The Great Orb Project

The Great Orb Project (also known as GOP) is a Runecrafting minigame released on 12 August 2008. The goal is to collect your team colour's orbs, and to prevent the other team from collecting their orbs. There are two teams-green and yellow. Players need at least level 50 Runecrafting to play it.

Location
⌊undefined⌋ The minigame is located in the Runecrafting Guild, through a portal on the first floor of Wizard's Tower. The tower is located south of Draynor Village, or through the East teleport in the Wizards' Guild.

Travel

 * Members may use the fairy ring code DIS, which will take the player behind the Wizard's tower, or an Amulet of Glory to the Draynor marketplace as faster modes of transport.
 * Free-to-play players can use the cabbage teleport on Explorer's ring.
 * The fastest way to get into the Runecrafting Guild is by using a Runecrafting guild teleport tablet, which can bought from Wizard Elriss for 15 tokens each.

Worlds
Worlds 60 and 61 are the official worlds for this minigame, as designated by Jagex. This was announced during the Distractions and Diversions update on 2 September 2008.

Requirements
To play this minigame players must have:
 * At least level 50 of Runecrafting
 * Complete Rune Mysteries

Personalities

 * Wizard Korvak - Repairs and sells Runecrafting pouches. He charges 9,000 gp to repair a large, and 12,000 gp to repair a giant pouch.  He also charges 25,000 gp for a large, and 50,000 gp to buy a giant pouch.  Binds omni-talismans into Runecrafting staves or tiaras.
 * Wizard Acantha - Wizard of the green orbs.
 * Wizard Vief - Wizard of the yellow orbs.
 * Wizard Elriss - Exchanges rewards for Runecrafting Guild Tokens. Exchanges omni-talismans for regular talismans.
 * Wizards - Places players on the least populated team.

Objective
The objective of the game is for players to move as many orbs corresponding to their team colour as they can to the altars. The team with the most orbs when the timer runs out wins.

Starting the game
Talk to either Wizard Acantha (green team) or Wizard Vief (yellow team) to join the game. Each team requires at least two members to notify Wizard Elriss to open the portal to start the game. With the 19 August update, players can now join the least populated team by talking to wizards found within the Guild. If you have equipped an item on the weapon or helmet slot, then you cannot join unless you take them off.

Rounds
There are 8 rounds for pay-to-play and 6 rounds for free-to-play, which are the Runecrafting altars, in the following order:
 * Air altar
 * Mind altar (Does not count as a win if you lose the round at air altar)
 * Water altar
 * Earth altar
 * Fire altar
 * Body altar
 * Chaos altar (members only)
 * Nature altar (members only)

The Cosmic altar, Blood altar, Death altar, and Astral altar are not included so people who have not completed the quests needed (to access these altars) will be able to play the game.

Equipment
Three wands are given when players enrol to either one team, namely Green/yellow attractor, Green/yellow repeller and the Green/yellow barrier generator. A hat is also given to distinguish which side players are on. The hat and attractor wand are equipped automatically.


 * {| class="wikitable"

! Image !! Name !! Use
 * [[Image:Runecrafter hat y.PNG]] [[Image:Runecrafter hat g.png]] ||Runecrafter hat||Helps identify team members, and opposition.
 * [[Image:Yrepellerwand.png]] [[Image:Repeller wand.gif]]||Repeller wand||Pushes the orbs away from the caster.
 * [[Image:Yellow-attractor2.png]] [[Image:Attractor wand.gif]]||Attractor wand||Drags the orbs towards the caster.
 * [[Image:Ybarrierwand.png]] [[Image:Barrier generator.gif]]||Barrier generator||Blocks the way of members of opposing team and orbs of both colours from passing through.
 * }
 * [[Image:Yellow-attractor2.png]] [[Image:Attractor wand.gif]]||Attractor wand||Drags the orbs towards the caster.
 * [[Image:Ybarrierwand.png]] [[Image:Barrier generator.gif]]||Barrier generator||Blocks the way of members of opposing team and orbs of both colours from passing through.
 * }
 * }

Other useful items

 * Weight-reducing items, such as Spotted capes, Spottier capes, Penance Gloves, and Boots of lightness.
 * Runecrafting pouches - for storing extra pure essence.
 * Runecrafter robes of any colour- when equipped, they will allow the wearer to push and pull orbs across more of a distance (Not to mention they can match the hat and wands!).
 * Explorer's ring 2 or 3 for the extra runes effect on elemental altars.
 * Runecrafting gloves from Fist of Guthix, which can double experience for crafting air, water or earth runes.

