RuneScape is all about getting rich these days. There's no denying it. Skills like Herblore are impossible without a huge investment. Rares keep getting more and more expensive and sometimes they fall. How do you know which item to buy and more importantly: when? Which items should you merch? Which items should you hold? Do you know if Drag legs will keep rising? What are the GE graphs really telling you?

All this valuable inside information to help you get rich in RuneScape is now conveniently available on our Money Making forum.

See Also: Guides written by experts

SwiftKit, the Zybez-affiliated RuneScape toolkit, has been updated to work with the new Zybez. Now players enhancing their gameplay with SwiftKit can take advantage of the powerful new Zybez databases from within SwiftKit.

New features of SwiftKit 1.45 | Download SwiftKit

Runescape Classic is online for two weeks according to Jagex. This is for Runescape Members only.

Play RuneScape Classic | See more pics & info

The coolest new feature we've got for you today is Item Sets (the link is at the top, under the Items menu icon). What's really awsomesauce is the ability for you to make your own Item Sets and tell everybody about its strengths and weaknesses. Just go check it out and comment on this news entry to tell me how you like it.

In other news, today's Zybez update also brings features like: DJ message on Zybez Radio, more tabs at the bottom to help you find related stuff, and more tooltips. We also introduced lots of changes behind-the-scenes to help the Zybez team work on the features and content of Zybez.

PvP in RuneScape is a lot of fun, but only if you're part of a clan. If you aren't part of a clan already, then check out these clans looking for members:

- 100+ Combat Clans
- < 100 Combat Clans
- Skilling, Pure, Merchant, and other Clans

Here's a look at some clan action. Click the pic to see more:



We also have a huge Clan Videos section on our forums. You should definitely check it out if you want to learn more about how the experts PvP in Runescape. My favorite clan video of today: DF vs Corr Hour cap CWA (thanks XshinobizX)

Information
Event: Fishing Trawler
Date: Sunday, November 22nd
Time: 3:00 PM EST | 8:00 PM GMT
Place: We will meet at Murphy (NPC), at Port Khazard. He can be found on the Red Star here.
World: 84
Host: Aragon Roar
Clan Chat: Zybez Events

More Info

Requirements & Information
Requirements: 15 Fishing. Not allowed to bring familiars, alch, or humidify spells.
Items needed: 100+ (Recommended) Swamp Paste, 2 Bailing Buckets, and the rest of your inventory should be ropes.
Fishing Trawler?: There is a full guide on Fishing Trawler that can be found here. If you have any questions about Trawler, or the Event itself, feel free to ask.

Zybez will be hosting our second Ventrilo Karaoke Day! After the success of Septembers opening night we've decided to bring it back. It will be held on Saturday, November 7th, at 3PM EST in the Karaoke/Singing channel.

If you wish to sing, we will be adding a channel where you can post in chat a request to sing and you will be added to the list. You can sing as many songs as you like, but we do like to give people a chance so if you have sung a song we will let people who have not, sing first. You can sing almost any song, if the moderators think your song is extremely inappropriate we will warn you and mute you.

If you are having problems with your Ventrilo, please post in the Ventrilo Voice Chat Forum, and we will be more than happy to assist you. If you don't know what Ventrilo is or need our server information, find out here.



Hostname: evolve.typefrag.com
Port: 32234

Event: Bandos GodWars
Date: 15th November, Sunday.
Time: 7.00pm GMT, 2.00pm EST, 1.00pm CST
Place: Meet outside Bandos Boss Room (With KC)
World: 91
Host: Cthulthu
Clan Chat: Cthulthu (Main) Rougueleader (Second)
Drops: CoinShare
IRC Channel:#Cthulthu
Discuss Event

Requirements:
- 70 Strength
- 40 Prayer

Event: Fist of Guthix
Date: Wednesday November 4th
Time: 8 pm GMT, 3 pm EST, 2pm CST
Place: Meet in Fist of Guthix Waiting Room
World: 44 (P2P)
Host: J36miles
Clan Chat: Zybezevents
IRC Channel:#zybezevent
Discuss this event

Event: Great Guard Invasion #4
Date: Saturday, October 31, 2009
Time: 3pm EST, 7pm GMT
Place: Rimmington
World: 29 (Free)
Host: Jahkr
Clan Chat: Jahkr
Discuss Event: Click Here.



