Making Fire

Here is an example of acquiring a skill. More advanced skills allow you to delve deeper into the multi-tiered construct of the game. After our conversation last week in class, I realized I need to "acquire knowledge" by both asking and searching for skill acquisition knowledge. Here is one of the links I found quite helpful.

Runescape Knowledge

Here is an example of one of the postings:

Firemaking is not widely considered a Skill that serves any purpose apart from one or two Quests. This however, isn't quite the truth. It can be used when Cooking and is also just a good way of raising your Skill total.

There are no restrictions on when you can start Firemaking. It can be started at any Level and done anywhere where there are trees to be cut.

So how do I start Firemaking?

You will need these Items to start your Skill:

A Tinderbox:
This is the key item because this is the only item capable of lighting things.

A Woodcutters Axe. There are Axes made of all the different Metals in Runescape, below you will find the information about each.

Member's Only Items Shown In Yellow
Item Required
Level To Wield Required
Level To Use
Bronze Axe 1 1
Iron Axe 1 1
Steel Axe 5 6
Black Axe 10 6
Mithril Axe 20 21
Adamant Axe 30 31
Rune Axe 40 41
Dragon Axe 60 61

Acquiring more skills...with a little help from a friend.

James, my son and Runescape Master. Still learning some of the more basic skills, but with James' help I am able to experience some of the more difficult and dynamic parts of the game. Not surprisingly, this makes the game far more interesting. Here are a few example of some more advanced skills.







Click on picture to see animated gif of character fishing.










Click on picture to see animated gif of armor and weapon options for various players.


Interesting menu provided by Jagex in response to some negative press about Runescape. Specifically, that the game is addictive and promotes an unhealthy lifestyle.

Jagex offers these guidelines to help maintain a balanced life and get the most out of playing RuneScape:

Take a break from the computer.

Exercise at least once a week

Remember, it is just a game.

When eating, take a break from the computer.

Don't ignore your real life friends, meet up with them on a regular basis

Work and studies matters: don't let playing a game stop you from doing well in your studies or at work.

Remember parents that it is up to you to help your child maintain a healthy balance so that your child can benefit from all the educational and entertaining aspect of RuneScape.

Positive attributes of game according to McGowan, an online blogger

RuneScape's fictional world is very much like the real world. RuneScape has it's own currency allowing players to purchase anything they might need to live. Players can even chop wood, smith nails and weave cloth in order to build and maintain homes. Trading allows players to barter and make deals with each other inside the gaming community. With this trading the players can learn the structure of a working economic system. With learning the working of an economic system players can incorporate what they have learned into their everyday lives.

Negative aspects of the game according to Tom Game's, an online blog:

Runescape Exposed

Runescape Links

• Bullet Point List of information about Runescape. This list will grow over time.
• Runescape: The massive online adventure game by Jagex ltd.
• History and Lores: Home of knowledge and wisdom, repository of all true learning in the human kingdoms (and even some from beyond).
• About Jagex Ltd. Jagex Ltd is an independent developer and publisher of online games headquartered in Cambridge, England. With 3 offices altogether - 2 in Cambridge and 1 in London, Jagex has over 300 employee
• Jagex Miniclip Games. Alongside RuneScape, Jagex also offer a number of single player browser based games. These games are all free and work in your web browser, so simply click on one of the links below to start playing.
• Rune Headquarters: On-line site with links from acquiring status to self-help blogs.
  
• Runescape Billionaire: Virtual infomercial on how to become a Runescape billionaire without using "cheats."
  

Let's Get it Started

I have set up an account(really easy) and am about to embark on my foray into the the world of MMO's (massive multiplayer online games). Due to my former career as a teacher, administrator, and dorm parent at a New England boarding school I have some knowledge about gamers and games. However, I must admit I really did not like console games in my dorm as I felt they undermined the social nature of dorm life. (online games were in their infancy...or I just was plan ignorant. Why stare blankly at a video screen when you could be outside playing a game of stick ball or actually engage in conversation face-to-face? Four years removed from that situation, I am beginning to realize that what I thought of as parallel play is a different form of social interaction that I grew up with. In my youth, we invented games, played games, or engaged in athletic games. Gaming, in the technological sense, embodies many of the same elements in a virtual world. There is competition, creativity, problem-solving, all of which creates, as Gee calls it, a semiotic domain; a domain of symbols, lexicon, and shared experiences. The only thing lacking, in my opinion, is the kinetic learning that comes as a result of playing games which are active in nature. Interestingly, the current generation of kids do not have as much physical freedom as previous generations. By that I mean, previous generation were given more autonomy about how they spent their unstructured time. Going out to play meant just that: go out find some friends and make up your own play. This generation is the generation of organized activities, play dates, and helicopter parents. Adults dictate and orchestrate the lives of their children like no other in the history of mankind. Interestingly, however, the world of video and online games seem to be the new "go outside and play" world, a world devoid of parents to a large extent. The concern for me as parent is how large and diverse this domain is. The notion of playing in your neighborhood is replaced by let's play literally anywhere, both real and virtual. The possibilities are exciting, but a bit scary at the same time.

Merchanting

Merchanting: I do not begin to have the skills (or status) to perform this incredibly complex task, but I did stumble upon this video on Utube. It describes how to systematically acquire wealth by repeating a particular sale of a commodity over and over again. Unfortunately, after 6-7 hours of play I battled with a demon and lost. Losing means losing all of my skills, commodities, etc. I have to start from ground zero. Not great incentive to continue playing.