Forums

(F2P) QoL Improvements v2

Quick find code: 185-186-269-66062546

Rikornak
Oct Member 2013

Rikornak

Posts: 9,169 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Obviously they also could update the lots and lots of existing things without too much of purpose to be made more appealing. RS3 could certainly have a more interesting mid game than it currently has. Why not making something out of the cooking and/or crafting guild?

But in general I'd rather leave the bigger areas like Karamja and the Desert alone, unless there is a good reason to do so. Distinct features can be made f2p way easier. They gave you a couple of gem mines, rather than paving you the way to shilo village somehow for instance.

But in here overall - before thinking about expanding the game world on a wider scale. The game should properly work within the current 50-ish levels boundary - which they're slowly getting somewhere (let's just hope for a fix for fletching, firemaking and the remainder of woodcutting somewhen this year - and then crafting a bit later on), but not just yet.
Improvements: Tooltip / (F2P) QoL v2
Quick Fixes: Invention

04-Jul-2023 05:47:29 - Last edited on 04-Jul-2023 06:36:19 by Rikornak

Noctis King
Dec Member 2023

Noctis King

Posts: 77 Iron Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
I guess you're implying "free expansions" like Traveley, Burthrope, and Silvarea. I guess that works. I misunderstood the term you used for expansions. Usually, what I mentioned was in terms of paid expansions, which I was assuming originally. Entrana and Zanaris could work. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

One example is in a different game, like Final Fantasy XIV. FF14: Realm Reborn is the base game, while expansions that expand the stories are each one-time free. After the realm was reborn, it became Heavensword, which was a paid expansion. Heavensword would follow up by increasing the level cap by 10 and adding more content. Later, paid expansions followed one after another, like adding linear chapters to a never-ending story. Another game is The Witcher 3, which has two paid expansions. You can buy one, the other, or both as a complete edition to expand on the game. That is what I was asking what type of paid expansion.

That's a good idea to focus on Entrana and Zanaris, either paid or free. I like it.

Bit off the tangent:
I wish in future Jagex could take the FF14 approach to expansion if they tried to adapt, even if in small chunks. I know there can be balancing problems, so Jagex has smart people on its team to find a solution. Either have a world or restrict "PvP to base-free equipment". Membership will be the better route and will have all content, while expansion will be a small slice and restricted.

04-Jul-2023 23:17:50

Noctis King
Dec Member 2023

Noctis King

Posts: 77 Iron Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Hi Rikornak,

What are your stances on gud raider equipment? Shields and axes are second highest f2p stat wise tied with other tier 55, while gud raider chainbody does not live up-to tier 55 armor being the fifth highest f2p stat armor tied with base rune body armor. Gud raider chainbody is bit weaker than the shield. I suggest minor buff defense stats to similar rune body armor+2.

05-Jul-2023 02:35:04

Rikornak
Oct Member 2013

Rikornak

Posts: 9,169 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
In general I don't think RS is a game that would be fitting for a paid expansion format - I don't know how content the FFXIV ones would offer, but I have played World of Warcraft for over a decade in the past (and quite a few single player games that employed this format, albeit nowadays it's more story DLCs and the sorts) - but a WoW expansion nowadays costs 50 bucks - on top of a monthly fee - I see it as was too expensive, but in general... they'll keep you busy for a while.

While Jagex recently almost exclusively works on distinct story lines (EGWD/Senntisten, Legacy of Zamorak, Fort Forinthry, the upcoming necromancy) for some time (usually 6 months-ish) - if anything they would only justify a rather minuscule amount of cash. And I genuinely don't want to see it on top of the disgusting monetization model Jagex uses already for this game. As a replacement... they would need to be bigger - and even then they partially could keep essential fixes and improvements from the base game - Fort Forinthry isn't a construction expansion - it makes that skill valuable and worthwhile in the first place all over the place. Something that even OS wasn't able to do, despite having had much more focus on that skill than RS3.

Gud raider is a bit curious - axe and shield are regular t55 weaponry, while the body is so called power armour - it trades a bit of defence (it basically loses all PvM damage reduction, has reduced PvP damage reduction and an armour value 5 tiers lower than equally tiered tank armour) for offensive stats, which makes it preferable to use in most situations. The shield could have the same treatment, but as it stands the game no longer has offensive shields like it had had back then before the EoC. But you'd be better off with an off-hand weapon or defender anyway.
Improvements: Tooltip / (F2P) QoL v2
Quick Fixes: Invention

05-Jul-2023 06:16:45

Rikornak
Oct Member 2013

Rikornak

Posts: 9,169 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Used a bit the opportunity the mess around with forestry in OS

For reference OS has receive a woodcutting update shortly after us in RS3, which slightly updated their core mechanics, but was mainly focused on events, that can occur when a tree is felled (coming to those later) and a new currency related to those events.