Normally we post RuneScape in-game events under the Events section of the news. But the Great Guard Invasion is no ordinary event. It is the largest recurring RuneScape event, and this next one will be no different!

Since this is such a large event, there will be more than one host: Jahkr (main host), Froggneo, Rsv_fire14, Lupe Attack, Anti-Tcb, and Elysian Duck.

Come early so you can get my autograph ;-) Remember to post screenshots up on Zybez so we can see what you looked like at the Great Guard Invasion!

Don't forget that we'll be on Zybez Ventrilo as well to host the event if you want to get instructions pertaining to the event sooner than the people in clan chat and talk with people at the event!
Hostname: evolve.typefrag.com
Port: 32234

Graphical


* Synchronised rake animations and adjusted how players hold it.
* Reworked the model for the camel mask.
* Updated Varrock Museum workmen models.
* Prevented the toy kite from floating while playing Vinesweeper.
* Resolved the differences between Dharok’s axe’s inventory icon and wielded model.
* The evil tree can no longer cause items to float above its roots.
* Added map bordering to certain underground areas.
* Fixed a render issue with an Agility shortcut in Taverley Dungeon.
* Adjusted some wall around the Grand Exchange area.
* Removed an issue where players would become invisible if stood on a certain spot.
* Fixed various roof issues in Goblin Village.
* Tweaked the timings of the animation to Zanaris from Lumbridge Swamp.
* A plaque on a wall in Edgeville couldn't be seen properly.
* Added highlighting to the Trollheim Teleport icon.
* Updated various mogre animations.
* Fixed an issue with the spirit tree chathead.
* Resolved a problem with the death animation of bandits.
* Fixed the chimney smoke animation.
* Improved the walls and minimap looks for the dungeon area under Lumbridge.
* Replaced several broken textures in Standard Detail mode.
* Corrected some tree models that appeared to have a line across the bottom part of their trunks.
* Corrected some mapping around the Clan Wars arena.
* Players are now animated when planting spirit trees.
* Improved the animations for the Al-Kharid/Lumbridge Agility shortcut.
* Resized the camouflage helmet to better fit players’ heads.
* Fixed a see-through wall between Draynor and Port Sarim.
* Added some missing animations to menaphite thugs.
* Improved some walls in the Living Rock Caverns.
* Removed a gap between a jaw and head model in Ictharin's Little Helper.
* Adjusted the animations when using the ectophial as a monkey.
* Altered the render order of some of the scenery in the Great Orb Project waiting area.
* Corrected the model for the cannon’s Grand Exchange set when dropped on the floor.
* A lit torch now has a flame when in your inventory.
* Made the water look better in the Living Rock Caverns.
* Tweaked various inventory graphics for noted longbows.
* Stopped clipping of the white sword and scimitar on their inventory icons.
* Jimmy's chathead should now be consistently drunk.
* Added the daze effect when you're ‘baguetted’ by the sandwich lady.
* Adjusted some wall in Falador to match its surroundings.
* Prevented the icebergs to the north from being see-through.
* Various bridges now look better on the minimap.
* Fixed god capes rendering oddly when in the Oo'glog spa pools.
* Resolved a selection of ground issues around Karamja.
* Fixed a graphical problem with the cutscene and ship deck in the Rocking Out quest.
* Corrected a remove roof issue with the pirate ship north of Port Phasmatys.
* Improved various projectile animations and prevented them from disappearing with a low camera angle.
* Fixed a wall beam render issue in Falador.
* Players’ shadows should no longer look odd on the Gnome Agility Course’s rope swing.
* Corrected the remove roof feature for the Toad and Chicken Inn.
* Adjusted NPC firing animations for the Dorgeshuun crossbow.
* Changed the Easter 2009 emote to look better while Prayer icons are active.
* Extracted a fence that went through a tree.
* Improved the flag animations in Varrock Museum.
* Greatly sped up the death animation of pyrefiends.
* Improved and tweened the animations of the children in Varrock Museum.
* Added an animation for pressing the case buttons in Varrock Museum.
* Adjusted some floating rocks above the elemental workshop area.
* A large amount of NPC pirate models have been updated.
* A mapping problem in Falador is now water under the bridge.
* Updated the water in some random events.
* Removed other various white spots of water around the world.
* Ogres dying and fences were causing render order issues.
* Removed a few pillars that weren't holding anything up.
* You can no longer see through the river on Lunar Isle.
* Fixed Sigli's chathead model.
* Corrected the graphics for several log balances.
* The stairs in Varrock’s west bank no longer descend into a grey/white void.
* Stopped the tree gates in Lletya from jumping when players are passing through them.
* Adjusted fogging and brightness in some catacombs.
* Corrected some roofing on the Void Knights’ Outpost.
* Fixed a rope that was missing a section.
* Reworked various zombie and skeleton combat animations.
* Re-added animations to an Underground Pass Agility pipe.
* Adjusted the height of Juliet's balcony.
* Reworked a bit of mapping near Ardougne where the ground was overly spiky.
* Corrected some roofing on Ape Atoll.
* The penguin Spin emote no longer has a Crafting cursor.
* Tweened a selection of animal impression animations in Varrock Museum.
* Fixed a few problems with the minimap in Taverley Dungeon.
* Realigned a piece of wooden fence.
* Fixed a texturing problem with maple tree stumps.
* Fixed some combinations of hairstyles and hats that were causing render issues.
* Fixed a long standing issue where ice warriors would lose the transparency of their models in combat.
* Updated a considerable number of water areas around the world.
* Improved the music track 'Soundscape'.
* Added music back to the Observatory’s dungeon area.
* Added a few sound effects to the Wolf Whistle quest.
* Corrected the unlock message for the music track 'Expedition'.
* Improved the catapult sounds in Castle Wars.
* Added some new music to the upper floors of Lumbridge Castle.
* Corrected some mapping where a piece of platform was floating.
* Stopped a crate glowing due to a lantern next to it.
* Fixed various graphical issues in several dungeon map squares (mostly lava- and flame-related).
* Added Zanik's mark back to the NPC model to match the chathead again.
* Fixed a problem with a river bank next to a wall.
* Resolved a few problems with walls that have gaps and holes in.
* Corrected the minimap look of a stile that had an odd red line associated with it.
* Resolved an animation problem with the cleaner in Varrock.
* The Slayer ring will now display the correct chathead relating to your Slayer Master.
* Corrected a problem with the fire cape when using fairy rings.
* Fixed various graphical and mapping issues around Baxtorian Falls.
* Altered some mapping to fix the floor and walls in the Falador Mole Lair.
* Corrected a few emote problems with Eek the spider.
* Flattened the pier flooring in Port Sarim.
* Steam from the pools in Oo'glog shouldn't make players slightly transparent any more.
* Added a missing carpet to Nardah and adjusted some of the flying animations.
* Corrected some of the sea near the Piscatoris Fishing Colony.
* Tweened the animations of Varrock Museum’s guards.
* Fixed a problem with some of the walls in Dorgesh-Kaan.



