The Process of Adding a New Skill to OSRS | Sailing 2024 Update

Anchors are aweigh on the development of Sailing, Old School RuneScape’s first new skill. We’ve partnered with ScreteMonge to show off our progress so far and give you a glimpse at what awaits as we sail on to 2024.
Discover more: osrs.game/Sailing-Next-Steps
Follow ScreteMonge: / scretemonge
Old School RuneScape is a retro game version of RuneScape from 2007 which we returned at the community's request. The community controls the developmental direction of Old School RuneScape by voting on which updates it would like to receive.
The world's largest and most popular MMORPG, Old School RuneScape has been played by over 260 million players since the 2001 release of RuneScape. Old School RuneScape unites the intricate mechanics of modern MMOs with the nostalgic point-and-click gameplay of early role-playing games.
#OSRSMobile #OldSchoolRS #OldSchoolRuneScape #OSRS #RuneScape

[@seanmccann3445]

That anchor icon should be the final concept for the skill icon. It's simple, clean, and clearly depicts what the skill is for newer players.

[@redblanket4554]

Unfortunately, I don't agree on that. The anchor is too reminiscent of the actual in-game melee weapon known as the Barrel chest Anchor. Which is an item I associate with the three melee skills (Attack, Defense, and Strength). While It is appropriate to use an Anchor as the skill icon, I think the one currently being used should be tweaked a tiny bit so that it doesn't resemble a melee weapon.

[@258thHiGuy]

@@redblanket4554 What are you talking about? The barrelchest anchor is much thinner, doesn't have that cross handle near the rope loop, and the curved arm end of the icon is pointed while the barrelchest is a squared notch

[@metakn1ght]

anchor

[@Gomank]

yappin @@redblanket4554

[@balex2344]

@@redblanket4554 theres no way this isnt a bait comment

[@thewingmanhero7954]

Not joking, Get Rendi in on testing. Give him the goal of finding all the ways you can break sailing. Then, fix those before launch

[@TeezyTattoos]

Great idea but they would rather hate on him

[@frederictyson4955]

Good idea to be fair.

[@sander2723]

Thisss

[@OBRIZZLE]

They broke ties with him and rendi went rogue 🫣

[@mnmtwo]

you must be new around here X D. jagex cut off all ties with rendi after accusing him of duping bills with his bug abuse.

[@1hpOutbreak]

Player designed island, wow, I hope the community puts their heart and soul into this project.

[@meylinlibertaskeef3346]

4chan is going to get involved, one way or another

[@rfbftp123]

Island in the shape of connection lost notification

[@smgkid]

pepe island incomin

[@Alex-0597]

When I read this comment, I thought player designed island was a counterpart to your POH, like we'd get to build on and manage a small island community or something

[@jjw6961]

Little St James

[@TPhoneHome]

Ned should be the level 99 skillcape vendor for sailing in my opinion! What do you guys think? Any better npcs for this?

[@Fjordy]

Yes!!

[@druid123456789]

I think he’s the perfect person for that. Amazing idea, will back 💯

[@Silent_Depths]

The only thematic problem I see is, like the leader of the desert mining colony/camp, Ned too has been out of the sailing game for a long time. Once he may have been Captain, but was he Admiral (a rank fitting of the level 99) and can he even reach his prime days anymore? I think it would make more sense to let some other NPC sell the sailing cape at a harder to reach port town/location such as Mos Le'harmless or The Piscatoris Fishing colony.

[@youMatterItDoesGetBetter]

That's the point, he WAS sailing at one point. It's time for him to bestow the trade to players. @@Silent_Depths

[@Silent_Depths]

@@youMatterItDoesGetBetter I was more so questioning his skill level in its prime, since the little trip down to Crandor didn't exactly end well and he has a rank of Captain... Surely Sailing would have far more dangerous deep sea monstrosities for boss fights than some grumpy holiday resort seeking green dragon?

[@mpg272727]

I feel like adding all new Islands with resouces and monsters etc that are unique and only able to get access to once you hit a certain sailing level will help the skill get more popular. Probably be much less botted areas too I imagine

[@MichaelMiller-yo6jj]

The editing is impeccable

[@OhMyTwitch]

Okay but what spice color do I put in my stew to get my +5 boost to Sailing?

