Introduction
[p]Hey 'Scapers! I'm Mod Breezy, here once again to welcome you to our 4th design blog in the Road to Restoration series! In these design blogs we share information on upcoming updates that are part of the Road to Restoration roadmap. We've covered a lot of topics already and have been keeping an eye on your discussions and feedback so far as we continue on this journey together. [/p][p]The Road to Restoration roadmap aims to address integrity and game health, and has multiple goals as we shape the future of RuneScape. In case you haven't read the first blog we covered what we want to achieve in our direction for RuneScape, you can check out that blog here. Todays blog will cover the Aura Overhaul update. For this update, the following goals have guided our approach:[/p][olist][*][p]A game that's easy to understand, but still full of meaningful choice and depth.[/p][/*][*][p]Play because it's fun, and not because you feel like you have to.[/p][/*][*][p]A meaningful journey, no matter when you start.[/p][/*][/olist][p]In this blog we're going to outline the problems we've seen occur with Auras and how we're designing the solutions to them according to the goals above. Let's begin![/p]
The Problems with Auras
[p]Auras and the Aura system have, for a long time, presented a variety of gameplay issues as well as obstacles for players who are looking to engage with RuneScape on their own terms - both of which you have expressed over the years. The issues with them are as follows:[/p]- [p]Their acquisition is time-gated, requiring lots of real-life time to obtain. You can't speed this up in any way.[/p][list]
- [p]This can leave you in a spot where you feel under-powered compared to other players until you're able to acquire them.[/p][/*]
[/p]
How We're Planning to Resolve the Issue
[p]As we investigate the issues that Auras present, and consider the potential avenues for resolving them, we feel that keeping them largely in their current state would only continue to cause one or more of the problems listed earlier. As such, we're making the decision to remove Auras from the game with this planned update. [/p][p]Removing Auras from the game will allow you to play RuneScape on your own terms, without time pressures, and without feeling like you're less powered compared to your friends. No more attempting to fight a boss before realising "Oh I don't have that Aura yet...". Our ultimate goal with this is to create fairness and accessibility of content, while also supporting the game's simplicity and long-term sustainability.[/p][p]We are, however, looking to maintain the most meaningful Aura effects by placing them on other items or rewards in game. There's a few things to keep in mind:[/p][olist][*][p]We're being very careful to not create sudden powercreeps across the baseline of the game, be that in Skilling or Combat.[/p]- [p]In a world where effects are readily available instead of within 1-hour windows, we have to be conscious of introducing such powercreep in any and all aspects.[/p][/*]
- [p]If effects are moved elsewhere, this could result in multiple concurrent effects provided through items such as scrimshaws, potions, or other rewards, again leading to a powercreep effect.[/p][/*]
- [p]RuneScape already has issues with requiring lots of different items in your loadout simply to skill or do combat. We don't want to add to this complexity.[/p][/*]
- [p]Rebalance will be essential to implementation, as any retained effects will have become available more permanently.[/p][/*]
- [p]For example, the Five-finger Discount effect would be made available with a 5% effect (final balance pending). This potential approach allows us to maintain the existence of the effects on a permanent basis (Tier 3-5 unlocks on a permanent available would, for example, introduce unreasonable powercreep). On the other hand, 5% offers a good continuation of support for those players who were on Tier 1 and 2 of the respective aura.[/p][/*]
