Runescape 3 Future and the technology behind it
Jagex has announced a new version of RuneScape is on the way, bringing a number of technological, gameplay and narrative improvements to the 12-year-old game.
Runescape 3 is coming this summer to web browsers and represents a huge update in the popular massively multiplayer role-playing game series. The new technology used will enhance almost every aspect of the game, including the 3D graphics, draw distance, audio and sheer scale. But the most significant change is that it is moving from running in Java to HTML5, something that potentially allows developer Jagex to look beyond desktop and laptop PCs to smartphones and tablets.Buy Runescape Gold.
First up, area of change is gameplay. While combat and the like has been tightened, Jagex has mainly focused on a popular quality of life request from players; customisable UI. All menus are fully flexible now, meaning they can be tabbed or reshaped, and eventually players will be able to share their setups with each other. Two new skills will also be added to the game; while one hasn't been revealed, the other, divination, will apparently play a key role in the latter stages of RuneScape 3's story.
The second,the changes in tech, including the shift to HTML5, mean that loading times will be greatly reduced. From my hands-on time with the game, I can confirm they're pretty much imperceptible. But while other improvements include better draw distance, stronger lighting and shadows, there was one change that really startled me; I could see the sky for the first time. RuneScape 3 features a moveable camera that you can pitch as well as rotate, meaning you'll no longer be stuck with a bird's eye view if you don't want it. Additionally the audio has been redone, with the team hoping there won't be a single MIDI file left once the updated version launches.
New Runescape 3 music can be listened to on the game's Soundcloud page. Jagex Games Studio will release the free-to-play massively multiplayer online strategy game on mobile devices this fall, and is expected to launch this summer for Windows PC as a single update.