[@nathanharmon8971]

The important questions. Also will admiral pie now give a sailing boost? Clearly that name is more to do with sailing than fishing.

[@shroomer3867]

blue

[@incenius5008]

I remember suggesting this back on the RS forums back in 2007 when I was a kid... really happy that its finally happening

[@thoughtsforthebuilders]

The sailing hype in the forum back then was real. Although, I was also a kid at the time, and maybe the older folks thought it was lame back then too 😅

[@Moccalocca100]

@@thoughtsforthebuilderslol it was a dream back then

[@casualwithballs]

Would be very cool to see an element of ship arrivals/sailings as some sort of event where people waiting at the docks could gain xp together with people getting off or into boats

[@hoytarchery5302]

The skill cape is perfect.... it's the same blue as the water and the brown trim looks like the wood of the ship. The icon is pretty good but I'm open to other ideas.

[@brian9]

Ship wheel icon! Anchoring isn’t sailing, it’s staying put.

[@VideosFailschannel]

The skill icon and cape used in this video look great to me. My only hope is that the emote is a reference to Captain Jack Sparrow’s first appearance in Pirates of the Caribbean where his ship is sinking as it’s coming into port lol

[@Immortal_coil4]

Tbh as long as I can get a brewery on my boat and get to deep dive with the breathing apparatus then I'll be more than satisfied with this skill 😅.

[@person1860]

By breathing apparatus I hope you don't mean a tube connecting to a barrel, or 2, of ale...

[@Radtastical]

Don't drink & sail!

[@dethkruzer]

I imagine there's room for a lot of skill interplay here. Construction, Crafting, and Smithing for customizing or repairing your ship. Agility for helping move if you have a storm related event. Ranged for operating shop weapons. Maybe herblore for treating wood? Also, a thought: skillcape sails.

[@nickd5117]

I still feel sailing will get the Dungeonerring reaction of “this should’ve been a mini game”

[@thepiggamer]

thats what they keep saying but id understand how when minigames last from 8-20mins

[@nickd5117]

@@thepiggamer - primary activities are all mini games similar to fishing trawler - Secondary activities follow the ‘use other skills’ dungeoneering has - The islands are similar to player owned ports and resource dungeons from RS3 - customisation is construction - pvp is… pvp - exploration… is not a skill I’m sure there’s a few more things but that’s what I can think of right now

[@tousawa808]

@@nickd5117 A minigame is very repetitive, it's always the same, sailing has a randomizer installed so every advanture is different.

[@nickd5117]

@@tousawa808 I would argue that makes it even more of a mini game - nice distraction to go do with some friends 2-3 times

[@tousawa808]

@@nickd5117 Bruh I think you struggle to read

[@ZachAscot]

This actually looks like a skill that would be FUN to get 99 in

[@jacobmann7623]

Interesting… this will probably look cool with the HD plug-in for water graphic enhancements.

[@ExtileYT]

this video, while informative and exciting. Was just so much fun to watch. Great job guys.

[@RsAndTechno]

Could there be a Gramd Exchange node on some of the higher tier ports to offload loot etc

[@davethescrub858]

I'd rather be able to open a shop in port - load it with wares and go on my journey. When I get back to port in a week or two I'll see if it got sold while I was away :P

[@EBjeebies1081]

@@davethescrub858that would be cool

[@iamplutonicrose]

Ain't no way I catch this video when it was just posted 17 seconds ago.

[@johntony6974]

I love that they're actual drivable ships you can move around the map in.. and not just an instanced zone like a PoH or PoP (ports in rs3)

[@PurpsFilms]

Very nice! Great job for the update and work in progress, this is sweeeeet!

[@domumfidelem8885]

Solomission capsizing at 7:03 was a cute addition. Excited for this one!

[@aj-np5dg]

Will there be a parrot as the sailing skilling pet? Like a true pirate

[@icebtw2004]

i think there is a parrot or something coming with the hunter guild

[@Ironlacka]

Monkey better

[@shafir2]

great video very informative

[@1hpOutbreak]

So if I catch a full inventory of fish do I have to dock somewhere and run to a bank or cooking range? Are you making a fish storage below deck like a legit fishing vessel??

