What makes me very happy is the fact that, although technically there is a new, shinier, perhaps by some standards, better version, Old School RuneScape still kicking. Before Old School was marked on the front, Runescape this is an MMO that I spent many hours on (and had little success with) in my youth with too much time on my hands, so the fact that almost two decades later a completely new skill is being introduced into the game both impresses me and strikes an existential dread into my heart due to how old this game really is.
Let's move quickly, let's swim! This is a new skill introduced in Old School RuneScape, the first new one since its launch. According to blog postSailing is a fairly complex activity, described as “larger and more expansive than any content that came before it” and a skill that “touches almost every aspect of the game.” With this new skill, you can wield up to five boats at once. These boats can be upgraded and there are three sizes to choose from: raft, small boat and large boat.
There's ship combat, which obviously works basically the same as land combat, and you can also take a few different NPCs – or your actual friends – out to sea with you! Technically, the only thing required to level up is swimming. This includes “interacting with objects on your boat”, such as adjusting the sails, an action that earns you some experience, as well as increasing speed.
On top of that, you can salvage shipwrecks, map the oceans you travel through, engage in deep sea trawling, take on new quests, collect new resources, and while it's a bit more secretive, there are also new areas to explore, including 30 new islands, some of which have several new dungeons.
The naval update will also be coming to Old School RuneScape quite soon, as it is currently scheduled to launch in just under a month, on November 19th.
