Oldschool Near-Reality Review

Near Reality (NR) is an OSRS RSPS with a focus on replicating content. Therefore, you can expect a lot of gameplay to be similar, but with a faster pace. One of the examples can be seen at the minigames and bosses that NR holds; Obor, Bryophyta, Zalcano, Tears of Guthix, Pyramid Plunder, etc. With an already high player count that is steadily growing, NR is home to all kinds of adventurers that enjoy OSRS but with a breath of fresh air. 

Interview

 RuneList: Please tell us something about the history of NR.
 Jacmob: Near-Reality has been around for well over a decade now, passing through the hands of Chachi, Jags, Myself and Drax, we have all had a different take on Near-Reality and what we believed to be the best path moving forward. I have made mistakes in the past and this rendition of 'Oldschool Near-Reality' is here to reconcile those issues. Near-Reality has always been known as NRPK, and we want to bring that notion of PvP back to the server, mainly through Deadman Mode in the future. Oldschool Near-Reality is a continuation of the idea of OSS (Old School Server) back in 2012 which is what ultimately closed the original NR v13 for good. We are taking from that idea and putting forward the best server we possibly could, we will not stop until we have taken over the RSPS scene for good. What I believe that made Near-Reality so popular was the willingness to implement unique customs and donator pins (which allow legal RWT through a staff middle-man), we have always been different to other servers, and we don’t plan to stop.

 RuneList: What makes NR special?
 Jacmob:  Near-Reality has always been a top server for a variety of reasons; the community, legal RWT, pking scene, and the willingness to be different. Oldschool Near-Reality is a server that will push the boundaries of RSPS, bringing in authentic 1:1 OSRS content, and custom content that will be of highest quality. Our Development Team is probably one of the most solid teams in all of RSPS, and what we have in store for OSNR, is going to make us the top server very soon.

 RuneList: What updates are coming to NR in the near future?
 Jacmob: I will keep this short and concise, over the next month or so expect to see:

• Gauntlet
• Theatre of Blood & Hard Mode
• Nex
• Nightmare of Ashihama
• Wilderness Vaults

And if able, we will attempt to be one of the first servers to implement the Tombs of Avarice.

 RuneList: What do you expect to see from NR in about one year?
 Jacmob:  Oldschool Near-Reality was set up in a way that will provide longevity and stability within the RSPS scene, we took a lot of drop rates, mechanics from OSRS, and our economy is not far off from how OSRS works, this provides a custom experience with faster XP rates, while keeping our economy stable for the long run. With the addition of Donator Pins, we expect to be around a long time, providing lasting and fun times for all.

 RuneList: How did you personally get into development/ownership?
 Jacmob:  I began making websites for local companies in my hometown, eventually I found Rune-Server, and begun working on websites within the RSPS scene, where I met developers from around the world and eventually worked/owned servers such as Avarrocka, Interbellum, Havoc and many others.

 RuneList: What obstacles have you faced?
 Jacmob: Near-Reality has always had a target on it’s back, same with many other top servers, and it’s a priority that you must have the proper people in the right places to ensure a stable environment for your development team, staff team, and players as a whole. We have faced people trying to exploit our systems, mass DDos, and many other threats, but as a team we worked together and we have overcame the issues of the past.

 RuneList: What is your biggest obstacle currently and how do you plan on overcoming these obstacles?
 Jacmob: Our biggest obstacle right now is becoming up to date with OSRS’s content so we can start pushing new and unique custom content that will make us much different than any other server out there. We have such a competent development team, it won’t be much longer until we are up to date with OSRS and we are pushing some of the most unique and ground breaking custom content within the RSPS space.

Thanks to Jacmob for the interview. 

