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This article contains information about an upcoming update. It should consist only of facts from official Jagex releases and not speculation or predictions. For further details, see our future content policy.
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This page is a list of upcoming RuneScape updates.
Skilling
Skilling outfits
In January 2018 the Divine Simulacrum Outfits (Divination elite skilling outfits) will be made available through game play. Additionally, skill outfit add-ons will be added to the reward shops for their respective outfits.[1]
Skilling diversity updates
A work in progress image of deep sea fishing that was tweeted by Mod AoB[2]
A new model of a crane that was created for deep sea fishing that was tweeted by Mod AoB[3]
Jagex are aiming to introduce more fun and sociable skilling methods; with more rewards being gained when they are used interactively with other players. Ideas for new Thieving and Fishing training methods were shown at RuneFest 2017.
Deep sea fishing is the first activity that will be released. It will be available to players with a range of Fishing levels, and will encourage them to fish in a hub area together. The minimum Fishing level to participate will be around level 68 (the same as is required to enter the Fishing Guild. It will have several different activities including:
- Fishing spots where players must click on the active spot to gain the best experience rate. These would not give fish but may award a kind of reward currency. Success rate will depend on the player's Fishing level, up to a maximum of 100% success rate at level 99. This is intended to give the best Fishing experience rate in game: Prifddinas Waterfall Fishing experience rates may be adjusted to achieve this.
- Baitable spots where players may throw bait into spots to attract fish and create a new fishing spot. These may contain fish that are already in-game but which are hard to obtain, such as sea turtles and manta rays from Fishing Trawler.
- Shoal fishing spots for new kinds of stackable fish which would be low healing, with unique uses or the ability to be traded in.
- Ourania Runecrafting Altar style fishing spots: giving the player the chance to catch a range of fish, including those that they do not meet the Fishing level requirements for, at a very low catch rate.
- Sail fish will have the highest Fishing level requirements and will heal more than other fish in the game.
- Random events and interactions.[4]
Safecracking will be an expansion to the Thieves' Guild aimed at players with level 65-95 Thieving. It will involve the player looting from treasuries across RuneScape. Players will gain experience while trying to open a safe, with a larger experience drop when successfully opening the safe. Doing so will have the chance to gain legendary items, which will act as Thieving perks that grant the player experience and hanky points. New tiers of hanky point rewards will be added, allowing the player to unlock additional loot bags and safecracking techniques. Rewards will include the ability to put a lockpick and stethoscope on the tool belt, as well as stun protection to prevent being stunned while thieving.[5][6]
Mod Timbo is also working on a design for Firemaking that will give the skill a key milestone.[7]
Off-hand skilling items
Concept art for the magical relics.
Off-hand skilling items called magical relics will be added. The relics will have "themes" that grant benefits for skilling. Possible themes may be:
- Sacrifice: damages or kills the player while giving more buffs
- Restoration: buffs for skilling potions, regrowing locations
- Time: make complex training methods less intense
- Elemental
- Destruction: destroy resources for alternative rewards
Magical relics will give set effects when used with the associated regular experience-boosting set. Relics and the catalyst fragments will be made augmentable, allowing the player to use skilling perks with the items. A further off-hand skilling item may be a heroic, elven related item.[8] This would be a rare crystal item with lore relating to Lady Trahaearn.[9]
Mining and Smithing rework
Mining and Smithing was expected to get an update in the second half of 2017.[10] However Jagex found it difficult to produce a concept that could satisfy all players' expectations. An in-game poll was used to determine whether players would rather have an update to introduce new content at the higher levels of the skills, with a full rework being left to another future update.[11] Players voted in favour of having a complete rework of the skills, and it was stated at RuneFest 2017 that development had started around mid-September.[12] As part of the rework many pieces of content related to Mining and Smithing will be altered, including monster drop tables. Urns will likely be reworked to include a new decorated smelting urn, with strong smelting urns being changed to require level 70.[13] A beta for the update is expected in early 2018.[14]
Mining rocks will no longer deplete and there will no longer be competition with other players for ores. When mining the player will receive experience every time that they "strike" a rock (every 4 ticks). The player's Mining level and pickaxe will affect how much experience is gained per strike. Additionally, 1/10 of the player's Strength level will be added to their Mining level in determining the experience gained per strike. Stat boosts will affect the Mining level used to calculate the experience gained.
