RuneScape Forum Archive | (F2P) QoL Improvements v2

Oct

2013

Rikornak

Posts: 9,169 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

My example for a micro expansion. This is a later one, so preceding content (alongside certain mechanical suggestions from this thread) are already assumed as implemented

Tier 60 Expansion and Kalphite Queen (Late Expansion)

- Free players will be given access to tier 60 resources and equipment.
- As magic core robes and dual wield equipment does not exist outside of slayer or minigames, certain higher levelled creatures (for instance new kalphite soliders and guardians) will drop murky essence, which can be used to imbue splitbark items to the new t60 swampbark at 60 runecrafting.
- Red, Black and Royal Dragonleather items are buffed to t60, 70 and 80 respectively. Red dragonleather is available to free players to create with 60 crafting, the other armours can be be made at 70 and 80, but remain p2p exclusive.
- For compensation grifolic items are buffed to t65 and dinosaur armour is changed to power armour.
- Free players will now also be able to equip any kind of t60 equipment they already can come by, including dragon rider gloves and boots and certain dragon weapons.
- Free players will now also be able to craft, enchant and wear dragonstone jewellery. P2p features remain restricted. Combat related bracelets now offer level adequate hybrid offensive stats (akin to the death touched one). Access to dragonstones is fairly restricted per design for free players.
- Free players will be able to face the kalphite queen as an endgame challenge. They will be able to receive all drops, with the dragon chainbody being some highly sought after piece of equipment as the new f2p best in slot melee chest.
- Kalphite hive is accessed via the Dorgesh-Kaan South Dungeon. Free players can't leave the hive for the desert.

I think the advantage of smaller cluster based expansions certainly is, you wouldn't oversee something, that could break something in the bigger detail. Improvements: Tooltip / (F2P) QoL v2
Quick Fixes: Invention

28-Jun-2023 19:21:28 - Last edited on 29-Jun-2023 07:42:10 by Rikornak

Oct

2013

Rikornak

Posts: 9,169 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

My issue with f2p bossing content - what are you actually doing it for. It solely are bosses, that do not fulfill any purpose at being a stepping stone to something that can bring you forward. While the QBD already is extremely questionable for members (the crossbow is decent, but you come easier to better equipment now), it would be outright in the line of existing bosses for free players. I mean technically the quest was p2p at first, they only made it f2p, because there was no reason for it not to be - but QBD and the quest always were split.

But otherwise... mole has the mole shield yeah - but that's also just important for fighting the KBD (or other dragons with melee - and there the normal anti dragon shield would be more economical - and you can defend yourself against chromatic dragons with protect against magic anyway...). The KBD - likewise - of course magic logs for ironmen to make their magic shortbow - but there we're talking about broken systems once again. But all the other stuff, it's not really of interest. And the chaos elemental...? But that's an issue of old bosses in general - they just lack appealing loot, which can bring you forward - so most players will just do them for their collection log. But the KQ actually has something cool with the dragon chainbody - which would end up being in the f2p scope.

For that necromancy can become interesting. They said they may revisit certain older bosses (namely taraket and the magister - which both deserve some love) for that. Also in general how will the itemization look like - they've named a few things used in here - for instance the spider silk robes or the robes of subjugation.

But no honestly - it's nice to discuss, so I do not see it as hijacking or so. Even though it's not that important for the thread per se, since that one focuses on getting stuff for the first 50 levels and a bit beyond that fixed. Improvements: Tooltip / (F2P) QoL v2
Quick Fixes: Invention

28-Jun-2023 19:33:42 - Last edited on 28-Jun-2023 20:10:18 by Rikornak

Balkj06

Posts: 240 Silver Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Giving f2p the Kalphite Queen, that wouldn't be a bad idea. The 3 f2p bosses don't do a good job and teaching the player how to PvE.

Problem is Dorgesh-Kaan requires Death to the Dorgeshuun, The Lost Tribe, Goblin Diplomacy, 23 Agility and Thieving.

Those requirements, should be f2p even without the getting the Kalphite Queen.

