Java Client

The Old School RuneScape Wiki also has an article on: osrsw:Java Client

Java Client was removed after an update. The contents of this page no longer exist in RuneScape, and this article is kept for historical purposes.

For the newest client, see NXT.

The launcher screen is the same as the normal one on the web.

The popup shown when logging into the Java client before its removal

The popup shown when attempting to log into the Java client in March 2020.

The Game Client (or the Java client) is a deprecated open-source RuneScape launcher built by Jagex. At the time of release, the client was an alternative to playing the game in a browser. It was used by 75% of players before the introduction of NXT.

The project began on 20 January 2010 and was launched on 25 May 2010, originally only being available to Windows users. An unofficial GUI client was eventually developed to work with macOS by taking the jar file from the Windows client and wrapping it in the standard macOS Application Bundle. Jagex later placed its imprimatur on the unofficial macOS client by making it available in the download section of the Runescape website. As of 5 August 2015, the latest release is version 1.2.7.

Prior to 25 May 2010, the client was an Internet Explorer-based site-specific browser application that allowed a user to play RuneScape without using a conventional browser. However, players using higher-end computers may prefer to use the browser based version as the client has size and resolution limitations that the browser version does not. Using third-party software to play RuneScape does not violate the Rules of RuneScape, but is not recommended for use by Jagex. Version 1.0.0.5 was the last stable of this release client version by Jagex.

On 7 November 2019, download links for the client were removed. Access to RuneScape through the Java client was removed entirely on 18 December 2019.

Downloading

The download links for the Java client have been removed.

Troubleshooting

If users are having problems with the Game Client, they are recommended to try following these steps in order and see if they can resolve their problem.

Set up exceptions to your firewall for RuneScape

• Some security programs including 360, Avast, AVG, Avira, Bitdefender, BullGuard, K9 Web Protection, McAfee and Outpost have blocked or interfered with Java-based applications like RuneScape in the past. If you're getting a firewall error, make sure you have added exceptions for: Java.exe JagexLauncher.exe *.runescape.com For instructions on how to do this check your antivirus/firewall software's website.

• On your router, you would need to open the following ports: 443, 43594 and 43595 This will vary depending on your make and model of router, and instruction booklets are often included with your router or can be found on the manufacturers website. You can also find information on How to Forward a Port

Clear the game cache

If you're game has crashed or if you've experienced any errors such as a black screen, graphical bugs or you're getting no sound, you'll need to delete the following files and folders if they exist on your Windows computer.

 %HOMEDRIVE%\.jagex_cache_32
 %WINDIR%\.jagex_cache_32
 %USERPROFILE%\.jagex_cache_32
 %USERPROFILE%\jagexcache\jagexlauncher\bin\.jagex_cache_32
 %USERPROFILE%\jagexcache\runescape
 %USERPROFILE%\jagexcache\oldschool
 %USERPROFILE%\jagexcache1
 %USERPROFILE%\jagexcache2
 %USERPROFILE%\jagex_cl_oldschool_LIVE*.dat
 %USERPROFILE%\jagex_cl_runescape_LIVE*.dat
 %USERPROFILE%\jagex_cl_runescape_LIVE_BETA*.dat
 %USERPROFILE%\jagexappletviewer.preferences

Note: After clearing your cache, you may lag until the cache gets rebuilt to 100%. You can review your cache %by using the displayfps command on the Developer console.

Launching the client on Safe Mode

To start the game client on safe mode, press repeatedly or hold the letter 'S' when you launch the game client. After you've reached the login screen, you can play the game using the Safe Mode display mode but it is recommended to switch to DirectX if you're using Windows or OpenGL if you're using Mac or Linux. Both DirectX and OpenGL should give you a higher fps than Safe Mode.

Error applying transforms

If you get a message saying "error applying transforms" when attempting to install the client, switching your computer's language to English should make the error go away letting you install it.

Unable to create advertising

If you're getting this error, you might need to clear your game cache. If you're trying to play with 3 or more simultaneous instances of the client, click the icon a bunch of times really quickly.

Unable to load parameter

This error means the shortcut you use to launch the game is having a problem.

