RuneScape Forum Archive | Clear up Linux articles!

Jan

2016

Hmm

Posts: 13,000 Opal Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

RuneScape's Linux community is small but passionate, the last official stats were about 0.5% of players were on the Linux platform. Not bad considering millions of monthly active users! Of course, support wise this means Linux is the tiny platform and the support is heavily community focused.

While what's offsite on Reddit and such can't be helped, there's 2 main places on the RS website that discuss Linux, the community sticky and the Linux Native Clients support article.

The Linux sticky is old in computer time. In the past 3 years since the front page has been updated, 95% of the information on there is obsoleted. This isn't just unfortunate, but because the platform changes and is often used by people with lower levels of experience, using outdated advice can adversely effect system stability, and otherwise just hinders support. I see people copy well intentioned advice that no longer applies and it's simply a poor user experience.

The thread is comparitively large but over a long duration and hard to follow, I would propose simply removing the thread entirely with no replacement. The current state of Linux as a platform and Linux support from Jagex is acceptible enough and individual problems with the platform can be tackled in their own threads like any regular issue.

Meanwhile, the support article mentions the RuneScape Unix Client by Hikari which no longer gets support nor works, the Java client which doesn't exist, a shellscript that hasn't been seen for 10 years and otherwise generic information that isn't particularly problematic but contributes little. I'd really honestly suggest just removing this page also in its entireity, because I see it referenced every now and then and the information is also obsolete.

Tl;Dr

The current state of support is good enough and the current information outdated and potentially harmful.

10-May-2021 21:00:47

2_Tron

Posts: 22,959 Opal Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Hmm, ... it is easy for me to say but can you fabricate a thread that is up to date and has all the resources/information/guidance a Linux players does need to play RuneScape on Linux?
Can you improve the state of support giving Linux players a positive push in the right direction?

You have my full support to make it to become a well known sticky in the Community Led Forums.

10-May-2021 21:07:49

Jan

2016

Hmm

Posts: 13,000 Opal Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

I'd think getting approval for making a newer sticky would be a lot more involved and not contribute as much as the stickies have historically. The reality is that what's currently on right now in the first 10 posts would now be a few lines, but it doesn't stop the problem of people posting issues over time and those said issues becoming irrelevant but the information sticking around.

Ultimately the mega sticky format doesn't work IMO and the Wiki does much better. The forum is otherwise fine for the non sticky posts because they don't stick around long past their expiration date.

runescape.wiki/Linux

E.G the problems featuring libPNG on the stickies front page haven't existed for 2 years now, but the information is still there and people still try it "just incase", and whilst it wasn't malicious advice, it's not good advice anymore neither and causes problems.

The wiki is editable by anyone so the same problem isn't as severe.

10-May-2021 21:13:07 - Last edited on 10-May-2021 21:16:19 by Hmm