📕 RuneScape is Awesome, And Here's Why

Why RuneScape Is Not an MMO
[00:00:00] Introduction
[00:01:28] Disclaimers & MMO Credentials
[00:04:14] The Clickbait Thesis Statement
[00:13:54] #0: Who Cares?
[00:19:04] #1: Structure & Class
[00:27:49] #2: Quest Design
[00:43:49] #3: Self-Direction
[00:54:20] #3.5: Dependency Chart Walkthrough
[01:02:21] #3 (cont'd): Self-Direction
[01:15:16] #4: Single Player
[01:29:47] #5: Content Deprecation
[01:41:02] #6: Design Philosophy
[01:48:11] #7: Itemization
[02:05:05] #8: Inventory & Healing
[02:16:27] #9: XP
INTERLUDE
[02:23:10] INTERLUDE: The Joy of Labor
Why RuneScape Is Awesome
[02:34:37] #1: Design Space
[02:54:49] #2: Attention Calibration
[03:16:12] #3: Breakpoints
[03:22:53] Conclusion
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🔗 Links Mentioned in the Video:
Folding Ideas: / foldingideas
WoW Classic And What We Left Behind: • World of Warcraft Clas...
GameMaker's ToolKit: / markbrowngmt
BossKeys: • Boss Keys
What Makes Celeste's Assist Mode Special: • What Makes Celeste's A...
RuneScape Dependency Chart .PNG: drive.google.com/file/d/1mBiy...
My RuneScape Quest Cape Series: • ✔️️ Old School RuneSca...
My HiScores Stats (Series Spoilers): secure.runescape.com/m=hiscor...
■■■■■■
🎵 Music Credits
Mass Effect - Vigil: • Mass Effect - "Vigil"
Outer Wilds - End Times: • End Times
Hollow Knight - Dirtmouth: • Video
Chrono Trigger - Schala's Theme: • Video
Final Fantasy X - People of the North Pole: • Video
Chrono Cross - Life ~ Faraway Promise: • Video
Undertale - Undertale: • Undertale OST: 071 - U...
Old School RuneScape - Sea Shanty 2: • Old RuneScape Soundtra...
Old School RuneScape - Harmony: • Harmony - Old School R...
■■■■■■
Other Cool Video Essayists
Apologies to Hbomberguy for the Title format (This video got no views until I used it): / hbomberguy
Jenny Nicholson: / jennyenicholson
Lindsay Ellis: / chezapoctube
Sideways: / @sideways440
Contrapoints: / contrapoints
Big Joel: / @bigjoel
Maggie Mae Fish: / @maggiemaefish
Sarah Z: / @sarahz
■■■■■■
Support the Channel Rewards: Click "Join" or go to www.patreon.com/marstead
List of Past Stream VOD Playlists: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
Stream Systems FAQ: faq.marstead.com

[@PeachesYes]

Came for the medieval cookie clicking, stayed for the class warfare

[@jiaan100]

Half cookie clicker, half 100 bpm rhythm game

[@Frommerman]

Well this just convinced me to watch this entire video without questioning it.

[@OrchinX]

Oh cool another redditor who wants to tell me about his post-marxist theory. yawn.

[@jaytang4954]

"class warfare" triggered you huh? talking about post marxist bruh its a video game its classes are not the uber rich the work class and the poor their classes are warriors mages and rangers like wtf?@@OrchinX

[@roxaskinghearts]

mmo 100 people competition online not 100 people visable from where you are in the game even eve wouldnt be a mmo if that was the case 99% of the year so yes tetris in a online fourm a mmo

[@Hessekimojo]

Every single MMO developer out there right now needs to have a sit down, and take notes off this video. Thank you for all of your effort, this was...beyond words.

[@VB2P360]

Some of us have token notice ;)

[@selkokieli843]

This essay ascends the niche of old school runescape to an amazing talk on mmo's and gaming in general. It even has a rare and deceptively valuable take on how society views labor and gaming as a use of time. I would call this nothing less than a masterpiece in long form video essays.

[@aprimer1431]

I cringe at the thought of a 3.5 hour video essay. Is it worth watching?

[@selkokieli843]

​@@aprimer1431It's a collection of mostly individual ideas, so you don't have to commit to finishing all or any of it. I return to it periodically and watch a bit here and there to chill 😁

[@bradoncrandall6840]

@@selkokieli843 I have been pretty stuck watching while I play runescape lol Its an exceptionally well thought out essay and I am appreciating his view on things.

[@bradoncrandall6840]

*Im about 1 hour in so far.

[@kanifis]

@@aprimer1431yeah its realy good

[@gbay99]

This is a phenomenal breakdown. For years I've always felt Runescape scratch an itch that other MMOs never do and I haven't ever been able to put it into words. You did a beautiful job describing the unique aspects of this game that are so hard to pin down, and explaining their appeal to those who haven't ever played it.

