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This gate is one of the most iconic memories of old free to play Runescape
The gate and the area behind it is an example of excellent game design that isn't being reproduced today
This gate is one of the most iconic memories of old free to play Runescape
The gate and the area behind it is an example of excellent game design that isn't being reproduced today
The gate is out of the way, but two free to play quests take you directly past it
Doric's quest and Goblin Diplomacy
It is impossible to miss the gate while questing, drawing anyone with any since of exploration to wonder whats beyond it.
To entice them into membership
Doric's quest and Goblin Diplomacy
It is impossible to miss the gate while questing, drawing anyone with any since of exploration to wonder whats beyond it.
To entice them into membership
The very first thing I did when I got membership for the first time was walk west from where I had logged out in varrock straight to that gate to find out what I'd unlocked.
This memory isn't unique to me, tens of thousands of other gamers have had very similar experiences
This memory isn't unique to me, tens of thousands of other gamers have had very similar experiences
So we got membership, now what?
Well we are immediately greeted by a child with a quest for us, but we can just ignore him and continue down the path...
(Im going to be mostly describing the rs2 map not rsc, since it was consciously redesigned, but it mostly applies to rsc too)
Well we are immediately greeted by a child with a quest for us, but we can just ignore him and continue down the path...
(Im going to be mostly describing the rs2 map not rsc, since it was consciously redesigned, but it mostly applies to rsc too)
Following the path we quickly reach a turn and dead end.
The path intentionally doesn't lead us into the druids village, there's nothing in there for us now.
We're free to explore if we want, but the game subtlety hints at us to head north a long the path
The path intentionally doesn't lead us into the druids village, there's nothing in there for us now.
We're free to explore if we want, but the game subtlety hints at us to head north a long the path
Before we head north though, we can check out this sword shop the path took us to
Gaius is less useful today, but in RSC the addy 2h in his shop was the best melee weapon you could get from a shop until dragon weapons
A useful upgrade for any new members before continuing on
Gaius is less useful today, but in RSC the addy 2h in his shop was the best melee weapon you could get from a shop until dragon weapons
A useful upgrade for any new members before continuing on
Returning to the path and following it north, as we pass the witches house we come just close enough to see the druids circle, enticing us to deviate from the path
(Moving the quest icon to the west so it's more visible is a good change in osrs!)
(Moving the quest icon to the west so it's more visible is a good change in osrs!)
Getting to the circle we can start druidic ritual
Kaqemeex tells us this circle is related to the one south of Varrock, making this new area more familiar
The quest it self sends us into the village we went past before, and then later introduces us to the Taverley dungeon
Kaqemeex tells us this circle is related to the one south of Varrock, making this new area more familiar
The quest it self sends us into the village we went past before, and then later introduces us to the Taverley dungeon
The quest ends at the circle where we began, so we can continue following that path north
The next thing we run into is the hero's guild
We definitely can't complete the heros quest right now, but we're given a reason to return and a new thing to wonder about and work towards
The next thing we run into is the hero's guild
We definitely can't complete the heros quest right now, but we're given a reason to return and a new thing to wonder about and work towards
After leaving the hero's guild, we quickly get to the edge of Burthorpe, the first real town since accessing the members area
The npcs here aren't just 'Man' and 'Woman'
They all have their own names, and this town has a new aesthetic, how exciting!
The npcs here aren't just 'Man' and 'Woman'
They all have their own names, and this town has a new aesthetic, how exciting!
As we enter Burthorpe we are greeted by a new map icon we haven't seen before and guy we can talk to.
If we choose to talk to him he tells us about slayer, gives us our first task, and gives us a slayer gem and sends us back out to the world
If we choose to talk to him he tells us about slayer, gives us our first task, and gives us a slayer gem and sends us back out to the world
In our short walk following a marked path, we've seen 3 quests of varying difficulty, been given a new object of wonder to replace the gate and been introduced to two new members skills
And there's much more content just off to the side of our path waiting to be discovered
And there's much more content just off to the side of our path waiting to be discovered
Now not all of this content didn't exist when the gate and Taverley were first added to the game in 2002, but its very clear that Taverley and Burthorpe were designed as both a way to entice people into membership but also introduce them to wealth of new content
The best part of all is the relative subtlety with which it is done though.
Many players probably experienced some of the journey I described, but few probably experienced exactly the same journey.
More still had a completely different first taste of members areas.
Many players probably experienced some of the journey I described, but few probably experienced exactly the same journey.
More still had a completely different first taste of members areas.
Runescape is an open world, you have to make your own journey, and part of that includes being lost sometimes
There's a reason we like pictures of cute noobs, and say "they're having so much fun" because the experience of being lost and ignorant is a key part of the game
There's a reason we like pictures of cute noobs, and say "they're having so much fun" because the experience of being lost and ignorant is a key part of the game
Modern incarnations of the tutorials, give the player too much direction and they concentrate useful early resources in too small an area.
Rs3 went through 5 tutorials in 6 years, with each still not being as good as the original before returning to tutorial island
Rs3 went through 5 tutorials in 6 years, with each still not being as good as the original before returning to tutorial island
Even still with rs3 returning to an updated form of tutorial island Burthorpe and Taverley are still cluttered far too much content that was added to try to teach and provide for new players
At some point the training wheels have to come off to let players experience the full game, its better to take them off quickly and let players get into exploring and discovering on their own, before setting false expectations of guidance and concentrated convenience
Most of the updates directed at 'New player experience' seem to be falling down this same bad path that rs3 took for years
It was ineffective and hurt the game then, and it will do the same to OSRS
It was ineffective and hurt the game then, and it will do the same to OSRS
