Happy Spawnday to Runescape!!

[Cally Raven]

On this day in 2000, a little-known game called 'RuneScape' was announced to the world...
The rest, as they say, is history

This official news post is copied verbatim from the RuneScape website. It is copyrighted by Jagex.
It was added on 10 November 2000.

Coming Soon from Jagex Software (10 November 2000)

Coming soon from Jagex Software! Runescape, our massive multiplayer adventure. Trade and communicate with other players. Learn skills to earn money, or if you're brave attempt to find riches in the dungeons. Your character will continue to evolve and improve the more you play, with quests to complete for extra rewards. Choose good or evil the choice is entirely yours!
Features
These elements of the game have all already been finished.
Full 3d engine renders the high detail world
Efficient network routines allow game to run using minimal bandwidth
Detailed 3-dimensional map with multi-level buildings, rivers, hills etc..
Automatic route finding makes exploring the map easy.
Your game is automatically saved on the server when you quit
Npcs and monsters which inhabit different areas, and can interact with you
Objects which you can take, manipulate, and use.
Interactive scenary (e.g trees can be chopped down, doors opened etc..)
Close range combat system between players and npcs
Inventory screen
Automatic map view
Full trading system
Charactor design system allows everyone to look different
Players can use weapons and armour changing their appearance & stats
Entire quest scripting system, can control any aspect of the game
Several detailed 'graphical adventure' style quests and charactors
Information on what you have done is stored and used to influence your game
Npc Conversation system
Player chat system
State of the art compression routines, make the game load as quickly as possible
Recent Updates
2nd Nov - Fixed some obscure route finding problems
2nd Nov - Diagonal doors now work properly
2nd Nov - Gates now work properly
2nd Nov - Non-square locations can now be rotated in the editor.
1st Nov - Improved camera motion
31st Oct - Adjusted mouse button assignments
31st Oct - Projectile combat now works.
27th Oct - Added cupboards, gates, signposts, sacks, bookcases etc...
27th Oct - Added new rat monster
26th Oct - Added in skill advancement
26th Oct - Improved combat, can now choose from 4 fighting modes
25th Oct - Injured monsters will now run away
25th Oct - Aggressive monsters now attack when you approach
25th Oct - Big AI improvements. Npcs now have 5 different behaviour modes
25th Oct - Fixed trading mode bug, walking around now exits the trade.

[Twirlindana]

27th Oct - Added new rat monster