Orb of oculus/Hidden locations

The Orb of Oculus presents a wide variety of new capabilities and challenges to all players, in the creation of screenshots, videos, and even using it on its own for the terrific and new perspectives it provides, including the first-person perspective, which actually has a precedent in early versions of RuneScape. Feel free to contribute your experiences and tips!

Safe-spotting
The Orb is held in two hands, using both the weapon and shield equipment slots, and so is essentially a two-handed weapon. It is notable as having an across-the-board -20 Defence modifier, and any attack upon the player will immediately end the "gaze-into" view, returning the player to the Avatar view. This presents some difficult challenges to using the Orb in a dangerous environment. Much like the use of Mage or Range, the Orb may require the use of the "safe-spotting" technique.

Viewing range
Not only is the Orb of oculus used for making videos, but it is also widely used for taking a closer look at areas which players either cannot access, could access but can no longer do so, or ones which are unrelated to the area the player is currently standing in and is only visited via completely different methods. The Orb can pass through "solid" game objects, walls, characters, players, and even substantial underground "matter". This presents unique opportunities to view areas which may otherwise be inaccessible to the player's avatar at their present location.



When first gazing into the Orb, the view provided is always to the south of the player, approximately 8 squares away, and 9 "squares" above the ground. This is actually 1 square closer in the horizontal than provided by the "avatar view". The Orb can rise as far as 39 "squares" above the level on which the player is standing, and can roam horizontally 30 squares north, south, east, or west, allowing a total "roam" of 60 squares, both in the north-south and east-west axes.



Hiding off-camera and behind objects
As the Orb, as noted, has a great viewing range, it is possible for a player to stand well off-camera, behind a wall or other large object, and gaze into the Orb in such a way as to see far from their location.



Video settings
The video settings, accessed in-game, can be used to great effect to enhance the view obtained with the Orb. Brightness, lighting detail levels, and screen-size settings can all make a great difference in the view and detail obtained.



Above, two screenshots illustrate the vast differences in image quality, based on the settings used. The shot on the left was made in safety mode, with the smallest screen available, and with character shadows turned on, leaving the image very flat, and with shadows underneath the subject, making it difficult to do transparency work on a properly cropped image. In the second, on the right, the full screen setting, in HD, and with character shadows turned off, gives a far more vibrant image, and the lack of shadows may result in a far better finished product. With greater experimentation, perhaps the ground clutter still remaining could be removed.

Below are two images taken at Varrock Palace, the first with the "Selectively" remove roofs option, and the second set to "Always". This difference creates what seems to be two entirely different pictures, and yet they are taken from the exact same position.



Hidden locations
The orb can be used to view many locations that are otherwise out of reach or in an area that should normally be quite far away.
 * Daemonheim, or the "Wilderness Castle" could be seen before its release.




 * West of the Edgeville dungeon Black Demons there is an unidentified area that can be seen on the minimap, but cannot be viewed with 'player camera'. Identifying with the Orb is needed.
 * When using the orb, free players can look into members parts of the game and may see some interesting things, however there is no desert in non-Member worlds.
 * When using the orb in the Box you can hide in near the Candle maker's shop in Catherby you can see the fire obelisk and the icy area of the temple of ikov
 * It is possible to look into the Tutorial Island bank from south of the Wizards Tower and see no bankers. This is because NPCs are only viewable if the NPC is currently on your minimap.
 * There appears to be the building from the Ratcatchers quest that your character sneaks into just outside the Varrock Rat Pits.
 * When using the orb, you can see under the floor.
 * The orb cannot see into structures that you cannot see on the minimap. For example, the orb cannot see into the tower on the roof of the Al Kharid palace.
 * The Mogre Camp from Recipe for Disaster can be seen by going to the southwest end of the Asgarnian Ice Dungeon and looking south. The blue hue from the water cannot be seen. Some coral reefs can be seen without the orb. This can also be seen from the dungeon near the Shaikahan on east karamja.
 * When standing in the north-east part of the Blast Furnace and using the Orb of Oculus to look further North, you can see the Candlelight Chapel, which is an old, retired Random event. Strangely, what appears to be the Gravedigger Random Event seems to be located to the west of it. Looking even farther north-east of the chapel, a swamp looking area can also be seen.




