RuneScape is a Java-based MMORPG operated by Jagex Ltd. With over ten million active free accounts[1] and more than one million paid member accounts,[2] RuneScape is rated among the most popular online games in the world.[3] More than five million unique players access their accounts to play RuneScape at least once per month.[4] RuneScape offers both free and subscription content and is designed to be accessible from any location with an Internet connection and to run in an ordinary web browser without straining system resources.[5]
Andrew Gower created DeviousMUD, the forerunner to RuneScape, in 1998. Rewritten and renamed, the first version of RuneScape was released to the public on 4 January 2001. Since its release, the game has been praised for its free-playing abilities and its availability on a web browser.
RuneScape takes place in the fantasy-themed realm of Gielinor,[6] which is divided into several different kingdoms, regions, and areas.[7] Players can travel throughout the gaming world on foot, by using magical teleportation spells or devices, or mechanical means of transportation.[8] Each region offers different types of monsters, materials, and quests to challenge players.
Players are shown on the screen as customisable avatars. They set their own goals and objectives, deciding which of the available activities to pursue. There is no linear path that must be followed. Players can engage in combat with other players or with monsters, complete quests, or increase their experience in any of the available skills.[9] Players interact with each other through trading, chatting, or playing combative or cooperative mini-games.
History and development
DeviousMUD, the forerunner to RuneScape, was created in 1998 by Andrew Gower. The game, which was never publicly released, used isometric graphics. In 1999, Gower completely rewrote the game, albeit with no improvements to the graphics or several other aspects of the game. This version was released as a public beta version for approximately one week before it was withdrawn.[10]
As a Cambridge University undergraduate, Gower worked on a complete rewrite of the game with the assistance of his brother, Paul Gower.[11] The isometric view was replaced by a mixture of both three-dimensional and two-dimensional sprites. The game, renamed RuneScape, was released to the public as a beta version on 4 January 2001[12] and was originally operated from their parents' house in Nottingham.[11] In December 2001, the Gower brothers and Constant Tedder formed Jagex to take over the business aspects of running RuneScape.[12]
On 27 February 2002, a membership service was made available, allowing players who choose to pay a monthly fee to access a variety of additional features including new areas, quests, and items. This service significantly changed the focus of the game.
As RuneScape became more popular, Jagex began planning major changes. Although only a graphical update was initially planned,[13] the developers opted instead to rewrite the game engine completely, introducing a version that consisted entirely of three-dimensional graphics, with other significant improvements. While in development, this version was known as RuneScape 2. A beta version of the new engine was made available to paying members on 1 December 2003, and the finished version was launched on 29 March 2004.[14] Upon release, RuneScape 2 was renamed RuneScape, and the older version of the game was kept online as RuneScape Classic. On 12 January 2006, Jagex banned more than 5000 Classic accounts due to cheating. At the same time, RuneScape Classic was closed to new accounts and restricted to paying members who had played Classic at least once since 3 August 2005, and once every six months after that.[15]
On 16 May 2006, Jagex upgraded RuneScape's game engine, primarily as a back-end upgrade rather than a visible graphical boost.[16] In particular, the amount of memory required to run RuneScape was significantly reduced, allowing the game to be expanded and improved without increasing the loading time for most players. The engine was upgraded once again on 26 June 2007 to allow Jagex to add more complex content to RuneScape in the future.[17]
On 5 July 2007, an article was released in which Andrew Gower told an interviewer he saw a release of RuneScape onto the seventh generation of gaming consoles (the Wii, the Xbox 360, and the PlayStation 3) as "tempting"; however, he states that there are no current plans to do so.[18]
RuneScape servers are located in seven countries; USA, Canada, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Australia, Finland, and Sweden.
lol i remember this from fresh prince...lolz!!
carltons danceing o.o..too funny to imagine!~
-AQN
AnimeQueenNyu 3 years ago 6
its beter then ur sony vegas pro vid blood to bleed or whatever my opinion 5/5
captaindcc 3 years ago 5