my 100th article!
For more than 6 years I have been writing for the Informer. That is a pretty long time when you think about it... I know quite a few people who were not alive back then. Yes, they are kids... but still. How old were YOU 6 years ago? Some of you were less than 10, some were in high school... some could not drive yet... you get my point. Of course I am not the longest standing writer; Alex has been here a year longer than me.
But, that is not really what this article is about. Though an interesting bit of trivia is that I average 16.66 articles per year
Anyway, without further ado, I present to you:
Article 100: The 3 That RuneScape 3 Should Have Been
I was reading over the RSOF and found an interesting quote. The topic was about how small the world of Runescape feels.
"This is why I believed, and still do, that Runescape 3 should have been a new game. Brand new engine, brand new graphics, brand new start."
And you know what? He is absolutely right.
The past year's updates have not been things you would see in RuneScape, they are things you would see in a common day MMORPG. That is because that is the type of game Jagex is trying to create. So why didn't they just do that? Why not create a brand new game, set around the same basis, and start working on that?
If you think of all the great games, they all have subsequent releases in the franchise. 1, 2, 3, Expansions, that is part of the industry. Why did Jagex not release Runescape 3 as RuneScape 3? I cannot answer that.
1: Brand New Engine
EOC, or by proper name the Ability System. This is not a RuneScape game mechanic, but it would be an RuneScape 3 mechanic. Create a vast and extensive ability system, brand new. Do not have it be restricted to the same game mechanics that RuneScape was built on. It could include a class system or maintain a jack of all trades system - or both!
The new engine would also run a smooth and efficient User Interface, fully customizable and easy to navigate. Likely with WASD and mouse controls. This new system would also drop the isometric square based terrain and world system and instead use a real environment; day/night cycles, rain, maybe wind and snow, real water, maybe even a physics system.
2: Brand New Graphics
Jagex has produced some nice graphics, but they are incredibly laggy on the average machine unless you run on very low settings, and even then they are not as smooth as they should be. This is because they are using some sort of hard pixel based model system instead 3D Models and Textures. Can you imagine what Jagex could do if they switched to the modern and efficient graphics systems of 3D modeling that every game uses today? They could probably make some sweet stuff.
Water, shadows, particles, light, rain, all these things could be made life-like and still be able to run on modern machines that currently struggle to play RS as it is.
Side Note: I have seen a few things that look very much like 3D Model textures recently. If they really are I hope Jagex begins to use them more.
3: Brand New Start
"Guthix has just been assassinated."
This is the perfect plotline to begin a new game's epic storyline on.
Who killed Guthix? Why? Once you find out will you join them, or follow Guthix's will for Balance?
It would make perfect sense for the game to have drastic changes after the death of RuneScape's oldest god (and creator, I believe). They could have the game begin with a small camp somewhere near Lumbridge. The ruins of Lumbridge would be nearby and the general gist of the area would be the same(only desolate and ruined, as if hundreds of years had gone by). Lore would be found there speaking of the other cities that once were; Varrock(later found to be originally Avarrocka which it is then called by again), Falador where once dwelt a great order of knights, and Ardougne, the merchant jewel of the west. The cities would be massive, though in ruins. Towns would grow up near the old ruins and be called after their namesake.
The skilling system of Runescape which used to be its signature trademark could have major impact in the beginning and throughout the game by keeping it useful. Since the world is essentially having to rebuild itself and much knowledge has been lost, players must create their own objects. Weapons made from the classic ores as well as new alloys. Armour as well of varying types, leather, chain, plate, light, medium, heavy. Eventually the powerful weapons of the current game would again be found, though they would be of some sort of Legendary/Mythical status due to being so hard to find and so powerful. Magic would be known about, though only to a small degree. By some whim the powerful Runestones had been found.
The gods are mostly unknown, having all been injured or captured by some force due to the death of Guthix (cursed due to their hand in his death, perhaps?). Eventually some may be released by NPCs, some by players, and some will be able to free themselves. They appear only as cloaked individuals at first and slowly make themselves known.
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When you think about it, RuneScape Classic and RuneScape 2 were different games. They had the same basis, but were entirely different games. They kept both games because some players didn't want to move forward (sound familiar?). Jagex did not keep RuneScape 2 and RuneScape 3 separate, so they later re-released RuneScape 2, as Old School RuneScape. Most MMORPGs that are old enough to have multiple versions still keep the older versions running. They likely do not get as many updates, but they still get some and still maintain them.
Can you imagine the legacy of the RuneScape franchise with all three?
This was originally posted as an Informer Runescape article.