Transfer this to one of the below...[/p]
- [p]Existing Reward:[/p][list]
- [p]Powder of Penance - High level, can be costly, and also harder to maintain for Ironmen.[/p][/*]
- [p]Penance Blood Essence - High requirements (Vampyre questline), could tweak with some QoL.[/p][/*]
- [p]Saradomin's Book of Wisdom (god-book) and Illuminated version - Could replace the current effect. We'd need to consider page acquisition.[/p][/*]
- [p]Archaeology Relic - Could be made as a new relic reward as part of the upcoming Havenhythe digsite, useful for mid-levels.[/p][/*]
- [p]Or another new reward.[/p][/*]
Transfer this to one of the below...[/p]
- [p]Existing Rewards:[/p][list]
- [p]Scrimshaw of Vampyrism - Comes from Player Owned Ports. Could be tweaked to work on all styles instead of just Melee.[/p][/*]
- [p]Vampyric Blood Essence - High requirements (Vampyre questline), could tweak with some QoL.[/p][/*]
- [p]Zamorak's Book of Chaos (god-book) and Illuminated version - Could replace the current effect. We'd need to consider page acquisition.[/p][/*]
Transfer this to one of the below...[/p]
- [p]New Rewards:[/p][list]
- [p]New Invention perk.[/p][/*]
- [p]Or another new reward.[/p][/*]
- [p]Focused Siphoning - Buff Runespan success chance on nodes and creatures.[/p][list]
- [p]This would be a simple balancing change, not requiring the player to obtain a reward or activate anything.[/p][/*]
- [p]This would be a simple balancing change, not requiring the player to obtain a reward or activate anything.[/p][/*]
- [p]Reverence[/p][/*]
- [p]Corruption[/p][/*]
- [p]Harmony[/p][/*]
- [p]Salvation[/p][/*]
- [p]Poison Purge[/p][/*]
- [p]Knock-out[/p][/*]
- [p]Brawler[/p][/*]
- [p]Runic Accuracy[/p][/*]
- [p]Sharpshooter[/p][/*]
- [p]Ancestor Spirits[/p][/*]
- [p]Berserker[/p][/*]
- [p]Maniacal[/p][/*]
- [p]Reckless[/p][/*]
- [p]Dark Magic[/p][/*]
- [p]Regeneration[/p][/*]
- [p]Aegis[/p][/*]
- [p]Mahjarrat[/p][/*]
- [p]Inspiration[/p][/*]
- [p]Invigorate[/p][/*]
- [p]Dedicated Slayer[/p][/*]
- [p]Quarrymaster[/p][/*]
- [p]Jack of Trades[/p][/*]
- [p]Wisdom[/p][/*]
- [p]Illumination[/p][/*]
- [p]Resourceful[/p][/*]
- [p]Dwarven Instinct[/p][/*]
- [p]Friend in Need[/p][/*]
- [p]Festive[/p][/*]
- [p]Oddball[/p][/*]
- [p]Desert Pantheon[/p][/*]
- [p]All other discontinued Auras[/p][/*]
Addressing Other Content
[p]There's a handful of other content related to Auras which we'll be tweaking too.[/p][p]War's Wares and Aura Refreshes[/p]- [p]As Auras will no longer exist, we'd remove the "Unlocks" tab in the War's Wares shop.[/p][list]
- [p]The "Aura Aura Aura!" achievement will be removed from the game.[/p][/*]
- [p]The "War. What is it Good For?" achievement will no longer require the above achievement.[/p][/*]
- [p]We'll also remove these from the War's Wares shop.[/p][/*]
- [p]We'll be removing the Aura slot from the Worn Equipment UI.[/p][/*]
- [p]The Aura slot would continue to exist in the Wardrobe UI to allow you to change cosmetics appearances such as Gazes and cosmetic auras (such as the Devourer Aura).[/p][list]
- [p]We're planning to rename this slot to "Visual Effects".[/p][/*]
- [p]The Daemonheim Aura will no longer continue to exist, but as the majority of it's effects are passive they'll simply continue to work.[/p][list]
- [p]The effects would still require the respective tiers of Daemonheim area tasks to be completed in order to benefit from them.[/p][/*]
- [p]We'd love to hear suggestions for how this could work otherwise.[/p][/*]
- [p]The Totem of Auras on Anachronia will no longer serve a purpose. As mentioned above we'd look to transfer a handful of Skilling auras over to it and rename it to something like "Totem of Skilling"[/p][/*]
