Quality of Life – MMO Fallout

RuneScape Overhauls Clue Scroll System This Week

As part of its ongoing quality of life updates, this week RuneScape players see the launch of an overhauled treasure trails mini-game. Treasure Trails are RuneScape’s answer to scavenger hunts, players are given a series of clues and are tasked with following coordinates, performing emotes, wearing specific items, and solving puzzles with the possibility of obtaining rare, much sought after rewards.

The update introduces a new master tier level along with 60 new rewards while also improving the experience for users on all levels. While the system previously restricted players to having one scroll of each tier at any given time, players can now collect unopened scrolls and complete them at their leisure with the knowledge that they are not missing potential opportunities. In addition, hidey-holes have popped up around the land offering players the opportunity to stash away items required for clue solutions in those areas.

Senior product manager Matt Casey had the following to say on the update:

“When we spoke to our players at RuneFest 2017, we wanted to make it clear that we would be delivering some of their most desired updates to RuneScape throughout 2018. With the full launch of the Clue Scroll rework we’re beginning to do just that, whether it’s the hardcore challenge of the Master Tier, or the incredibly desirable rewards at the end of the trails.”

Eager collectors will also find that an in-game book that tracks their entire collection, along with new highscores to compete toward and a reward point system for completing clue scrolls.

(Source: RuneScape)

MMOments: RuneScape and Aura Quality of Life

My first reaction to this week’s RuneScape update was “this may be the thing that gets me playing regularly again.”

If you asked me what my biggest gripe with RuneScape has been over the past four years, it’s the aura system. Auras are RuneScape’s temporary boons, they give bonuses to various parts of gameplay, and by golly are they a pain in the rear to keep track of. There are several dozen of them, and when they’re all given crazy names like “jack of all trades” or “Supremic Runic Accuracy,” managing a bank full of them, figuring out which you need to upgrade using loyalty points, and the best points to take them out is a nightmare.

Cue this week’s update, removing all of the auras from the bank and placing them in an easy to use, simple to manage interface. This system is about as close to perfect as you’re going to get, especially considering it can be accessed during combat and the interface allows you to easily extend and renew auras with vis wax. Functionally it lets people like me remember which auras we have, and keeps us engaged via a daily regimen of in-game tasks.

Jagex Devotes February To Old School QoL Updates

Old School RuneScape operates on player majority for content, requiring that 75% of the voting community agree to an update before the team is allowed to put it in. In a recent blog post, the Old School team has announced that February is being devoted to quality of life updates, with a new poll running each week to determine player interest in small tweaks that have been popularly suggested through the forums and various other avenues.

The current poll runs until February 1st and covers issues like skipping questions, increasing click areas to make certain objects easier to select, and boosting experience rates on two agility mini-games. Jagex evidently hit the mark on how popular these questions are, as every single option is currently beating the 75% margin by a mile except for the poll to add a spell allowing players to convert wine to wine of Zamorak.

(Source: Old School)