Backpack
The backpack, or inventory, is the interface where the player carries items that cannot be or are not equipped. A player's backpack can hold up to 28 items, and any additional items must be stored in the player's bank. Some items are stackable (such as coins, runes, and arrows) which means they only take up the space of one item, no matter how many a player has.
Due to the introduction of Summoning, it is possible to have access to more items on the move by using a Beast of Burden (e.g. Pack yak). However to access the items that have been stored with the BoB, you must have enough free spaces in your backpack for the items, as you cannot use them directly.
Note that a player can transport more than the standard 28 items by dropping an item, moving somewhere, dropping a new item, going back to reclaim the first item dropped, and repeating. This is uncommon, since it takes a long time to transport just another few items. However, for a player with an backpack full of valuable items, this may prove extremely useful.
The limit of 28 items in a player's backpack is integral to the RuneScape economy. Since only 28 items can be held at once, this requires players to make trips to banks to deposit items while they are gathering and/or making items. This adds time to the process of gathering items such as logs, ores, or flax and the process of making items, such as bowstrings, bars, and bows.
If backpack was unlimited, the prices of such items could face a considerable drop because it would not take as much time to obtain large amounts of them. Runecrafting would be made easy, as players would be able to craft infinite amounts of runes in a single trip. Gathering skills, such as Fishing, Woodcutting, and Mining could be trained for infinite amounts of time without much movement, and processing skills, such as Smithing, Cooking, and Fletching would be extremely easy because infinite numbers of materials could be processed into finished items in one trip. The limitations of the backpack help to stabilise the RuneScape economy.
Gallery[edit | edit source]
The backpack icon in the defunct Game Guide
Graphical updates[edit | edit source]
Backpack after Unknown date (edit)
Backpack after Unknown date (edit)
Backpack after 27 September 2006 (update)
Backpack after 15 January 2008 (update)
Backpack after 15 January 2008 (update)
Backpack after 17 September 2009 (update)
Backpack after 22 November 2011 (update)
Backpack after 25 January 2016 (update)
Update history[edit | edit source]
- patch 17 May 2021 (Update):
- Players will now require two free Backpack slots to collect captured animals from Box Traps, due to an error where animals would be dropped as items if the Backpack was full.
- patch 14 September 2020 (Update):
- You may now craft items with a full Inventory when the item in question consumes ingredients from your Inventory, thereby freeing up space.
- patch 10 February 2020 (Update):
- Fixed an issue which led to players being unable to access their inventory after dying.
- patch 14 October 2019 (Update):
- Fixed an issue causing off-hand weapons to drop when backpack is full.
- patch 23 September 2019 (Update):
- Spirit onyx now returns to the inventory once converted back to its unused variant.
- ninja 6 August 2018 (Update):
- Buttons on the backpack interface will display and work as intended when interacting with them in the Hero interface.
- ninja 11 September 2017 (Update):
- Pies, cakes and pizzas will now stay in the same inventory slot while consumed instead of jumping to the first free slot at each stage of eating.
- patch 7 August 2017 (Update):
- The inventory models have been repositioned for low tier Dungeoneering coifs to better fit the inventory slots.
- ninja 6 June 2016 (Update):
- Amended the inventory icons of several objects to better fit inventory slot borders.
- patch 25 January 2016 (Update):
- The spacing between the icons at the bottom of the backpack has been fixed.
- ninja 11 January 2016 (Update):
- Repositioned various inventory icons for equipment and other items to better fit within the inventory borders.
- ninja 27 July 2015 (Update):
- The panel at the bottom of the Backpack interface has been returned to its original size.
- patch 13 July 2015 (Update):
- The Backpack and Worn inventories no longer remain locked after closing the Grand Exchange interface.
- patch 28 July 2014 (Update):
- Bonds are now kept in a dedicated inventory, accessible via the Bonds icon at the bottom of the backpack interface.
- patch 22 April 2014 (Update):
- A very subtle sound effect has been added when a log is added to the inventory through woodcutting.