Leaving a team
To switch teams before the minigame, players have to simply destroy any of the wands given BEFORE the game starts. Doing this will NOT result in the 10-minute time penalty for abandoning the game. Players can also speak to any wizard in the Runecrafting Guild to leave a team.

Abandoning a game
Abandoning the game will result in a 10-minute time penalty where players will be unable to play the next game until the penalty expires, this penalty will decrease to a minimum of 1 minute when the game is running. There are a number of ways to abandon an on-going game: Abandoning a game will return the player to the Guild.
 * Getting disconnected.
 * Leaving an altar via the altar exit portal, rather than the portal created by Wizard Elriss.
 * Destroying any of the wands given before the game.
 * Using a teleport spell.
 * In chaos altar when you climb up any of the ladders. (members only)

In the battle
To score points, orbs must be led to the 1-grid square around the altar, by either attracting or repelling the orbs which will appear randomly around the whole of the grounds of the altar. So simply, Wizard Acantha's team,the Green Team, will attract or repel the green orbs into the 1-grid square around the altar. While vice versa, Wizard Vief's team, the Yellow team, will attract or repel the yellow orbs into the 1-grid square around the altar. Note that it is possible to attract or repel the oposing team's orbs until the last 30 seconds of the game.When the two teams finish scoring points within the two-minute time limit, they will need to step into the purple portal that appears in order to be teleported to the next altar. The next round then begins.

Every time a round finishes, some Rune essences or Pure essences (Pure essence in Members) will be given according to the number of orbs that players led to score marks and whether or not that team lost the altar. If players already have a full inventory of essences, the extras will be dropped to the ground.

Players can then choose to craft them into Runes at that altar (remember to pick up the extras if they had a full inventory) or to take them with them (either in the inventory or in pouches). This is identical to normal Runecrafting and the ability of the Explorer's ring and crafting multiple runes are in effect.

Barriers
At the same time, players can also set up barriers which block the way of orbs. Both teams are blocked by any barriers regardless of colour, but no orb can pass a barrier even if it is the same colour as the orb. Members of the opposing team can destroy the barriers by simply choosing 'destroy' option without going near the barriers. Players may fail at removing their opposing team's barriers, but they can simply continuously try to remove it until they succeed. Multiple players can try to remove the same barriers at the same time. Players can remove their own team's barriers without fail.

Each team member can only set one barricade each time. If a player has a barricade still up and tries to put another down, the original barrier will be removed while the new barrier is put in. If the player is standing where the other team is going to put their barrier, they can make a barrier on top of the other team's barrier, and then destroy it.

Tips

 * Having a high runecrafting level makes your barriers stronger and you can break the opposing teams barriers much more easily.
 * Always have at least 8 (or 6 for non-members) inventory spaces reserved for carrying the crafted runes. This eliminates the need of banking runes after each game.
 * Try to keep as many essence as possible until the last round, where Nature runes may be crafted. This is because Nature runes are the most profitable runes, selling for around  coins each.
 * Similarly, save essence from the mind round for the water round, as these give more experience and more valuable runes than at the mind altar. The addition of water runecrafting gloves further increases the experience generated. The exception is if the player wants mind runes, when using the mind altar here saves a long and tedious route.
 * If you carry air runecrafting gloves, free players can save the essence from the body round and use it on the next game's air altar, increasing rune value yield and experience created. This is particularly pertinent with the rapid depreciation of the value of body runes following the game's introduction.
 * For free players, the experience per essence increases per round, but after the water altar, the rune value produced goes down at the same time.
 * Organise the team so that some team members are "anchors" and "barrier generators" while others are "scouts". Anchors usually stay close to the altar converting orbs into points for the team. Scouts generally lookout for new orbs to appear, and stray further away from the altar, bringing orbs closer to the altar. Barrier generators block the orbs from getting too close, and perform the barrier glitch. Until the opposing orbs stop responding, it is possible to interfere with them, particularly when the player controlling one has to change position.
 * When orbs are stuck behind a pillar, try standing diagonal to the orbs before attracting the orbs. This way the orbs will go through the Pi-shaped pillars.  If the orb is between the Pi-shaped pillar, try attracting it from BEHIND the Runecrafting altar.
 * Driving the orbs by standing behind them and using the repelling wand is often more effective when threading them through the corners.
 * Try not to attract orbs from team members, especially when team members are facing each other. This results in stalemates, where the orbs do not move in any direction.
 * It is possible to make orbs "stuck" so the other team can't get them back. Repel the other team's orb as far as possible until no one can get them.  This is a great technique to use when there are not many players in the game.

