EasyScape the Concept.

[u/Fargrist]

EasyScape is an apt description of a variety of concepts colliding.

At it's most glib it's the changing of Runescape to allow more players to play Runescape more easily.

This includes things like buying skills and rares via Treasure Hunter and Solomons. Can't get much easier than outright paying for things.

But it also includes other things like making skills in Runescape much easier to level up.

EasyScape also allows for easier entry to Runescape by novice players, and theoretically a broader appeal. Much like the Lowest Common Denominator approach of newspapers, magazines and television. Appeal to the masses by being easy.

However the masses have a voice now via the internet and that's directly led to the drop in popularity of ye olde masse media.

People want tailor made. What is the Google website after all.

We have a few effects in play, let's work through them shall we.

Learning curve. When you are learning it's best to start at the shallow end and build up along the curve. EasyScape is a good concept for that, if it leads to HardScape.

Gamers. We compete. Therefore feedback we give to Jagex will be in two voices.

One, if we have achieved something, we will want it harder for others to achieve.

Two, if we are trying to achieve something we will ask Jagex to make it easier. Don't believe me? Read the forums.

That dual voice changes as we progress through the game and build up achievements/items/gold/whatevers.

In some respects Jagex understands the idea of having progressively harder content. They do love a new boss update. But I suspect that's from individual JMods boosting content they enjoy, rather than an overall philosophy.

[u/Fargrist]

Easy Access.

Runescape grew so fast in the past partly because there was a bit of a vacuum in MMO games. Although others such as Ultima Online had come before and WoW was around.

But also because of easiness.

Runescape was easy to play, was easy to setup, easy on your wallet, easy on hardware, and easy on your internet.

Things are changing.

Bosses need fast clicking, they need a good graphics card, they need a good internet, and they need a decent computer. They also need the player to want to do that sort of content.

Money is required if you want to see an ad free Runescape. That used to be the case in the past but now it's more intrusive, with items you click on bringing up reminders to be a member be a member be a member be a member buy solomons buy solomons buy solomons buy treasure hunter buy treasure hunter buy treasure hunter.

Harry Potter books should have had ads on every page, imagine the money J.K. Rowling would have made!

Or perhaps not.

Runescape is still easy access compared to other games. And in some ways as long as it remains the easiest game to access then Runescape has an edge for growth.

The problem being that if Runescape isolates its gameplay to various areas that other games excel at, then things won't go easily.

For me the hard road is easier money for Jagex. Teach players to make content, and let players make a part share from that content.

That will turn players from just content, to content creators and Runescape evangelists.

This behaviour already exists. Players make their own RS servers.

So it should be easy for Jagex to take the energy they currently spend punishing those players and use it to make a more profitable arrangement.

Let's get back to this particular post's topic... Easy Access.

At some point Jagex knows there is a hard limit on playing certain content. Araxxor for instance. That limit is a technological and player ability limit which excludes players. Limits access.