Future of RuneScape Livestream

Since there was so much discussed in the livestream, here is a summary by HugeJoystick from the RSOF.

Runescape 3 (Code name until release. Might be called something else)
- Will be one big update involving major changes in graphics and audio as well as big "innovative" content.
- Will add controller input and a new top level interface (mini map globes, tabs, chat, etc) with more customization options.
- The world map will be improved. Not sure if this means the world is gettin reorganized and changed or just changing the graphics of the actual map (maybe to make it look more like an authentic map rather than a bmp made in paint)
- EOC is the start of this update and gives a platform for what is to come
- Will possibly allow for multiple characters per account
- Will not have RS2 servers anymore as the leap from RS2 to RS3 will not be a fundamental change like RS to RS2. It will be RS3 or nothing.
- Has been hinted for a 2013 release.
- Hinting at WASD movement (thanks Elfangor)

Content for 2013 (Return of the Gods)
- In terms of lore and gameplay, 2013 will be the biggest year ever
- They want to push the game foreward and bring more unique updates
- Rather than the lore being separate from the rest of the game, they want to connect the lore with what you do in-game
- They mentioned "events happening now over a period of months" which would possibly alter the environment as you do them
- Planning on adding a narrative to everything, not just quests. Stuff like minigames and dungeons would be narrated
- Having the option to side with gods and have gameplay tailored to the choices you make
- An example Mod Mark mentioned was while you're mining, you get a "Thing" to assign somewhere (give it to a god)
- "Whoever has more things decides what things would happen" - Mod Mark
- Zaros is coming

Wilderness update (early 2013)
- Adding more resources to the wilderness to bring non-pkers in
- Possibly more choosing sides and helping out somewhere (they mentioned something about generals fighting)
- Toward the end of the year they're planning on "swapping xp"
- example, you mine in the wilderness and gain "xp points" but if someone kills you, they take your xp and can cash it in, unless they die
- They also want to improve the xp for the wilderness agility arena to get more people there too

New Skill + Skill reworks
- There will be 2 skills. One gathering skill (Like mining and woodcutting) and one production skill (Like smithing and fletching)
- The two skills might not be directly related (like mining and smithing)
- Will be linked to changing in lore (mentioned above)
- One will be released early 2013, the other late 2013
- No other skills will be going to 120 but will become more useful and deeper

- Construction Rework
- Making you train construction for you (stuff that you can only do in your house)
- They have a team to work on the graphics of construction but only after the rest of the armour and other stuff
- talked about "player owned villages, towns, cities"
- possibly have a street of player owned houses with neighbours
- buying land in runescape is now technically possible, who knows if it will happen

- Summoning Rework
- change the pet system in the short term
- in the long term, they plan to make summoning more useful and effective. Currently takes too long to make a pouch and you get very little return out of it
- possibly having not only a summon but also a pet and more following you at the same time (like your own army)

- Fundamental changes to other skills
- there will be new ways of training agility with new rewards (not just running in circles)
- changes to ammo (as well as changes to runecrafting and fletching) (omni-staves in EOC dungeoneering)
- ammo is a lot less important in games these days.
- mining/smithing rework could be linked to evolving weapons/armour and possibly remove running between rocks

Misc Topics
- Quests
- Trimmed quest cape might be a possibility for the 200th quest but nothing has been planned yet
- 200th quest will be at least as big as The Chosen Commander (150th) maybe not as big as Recipe for Disaster (100th)
- Next elf quest will be opening prifdinas. It will not come in 2013 but development will at least start
- 2 new quests in November involve Arianne and the Wizard's Tower. Will move/delete tutorial island to make room for a larger Wizard's Tower
- Romeo and Juliet will make a cameo for the christmas event.
- "epicly huge seriously awesome quest" coming early next year

- Player Owned Ports
- will be "incredibly high level content" and will allow you to fully customize your ships.
- Will explore "elements" of eastern lands. possibly smithing katanas in the future?
- Again, they want to finish the current continent before adding new ones.
- "Massive Massive changes for the surface world" coming next year. Kandarin will be updated but is that the extent of these changes?