50/50 games
50/50 or altar sharing games are the overall most efficient method of playing this game If you're in the game for tokens. If you want to play this game for the challenge and competition, this method is not recommended. This type of game involves each team winning an equal number of games. While one team wins an altar, members of the opposing team simply do nothing. The fairest way of winning has been shown to be 4-4 whereby yellow team wins 4 games, the green wins the next 4. This method may seem risky as it is possible that an opposing team-member may not adhere to the arrangement over the course of the game. Member players play also the 3-3-1-1 method, where one team wins 3 altars, second - next 3, then the first team wins next and second team wins the last altar.

World 121 is the unofficial 3-3-1-1 world. It gives the confidence of getting equal number of tokens. However, the outcome of the game is rarely affected unless an entire group of people rebel. These arrangements tend to win every player around 600 tokens (see how rewards work below).

There is also a F2P version where they play 3-3, First 3 altars are for yellow next 3 are for green. The clan "50 50 Lobby" is a popular 50/50 playing clan in F2P servers.

Rewards
When all the rounds are finished, Runecrafting Guild Tokens will be awarded. For each altar that a team wins, each player on that team receives 100 tokens. For each altar lost, players receive 10 more tokens. An additional 200 tokens (150 for free to play) are awarded to players on the team that won the most altars. If both teams win the same number of altars, each player receives 100 additional tokens (65 for free to play). The maximum number of tokens a member can receive in one game is 1000. The calculation is as follows: 8 wins = 800, 0 losses = 0, most altars bonus = 200, total = 1000. The maximum number of tokens a free player can receive in one game is 750. The calculation is as follows: 6 wins = 600, 0 losses = 0, most altars bonus = 150, total = 750.

Note: to receive tokens for a given altar, you must participate at it. Participation consists of attracting/repelling any coloured orb. It doesn't matter which team you are on. Creating a barrier does not count as participating.

In a 50/50 game, the maximum number of tokens a player can receive is 630. To do this, a player must participate in 7 of the 8 altars. Most people repel one of their own orbs during three of their losing altars. The calculation for members: 4 wins = 400, 3 losses = 30, most altars bonus = 200, total = 630. The reason you get the altar bonus is because within the seven games you participated at, your team got the most altars (4 wins and 3 losses). If you participate in all eight games, you only receive 540 tokens: 4 wins = 400, 4 losses = 40, tied altar bonus = 100, total = 540. The calculation for free players: 3 wins = 300, 2 losses = 20, most altars bonus = 150, total = 470. The reason you get the altar bonus is because within the five games you participated at, your team got the most altars (3 wins and 2 losses). If you participate in all six games, you only receive 415 tokens: 3 wins = 300, 3 losses = 40, tied altar bonus = 75, total = 415. It is possible to get 470 tokens in an F2p 50/50 game by 'touching' an orb of your colour in only 5 out of 6 alters.

These tokens can be traded with Wizard Elriss for robes, teleportation tablets, rune essence, talismen and staves.

Runecrafter Robes

 * {| class="wikitable"

! Image !! Name !! Tokens
 * [[Image:Runecrafter hat g.png]][[Image:Runecrafter hat.gif]][[Image:runecrafter hat y.PNG]]||Runecrafter hat||1,000
 * [[Image:Runecrafter robe g.png]][[Image:Runecrafter robe.gif]][[Image:Runecrafter robe y.png]]||Runecrafter robe||1,000
 * [[Image:Runecrafter skirt g.png]][[Image:Runecrafter skirt.gif]][[Image:Runecrafter skirt y.png]]||Runecrafter skirt||1,000
 * [[Image:Runecrafter gloves g.png]][[Image:Runecrafter gloves.gif]][[Image:runecrafter gloves y.PNG]]||Runecrafter gloves||1,000
 * }
 * [[Image:Runecrafter skirt g.png]][[Image:Runecrafter skirt.gif]][[Image:Runecrafter skirt y.png]]||Runecrafter skirt||1,000
 * [[Image:Runecrafter gloves g.png]][[Image:Runecrafter gloves.gif]][[Image:runecrafter gloves y.PNG]]||Runecrafter gloves||1,000
 * }
 * }
 * }

Notes
 * All three sets may be stored in the Magic wardrobe in the Costume Room.

Bonuses:
 * Runecrafter gloves provide a +2 bonus.
 * Runecrafter robes provide a +3 bonus.
 * Runecrafter skirts provide a +3 bonus.

The bonuses provided by this clothing, in addition to how high the Runecrafting level is, allow the player to get the orbs to move at a slightly faster speed, whether it is attracting or repelling them, and also from a greater distance.