Audio


* Added some variety to bird flapping sounds.
* Updated the music track 'Attention'.
* Corrected the sounds associated with Torag's hammers.
* Updated the unlock hints for a handful of music tracks in the Wilderness.
* Corrected the sounds for lit and unlit torches.
* Added a stove sound to appropriate locations.
* Added fireplace sounds to the fireplace in Lumbridge Castle.
* The track 'Newby Melody' has been changed slightly.
* Added a variety of sound effects to the preparation of food products.
* Modified the timing and sounds when hammering planks in the Cabin Fever quest.
* Added sound effects for opening various lockers and depositing plunder in the Cabin Fever quest.
* Added sound effects for when failing to get into mine carts.
* A metal gate no longer sounds like a wooden door.
* Added sounds to the catapult on the Barbarian Agility Course.
* Added various ambient sounds around Lumbridge.
* Added a missing eat sound for tangled toads' legs.
* Adjusted some of the core audio sounds that are used in various songs.
* Corrected the sound and animation timings for the church bell in Lumbridge.
* Updated the Hallowe'en 2008 music unlock information.



Quests


* A check in the Rum Deal quest now checks your actual level rather than current level for a stat.
* Removed a hole in the floor in the Legacy of Seergaze quest.
* Included a little more info to the latter part of the Myths of the White Lands caverns.
* Fixed the flames in the Smoking Kills dungeon.
* Corrected the Legacy of Seergaze quest complete message.
* The Roving Elves quest should correctly cross out the requirements when you meet them.
* Updated some of the code in the King's Ransom quest.
* Added a bit more info to the Dragon Slayer quest journal.
* Rewrote some of the logic in Monkey Madness.
* Improved the looks of the mirror rotation interface in Mourning’s Ends Part II



Minigames


* Adjusted the models for the siege game type in Mobilising Armies.
* Some Sorceress’s Garden messages have been added to the spam filter.
* Removed a bottleneck at the Blast Furnace by removing the door and making appropriate changes to the anvil.
* Players will no longer be swimming if they're removed from the Fishing Trawler under certain circumstances.
* Corrected a problem when using the Clan Wars viewing orbs, which were viewing the wrong locations.
* The Mobilising Armies quest kit is no longer destroyed upon death.