[@pbgamer115]

I’m hoping for some type of storage the bigger the ship the more storage maybe hire someone to drop off the storage to the bank when you are docked, etc

[@dwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww]

@@pbgamer115 good idea, like a poh butler. they can be our cabin boy.

[@007kingifrit]

you should have a storage on your ship, but you lose anything in it if you sink

[@Clbull118]

I had a big question concerning Sailing. There are a lot of islands and even whole continents in Gielinor which are gated behind quest progression, i.e. Crandor, Tirannwn, Ape Atoll. Will these quests be requirements to even unlock the skill, or will they be requirements to dock in these lands? I mean Dragon Slayer would look totally different if you could just sail to Crandor to fight Elvarg and avoid the tedium of the entire quest.

[@elbojoloco]

They are probably gonna have to put invisible walls around those locked regions I suppose

[@biggiesmalls7939]

​@elbojoloco or just have an NPC on a dock say "you're not permitted to board here". Invisible walls is the sloppiest solution to the problem lol

[@brian9]

Ship Wheel icon! An anchor isn’t sailing, it’s staying put. How will the icon be the antithesis of sailing?

[@PIVfirestarkproducon]

Woodcutting's icon is a tree, even though the skill is about cutting them down -- it should be a stump instead! Is the kind of vibe I get from this. The anchor is really clean, and is still directly a tie to sailing.

[@brian9]

@@PIVfirestarkproducon in woodcutting you’re going after the wood which is a tree. In sailing you’re not going after stopping and staying at bay with the anchor which is the antithesis of the skill. Make it a sailors wheel!

[@survivalhomestead3314]

because it should be about putting an anchor down and exploring islands and caves in a dungeoneering like manner

[@slycooperscane]

I would say one of the biggest things they need to get right is give you a good reason to use your boat instead of just teleporting and running around.

[@d1p1k]

Just dont add teleports to the new islands, or not all of them at least

[@marshallc6215]

​@@d1p1k they tried that with the nightmare and the community revolted over it. Hence the slepey tablet being added later

[@shinobuoshino5066]

@@marshallc6215 just ignore the community or make it annoying to get just like troll teleports that require mining salt that gives 0 xp, based jagex making bot farms with these random skilling activities that noone wants to do.

[@marshallc6215]

@@shinobuoshino5066 those were also made infinite with the poh portals and nexus. Ignoring the community is what leads to the vls BS that really pisses people off

[@shinobuoshino5066]

@@marshallc6215 oh no, not the vls which is completely irrelevant in the game.

[@kuhataparunks]

I have a great feeling this will be a masterpiece, thanks for all the work and consideration from the mods

[@gorillevanille]

Excited for the fishing aspect of sailing!

[@Lead1121]

oh man I love this so much! So excited for it!

[@vensgotus4sho]

"Ship Combat" Lets go!!! Looking forward to that the most, as well as all the new unlocks! OSRS is here to stay and is clearly proving that in all aspects. Still to this day one of the most streamed and played Relevant MMORPG games of all time, Well Done! 👏

[@Legendary-legend.]

i hope they add dungeons so u can go out and explore and get loots/exp for actual combat/bossing

[@007kingifrit]

dungoneering confirmed?

[@naughtywizard]

Looks awesome! I’ve always wished more games took inspiration from the skills in Runescape

[@Aminorsnickle]

what do i need to make osrs maps?

[@samtjman]

I wonder if ranged or magic skill will work well with using cannons or harpoons. Anyway, very exciting.

[@Moccalocca100]

I havent played osrs in a long time. But i might play again if this skill comes out

[@Ikaros473]

Yea that icon is already perfect no need to adjust!

[@brian9]

No, it’s the antithesis of sailing. Anchoring is staying put at bay and not going out to sea. Make the icon a ship wheel or something!

[@DevRay227]

so what happens when we afk click and crash into land. any way to turn?

[@ejt2038]

Is it going to be possible to have multiple ships? Like a fishing trawler / dredge / warship types needed for different activities?

