An Account is the means by which a player is identified in RuneScape. It holds all the information on the player's in-game activities, including their skills and achievements, all the items they possess, and the quests they have done. It also makes the player accountable for anything they have said via the game's chat interface, specifically including any breaches of the Rules of RuneScape.
A player's account is similar to, but separate from, his or her character. The character is represented by an avatar that exists in-game. The avatar is customizable to allow the player to feel individual. Jagex has stated that accounts and characters are generally kept separate[source needed], meaning that black marks received on an account (such as in the RuneScape Forums) do not reflect on a player's character (with the exception of a ban or mute).
A player must create an account in order to play the game, requiring a username and a password. The account starts out as free-to-play by default, but the player can choose to pay a monthly fee to gain extra pay-to-play content and functionality or stay a free-to-play.
A player can create more than one account, and can interchange between playing them with no limits. It used to be forbidden to log into more than one of their accounts at the same time, but this was changed in May 2014 [1] [2], explicitly allowing trade and other interaction between alternate accounts "as long as it doesn't involve rule breaking or gameplay exploitation". One may not allow anyone else to use any of their accounts at any time[3]. Jagex also prohibits the sale of accounts. Jagex keeps a strict surveillance on players attempting to sell accounts, and an offender is liable to incur severe penalties, such as being banned, if they should attempt to either buy or sell an account.
Players may receive messages from Jagex via their Message Centre when they log into the game. This is the only means by which Jagex contacts players individually, as they never use email. Players also need to log into their account to use certain functions on the RuneScape website, including posting on the RuneScape Forums, (for those that have not attained 350 overall(total) level) vote in official polls, and accessing the player moderator centre (if the player has player moderator status).
As of 24 January 2010, players are required at sign-up to give Jagex their email address. However, they will not contact anyone through email as previously stated. You can check on or off if you want to receive Newsletters and such via email.
Lore background
There has been speculation by players on their characters origins, however very little information is revealed about the character in game, allowing players to create their character's background. The character simply appears at the game's starting point ready to explore.
During Lunar Diplomacy, if you read the My Life book in the dream land it states the character was born in the Fifth Age to simple beginnings. They began with very little money to their name and nothing but a dream of adventure. Speaking to Sir Renitee at the White Knights' Castle in Falador, reveals that the character was born in Misthalin, Kandarin, or Asgarnia (this is different for each player) and that their family does not have its own crest, further reinforcing the idea that the character is likely not of noble birth. This doesn't exclude the possibility that they are of noble birth but raised by a commoner family, a common fantasy trope.
No family is ever seen in the game, but based on dialogue during The Tower of Life the character seems to know their family, or at least their mother; "Oh well. My mum did always tell me that experience teaches fools." Furthermore, during 2011 Hallowe'en event event, the player thanks their parents. The examine text on the Penance Runner statue at the Barbarian Outpost humorously suggests that they have an aunt.
Dialogue with the Balance Elemental seems to suggest that the Elemental knew the player and even attended their funeral. There is currently no way of confirming if the Elemental is correct or if it is simply mad.
Some things that the player says hints that they may have been born on a different plane like Earth, as they reference things like plastic surgery and have no idea who Saradomin is when first talking to Father Aereck, which is unlikely if the player is raised in Misthalin. However, when the bartender in the Blue Moon Inn suggests that RuneScape is a computer game, the player can respond "Computer game? What are you talking about?" and later "What's a computer?", before deeming the bartender "completely mad". This rejects the idea that the player came from Earth. Ultimately, it is unlikely that Jagex gave it great thought, as fourth wall references are common in RuneScape.
Gallery
Trivia
- Players used to be right-handed, but left eye dominant; this was shown by the fact that they wield bows in their right hand, which is what a left eye dominant person would do, but wielded most other weapons like swords or staves in their right hand, which is done by a right-handed person. However, this might had been made just so to as avoid confusion between the weapon and shield slot. After the Evolution of Combat, however, players were made ambidextrous to some degree, as they can now dual wield weapons, but the damage output difference means that they are still right-handed to an extent. It's also worth noting that players wear focus sights over their left eye.
- The player's chathead seems to have either brown or amber eyes. However, when wearing some hoods (such as a cooking hood), the player's eyes may turn green.
- On 19 July 2012 the number of RuneScape accounts reached 200 million.
- Before an update on 11 December 2013, the dialogue with the Make-over Mage implies that some Saradominists (or Humans) believe that Saradomin created them. A part of it is also a play on the phrase "I'm happy as God made me."
- As an answer to a player's question if players could ever become gods themselves, Mod Osborne answered: "The player is the World Guardian, given powers by Guthix to nullify the magic of gods. That means the player is the only one on the world who could NOT be a god." [4][5]
- After the quest Fate of the Gods, Azzanadra claims that he is "not entirely sure that [the player] is human anymore." and thinks that the player is "something else now".
- The Player is a very bad liar, as shown in the quest Wanted!
- The Player can accumulate many nicknames, epithets, and other names during their adventures. These include Champion of Crandor, Eviscerator of Elvarg and Elvarg's Doom[6], their Fremennik name, and various titles.
See also
References
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