Notable Features

As NR focuses a lot on OSRS, its notable features is mainly the impeccable ability to replicate content to Oldschool Runescape’s standards. The combat is great, the variety of content is amazing and the community is phenomenal. By playing NR, you won’t feel as if you are part of a server, you will feel as if you are playing the game itself but faster, and with a more close-hearted community

Player vs Monster (PvM)          

When we say that there are a lot of PvM challenges, we mean it. NR has a boss for everyone, from Obor and Bryophyta for weaker players, to Vorkath, Zulrah for intermediate, all the way to Chambers of Xeric for those with experience. If you are more into skilling, fear not, as NR has skilling bosses as well, such as Zalcano, Wintertodt and the Gauntlet. They even have the Mimic for players that love clues, how amazing! With that being said, the PvM-aspect is fully covered as the developers have put a lot of love and effort into creating a variety of bosses for players to kill.

↑ Image 1: An group of brave players fighting the Great Olm.

Skilling         

Training skills on NR is immaculate. There are a load of methods for you to train each skill, and each skill has something to it. For instance, Thieving has both pickpocketing, stalls, and Pyramid Plunder. Mining has regular ores, salts, the quarry, and the Motherload mine. The list goes on. On top of that, there are also skilling outfits to increase your gains, which is magnificent. In sum, all skills are functional and can be trained in multiple ways, with multiple roads leading to 99 in a skill.

↑ Image 2: Sklling boss, Zalcano.

Player vs Player (PvP or Pking)       

Since NR is mainly an Economy server where players have to train and obtain their items from the start, PvP is somewhat of a sore thumb. To begin with, there are low to none Wilderness incentives. People that visit the Wilderness do it due to areas such as the Wilderness Slayer, Revenants, etc. Therefore, most of the players are there for PvM purposes, where you will find players separate or just casually talking while doing their activities. While the combat is quite decent, the problem lies in the lack of players and the lack of Wilderness content, which discourages players to visit it. 

EDIT: At August 2022, there are about 20 people in the wilderness (out of 400). There are also Wilderness events now. 

↑ Image 3: Wilderness PvP

Minigames         

Minigames are superb on NR, with a variety between solo and group, skilling and combat, and safe and dangerous minigames. A great balance of all. There are minigames for the skillers, e.g. Pyramid Plunder, Tears of Guthix and Motherload Mine. Next, there are also activities for PvMers such as the Inferno, Warriors Guild and Barrows. Finally, there is also the infamous OG Duel Arena for people who want to get risky and bet their belongings. The only thing missing are minigames revolving around PvP, e.g. Last Man Standing or a Bounty Hunter system for the Wilderness. However, since this is an Economy server it still deserves a solid 5 stars.

↑ Image 4: The Inferno. 

↑ Image 5: The Inferno.

Player activity          

Currently, on the 20th of August, there are roughly 400 players online. This is quite an achievement, and a remarkable number to hold. The server has been released for over a month now, and still has 300+ members online every day. Although the server is still very new. Therefore, the server might hold far lower or higher players than when the review was written. But, the discord community holds an insane 5,000 members, so the activity will always be top-notch.

↑ Image 6: Player activity at home

Other content          

Apart from PvM and Skilling, NR also offers four experience rates per game mode, with a total of five game modes. This leaves you with 20 modes to choose from, with each mode having its own restrictions and benefits. Next, there are also achievement diaries identical to the OSRS ones, with QoL rewards to make your life easier. Not enough? No worries, NR also has treasure trails, full collection logs, weekly events and far more.

Conclusion         (4.3 on average)

Near Reality grants you the full OSRS experience, but at a faster pace for those who do not have time to spend years and years upon grinding an account. Even if you want a slower pace, it is available through different game and experience modes. This game is for those who want longevity, and want to be able to play the same RSPS for years to come. We highly recommend this game to players who are looking for a grind, a community, and a place to stay.

  Website: https://near-reality.com/
  Discord: https://discord.gg/nr  

  What do you think of Near-Reality yourself? Rate this server review above. Feel free to comment your opinions below. 

Article Written By @ SilverNova