Dev Blog: Sailing
The oceans of Gielinor have been left unexplored by players for far too long. After almost 15 years of the seas of RuneScape being shrouded in mystery, sailing will allow you to venture out into the unknown and shine some light on what is out there.
Why Sailing?
Sailing has come up in discussions of new expansions to RuneScape since way back in 2008. Because of this, the idea of sailing is one that resonates with a huge number of RuneScape players. The core of what we would like sailing to be fits in perfectly with what makes so many players love RuneScape: Exploration and adventure .
There is no feeling that matches that of setting out into a new, unfamiliar territory. This is a feeling that many of you will have experienced in your time on RuneScape. Heading out into the wilderness for the first time, taking on the Underground Pass with no idea of what is ahead, sneaking your way through Ape Atoll... The list goes on.
Sailing is the perfect vessel to build the sense of adventure that all RuneScape players love. You will be able to take your ship out to sea and roam the unexplored waters of Gielinor, removing the mystery and taking on the unknown.
The time has come. We want to do the sailing skill and we want to do it right.
Training Sailing
A higher sailing level allows you to build more sturdy and more powerful ships, travel through more challenging seas and take on more complex encounters. There will be three main methods for training the skill: Ship building , navigation and exploration .
There will be a number of different ways to train the sailing skill. These varying methods will appeal to different types of players who enjoy playing the game in different ways.
One of the key ways to train your sailing level will be by
building ships
. With a number of shipyards located across the existing map, you'll be able to hire out workers to build you a fleet out of resources you provide them with. Overseeing their progress and having your workers upgrade your ship to be more sturdy and powerful will grant you experience and will set you up for taking on the unknown at sea.
Once the ship has been built you will have the choice of captaining it out at sea or selling it off to one of many potential NPC buyers. If you choose to take it out to sea you will find yourself gaining experience in a variety of ways. Navigating new routes for the first time will grant you with a big lump of experience.
Exploring the open seas and taking on the many challenges that await will also help you become a more experienced sailor, levelling up the skill.
Exploration and Adventure
With sailing, we would like every trip out into open waters to feel like a brand new experience. Each time you take your ship out you should have no idea what may come your way. With randomly generated seas and an unthinkable number of possible challenges that could be thrown at you, the sense of adventure that will come with sailing is something that will be unrivaled in Old School.
Sailing will lead you to underwater caverns where you can take on new monsters for a chance at some unique new loot, it will take you to lawless waters where battles at sea are all too common, incorporating many of your existing skills such as crafting, construction and smithing... There is something for everyone with sailing.
As you level up your sailing skill more of the map will be opened up to you. Offering more access to exciting adventures and discovering new stories to be told. Whether you are roaming freely through open waters or you've got a specific destination in mind, every trip you take will be one to remember.
Steadily, as you level up your sailing, you will gain access to new, exciting areas of RuneScape. Of course, new areas come with new treasures to be found and skills to be learnt:
Player-vs-Player
Past the dangers of creatures from the deep and heavy waters stands the threat of other players. In the most remote, unexplored areas of sea you can never be sure whether a ship coming towards you will be passing by quietly or coming for your booty.
When heading into dangerous seas you must be equipped to deal with other players trying to take you down and grab what they can. Whether it is a crew of five players or someone completely alone, when you see a ship in the watery wilderness you should be prepared for the fight of your life.
How does sailing fit into the schedule?
We plan to release sailing early next year . The release of sailing will not change anything in our current release schedule that we discussed earlier this year.
To name a couple of the largest projects we have planned, deadman mode is still heading your way in October and Zeah is still planned for June next year. Sailing may even act as the perfect stepping stone for you to venture to the land to the west.
To help achieve all of this, we will soon be starting the search for two developers to join us on the Old School team.
This is just the beginning...
This developer blog marks the beginning of our discussions of sailing. We want your feedback at every point along the way. Feedback from the Old School community will be vital in making this skill something that truly suits the game and we are determined to offer you the best skill that we can.
We will be releasing another developer blog early next week with more specific information and reacting to any and all feedback we receive.
We need to know what you think. Send any and all feedback our way on the forums, reddit, Twitter, wherever you can.
Mods Alfred, Archie, Ash, Day, Ghost, Ian, John C, Kieren, Krista, Mat K, Maz, Ronan, Weath
The Old School Team
@JagexRonan
07-Aug-2015 17:26:08 - Last edited on 07-Aug-2015 17:28:29 by Mod Ronan
