Oh, here we go again. I’ve had this problem a lot during my many years with Runescape. Happened during holidays, happened during regular days, even happened during Runefest when I wasn’t even playing Runescape. It’s something that happens usually on promotional or special events. Unique rewards for committing a great burst of time and effort, and perhaps even a bit of luck. It’s something that-

… OK, I know, title gave it away a long time ago. Today’s topic is having too much to do in so little time.

Lots of big things have been coming out on Runescape with a lot of hype nowadays. So much so that predecessor updates are sent out to prepare us for what I like to call the next chapter of Runescape’s story. Usually to help us build our levels so we can… you know, actually play it.

Take this upcoming quest with Zamorak and Zaros, for example. They are teasing the quest with a couple of events for the two weeks they need to finish it. A large dig-site excavation area of an Empty Throne Room has opened up where players can earn lore and train their skills up to do the quest. At the same time, there’s a fire celebration where players can earn embers through skilling, similar to how those season crowns worked. Every year.

They’ll both be here for two weeks. Which one do you do? Do you have time to do them all? Fortunately, you do, as working in the Empty Throne Room actually does net you embers toward the other event. We got lucky there.

Many of these predecessor updates have a lot of rewards and a lot of things to offer. But sometimes, there’s just… so much. It wouldn’t be so bad if they were permanent updates, but these are things that last two… sometimes even a single week. You want that reward, and you want that experience, you gotta do it now.

No, I’m not going to complain that it’s unfair to those who cannot participate in these events to the fullest because they have busy work schedules. And lives. It really is just a reward for participation, that’s all. I’m talking about the people who actually do put in the time and money to participate.

So what happens if, despite their efforts, there simply is too much for them to do? So much so that they end up missing out? They are given such a huge selection of food that they are hopelessly full before they can even sample the desert platter? I can think of a few reactions. Most of which I experienced myself after going to Runefest in 2013 and 2015, so I’m sort of basing my article on that.

First off, there’s guilt. Guilt that you’ve missed out on what would’ve been something better than what you had already attended. It’s like going out to a restaurant with your family and everyone orders something different, and you gaze longingly at everyone’s meals because they look so much better than yours. You hear stories from others saying that they had a great time on one thing while you were busy doing another, and you feel bad you missed out on such a great time.

It’s not a good feeling. In fact, it’s a feeling that can absolutely ruin an otherwise perfectly good experience. So don’t let it. They tell stories about the best experience that you missed out on, counteract with your own stories.

Second off, there’s inability. You feel like you were expected to do everything, and anything short was your own fault. Everything was planned, everyone worked hard to create this event and carry it out, so there’s nobody else to blame if you didn’t get the full experience out of it.

Of course, this is an over-reaction. Who cares if you didn’t do absolutely everything? You had fun, right? The point of the event is to have fun, and having a surplus of things to do simply guarantees that even the most avid doer of things can’t possibly get bored. That’s not high expectation, that’s proper planning.

Now, is having too much to do a bad thing? It’s really in the eyes of the one who experiences it. You’ll get all kinds of reactions from everyone with pretty much anything. Not your fault for providing too much content at once. Just remember that if you do, not all of it is going to get to be experienced by everyone. Make sure you can sleep with that, eh?

In my opinion, it’s not a bad thing at all. Better have too much than not enough.

Until next time,

Cheers, cannoneers!