TL;DR Very long list of primarily quest list/interface improvements. Focusing on new player experience, inspired by OSRS quest interface update.
- Make the "Can complete" filter account for membership status
No reason to make f2p players think they can complete say, World Wakes when they cannot even enter the area
- If you click on a quest tracked in the activity tracker, make it open quest journal directly
Quest list is actually somewhat hard to find in the default new player UI (which is a shame), while the activity tracker is heavily used in the tutorialisation. Since it automatically tracks quests when you start them, having it go directly to quest journal if clicked on would improve the new player experience a lot. The UI is already daunting enough for anyone starting out or returning. See image for clarification.
- Make timeline the default quest sorting
Currently, the default quest sorting is by area. This is a fine sorting, designed for a completely different game that uses leveled zones. Runescape does not however, and so you have starting quests mixed with literal endgame quests, quests that barely take place in the area listed, and no account for requirements, difficulty or storyline.
Meanwhile timeline sorting feels like it was crafted specifically for runescape (because it was). Its a fan favourite for lore players as it takes story into account. Its great for requirements, as every quest is listed after its prereqs questwise and the further you get into the list, the higher skill reqs go. It takes into account difficulty ranking, and with its groupings of pathfinder->adventurer->champion->heroic->Legendary->World Guardian, it feels like a natural and smooth progression both in story, the scale of what is at stake and in gameplay challenge.
Switching to it as default seem like a no brainer.
- Remove the confusing "Recommended" filter
I have no idea what this filter does, and I have tried my best to figure it out. Its description is "allows you to view all quests that are otherwise filtered, or only view recommended quests", which is hard to decipher what precisely means. But luckily if you start out it hides out a solid chunk of your quests available.
Does it just hide old quests? No, as Violet is Blue, Call of the Ancestors, Raksha the shadow colossus, Sins of the Father are all not recommended.
Does it hide quests that are irrelevant? No, it hides quests that integral to completing great series like mahjarrat, goblin, pirate and more. A player who never unchecks this filter and only do quests recommended will never see Ritual of the Mahjarrat (Hazeel Cult and Fight Arena sees to that), Chosen Commander (due to Goblin Diplomacy) or Pieces of Hate (Pirate's treasure). There are many more examples.
Does it hide quests that are unpopular? No, Ratcatchers, Salt in the Wound and Once Upon a Slime are recommended.
Perhaps aged poorly? Vampyre Slayer holds up quite well. A Guild of Our Own is integral to thieving training and no real issues.
Whatever it is intended to do, it does a bad job at it.
- Like OSRS, add a "has suggested requirement" filter
RS3 is a more story heavy game than OSRS, and having a way to filter out quest you have not completed the suggested quests for would be nice for those players that find it important. Also would be useful if a quest has suggested stat requirement you do not fulfill. This filter would be toggled OFF by default.
- Make world map quest icons account for "can complete" and the new "has suggested" filters
The rs3 world map is so cluttered its almost overwhelming. Adding useless quest markers for quests you cannot even complete or do not wish to complete yet is unnecessary. In particular when several of these quest markers has synopsis that are confusing to any new player starting out. Also, this thread show some quest markers dont dissapear after completion.
- Add a setting that allows quest map blue highlights to not be toggled on by default
Runescape has done a good job with the quest design, making it so the blue map markers/highlights are completely unneeded to complete any quest (as it should be). There is already a toggle for turning off map markers, but it has to be done manually with every quest you start. Give a setting to allow these to be toggled off. The default setting would still have them be toggled on.
- Archaeology collectors should not default to asking about collections, instead it should be a dialogue option
Eblis have a more elegant implementation. Some major offenders are Goblin generals, Reldo and the Wise Old Man. No Wartface, I am here about the third goblin mail you requested, not your collection. No Reldo, lets not talk about the everlight, there are zombies invading varrock right now and we need to figure out who can use the shield of arrav.
- Move quest start screen for Children of Mah to beginning of dialogue
Kharshai sits in a major training area. It is silly that talking to him has him spoiling the ritual of the mahjarrat, then slaps you with "you do not have the requirements to start this quest". Just add the quest screen before the dialogue begins.
