August 2007 Archive of RuneScape
The August 2007 Archive of RuneScape is a backup of the source code of RuneScape[a] that was created on 10 August 2007 which served as the basis for Old School RuneScape. When Old School first launched, it was an exact copy of the original RuneScape as it had existed on that date.[b]
The archive was created during a pivotal time in RuneScape's history: the game was posting its highest membership numbers in mid-2007, a period retrospectively described by Jagex as when RuneScape was at its height[1]. After the backup was made, numerous updates were introduced that would fundamentally change the nature of the game, including the original Bounty Hunter (which was implemented along with the removal of Wilderness PvP), restrictions on trade between players, and the introduction of high-definition graphics.
The last quest released before the backup (and thus the last "vanilla" quest in Old School) was King's Ransom, on 24 July 2007. The last game update released before the backup was Clan Chat, on 6 August 2007.
Content from after 10 August 2007 in the Archive
In addition to all content present in RuneScape on 10 August 2007, Old School's original archive also contains content that was under development by Jagex at the time, but was unreleased or incomplete. While the archive contains some content unlikely to be released in Old School RuneScape such as the Summoning skill, other content has been completed, polled, and added to the live game, as part of the backporting process.
God Wars Dungeon
First released on 28 August 2007, God Wars Dungeon was re-released as one of the first major updates of Old School RuneScape in October 2013. However, it was not released unaltered: numerous exploits that had proven troublesome in 2007 (such as noted adamantite bars being farmed by bots) were nerfed or removed before launch.
Varrock Achievement Diary
First released on 10 September 2007, the Varrock Diary was the second set of Achievement Diaries released. In Old School RuneScape, the Varrock Diary would be released alongside diaries for all areas (that existed at the time) on 5 March 2015.
Ourania Altar
First released on 18 September 2007, the Ourania Altar was nearly 100% complete[2] at the time the backup was made and is virtually identical to its vanilla counterpart with two exceptions: Eniola's interface was improved, and more runes may be produced by the Altar if the medium Ardougne Diary is completed. It was released in October 2016 after passing a poll.
2007 Halloween event
First released on 22 October 2007, the 2007 Halloween event was re-used as the 2014 Halloween event.
Land of the Goblins and Hopespear's Will
The fourth entry in the Dorgeshuun quest series, and a sequel to Another Slice of H.A.M., Land of the Goblins was originally released on 12 November 2007,[3] accompanied by miniquest Hopespear's Will.
In Old School RuneScape, Land of the Goblins and Hopespear's Will were released on 9 February 2022. This marked the first time a quest had been ported from the original game in a largely unaltered form, though with minor changes, such as to dialogue, music and combat difficulty.
The Path of Glouphrie
Main article: The Path of Glouphrie
A sequel to The Eyes of Glouphrie, originally released on 3 September 2007,[4] was confirmed to exist within the archive,[5] and was further developed by Mod Ed during the April 2023 Game Jam. The quest's release was announced during the 2023 Summer Summit, including improvements to the Poison Waste Slayer Dungeon creatures, such as the new Warped sceptre, a mid-level powered staff intended to sit between Iban's staff and the Trident of the Seas. The quest was released on 13 September 2023.
Summoning
First released on 15 January 2008, an incomplete version of the Summoning skill was present in the archive. While Summoning does not exist in Old School RuneScape, numerous Summoning assets have been repurposed for use in the game. Examples include the original Callisto model (a recoloured Arctic bear) and the Beaver skilling pet.