- Minigames
- They want a minigame related to trading
- Will be adding a feature to make gambling easier and scam-free

- Other stuff not mentioned above
- day and night cycles are an interesting idea but not worth it. They will instead introduce things like weather systems and better environments
- activly working on bringing runescape to other devices like tablets and smartTVs. Wont have it on consoles because they would have to "fragment" the community
- Working on a runescape mobile app to allow you to do some things offline and help your online character.
- They have a separate team working on improving the forums (they worked on JAG and other stuff like that)

What are your thoughts?

I like Runescape.

Waiting for the quests and lore. Should be awesome.

Can't help but be optimistic at this. Even if everything doesn't turn out exactly like we'd imagine, there's so much there that's planned that honestly even Jagex can't screw it all up.

2013 looks awesome!

- Player Owned Ports
- will be "incredibly high level content" and will allow you to fully customize your ships.
- Will explore "elements" of eastern lands. possibly smithing katanas in the future?
- Again, they want to finish the current continent before adding new ones.
- "Massive Massive changes for the surface world" coming next year. Kandarin will be updated but is that the extent of these changes?

Sailing...

- Player Owned Ports
- will be "incredibly high level content" and will allow you to fully customize your ships.
- Will explore "elements" of eastern lands. possibly smithing katanas in the future?
- Again, they want to finish the current continent before adding new ones.
- "Massive Massive changes for the surface world" coming next year. Kandarin will be updated but is that the extent of these changes?

Sailing...

Mark explicitly stated no sailing so sorry drew.

Seems a like of lot of good stuff happening. The most important thing though...

ZAROS IS COMING!!!!!!

Runescape 3 (Code name until release. Might be called something else)
- Will be one big update involving major changes in graphics and audio as well as big "innovative" content.
- Will add controller input and a new top level interface (mini map globes, tabs, chat, etc) with more customization options.
- The world map will be improved. Not sure if this means the world is gettin reorganized and changed or just changing the graphics of the actual map (maybe to make it look more like an authentic map rather than a bmp made in paint)
- EOC is the start of this update and gives a platform for what is to come
- Will possibly allow for multiple characters per account
- Will not have RS2 servers anymore as the leap from RS2 to RS3 will not be a fundamental change like RS to RS2. It will be RS3 or nothing.
- Has been hinted for a 2013 release.
- Hinting at WASD movement (thanks Elfangor)

May as well call it WoWscape or Aionscape or any other MMOscape - the one thing I love about runescape is that it is completely different in terms of interface and movement, I've played both WoW and Aion and I never stuck it out however I've been playing Runescape for 5yrs....
I guess everyone needs to quit at some point and if it is like WoW or Aion then that's it for me.

Runescape 3 (Code name until release. Might be called something else)
- Will be one big update involving major changes in graphics and audio as well as big "innovative" content.
- Will add controller input and a new top level interface (mini map globes, tabs, chat, etc) with more customization options.
- The world map will be improved. Not sure if this means the world is gettin reorganized and changed or just changing the graphics of the actual map (maybe to make it look more like an authentic map rather than a bmp made in paint)
- EOC is the start of this update and gives a platform for what is to come
- Will possibly allow for multiple characters per account
- Will not have RS2 servers anymore as the leap from RS2 to RS3 will not be a fundamental change like RS to RS2. It will be RS3 or nothing.
- Has been hinted for a 2013 release.
- Hinting at WASD movement (thanks Elfangor)

May as well call it WoWscape or Aionscape or any other MMOscape - the one thing I love about runescape is that it is completely different in terms of interface and movement, I've played both WoW and Aion and I never stuck it out however I've been playing Runescape for 5yrs....
I guess everyone needs to quit at some point and if it is like WoW or Aion then that's it for me.

Meg, don't be that guy.