Yeah, I know. Runescape is gay/lame/stupid/etc. But somebody had to post about it. This is a gaming site, right?

So, the guys at Jagex have been working for the past few months to put together a new detail level of Runescape. Currently, there are two detail levels available - "High" and "Low (whoo hoo!). The main difference is that high includes a few landscape features that low does not (a rock here, some grass there, you know). Nothing that fantastic.

Well, they're working on making something that will actually truly be "HIGH" detail, in comparison to the others. The former "high", and the "low", detail options will still be available, but this new "highest" detail mode will be added to the mix.

Additionally, Jagex is working on resolution options, allowing players to choose the size of the Runescape box they play within. If desired, players will even be able to select a fullscreen mode, something that many have felt Runescape has needed since its birth.

As for what the new graphical upgrade will look like, Jagex has released a few example images. Now, remember guys, this is a web-based download-to-play game. That sort of status makes for quite a few hindrances to the game, and they can't exactly make it look top-of-the-line. For what they have to work with, these are pretty decent images. And, what's more, they're unfinished. These images aren't quite up to par with what the game will look like in July or August, when they release the new improvement.

 For comparison's sake, I have gone to a couple of the locations in Jagex's screenshots to illustrate just how much different it will look.

Here's the first image released. First, we see what the game originally has looked like:

Now what Runescape is going to look like:

Source: http://news.runescape.com/newsitem.ws?id=1218

Another image released a couple days later:

Source:  http://news.runescape.com/newsitem.ws?id=1230

Finally, they released the following images earlier this week. The images of the guy in gold armor are mine to demonstrate how much different it looks.

 A terrorbird, before the improvement.

A terrorbird... after the improvement.

Here, you see me standing in Falador in front of the pub.

This is Jagex standing in the same location.

Me, by a farm in Relleka.

The same location after the improvement.

You may have noticed something included besides just texturing and blending. You may have noticed some areas in the game are darker than others, when they weren't before... If you've forgotten what that is, go outside on a sunny day and look down. That, friends, is called shadow.

Yes, they've finally added shadow to the game as well. 

Source: http://www.runescape.com/kbase/view.ws?guid=dev_diary08a (source is for this image and the previous few uncited ones)

The shadows reflect precisely the object casting them, including moving items. Currently, in their images, that is something slightly unfinished - characters will also cast their shadows, but as you can see, their character does not yet.

 So, yes, it is unfinished, but as of yet, it is most definitely a wonderful improvement over what we had to look at previously. Every single item is upgraded in some way. Some items very little (such as patches of longer grass as seen in the first image, or trees), but they are still upgraded anyways. Besides, who could complain about those staying the same when everything else is so drastically upgraded? Characters will also see a significant facelift, as will all NPCs and monsters. Stay tuned as Jagex reports back later this week (or sometime next week) with another release in their development diary.

Nice, I might start playing again. I was thinking of after I heard of summoning, but this might put me over the edge.

I've been playing off and on since August of 2001. If my memory serves me correctly, either August 11 or 13. Just a few days before the Wilderness was introduced into the game.

I recently took a seven-month hiatus, during which summoning was introduced, then reworked. I'm pretty pleased with the results. I'm lvl 34 summoning right now. Hiscores in all stats.

I hope they add something like a sky. I seeing just blackness. Yeah I started in like 2004, but then quit around last november.

Hey, add me on Runescape! Valdens is the name.

Jagex made nothing but shit updates all year, I quit for a few months, I recently started playing again, and it's pretty fun, but it's not what it used to be.

Yeah, I'm not happy about the trade limit now. The Grand Exchange is pretty awesome, though. I hated having to hunt for people to buy things from me that I just wanted to get rid of but were too valuable to just toss or high alch.

PS: I'm Kojiiriin. That's K-O-J-I-I-R-I-I-N. Double I's both times. Nice stats, Valdens. I don't play enough to have anything at 99 yet. Got you beat in quest points, though. 241 here.

No wild. No staking. No free trading, which me and my friends used to give stuff and try each others stuff so often, it really messed up. Bounty Hunter is a joke. Summoning is useless. These shitty new mini-games and quests are ignored 1 week after release.

It's just one thing after another.

Wait, what do you mean by no wild or no staking?

As for free trading, you can just drop-trade. Go somewhere safe (some obscure corner of the Varrock Castle, perhaps), and drop the item to trade it. Simple.