Forestry Q&A Summary 09/06/23
This week's livestream focused on the Forestry Q&A after the recent feedback changes! Topics included:
Thanks to Mod Sarnie (Community Manager) and Mod Squid (Content Developer) for their insights!
DISCLAIMER: Livestreams are a glimpse into the ongoing creative process at Jagex. JMods are speaking off-the-cuff and their comments are not intended to be read in the same way as prepared updates from the company. Please keep this in mind when discussing the Q&A!
Missed the livestream? Check out the transcript below!
Question #1
How does the new tree spawning system work?
Question #2
How did you get to the despawn times in the newspost?
Mod Squid
They are based on the average lifetime that the current trees stick around for people of the correct level - correct level being when you unlock it, that unlock level for that tree, on average, how long that tree would last for when you're chopping it on your own. We didn't want to make it super long compared to what they are currently. Obviously, that value changes a bit if you're higher level compared to the tree level - it will drop down faster currently, but it will last longer now.
Then there's some adjustment - we've dialled them down a little bit to even out that difference between the unlock level and high levels. That's what they're based on.
Mod Sarnie
Me and Squid were actually running more numbers today, just to double-check. Squid’s got some handy little pieces of tech he has made himself, which is really useful! It's very nice seeing that all in action.
Question #3
Are Blisterwood Trees affected by the new timers?
Mod Squid
Blisterwoods aren't yet. The idea is to convert all trees to use the new system - we just don't have time to do all of them at the moment, so we are focusing on the ones that give multiple resources and deplete. Blisterwood doesn't deplete, so that wasn't a priority. But most other trees that give multiple resources have been converted. I think all of them except Redwood and Hollow Trees spawn Forestry events; therefore they're the only two that have been converted that don't spawn Forestry events. That was the focus initially - there are some trees that are obviously leftover that we want to convert over, but that was to focus to start with.
Mod Sarnie
So eventually, I'm sure, maybe there's some other trees that we've overlooked as well. But this is a good base for us to just make sure that it's the right system and working for everybody, and easier to manage. Maybe with Part 2, you'll see some additional trees added to that roster, including Blisterwood, who knows?
Question #4
Do Group Boosts work with Redwood Trees?
Mod Squid
No, because they are in the Woodcutting Guild. The group boost doesn't apply in the Woodcutting Guild and Redwoods are only in the Woodcutting Guild. Farming trees aren't affected, by the way. Just for clarity, they use the existing system. So Redwoods, no, they don't get a group boost. You'll just get the +7 from being in the Woodcutting Guild.
Mod Sarnie
Anything else you want to add before I move onto the next question?
Mod Squid
I saw some people saying ‘’Redwood in the Farming guild?’’ Yeah, they're grown ones though - farming trees are the same, they're not changed. It's just the fixed ones, the static world ones which have changed.
Also some were saying ‘’Does this effect 2-ticking or 3-ticking teaks?’’. No, they will still deplete if 2-tick or 3-tick teaks. The amount of time might be slightly different, but they will still deplete.
Question #5
What’s the use of the Forestry Kit?
Mod Squid
The first thing we wanted to do with Forestry - with the events that are coming, which we'll touch on shortly - was to make sure we still provide a way to Woodcut without any events. Exactly like you would in the current game; you just go and find a tree and just cut the tree, nothing else happens.
If you don't have your Forestry Kit on you, events won't spawn for you. Obviously, if there are other people chopping the tree with you and they have their kit, they'll spawn an event. But that is the opt out if you want to just find a world on your own, or if you're with a group of friends who just want to do it without any events - that's how to do it.
The kit itself can hold all the items you need for Forestry stuff. There are various little event items that are required to spawn some of the events which will stack in the kit. Some of the new bonus items that provide buffs while Woodcutting are in the kit. The nature offering that has a chance to give you extra logs, that stacks in the kit, and is also consumed from the kit. Leaves go in the kit as well. So it's just a utility item for the new Forestry stuff, if you want to engage with that stuff to store them in a nice, nice way that allows you to stack a lot without having to sacrifice a lot of inventory slots for them.
