Community Topics:
In Case You Missed It + Our Reactions to Last Week
- Last week we previewed our Regrounding Items project and also updated our Combat Modernisation beta. We also shared that we have decided that, to make sure that the Combat update launches with the quality you expect, we want to extend our beta tests by one week.
This means that the Combat Modernisation update will now launch on the 2nd of March and not on the 23rd of February.
- Since Thursday afternoon we have also been closely monitoring your thoughts and discussions on the planned changes for the Regrounding Items project – thank you so much for continuing to engage with our Road to Restoration progress and helping make RuneScape the best it possibly can be.While there are some changes that could be more easily implemented than others (e.g. reshading new elite skill outfits towards skill specific colours), we understand the concern that the best solution may not have been found just yet, and that it might be worth taking more time to explore the options.
With that in mind, we will shuffle this first Regrounding Items update later into the year, perhaps to be rolled into its previously planned second iteration – no specific date is currently locked in. - That means the Regrounding Items update will not launch on the 23rd of February as previously planned, but it does allow us to continue to iterate on changes needed.
- A note on our aims around sharing previews and getting you involved early. Our goal is to ultimately be in a place where we can complete our designs/concepts, then share these with you early enough to allow us time to consider good feedback during the actual implementation. Doing so will also mean more accurate “Month Ahead” forecasting. We will continue to work towards this long-range planning and sharing throughout the year ahead, but it can sometimes be difficult as even when projects are moving at a very normal development speed, they can come together very rapidly.
- For example, the Regrounding Items work was coming together at the natural speed that our team works and iterates upon – It is this same speed that allows us to launch updates on a weekly basis and generally be able to react to feedback from the community. Where possible, we are often able to iterate fast enough to make significant improvements with just a little bit more time, as is our plan with the one week extension on the Combat Beta. That may not be possible for every project though.
- Ultimately our ability to work at pace needs to be balanced by solid underlying designs and concepts that also bear in mind the mountain of work ahead of us on the Road to Restoration. Focusing resources on one project, for example, creating a new silhouette across multiple outfits, can easily have knock-on effects on other work. That doesn't mean we need to rush solutions, but it does mean we have to use our time carefully to address the biggest player pain points while still meeting the expectations set out in the roadmap.
We also want to better highlight where our JMods have provided some smaller insights into non-megathread discussions over the last week. Here are a few highlights:
- Mod Anvil on Wicked Hood functionality, teleports and polling
- Mod Breezy on future mid/late game balancing
- Mod Anvil on current Marketplace Limitations regarding bundling
- Mod Luma on Havenhythe Examines
- Mod Anvil on the mobile web experience
The Week Ahead:
- Early game Rebalance:
- The early game rebalance is launching today. Check out the dedicated blog post for all associated changes and patch notes.
- As part of today's launch, Mod Yuey will be hosting Mod Breezy and Mod Desert as special JMod guests on the RuneScape Twitch Stream later today. Join us between 17:00 and 18:00 Game Time on https://www.twitch.tv/runescape to chat about all things Early Game Rebalance
- Aura Overhaul
- Another blog in our Road to Restoration series, we'll be previewing our design direction for how to tackle Aura's later today Monday, February 16th.
- Combat Modernisation Update
- Our Combat Modernisation Update beta enters another week of testing. We will likely be updating the beta one more time towards the end of this week (Thursday or Friday), so keep an eye out for the associated blog then.
Early Game Rebalance
New Beginnings
Today we’re launching a rebalance of several early-game systems and skills to iron out inconsistencies and smooth out progression for players fresh off Tutorial Island. We’re cutting down on unnecessary friction in those early levels by tackling issues like shrimp catch rates, pickpocket stun chances, drop tables, and more.
Our goal is to make skilling feel simple, rewarding, and engaging, encouraging players to naturally grow into the deeper systems each skill has to offer as they get more invested. And this is just the start we’ll be following up with a similar update focused on mid- and late-game progression later this year.
There’s a lot more to cover, jump into the standalone blog to see everything that’s changing.
Re-Billing Email Alert Reminder
New Failed Payment Service Email
We're introducing a new automated service email that will be sent if a scheduled membership payment doesn't go through. If you receive this message, don’t worry. It's a standard notification letting you know there was an issue processing your payment and guiding you on how to update your details if needed.
Payment issues can happen for many reasons, such as expired cards or bank regulations, and this alert is simply to help you take action quickly and avoid any interruption to your membership. As always, please stay vigilant when it comes to your account security.
While this email is a legitimate part of our account support process, phishing attempts do still occur and bad actors may attempt to fool you using this new email alert. If you're ever unsure about an email claiming to be from Jagex, please keep the following in mind:
- We only send these notifications from no-reply@contact.jagex.com
- Attackers may still be able to spoof this address, however, it should be flagged as spam by your email provider in most situations.