For each strike the player will make progress towards gaining an ore, shown on a progress bar above the character's head. The amount of progress gained will depend on the player's Mining level and the tier of pickaxe that they use. Lower tier pickaxes will not be effective in mining higher tier rocks. Approximately every minute a nearby rock of the same time that the player is mining will "exploding". Player can click this to gain 10 times more progress towards gaining an ore for one strike. Ores will be stored in an ore bag that will spawn automatically in the player's inventory when they are mining. Players can click the bag to fill it without interrupting mining. Higher tier ores take up more spaces in the bag. With this update the coal bag will be altered, possibly by making it an upgrade to increase the capacity of the ore bag.
A resting mechanic will be added: every so often the character will take a break from mining for around 15 seconds. Players can re-click the rock early to gain a better experience rate, or choose not to click and wait until the character automatically resumes mining. The player's Agility level will determine how long a rest lasts and their Mining level will determine how frequently breaks are needed.
New tiers of ore will be added:
- Coal (level 30) will no longer be necessary for high level Smithing. To preserve its usefulness it may be used in the heat mechanic.
- Luminite ore (level 40) will replace coal as the secondary ingredient for adamant and runite bars.
- Runite ore (level 50)
- Drakolith ore (tier 60) will be for a weaker version of the dragon equipment that is forged by the dragonkin. It will not require use of the dragonkin forge to make. Drakolith won't be used to upgrade crystal pickaxes or hatchets or ascension crossbows.
- Necrite ore (tier 70) will require phasmatite ore as a secondary ingredient.
- Bane ore (tier 80) will require dark animica ore as a secondary. This is currently planned to use a similar idea to existing bane ores: the new bane ore will be used to make bane weapons that can be used to tune towards more things, with the weapons being boosted from tier 60 to tier 80 stats against the intended targets.
- Elder rune bars (tier 90) will be made out of three ores: colossite ore/elder runite ore; living rock ore; and light animica ore.
To preserve the value of dragon and crystal pickaxes, the tier 70 necrite pickaxe will be worse than them and will not be augmentable. Higher tier pickaxes will require the crystal pickaxe as part of their upgrade. The tier 90 pickaxe will be augmentable.
Smithing will gain a new hopper system for storing ores and bars. Ores and bars will be deposited directly from the inventory/ore bag into the hopper, which will be shared across all furnaces and anvils. When smelting bars will go into the player's inventory, but they may be deposited straight back into the hoppper. Smithing will use materials directly from the hopper.
Similarly to the planned mechanics for Mining, Smithing experience will be gained per "strike" while smithing: every 2 ticks while using an anvil. Strikes will count towards a progress bar which grants an unfinished item upon completion. A second progress bar will show how much "heat" that the item has. Every anvil will have a forge next to it to produce heat: the higher the heat the more progress and experience will be gained per strike. No progress will be made with 0% heat; 0-50% heat will give regular progress; 50-75% will give 2x progress; 75-90% will give 3x progress; 90-100% will give 4x progress.