1. Right click shortcut
2. Properties
3. Target
4. Edit target parameter to match:

C:\Users\<user_name>\jagexcache\jagexlauncher\bin\JagexLauncher.exe runescape

When the Game Client loads, I get a page saying "Page cannot be displayed"

This is most likely to do with a personal firewall which is blocking the Client from accessing the internet. Users will have to allow the program ("runescape.exe" or "JagexLauncher.exe" for Windows users, and "RuneScape.app" for Mac users) access to the internet in order for it to work. If that doesn't work, try changing the world the client connects to or use a VPN.

When clicking on the map, the screen goes black, as if loading, but never loads

Click on the screen, and if it doesn't load, open another program to minimize it. If that doesn't work then just exit the program and restart it.

(Mac) When I try resizing the window, the client locks up

The Mac version of the client cannot be resized in software mode. Switching to OpenGL solves the problem and will allow access to the resizable and full screen options. The window can be resized in OpenGL, and the graphics can subsequently be switched back to software mode without problems.

Too many login attempts from your address

This is a known issue some Players are currently experiencing. If it happened to you, report it to Jagex. You might also be able to login by using a mobile connection or VPN.

Editing the client's configuration

If you update your client, you will have to apply the changes made to the configuration again.

Windows

On Windows the configuration is stored in the file %USERPROFILE%\jagexcache\jagexlauncher\runescape\runescape.prm

To edit this file type %USERPROFILE%\jagexcache\jagexlauncher\runescape into Explorer's address bar and open runescape.prm in Notepad. If you can't save, make sure the game is closed and try again.

macOS

On macOS, the configuration is stored in the file Runescape.app/Contents/Info.plist

To edit this file open Terminal and type the following:

open -a TextEdit /Applications/RuneScape.app/Contents/Info.plist

Configuration options

Connecting to Old School, Classic, Beta

1. Open %USERPROFILE%\jagexcache\jagexlauncher\runescape\runescape.prm in Notepad.
2. Remove the flag:

   -Dcom.jagex.config=http://www.runescape.com/k=3/l=$(Language:0)/jav_config.ws

3. Replace it with one of the following:
   • Classic: -Dcom.jagex.config=http://classic3.runescape.com/jav_config.ws
   • Old School: -Dcom.jagex.config=http://oldschool.runescape.com/jav_config.ws
   • RuneScape 3: -Dcom.jagex.config=http://www.runescape.com/jav_config.ws
   • Beta: -Dcom.jagex.config=http://www.runescape.com/jav_config_beta.ws
4. Save and close the file

Change the world the client connects to

1. Open %USERPROFILE%\jagexcache\jagexlauncher\runescape\runescape.prm in Notepad.
2. Remove the flag:

   -Dcom.jagex.config=http://www.runescape.com/k=3/l=$(Language:0)/jav_config.ws

3. Replace it with the # of the world you want to connect to as shown on the following example:
   • Old School (world 330): -Dcom.jagex.config=http://oldschool30.runescape.com/jav_config.ws
   • RuneScape 3 (world 34): -Dcom.jagex.config=http://world34.runescape.com/jav_config.ws
4. Save and close the file

Increasing maximum heap usage

You can increase the amount of maximum heap the RuneScape client uses and it is often a recommended step in troubleshooting on the official Forum. To do this:

1. Open %USERPROFILE%\jagexcache\jagexlauncher\runescape\runescape.prm in Notepad.
2. Change -Xmx384m to a higher value; -Xmx512m is recommended
3. Save and close the file

Allocating too much memory to the heap can cause game instability. If, after increasing the amount of maximum heap, your client begins to crash to desktop, decrease the maximum heap size and try again. -Xmx512m is generally considered a safe heap size, and should not be increased unless absolutely necessary.

Using a different garbage collector

You can optionally choose a different garbage collector for the RuneScape client to use. This will potentially improve map loading times, and decrease lag caused by garbage collection.

To make the changes to your Client's configuration file:

• Remove the following flags

-XX:CompileThreshold=1500
-Xincgc
-XX:+UseConcMarkSweepGC
-XX:+UseParNewGC

• Add the following flags:

-XX:+DisableExplicitGC
-XX:+AggressiveOpts
-XX:+UseAdaptiveGCBoundary
-XX:MaxGCPauseMillis=500
-XX:SurvivorRatio=16
-XX:+UseParallelGC

SSL connectivity

Enabling SSL connectivity will help you if you're connecting via a mobile network, restrictive network, proxy, or firewall.