[@robinrodriguez5747]

THIS IS AWESOME, I just started doing the minigame of ships. I loved it, i'm sure this'll be better :)

[@DarkReaperTV]

i really love how much the community is being involved with new projects and how player ideas are being made into actual game content. W osrs team

[@xemplays2299]

The color of the cape is nice 👍🏼

[@Tovenaar]

Very professional. Keep up the good work!

[@RKLIFE17]

We should also have a steam powered gnome or elf technology that brings Fire making into the mix.

[@SideQuestStories]

Port Sarim's gonna be a cocophony of boat carnage day 1

[@lomby11]

I am obsessed with elenas voice

[@gijsdeboy]

it is also the chance to add new prayers. to help you trough the rough seas and wild adventures. and new kind of combat potions somewhere inbetween supers and extreemes. made with herbs from the new world, combined with ingredients from ghielinor. and maybe something like the prayer renewall potion but a bit less powerfull. and some kind of supercombat/overload that boosts your stats for 5min. and during those 5 min they wont be drained if you drink a brew.

[@werndogga]

combine some coral with your potion 😂

[@AngryGamerFilms]

Should add a port that you can build at your POH so you can have your boat and your POH together.

[@jdmhbeats]

Don't like the skill, but that is a great idea mate well done

[@Francisco-bu9ew]

1:54 OMG COLD WAR 2 CONFIRMED????!!!!

[@Communistdoctrine]

Can you update the draw distance or quick map. It breaks immersion when it looks like you’re sailing into pitch black

[@Ironlacka]

Get a better pc

[@bronkey8247]

7:00 solomission what are you doing there

[@PIVfirestarkproducon]

I think Bill Teach would be a great vendor for the cape. After all, he's the one that's been Teaching us how to Sail since 2006! Perhaps after reaching Level 99, players can purchase a "treasure map" from Bill and dig up his most prized possession -- the Sailing cape.

[@dom57p]

Hyped for new points of interest man it just seems limitless for future content

[@christopherhemstad6617]

Cool, one thing I would really appreciate hearing is what are Jagex's plans for preventing botting of sailing. I think often with new content releases (like the woodcutting update) we see large influxes of bots to take advantage of the new loot/rewards that are available. It would be really sad if the first 99 or 200 mil exp in sailing went to a bot.

[@chrishan9138]

I mean if some of the meaningful rewards were untradable...

[@131rockingout]

Voted no on the poll but ngl u guys are winning me over

[@RKLIFE17]

I hope they add sailing requirements to some old quests.

[@Hollow_Tim]

Why? Old content should never have new requirements added, that is fcking annoying.

[@zach39840]

While this is a really cool concept, the only thing I'm a lil bit confused by is.. how are some of the islands, like Lunar Isle, gonna be blocked off if you're lacking the skill/quest requirements to access it? Imagine seeing a person who began training sailing at a somewhat low level and is remotely new the game, end up at Lunar Isle, or somewhere they're not supposed to be.

[@andrewprahst2529]

I love the trim-sail as a core action. Does a good job of conveying the mechanics of sailing into simple clicks, and possibly gives you a way of directly improving "success" rate as you get to be a higher level

[@TopherG117]

Was that solo mission at 7:03?

[@eedobee]

I just hope the first few dozen levels aren’t tedious and requires random stuff.

[@unorevers7160]

osrs = best MMO

[@PANGPOWER]

I really appreciate the visuals

[@DripQuestYT]

Can't wait to sail the high seas tbh

[@caylacakes5974]

fr

[@buargrim8461]

I can't wait!

[@miked9115]

I think my biggest thing is the skills tab is gunna be even now. I know I’m weird but that’s exciting for my OCD 😂

[@cocomonkilla]

sailing lvls?

[@amp4105]

Add banks to high level ships so i can bank stand efficiently

[@currentcommerce4774]

max cargo 0 speed 0 cannons 0 defense we chillin B)

[@SilverionX]

The sailing icon should be a sextant, mainly because I like saying sextant... or a compass.

[@Fjordy]

Lol that Wintertodt burn

[@davidroberts2349]

I can't wait for sailing.

[@krisshaw91]

First new skill hahaha, obviously doesn't remember when farming was a new skill.. But I am supper excited!!

