Tutorial Island (Beneath Cursed Tides)



Tutorial Island was a location where new players were guided through the basics of playing RuneScape. It was released in the update of 24 September 2002, and until the July 2008 update, all new players had to have completed the tutorial before they could leave. During the July 2008 Behind the Scenes update, Jagex replaced Tutorial Island with a new tutorial that takes place in Lumbridge, involving a three-headed dragon and a White Knight named Sir Vant. Players that created accounts before this update but never completed the tutorial still remain in Tutorial Island. Learning the Ropes is now under a major re-construction by Jagex, so for now, according to Mod Osborne, Tutorial Island will still be the location where new players spawn. On 7th of November Tutorial Island got a graphic update (some of the Tutors got new outfits). Players are shown the basics of training all free-to-play skills except for Crafting and Runecrafting. There were many icons on the minimap to show new players what they meant.

Tutorial Island never taught any pay-to-play skills, and there is no such equivalent for new members to learn them (although this has been requested on the forums).

When players finished the tutorial, they were transported to Lumbridge in the Mainland by Terrova. After that, they could never return. There has been a rumour that players can return to Tutorial Island via the Sandwich Lady, but this is not true.

In the beginning of RuneScape 2 there was a bug which allowed players to return to Tutorial Island, this was fixed three days after Jagex heard about this.

Starting the tutorial
Before they began the tutorial, players had to first customize their character. To do this, they had a simplified version of the interface later used in Learning the Ropes. There was no close-up of the head, or mouse settings. There were also fewer options to choose from. The default look was always the same: bald head, mustache and beard, green shirt and pants. The default look was what made bots so easy to recognize. After the player clicked, "Accept," they would be told to talk to the RuneScape guide.

The Basics
The RuneScape guide was the first non-player character players ever met (replaced by Sir Vant). Players learned how to:
 * Move the camera
 * Learn that it is usually better to keep the minimap positioned so that the top is north; players should only rotate the view if they need to see around an obstruction or to try to spy on potential threats or targets, and tend to waste time going in the wrong direction if they forget
 * Talk to non-player characters
 * Use the RuneScape website
 * Open doors

Woodcutting, Firemaking and Fishing


The Survival Expert gave players the basics for Woodcutting, Firemaking and Fishing. She taught players how to view and use items in their inventory, cut wood, light a fire, fish, cook, and view their current skill levels.

Players were expected to cut and burn at least one lot of logs, although if they wished, they can repeat until both Woodcutting and Firemaking reach level 3. The player gained experience in Woodcutting, Firemaking, and Fishing faster on Tutorial Island.

Players were expected to fish and cook successfully at least one portion of shrimps.

Cooking


The Master Chef teaches players the finer points of Cooking; in this case, making bread.

The Master Chef also instructs players in controlling the game music and in running using their menu option.

Remember that players can also run to a position, by holding the CTRL key as they click - use the minimap to click on, or they will not run far enough if trying to escape. If players click again, even without holding CTRL, they will continue running unless they have already stopped.

Quests


The Quest guide covers using the quest menu, and what quests are about.

Mining and Smithing


The Mining instructor teaches players the basics of:
 * Prospecting rocks, although once players can identify them visually, they do not need to prospect at all.
 * Mining (players can only mine copper ore and tin ore)
 * Smelting ore (players can only make bronze bars)
 * Smithing items (only bronze daggers in Tutorial Island)

The dungeon in which players learn Mining and Smithing is one of the best areas to train these skills, due to the rocks' proximity to the furnace and the anvil. This area can only be accessed once, so taking the opportunity to progress to level 3 here is worthwhile. However, players will have to mine a little more to get Smithing up to 3.

Melee and Ranged


The combat instructor, Vannaka (also a Slayer Master, discusses the different types of combat. Pures should pay attention, as they can make their first bit of character tweaking here.

Players are given a bronze sword and wooden shield, and only at this stage are they allowed to enter the rat cage. Players cannot die here, so food is not required.

The minimum requirement is to kill one rat, using any combat style you prefer, while the maximum is to train each style to the maximum level of 3, while gaining no hitpoints - the essence of a pure character being able to maximize their strike while keeping their combat level low. If players choose to progress any skill here, they will be reminded of their next action, but can still carry on.

Accurate
Trains players' Attack skill, governing the type of metal they can wield and their chance of hitting. Since players can train this to 8 on the Varrock dummies later, also without Hitpoints, it is not important to progress this here.