Additionally, Smithing with have upgraded, +X, versions of base equipment. +X items will have the same level required to smith and equip as base versions, but will will have +X tier stats. Players will be be able to create +1, +2, +3, +4, and +5 versions of base equipment: with the tier of equipment determining how the maximum number of times it can be upgraded:
- Not upgradeable: bronze
- +1: iron
- +2: mithril, adamant
- +3: rune, drakolith
- +4: necrite, bane
- +5: elder runite
Creating +X items will give better experience than creating regular items and they will be tradeable. When an item is upgraded the maximum number of times the player will be able to convert it into an untradeable decorated version. It will be possible t then give decorated items into an NPC to gain a large amount of experience.[15]
Farming
Mod Easty is working on a rewrite of Farming code in RuneScape, including reworking how ticks work within the skill. This may allow for new quality of life features such as left-click planting (bypassing interfaces) and the previously scrapped Farming timer concept to be implemented.[16]
Combat
Solak
Solak is a new boss that will be located within The Lost Grove. It is intended for release some time around March 2018.[17] The boss will be killed in solo or multiplayer, with a maximum of 7 players. Each body part will have its own health bar. The boss will be a product of the anima, similar to Telos and Vorago. It will drop tier 92 dual wield Ranged weapons.[18]
Hostilius
Mod Pi is working on creating a new demon boss called Hostilius that players will have to kill "from the inside out". The fight will scale to the number of players in a group (or solo). It will have three difficulty levels: casual, regular, and hardcore.[19]
New Slayer monsters from Dungeoneering
A stalker Slayer task will be added; players will be able to complete the task by killing either seekers or soulgazers from Dungeoneering. They will be added to Zamorak's Stronghold and will require level 71 and 99 Slayer to kill, respectively, as well as completion of Dishonour among Thieves. They will drop the hexhunter bow, which will be tier 80 with a 15% damage boost against magic using creatures and increased accuracy against enemies weak to arrows. The hexhunter bow will be augmentable and degradeable. Tier 80 stalker arrows will also be added: these will be fletched at level 95 Fletching from dark arrows and stalker essence from the monsters.[20] Lore books will also be a possible drop from the monsters.[21]
The Slayer monsters will have elite monster spawns; these will have a rare chance of giving the sneekerpeeper pet.[22] Regular monsters will drop seeker charms and soul gazer charms. Seeker charms may be used on a portal to increase the chance of elite soul gazers spawning: the elite soul gazers will have an increased chance of dropping hexhunter bows. Soulgazer charms will be involved in unlocking the baby soulgazer pet.
Player as a Slayer Master
The concept of the player becoming a Slayer Master was discussed at RuneFest 2017. In the future this may be possible, with NPCs coming to the player to receive tasks and ask for advice about strategies and gear. The player would then gain some of the NPC's loot and experience, depending on how good their advice was.[23]
Penguins in space: musical raids
Mods Deg and Raven worked on a fun practice-mode like Raids encounter during the Game Jam in February 2017. To enter the encounter players must board a space ship and then co-operate as a team to maintain their ship's wellbeing by following instructions which are given to them. If the team is able to successfully maintain ship wellbeing then they will arrive at the boss fight.
During the fight, players will fight in combat against Beatsmaster Zurgdag (Beastmaster Durzag) while music is played. Yamaharu (Yakamaru) will spectate the fight. Additional mechanics will involve maintaining the players' volume meter while decreasing the volume meter of the bosses. [24]
Giant Mimic boss
Mod Shauny is working on permanently[25] bringing back the Giant Mimic boss in his TAPP time. [26] The boss is currently in QA and is planned to be released early in 2018.[27] The Giant Mimic's drop table will be re-balanced: previous cosmetic rewards will be obtainable but will be rarer, as will scrimshaws, which will also be dropped in smaller quantities. Ironmen will have an alternative drop table. Mimic kill tokens will be required to kill the boss and these will be tradeable.[28]
Combat fixes
- Specific numbers will be added for certain buffs/debuffs.[29]
- Gizmos will be visible on augmented items when examining another player.[30]
- An update to Shattered Worlds will make its gameplay more interesting and will be worked on after Invention batch 2.[31] There will be new objectives and hiscores of different types.[32]
- Clan Wars' rule selection and wars in progress interfaces will be updated.[33]
- Raids will receive improvements, such as reasons to do Raids more often; a better grouping system; reducing the amount of players required; improving the jellyfish (e.g. by giving buffs from killing it); and a gold version of the Daredevil title. The title would require the player to complete all Raids feats in one run without dying.[34]
- Corrupted slayer helmet is being improved by Ninjas. One of the improvements is 5% higher capture rate of souls. Also the improved capture rate (as if you were on task) will be lowered from 200m slayer experience to level 120 slayer.[35]
- Tier 90 augmentable degrade to dust weapons and armours will be able to level up to level 20.[36]
- Bounty Hunter will be fixed; this will involve useful rewards being redistributed to other content.[37]
- Mod Daze is working on making Telos more accessible for players who are colourblind.[38]
Quests and events
Replayable Sliske's Endgame
The replay interface
Mod Raven is working on making Sliske's Endgame replayable in a future update. This is currently in QA[39] and is planned to be released in early 2018.[40] The following fixes and changes will be added with the update:[41]
- Ability to play through a second time.
- Adjust past choices on non-canon playthroughs.
- Add a "lore maze" for non-canon playthroughs where players can go straight to the maze, skip solving it and just do the interaction parts. Players will be able to choose what interactions they will have in what order.
- Fix clickout bug for interactions so players will be able to see if they missed interactions.
- Change dialogue in final scene so that the player can pledge the stone to a god of their choice.
- Adjust dialogue for Zaros, if you are loyal to him.
- Added Akrisae to the final scene.
- Updated model for Sliske to have the staff at the stone scene.
- Other potential fixes are making shards augmentable; letting the player get Armadyl's feather if they are loyal to him throughout the quest, and making the maze interface show which rooms the player has already been through.
There may also be an alteration to the ending of the quest so that Armadyl reclaims the Empyrean Citadel during a short miniquest; with the area potentially becoming a social or skilling area.[42]
Pieces of Hate
During RuneFest 2017 it was announced that the next quest to be developed would be Pieces of Hate, a continuation of the pirate quest series.[43] It is currently under development by Mod Raven, Mod Chaose and Mod Rowley. [44] and is aimed for released some time around February 2018. [45] NPCs including Mi-Gor[46], Barrelchest, Cap'n Izzy No-Beard, and other pirates will be graphically updated with the release of the quest.[47] It will also see new characters, like Madame Shih, who will be a bridge between the pirates and Eastern Lands.
Murder Mystery quest
Mod Osborne and Mod Krista began working on a murder mystery style quest as part of GameJam. It will involve only female characters, and will be based around discovering who has killed a beloved character. The quest will have a similar feel to One Piercing Note, with the player solving the murder mystery. The quest will have a unique mechanic where the player investigates the environment and enters text into a "search engine" interface to receive more clues; this will allow for its events to be played out of sequence.[48] Mod Krista has been working on the quest in her TAPP time.[49]
In-game events calendar
Mods Erator and Chaplain have been working on an in-game calendar as part of a GameJam project. This is being tested and is intended for release early in 2018.[50] The calendar will record events such as Treasure Hunter promotions, official livestreams and Jagex moderator events. There may also be support for showing when an account's membership expires and for "super events" which would take over the square for an entire day to notify the player of important updates.[51] The calendar has been developed and is awaiting QA testing.[52]
Burthorpe Games Room update
Mod Tomb is working on an update to make it possible for players to play games from the Burthorpe Games Room while skilling across RuneScape is planned. Initially it may only be possible for players on the same world to challenge each other.[53] [54]
Reworks
God Wars Dungeon bosses
Graphical and animation updates for the God Wars Dungeon bosses were planned for August 2017,[55][56] but have not yet been released.
Treasure Trails
A rework for clue scrolls is being worked on by the ninja team[57] and was aimed for release in Winter 2017.[58] This is intended to make completing clue scrolls more rewarding. The rework will look at addressing players' most requested changes to clues:
- Allowing players to have multiple clues of the same tier, with only one being active. Players will have a "soft cap" of being able to have up to 5 clues of each tier at any one time. Sources such as the skeletal horror and aquarium will not be included in this and players will be able to obtain more than 5 clue scrolls using these sources.[59]
- Improving Guthix and Saradomin wizards (making them left-clickable in the Wilderness, graphically updating them and Uri[60], making them weak to all combat styles, and making them use melee attacks only when the player is in melee range). Zamorak wizards will only occur in the Wilderness.[61]
- Make hints more helpful/less misleading.