- Do some minor fixes to the timeline sorting
Timeline sorting has some minor things that can be improved. These are
Move Recipe For Disaster and Great Brain Robbery to after Desert Treasure. This is because Recipe require Legends, Monkey Madness and Desert Treasure to fully complete, and Great Brain Robbery would be moved since it require Recipe: Freeing Pirate Pete.
Move Blood Pact to after Restless Ghost. Its one of the most tutorial-y quests so it should be super early, and at the completion of Restless Ghost you stand almost right next to the Blood Pact start.
Pieces of Hate moved from end of Legendary to just before River of Blood in mythic. Pieces of Hate has some of the highest requirements in the game, and feels like it fits better in mythic in both length and difficulty. Would also have players have access to better training methods if they do in timeline (Like the agility course in prif for the 83 agil req of Pieces of Hate)
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Likewise, move Desert Slayer Dungeon miniquest from champion to legendary (placement does not matter much). It has 70 slayer requirement, very high for something in Champion.
Restore the hard quest point requirement for Recruitment Drive
Recruitment Drive has you being recommended to the temple knights, for having other adventures. Used to require Black Knight's Fortress, which had 12 quest point requirement, and gave 3. Thus, quest should have its effective 15 quest point req restored. Helps explain why Amik has taken an interest in an up and coming adventurer.
- Add certain suggested requirements to various quests, to help inform players
As suggested quests are free to be ignored, their existance do not detract the experience for anyone. It functions as a way to gauge whether you are ready for the quest, statwise and storywise. Those who care about it, are happy for their existance. Those who do not care, will continue not caring.
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Missing My Mummy (reqs for fully restoring Senliten. Required for multiple quests)
- Garden of Tranquility
- 25 thieving, 45 crafting, 45 prayer, 50 magic
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Thok Your Block Off
- Hidden req of 75 strength to get unabridged reward according to multiple sources. Should not be hidden.
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Nadir
- Hidden 55 dg requirement for unabridged.
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Underground Pass: Restore the suggested reqs it used to have (and still do in OSRS)
- 50 agility and 50 thieving.
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Olaf's Quest (As with underground pass)
- 50 agility
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Mournings End pt 2 (As with Underground Pass)
- 65 agility
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Zogre Flesh Eater
- 8 herblore (to make the relicym's balm the quest pushes you towards)
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Fremennik Isles
- 25 defence (to allow you to equip the armor you make to use for the fight)
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Enakhra's Lament
- 45 mining (to mine granite needed for quest, as is intended)
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Tai Bwo Wannai Trio
- 65 fishing (You can burn the only Karambwan you are given)
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Dealing With Scabaras
- 60 crafting (to allow the player to dress the bronze items themselves)
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Vault of Shadows (You are doing a personal favour for your friend Azzanadra)
- Temple at Senntisten
- Fate of the Gods.
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Raksha miniquest (Continuation of other quest consequences)
- Desperate Measures (Very explicit that Raksha situation is affected by it)
- Lore Hunter at the Curator in Burthorpe (Unmarked miniquest, directly features Zaros right before finding Raksha)
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Azzanadra's quest: Directly continues multiple quests, which should be suggested.
- Fate of the Gods (where Azzanadra gets his titular quest, and also Freneskae)
- Sliske's Endgame (Due to the voices)
- Brink of Extinction (Due to the Tokhaar/Tzhaar plot)
- Hearts of Stone (Not only is the artifact you use in the quest from this, Arianne literally snort the Kra head dust from this quest to find the elder halls)
- Lore Hunter at the Curator in Burthorpe (Lead up to the eggs)
- Salt in the Wound (due to temple knight plot lines)
- Temple at Senntisten (Frostenhorn)
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Battle of the Monolith
- Raksha miniquest (Zaros obtained something during it for this)
- Firemakers Curse, for Char
- Children of Mah (For what he brings to Erebus)
- Consider making Azzanadra's quest a hard requirement.
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City of Senntisten:
- Children of Mah
- Sliske's Endgame.
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The Death of Chivalry
- The World Wakes, primarily to take advantage of any "has suggested" filter.
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Desperate Times
- 'Phite Club (why Ozan leads the desert)
- River of Blood (Vanescula leading and being amicable)