[@chunkysalsa9663]

from one video essay king to another

[@Darkpwnge]

Yoooooo gbay

[@PIVfirestarkproducon]

gbay from the top ropes, this is the last thing I expected to see here

[@VioletCatastrophe]

oh shit it is HIM

[@TonyOSRS]

God I would love to see a gbay video about RuneScape, I NEED IT.

[@RyanJFaulk]

The RLM "you might not have noticed, but your brain did" is how I feel about this essay. As someone who has played RS on and off since 2003, this felt like discovering my own thoughts. It's really the only game I've invested a significant amount of time in so I also learned a ton about other games and why I probably wouldn't like them.

[@Zack-nl7vs]

Can't express how much I appreciate this love letter to my favorite product of humanity and the best 20 year waste of time I could have hoped for.

[@SimonSlav-GameMakingJourney]

Runescape is the type of game you can play while playing Runescape.

[@icedo1013]

As someone fresh into an ironman it's so easy to chop redwoods or motherlode while I work on getting essence or bones.

[@ShyBoy6ty9]

Funny af. Lol

[@Reece8u]

​@@icedo1013Man ive been playing for 4 months and im nowhere near chopping redwoods, but im days away from 99 ranging

[@Skoglend]

@@Reece8ugz it’s been 5 days

[@MegaBanne]

I have a picture of when I was chopping wood while I was chopping onions XD.

[@PreferablyPete]

I am so incredibly sad that it took over two years for this to hit my recommended page. Truly a fantastic write-up of why RuneScape is such an exceptional game, and also the extremely difficult explanation of why it is that great game. Trying to describe this game to others that have no concept of it, felt nearly impossible until this video.

[@MaulusRS]

This is the definitive dissertation on OSRS game design and appeal and it would, ideally, not only be watched by everyone interested in the genre - it'd be a landmark for the industry and designers, too. Really great work.

[@iloveDaddy_Gaming]

"The graph of people who like long videos and runescape players is a circle" Accurate

[@Frommerman]

I cannot tell you how often I've thought, "Man I wanna watch this video, but it's just not long enough to be worth it." Because if it's too short, I can't leave it on in the background while grinding a boss.

[@nunyabidness9482]

Fr. We need something lengthy to watcch while grinding 😂

[@Daniel-mo2vp]

​@@nunyabidness9482hu7uhh7hh7

[@roxaskinghearts]

Runescape is only not a mmorpg because it wouldnt be considered a dying game at that rate when compared to everything els isnt it funny when elden ring a game that only had a few million users compared to your remember 500 million user promo is kicking your butt with just steam alone runescape nowaday is for man children who love spending a premium to get fortnite which is free on everything with xcloud o but osrs that is proving why mmorpgs are done

[@runawaymakefriendswiththem8905]

@@roxaskingheartsenglish not your first language? genuinely impressed by how little of your comment made sense.

[@ezra153]

That was incredible. I’ve never seen someone take such a deep dive into video games in general, let alone RuneScape. I think you explained the game extremely well in a way I’ve never heard before, coming from a 15+ year veteran. The time to make this video must have been immense, and I appreciate the effort you made. Even playing for 15 years, this video gives me a new perspective into the game I love. Thank you.

[@miriamurdaneta2008]

Hhhhhhjßyuuf6ďhďhxurhŕuj

[@LucasSoaresy]

Watch his series playing it for the first time, totally worth. One of the best stuff to watch while grinding some afk stuff

[@I_Crit_My_Pants]

I'm a 20 year veteran and I say anyone that says it's not an MMO is a deluded idiot

[@willpkay]

If you added some citations to primary literature throughout, you have yourself there a PhD thesis.

[@CrazyBeardedGamer]

Video too short. Interrupted my grind.

[@Mildwango]

"Testing patience is a legitimate form of difficulty" is a really good way of describing what makes the grind appealing. As you spend hours upon hours doing the same chain of tasks in runescape, the experience slowly gets less difficult and more enjoyable. It's a mindset and an acquired skill to be able to appreciate the road towards the end goal.

[@2Poor4UserName]

the journey was way more fun than finally maxing... havnt played much since, just hop on for events.

[@bc3262]

This is a masterpiece. I’ve been playing the game since 2003, more off than on, but this perfectly refines the (sometimes obtuse) reasons why RuneScape is a hard game to stay away from. It’s just so different to everything else on offer, and allows the user to enjoy similar content at different paces, that mean it’s usually viable to play. I can even go for a nature walk while afk training combat, screen sharing every 20 minutes to a desktop to click a single button. About 30 seconds an hour of work for tangible improvements when I do decide to play the game with more focus. I look forward to the other video ideas you mentioned.