To do this add one of the following flags to the configuration file:

-Dhttps.protocols=SSLv3

or

-Dhttps.protocols=TLSv1,TLSv1.1,TLSv1.2

Multiple client configuration

1. Go to %USERPROFILE%\jagexcache\jagexlauncher
2. Create a new folder and name it either "oldschool" or "classic" for whichever version you'd like to create a client for
3. Copy the .prm file from %USERPROFILE%\jagexcache\jagexlauncher\runescape
4. Paste the .prm file inside the newly created folder named "oldschool" or "classic"
5. Rename the file to match the folder; oldschool.prm or classic.prm
6. Open the renamed .prm file in Notepad.
7. Remove the flag:

   -Dcom.jagex.config=http://www.runescape.com/k=3/l=$(Language:0)/jav_config.ws

8. Replace it with the corresponding flag:
   • Classic: -Dcom.jagex.config=http://classic3.runescape.com/jav_config.ws
   • Old School: -Dcom.jagex.config=http://oldschool.runescape.com/jav_config.ws
9. Save and close the file
10. Locate the Game Client shortcut and make a copy of it; By default, the Game Client shortcut is found on your desktop
11. Right-click the new shortcut copy, and select "Properties" from the context menu
12. Under the shortcut tab, find the box right of the word "Target"; It should display C:\Users\USERPROFILE\jagexcache\jagexlauncher\bin\JagexLauncher.exe runescape
13. Change the runescape on the end to match the the folder name created in step 2
14. Click OK to save the changes made

Use on Linux

Create an executable sh file and add the following to it (you must have 7zip installed before running):

#!/bin/sh
CLIENT_LINK="http://www.runescape.com/downloads/runescape.dmg"
GAME_LOC="$HOME/jagexcache/runescape/bin"
# temporary directory used by the script: its contents will be deleted.
RS_TMP="$HOME/rstmp39383"
# Check if 7zip is installed (required to extract the DMG)
if [ ! -f /usr/bin/7z ]; then
	echo "It appears you do not have '7zip' installed, which is required to extract the download. To install it, run: \n\nsudo apt-get install p7zip-full"
	exit
fi
if [ ! -d $GAME_LOC ]; then
	# Create the directory for the client
	mkdir -p $GAME_LOC
	# Make a temporary folder to store extracted files
	mkdir $RS_TMP
	cd $RS_TMP 
	wget -q $CLIENT_LINK
	# Extract the downloadable Mac client and the hfs file to get the jar and icon
	7z e runescape.dmg 2> /dev/null
	7z e 0.hfs -y 2> /dev/null
	# Move the required files to the client directory created earlier
	mv jagexappletviewer.{jar,png} $GAME_LOC
        cd ~
	# Delete the temporary folder
	rm -rf $RS_TMP
fi
# Run the client
java -Djava.class.path="$GAME_LOC/jagexappletviewer.jar" -Dcom.jagex.config=http://www.runescape.com/k=3/l=en/jav_config.ws jagexappletviewer "$GAME_LOC" > /dev/null

Alternative use on Linux

It is possible to use the windows client on linux systems as follows:

1. Download the windows client (Runescape.msi) from the RuneScape website
2. Rename it to a zip file (eg RuneScape.zip)
3. Extract RsLauncher.cab from the zip file
4. Rename RsLauncher.cab to RsLauncher.zip
5. Extract JagexAppletViewerJarFile.XXXXXXXX_XXXX_XXXX_XXXXXXXXXXXXXX from RsLauncher.zip (X is a hex digit)
6. Rename JagexAppletViewerJarFile.XXXXXXXX_XXXX_XXXX_XXXXXXXXXXXXXX to jagexappletviewer.jar
7. Extract JagexAppletViewerPngFile from RsLauncher.zip
8. Rename JagexAppletViewerPngFile to jagexappletviewer.png
9. Copy jagexappletviewer.jar to ~/.jagex/runescape/bin/jagexappletviewer.jar
10. Copy jagexappletviewer.png to ~/.jagex/runescape/images/jagexappletviewer.png
11. Copy the following 3 lines into a text file called runrs.sh in your home directory:

#!/bin/bash
cd ~
/usr/bin/java -Xmx256m -Djava.class.path=$HOME/.jagex/runescape/bin/jagexappletviewer.jar -Dcom.jagex.config=$"http://www.runescape.com/k=3/l=en/jav_config.ws" jagexappletviewer $USERNAME/.jagex/runescape/images

Everything from "/usr" to "/images" is a single command line in the script file. You can also increase the memory allocation (-XmxNNNm where NNN is a number) if you want. See "man java".