- patch 18 August 2014 (Update):
- You can no longer attempt the 'Use' operation on an item that is considered to be an empty inventory slot.
- patch 11 December 2013 (Update):
- Players can no longer use the inventory or equip interface whilst using the wardrobe interface.
- patch 10 September 2013 (Update):
- The backpack no longer retains its scrollbar when it is stretched to fit in one row.
- patch 13 August 2013 (Update):
- Various off-hand weapons have had their inventory icons changed to make them visually distinct from the main-hand version.
- The inventory model for brass hand harry's mark has been fixed.
- The inventory icon for the mithril pickaxe is now consistent with other pickaxes.
- Bandos gloves and leather gloves no longer share the same inventory model.
- Players can no longer view other players' inventories outside of Daemonheim.
- update 22 July 2013 (Update):
- The Backpack has been updated with the release of the New Interface System.
- patch 11 December 2012 (Update):
- Inventory icons for steel weapons have been redone so they are no longer cut off.
- update 22 November 2011 (Update):
- The inventory has been graphically updated as part of the RuneScape Revolution update.
- patch 9 November 2010 (Update):
- Summoning scrolls have had their inventory images fixed so the icons show in all circumstances.
- Hunting and the bonecrusher will now correctly check the space left in a player's inventory.
- patch 28 April 2010 (Update):
- Improved the inventory drawing code. Dragging items around your inventory will no longer be cancelled when the inventory updates.
- patch 26 October 2009 (Update):
- Slightly adjusted the raw, cooked and burnt crayfish inventory icons.
- update 17 September 2009 (Update):
- A new feature called the objective system can be accessed via the new tab on the side interface (the signpost icon left of the Friends List).
- patch 8 July 2009 (Update):
- With the changes to the interface the hotkeys have been reassigned to: F1 - Inventory, F2 - Equipped, F3 - Prayers, F4 - Magic Spellbook and F5 - Combat.
- update 8 July 2009 (Update):
- The interface icons have been updated.
- The ability to make notes has been added, accessed from the bottom right icon in the interface. This system enables a player to leave up to 30 notes for themselves, each of which can be up to 50 characters long.
- The Summoning icon has been removed from the main interface.
- The Summoning interface's functionality has been moved to the Summoning icon next to the minimap.
- The Achievement Diary icon has been added to the main interface.
- patch 12 May 2009 (Update):
- Slightly modified the abyssal whip inventory icon to better resemble its actual appearance.
- patch 25 February 2009 (Update):
- The shadow on items in your inventory no longer changes colour when opening banks and shops.
- The inventory icon for the volatile clay hammer is no longer a different colour from the equipped model.
- update 15 January 2008 (Update):
- The logout button has moved to the top-right of the interface and Clan Chat has taken its place.
- The side interface has also been adjusted to allow for Summoning additions - but only if you are a member. There is now a Summoning icon on the top-right of your screen, by your minimap, your Summoning interface button is on the bottom-left of the lower toolbar, while the stats section contains the Summoning icon and your Summoning skill level.
- update 6 August 2007 (Update):
- The new Clan Chat interface can be accessed by clicking on the two smiley faces at the bottom-left of your in-game controls.
- In addition to the Clan Chat, the interfaces have had a tidy up. The dwarves of Keldagrim have produced a fine new tablet in place of the chat scroll, there are more chat filters at the bottom of the screen, and the general controls have been improved, making your day-to-day RuneScaping that much smoother and easier to look at.
- update 27 September 2006 (Update):
- We've now been able to rework some of the core interfaces used for controlling your character. The combat, worn-items and options interfaces have been completely changed, getting away from the old designs which featured text on tiny buttons and replacing them with clearer graphics.
Trivia[edit | edit source]
- In RuneScape Classic, players could hold 30 items; however, those 30 also included worn equipment.
- According to the Zombie head, the backpack has 'fluff' at the bottom.
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