As one of the developers working on Archaeology, the skill and elite outfits are planned to be exclusively earned via training the skill (that's how we've designed and already developed them), and accounted for it in the skill's balancing.

Obviously, I can't predict the future (and have even less control over it), but I can't see anyone wanting to add it to TH even at a later date. TH has not broken any previous new skill embargo, so precedent should suggest this one will hold firm and, by the time it is up, a fair proportion of players will already have one, if not both, of the outfits, so any market for it on TH would be severely limited anyway.

Dig Site quest will have its place in the skill somewhere, don't worry.

Just a quick note to say 60% was just an example figure, not the actual balancing. It will likely be somewhere around that, but it hasn't been completely decided yet.

Myssed

I got confused a bit by a part of the announcement post. Something about earning our certification as an archaeologist. We did that already, in the digsite quest. I’m pretty certain we even got a certificate out of it.

All you do in the quest is pass a few Earth Sciences exams...and make a significant archaeological find. You're effectively a student who got lucky. Qualifications are more the faculty side of things - you become guild staff.

iLLuZiown3d

My monies on Thorny Tribal Quilter

Our anagram clues now also have to connect thematically with the character in question, as part of the hint to find them. Something with ROT or the like in it would be better (given Brother Tranquillity is a brainless zombie monk).

WluttyShore

Wait so the imcando/crystal/space and time mattocks will use a dpick(?)

No, you won't need any dragon pickaxes for them.

Juyiboi

Chaos tunnels are under the wilderness and it’s not pvp...

None of it is within, nor takes you through, a PvP area. The Wilderness connection is a thematic/narrative and geographical one.

Taurenkey

Obligatory "Are you my mummy?" puns coming.

What do you think his examine text is? :P

I don't know what the exact plan is from this point, but I do know we will be clarifying a lot of questions in the run up to launch. I am going to suggest that on a near-future livestream we run through the gameplay slice that we had on show at Runefest as part of that (no guarantees; I don't decide this), but regardless we'll explain the core mechanics and other things now we're allowed to talk about it. I am looking forward to doing so too. :)

You have to factor in that the survey was only completed relatively recently, and the results need(ed) time to be combed through and then for change to come from that, coupled with the fact that content takes time to develop and everything shown is something we've been working on already (or planning) for a long time - e.g. the Archaeology team has been working on it since last September. Remasters will come in due time.

Katawa_Shounen

Also it should be "indie" not "indy", right?

Indy is the typically accepted short form of Indiana.

The source would be my section of the Lore Q+A. Movario is one of our dig site managers, though he is more of a pothunter than an archaeologist, more interested in the magical relic powers for his own benefit than advancing understanding.

Devout_Bison

It's meant to be confusing. It's a new skill and was only announced a few hours ago. It's called "creating hype".

I wouldn't say it is meant to be confusing, so much as that there's a lot of information to convey so that obviously leads to confusion, especially when you only have second-hand evidence. We'll clear it up over time.

icclebeccy

Most of this dig site was above ground - but when I spoke to Ramen he said most of them are underground.

Not sure on the island. I definitely walked to the island with the acropolis on - but not sure about the other one. Not knowing where I was with a bunch of agility shortcuts was a bit disorienting!

I intend to add plenty of examines. :)

To add to the other comments, it's related to a Da Vinci-esque character - a genius inventor with the creativity to come up with the ideas, but not always the capability or technology to see those ideas come to life (then coupled with your own invention experience and knowledge to make workable pieces of technology).

It also plays on things like Damascus steel, which was far superior to other steels of its time, but which we even now do not fully understand exactly how it was created (even though people have sort of replicated it, and developed far superior steels).

It explores the concept of lost knowledge. Also in the mix is how war fuels innovation.

So, I understand how on the surface it could seem odd, but it's well considered and makes sense in context.

Edit: Oh, and yes, the concept of technologically advanced precursor civilisations is rife throughout fantasy and science-fiction - Mass Effect's protheans, Halo's forerunners, Assassins Creed's first civilisation, Stargate'...

Sebastiaan_RS

Personal opinion:

Unsure myself. I want to know more about what it is and what it will do before overly judging the skill itself.

However, I do think it's peculiar since they previously said there won't be a new skill for 5 years in their previous 2 runefests and they also said that they will be making two skills 120 (also revealed which ones at runefest, might be a new elite skill that uses those two skills) and prefer reworking existing skills.

I am going to go on a limb and say that the big update for 2020 that is being worked on by one of the current teams is the new skill.

Purely to correct one point (and not to sway anyone's opinions), but if you were you referring to this Runefest 2017 skilling talk, a new skill was mentioned as part of the five-year plan:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uX5NoNenZZU&t=89

(At that timestamp.)

If other things were said afterwards that contradict this, however, I'm unaware of it.

You need to have all four of the aggro'd and attacking you before killing any of them, while replaying the quest fight (so not just in the post-quest room with nihil spawns).

WasV3

Titles vs titties

Well, vs "Tities" to be accurate. :\

You might want to look into the Armour of Trials, from the Quest Point Shop/May's Quest Caravan south of Varrock:
https://runescape.wiki/w/Armour_of_Trials

You can use medicinal and/or delicious honeycombs to bring up animal health and/or happiness at the point you need it. Can't be sure what their prices will settle at now, but that's an alternative. You can make your own honey on the farm with woad leaves and marigolds.