Miscellaneous


* Fixed some drawers in Taverley that couldn't be closed.
* Swapping tea around with a full inventory no longer causes cups to be dropped.
* Ensured a Fishing spot near West Ardougne can actually be fished from.
* Prevented thrones from occasionally disappearing in your POH.
* Prayer icons should now be correctly removed if you run out of Prayer points in a random event.
* You can now chisel limestone in larger quantities without repetitive clicking.
* Modified the elemental mind helm to resolve a few problems.
* The Death Altar portal in the Abyss is now a little more informative if you don't have the requirements.
* En'shore'd that a Fishing spot is no longer partly on land.
* Adjusted an interface that was having text problems in various languages.
* Added a few Summoning-related messages to the spam filter.
* Added the Teleblock spell name to Quick Chat.
* Slayer Masters are now referred to by the location they reside in.
* Removed a duplicate "Nothing interesting happens." message when Firemaking.
* Clue scrolls have been updated to reflect the recent name change of the Spin emote to Twirl.
* Improved the timing of Ancient Magicks teleports.
* Rewrote pestle and mortar grinding code.
* Made wheat locations a bit easier to click on.
* The penguin is now correctly sitting on the block of ice in Varrock Museum.
* Made tool leprechauns’ references to buckets consistent.
* Fixed various spelling errors and grammatical issues.
* Ensured players aren't crouched after hiding in a crate.
* The demon butler will reappear even if you are busy doing other things.
* Updated the POH guidebook to reflect recent additions.
* Adjusted the text of Grim's book to fit the interface.
* A hole for a cellar door can no longer be walked on.
* Ensured poison is properly cured during a cutscene and the green glow on the status globe is turned off.
* Adjusted the behaviour of wily cats when placed in a menagerie.
* Removed some unnecessary blocking from Waterbirth Island.
* Added messages to the spam filter when trying to gather phoenix feathers.
* Run energy should now continue to be restored when charging various orbs.
* Reduced the number or right-click options on the barriers around the Grand Exchange NPCs.
* The dwarf hand cannon correctly states that it's a members’ item in the skill guide.
* Penguins will no longer appear to talk with cat chatheads on occasion.
* Removed some excessive blocking from Lumbridge’s basement areas.
* Improved the code that attempts to rejoin you to a Clan Chat channel on login.
* The ‘Items Kept on Death’ interface will now give a bit of extra info about gravestones if applicable.
* Removed a members-only message from an Agility shortcut in Falador.
* Updated some of the code for the Hunter skill.
* Put the tanning icon back on the map correctly in Canifis.
* Removed a duplicate shortcut icon from the map.
* Improved some of the code affecting the bank and switching tabs while searching for items.
* You will now be returned to your POH if you were in it when you received a random event.
* Roddeck will no longer advise you to 'smelt' rune essence.
* Optimised the code for player notes.
* Rewrote the code controlling the Summoning pouch/scroll creation interfaces.
* When fighting the knights as part of King’s Ransom, it should now properly remember your progress should you logout.
* Improved the various error messages when trying to create an account.
* Updated the code checks for clockwork toys.
* Removed a Summoning option on the spirit Tz-Kih that doesn't exist.
* Improved the logic dealing with cats changing to their fully grown state.
* Adjusted the ‘delivery cost’ (the mark-up for players who buy these items from shops and sell them on the Grand Exchange) of mithril seeds, bone bolts and white boots.
* Improved the code involving the rat pits and certain cat checks.
* Rewrote some of code for the Werewolf Agility Course and fixed a stepping-stone bug at the same time.
* Fixed a piece of code in the God Wars Dungeon where a stat-reducing attack didn't reduce the correct amount.
