RuneScape Forum Archive | Death Blow to the Old Internet

HeirToTheSun

Posts: 163 Iron Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Forums were great back in the early 2000s era of the internet. They thrived because you had to specifically seek out the communities that you wanted to be a part of. No, "Reddit Home Feed" that sucks in 7 billion users a month. Why does inaccessibility make the internet (and hobbies) great? Because you have to initially find interest in these niche hobbies and then have the aptitude to seek out like-minded individuals (via forums). When something becomes extremely ubiquitous like the internet and social media, it brings in everyone in the world and consequently lowers the quality of that medium.

Could something like GAIA Online become successful in the 2023 era of the internet? Of course not. There are 4 or 5 major platforms that capture all internet traffic. Forums were a beautiful place of early 2000s internet because there WAS no central location to find everyone online. Mostly because these mediums didn't exist, but also because everyone WASN'T on the internet yet.

I'm sure that I'm not the only veteran player of Runescape (and user of the internet) that often feels like we took a wrong turn somewhere along the route of our internet, and online gaming, adventure. Even though we're all more connected than ever, I can't help but feel oddly distant from many communities and online friends that I make. Maybe this is just the ramblings of an old man yelling at clouds, but I was sort of sad to see the announcement today (on Facebook ironically enough) of the Runescape forums shutting down.

I have a lot of good memories trying to merchant here, role-playing, visiting the spicy "rant" section of the forums after every update, and reading other player's fandom stories. I remember one story a player wrote about a fictitious Gielinor(ian?) who was mining in Falador's mine and excavating the biggest diamond he ever found. It was very well written and for some odd reason stuck with me.

cont.

15-Jan-2024 02:22:10

HeirToTheSun

Posts: 163 Iron Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Admittedly, I don't play RuneScape 3 much anymore because I am very disaffected with the direction that the game took (another loot, skinner box, gambling simulator with the veneer of an RPG beneath it), but I'm sure that's a rant for another time. I just wanted to jump on here and make 1 last post to say goodbye to an era.

Oddly enough, Omegle shut down in November last year and the founder left us with some parting words that are echoing in my mind following the announcement of the RuneScape forums shutting down,

“I worry that, unless the tide turns soon, the Internet I fell in love with may cease to exist, and in its place, we will have something closer to a souped-up version of TV—focused largely on passive consumption, with much less opportunity for active participation and genuine human connection,” he wrote. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t keep fighting for you.”

Goodbye!

15-Jan-2024 02:27:21

Dec

2005

YtHaar-Mej

Posts: 25,052 Sapphire Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

HeirToTheSun said :
Maybe this is just the ramblings of an old man yelling at clouds, but I was sort of sad to see the announcement today (on Facebook ironically enough) of the Runescape forums shutting down.
You most definitely are not the only one. I'm part of the generation that is hooked on social media, but I use it in moderation, and very limitedly. I saw the effects it causes, and wanted to stay away from falling into it and being hooked.

HeirToTheSun said :
“I worry that, unless the tide turns soon, the Internet I fell in love with may cease to exist, and in its place, we will have something closer to a souped-up version of TV—focused largely on passive consumption, with much less opportunity for active participation and genuine human connection,” he wrote. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t keep fighting for you.”

Sadly there is some truth to this. Most forums are relaxed use platforms.

Social media is designed for the latest, new, enjoyable, content. Algorithms keep refreshing for new. Reactions and likes for positive reinforcement, where people post things for the attention it gets.

Push notifications are very popular. Gotta have all the updates, FOMO if I dont see it. Don't want to be the last to know. There's a whole psychology built around the concept too...

While notifications are nice for some things, socials go completely overboard about it.

And because most forums dont provide instant responses, dont push notifications to your phone, and dont filter content to always show the latest and popular stuff, people seem to think forums are inherently bad because of it. Further driving the internet to passive consumption and less genuine connection. Can I turn in a paper without citing all sources?
"No."[1]
1. William Shakespeare, Hamlet , Act III, Scene 1, line 96.

15-Jan-2024 03:59:24 - Last edited on 15-Jan-2024 04:03:06 by YtHaar-Mej

Apr

2022

Tomato 56789

Posts: 15,486 Opal Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Yup. These forums are where I got my start as an internet person. It's where I learned how to argue, research for the sake of arguing, discern credibility of sources, learn how to see different perspectives, learn how to have discussions and debates across language barriers, etc. Even in off-topic this was all within a community of people who played the same game which occupied nearly two-years of log-in time of my teens.

I quit RS for a decade / ditto the forums. I'm not nearly as active here now as I was in youth, but this is still a special place. The internet has been gentrified

Casual legacy trash of 20 years in RS, writer of Skyrook Gorge (and other books) irl

Should the forums truly go; almost anyone from here is free to add me in-game.

