I don't understand....

[SighlyntMike]

This game seems to promote the idea of mastering all of the skills. If this is the case, is it viable for someone to say play just to be a blacksmith or a farmer\chef? Are you really going to make a living selling crafted items or food that everyone has been encouraged to make? I guess I'm not understanding the appeal. They say play your way, which of course you can - I'm just not seeing how it's profitable.

[ProfessorGeode]

The primary way players make gold in runescape is from bossing, clues, or other high end activities. Mostly, skills are not similar to other mmos in that you are not a chef/farmer, you train your ability to do those things. Everyone does everything and is well rounded with the exception of skillers or pures. You'll make money (a small amount) on gathering skills, and likely lose money on processing ones.

Ironmen (accounts that cannot trade with anyone else) need to level everything to provide for themselves.

[Aponace]

The game has a 20 year old stable economy. You can compare it to the real life. Why would someone pay you to do some kind of work if everyone are encouraged to work?

[Kaos]

*takes out cane*
Back in my day....
I remember a player called SunnySmiles
That spent ALL their time fishing. Fishing Fishing Fishing.
Same spot. All the time. (Also refused to run in game for some reason)
Bought multiple party hats just from fishing.
Eventually bought all the logs needed to max out fletching too.
(Didn't chop any wood just bought logs on Grand Exchange)

Always joked about the banker screaming in terror when they saw SunnySmiles coming up to counter. I think the smell from a bank full of fish would bring tears to your eyes.

Its viable to skill just 1 thing. Lots of skillers also choose to remain lv1 in combat skills.

Personally i would find it boring as hell. In fact fishing all day long forever sounds like hell haha.
But to each their own.

[RedBarron]

Expanding on the point that there is an aged, stable economy, its also entirely viable to make money playing the market.

so, while the best money comes from high level bossing / skilling, it is still entirely possible to play as a skilling pure. Though I do encourage trying combat as well :)

[chancan]

Originally posted by Kaos:

*takes out cane*
Back in my day....
I remember a player called SunnySmiles
That spent ALL their time fishing. Fishing Fishing Fishing.
Same spot. All the time. (Also refused to run in game for some reason)
Bought multiple party hats just from fishing.
Eventually bought all the logs needed to max out fletching too.
(Didn't chop any wood just bought logs on Grand Exchange)

Always joked about the banker screaming in terror when they saw SunnySmiles coming up to counter. I think the smell from a bank full of fish would bring tears to your eyes.

Its viable to skill just 1 thing. Lots of skillers also choose to remain lv1 in combat skills.

Personally i would find it boring as hell. In fact fishing all day long forever sounds like hell haha.
But to each their own.

If you want to buy a party hat (in this example the cheapest one: yellow phats, which are roughly 20 billion) just by fishing in the current day and age, you'd have to spend about 11765 hours fishing for Sailfish (the most profit/hour fishing method, roughly 1.7 mil per hour), aka 490 full days.

OP, to answer your question in short; no. All these people are being very disingenuous. The best money making methods from skills like Fletching and Smithing will only ever be about 5% to 10% as profitable as the best money making methods from bossing. Runescape's economy is very unhealthy and skewed

[Kaos]

Originally posted by ;5063694237330764606:

If you want to buy a party hat (in this example the cheapest one: yellow phats, which are roughly 20 billion) just by fishing in the current day and age, you'd have to spend about 11765 hours fishing for Sailfish (the most profit/hour fishing method, roughly 1.7 mil per hour), aka 490 full days.

Yeah that sounds like hell alright
This was around 2008? Catching sharks. In Catherby.
Not sure what the prices for party hats where back then.

Often ran past there on way to fruit tree but was catching Monkfish for slayer mostly.

[Kaos]

Oh i was being disingenuous lol. Ok moving on now.

[rdjsboxers]

By the time you made enough money, the price of the party hat would of further skyrocketed

[chancan]

Originally posted by Hab0shtii:

By the time you made enough money, the price of the party hat would of further skyrocketed

I was going to mention that but I figured I made my point lol. But yeah, it's likely that you'll have to spend another 5000 hours catching more sailfish

[SighlyntMike]

Thanks for the replies. They were helpful AND amusing which is always nice. I knew the game was out awhile before the steam launch and in turn found the claims in the video suspect when compared to my brief gaming experience. Guess I'm still looking for something akin to Star Wars Galaxies where you did have people that chose to spend limited skill points in crafting and make that their profession full time. I guess I don't see the appeal of a game where everyone can do everything themselves.

[PHD IN PVM]

Items like grace of the elves deeply increase profit from skilling