* After killing Bork your Prayer icons should be correctly updated.
* You can now re-acquire a pendant of Lucien from the NPC in Lucien’s house (the one west of the Grand Exchange) after completing the Temple of Ikov quest.
* ‘Accept’ Aid now affects the ability for trading while in the Stealing Creation minigame.
* Resolved an issue with the rune payment interface for the banker at Ourania Altar.
* Rewrote some of the skillcape trimming code to better handle all scenarios.
* Fighting with kick selected and Eek in your hands will no longer play a punch animation.
* Removed the follower restrictions on magic carpet, canoe and balloon journeys.
* Sped up the interaction when passing through the Al-Kharid toll gates from Lumbridge.
* Corrected the action names found on ledges that referred to doors.
* Added tooltips and reworked Varrock Museum’s interfaces.
* Free players are now given a bit of text when trying to enter the desert.
* Sawdust is now correctly set as a members’ item.
* Fixed a minor problem when trying to deposit certain items into a full bank.
* Explorer Jack's chat now has a chat option to end the conversation.
* Yanni now recognises different genders in chat.
* Adjusted the stock of various dyes and changed the shop they're sold in accordingly.
* Crawling hands can now drop purple gloves on occasion.
* We’ve also added various gloves (in small amounts) to a shop in Canifis.
* Certain items will now have a bit more freedom on the Grand Exchange, including anti-poison, pizza bases and thin snails.
* You can now bless as many silver sickles as you like without having to drop them on the floor.
* Increased the shop stock for pots of flour.
* Ensure hit splats always show on players when attacked by wizards near the Wizards’ Tower, even if it's a 0.
* Players are now given more information if the client can't switch to High Detail mode.
* Butlers can no longer be trapped upstairs in rooms that no longer exist.
* You can now log into a Bounty or Bounty+1 world if you are in a random event, providing the location you were taken from originally is a valid location on these worlds.
* Fixed a few problems with the Barbarian Agility Course and slightly streamlined the high-level part of it.
* A stepping stone Agility shortcut has been placed in Shilo Village requiring 74 Agility.
* Rewrote a fair chunk of code dealing with Keldagrim’s mini tasks.

Graphical

* Fixed some floating wall in the Warriors’ Guild.
* Smoothed out the leaf-bladed sword’s animations.
* Improved the animation for players holding banners.
* Improved Rabid Jack's animations.
* Updated some models for the Stealing Creations summoning creatures and updated their walk animations.
* Fixed the leg movements on various goats.
* Fixed a few Agility animations for tunnels (entering and exiting).
* Added some ceiling tiles back in the Falador Party Room.
* Slightly adjusted the raw, cooked and burnt crayfish inventory icons.
* Changed the direction of the flags on Falador Castle.
* A certain trapdoor no longer floats.
* Fixed an issue where the Zamorak robes and stole were clipping when worn together.
* Synchronised the animations for harvesting crops.
* Updated Honest Jimmy's animations.
* Updated the animation when casting the Lunar Cure Plant spell.
* Updated the minimap graphics for the stepping stones to the lighthouse.
* Improved the blindfold models used in Monkey Madness when speaking to Daero in the hangar.
* The animations for mud pies have been updated.
* Replaced a texture that didn't look quite right from a few places.
* Added animations for Parroty Pete so he doesn't have missing arms!
* Updated some ore rocks around Ardougne.
* Corrected the render order of paintings on walls in Seers’ Village.
* Stopped the mind helm disappearing when resting.
* Adjusted a ladder to prevent dropped items floating.
* Adjusted some of the basic player kit to reduce stretching when using crossbows.
* Improved a few player animations when holding the megaphone, for example.
* Corrected the animations for the Flail of Ivandis when the player is on the Werewolf Agility Course.