29-Jun-2023 01:33:36

Balkj06

Posts: 240 Silver Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Giving f2p the Kalphite Queen, that wouldn't be a bad idea. The 3 f2p bosses don't do a good job and teaching the player how to PvE.

Problem is Dorgesh-Kaan requires Death to the Dorgeshuun, The Lost Tribe, Goblin Diplomacy, 23 Agility and Thieving.

Those requirements, should be f2p even without the getting the Kalphite Queen.

29-Jun-2023 01:33:39

Oct

2013

Rikornak

Posts: 9,169 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

That's basically why those content releases should be done in smaller increments - obviously increasing the f2p level cap for p2p skills to 20 first, since a reduction to 20 of those quest requirements could be justified somehow - even though I regard it as extremely unhealthy when features start to clutter at and slightly below 20, while the next 5-8 levels become basically unutilizable, just for a potential f2p access. If done to 5, you basically would create a precedent to abolish content requirements left and right. But even the swamp caves wouldn't be among the first few expansions. Free players would need access to glassblowing first, so they would be able to create light sources - for that they would need access to sand and sea weed. And so on, and so on... so the first expansions would be rather things like entrana and zanaris.

When it comes to teaching mechanics and how to deal with them the mole is a lot better than a lot of the bosses you would see up to GWD2. The issue with that is, that a lot of old bosses can't really be regarded as that - they're basically rather regular monsters with increased stats and a name - but otherwise they literally do the same as the things you've killed en masse to get there. When it comes to mechanics even the KQ wouldn't have much value - yeah great, you switch weapons between phases - but that's it, it hits a bit harder, so you're encouraged to use defensives.

I mean the mole received a full rework, which gave it that mechanical value, so this treatment could be given to other bosses as well. Preferably with some exclusives, that would make players (at the intended level) strive for them. That doesn't need to be actually best in slot items or ability upgrades - it also could be some nice utility item, which just improves your day to day life. Improvements: Tooltip / (F2P) QoL v2
Quick Fixes: Invention

29-Jun-2023 05:22:44 - Last edited on 29-Jun-2023 06:47:52 by Rikornak

Balkj06

Posts: 240 Silver Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

(Don't know why my last post, posted twice)

I agree about the boss, however the KQ would prepare you better than the other f2p bosses.

The members version of the f2p shop, Jack Oval's Crafting Shop has a light source.
So they don't need glassblowing.

(Not the 1st time the only way to get a f2p item is to buy it, from a NPC or GE)

I think both Thieving and Agility should be f2p skills.

Doing this means you don't have to lower the requirements for the members game or make 2k Thieving reward, members only.

As for Dorgeshuun itself, that place needs more love. Making it a F2p area would be great but it would need a few more than just that. Some ideas are.

Give it is own Area Tasks.
Rework the Train, (Such as a Train Sim minigame.)
Add in a Archeology training area.

29-Jun-2023 07:44:16 - Last edited on 29-Jun-2023 07:44:52 by Balkj06

Oct

2013

Rikornak

Posts: 9,169 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

In general I think it would be better if free players would learn, about specific things in a certain order. Yeah obviously it would work, that you could get your light source at some shop 'somewhere', but it once again would lack intuitiveness - they don't release content like that anymore. It's really an extremely big weakness of the game it already forces you so often to use 3rd party sites, just for you to understand what's going on.

For reference the path of micro expansions that would lead to the KQ would be imagined like this by me: Entrana + Zanaris -> Swamp Caves + Quests (no access to Dorgesh-kaan at first though) -> Dorgesh-kaan (if you did the quests up to that point) + another slice of H.A.M (no kelda access) + south caves -> T60 + KQ - that's only the direct path and ignoring other micro explansions in between. Another advantage is that you neither overburden your players with lots of stuff at once, nor periods of droughts afterwards.