Mod Sarnie
I will just say - Axes don't go in the kit. You still have to use an Axe as you're chopping a tree; you can't just headbutt it or it magically depletes. It doesn't work like that. You'll still need your Axe out either in your inventory or or wielded.
Question #6
What pieces of the kit are tradeable and stackable?
Mod Squid
The kit itself isn't tradeable, but you can just get one really easily from the Forestry guy. Everything that goes in the kit (he says tentatively) is tradeable and stackable. I think we've outlined them in the newspost as well, or at least will do, to give you the specifics - but pretty much everything is tradable. All the consumables at least, but the Clothes Pouch may not be. That's kind of the idea; to get that economy around it.
Question #7
How do the new items work with the Forestry Kit?
Mod Squid
For the event items, put them in your kit (or you can have them in your inventory if you want, but the kit's the logical place to put them). When an event is going to spawn, it will just consume that from your kit automatically. With the other consumable items like the Nature Offerings, Secateurs Attachments and things like that which give you more resources, they are stackable and auto-consumed as well. So you don't need to be micromanaging your kit - if it's in the kit, it will be consumed from the kit. You don't need to go in and take it out and click it or whatever. It will just be consumed when the trigger happens.
Mod Sarnie
The kit is like your best friend, basically, during this update. It's your best friend aside from the new homies you're gonna make outside of Draynor Village Bank. Keep them with you at all times!
Just to clarify, logs do not go into the kit; they will still go into your inventory. Or if you get the handy new Log Basket, they will go in there, and then your inventory. They will not go in your Forestry Kit at all, they will still work as intended.
Question #8
How are the new items collected? Especially leaves.
Mod Squid
If you have a Forestry Kit on you when you get leaves - either from pruning diseased trees or from chopping trees, now that we're adding them as drops from there - then they'll just go straight into your kit, if you have a kit on you. If you don't have a kit on you, they'll go into inventory.
Mod Sarnie
Like we said, it's your best friend. Just keep it on you at all times, and you should get all the benefits as long as you got the right pieces of kit in there. Anything you collect - aside from logs - should go in there, like the leaves etc..
Mod Squid
Bird nests and stuff don't go in it either, just to clarify that. The only thing that drops from trees that go in it, are leaves.
Question #9
What are the events we’ll be seeing in Part 1?
Question #10
How do Events spawn?
Mod Squid
They spawn based on a chance when you're chopping the tree. When you start chopping the tree, the event table will be rolled on the entire table - so it doesn't matter what items you have, the entire table will be rolled on and an event will be picked. That event will either spawn during chopping or when the tree is chopped down. If it's during chopping, a period within the tree's lifetime will be picked. When that period is reached, the roll will happen. If it's at the end, the roll will happen when the tree is chopped down. When the roll happens, each tree has a chance, which works out to about - I think we said in the newspost 4 or 5 if you're on your own, and maybe about 7 to 9 if you're with at least 9 other people and 10 people in total. If it spawns, if it needs an item, it will check if anyone has the item. If no one does, then you miss out on the event. So it's always best to carry a full kit. If someone does have the item, everyone with the item gets consumed and it will spawn.
Question #11
What events need items?
Mod Squid
It's just the Leprechaun and Flowering Tree events that currently need items. For the Leprechaun event, we need - as we said - the Leprechaun Charm. The Flowering Tree needs a bee on a stick. The event items require a component that is purchased through Forestry; so a little bit of anima-infused bark and some logs to purchase them. Then you combine that with some other items and it gives you a number of the final item you need - one component gives you several event items.
The components and the event items are all tradeable. So the whole way through is tradeable, and they are consumed when the event spawns - or if you come in late to the event and engage a bit, it will consume it for you.
Question #12
So there's no way to make a certain event always spawn and be the only one that spawns?
Mod Squid
Exactly, because it rolls on the entire event table. All the events have an equal chance of spawning. If you don't have the requirement for it, it just won't spawn, and you'll miss out on that event. So you can't influence it. The reason for that is we want it to be social, we want people to be able to just join in if they see people Woodcutting. If you can manipulate it with what items you're carrying, people will want to naturally have certain events spawn in their session. If someone rocks up with a Forestry Kit full of other stuff, they're not going to be best pleased. It goes against the spirit of inclusivity.