Audio

* The majority of objects in the game should now have sounds associated with dropping them.
* Added a bit of variety to aquanites’ attack sounds.
* Added area sounds to the top of the Gnome Stronghold Agility course.
* Prevented players hearing the massage sound effects in As a First Resort before starting the quest.
* Adjusted the balance in the song 'Tremble'.
* Added different sound effects for small bats.



Quests

* Rewrote a part of the code in the Death Plateau quest.
* Correctly put your gravestone outside of an instanced area in the Another Slice of H.A.M. quest.
* Rewrote some of the core logic for the warrior trial as part of the Fremennik Trials.
* Adjusted the disguise replacement code in the Rocking Out quest.



Miscellaneous

* Ensured that the Lady of the Lake will enchant Excalibur for you if you ask (after completing the Seers' Village Achievement Diary).
* Corrected the requirements for Mourning’s Ends Part 1.
* Fixed an issue with removing roofs in Burgh de Rott.
* Removed an effect causing crows to have to examine options.
* Dropped items should no longer render under grave mounds.
* Corrected a spelling error or seven!
* You can no longer equip weapons on the tightrope in the circus.
* You can now fill waterskins on a larger selection of water sources (fountains, sinks, taps, water barrels and geysers).
* Using the fruit bat special move scroll now correctly decreases your Summoning points.
* Your shield hand item should no longer flash every few seconds when using the inferno adze.
* Corrected a sneaky use of ‘axes’ to ‘hatchets’.
* Removed a duplicate entry from the Defence skill guide.
* Added some blocking for the leprechaun with a wheelbarrow.
* Moved a few log piles near Catherby.
* Added a few messages to the spam feature when crafting Summoning items.
* Moved the eat option on pineapples and watermelon further down the list of right-click options.
* Removed the restriction for storing your quest cape in your POH if you don't have all quests complete.
* The ops on obelisks should no longer appear on F2P worlds.
* Prevented the use of the Swept Away broom in certain places.
* Corrected the entry requirements for the Warriors’ Guild in the Attack and Strength skill guides.
* Removed shield hand items when milking cows.
* Corrected the objective system when tracking the Within the Light quest.
* Fixed a label problem with the frog-leather body.
* Adjusted the delivery cost for eyes of newt.
* Increased the amount of thread players can purchase.
* Increased the stock of various gnome clothing, rogue trader items, karambwan and some jewellery.

Graphical
Fixed a selection of headgear problems revealed by forum avatars.
Improved the code and animations for the wall grapple in Yanille.
Updated some of the mapping in Taverley so that roofs are properly removed if applicable.
Added some lighting effects to wall lights in dungeons that were missing it.

Audio
Prevented music looping in some circumstances (such as the end of cutscenes).

Minigames
Fixed a bug with the team balancing in Trouble Brewing.
Fixed an issue with the Great Orb Project waiting room.

