RuneScape is important on a personal level for three teeny-tiny reasons that include: being the first MMORPG I played; the first game that I can be said to be hooked on OSRS Gold; and the first game that I discovered that can be described as "online", though far from the top. It's still three significant gaming milestones that should not be scoffed at.
Following a brief but basic instruction on the appropriately called Tutorial Island and I ended up finding myself being thrown into the sluggish but rather enjoyable town of the river of Lumbridge. The town is where every new player learns the basics of mechanics, like how to make fire or deposit money into the bank. It's important to note that in RuneScape it is a game where everyone begins on the same playing field (weirdly when you reach level 3).
There's no predetermined classes or predetermined builds, only skills, ideally with the aim of getting every one up to the maximum of 99. However, since this isn't feasible or even desirable for most of us so it's better to specialize in just a few. In addition, the overall level of a character or combat is limited to 130 (or the number 123 for RuneScape Classic). I believe I reached the 82 mark before I decided to take a break. Maybe school started up again.
There are also five different types of attacks which you should master: stab, slash, crush, magic, and ranged. My initial prey was goblins and chickens, but there's plenty of more powerful and dangerous predators available. Predators, too. Sure, RuneScape is a long learning curve at the beginning. Once I had those basic capabilities mastered, I could let it all done and I began to find it difficult to step away from my computer.
The total number is 232 scattered across a huge world map with enough variation to satisfy the curiosity of my 12-year-old self. Every of them a distinctive short story with a bizarre plots and funny dialogue. Some of my personal favorites are solving the mystery of a missing chicken found at Draynor Manor and Cheap RS Gold sneaking into the seemingly inaccessible Black Knights' Fortress on behalf of the opposition White Knights of Falador.