Question #13
What are the rewards we're going to see in the Forestry shop with Part 1?
Question #14
Can we use normal logs alongside noted logs in the store?
Mod Squid
So the amount of logs you need for most things, it's quite a lot of logs. We wanted to take a decent chunk of logs out of the economy. So we were looking at 50 to 100 of each type of log for some of these things from these one offs - less for the repeat purchases. To facilitate that, make that easier to carry around, you can cert them and the shop will take certed logs.
It becomes a bit of a technical challenge based on how the centralised shops work to make it also accept non-noted logs alongside that so they are just certed. They can only be certed logs - you just want to cert them first. UIMs: there's a new challenge for you. Source those certed logs.
Mod Sarnie
For those UIMs that haven't read the latest blog, we were originally going to poll if the Freaky Forester should note logs, but after seeing some feedback, and we had some discussions internally, we felt it just didn't fit the game mode right.
There are also a lot of ways to get noted logs. Well, not a lot of ways, there are ways to get noted logs as a UIM, which adds to the challenge of the game mode. To respect that, that's why we decided to not include it as an option at all. The only set of logs you can't get noted currently are Arctic Pine Logs, and we're going to have some discussions about maybe adding them to a drop table of some kind. That's not confirmed yet. It was a very late discussion, but it was something that we're definitely going to consider. So at least if you want to, as an Ultimate Ironman, get all the rewards you can, you're just going to have to work for it. Because you chose that game mode. To respect that, we're not going to include it.
Question #15
How do you get a 2-Handed Axe?
Mod Squid
So you will purchase a 2-Handed Axe handle from the Forestry shop. And you will combine that with a 1-Handed Axe of your choice. So if you want a 2-Handed Dragon Axe, you'll use this new 2-Handed Axe part with a 1-Handed Dragon Axe and it will create a 2-handed version of it. They're also tradeable - you could buy one if you want.
Question #16
How do 2-Handed Axes work?
Mod Squid
When we originally raised the idea in the original poll of 2-Handed Axes, it was polled as “more XP, less logs”. That's what we're going with: more XP, less logs. The idea for them is that when you're using them, it will consume your run energy as a resource every time you hit the tree, and if you've got the energy to spend on it, it will take 40% energy and you'll get a buffed hit. So it will have a 20% chance to not get a log, but you'll get an XP drop of about 18% higher than normal.
To help that, there is a new item that we didn't mention in the rewards, but it's not from the Forestry Shop, it's just something you can craft, which is a Forester's Ration. These go in your Forestry Kit, and they stack. When you chop a tree with those in your kit, you get 30% energy back.
In combination with the two, it works out to about every 50% of your hits on a tree will be buffed, which works out to about 10% extra XP per hour over a session roughly. If you don't have the energy to consume, it will work like a normal Axe at that point. It's just when it consumes the energy you get the buffed stroke. Will it work with all Axes? Yes. Infernal Axe is a good question actually. Dragon, Crystal, Third Age; yes.
Mod Sarnie
Yeah, we've already got the models. If you take a look in the blog, there's a nice picture of some of the higher tier 2-Handed Axe models from rune to even Third Age is getting its own 2-Handed Axe version.
It's a new system, we're trying something a bit different. Personally, I think it's quite an interesting system. Your offset of rations, initially, you'll get about - I think it's 6 or 7 chops in if you've got enough rations. Using all that will trigger the buffs, and then at that point, you will have no run energy. So you will have about two chops to take yourself back up to then get into a constant cycle of I think it's two chops in two chops out. As long as you've got those rations there, and I will state, they are stackable and tradeable. They go in the Forestry Kit, and they will consume automatically. You won't have to be clicking anything else. You just have to chop the tree like normal.
Question #17
Why do 2-Handed Axes give more experience for less logs?