Miscellaneous
Removed a safe spot from PVP Worlds.
Fixed several typos and grammar mistakes.
The coal trucks west of Seers’ Village shouldn't disappear under some circumstances.
Clarified the usage of crystal equipment in the Agility skill guide.
Casting the lunar Make Plank spell now returns you to the spellbook after casting.
Removed a few references to the Lumbridge Guide (now Sage).
Added worlds 170 and 171 to the world list for Quick Chat purposes.
Aligned some components correctly on the sawmill interface.
Fixed a bug whereby a selection of Summoning familiars wouldn't actually 'stun' their target due to faulty logic.
Clarified the location you can purchase a Woodcutting skillcape from in the skill guide.
Added a missing shortcut icon to the Fremennik Slayer Dungeon.
Removed the members’ options from spirit trees from free to play.
Corrected the logic regarding the amount you can trade or receive with other players. Note: this only affected the displayed value.
Streamlined the chat for the Zamorak mage and made it slightly less confusing after you've run his errands.
Updated Ava's Attractor and Accumulator to collect additional arrows/bolts.
Ensured the camera doesn't get locked into one position/view after random events.
Modified crossbows have a string on their inventory image.
Prevented Ranged special attacks from working in the Mage Arena while casting spells.
Added the level 70 Earth Wave spell back to the level-up messages.
Added a missing travel icon in the desert.
Stopped players temporarily losing their bed sheets if they left Port Phasmatys via Teleother spells.
Improved the Prayer level-up messages to be more informative.
The temporarily 'discontinued items' due to the tutorial changes can now be purchased from Beefy Bill near the cows in Lumbridge.
Improved script dealing with some of the mourners’ chat and related code.

Back in 2006, Mod Mark and I sat down and started to develop what we then called ‘area tasks’. This idea was concepted and developed into the very first Achievement Diary: Karamja. This was a completely new idea within the game - not a quest, yet not a minigame or skill. It was quite an adventure finding and pushing the boundaries of what was possible at the time, and yet staying within our core ideas for what was to become Achievement Diaries: "To highlight existing content that perhaps players hadn’t used in a long time or simply didn’t know about, and to show players around an area by using existing content in the area."

Elite

So, seven diaries later and what has changed? Well, we give far greater rewards for the newer diaries than we gave to Karamja; we’ve added a special beginner diary to Lumbridge to introduce new players to the concept; and, of course, we recently released the Ardougne diary with a hidden elite section.

We were a little wary about how this elite section would go down considering how few players could actually complete it. Overall, the feedback appears to have been positive, with many players using it as a goal, rather than seeing it as a disappointment that they’ll never reach.

So, I’m now starting to design the elite sections for all of the diaries (hard for Lumbridge). What does this involve? It’s generally split into two parts: coming up with tasks and coming up with rewards.

By far the easier part is coming up with the tasks, which is in no small part due to you, the players. I cannot begin to count the number of good tasks that have been suggested for previous diaries on the forums. Being a player of RuneScape as well as a developer, I’ll also use my own game knowledge of the area to come up with some tasks, as well as walking around the area to get a feel for it.

In the case of elite tasks, I will also be talking to the curators of the other diaries that I didn’t develop or do not curate - that’s Mod Roderick (Lumbridge and Varrock), Mod Trick (Falador) and Mod Hew (Fremennik) - to see what they’d want. Oh, and listening to the squirrels’ instructions for world domination... Wait, what?

Task master

What do we look for in elite tasks? Well, pretty much the same as any normal task, but they should be higher in level than the hard tasks for the area.

This means:

• Bearing in mind the core aims of the project.
  
• Trying to stick to the skill ‘theme’ of the area, if at all possible. This is the loosest requirement; after all, a diary that only featured Thieving tasks would be fairly boring and predictable!
  
• Avoiding anything that relies on a random possibility, as this has caused problems in the past (remember the gout tuber in Karamja’s Achievement Diary?). This means avoiding things like monster drop tables, clue scrolls and other such random features.
  
• Avoiding bottlenecks - e.g. things players can only do one at a time, such as successfully Thieving from one particular stall or killing the KBD, which prevents other players from doing the task for a short time.
  
• Never using any part of a quest as a task. This last one is quite tricky, as things like getting some boots of lightness would make for a nice little task, but as it is part of a quest, we don’t add it as a task because the mechanic has already been used.

Rewards

Having found some good tasks it’s then on to the hard part: the rewards! At least here we have a small start, as all of the diaries have XP lamps as part of the reward, but what else to give that is both balanced (so as to not be overpowered) and in keeping with the previous rewards? At the moment, that, along with the tasks, is a question I am pondering and coming up with ideas for.
Overall, I’m very proud that I am able to reward players through these diaries for their everyday playing of the game. Not just the XP and the item rewards, but the reward of discovering (or re-discovering) parts of the game that you find fun and useful.

