Games Room Guide

Introduction

The Games Room in RuneScape is a place where you can challenge other players to enjoyable board games while enjoying the tastes of Asgarnian ale, Dwarven stout and Wizard's mind bomb (aka Beers). You've been beating your friend's head in for the last 30 minutes and you've been beaten in the face for just as long. Apparently, this isn't the best way for you and your friend to decide if you should have pizza or hamburgers for lunch. Is there no other way to decide? Now, you can decide in this games room. No need for violence, use your brain. Challenge your friend to a game in the game room, and show him that pizza is the best choice for lunch.

This area was formerly members-only but is now available to free players as well, as of an update on 5 October 2015.

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How to get there

The Games room is located in the basement of Burthorpe Castle. Burthorpe is located north of Taverley and the Hero's guild. Have a look at our world map to see exactly where. How do you get there you ask? Good question. Simply use the Burthorpe Loadstone teleport and head directly North

You're there now - below is a map of where you will be. Now what? Sit down and grab a drink from Sam the bartender next to you, and I'll teach you how to totally "0wn" the other players. As you enter either of the challenge rooms (RuneLink on the right and Draughts on the left), you will notice one of two things. The first will be the game board at the top corner of your screen. The next will be a lot of 3 digit or 4 digit numbers where everyone's combat normally is. Odd eh. How did everyone level up so quickly? Nah, you see their rank for that game. Unless specified, a game will affect your ranking when you win or lose. You begin with 1000 rank points at the beginning. The better players have ranks way higher than that, and the not so good players will have ranks that are lower. Begin by challenging people that are close to your rank.

Picture	Information
	This is what you see when you enter the runelink room. It is a miniature version of the game board. The idea behind the game is to connect four of your pieces in a row before your opponent does.
	This is a mini checkerboard. This is what you see when you enter the Draughts room. The idea of this game is to get rid of your opponent's pieces before they get rid of yours.
	This is what you see when you enter the Runesquares room. The object of this game is to make as many squares as you can.
	This is what you see when you enter the Reversi room. The object of this game is to claim as many pieces as possible.

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Challenging others

As you enter either of the challenge rooms, you will notice one of two things. The first may be the game board at the top corner of your screen. The next will be a lot of 3 digit or 4 digit numbers where everyone's combat normally is. Of course, this is their rank. You will also notice you have a ranking below the game board at the top of the screen. If you see someone close to your rank, right click them and challenge them. You will be evenly matched in skills. You will be given an options menu.

• First, pick your game piece. Your choice will not affect you in any way during the game. Just pick your favourite rune.
• Next, choose the time limit per move. This actually requires some previous thought. Are you wanting to do a quick game, or are you wanting a long game where you can have a hard challenge? If you reach the time limit on one of your moves, the game will automatically choose a piece for you, and it isn't always the best move.
• The last thing you need to do is decide if you want to risk your ranking in this match. For the most part, I recommend always leaving it checked. There is always that chance you can win. Besides, if you lose, it isn't too hard to gain back points.

When you start any games, this panel of information can be seen on the left. It is explained below.

• Red: Your opponents game piece, name, and ranking. Your opponent will always be in this area.
• Green: Your game piece, name, and ranking. You will always be in this area.
• Dark Blue: Whose turn it currently is.
• Light blue: Offer a draw. If you are losing you can click this and hope your opponent agrees. If they do, you don't lose your rating. However, they MUST agree to it, and that rarely happens. If you are playing draughts and you click the resign button, it will automatically resign if forty(40) moves have passed with nothing happening.
• Purple/pink: Resign. It automatically ends the game and sets you as loser. You will lose points as if you had lost the game.
• Yellow: Current timer. If you run out of sand in the timer, the game automatically makes a move for you, and it isn't always the best.
• Gray: The name of the game you are playing. It will be runelink, draughts, runeversi or runesquares.

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Runelink

Runelink is the game that is played most often in the game room. Why? Because it is easy and you can finish a game in a very short time. All right, have you knocked back Sam's beers? Good. Maybe I'll have a chance against ya eh. Head towards the Runelink challenge room as shown in the map earlier. After you both accept the settings, you will be teleported into the gaming area and your game begins.

That is a Runelink board that has not been used yet. The grey circle indicates where your game piece will fall when you click. If a piece already occupies that space you click, it will stack on top of that piece. You continue switching turns until you or your opponent have four pieces in a row. Simple, yes?