Of course that all are areas, that would deserve some more love one way or another. But I think with the stuff being as is for 18 years or so... doubt much will happen there now. But of course - it would have much enough space to introduce interesting mid level things. And honestly - a mini task list akin to new varrock for lumbridge would cool as well - it has enough substance for that. Improvements: Tooltip / (F2P) QoL v2
Quick Fixes: Invention

29-Jun-2023 08:02:39 - Last edited on 29-Jun-2023 09:08:48 by Rikornak

Oct

2013

Rikornak

Posts: 9,169 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

I mean with making skills f2p. Thieving certainly would work up to some point - but let's be real. For what exactly. The skill already is heavily lacking for members most of the time. It would need some heavy rework first - the first 20 levels certainly would work just fine though. It wouldn't provide value, but it shows them more, what this skill is like. But 99 levels of this...?

Agility is something different. It doesn't lack purpose, as thieving would. But let's say they would extend it to just 20 levels (as per this thread). Basically all you would do is running the burthope course for longer, but you would get a couple more of shortcuts, as a reward for doing so. I mean - it's also not really better for members - the first 30 levels basically are gnomes or burthope (if you can't be bothered to get to the gnomes), from 18 onwards repeatingly using the watchtower shortcut, then starting with anachronia for the next 35 levels. Courses exist in between, but they're so crappy, nobody bothers using them - over a shortcut and one singular course... Without adding new courses you literally would be stuck on burthope like forever. Yep - wildy exists, oasis as well. But every newbie would call jagex insane for what they would imagine them to do to get there. It has something from the pre-extravaganza prayer training - burying regular and big bones to get somewhere. That's not fun for most players... Improvements: Tooltip / (F2P) QoL v2
Quick Fixes: Invention

29-Jun-2023 08:05:47 - Last edited on 29-Jun-2023 09:11:11 by Rikornak

Oct

2013

Rikornak

Posts: 9,169 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Overall neither of the skills would be too enriching for f2p. Fletching certainly was and that's why I was behind that as extremely, since it locked out free players of core functionality they always should have had. While most other p2p skills could be enriching in one way or another, none of them would be as essential, that free players would need more than a 20 levels trial (which could be increased further if needed... and features could be rebalanced, since most of them are way too high levelled for what they are anyway) - but all in all it's exactly that: A Trial, which gives you a taste of what you could get in membership + something small you wouldn't have without. Relic power from archaeology, some kind of benefit from necromancy, some shortcuts from agility, some potions from herblore, they just could have crammed into a shop, like OS did, some familiar from summoning. Other skills do not even have some value within 5/20 levels (farming and thieving first and formost), but that's just not even different in p2p... but new players at least would know, what those skills are like and how to use them.

And in here I have to say - what exactly is the issue if members have something cool also on lower levels? Improvements: Tooltip / (F2P) QoL v2
Quick Fixes: Invention

29-Jun-2023 08:14:19 - Last edited on 29-Jun-2023 08:56:02 by Rikornak

Balkj06

Posts: 240 Silver Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Doing Goblin Diplomacy without a wiki is very hard. Considering this quest is needed for Dorgesh-Kaan, I would make that quest easier.

Other NPCS such as Doric and Boric would have a light source for the player.

What will F2P gain with Thieving and Agility?

Early game GP (On a F2p Ironman, this is would be very useful)
Stalls for Free Food (Cakes are very good for early game)
Thieves' Guild
Rogues' Den
Some Wildy Areas
Quests Rewards (Stolen Hearts, Heartstealer, Perils of Ice Mountain)
Many Quests (Buyers and Cellars, From Tiny Acorns, Lost Her Marbles, Lost Tribe, Death of the Dorgenshuu, The Giant Dwarf, The Dig Site, Another Slice of H.A.M., Troll Stronghold, Troll Romance)

As For Training Agility, this skill sucks on members as well.

F2P would have.
Burthope Course
Death Plateau Cave
Al-kharid Course (Stolen Hearts)
Oasis
Wildy Course
Dorgesh-Kaan Agility Course

What I would add.
During Lost Tribe, make the cave path you take a agility course.
OSRS Rooftops (Need to play OSRS to find out, if this is a good idea)
Expand the Death Plateau Cave.

29-Jun-2023 10:16:38 - Last edited on 29-Jun-2023 10:20:01 by Balkj06

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(F2P) QoL Improvements v2