RuneScape launches its first wave of community plugins, and you can use them now

RuneScape is finally getting official community plugins, and the first five are available to install right now. Whether you need a hand with quests or want a few more ways to customise your adventures across Gielinor, the new Plugin Hub is open for business, with Quest Helper, Menu Entry Swapper, Tilemarkers, Entity Hider, and Job Gauges all available from day one.

The launch follows an open beta that gave RuneScape players an early look at the tools, which are designed to make adventuring a little easier. Quest Helper supports 69 quests, while Tilemarkers lets you highlight useful locations. The other plugins offer more ways to customise your experience, from streamlined menu interactions to hiding entities.

To get started, you can open the in-game ribbon menu and look for the toolbox icon. This takes you to the RuneScape Plugin Hub, where you can browse and install available plugins, as well as manage or uninstall ones you've already downloaded. There's a catch before you get started, though: you'll need a verified email address to use the hub. Plugins are hosted through the third-party platform mod.io, and Jagex recommends using the email linked to your Jagex Account to make future verification easier.

Unlike third-party plugin platforms, the MMO's tools run entirely within the game client and must pass Jagex's official approval process. Plugins can enhance gameplay, but they can't replace it or automatically perform actions for you. That means some familiar features have limitations, too.  Menu Entry Swapper, for example, can't add a 'Buy All' option to shops or make 'Teleport' and 'Drop' the default left-click actions for items. 

API feature requests, which may get rid of plugin restrictions, are currently handled by a trusted group of developers dubbed the 'API Council' to keep development manageable. For now, aspiring plugin makers can share suggestions through Discord or other community channels.

Jagex plans to release new ones in batches roughly every two weeks alongside game updates. This is only the beginning of its plans for community-made tools, with more ways to customise your RuneScape experience expected over the coming months.