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Runelink Tips

Although there are few things that can be told to help you play well, a few tips never hurt.

• Look in all directions after your opponent moves.
• You will notice that the next law move can win the game by putting a piece in the top left hand spot. Block it before they can put it there.
• Play people close to your ranking. Again, the ranking shows their skill. It wouldn't be fun to be beaten with no hope, or to beat someone who has no idea what they are doing.
• Try distracting your opponent. It may keep them from noticing another move.
• Never play when tired. If you're tired, your brain will not function as well. That means you will miss moves that can be taken.

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Draughts

Want a game that will take a bit of time and thought? Draughts might be the game for you. If you have never heard of the game draughts, maybe checkers would ring a bell. Go to the Draughts challenge room on the West side as shown in the map earlier. Once there, right click and choose an opponent. You will be teleported to the game room, and your game begins.

The above is the opening board for draughts. Each person begins with twelve pieces, and your goal is to capture all of your opponent's pieces before they take yours.

Checkers is a game of strategy. It has only 4 rules, and all must be used to force your opponent to do what you want.

• Rule 1: You can only move diagonally on the darker squares.
• Rule 2: You must always take a jump.
• Rule 3: A normal piece can only move forwards. It cannot move back.
• Rule 4: A "kinged" piece can move forwards and backwards. They are often the deciding pieces at the end of the game.

A normal move (one that does not capture a game piece) is only one square. A capture jumps the piece in front of your piece, and lands in the square after it. If there is another jump to take, you can continue taking jumps. Once you reach the end of the board, and end up at the beginning side of your opponent, the piece that made it there will be "kinged" or "crowned". This piece turns red and now can travel in any direction as long as it is a legal move.

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Draughts tips/strategies

Draughts is a fairly simple game, but every move can open new possibilities. A few tips never hurt.

• Tip 1: Be willing to lose pieces. Sometimes the one piece you lose could help you get two or more of their pieces.
• Tip 2: Although not necessary, try to keep your home row filled. That way, it becomes harder for your opponent to get kinged.
• Tip 3: If your pieces are "hugging" the side of the board, they lose half their power. Try to concentrate your pieces towards the centre area.
• Tip 4: Try to plan multiple moves while waiting for your opponent so you don't stumble when they take your move.
• Tip 5: The game is declared a draw if no piece is taken or made king in 40 moves.

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Runesquares

Runesquares is an outwardly simple connect-the-dots game that requires advance thinking and strategy to outmaneuver an opponent. Head towards the Runesquares challenge room. After you both accept the settings, you will be teleported into the gaming area and your game begins.

Above is the starting board. The object of this game is to make as many squares as you can. The players take turns placing a single line, unless a square is formed. The player who makes a square gets to take another turn. To place a line you simply click on the faint line where you want yours to be placed.

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Runesquares tips/strategies

Runesquares seems a fairly simple game, but thought is required.

Tip 1: The overall tactic is to trick your opponent into leaving a 3-sided square, allowing you to place the 4th and thus claim the square. This can be done in a large chain reaction, because when you make a square you get another turn, so one mistake could cost you the game.

Tip 2: As you can see, the square will get very cramped with lines. This may result in no other place for the lines to be placed, causing the other player to be able to claim lines. If this happens you should try and let them get as little as possible, looking at how long the chain reaction would be.

Tip 3: If the board has no free moves, place your line in a place that will give the least number of squares to your opponent.

Tip 4: If you are making squares and are about to run out out moves, give your opponent the last 2 squares. This will force them to take another move and place a line in a place that will allow you to get more points.

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Runeversi

Runeversi is the classic game of Reversi, you start with this board.

The object of this game is to claim as many pieces as possible. To claim pieces you have to place a counter so it surrounds the opponent's piece(s). For example,

xOx

The O piece would become an x piece.

This can be done in a way that affects larger areas, so there is no limit to how many pieces you surround.

xOOOOOOOOx all the O pieces would be claimed.

Another way is the Triangle method.

x
O
xOOOOOOOOOOOx ? When this is placed all O's would be claimed.

To put it simply, you just need to border your opponent's pieces to claim them. You should try to look for moves that claim the most pieces, but also think about how your opponent can take your pieces, and stop him.

Best of luck to you and happy gaming!

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Credits

Original Guide by: Misplacedme and Annialator10

Thanks to: Cameron, Eeeeediot, pokemama, sheepdean, Sorator, Speedyshel

Last Updated by: Arceus

Last updated: 6-October-2015