Mod Sarnie
If you go back to the poll question, the question specifically stated that the 2-Handed Axes will give you more experience and less logs. That's why we've done it this way, because that's how it was polled.
Question #18
What was the reason for using run energy to drain?
Mod Squid
I saw some people say ‘’Why don't we just make it so it gives you less logs and more XP, why do the run energy thing at all?’’. For normal accounts, logs are next to worthless, right? They don't cost much at all, and you get loads of them. Just trading logs for XP isn't an equal deal - XP is worth more.
Also, if you're going for pure XP, people drop their logs anyway. So by reducing the amount of logs you get and boosting XP, you're just helping that. It's not a trade off at all in that case - it’s just a buff.
What we thought was this: They’re 2-handed Axes and we have a resource which is energy. It could be an interesting system to make use of energy as a resource in this case, that allows you to get that buff instead. Because it's a chunky amount of energy that it's taking, you can use them with energy restoring items - like the new Forester's Rations being the most convenient way to spend your energy as resource and those items as a resource to get that boosted XP for your entire session effectively, and get that buff.
If you don't want to use Forester's Rations, you're still gonna get a slight boost - because as soon as your energy gets to that threshold, it's going to consume it and get the boost to XP. Outside of that, it'll just be a normal axe. So you still get a slight boost anyway.
Question #19
What happens when you don’t have any run energy left and no Forester's Rations?
Mod Sarnie
If you don't have any run energy left and you have no Forester's Rations, the effect won't happen. You'll just have to wait for your run energy to go back up or restore it with some other method, ie, energy potions or something like that.
But again, Forester's Rations are very easy to make, because you only need one cooked meat and one pile of leaves - that's any pile of leaves and you will be getting them from the trees. We feel like that's a whole little mini economy in itself. It's a cool idea, and it makes it more interesting to use the 2-handed Axe.
Question #20
Will Forestry Rations be useable anywhere?
Mod Sarnie
No, they will only be used when chopping trees, that’s the only time you'll be able to use them. They work like this: when a successful hit happens and you have less than full run energy, it will then automatically put you up by the 30 points that you're lacking etc.
Question #21
Is there an option to turn it off then?
Mod Squid
Potentially? I guess it just makes it a transmog effectively for normal axes. We don't want to make 1-handed axes pointless. So maybe.
There's the pros and cons of it - if you don't want it, use a 1-handed axe. But it looks cool, so if I want to use it for looking cool, I’ll toggle it off? I'm not sure. I think there's a conversation to be had there.
Mod Sarnie
Yeah, it's definitely something we'll raise and talk about as a team. But I thought it was worth raising.
Question #22
What was the decision behind 2-Handed Axes being irreversible and tradeable?
Mod Squid
First one - irreversible: It makes the component a little bit more valuable. If you want multiple axes or you want different types of axes, then you need to get component for each one, you can't just keep swapping around. It also means you can't just buy it once, swap in and out of your 1-handed axe, 2-handed axe - that's just this case.
Swapping in and out of your 2-handed axe and 1-handed axe at a tree is a weird little interaction - just keep swapping back and forth in 1-handed axe and 2-handed axe. So we went with this: You make the 2-handed axe, then that's the 2-handed version now.
Then if you want a 1-handed axe again, you can buy another axe - that makes it a little bit more valuable.
Why tradable? Just tie into the economy side of Forestry more. We want to make similar economy. If you allow people to trade them, even if you don't want to do Forestry, you can get a 2-handed axe. It allows people who are doing Forestry to sell those parts, make those turn to 2-handed axes and sell them if they want to.
Question #23
What parts of this will be F2P? Because the tree chop mechanics especially will affect everybody, but are there any other parts that will?
Mod Squid
The Forestry Kit itself will be F2P. The items that go in it will be members. But that means you get access on F2P to the events that don't require those event items. For Phase 1 that's Rising Roots and the Struggling Sapling event.
You'll get the new tree chopping mechanics, you'll get the Forestry Kit and the free events. The items that go in it will be members.
