Game controls

The Game controls are the methods by which the human player interacts with the game. In RuneScape, the controls are mostly point-and-click, though the context menus (usually obtained by right-clicking the mouse) will almost certainly be necessary, and keyboard controls will be very useful.

The basics of the game controls are covered in the tutorial, which all new players must complete before gaining access to the main game.

Mouse controls
In all likelihood, most players use a mouse as their pointing device. This will include the ability to position an on-screen pointer and two (primary and secondary) buttons to perform actions. The primary (usually left) button performs actions, and the secondary (usually right) button accesses a context menu listing possible actions to perform.

Primary button


Pressing the primary mouse button results in the default action for the situation.

A few examples:
 * On a character that can be attacked, and is not a red level: Attack.
 * On an NPC: Talk to.
 * On an item in the inventory: Wear, wield, bury, eat, or "use with" if no other action applies.
 * On an item on the ground: Take the most expensive (in shop value) item from the pile.
 * In the bank, on the bank screen or inventory: Transfer one item.

If there are many characters or items in one spot, the default action may not select the desired object. A particular example includes when someone is standing in the same spot as a fire while the player is trying to cook fish. If only left-clicking, the game may try to use the raw food on the other player, rather than the fire.

Secondary button


Pressing the secondary mouse button offers a list of all possible actions that players can perform, or options to deal with more than one item.

In the example above, left-click the raw fish, then right-click the spot containing the player and the fire and select "Use with fire" from the menu.

In the bank, players can avoid the usual dialogue with the banker by using the secondary click option "Use-quickly bank booth" or (usually) "Bank banker".

Another time players must right-click is when combining two food items that are both edible (since left-clicking would eat one of them), and some other situations where they would otherwise eat or drink an item instead of handing it over.

If the mouse only has one button, players can set the Mouse Buttons option to One, so that every mouse click will be treated as a secondary mouse click. That way, a context menu will be displayed for every action performed, and it will be impossible to eat a food item accidentally.

Running
Holding the "Control" (Ctrl) key with any mouse click target means the player will run to a location (if they have enough energy).

Running may also be permanently selected using the Options screen, where-upon all movement will be made at a run until walking is selected again, or the player's energy falls to zero.

Camera panning
The arrow keys are used to pan the main view and minimap, rotate, and raise or lower the viewpoint. You may also click north on the compass to instantly turn your camera north.

While it can be useful to see items on the main view by rotating the map, keeping the map pointed north while trying to navigate is highly recommended, as it is easy to forget the map angle and set off in the wrong direction if you do not.

Numbers
The keyboard is used to enter amounts, perhaps most commonly-used for coins. Using the 5, 10 or All options for other items is quicker, even if players have less, or do not have room to carry all.

Short keys
Note: The short keys were reorganised on the 8th of July along with the activity, Mobilising Armies and notes interface.
 * F1: backpack inventory
 * F2: equipped inventory
 * F3: prayer screen
 * F4: magic spell screen
 * F5: combat screen
 * F9: quick chat response menu
 * F10: quick chat context menu
 * F11: repeat last quick chat message


 * Home: return to main quick chat menu
 * Page up/down: scroll through quick chat options
 * Enter: select quick chat option
 * Escape: exit quick chat menu
 * Tab: Reply to sender of last private message

Additionally, the letters and numbers preceding each quick chat option can be pressed to quickly select them.

There are no longer any keyboard shortcuts for clan chat, the statistics screen, the Quest List, the summoning screen, the friend list or the ignore list.

Chat
The keyboard can also be used for chat with other players. It is not used to talk to NPCs in the game, as any responses are selected from a menu.

Available options are Public chat, Private Chat, Clan Chat and Trade.

Chat effects
In the chat box, players can type a word followed by a colon, which changes the colour or movement of their public chat text.

Players can combine a colour and an effect. For example:

Note that if players combine a colour and an effect, they must always insert the colour first, or else it will not work.

Colours

 * Purple: - colours text purple
 * Red: - colours text red
 * Green: - colours text green
 * White: - colours text white
 * Cyan: - colours text cyan (light blue)
 * Flash1: - causes text to flash between red and yellow
 * Flash2: - causes text to flash between dark blue and cyan
 * Flash3: - causes text to flash between green and lime
 * Glow1: - causes text to glow from red, orange, yellow then green
 * Glow2: - causes text to glow from red, pink, blue then red
 * Glow3: - causes text to glow from white, lime, green, white then cyan

Effects

 * Wave: or wave2: - text makes a wavy action
 * Scroll: - text scrolls from right to left
 * Slide: - text slides in from the top and slides out to the bottom
 * Shake: - text shakes