- We will never ask for your password via email.
- Links provided in the email go to our billing page via the Jagex Launcher. If you have any doubt, do not click links in the email. Instead, visit the official Old School RuneScape or RuneScape website directly and review your account there.
Your account security is important to us, and this update is simply part of keeping things running smoothly.
Patch Notes
Fixes and Improvements in this Week's Game Update
General
- Clickboxes for evergreen trees have been made slightly smaller.
- The augmented elite tectonic inventory models have been rotated 11 degrees clockwise for consistency reasons.
- Fixed sorting issue for The Christmas Workshop track in the Music Player.
- Corrected a category increment when sorting the quest list by Release Date.
- Items from the bank cannot be withdrawn anymore while opening the Group Ironman Storage.
- Deathtouched darts used on training dummies no longer trigger the 15 minute kill count cooldown.
- Elstan should now accept marigolds grown by everyone.
- Improved text display when opening a scan clue with Meerkat familiars summoned
- All 7 questions asked by Wise Old Man in Garden of Tranquility quest should be visible.
- City of Menaphos reputation Overview tab is interactive again.
- Fixed the fishing spots near the bridge in Barbarian Village so they are reachable again.
- The Draynor Seed should no longer flicker to its older model when successfully stealing from it.
- "Teleport to Clan Camp" takes you to the correct location next to the GE.
- The Blue Moon Inn sign is now correctly located at the front of the building on the main road.
- The Dark Wizard's Tower lectern can no longer be walked into.
- The Cooking range in the Observatory has been expedited from the wall.
Community
The latest updates from our community
Community Creations
Runetube
Pink Skirts Player Events
Each week the Pink Skirts put on a selection of fun activities that everyone can join. Here are the main events this week:
Mega Duck Runs
- When: Friday 20th February, 18:00 Gametime
- Who: Mega Duck, IcyLove & Mr Quick
- Where: Falador Park
- World: 39
- FC: Mega Duck
Kalphite King
- When: Sunday 22nd February, 20:00 Gametime
- Who: Pippyspot & Boss Guild
- Where: Exiled Kalphite Hive
- World: 88
- FC: Boss Guild
Skill 'n' Chill
- When: Thursday 19th February, 20:00 Gametime
- Who: MandyPandy and Spirits of Arianwyn.
- Where: Fort Forinthry
- World: 116
If these don't take your fancy, take a look at the full events schedule here. There’s sure to be something you’ll enjoy!
Community Spotlight
Achievement Help
Achievement Help is your go-to hub for everything achievement-related in RuneScape. Whether you're working toward Max, Completionist, Master Quest, or Trimmed Comp, the community is there to help you set goals and achieve them.
With guides for every achievement, optimal 200M XP routes, an up-to-date True Trim list, and roles to help with song unlocks and group content, you’ll find the support you need. It’s a friendly, knowledgeable community focused on helping everyone succeed.
Join the community below! https://discord.gg/ahelp
AHelp Events
FC: Ahelp
- Wednesday 18th February at 07:00 GMT - Penguin Hide and Seek! We will be hunting down those sneaky penguins for Penguin Points which can be exchanged for experience or gold. You can also progress the From Ardougne with Love and Penguin Adoption Agency achievements if you haven't unlocked them already.
- Friday 20th February at 20:30 - Rex Matriarchs! This event is perfect for players of all levels looking to learn the mechanics of this boss!
- Saturday 21st February at 18:00 GMT - Croesus! Conquer the Croesus skilling boss! This event is perfect for players of all levels looking to learn the mechanics of this unique encounter.
- Sunday 22nd February at 19:15 GMT - Penguin Hide and Seek! We will be hunting down those sneaky penguins for Penguin Points which can be exchanged for experience or gold. You can also progress the From Ardougne with Love and Penguin Adoption Agency achievements if you haven't unlocked them already.
- The RuneScape Team
Mods Alex, Anvil, Astra, Azanna, Bak, Blkwitch, Boko, Brat, Breezy, Brig, Camel, Chaose, Dark, Daze, Desert, Dorn, Dragon, Drew, Drewid, Easty, Echo, Evad, Fallen, Forza, Fox, Frosch, Grace, Gunner, Helen, Ink, Keyser, Kristy, Lilith, Lucifer, Luma, Lykos, Lynx, Makkari, MIC, Morty, Nemo, Neong, Nixon, Noms, Pearce, Peppy, Perpetua, Pickle, Pigeon, Rain, Ramen, Rat, Reaper, Rowley, Ryan, Samy, Shiba, Shrew, Shrike, Socks, Soul, Sponge, Spyro, Stu, Sukotto, Titus, Tri, Vegard, Volta, Who, Wov, Yuey & Zura