Question #24
Any plans or possibility of making Dragon Axes obtainable through Woodcutting? Having them only from Wintertodt and DKs is kind of weird and lacks flavour. (Like Dragon Pick from Volcanic Mine)
Mod Squid
There aren’t at the moment, it's a conversation that can be had. Maybe, if that's something that people want, and if it is good for the Dragon Axe economy, then that's a conversation we can have.
Question #25
Will it now be impossible to chop down a tree by yourself in a single chop?
Mod Squid
Yes, it will be impossible to do that, because it has a fixed lifetime.
Question #26
Are the tree roots still going to be given? Not mentioned in the blog, if that's in Part 1 or Part 2?
Mod Squid
We're not doing anything with tree roots for Part 1. The original intention was because roots would be using tea, we would make Rising Roots give roots. Since we're not adding that extra use for tea, we're not going to add the extra gain from Rising Roots at the moment. If they come in Part 2 with the offset tea conversations, if they come in as beneficial for tea, then we can look at adding them from the roots event then.
Question #27
Are Maple logs going to have a use? They’re cheap and useless right now.
Mod Squid
I mean, they are used as currency for some things in the Forestry shop. That's the main use they have.
Question #28
Are Ironmen able to participate in Forestry? And if so, are there any exclusions to Ironmen?
Mod Squid
Yes, Ironmen can participate. There's no exclusions - you can join in on events.
Question #29
Will Forestry be useful at high skill levels?
Mod Squid
If you want stuff from the Forestry shop and if you want the XP, I mean it might potentially work out a little bit higher XP if you're engaging with the Forestry events. So yeah.
Question #30
Can I give my Woodcutting pet an axe so they can Woodcut as well?
Mod Squid
Double XP, easy peasy!
Mod Sarnie
How would it work? Does your pet get XP as well? Like their own little levels?
Mod Squid
Are you getting a whole nother RuneScape within Runescape of your pets?
Mod Sarnie
Maybe that’s what Taming is. You got a little tiny tree to chop with a little tiny axe, just chopping and chopping the trees away. Pretty cute!
Question #31
Can we use the kit on Max Cape?
Mod Squid
Not at the moment. I don't know, how do people feel about that? Do you wanna be able to combine your Max Cape and Kit? Something to discuss!
Mod Sarnie
The chat is more on the ‘’No’’s! We can still put it out there, but we'll discuss it. It won't be in Part 1. It will be Part 2 and it will be polled - it won't be a case of not being polled.
Question #32
Will there be a video explaining Forestry like Bounty Hunter?
Mod Sarnie
Yes, there will! Squid, should we share who's doing the video for us?
Mod Squid
Yeah, go for it!
Mod Sarnie
I want to say ‘’Check and guess who's doing the video’’ because there's one community member that stands out clearly above the rest in terms of being the Queen of Woodcutting - because she is! We'll leave it at that, we won't actually reveal the name, but I feel like you could get it from that. So yes, there will be a video - stay tuned!
Question #33
How long will it take to get the full Lumberjack Outfit, for example?
Mod Squid
Looking at the current numbers - five hours of Forestry!
Mod Sarnie
Go there guys, that's a little insight into the Lumberjack Outfit.
Question #34
Will there be a Forestry pet?
Mod Squid
There isn't at the moment. There was talk for one of the events we're looking at for phase two - it was the pheasant event and we were talking about a little pheasant pet.
Question #35
Will you guys be standardising tree art across the game? I remember one mod/artist saying they wanted to make all trees look like the ones in Kourend (Shayzien) and Priff.
Mod Squid
I don’t know what the plans are there!
Mod Sarnie
They're quite iconic, so I would say no. I feel like it's in the same vein of ‘’if we remove classic Firemaking roots with the 27 fires in a row’’ - it's just like so iconically Old School. I might be wrong, but I feel like classic trees are too iconic.
Mod Squid
I agree!
Mod Sarnie
Maybe because of the climate of Kourend and Kebos - that's why they're different. Maybe, I don't know.
You can also discuss this update on our official forums, on the 2007Scape subreddit, the Steam forums, or the community-led OSRS Discord in the #gameupdate channel. For more info on the above content, check out the official Old School Wiki.
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