On May 10th of last year, Old Runescape on Mobile goes ‘Always On’ on Android. What this means is that the next phase of testing does not have a specific end date. However, before explaining the ‘Always On’ beta, let’s see the updates on the iOS testing and the various changes they’ve implemented since then.
Implemented Changes
- Single touch withdraw from the bank
- Single touch buy and sell
- A tutorial for mobile-exclusive controls
- No more Fixed mode
- Settings for zoom persist after logout
- Menu stone gaps closed (to prevent accidentally moving your character elsewhere)
- The back button now works like the Escape button on PC
- The special attack button is now larger
- Interfaces will now appear in different locations depending on what other ones are open
- A circle will now appear instead of the yellow X in previous iterations. It will be yellow when the character is not interacting with anything, and red if they are.
iOS Updates
The testing phase for the iOS version ended April 26th of last year. Testers were impressed with the app’s low data usage and smooth gameplay. There are still some interface issues to iron out, but it is just all part of the process of testing.
As for what’s next, the App Store’s 2-day review process restricts the iOS ‘Always On’ Beta. However, Jagex is confident that there is a solution for this. News will be available once the submission for review has been approved.
Android Always On Beta
Again, this phase of testing only means that there is no specific end date. For now, there is only a certain amount of players able to log in. Later, when Jagex is sure the build is stable, they’ll start adding more players to the beta.
Invitations were sent out the 8th of May, and the beta officially started on the 10th. Emails were sent beforehand. If you have somehow missed or did not receive the email, you may have opted out of receiving emails from the developers. You can check the Email & Comms Preferences in your Account Settings. Also, you can check your email’s Spam folder to see if it is there. Otherwise, it may be because of a typo or because you are checking a different email address from the one you had used to sign up.
Note that official emails about OSRS mobile will always be accompanied by an inbox message. For Android users, Jagex sends an email containing the link to the app in the Play Store. For Apple device users, Apple will send an email containing the link to Test Flight. Additionally, it will contain instructions for accessing the OSRS application. You should ignore anything that is not what is described above.
Do not despair if you cannot access the beta yet. There is still hope that you will get invited once the build is more stable. Also, this bodes well (at least for the Android version) for the app’s release. It is getting really close to being open for everybody. Bear with the waiting, because when the tests are done, you will be sure to have a good product in your hands.
Soon, you will finally be able to level your skills or farm OSRS gold on the go! Isn’t that exciting? The world of Gilenor, at your fingertips. It will even have cross-platform play, so you don’t have to start all over again on the mobile version.
Enjoy your adventures in Gilenor as you wait!