When I log into RuneScape, I have a goal, usually well-defined. It may just be to use my daily low-alch charges and Squeal spin, or to level up my Ranged, clear a dungeon, or get rid of some of the junk in my bank.
But something I also do is aim to collect everything (a different sort of goal); thus why I do every holiday event, even when I'm not actively involved in the game. I am proud to say that I've gotten almost every untradable holiday item in the past eight years in the game. I love the random events, as they give me opportunities to increase my 'collection cred' — in game, I'm always wearing my Tri-Jester hat, something rather uncommon that I've seen maybe four or five of in my time in Gilenor.
I try to collect everything that I can; my bank is organized and contains anything that I might need for skilling or training on a given day. I like to hang on to large quantities of supplies like coal and thread, and tend to hoard my money for a long time before buying one big-ticket item.
I have been more goal-focused of late, and recently hit 40 Ranged finally. I celebrated by looking into green dragonhide, and decided on a set of trimmed armor, just for the 'exclusivity' and the great look. I'm proud of my accomplishments and believe that free players have an opportunity to show their elite levels or veteran status in their actions, if not their equipment.
I have no interest, or at least a lot less, in the typical status symbols you’ll find in the game. I don’t want the best armor just because it’s the best; I want armor that I think looks cool, thus my rune chain and H4 shield instead of a rune plate body. I wear the Fighting Boots because they’re the coolest boots in the game, in my opinion. I don’t really care about the stats they give me — but I do choose the best materials I can wear for my level. I guess I feel as if I have a bit to prove, so I wield rune and green d’hide simply because I can, but with my own personal touches. I’m more than a number or a collection of pixels, I’m a person — and I’ve kitted out my representation accordingly.
You never find the default outfit on someone unless they're a bot — but it's also unlikely that the player spent more than maybe three minutes customizing their character's clothing. I would be that crazy person. I've got to scroll through all the options, pick the right colors, and make sure that the top gels with the bottom... My Herald Cape currently matches my hair — I'm that OCD about my character's appearance. It's even worse in Guitar Hero, where I've created three or four characters, one exactly like me in real life, and one as my 'online persona', who is really quite similar to my RS character. Glasses, tattoos, even the customized instruments must be carefully selected and colored, with no particular goal in mind. I just do it.
You can imagine that my gameplay method in RS is similar to that in other games. I develop a routine for games like Animal Crossing, hitting rocks to gain money, venturing through the town to dig things up, and picking fruit off the trees. I hit up Nook's shop to sell my wares, check his inventory, and then bank my hard-earned cash. There it stays, until I have enough to buy an entire furniture set from the overpriced boutique in the city. I collect the nifty items sent randomly by Nintendo as well as the seasonal event furniture, and I am proud of my home and its decor. I buy the coolest clothes I can get, and often end up wearing self-made patterns that adorn citizens of my town as well.
In play-through games like the Lego Star Wars series, I blast apart everything, collect all the money I can, and use the cheats to find the minikits and secret bricks, areas, and characters. I love the 100% complete bar, and the master Jedi/pirate/wizard status you gain after collecting so many studs in a level.
I enjoy unlocking the secret areas the most; finding the secret to get a Toad House in New Super Mario Bros. made my day. Hitting a brick and getting a super star or free life makes you remember that for the future – secrets are fun to discover, because they almost always help you in your quest. Of course, that game gave me a great deal of trouble and I eventually resorted to a guide to get all of those star coins and find every alternate exit. I’m doing the same thing in Majora’s Mask, following a walkthrough to get every single mask, for the ultimate goal of Fierce Deity Link. Yeah, it’s a dirty bit of cheating, but for me, the reward is still pretty good; I know I usually wouldn’t have discovered that secret on my own, so I believe it’s justifiable. In any game, I live for those rewards, the level up fireworks, the minikit builds, the score so great you earn a free life. Don’t even get me started on ‘Easter eggs’… They keep me coming back to the game time after time. I've got to catch them all! (No, I’ve never played a Pokémon game…)
