Games and Gaming #36: Runescape Rocks!

In the MMORPG world of Runescape, walk tall and carry a 2-handed Rune sword. Yes, size does matter.

Okay, I sheepishly admit that this is a game that I have some experience in. A few years ago, when RS first became popular, my son and all of his friends were deeply involved in this online game. I joined in - at his request - to see what the big deal was (as parents of teenagers are supposed to do) and also to find an activity we could do together. If you have a teen, you know that as they age between 12 and 15 years, you become increasingly invisible to them. In an effort to counteract this phenomenon -- and in the interest of my son's on-line safety --I signed up and jumped in. (Did you buy that excuse? he he)

To my great surprise, I found it very addictive. The first time you play, you go through the tutorial where you select how you're going to look (hair, skin color, clothing, gender) and pick your character name. Your character is then deposited in the training village of Runescape where you learn how to talk to the embedded characters who train you to do things like make fire, bread, how to fish, etc. For example, if you want to eat (and you need to in order to keep up your strength when you fight), you can fish for food. But since you can't eat fish raw, you need to learn to make fire. And fire requires chopping down a tree for wood, then using your tinderbox to ignite the wood....to cook your fish. There's a learning curve here as most of the fish you cook will burn when you first try it. As you "learn," your skills improve. All your skill levels are viewable to you as you progress. The same improvement method follows for other skills, including fighting. As you travel around the RS world, your "strength/attack level" is viewable to other characters who can decide whether or not they can beat you in battle. My character, Stellaluna, has a strength/attack level of 56. You can also acquire armor, which protects you and ups your level and eventually, buy (or trade) for better and stronger armor or other strength building items like amulets or potions. I chose not to battle other players - only embedded creatures and characters - but that's an option for the more aggressive player. On holidays like Christmas and Halloween, the RS folks used to (don't know if they still do) leave free treats for players, like Santa hats and monster masks. If you're lucky to get one, they trade for big money - which can lead to better armor and weapons. Yes, I have them and no, you can't have one.

Finally, traveling around Runescape is a social experience. Most people are nice but sometimes they're rude and downright ugly. You never know whether you're talking to a twelve-year old or a forty-six year old so caution is strongly advised. There are abuse safeguards in place but sometimes people push the limits. Keep in mind that "HottieGirl21" may actually be ten-year old home-alone Tiffany in Kansas City or "AltarBoy13" could really be...Chris "To Catch A Predator" Hansen doing an upcoming special for NBC starring ...YOU. I've seen unexpected generosity and friendliness as well as some really creepy behavior that made me exit the game in disgust. Yeeccch. Overall, though, there's an anonymity to it all that's intriguing if not appealing, so long as you don't spend more time playing Runescape than you do living in the real world.