15-Jan-2024 07:04:04

Apr

2022

Tomato 56789

Posts: 15,486 Opal Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

"And because most forums dont provide instant responses, dont push notifications to your phone, and dont filter content to always show the latest and popular stuff, people seem to think forums are inherently bad because of it. Further driving the internet to passive consumption and less genuine connection."

I love the way forums work! I feel we have more thorough discussions as people are encouraged to take their time typing it out vs spamming 2-3 word replied.

Casual legacy trash of 20 years in RS, writer of Skyrook Gorge (and other books) irl

Should the forums truly go; almost anyone from here is free to add me in-game.

15-Jan-2024 07:05:59

2_Tron

Posts: 23,025 Opal Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

I do not think there's a death blow to the old Internet. Over the passed decade something needed to be proved that 'we pay we say' became a disaster in multiple ways. Money maybe a 'handy tool' in terms of support but that's about it.

I do not think the 'Old Internet' has suffered a blow ... I do believe they have found out their weaknesses/flaws and in these passed hours/days the strength of the 'Old Internet' still has been proven strong.

15-Jan-2024 09:29:53 - Last edited on 15-Jan-2024 09:30:08 by 2_Tron

Jun

2006

Dilbert2001

Posts: 30,311 Sapphire Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

More proper term for "old" systems is Legacy Systems to most people.

They aren't called "legacy" for no reasons. They are things in the past.

Thankfully, even the RSOF is becoming another legacy soon, alongside other Jagex legacies or soon to be legacies, we still have forever games like RS3, and Jagex forever games to be like SCUM.

Being old is one thing, being legacy is another. Rocky Balboa is 60 years old but is still as competitive as the young world champion. Rocky evolves with time and always upgrades his physical condition instead of running his big mouth and making stupid huge dances like Apollo Creed. RS3 can be the Rocky Balboa of the MMORPG genre too, even when the RSOF is going to be legacy soon.

BTW, even big mouth Apollo became a legacy, the next generation Creed continues. Under the supervision of Rocky the granny, the new Creed can still be a forever legend.

15-Jan-2024 17:12:26 - Last edited on 15-Jan-2024 17:21:10 by Dilbert2001

Aug

2004

Derrik Wolf

Posts: 234 Silver Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

I am going to be re-thinking my support of this game $$$ wise...

The Discord is chaotic and disorganized.

There is a reason I am not "hanging out" on the discord....

I do not do Reddit or Twitler....

It seems Jagex doesn't really care about the long-time players anymore...yes, I am referring to the "older players" of which I am one.

I've been playing for almost 20 years ( I will get my cape this summer )

Everything is catering to a mass social media presence. Some people find social media exhausting and chaotic.

Some of us just want to play the game and use the forums.

You took away the Premier Club presence on the forums, now... you're taking away the forums too?

This is definitely not a good move for Jagex....

Not at all. ~Wolf

15-Jan-2024 18:28:34

Jun

2019

Sc Jw

Posts: 1,659 Mithril Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Dilbert2001 said :
Thankfully, even the RSOF is becoming another legacy soon, alongside other Jagex legacies or soon to be legacies, we still have forever games like RS3, and Jagex forever games to be like SCUM.
SCUM has nothing to do with Runescape other than the profits from this game were used to purchase it. Which is actually the only ontopic subject that should be being brought up here. And why "thankfully"? There is nothing good to be had from shutting down the forums. Other than, as someone else stated, the stopping of your drivel. You damn sure won't be posting such nonsense on Reddit, they'll eat you alive. And no, I'm not a member, but I do glance at it from time to time.

Dilbert2001 said :
Being old is one thing, being legacy is another. Rocky Balboa is 60 years old but is still as competitive as the young world champion.
Rocky Balboa is a fictional character the inspiration for which is Chuck Wepner who turns 85 next month. And it's physically impossible for any 60 year old athlete to be competitive with "a young world champion". You really need to learn how to separate fantasy life from the real world.

Dilbert2001 said :
RS3 can be the Rocky Balboa of the MMORPG genre too, even when the RSOF is going to be legacy soon.
RS3 as of Jan 1st hasn't been able to average 25k online players per day, and barely breaks that for any 15 minute period. We are approaching the lows of late 2019, except this time OSRS isn't climbing to compensate.

Crapping on the forums isn't going to help those numbers either.

15-Jan-2024 19:01:08

Jun

2019

Sc Jw

Posts: 1,659 Mithril Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Derrik Wolf said :
<snip>

There is a reason I am not "hanging out" on the discord....

I do not do Reddit or Twitler....

It seems Jagex doesn't really care about the long-time players anymore...yes, I am referring to the "older players" of which I am one.

<snip>

Everything is catering to a mass social media presence. Some people find social media exhausting and chaotic.

Some of us just want to play the game and use the forums.

You took away the Premier Club presence on the forums, now... you're taking away the forums too?

This is definitely not a good move for Jagex....

Not at all.
100% agree

15-Jan-2024 19:03:15