RuneScape – December 2022 Patch Notes | Epic Boss Battles!

UPDATE: NOVEMBER 25

Following recent server outages which caused disruption when attempting log-in from certain regions, we’ve been working closely with our system administrators to ensure all players are now able to log back into the game as normal.

The team has made some minor adjustments to our authentication services to ensure that further reports of disruption when logging in have been rectified. Game stability over the last 48 hours looks promising, and we will continue to monitor stability over the weekend to ensure that things are fully back to normal and to fix them promptly if anything more happens.

Before the weekend, we would like to let you know that we are still in the process of reviewing our make good options for players. Next week, we’ll set out and communicate our plan for this as we’re still working out some of the technical and delivery details to make this happen.

We’d like to thank you for your patience as we work on bringing the servers back to normal. We look forward to sharing further details on our make good plan with you next week!

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We’re posting this newspost as a way to collate outgoing communications regarding Tuesday’s service outages, as well as provide a brief update on any ongoing issues players may be experiencing.

REGARDING RECENT SERVER ISSUES

On Tuesday (November 22nd), one of our external Data Centre providers experienced a site-wide issue involving a power failure which resulted in full downtime of any services housed there. Our engineers worked to get you back online as quickly as possible, and services were restored early morning yesterday at approximately 02:05 GMT.

Unfortunately, while most of our systems have recovered from the hosting centre’s outage, the login systems have since struggled at times and players may therefore have found themselves unable to log in. We have identified what was causing these login systems issues and we believe that it should remain stable barring anything unforeseen happening.

We’d like to reassure that you as we continue to recover from the outages, our systems administrators are automatically alerted to any other outages when they happen, and can usually restore access to the game within minutes. However, in the meantime, you may prefer to avoid risky activities, in case you log out and find yourself unable to log back in quickly.

We’re very sorry for any ongoing disruption that’s followed Tuesday’s hosting centre outage, and are working to restore stability. We understand that you’re probably very curious about the reasoning for the outages, but we don’t have anything more to share at this time. Discussions are ongoing regarding ‘Making Good’, as previously announced.

WHAT’S NEW?

Say hello to our new token item, the Yak Coin! These coins can be redeemed for all sorts of items, including XP boosts, previous Yak Track cosmetics, and alternate versions of some of the new cosmetics.

A Yak Coin is obtained every 5 tasks during the core Track, and then with every completion of the repeatable Track. Cha-ching!

Don’t be hoarding them for too long though, as you’ll have one week after the Track finishes (i.e until February 5th) to spend any remaining Yak Coins and mop up any unclaimed rewards with the Yak Track host.

With that in mind, let’s get into how to spend them.

THE ULTIMATE SHOPPING EXPERIENCE!

Next Monday marks the official launch of a brand new shop that sells EVERY cosmetic override, animation, and pet from the second Yak Track to the 10th!

TASKS

We’ve got 51 tasks for you to complete this time, testing all sorts of different skills. There are rewards for each task, but don’t worry if you don’t fancy completing one – you can always use a Task Skip.

You’ll need to purchase Task Skip tokens from the event interface using Bonds. It costs 1 Bond for 4 tokens, or 2 Bonds for 10. If you have any Task Skips left over at the end of the event, you can always save them for the next Yak Track!

‘EARN YOUR WAY’

As well as Task Skips, you can also take the ‘Skill and Kill’ option, which means you can complete a task just by playing the way you would normally – i.e. earning XP or killing enemies. This way, you’re making progress on the Track and earning your rewards just by getting on with your usual activities! However, progress will be slower and more steady than when completing the standard tasks.

REWARDS

Tick off the tasks and you’ll be rewarded with cosmetics, pets and those useful items you’d normally obtain from Treasure Hunter (Lamps and Stars, Protean Packs, Oddments for Ironman players, etc).

As usual there are two prize tracks – the free track (available to free-to-play adventurers as well as Members) and Premium (only available to Premier Membership or Premier Pass holders). The latter gives you prizes from both tracks.

You can unlock the Premium track by having an active Premier Membership, or buying a Premier Pass for 2 Bonds in the interface. And remember, if you start completing tasks and then gain a Premier Pass later, all of the extra rewards from the core tasks you would have earned will automatically unlock for you!

Ironman accounts can get cosmetic rewards and Oddments – but nothing that boosts XP, of course.

To claim your rewards, you must have enough space in your Backpack!

REWARDS LIST

And here are some more examples of how the reduction percentage looks at different levels!

Now, we’ll need to make adjustments elsewhere in the economy to implement these changes; death costs account for a whopping 62% of gold removed from the game! To compensate, we’ll be introducing a 2% Grand Exchange sales tariff. This means a selling player will receive 2% less gold: a small price to pay to keep the economy in balance!

While we’re here we’ll be making some Quality of Life changes to the system too:

• A fresh new UI design!
• A new ‘overflow’ inventory – so you no longer lose items on a second death!
• Item sacrificing is being removed!
• 24 hour item reclaim limit removed!
• Various changes to fixed cost reclaim items!

Here’s a preview of the new UI: