The Great Debate

For years now the debate has raged over the quality of Runescpae graphics. Just how much do they detract from the gameplay? Do they add to the character of the game? Or does it just not matter? Well, to start, let us travel back in time. Mr. Gower released Runescape to the public on January 1, 2001. He and his brother designed and programmed the game using Java. The graphics at that time were isometric, meaning that objects were on a two dimensional plane and drawn in a manner that created a three dimensional illusion. Very simple, and by today's starndard, very low quality. In a way, what the Gower brothers did was not unlike what is happening on Miniclip today-a group of kids (or adults) get together and make a little game. Sweet and simple: browser based gameplay, programmed with either Java or ActionScript. Then Runescape started to expand-membership became available, and Jagex was formed to handle the business aspects of a growing enterprise. Some graphical improvements were made, and the use of well-placed sprites helped.

Runescape was never intended to move beyond the borders of an internet browser.

World of Warcraft and similar games are beyond browsers' capacity. As such, they come on a CD, and run from the hard disk instead of being displayed completely from a server. On those games, the graphics and objects come from the computer, and the internet connection is for user interface. With Runescape, both graphics and interface come directly from a server (save for a few config files used for running it that are downloaded to a user's temporary internet files folder). Runescape was and still is intended to run on older or less fancy computers. That means the makers need to find ways to compress and make data as simple as possible. Runescape sends its data in the form of simple text, which assembles itself into visuals once the text-based commands reach the user's browser. In this manner, dial-up connections can still manage to play the game properly. How can they make a game look like Halo by writing in a language such as Java? Halo graphics must come from the player's hard drive-they are much too complex and detailed to be packaged into code, sent through dial-up, and quickly assemble into an alien landscape on a Windows 95.

Enough with the technical business. Now it becomes personal. For me, I really couldn't care what the game looks like as long as I can tell what's going on and have a fun time playing it. If you could make Battlefield 2 100% lifelike, I still wouldn't play it because I never had fun with that game. If Runescape went to hand-drawn stickfigures beating up sketchy-looking monsters, I'd still play it because I like RPGs and questing! In fact, I think the non cutting-edge graphics give Runescape some personality that newer games lack. Graphics shouldn't make or break a game-they should only add to it. Isn't it the same with movies? Haven't we all seen a low-quality video that had such a great story or was so funny we watched it over and over? Likewise, haven't we seen a movie full of explosions and special effects, but had a pointless plot and wasn't worth watching the first time?

Runescape represents a little bit of the past (heck, the game is set in mideval times) and doesn't forget about those who can't afford or don't want to upgrade their computers with 4 GB of RAM, 300 GB hard drives, and 512 MB PCI Express video cards. I feel that it someone can immerse him or herself into a challenging minigame, strive for the next levels, or solve a difficult quest/treasure trail without seeing each leaf on a tree, every crack on a stone, or even that pesky lobster that won't go into the cage.