[@DogTheSnoopie]

Did the runescape themed product backlog feel dystopian in a way to anyone else lol?

[@rolllimbo973]

this should have been a type of minigame, not its own skill. Shamanism fit the oldschool vibe way more but whatever

[@josecampos7157]

What sailing and fishing level for deep sea fishing? Wait, you already can at the beach.

[@007kingifrit]

hopefully sharks and such are removed from beaches now

[@Soggywafflecakes]

Can we get a holiday item to turn into animals like mod husky?

[@selassie9015]

Move the ge to your player owned ship!

[@brandon1788]

Awesome!!

[@saltysharks1369]

imagine a player designed house as an island.

[@SMB-osrs]

imagine earning a poh houseboat unlock after 75 sailing with 75 construction

[@evolution5773]

I'm in my mid to upper 30s. I found this game on Miniclip when I was a literal kid. Even after this video I still can't see the appeal of this skill. Looking forward to the next update.

[@jerrydidrik]

Players who voted no quiz is such a good idea.

[@gijsdeboy]

and if i were you i would make it some kind of task based. deliverys of items, transport of npc's, protecting/attacking or fishing/collecting. the first lvls and tasks are in and around ghielinor. and you know where to go. but as you progress youl get tasks/missions with only directions, so many ...... miles heading north east, turn west for so many miles.... or with maps you need to find or get as reward from previous tasks. maps and directions to go out in open sea and map piece by piece the new worlds. while on task you get xp each half mile you sail the watter. xp are decided by the type of watter you choose to sail. calm watters or rough, rough water are the shortest and more dangerous routes to the destination. but require higher lvl boats who are more expensive to build (model,type of wood). calmer watters have longer and slower routes but are safe and require lower lvl boats who are cheaper to build you get additional xp when completing the task, depending on the type of task. all your discoverys earn xp, all your merchant ships provide xp after you load them and ship them off, and a big chunk of xp when you check the cargo once arrived at the destination(yourney takes a few houres, the bigger the longer) honestly iam full off ideas, to bad my english isnt all that greath to explain them to you

[@ChrisMcFarlanee]

Sounds interesting

[@joseurieldiazdeleon]

Shipping docks in wildy ports where you open the larrens key deep wildy

[@calemlinke773]

Hey don't you guys have a 3d world in there? Why not make it spherical if possible? That'd be cool 😎

[@spritefan10]

6:27 Y fletch?

[@joshkmaillet]

Didn't this fail voting like 10x?

[@bastienclarke1810]

Cool

[@rileymosman2808]

I'm conflicted when it comes to sailing. As a casual player, do I want to have another skill that I need to grind? Not really. Do I like that not engaging in a skill that I don't care to train will lock me out of a lot of interesting content (like the quests I'm sure that Jagex will add)? No. But I can see that sailing will be a fundamentally convenient skill much like agility and I can't say I mind the idea of a fresh new skill changing the dynamics of game play.

[@seanhazley4814]

deep sea fishing will come at some point I'm sure

[@1humanbeing]

Damn this has been long forgotten , can’t wait until it releases

[@TheLittleInternet]

🦀🦀🦀 crab should be the icon for sailing 🦀🦀🦀

[@funniguussee]

"see that island? You can sail there" Would be amazing if true, excited for the navigation aspect of sailing

[@fangthedergon1863]

HHUUUUSSSSKKKKYYYYY!!!

[@carlosvaldivia5132]

This skill should give the dark continent (hxh) vibes

[@fiindetopsmil9456]

COOOOOOOOOOOOOL

[@Flowmaster925]

first, new skill? damn i remember when they added Slayer......

[@mrjuarez530]

I want sailing to be as good or almost as good as fairy rings/lovakite mine cart system Is this wanted or not wanted? How do others feel?

[@mrjuarez530]

Like having a certain/multiple sea trophies that unlock fast travel to other areas, build your own docks in certain locations such as POH

[@ImAlexander_YT]

I think Dragon-Riding should be a skill.

[@Makem12]

It's a complete meme skill. I expect Jagex to not make it meme gameplay.

[@noobehnoober3178]

Can't be a bigger meme than firemaking and fletching