[@joewhiting]

As an OSRS veteran who has been playing since 2008, this video was fucking AMAZING. Completely holds up in 2023 and is undoubtedly the best explanation of the game. on youtube. This is gold, and made it into my all time favorites playlist. Well deserved sub for a phenomenal video essay. You deserve WAY more subs! Shared the video with my clan. Gl on the rest of your journey brotha!

[@WasteYuteeee]

2008??? veteran???

[@joewhiting]

@@WasteYuteeee This comment made me double check at Hans, and my account is 17.56 years old, so I started playing some time in 2006, which means I would have been just 10 years old. I’ve put in hundreds of days of time into my account as well… What ungodly requirements have you created in your mind to deem someone a veteran? lol.

[@WasteYuteeee]

@@joewhiting just playin around

[@insaneserb7786]

Oh shut up@@WasteYuteeee

[@WasteYuteeee]

@@insaneserb7786 ur nan

[@balthazar579]

"The venn diagram between people who like RuneScapr and people who want 3 hour long videos is a circle."

[@cpzd83]

I mean, the man makes a solid fucking point

[@RainHH]

Long attention span Chad's.

[@smilosabercat]

I have never played Runescape, yet you got me to watch this whole video, and have tempted me to try Runescape. The most mitigating factor for me is my age and how that has effected my hands. Repeat clicking the same motion over and over hurts these aging digits. It would not be the time that would be daunting for me 5K hours in each Fallout and Elder Scrolls franchises so far... indicates my willingness to waste time. I am going to take the time to look at your Runescape let's play and make the decision as to whether I dare attempt this game. Currently on 8/11 of your Fallout 3 series, I do like your voice and presentation style. Thank you for the fun.

[@LilacMonarch]

I've seen people map various things to make mouse inputs, like foot pedals and whatnot. There's probably something that would work for your situation

[@thejollydevil3425]

like he says in the video there are alot of easy ways to earn xp that dont require alot of clicking and some do its the best part!

[@ethanchadwick8584]

Did you ever try?

[@MooseWilliams]

@@ethanchadwick8584he won't reply, that's XP loss

[@klwb69]

The

[@brennancasey680]

Not sure why it took youtube so long to recommend me this video. I have been playing osrs for 3 years now, never played it when I was younger so I have no nostalgia, you capture exactly why this game is so great and at the same time so hard to describe to people unfamiliar. This game hooked me like no mmo ever could with its unique sense of achievement and it would be crazy to see what a modern fresh take on this kind of game could look like.

[@michaels_madness]

I wish you could have seen the glory days of the game. It was by far the best game ever created at the time. An absolute experience. The internet was still young and multiplayer games weren't really a major thing yet.

[@TheBBCSlurpee]

@@michaels_madnessstill goated but was nice when people didn’t give a fuck about efficiency

[@Priest_Of_Zebak]

The game was wild in 2006-2007 So much fun and nostalgia. It's still my favorite game out rn tho.

[@bravingbrivatebrian]

If you want a modern fresh take on osrs try Runescape 3 by the same company

[@Priest_Of_Zebak]

@@bravingbrivatebrian That's disgusting tho. They ruined the game when I played in 2000's, and it still looks like that crap. I'll never go back.

[@meabhmurphy9090]

I always refer to the joy of labour in Runescape as 'The Zen of the grind'. Runecrafting was always my favourite skill and my first 99 (back in 2008 :) ) precisely because of how grindy it was. You can really lose yourself in it. Just as another take on the 'Misery Zone' there, I think seeing it as Zen is a way to find joy in it (or maybe some of us are just built different)

[@snarfulhusocks1688]

My first 99 was agility and I love wearing my untrimmed agility cape around because people always make amusing comments on it, or about my sanity. But the truth is, I just absolutely love training agility. It's that zen experience you mention. Plus, knowing that I achieved something that most people find difficult adds an inherent sense of reward for me.

[@Maddogs1]

26:50 You really would be good at game design-based ted talks, was quite intrigued by that segment

[@flymouse1172]

ned talks

[@sbef]

This essay is so in-depth and thorough, I hope some Jagex developers see it to formalise what makes Old School Runescape such a good and special game.

[@ErikGsson]

Sometimes I go back and rewatch this 3.5h video. Every time I learn something new about why I love oldschool rs. ❤

[@furirinp8944]

I’m on my 3rd viewing

[@jonathanc3001]

I feel so spoiled that I found this channel after all these videos are already out, so I can just binge them all without waiting. There is something special about the amount of effort you put into documenting your playthrough, impressions, and then a full analysis of this game and why it’s so great. Thank you marstead. I was familiar with a lot of these concepts, but you really made me think harder about exactly what it is that makes this game different. I especially loved the attention/difficulty chart. Game designers should use that always as a way to see if content is good or bad. This video deserves more views, but people may be put off by the length. You are correct though that RuneScape players are fine with it because it’s great content to watch while grinding!