For details I'll leave the wiki link, but in general I want to share my thoughts

https://oldschool.runescape.wiki/w/Forestry

The good:

- Other players are no longer a nuisance per se, since trees no longer die randomly, but rather after a set amount of time after the first player starts cutting it. The tree would regenerate either after nobody cutting it anymore or after dying. In order to encourage players to cut with one another you'll receive a hidden boost to your woodcutting level for up to 9 other players.

The first component would be extremely appealing in RS3 as well, since players heavily stepped onto one anothers toes while trying to farming the components of their imcando hatchets.
The second component isn't as great as it sounds like due to OSs still broken core mechanics and it doesn't stack with the boost given while in the woodcutting guild. For RS3 it would probably be a nice a extra though.


- The events are actually a nice diversion and feel rewarding enough xp wise for the time you have to put in. I would like something like that in RS3 as well, but that's more the cherry on top.
Improvements: Tooltip / (F2P) QoL v2
Quick Fixes: Invention

07-Jul-2023 07:25:35 - Last edited on 07-Jul-2023 07:56:02 by Rikornak

Rikornak
Oct Member 2013

Rikornak

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

- OS did nothing to fix the core issues with WC. While other players no longer are detrimental, it's basically an issue you just could have avoided by moving to a different place or just another world. I've basically got my imcando hatchet undisturbed in varrock sewers resource dungeon over a couple of days.
- It's still unfeasible to cut anything higher levelled than the teak tree. For this tree the hidden boost barely has any effect, for higher levelled trees it doesn't make them less sluggish enough to justify cutting them over teak.
- In order to keep some game mechanic abuse alive (which is often considered when designing new content in OS), teak trees don't live as long as a tree on their level usually should.
- Other players still can still be annoying due to their random events they don't discard if you're playing on their official client. Especially when you're on a world with tons of other players present.
- A lot of the forestry rewards are worse than they would need to be. For instance they have a clothes bag, which is intended to be an addon to store your lumberjack outfit for the xp bonus inside of your forestry kit (which is basically an item intended to store various forestry consumables and secondary woodcutting loot, which you'll have on you anyway). While this would be a great idea, so you could use your graceful set on top, this effect gets deactivated as soon as you wear something else with an effect on that slot. So basically it's degraded to something sligtly reducing your weight, while wearing nothing on those slots. Which is even considering their broken run energy system not that valuable while woodcutting...

In general - I think RS3 could benefit from no longer randomly dying trees (not a top priority as said, but...). Events could be a nice extra to keep things more appealing. Comparing the reworks it feels like RS3 wanted to replace some decomposing cake with a fairly plain one. OS added a cherry on top of a rotten one.
Improvements: Tooltip / (F2P) QoL v2
Quick Fixes: Invention

07-Jul-2023 07:25:41 - Last edited on 07-Jul-2023 08:05:06 by Rikornak

Rikornak
Oct Member 2013

Rikornak

Posts: 9,169 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Added some suggestion to have the ore box to work like the wood box.

Basically it would:

- Be smaller by default (100->70 for bronze), but gain 10 slots for each tier of the box (so a rune box would have 120 instead of 100 slots).
- Gain additional slots based on your level, instead of being locked behind an achievement (a rune box at full extension would have 220, instead of 120 slots). So new players basically already would break even at level 15 mining with an iron box.
- Be able to store non-core ores without further requirements as soon as you have a fitting box available (steel and higher would be able to store silver; adamant and higher would be able to store gold). Other ores could be made available as well (i.e. blurite and elemental ores in an iron/steel+ box respectively)
- Members would be able to unlock other kinds of features like the storage of stone spirits or geodes via new content (akin to how woodcutting unlocks wood spirits and nests via the woodcutting grove in the fort). It basically could also be some replacement feature for the lost gold/silver storage for the family crest quest - albeit that one still has plenty of fancy things and doesn't need replacements right now.
Improvements: Tooltip / (F2P) QoL v2
Quick Fixes: Invention

08-Jul-2023 05:41:15 - Last edited on 08-Jul-2023 05:45:13 by Rikornak

Seasons Past

Seasons Past

Posts: 559 Steel Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Going back to the topic of F2P expansions, I think Taverley Dungeon up to the blue dragons would be reasonable to make F2P. As Rikornak said, it's not of much value currently. However, out of sheer frustration at being blocked from climbing down the stairs on F2P, they should just open the first half of the dungeon to F2P.

