Death System rework in the works

http://services.runescape.com/m=forum/a=...05,goto,38

(Update Mod hunter posted a thread himself with all this http://services.runescape.com/m=forum/a=...4,65568632 )

On that thread has a post from Mod Hunter outlining his change to the current grave system to make it back to where death is actually something to avoid since it will have a cost while also making it where you won't risk losing items due to a dc(which is the only way people lose items nowadays due to death anyway and is totally unfair).

I've just posted a response to a reddit topic, figured it's worth adding the same summary here!

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I want to make sure everything I want to do will work as intended before making an official post, but also interesting to see what people think.

My design is largely following the same lines. All of this only applies at the point a gravestone would be generated so deaths in the wilderness and such remain unchanged.

The core of the system:


Dying with something already pending to get back from death loses the first set of items entirely

Items have a cost (placeholder 10% GE) with a cap (placeholder 1m) to reclaim

Items can be sacrificed to reduce the overall cost (placeholder 3x cost, 3m cap)

Items are calculated on a per-slot basis - stackable/noted items can not be split into multiple slots and take their individual value multiplied by the amount in the slot.

You reclaim all or nothing.

Always saved on death items remain, and are given back when you claim them.

Your point of death stores which prayers and other effects you had active. Unless skulled 3 items are free to reclaim, protect item and such add 1 as at present.

Has a 3 day limit to take items back - this is the equivelant of having dailies reset 3 times, rather than 3 real-time days. The third day gives a 10 minute window.



Impacts of existing items:


Gravestones, would offer a tier dependant reduction (placeholder 1-5%) of the final price.

Gravestones also remain in-game with a reduced timer and no bless functionality as a marker that someone died somewhere.

Death's deal - have plans but still need to confirm with people how degradeable items will be handled.

Sign's of respite - As multiple are currently used I'd like to retain that. I'm thinking they would have a fixed cost that they reduce the overall reclaim GP by, with a limit of (placeholder 10) that can be used.



The largest differencse to your version I think is having to reclaim all at once and deaths not stacking. The main reasoning behind that (and the time limit) is to encourage a greater amount of item sinking, which pre-gravestones death was particularly good for.

As a quick bullet summary it wasn't quite as clear as it could be.

You wouldn't need to return to the grave to grab your items, I currently have it set as dying takes you to Death's office, which is also where you reclaim. You'd get a once per death choice of a respawn point when leaving. I did receive a suggestion for protecting an extra item for free or adding an extra small discount if you decide to reach it, which would be the most interaction I'd involve and of course optional.

The protected items are also stored but free to get back, outside of not getting them back immediately on death it's the same as before. That mixed with buying all back at once is intended to encourage the mix of sacrifice/gold sink.

All of the numbers are open to change, I'm in no way expecting them to be final.

The reasoning behind going high in percent with a cap was the differing values between low and higher tier armour, aiming for a point where both are reasonable.

1-5% with graves rather than up to 15% was due to the graves being a one of purchase which isn't all that expensive, making it a slightly longer-term investment. Additionally going for lower values leaves a lot more space for future graves (or other content) to offer discounts.

I've since checked with appropriate people and confirmed degradeable items no longer losing charge on death - they would have both a 'degraded cost' at 20% of the recharge and the GE-based value, it's effectively retaining the functionality while removing the inconvenience of repairing. It also applies to degrade to dust items, hopefully making them more desirable.

Death's deal would be applied similar to normal, halving the degraded costs. If the combined costs turns out to be over-harsh the 20% could also be used as a minimum, with death's deal halving the overall price.

Here's his posts for those that don't want to go to the thread to read it. Personally I like this since death nowadays has little to no risk whatsoever and the only risk comes to those they get dced which with the state of the servers is a very real fear and shouldn't impact you so negatively. What are your opinions on this?

I personally think a lot of people would have an issue with these kinds of changes. I would be for one. I hate combat unless it's training slayer. Even then I'm not a huge fan.

My biggest issue is how death is. After starting out in 2005 when death was losing everything but 3 items (4 with prayer) and seeing friends die and losing a lot of high value thing bc at the time the items kept on death were based off of the high alch value and not GE since GE didn't exist back then.

Even tho the gravestone is in effect now there's still that risk of not getting back to the place of death on time to retrieve your items. I am not skillful when it comes to combat. I also have a panic disorder, even tho it's a game I work my ass off getting the items I have by training skills which is a lot harder than going boss hunting and getting lucky with a valuable drop. So I tend to stay away from killing high level things bc of the fear of losing high value things. I know it sound silly but that's why I'm a skiller. It's also the same reason with Quests. I hate doing any quests that have a hard boss to kill, most quests are dangerous with the risk of dying and losing items.

