The Tip.It Times


Issue 199gp

Letters to the Editor #8

Written by and edited by Tip.It

After reading "What's your final goal in Runescape?" I was pleased to finally see someone talking about the most important aspect of Runescape that has been forgotten by most: It is meant to be fun.

Now I believe "fun" can be had in numerous ways and one of those is achieving goals we set for ourselves. But what fun is it having a goal and achieving it if there is no one to gloat about it with? A few months ago I completed what I believed was my ultimate goal in Runescape and got to wear the Quest Points Cape. After I got it I stood down at the Catherby Yew Trees and took a million screen shots of the emote, and then spent a couple of hours working out which outfit looked best with it.

After I had finished being vain I decided I wanted to tell someone of my achievement. After yelling at the top of my lungs in Catherby Bank, I got told to "Shut up", and "Quest Cape is for N00bz". So I looked to my friends list, it stays mostly red now as many of my true Runescape friends have moved on, I saw one of my really good friends from my earlier Runescape days, however I was sad to find the fun gremlins had gotten to him and after telling him of my glorious achievement I got the reply "C00l I've been training agility for three days now and I am in the top 20,000".

A cool was all I got for spending months slowly training my skills to do all the quests. Despite having just achieved a supposedly coveted cape of achievement I felt sad. I remembered when my friends and I had a competition to see who would be the first to hold a dragon weapon, the feverish competition to get 60 attack, running around all chasing the same moss giant then laughing as one of us died because we were paying to much attention to were the next one would spawn and not our health.

These days a long gone now and as I walked around Runescape I realized the world is divided, you either play serious trying to be the richest, the strongest, the most agile, the best PK'er, or the most famous. Or you can be a N00b destined forever to have fun and so be ridiculed by those who have forgotten why they played this "game" in the first place. After my contemplation of this theory I was left with one question, 'To be, or not to be?'

And I am sad to say on that day, when I had completed all the quests, and achieved what should have been the greatest achievement in my Runescape life I quit. I came to the realization that (to use another cliche) it's not the destination it's the journey that's important. So I would just like to say to all current and prospective Runescape players, set goals and achieve them, just make sure you have fun along the way.

-Lortek

Dear Editor:

In the Tip It Article titled, "What's your final goal in Runescape?" the author seems to be searching for the word “progression.” The author attempts to point out that we need to evaluate our goals within the game and decide is it really going to be worth all the time we have spent playing.

The article seems to be offhandedly referring to a new symptom called gaming addiction. I have recently been hearing a new derogatory name popping up now almost as common as “noob.” It’s called “no-lifer.” Apparently now if you have played the game for some time and have worked on your stats then you must not have a life outside of Runescape. Though I am sure this is a serious problem, not every player is a no-lifer. People have different amounts of free time in their lives, and should be allowed to spend it how they choose. It does not mean you should be scheduling time that you can’t be bothered during, locking the doors, turning out the lights, unplugging the phone, and turning your pm’s off in game. Such behavior isn’t healthy and should be dealt with. However, it is not another player’s duty to assign how much time is acceptable in playing games and how much is not. You should not belittle somebody else’s goals or achievements either within the game, or in real life for that matter.

One aspect of Runescape that makes the game so successful is the freedom to play the game in the manner of your own personal choosing. In other words, you can play Runescape however you want. Runescape doesn’t say, “You need to be working on your mining level today. Today is Mining Day.” You can choose to merchant items within the economy, take up staking, make some pk trips to the wildy, participate in entertaining events such as the ones TET organizes, train skills to high levels, complete quests, participate in mini games, or just hang out and have fun with your friends. None of these options are wrong. There is nothing inside the game that even forces you to venture outside of the Lumbridge Castle area.

However it is a game. Most players tend to want to succeed within a game. There is no ending to Runescape. There is no definitive way to “beat” Runescape. Therefore, success is usually measured by making certain personal achievements. These achievements are usually accomplished by setting goals to reach them. It is true that the majority of time spent in Runescape is not achieving your goals, but progressing towards them.

What one has to realize in setting a goal is not only the end result. One has to recognize the progression being made towards your goal. Once you have achieved your goal it should be a proud moment as you reflect on the work put in to reach your goal.

Yes, it is true that a great part of this game is the player interaction. Having the ability to spend time with your friends, or even make new ones will always make this game enjoyable and exciting. However it still is a game that we are playing. Otherwise Runescape would be nothing more than an internet café. Players don’t flood into a bank and say, “Hey, everybody! A/S/L?” This is in part because it may be against the rules, but partly also because this isn’t simply a dating chatroom with pretty graphics.

As the author has indicated, we all eventually set some sort of goals within the game. Runescape is a big environment. If your goal is to cut 1k yews, have the ability to wield a whip, or make 100M then you better strap yourself in because it is going to take some time and patience.

I personally enjoy training my skills, but after awhile training a certain skill can begin to feel like quite a grind. Anything that would require a repetitive task being done over and over again would. If it begins to feel as if you need to be punching a timecard before you log in then you do need to reassess your enjoyment of the game. There is no shame in taking a break. I have quit for as much as a month at a time myself. Another option is to try mini games, or go on a quest. Check out the forums and see if you can find some like minded players who share similar interests. A good conversation (along with some good music) can make the time go by a lot easier.

Another concept that the Editor needs to take into consideration is although reaching a specific goal, or even spending the time progressing towards that goal may not seem fulfilling, it does not reflect the same reaction of every player. I know some players that absolutely despise runecrafting while others just can’t seem to get enough of it. I still remember the first 100k I made in the game. Though at this point in my gaming experience I wouldn’t list it as my top achievement, at the time I was completely excited that I had done something that seemed so unreachable to me before.

In conclusion, I believe that many players who are working towards their goals are fully aware of the time spent playing. If you have earned a 99 stat in any skill you know how much time it took to reach that. Yes, Runescape is just a game, and like a game it is meant for entertainment and enjoyment. However games are typically designed to be both competitive and challenging. Eventually goals are set, both publicly and personally, and there is no more rewarding feeling then to know you were able to accomplish your goals, both within the game, and in real life. Like I have said I prefer skilling, so to answer the Editor’s question that was posed in the title, my final goal in Runescape would obviously be able to have completed all skills to max. However, that isn’t my IMMEDIATE goal in Runescape, and that is what I am more concerned with right now. Right now I want to see if I can cut down this yew tree, and then maybe I will try that recent quest. Sometimes it’s the smallest rewards that we take personal pride in.

Sincerely,
~Jp7725~

Did You Know...
... that poison can be removed from weapons using a cleaning cloth (piece of silk soaked in Karamjan rum).

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Author:

Will you use Menaphos to train your skills?



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