RuneScape’s economy runs partially on the idea that high level item drops from bosses don’t just require a good amount of time in order to obtain, but that the bosses are almost entirely open world, requiring players to compete with each other for the kill, and thus the loot. While most MMOs have moved over to a system where bosses are instanced and can be fought by players without the fear of being interrupted by others, developers like Jagex have held off from making the transition, generally citing either in-game economy or a desire for competition.
In an update released today, RuneScape will see the inclusion of instanced boss battles at the God Wars Dungeon. Players will have the option when entering a boss creature’s room to choose between the non-instanced, publicly accessible monster, or to enter their own instanced version complete with the ability to invite friends or clan members. That said, freedom isn’t free, and neither is your own private boss dungeon. If you want to kill a demon general without worrying about a clan crashing your game, you’re going to have to pony up some gold coins. Costs vary between bosses, and are paid on a per hour basis.
It will be interesting to see how the cost of using the instanced dungeons will balance the likelihood that more God Wars equipment will likely be entering market circulation. Instanced vs open world bosses is a big discussion in the MMO genre, with both sides fiercely defending their preferences.
MMO Fallout 