Examine

From the RuneScape Wiki, the wiki for all things RuneScape

Examine is a feature in RuneScape that allows players to examine objects closely. Almost anything in RuneScape can be examined, whether items, non-player characters, interactive scenery, and even non-interactive scenery. To examine an object, right-click it and click on "Examine" (see Game controls). A short description of the object will appear on the chat interface.

Examining items is often not very useful for anything other than interest. One particularly unhelpful example can be seen when examining opal bolt tips, which yields the message: "Opal bolt tips." However, Jagex often uses examine text to include cultural references. For example, examining a war tortoise returns the message "Definitely not teenaged, although the jury is out on its ninja skills." This is a reference to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Also, Jagex may sometimes put humor into the examines, like The Examiner. "Upon examining the Examiner, you examine it is indeed an examiner!"

Examining some items or scenery during quests can be valuable, or even necessary. For example, examining the levers on the bottom level of the Abandoned Mine during the Haunted Mine quest lets the player know which lever is which.

[edit] Player-made examine

The most notable in-game entities that cannot be examined are human players. Many players would like to be able to define their own examine text that others can read, and have posted this opinion on the RuneScape Forums. However, this suggestion remains on the "Do Not Suggest" list, a Jagex-controlled list of suggestions that players are not permitted to discuss^[1].

The reason for this policy seems to be the potential problem of people attributing inappropriate examine text to themselves. Mod Craddock said of the proposal: "It's quite a nice idea but it could be quite difficult for us to stop players from writing horribly insulting examines. Can you think of any solution to this?"^[2].

Players responded by saying that examine text should be subject to the chat filter, and inappropriate text should be reportable under the Rule 1 - Offensive Language. They have even suggested that all player-made examine text should be checked manually by Jagex before "going live", and offenders should have their right to provide their examine text revoked.

Despite these suggestions, Jagex does not seem to have any intention of adding this as a feature.

Player spoofs, such as the ones seen while riding gnomecopters, have the 'examine' option. Their examine text is simply 'A player'. However, they are just non-interactive NPCs and are not players.

[edit] References