Talismans
All talismans except for death and blood talismans can be purchased with Runecrafting Guild tokens. Free-to-play talismans sell for 50 tokens, and member talismans sell for 125 tokens.

Runecrafting staff
Talisman staves are not actually part of the minigame, but players may utilise the Runecrafting staff rewarded from the game. Buying a Runecrafting staff costs 10,000 runecrafting guild tokens. It allow players to use them exactly as they would use a Runecrafting tiara, as well as distracting the eyes in the Abyss to help them sneak past. To bind a talisman to a staff, simply take the talisman and the Runecrafting staff to the talisman's altar and use either of them on it. A Runecrafting staff that does not have a talisman attached cannot be wielded.

Runecrafting Teleport Tablets
Runecrafting Teleport Tablets are identical in functionality to the teleport tablets that may be built in a player-owned house and may be used to teleport the player to any altar provided they have the requirements to craft the runes. However, players cannot craft their own Runecrafting teleport tablets.

Runecrafting tablets add yet another transport system to RuneScape. Each tablet teleports the user outside the respective rune altar's ruins, and thus require a talisman, tiara, or Runecrafting staff to use the altar. They are also the only teleport tablets available to free players.

It can be argued that these tablets do not save much time while runecrafting, as it takes time to collect the points required for these tablets. The time taken to acquire the tablets may be wasted, as some runecrafters believe conventional runecrafting through the Abyss is just as fast, given the amount of time to collect tablets.

Rune Essence
The last reward a player may buy with their Runecrafting guild token is essence. Though the reward screen says "Rune Essence", the type of essence received actually depends on the World they are on. Free players obtain Rune essence by exchanging their tokens while Members obtain Pure essence if they are exchanging their tokens on a members world. Players can specify the amount of essence to buy with a "buy X" option. The essence are noted for convenience.

Players can get a max of 1,000 tokens from each 16-minute game (2 minutes per altar; 12 minutes for free players earning a max of 750 tokens). The tokens may then be used to buy 1,000 Pure essence. This is much faster than mining the essence the conventional way unless the player is using an Abyssal titan to take their essence to the bank.


 * {| class="wikitable"

! Image !! Name !! Tokens !! Details
 * [[Image:Rune Essence.PNG]] || Rune essence || 1 || Rune essence is obtained if tokens are exchanged in a free world.
 * [[Image:Pure Essence.PNG]] || Pure essence || 1 || Pure essence is obtained if tokens are exchanged in a members world.
 * }
 * [[Image:Pure Essence.PNG]] || Pure essence || 1 || Pure essence is obtained if tokens are exchanged in a members world.
 * }

Trivia
(for all the glitches with this game past and present: go to The Great Orb Project Glitches)
 * It has been noticed by many players that the Mind altar is glitched and when a team wins the air altar they automatically win the Mind altar regardless of who won the altar.
 * A player can exit the Nature altar (Body altar for F2P) without a time penalty but this is not recommended since its better to wait the last 2 minutes of gameplay and get some tokens.
 * The orbs move at one uniform speed regardless of how many players are pulling or repelling it at the same time (unless they're wearing the runecrafter robes).
 * This minigame is the first skill-related minigame that free players can play.
 * When the exit portal in each altar in examined, the info is, "Look at you, examining things when there's Runecrafting to do!" This could be a reference to the game, Portal. A similar line in Portal appears in the song "Still Alive" and reads: "Look at me still talking, when there's science to do."
 * Another reference to Portal's "Still alive" is after failing a match without getting a single capture (Altar), 'Wizard' Vief will say "This was a disaster! I'm making a note here: HUGE FAILURE", instead of "triumph" and "Success"
 * Players in a runecrafting altar that are doing 'normal' runecrafting can see players playing The Great Orb Project.
 * When crafting runes during the minigame, you will get two times the amount of experience. The bonus stacks with the effects of the runecrafting gloves that are obtained from the Fist of Guthix. Example, a player will gain 5xp in the air altar under normal circumstances. But a player will gain 10xp when playing the minigame. You will get a chunk of 15xp when playing the minigame with the runecrafting gloves.
 * Players on the losing team did not receive any tokens until the 19 August 2008 update.
 * As per the 27 January, 2009 update, players are no longer allowed to sit around Fletching and alching things while they're meant to be participating in the Great Orb Project.
 * Two games can play the same altar but players won't see other players in the other game.
 * There is a glitch that occurs in some of the altars that if you use a barrier right by a wall, you can move through them with the "pass through" option on barriers.



Music
Music unlocked:
 * Second Vision