- Allow skillers to get more clue scrolls. Clue scrolls will be obtainable from Mining, Fishing, Woodcutting, and Divination.[62]
- Add a new clue tier: master clues.
- Look at drop tables.
- Add a collection log (similar to the Boss collection log). The items obtained from clues are already being tracked since an update in Autumn 2017.
- All clue rewards will be given as a casket,[63] and puzzle caskets will turn into normal caskets after the final puzzle is solved.[64] There will be no limit on the amount of caskets a player can have at once, and caskets will be bankable.[65]
- Introduce STASH (store-things-and-stuff-here) units to store the items required for emote clues. Players will be able to build STASH units near to locations required by emote clues with the appropriate Construction level.[66]
- Improve anagram clues by making them point to more relevant and recognisable NPCs and making the anagrams use recognisable words and hint towards their solution.[67]
- Players will be able to have up to 3 rerolls per tier of clue at once.[68]
- Scan clues locations in the desert will all be on the eastern side of the River Elid and locations in the Kharazi Jungle will all be located within the jungle (Herblore Habitat locations will be removed).[69]
- Meerkats will increase a scan clue's range by 5.[70]
- New rewards including the ice dye,[71] following a successful in-game poll; second age equipment; a flaming sword cosmetic override for main-hand and off-hand weapons; ballgown and tuxedo outfits that will be for male and female players; pyjamas; and a robin hood outfit with an upgrade to increase its stats.[72]
- A reward to make the character leave a visible footprint trail may be added at a later time.[73]
An NPC called Argento will be added to the area just outside the main entrance to the Varrock Grand Exchange. Argento will give players advice about clue scrolls and will provide the player with a clue scroll, dependent on their level, upon the release of the rework. From here players will be able to access an interface which will have the ability to toggle receiving clue scrolls of particular tiers and show all possible STASH unit locations (organised by clue tier) and whether a player has built and filled the unit at each. An information board will also be added to this area; showing the statistics of the last 50 clue scrolls to be completed on the player's current world.[74]
A reward currency will be added for completing clues. This may be used to buy the trailblazer outfit, which will consist of four items and backpack. Each piece of the outfit will have an active ability to help in solving clue scrolls:
- The boots will allow the player increased run energy, similar to the Oo'glog pool effect.
- The gloves will allow the player to use teleports directly from their bank.
- The shorts will allow the player to perform the required emote for an emote clue.
- The backpack will allow the player to swap their active clue for another clue of the same tier.
- The jacket will allow the player to teleport directly to their active clue's location.
Using these abilities will require the player to use charges. One charge will be gained for every five clues that the player completes. Each outfit piece may store up to 3 charges per piece. Owning a full outfit grants additional passive bonuses:
- An additional charge may be stored per outfit piece.
- One less clue will be required to gain a charge.
- Players may store an additional clue reward reroll (four instead of three) with two outfit pieces, and can store five rerolls with a full outfit.
- The outfit will act as the items required for a clue, if the appropriate items are stored in the clue's hidey hole.
- Acts as luck of the dwarves for clues.
- One less step will be required to complete clues.[75]
Banks
Concept for the bank rework
The ninja team has been working on an update for banks that was aimed for release during the second half of 2017.[76] However, due to the larger than anticipated amount of work on the game engine, this update is currently on hold while the engine team finishes work on RuneScape Mobile.[77]
However, some changes that do not require engine work are being worked and will be released sooner than those that require engine work. These include access Diango from the bank, a clean-up service like the Wise Old Man's, and access to the costume room in the player-owned house if those pieces of furniture are built.
Clan avatars
Mod Moltare was working on changes to clan avatars, however he has since left Jagex.[78] The project has since been finished by Mod Shauny and is now going through code review and QA:[79]
- The anagogic orts system will be removed: clan members will not need to pay orts to receive avatar buffs. Instead clan members will be able to activate their weekly buff using the avatar control stone which will be located next to the avatar habitat.
- Clan members can choose between a buff of having 10% increased resource gain from clan skill plots or base XP boost of 3% (increased up to an additional 3% with rank 1, 2, or 3 clan fealty).