[@-VexyRS]

As soon as you mentioned metroidvanias and how runescape’s progression system is similar to theirs, I instantly understood why I loved Hollow Knight so much, but I struggle with getting into most other games in general. Incredible video!

[@asabranch5107]

I got 2 magic levels during this video

[@Rainman8814]

I got a easy achievement diary done. Western Province

[@NathanielBTM]

gz

[@TheAxhol]

I got 3 slayer tasks and 2 hard clues done brother

[@xFuaZe]

Half a slayer level 🙃

[@the_BattleGoose]

Man... you absolutely captured what makes Runescape such a worthwhile experience. Thank you for this essay.

[@__w__o__w__]

Worth noting that plenty of activities you do while 'afking' runecape also have their own attention 'calibration', and finding the perfect cross-over between real life attention and runescape attention can feel incredibly rewarding and productive. Like i'm being productive doing 'something that matters' and progressing my 'waste of time' video game credentials simultaneously.

[@tormenter1111]

Love the surprise class analysis in the RuneScape genre investigation! Genuinely. You never see people using a class analysis lens in how they look at stuff

[@sweatywraith8242]

Thanks Marstead I did not know how to accurately describe OSRS to anyone and always felt like I messed up their introduction to the game. I've memorized this entire video and recite it to everyone I meet and its been working great! I've even met some women at the bar and have been able to get them to understand the beauty of OSRS.

[@liljacket]

Just watched the entire video, my man... This is probably the best video essay I have ever watched. I really appreciate the amount of time you put into this and the way you are able (and probably practiced] to put all this entire topic into words. Best video I have ever watched by far, bless you sir!!

[@olive7155]

3:26:23 got me good. What a great video/essay/movie!

[@zackchud]

Loving the vid so far! your metroidvania argument at 48:00 was incredibly compelling, as soon as you proposed the idea i was immediately convinced.

[@Sens249]

this was so fun to watch! As a Runescape player you voiced so many deep feelings that I had a hard time vocalizing or even understanding. Youve helped me understand why I actually like this game so much and why I have had a hard time getting into other MMOs. You hit the nail on so so many different points and I give kudos to you. Thank you for making the medium clue grind a bit more enjoyable. I do want to add a funny sidenote which is that when you were talking about how Jagex would never allow a training method that has "good exp rates, little prerequisites, great resource, gain, little need for banking, low resource cost, low danger and low complexity" The only thing I could think of was Wintertodt, which seems to hit all of those points haha. But it also is the one thing that saved Firemaking so, we accept it. 10/10 video, and now Im excited to watch your Runescape playthrough!

[@intendedtendencies]

Please make more video essay content, you have an insane talent/skill for it.

[@TheWiseApe]

I'm only 40 min in and look forward to every minute after for my drive out of state today. Subbed!

[@-VexyRS]

Minute 1 “Welcome to my TED Talk about Runescape” Hour 1 “So you click rocks and get levels” Hour 2 “Sidegrades are different from upgrades” Hour 3 “NOTHING MATTERS, WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE ONE DAY, LET ME CLICK ROCKS” And yes, I’m rewatching this for fun. I *LOVE* this video, Marstead! I’d actually love to see an in-depth analysis of what RuneScape is, and what awaits you as a player; in a more ‘introductory’ sense, but not sugar-coating or lowering people’s expectations. I think this video serves that purpose well, but this essay is more geared toward people who are already well acquainted with MMOs. Food for thought! Just saying I’d love to see it. Keep up the grind ♥️

[@DonYagamoth]

I think the point at ~1:09:55 is probably my favorite part about OSRS - "You don't have to worry about optimization paralysis, because it's impossible to optimize" I'm someone who greatly enjoys optimizing things of all variety. And the moment I recognized, that there often is just straight up no "optimal path" for a variety of reasons, it became... easier. I normally struggle with sandbox games, because I get lost, and often don't have too much drive to 'go explore'. Somehow OSRS still worked for me... Although I've only been playing for roughly a year now, it's still neat

[@dakkx]

This is the best video essay on RuneScape I’ve ever watched. Kudos for keeping it so clean, clear and well organized. S+ tier content.

[@soul_loa6643]

Found you on Bonfire man and had this video up while doing Ardy Knights Grind. Pretty much a perfect take on how Runescape is awesome thanks for the content that you release. It is great fun to watch!