If you feel you’d like to contribute ideas for elite tasks, elite rewards or tasks/rewards for any of the areas that don’t yet have an Achievement Diary, please post them on this forum thread. If you have questions relating specifically to this blog, please visit this forum thread.

You’ll find that clicking on a player’s forum avatar image will take you to that player’s Adventurer’s Log – a new website feature where you can check all sorts of interesting facts about your character. From current quest progress to recent personal events, you’ll be able to get the latest news on your and other players’ accounts. If you’ve visited Iconis’s Photo Booth, there’ll even be a couple of pictures of your character.

As you play we’ll be generating interesting news about your character’s experiences: high-level NPCs killed, expensive monster drops, and even player kills made on PvP Worlds will be logged. You can also look at other players’ logs (if they’re public) and compare characters. We feel we’ve covered a broad selection of newsworthy events, but would love to hear your ideas for what else you might like to see.

Be advised that every player’s Adventurer’s Log is publicly viewable by default, but you can set your profile to be available to ‘Friends only’, or make it ‘Private’ so only you can see it. Regardless of your Log’s privacy setting, your ‘Time Played’ information will only be visible by you. The Adventurer’s Log can also be accessed via the website’s Community menu, or by clicking here.
We also like to point out that it’s possible for members to directly link to the images of their avatar as taken in the Photo Booth. These are the images displayed both on the forums and in the Adventurer's Log. The process for doing so is quite straightforward, and is explained here.

Mod Dylan
RuneScape Content Developer

We’ve taken a careful look at the extreme Herblore potions we released a few weeks ago and have now reintroduced them to safe PvP minigames – that includes Castle Wars, Soul Wars, safe Clan Wars, TzHaar Fight Pit, and the Duel Arena (but not ‘no-potion’ fights or Tournaments).

As part of this, we’ve slightly changed the way in which the extreme magic potion works – it now provides a visible Magic stat boost of 7, which decreases over time as with other stat-boosting potions. The normal magic potion’s level boost has been increased to +5. We have, however, also made a change to the Magic skill itself, so that if your Magic level is boosted by any means, you will inflict +3% magic damage per boosted level. This is on top of the +10% magic damage you inflict when wielding certain staves.

Part of the reason for these changes is that we’ve added four new high-level elemental battle spells to the standard spellbook. The Wind Surge (level 81), Water Surge (level 85), Earth Surge (level 90) and Fire Surge (level 95) spells each require one blood and one death rune, and some air runes (and some water, earth or fire runes for those respective elemental spells).

The max hit of Fire Surge is:
28 without boosts
30 with a magic damage-boosting staff
33 with extreme magic/overload
37 with both extreme magic/overload and a magic damage-boosting staff

With those updates, you’re going to need some more runes, so, to top it all off, Runecrafting also gets a tweak. As of today, crafting multiple runes out of one essence has changed for the better. Before, you would only gain the ability to craft an extra rune at specific Runecrafting levels (e.g. 2 air runes at level 11, 3 air runes at level 22, 4 at level 33, and so on). Now, there is a ‘chance’ of getting an extra rune on ‘some’ of your essences if you are between those set levels, with that chance increasing as your level increases (e.g. at Runecrafting levels 12-21, you will gain 2 or 3 air runes per essence). If you want to imagine it visually, what used to be a step graph has been smoothed out into a curve. This is explained in a little more detail in the Game Guide, but the bottom line is that you’ll receive more runes for your hard work.

Mod Chris L (potions/Magic), Mod Rathe (new spells) and Mod Nancy (Runecrafting)
RuneScape Content Developers


In other news...

Your run mode setting is now stored between logins.

You can now take Ava's Attractor and Accumulator to Lanthus and you will be able to retrieve dropped ammo while in Castle Wars. There's also a toggle option on both items to allow you to stop receiving junk.

The pharaoh's sceptre now displays its remaining charges in the name of the item.

The Summoning skillcape now has a boost option to match other skillcapes.

Cannons will no longer waste cannonballs on NPCs in the process of dying. You can now also top up the ammo when it's already firing and there’s an auto-setup feature.

Bones to Peaches and Bones to Bananas can now be used to convert any bones up to and including big bones.