Grab your capes and party hats, ‘cause we’re going to Gielinor! Today we reveal the logo, the first three miniatures, and the very first details of the game.
Did you hear the news, ‘Scapers? We’ve partnered with the awesome folks at Jagex to bring RuneScape to the tabletop as a cooperative campaign board game!
We at Steamforged will be launching the board game on Kickstarter this year (launch date to be revealed soon). Go follow the Kickstarter now so you don’t miss out!
We’re super excited to be bringing this iconic video game universe to the tabletop for you to play I-R-freakin’-L. And we’re even MORE excited that today, we can finally share more details about the game — starting with the all-important logo, name, and the very first gameplay details!
(Psst. Want to skip straight to the miniature reveal? Then keep scrolling!)
Announcing RuneScape Kingdoms: Shadow of Elvarg
Get ready to explore the sometimes epic, often irreverent world of Gielinor in RuneScape Kingdoms: Shadow of Elvarg, the cooperative campaign board game for 1-5 players.
Classic and fun, RuneScape Kingdoms: SoE isn’t about complex strategy. Instead, through rich narrative quests and lighthearted distractions, this fantasy adventure game is designed to give those who already love the franchise a whole new way to play, and provide a way for brand new ‘Scapers to immerse themselves in the exciting world of RuneScape.
Explore the kingdoms of Asgarnia and Misthalin from above with a game board styled like a fast-travel map, jumping from region to region as you level up your skills and complete quests. Zoom in for face-to-face encounters with iconic bosses, that become even tougher as you work your way toward the final quest!
Whether you're slaying mighty monsters, crafting awesome gear, or gathering eggs to bake that game-changing cake, RuneScape Kingdoms: Shadow of Elvarg lets you play your way.
You choose what skills to max, which weapons to craft, and even where to explore next. Meander through Gielinor, sampling every side quest on the way, or keep your eyes on the prize and cut a straight path through the campaigns to take on challenging boss fights. With a classless progression system, every group member can contribute no matter how they play, maxing skills to level up and earn those all-important capes!
Whatever kind of ‘Scaper you choose to be, you’ll play an important role in the success of your group — because you never know when the fate of Gielinor will depend on baking the right pie!
‘RuneScape Kingdoms’?
Because it was really important to us for the board game to appeal to ‘Scapers of all of all kinds, it’s heavily inspired by content and references from both RuneScape and Old School RuneScape that will be familiar to players past and present.
We also created the board game as a way for brand new ‘Scapers to enjoy the rich world of Gielinor, even if you’ve never experienced the video games.
For all those reasons, it felt right to create a name that would embody what the board game is: A new way to explore the world of Gielinor.
And what exactly will you be exploring? Kingdoms, of course! Specifically, the kingdoms of Asgarnia and Misthalin. As the first realms created in the video games, and the core of the free-to-play areas, they’re rich in content and central to any new player’s journey. We wanted anyone experiencing new adventures in Gielinor on the tabletop to have that same sense of anticipation felt by any player starting out in RuneScape.
It would have been tough to pack every kingdom from the video game into a tabletop experience, and do them all justice. We wanted a game that was accessible as well as entertaining, and fitting a world’s worth of content into one board game would have made for one massive (and daunting) box!
Still, we haven’t even begun talking about expansions yet. And with a name like RuneScape Kingdoms, and 21 years of video game content to mine, who’s to say we couldn’t explore even more kingdoms as we add to the RuneScape tabletop experience…
But what about the other part of the name, you ask? A shadow looms over Gielinor, and we’re about to say hello to the one who’s casting it… with the first look at the board game miniatures!
For this, we’ll hand over to Jamie Perkins (Product Owner) to tell us more about the minis. Take it away, Jamie!
First Three Board Game Miniatures!
Not sure what a miniature is? Pause here for a second. Already know and keen to get to the good stuff? Keep scrolling!
What’s a Miniature?
A miniature is a small model, usually plastic, used to represent a character, enemy, or terrain piece in a board game. For example, the player character minis are scaled at 32mm on 25mm diameter bases. So, an average 6-foot-tall character would be roughly 32mm from foot to eye level. That’s a scale ratio of about 1:57!
The bigger, more imposing minis (we’re looking at you, bosses) will be scaled a little differently. Because these foes can be pretty gigantic in comparison to our brave adventurers, we’ve scaled them down a touch to fit with the experience. Each one stands on a 50mm base, with details to represent their unique scaling. Elvarg, for example, is 62mm to the tips of her wings, and her base is scattered with the relatively-scaled skulls of unfortunate adventurers!
Designing the Minis in RuneScape Kingdoms
To create the RuneScape Kingdoms minis, we worked with Jagex to develop a unique visual style that’d reflect the iconic outfits, NPC’s, and bosses from the past 21 years.
The look is inspired by RuneScape’s low-poly roots, but with all the detail you’d expect from a Steamforged mini. The first three minis will give you a taste of that style, and we can’t wait to reveal more in the coming weeks!
Playing with the Minis
In some board games, the mini you choose represents a specific type of character. Because set characters often come with specific equipment and abilities, the mini you choose will change how you play the game. In RuneScape Kingdoms, that’s not the case.
Instead, just like in the video games, your adventurer starts as a blank slate. No matter what miniature you choose, it’s entirely up to you how you build your skills, select equipment, and explore Gielinor.
You’ve got the freedom to pick a mini that represents the way you want to play the game, or to choose the one you most like the look of (or both!)
Of course, we still had ideas in mind when we designed the minis and chose their clothes. So, if you like thematic consistency, read on!
Knight
A melee powerhouse clad in trusty bronze armour, the knight faces every challenge with brash determination. No problem can’t be solved with a swing of their scimitar.
As voted for in the community survey, we armed the knight with melee equipment typically worn by players who are just starting out in RuneScape or Old School RuneScape: A bronze scimitar and shield, and bronze plate body, legs, and helm. Cheap and easy to acquire, it’s a straightforward route for getting to grips with melee combat.
Wizard
Through magic, all things are possible. Whether teleporting long distances, enchanting items with magical properties, or casting foes aside with elemental spells, the wizard is a blue-robed paragon of quick wit and explosions.
One of, if not the, earliest piece of magical equipment you can get your hands on in RuneScape or Old School RuneScape is the Staff of Air. Almost every budding wizard starts out their adventure with this trusty magic staff!
Not to mention blue wizard robes, which are an equally familiar sight among those recently initiated in the ways of magic...
Elvarg
Last but certainly not least, no hero is complete without their villainous counterpart. You’ll face many challenges on the way to face the mighty green dragon, Elvarg.
Take the ultimate champion’s test and put an end to the winged terror of Crandor, before Gielinor is consumed by shadow and fire…
Want to find out more? Keep an eye on the Steamforged blog as we take a Tutorial-Island-style tour of the game in the run-up to the Kickstarter!
Want to back the game on Kickstarter? Follow the campaign now so you’re ready for launch!
Want to get hyped with other ‘Scapers? Join the dedicated tabletop group over on Facebook (where we’ll also be sharing ALL new reveals!)