[@TheDiabloke]

This is criminally underviewed.. Great video and thank you for putting it out

[@T3RD5ify]

You forgot about a key demographic of people… *too busy for RuneScape but still need something to listen to at work* … great video

[@timurrte5694]

I started playing this medieval clicking simulator 9 months ago. And this video actually describes undescribable feelings that i got from this game ❤

[@Odinh]

you caught me with one of your later points, "OSRS Attention Levels: #4, consuming media", as of writing this i am watching your essay and grinding black knights for a diary. there were moments where i laughed about your keen assertions about what runescape boils down to. the multiple analogies are spot on and is what makes this, in combination with the attention level variance a clear genre builder/ setter ( like metroid, DS, and Rogue were)

[@tastycastle1976]

Amazing! The structure and presentation is great! RuneScape (based on your descriptions) reminds me of Mabinogi in a lot of ways. You should check it out!

[@Marstead]

Oh wow, Mabinogi's made by Nexon, who also made that Nexus TK game I mentioned. I'll have to scope it out, thanks!

[@RuneDest]

I just not stumbled on this, just a bit late.. But I'm just getting back into OSRS after a long break and man.. this video essay not only captures the feelings I exprience but enstilled a new appreciation for Jagex and Runescape itself. Thanks for taking the time to put this together, I look forward to the (potential? eventual?) RS3 video essay!

[@kirilllysenko8616]

This analysis was extremely insightful, like the way you compared runescape's progression to that of a metroidvania felt like a revelation. Your channel deserves way more subscribers

[@finnafishfl]

Thank you for everything, love what you're doing and can't believe you don't have more subs. I'm about 30 episodes into the series and I was very glad to find it

[@carloscachicamo331]

You hit the nail on the head on so many different parts about why Runescape is what it is. Whatever that is! I know whenever i try and explain runescape to other people it always ends up feeling like i dont have enough time to properly convey why the game is pretty perfect to me.

[@violettheshadowfan]

not only did this video get me into osrs but i'm now watching it for the third time, i really appreciate the captions!

[@jeroenstolp9889]

Just finished watching this, while playing Runescape (albeit rs3, I can't wait for you to give that a shot soon) of course. Perhaps using many more words than necessary, but definitely hitting the nail on the head throughout all of it. I genuinely believe that a big reason for why many people keep coming back to this game (the saying "you never quit Runescape, you only take breaks" exists for a reason) is that there simply are no good alternatives out there. The game truly is unique, and it scratches an itch that no other major developer has ever tried to scratch. Looking on Google for "games like Runescape" tends to lead to generic MMORPGs and if you're lucky will lead to a game like "RPG MO" which is as close to a title "like Runescape" as you'll get, but in the end is an indie title that doesn't have the budget or backing to really "make it" out there. There is a lot of controversy about people have a love/hate relationship with Runescape, coming back to the game they've grown to dislike over and over again. Why? Because they've got nowhere else to go. It boggles my mind how there hasn't been any major developers who have tried to cash in on this "genre" since it genuinely feels like a hole in the market right now for the many many players who have grown tired of Runescape after 20 years, but want something similar.

[@Marstead]

This was definitely one of those "If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter" situations. Thanks for the comment!

[@Sir_Basil]

Marstead thought we weren't gonna notice this video was designed to watch while grinding on Runescape

[@krodlori2118]

Ok the ven diagram joke nearly made me choke hahaha xD

[@UnknownVir]

I think farming is most likely lap running when doing trees, and most like rock clicking when doing allotment+herbs. I really hadn't considered why I actually disliked farming until I found out how nice allotment+herb runs were for me (woodcutting was one of my favorite skills growing up). I think the other main difference is the time wait. Farming might be one of the more novel game loops in RuneScape. Birdhouse runs are also time gated lap running vs most hunter being either rock-click or conventional lap running.

[@jextra1313]

Same, woodcutting was my favourite skill and I disliked farming, It feels like dailies in other MMOs, and I'd rather be actively playing the game rather than having to wait x hours. The xp reward doesn't feel deserved.

[@glebgladkiy6908]

As someone who has been playing Runescape since 2004, this video leaves me with mixed feelings. On one hand, it's super cool to see you break down why Runescape is awesome in such great detail, there were a lot of things I never really thought about before, at least not in such terms. On the other hand, now I see it crystal clear why I never managed to truly enjoy other MMOs (or should I just say, MMOs) and it's extemelly unlikely I'll ever find another game that feels as good to play. Love everything about this video except for using Outer Wilds music at 2:25:50. It's very hard to focus on what you're saying when my brain screams "YOU HAVE LESS THAN 30 SECONDS LEFT TO LIVE".

[@philipburger4652]

This video is very well done. I’m sure a lot of people have told you this but it put into words so many things I have felt about OSRS but didn’t know how to say. Thanks for putting this video together!