Out of the whole thing I read that you posted the only thing that sounded like it might be worth adding is the part where you get teled to death right after dying to retrieve your items bc then this would make it easier to get your stuff back after dying and would eliminate the risk of not being able to get back to the location even if you have to pay a fee to retrieve them.

So that's my insight on how death is handled.

So if I follow rightly, when you die you're taken to see death, in which you pay a % of the value of your items to get them back? You don't have to return to the location where you died, just cough up the money?

I don't see how thats good for being an item sink? Money sink, sure, items? Not so much, most people will cough up that money if its ~20% of the items value.

One thing that confused me...

Has a 3 day limit to take items back - this is the equivalent of having dailies reset 3 times, rather than 3 real-time days. The third day gives a 10 minute window.

3 dailies reset? Thats not 3 real-time days? I guess he means that its not relative to the time at which you died, but 3 midnight ticks in the game and upon logging in after the 3rd tick, you're given 10 minutes to go claim them back, or they're gone?

well ill never PVM with a phat thats for sure L

So if I follow rightly, when you die you're taken to see death, in which you pay a % of the value of your items to get them back? You don't have to return to the location where you died, just cough up the money?

I don't see how thats good for being an item sink? Money sink, sure, items? Not so much, most people will cough up that money if its ~20% of the items value.

One thing that confused me...

Has a 3 day limit to take items back - this is the equivalent of having dailies reset 3 times, rather than 3 real-time days. The third day gives a 10 minute window.

3 dailies reset? Thats not 3 real-time days? I guess he means that its not relative to the time at which you died, but 3 midnight ticks in the game and upon logging in after the 3rd tick, you're given 10 minutes to go claim them back, or they're gone?

That's basically the way it will be. And the current death system isn't an item sink either cept when someone disconnects which is entirely unfair. At least this way we get a much needed coin sink into the game. Also the pricing for reclaiming stuff is still under decision. Also this does still have an item sink portion for if you die a second time with stuff without claiming the stuff from the first death all that stuff from the first death is gone.

So if I follow rightly, when you die you're taken to see death, in which you pay a % of the value of your items to get them back? You don't have to return to the location where you died, just cough up the money?

I don't see how thats good for being an item sink? Money sink, sure, items? Not so much, most people will cough up that money if its ~20% of the items value.

One thing that confused me...

Has a 3 day limit to take items back - this is the equivalent of having dailies reset 3 times, rather than 3 real-time days. The third day gives a 10 minute window.

3 dailies reset? Thats not 3 real-time days? I guess he means that its not relative to the time at which you died, but 3 midnight ticks in the game and upon logging in after the 3rd tick, you're given 10 minutes to go claim them back, or they're gone?

That's basically the way it will be. And the current death system isn't an item sink either cept when someone disconnects which is entirely unfair. At least this way we get a much needed coin sink into the game. Also the pricing for reclaiming stuff is still under decision. Also this does still have an item sink portion for if you die a second time with stuff without claiming the stuff from the first death all that stuff from the first death is gone.

Except how would you die the second time if you're not having to go back to where you died to reclaim? The only time that'll happen is if you don't claim your items back immediately in order to raise funds to pay the fee to get them back.

The whole gravestone system should never have been introduced. It was fine the way it was.

I think if you die, someone from Jagex should come to your house and pull one of your teeth, and then you should get all your items back. If you don't have any teeth, you lose everything.

Even tho the gravestone is in effect now there's still that risk of not getting back to the place of death on time to retrieve your items. I am not skillful when it comes to combat. I also have a panic disorder, even tho it's a game I work my ass off getting the items I have by training skills which is a lot harder than going boss hunting and getting lucky with a valuable drop. So I tend to stay away from killing high level things bc of the fear of losing high value things. I know it sound silly but that's why I'm a skiller. It's also the same reason with Quests. I hate doing any quests that have a hard boss to kill, most quests are dangerous with the risk of dying and losing items.

Yes yes yes, a million times yes! Ha, just had to comment, cause I'm the exact same way

I can't really recall any quest boss being hard/difficult. Hardest fight I've done was Nomand. That was pre-eoc. But I guess everyone has a different experience in that aspect.
I really need to get back into bossing by the way :p Any volunteers?