 * Players cannot use the Orb in Fist of Guthix. Doing so will yield the message: "You cannot use the orb in battle".
 * The Air altar can be seen by going to the far north-west of the Rune essence mine and looking west. The altar can be spotted but the game will push the camera down. A strange ice area can be seen by going to the far south end of the mine and looking south, not resembling any known ice-coated landscapes.
 * The Mind altar can be seen if you go northwest of the Air Altar. There also seems to be a strip of land to the south of the altar, with nothing on it.
 * When you stand at the Body altar, it is possible to see the Law altar to the west and the Fire altar to the east. East of the Fire altar is the Earth altar.
 * When standing in the southern edge of the lowest part of the Saradomin Encampment, you can see an underwater area to the south using the Orb. This was confirmed by a Jagex Moderator to be a planned extension to the God Wars, but was eventually scrapped.
 * When at the Cosmic altar and using the orb to see the furthest possible distance east, you can see the Death altar.
 * If a player logs out and logs back in at the very edge of a dungeon area, (such as the Runecrafting altars) the player can then use the Orb to view into other areas (such as the ones stated above).
 * When in the Stronghold of Security on the first floor, when at nearest edge to the south, using the orb you can see the final area of Dream Mentor.
 * When on the fourth floor of the Stronghold of Security, you can see the area from TokTz-Ket-Dill quest and the Fight Pits.
 * North of the Earth Altar, You can see a railroad tunnel and a 3 or 4 floored building with lanterns.
 * Northwest of the first floor of the Stronghold of Security, the orb that activates the Dragon forge is visible.
 * When standing north in the Summer Garden while playing the activity Sorceress's Garden you can see the edge of Clan Wars.
 * When looking south-west from the Keldagrim rat pits, you can see part of the Temple of Light which plays a major role in the Mourning's Ends Part II quest.
 * When standing on the west side of the basement of Summer's Farm, you can see into the Spirit Realm portion of the Forgotten Cemetery and part of a pyramid.
 * When standing in the south-eastern part of the Polar Eagle Lair, you can see the Brine Rat Cavern and it is very close, close enough to be shown on the minimap. Of course, it doesn't.
 * When standing on the north side of the Spirit Realm version of the Western Ruins, you can see the Abandoned Mine.
 * When standing at the far north-east and north-west corner of the Bandos throne room and travelling north with the orb, you can see a cave. A un-collapsed version is visible in the north-western corner and a collapsed version in the north-eastern corner.
 * Using the Orb of Oculus when at the west wall of the Bandos Throne Room, it is possible to see into another room. It is an exact copy of the Bandos Throne Room, except that the Bandos Guards block the path to the portal out. It is probably used in The Chosen Commander quest during the portion where you play as Zanik.
 * Also in that same area are the two versions of the caves that Zanik and the player teleports to; one of them is normal, the other has the fissure.
 * Northwest of the first room of Pyramid Plunder is the Dragonkin Castle.
 * The chest containing the map piece used in the Dragon Slayer quest can be seen southwest of Evil Dave's basement.
 * The Dwarven Mines can be seen by looking northwest in the basement of Draynor Manor.
 * In the basement of Hetty's house, looking north will reveal a cavern with bricks on the walls and lots of overgrowth. This is The Lair of Tarn Razorlor.
 * From the basement of the Black Knights' Fortress you are able to see the prison area where Merlin and the knights were kept, and are still there, during the quest King's Ransom
 * Many areas of the Troll Stronghold have disconnected rooms of a similar cave structure, these are most likely segments used in cutscenes or future updates.
 * Northwest of the interior of Baba Yaga's house is part of the Kharazi Dungeon (you can see a blue shimmering portal; the door that needs the Heart crystal).
 * You cannot use the orb in the Corporeal Beast's dungeon before you complete Summer's End. Instead you get the message "You cannot use the Orb of Oculus here."
 * If you have completed Watchtower and stand on the top floor of the watchtower, you can see a snowy mountain in the place where the Tree Gnome Village normally is.
 * In the dark room in the Temple of Ikov with the Boots of Lightness, there are two separate rooms, the illuminated room and the dark room can both be seen when in the other room when using the orb.


 * To the east of the underground portion of the Shilo Village mining site, a portion of the Ah Za Roon Temple dungeon, from the Shilo Village quest, can be seen.


 * The basement of the Witch's House can be seen from the Fountain of Heroes.




 * Various Locations seen from the Freaky Forester random event.


 * Prior to the release of Elemental Workshop III it was not possible to see into the body room because the door brings you to a new map location.