[@TheMaktastic4]

Really enjoyed this, afked work whilst afking osrs, while watching this

[@dude92]

Nice video! I love how you started as a newbie and how you came to like it. The fact that you have achieved 3 times more in 1 year, than I with 3 years is astonishing. I would say priffdinas anvil is not special just for the fact that it is 1 tile closer to a bank, but it has a furnace right next to it. If I'm correct, it's the only place where there is a bank, a furnace, and an anvil right next to each other, which makes training smithing much easier. And the fact that zalcano's prison is right next to those makes it more rewarding, because you can easily take a detour to smith some of the ore drops from zalcano when grinding for the tool seed or the pet. It's good to take a break sometimes.

[@Reldonator]

I've watched thousands of Runescape videos but this one just hits different. Your perspective on the game and mmos in general is fascinating. This is a much watch

[@MaxCapeRoad]

It's so funny when you started talking about numbers, I think it was in the XP section? This has been my main game since 2006, and it literally did not phase me for a moment when you mentioned 8k arrows, 7k nars and 300k+ iron ores. I was like 'uh huh, makes sense.' and it was not until you mentioned how insane it must look for an outside who hasn't played or is familiar with runescape that it dawned on me and I went complete 'uhh, wow'. Watched the whole thing, hands down one of my favourite videos of all time. Easy to follow, articulate and good humor all through.

[@swerveq_p]

I haven't and won't be watching this video for a while as I'm still busy with your Let's Play of OSRS - just want to let you know that you did an amazing job on how you played Runescape (not too many Guides etc). I'm currently at Part 38 and absolutely loving it!

[@-VexyRS]

Idk if you’ve come far enough to watch this yet, but I’m only at episode 10, and I watched this entire essay without having anything spoiled. He mentions late game stuff, but doesn’t go into detail. A few very minor things along his playthrough are mentioned, but by the time you get there, you will have forgotten the context; I’m sure of that. So, watch away! It’s absolutely brilliant

[@swerveq_p]

@@-VexyRS Oh thanks for the Info, I'll check it ou very soon then :)

[@icecream-soup]

This will go great with my Kraken slayer task.

[@PersonS6]

I have been looking up information about philosophers and spiritual teachers for the past few days because I'm going though a bad existential crisis again. This was the last place I expected to find some answers but it actually helped. Seriously, thank you! This was lovely

[@EchidnaEsq]

This is the most enjoyable and engaging three and a half hours I've spent on KZbin in a long time. It's a CRIME that you don't have more subs. Thank you for you're time and effort good sir.

[@regista4]

This was absolutely phenomenal, I was enraptured from start to finish. I made sure I was doing low attention stuff in OSRS so I could give this the majority of my attention! The Joy of Labor interlude in particular was so thought-provoking and inspiring. Thank you so much for all the effort you put into this.

[@ethanhenare1]

2 hours and 30 minutes in, have been watching this while playing osrs and it has been a fantastic experience, this deserves so many more views.

[@ethanhenare1]

and finally finished!! that ending honestly rly hit hard

[@lainederkson4287]

These are the only video's on KZbin over 30m that I watch to the very end. Also, I love the clarification text on the bottom about the dead content. Keep up the great work and great videos, brother!

[@SirEmperus]

This was insanely high quality, thank you so much for this video! Haven't checked if you have yet, but a summary version of 10-20min would be awesome to sell osrs to some friends :D

[@ZCheVskY]

Hey Marstead, Thank you so much for all of the hard work you have put in over the years on all of these Lets Plays! I started watching your channel about 6 months ago when I stumbled across your RS playthrough, since then I have revisited your past videos for many of my favorite games specifically to see how you evaluate the good and the bad in those games. Your reactions and commentary has been an invaluable asset for me, an aspiring game designer. It is so helpful to see blind reactions from someone so well spoken, and consistent. Now you are further pushing the Game Design Topic to new highs! Thank you for this video, which was extremely well done and better analyzed OSRS than any video I have ever seen before. Not to mention you are now naming new Game Design concepts by building off of some of the greats of Game Design Analysis on youtube. YOU ARE PUSHING THE MEDIUM FORWARD! amazing work! I send you a donation on your twitch and hope you keep up the great work!

[@Marstead]

Thanks a ton for the donation! If you have a Twitch username you'd like to share I can give you some stream currency for voting in thanks for that. I really appreciate it!

[@ZCheVskY]

@@Marstead thanks! my twitch username is zulfiqarkindjal

[@alexlabs4858]

Not sure why this popped up on my feed but I watched it all the way through (while grinding of course) and it was fantastic. Loved how you looped in real life and how our society views work, and luckily societies view of work is slowly changing. I hope it continues in that direction because you're absolutely right that we have a very twisted and toxic view surrounding work and time off.