Aggressive
Trains their Strength skill, increasing the potential damage of a successful hit. Since there is no other way to train this without also getting Hitpoints experience, (excepting member's methods of magical wheat and barbarian fishing) this is valuable for a melee pure.

Defensive
Trains players' Defence skill, reducing the chance of being hit by attacks and allowing players to wear higher level armour.

Since Defence adds to combat level but not players' strike, pures often do without Defence altogether, although a "steel pure" would have level five Defence and wear full steel armour - not excessively expensive to lose and a fair bit better than iron armour, in return for being one combat level higher, while some almost wholly ditch the no defence idea and get rune armour and a Fremennik helmet.

Ranged combat
The instructor gives players a shortbow and 50 bronze arrows, and will give more arrows for free if they run out. The free ammunition makes it worthwhile training Ranged to level 3.

When players leave the cage after learning ranged attacks, they cannot re-enter.

Banking


The Financial Advisor instructs players in using RuneScape's banks, and in some possible ways to make money.

Generally, both cash and items can be withdrawn from any branch, not just the one they were deposited at. However, anything stored in the bank on Tutorial Island is left behind when players leave for the mainland.

Prayer


Brother Brace instructs players in Prayer, although if they choose the path of a pure, they may choose not to acquire any, as Prayer also contributes to combat level. The effects of high-level Prayers can be devastating in combat, but the low to mid-level prayers are mostly useful for melee combat.

Brother Brace also instructs players in using the Friends List and the Ignore List and in general conduct. However, he does not mention clan chat. Presumably this is because the feature was introduced in the updates of 2007-08-06, and Jagex neglected to include it in Tutorial Island.

There is an organ upstairs which can be played. However, as of 06 November 2008, the organ can't be reached as the doors to the room with the staircase are non-objects (players can't open them or even examine them - it's effectively one big wall across now).

Magic


The Magic Instructor introduces players to their spell list and spell casting, though practical magic combat will require players to use a magical staff and set an attack spell for it.

The Magic Instructor gives five air runes and five mind runes. If players drop them and talk to the instructor again, he will give more runes. Repeating this to obtain 30 of each rune (collecting 5 previously dropped sets) enables level 3 Magic to be reached.

Players use the runes to cast Wind Strike against the chickens.

Leaving the island


The magic instructor will transport players to Lumbridge with standard provisions - players cannot take any extra items with them and any standard items that they banked will be back in their inventory. Players are now standing next to the Lumbridge Guide.

Music
The following music tracks are used on Tutorial Island:
 * Newbie Melody - the island's surface.
 * Scape Cave - island dungeon

Note: If a player had started playing before sounds were added in Runescape 2, "Newbie Melody" is automatically unlocked.

Free-to-play newbies will have the following tracks unlocked after completing Tutorial Island and appearing in Lumbridge, even though the previous events have passed or it is a members related event.


 * Ground Scape
 * Harmony (Lumbridge)
 * HomeScape
 * Newbie Melody
 * Scape Cave
 * Scape Hunter
 * Scape Main
 * Scape Original
 * Scape Santa
 * Scape Scared
 * Scape Summon

Trivia

 * If you go to the edges of the map (the very North, East, South, and West parts of the island), you will see that Tutorial Island is surrounded by a giant Unknown space.
 * You can see part of Tutorial Island from the Wizards' Tower.
 * There was a Wilderness Guide on Tutorial Island before RuneScape 2 was installed. His purpose was to warn players about player-killing in the Wilderness (as his name suggests).
 * The maximum level any skill can be trained to on Tutorial Island is 3. If a player attempts to train that skill any further, a message appears, which says, "You have done enough of this."
 * When Tutorial Island returned, and somebody tried to cast home teleport mid tutorial, they would still get a message about Sir Vant. Currently (06 November 2008) the message has been changed to inform you that "You can't cast this spell until after you've finished the Tutorial."
 * On October 27, 2008, long after the island was removed as the tutorial, the new tutorial was under renovation, so all new accounts were created on the island.
 * Vannaka is holding a Steel two-handed sword and a Dragon sq shield at the same time. When he stands, he holds the sword and shield at the same time.
 * As of November 1st 2008 Tutorial Island has been given a full graphics makeover due to the massive amounts of problems with the new tutorial, now making tutorial island a semi permenent tutorial.