I wouldn't have thought of TzHaar City. It sounds like this would be combat-focused. I could get behind it in the event of T60+ equipment being made F2P (which also opens the door for buffed god staves from the Mage Arena). Jad would be a formidable endgame challenge on F2P, with the fire cape being commensurate to that feat. Onyx jewellery I'm not sure about. I'm no longer familiar with the effects of onyx items, but it would make sense for dragonstone jewellery to be made available first.

While this has already been addressed, I don't know if making the Kharidian Desert F2P would be justifiable. While there is content which would potentially be beneficial - the desert Hunter training area near Uzer having considerable value, as no decent Hunter training currently exists in free areas - F2P is still a trial. There are also a number of quests like The Golem, Spirits of the Elid, and Shadow of the Storm (I'm not bothering to check the requirements for the sake of this post). However, one must ask whether it is necessary for essentially trial players to have access to all of this content.

I am of the view that there is a certain allure to one's first experience of traveling through Shantay Pass. You can see the desert from Lumbridge Swamp, from the Wizards' Tower, from Al Kharid and the Abbey of St. Elspeth - perhaps even from as far north as the Mage Training Arena - all the while warned by Shantay of the dangers ahead; but until you take the first step through that gate, it remains a mystery.
Spirit of Forinthry ~ Runecrafting: Magic Armour ~ F2P Extensions ~ Dragon Slayer improvements ~ New Player Experience

08-Jul-2023 22:26:19 - Last edited on 08-Jul-2023 22:48:12 by Seasons Past

Seasons Past

Seasons Past

Posts: 559 Steel Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
For other expansion ideas not mentioned yet, I thought of:
-Asgarnia
* Would include the first half of Taverley Dungeon as discussed earlier
* Would grant access to the Troll Stronghold and Troll Romance quests
* Would also include the Recruitment Drive quest, Void Knights' Outpost, and associated content as proposed previously
-Karamja
* Would grant access to Brimhaven, Tai Bwo Wannai, and possibly Shilo Village
* Would grant F2P the ability to create nature runes
* Would allow Heroes' Quest to become F2P following Taverley Dungeon
-Assorted/Other
* Mage Training Arena
* Rune Memories quest
-Varrock (expanded in the following post)
Spirit of Forinthry ~ Runecrafting: Magic Armour ~ F2P Extensions ~ Dragon Slayer improvements ~ New Player Experience

08-Jul-2023 22:31:44 - Last edited on 08-Jul-2023 23:00:05 by Seasons Past

Seasons Past

Seasons Past

Posts: 559 Steel Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Here is a concept for a future Varrock expansion, as Varrock has a lot of content that could be made F2P:

Varrock
-Free players can now use the Grand Exchange underwall tunnel and the pipe from Edgeville Dungeon to Varrock Sewers.
* Agility requirements for these shortcuts would be reduced to or below level 20.
-Free players can now enter the Wilderness portion of Edgeville Dungeon.
* This would include the monkey bars and chaos druid resource dungeon.
* The Charge Orb spell would remain P2P.
-"Perfect" gold rocks (Family Crest quest) can now be found in Varrock Sewers or (non-Wilderness) Edgeville Dungeon, in addition to the dungeon beneath Witchaven.
* Avan's dialogue would be updated to reflect the newest location of perfect gold rocks (Family Crest).
-Free players can now complete Family Crest, receiving the ability to store gold and silver in their metal bank.
-Free players can now obtain chaos talismans and tiaras, enter the chaos altar, and create chaos runes/tiaras.
-Free players can now complete What Lies Below.
-Free players can now complete Enter the Abyss miniquest, gaining access to the Abyss and rifts up to chaos (not including cosmic).
* For the purposes of the miniquest, Carwen Essencebinder now counts as a third point of access to the Rune Essence Mine.
* The demonic skull would remain P2P.
* Free players can now obtain and use essence pouches up to large (level 50 Runecrafting).
-Free players can now complete The Dig Site.
* The quest now requires 20 Thieving, lowered from 25.
-Free players can now access Varrock Museum and earn Kudos.
* Free players can now complete It Belongs in a Museum (Varrock area achievement).
-Free players can now complete the easy Varrock area achievements and earn the rewards for the set.
* Plank You Very Much can now optionally be completed by converting logs into a plank at the plank maker in Rimmington. Free players can now once again complete this achievement.
Spirit of Forinthry ~ Runecrafting: Magic Armour ~ F2P Extensions ~ Dragon Slayer improvements ~ New Player Experience

08-Jul-2023 22:41:57

Quick find code: 185-186-269-66062546 Back to Top