[@nonsense402]

Great choice of music of the interlude. Love your perspective about labor. Even as someone who shares your perspective, I still struggle with both ideas. That dissonance has led me to prioritize the things that I value highly though, not just for money but also for identity and fulfillment. As I've gotten older I've found that it doesn't matter what you commit to, just that you value it. This was such a great rant. Thank you for putting to words what I haven't been able to for years.

[@KazaganthiDrakkor]

I recently after 23 years achieved a Trimmed Completionist Cape on Rs3, and have been here since classic days. Runescape, both osrs and modern, has a very special place in enjoyment and escape. It's got relaxing portions and HARD challenges, now im chasing the trimmed comp on an ironman for the extra challenges! Great video!!

[@boulderboi-fs3um]

Such a cool video, congrats on that! I just started playing OSRS, never played before. I've played lots of fantasy mmos and none of them come close to the feeling OSRS has to it. The quests are the best I've ever seen, the grind is fun, easy to get into and something I can just do while I watch videos, play other games or wait for the bus. And I haven't even gotten into combat yet. You described the game so well!

[@Scorsch]

I liked the TSP analogy. It would be fun to determine the most efficient route (if it ever becomes possible in polynomial time)

[@Marstead]

I'd be interested to find out if common player meta decisions like rushing Wintertodt are close to optimal or way off!

[@HelloImDavid1000]

The section on the joy of labour at around 2:30:00 is bordering on philosophical. I had never linked enjoying runescape to my enjoyment of monotonous tasks like mowing the lawn. But you did! Thank you for the interesting insight.

[@VallianceRS]

the way i've always described RS is "imagine some social game like habbo hotel or club penguin, or even just social media... but you do it in a fantasy world and your character you control can level up professions like being a lumberjack or fisherman... all with incredibly simple point and click gameplay (with short wait periods) where you can just sit around and chat the shit"

[@arkend7666]

I was looking for this exact kind of video from someone who doesn't have particular nostalgic attachment (playing the game as a kid) to osrs. I'm happy to hear someone talk about how runescape is in its own subgenre of mmorpg's, its so very true! Beyond impressed with how the video is put together, and the ways you present the core gameplay in the most accurate way I've seen on youtube so far.

[@noxwalrus]

This should be mandatory onboarding for any jagex employee, or really any game dev. I think this is up there with the presentation Mark Rosewater gave at GDC 2016 about his lessons learned from designing Magic: the Gathering.

[@TopFurret]

Honestly this graph and analysis filled 3 hour video essay is the best pitch for RuneScape I have ever seen. RuneScape really needs to market itself as a "multitasking game"

[@Nurofaen]

Fantastic Video. I just watched it during my 97-99 Runecrafting grind on my Ironman, ironically. Love your energy, love your passion. Hope this video gets you the traction you deserve.

[@UnknownVir]

There is so much I never knew about MMOs because I've played more RuneScape than any other MMO

[@Ftreptp]

Amazing job on this video/project, hope more people find it 😎

[@AlexanderHenzel]

go to sleep

[@Ftreptp]

@@AlexanderHenzel You go to sleep crangus

[@CaptainGomez]

Very insightful - long time RS player since early days (on/off) but just getting back in… rly like how you break things down & interesting notions in general 🌄🌊✨Thx!

[@natesmith3592]

Incredible job! You've tied so many things to words. I've never been able to explain to people before what makes runescape so special, this video will be my reference from now on.

[@julianfernandes9301]

Ive heard so many audiobooks because of runescape, watching this 3.5 hour video was nothing lol

[@Marstead]

😂

[@kristiankoski3908]

Awesome video man! I haven't fully watched your playthrough yet but came across this masterpiece just now. Runecraft is actually one of my favorite skills... :D For me, it isn't in the miserable zone. I think you can really turn your brain off while training rc even though it requires your attention, it's somehow very chill loop.

[@Omnicide101]

Hey mate, this video pulled me through a really rough time (my girlfriend was in the hospital with a damn near lethal case of bronchitis - she's mostly back to health and back home now, thankfully) and got me to try RuneScape again for the first time in three years. Finally finished Dragon Slayer just now, never even dared to start that quest as a kid, and the feeling is spectacular. Thank you :)

[@marisasob]

As someone that played on and off for 20 years, this video was incredibly well made. Last few years i played OSRS on and off on the same character. And this is what keeps pulling me back to the game. I log in after a year, and i still have my high level account. I have to do a few Quests and i have my Quest cape again (achievement cape you get for completing all quests). My account is over 10 years old now and every stupid thing i did on this account for the past decade, is still usefull now when i play. And this is what makes OSRS players one of the most loyal players of any game. You never quit Runescape, the breaks just get longer.

[@lermrodgers3082]

Haven't watched the vid yet, but osrs is a cleverly designed rhythm game that beats in .6 second intervals lol.