- The avatar warden clan job will no longer be required to summon an avatar.
- The heal over time, familiar faces, auto ort, random resurrection, and protector avatar buffs will be removed.
- Each clan member can summon a clan avatar via the follower pets section of the pets interface, if they are in a clan with an active avatar habitat and have activated their weekly buff.
- Avatars' gather resources while in citadel action will be accessible by the avatar control stone. Avatars will gather resources while summoned as pets up to a weekly maximum that is shared by the clan, scaling based on habitat tier.
- Avatar customisation will be accessible via the avatar control stone for clan admins.
- The clan XP buff icon will only show one icon which will display the total % of additional experience being gained by the player.
- A buff icon will be added for the skill plot bonus buff.
- The Clan Noticeboard will not longer show statuses of avatars.
- The clan avatar will have a special appearance when stored in a menagerie.
- The Woodcutting, Mining, and Firemaking skill plots will grant more clan resources when used.
- The Crafting, Mining, Smithing, Firemaking, and Woodcutting skill plots experience will be increased by 20% between level 80 and 99.
- Urns will be filled by skilling at skill plots.
- The active obelisk at the Summoning skill plot will change every 30 seconds, instead of every 17.
- The chance to break a root while training at the Woodcutting skill plot will be reduced.[80]
Mod Moltare had been working with Mod Asherz to make changes to the game engine to allow clan avatars to work with familiar overrides,[81] before he left his job.[82]
Seers' Village
Concept map of the Seers Village graphical rework.
The next in-game area to be graphically reworked will be Seers' Village and Camelot. Mod AoB is working on the update in between other projects.[83] Currently the rework is at the stage of moving buildings around and blocking them out. Jagex are planning to make Camelot castle larger and built into the mountainside. Some unnecessary things, such as the estate agent, will be removed from the village.[84] The Seers' Village Courthouse will be moved into Camelot castle and the coal truck mining site will be moved closer to Seers' Village furnace.[85]
Dailies
The number of daily repeatable events will be addressed; several design options are being discussed.[86]
Other
Aura interface
An aura bag was expected to be released in July 2017, but due to negative player feedback a new concept is now being worked on by Mod Edge.[87] A larger aura interface update is now planned: the aura interface will store auras and allow players to use vis wax on auras and buy new auras through the interface. The interface will show the currently active aura and will stay open during combat. It will also have search and favourite options.[88] There will be toggles for a plain text list of auras in the interface, as well as a toggle for warning if the player tries to equip an aura while already having one active.[89]
RuneScape Mobile
RuneScape Mobile is an upcoming version of RuneScape and Old School RuneScape announced on 17 July 2017. The main version of RuneScape will not be available to play on mobile until 2018. Old School RuneScape was originally planned for release in Winter 2017 but has been delayed until January 2018.[90]
Group Ironman
An update for Ironman Mode players, which will allow Ironman players to interact freely with each other, was announced at RuneFest 2017.[91] Mod Ramen will be working on this after Solak is released, which is intended to be around March 2018. He will however be working on group ironman as TAPP prior to this.[92]
Microtransactions
The Live Events team are currently working on updating the Members Loyalty Programme; this will include a review of current loyalty store items.[93] Treasure Hunter will also be reworked.[94]
Customer Support
The following changes to customer support will be made in future updates:
- Reinstatement of a system to allow permanently banned players to appeal their bans[95]
- Live text-based conversations about a limited range of issues with Jagex Moderators in the customer support team[96]
Miscellaneous
The following fixes are planned for future updates:
- Mod Timbo's current long-term projects include increasing the value of seeds; increasing ghostly essence drops; and removing resources from PvM.[97][98]
- Mod Edge is working on improving the skill guide:
- Mod Osborne and Mod Ramen are working on adding examine texts to The Lost Grove.[101]
- More tier 92 weapons will be made dyable in December 2017.[102]
- Optimisations will be made to the game including FPS improvements, fix camera at Barrows, and targetting for monsters which will allow the players to begin attacking using abilities rather than auto-attacks.[103]
References
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