[@Marstead]

Hahah, I had to cut the section on Tick Manipulation but I was going to make this exact argument in it 😂 I've definitely played it to a Metronome or a 100BPM playlist before

[@lermrodgers3082]

@@Marstead I learned to woox walk vorkath to staying alive by the beegees

[@NickRuedig]

@@Marstead That might be an interesting followup video!

[@Lexyvil]

This was amazing! I'm so used to watching your Let's Plays that it took me by surprise to see you do a game analysis on your channel. Not only are you a good commentator but a really good reviewer too.

[@goldendonut7349]

This was very well structured and thought out. Even though i've played rs since 2009 and osrs since its beginning and know most of what youre talking about, i still enjoyed the listen and you actually taught me more about the game that i play every day.

[@El-Burrito]

The whole part you describe about candy-loops also reminds me of Yak Shaving. Where you set out to do one thing, but you need to something else first, and before you do that there's this little thing you want to get done, etc.

[@mitchware9357]

Your dedication to the game has been immense. You've achieved more in the game already than I have in my 18 years of playing off and on.

[@gamerex9378]

Welp, background audio for when I skill ✓

[@x7y2k12]

This video helped me on my journey to 96 agility. And just reaching episode 42 of the quest cape series helped with maxing woodcutting and fishing. So you're doing something right.

[@Hot_To_Trot]

Never found a way to put it into words, now I can just link people a three-and-a-half-hour-long video to people as a brief introduction to my beloved game. Great work, loved the video!

[@vinchinzo594]

In my 22 years of playing Runescape, from Classic to Rs2/07/Oldschool, to Rs3 and then back to OldSchool, I've watched so many hours of videos that it's honestly ridiculous. This is the bar-none undisputed greatest video about Runescape I've ever seen. You understand this game better than people who have played it for 10+ years. Maybe better than almost everyone. You broke down the 'raison dêtre' of Runescape in a way I've never seen even be attempted. The structure of your video is a window to the structure of your awesome mind. I cannot give you enough kudos for this. This video is a masterpiece. And, of course, I was afk training while I watched it. 🤗 Edit: You having under 3k subs is CRIMINAL. This video *alone* deserves 100k+ subs. Edit 2: Your nihilism is wrong. Because nihilism is wrong. You say "nothing matters." You don't believe that. Nihilism is an unlivable concept which is why genuine nihilists end their lives. You made this video because you thought making it *mattered* for one reason or another.

[@OSRSJupiter]

I was a little hurt when he said that gardening doesn't matter. The end goal of gardening isn't about what you do or grow, it's about what you leave behind. I've seen empty neighborhoods be over run by butterflies and lizards and even frogs by just one good garden. But yes nihilism is stupid.

[@cyglassworks]

Love the vid. KZbin seems to think I need to watch it everyday lol. Idk why but this vid is played on auto play after almost anyone other runescape vid I watch. Just thought you might like to hear your content is getting pushed to people lol

[@andriygorbenko6039]

You did an incredible job analysing the game, while also communicating your love for it so clearly. Subscribed and looking forward to future content! You are great at this, keep talking about video games you love :)

[@Litepaw]

I fell in love with runescape back in 2004 in a completely different way than i did to WoW. WoW was beautiful, immersive, really detailed, and absolutely massive. It had a massive "wow factor" (pun 100% intended) But something about runescape just felt so warm and inviting and wholesome to me. It was unique and simple, but it had a heart and soul. Something in it just felt so cozy, and reaching goals and milestones in RS actually felt like an achievement and felt warm inside. Unlike in WoW, where reaching goals just felt more like.. relieving. Most times my reaction was just "ugh, FINALLY". Grinding honors to exalted, doing daily quests, doing battlegrounds and arena, checking the auction house, and participating in raids felt more like day job task obligations than having fun. The most fun thing in WoW was leveling to max, and that's basically all runescape is. In WoW your guild and blizzard tells you what to do, and there's a singular "correct" way to play, even though you have all kinds of weapon choices, talents, professions, gear, etc. In runescape YOU decide what to do, but Jagex provides you the playground. You dont need anyone else to max your account if you wish to play that way, and there are endless possibilities to reach a goal. Thats why i dont like this new "no xp waste" 2tick minmax efficiency mindset. WoW is still great, i played from vanilla all the way to pandaria, and spent thousands of hours playing it. Way waaay more than RS. It's just more engaging, even though it felt like a job sometimes. But runescape always had a special place in my heart. Someone said something about categorizing some youtube videos as first or second screen content, but both still being equally important in different ways. WoW/FF14 are great and engaging full focus main screen games. But runescape is the undefeated king of second screen games. Damn this comment turned out way longer than i intended 😂 thanks for coming to my ted talk.