12. Make runrs.sh file executable (chmod a+x ~/runrs.sh)
13. From a terminal. ~/runrs.sh
14. You may also need to create the following directories:

~/.jagex_cache_32 ~/.jagex_cache_32/runescape ~/c:

---

You could also get the client to be installed by downloading the program Wine and using it to install the client. (confirmed for Debian Squid, and it also works out-of-the-box on Linux Mint 12 with Cinnamon, though not with XFCE4 (and maybe some other DE's). More confirmation needed)

Java on Linux

There are two main versions of Java available, OpenJDK and Oracle. For each, version 6 or version 7 can be used. There may be issues associated with some versions, for example oracle versions 1.7 may work only in software mode, while 1.6 will work in OpenGL (which is preferred.). OpenJDK-7 should also work in OpenGL.

To install OpenJDK version 7 on Ubuntu 12.10, type in a terminal:

sudo apt-get install openjdk-7-jre

It is possible to install a version of Java specially for the game client, so that it doesn't need to change the Java used by other applications on the operating system. This can be done for example by downloading and installing the Oracle Java packages without using the OS package manager. It can then be installed in its own directory, for example /usr/lib/jvm/jre1.7.0_13/, and then for the simple script above, the final "run the client" line the following would be used instead of just "java":

/usr/lib/jvm/jre1.7.0_13/bin/java

Official changelog

• 1.0.0 - Initial release.
• 1.0.1 - Fixed bug where Vista and 7 users need to disable UAC to be able to install client, added an options bar with a language setting on top.
• 1.0.2 - Uses its own interface instead of the default Windows style for the language setting. Client automatically removes the languages menu and copyright notification upon log in.
• 1.0.4 - Client scrollbar changed.
• 1.1.0 - Client update on 17 October.
• 1.2.0 - Possibly unsuccessful attempt to remedy lag problems after the bot nuke event.
• 1.2.3 - Fixed the removal of the languages menu and copyright notifications when logging in on Linux and Mac, plus providing a direct link for the jagexappletviewer.jar for use by custom clients like the RSU-Client and other Linux Clients.
• 1.2.4 - The client may now be launched directly from the website.
• 1.2.5 - Added support for the Local timestamps in chat box Interface setting.
• 1.2.6 - Fixed an issue that prevented use on mobile networks.
• 1.2.7 - Fixed scrollbars in adverts.

Update history

This information has been compiled as part of the update history project. Some updates may not be included—see here for how to help out!

• update 18 December 2019 (Update):
  • Java client retired.

• patch 9 December 2019 (Update):
  • Updated the Java client removal messaging.

• patch 11 November 2019 (Update):
  • Added a daily popup for Java to inform about the Java client being no longer supported.
  • Fixed an issue where player appearance would cause a crash.
  • Tidy up some legacy code on the back end systems.

• patch 7 October 2019 (Update):
  • Fixed an issue where Java client would crash when opening the bank.

• patch 16 September 2019 (Update):
  • Corrected a client crash from rapidly selecting and clearing achievement paths.

• patch 29 April 2019 (Update):
  • Google login is no longer supported on the Java client.

• patch 1 April 2019 (Update):
  • Particles within the black stone dragon encounter appear above the ground symbol when playing on the Java Client.

• patch 11 March 2019 (Update):
  • Fixed an issue with Quest Journal that was causing issues in Java.

• patch 25 February 2019 (Update):
  • Fixed a crash in Elite Dungeons when using the Java client.

• patch 11 June 2018 (Update):
  • Selecting ironman game modes in account creation when using the Java client will now correctly apply the selection.

• patch 14 May 2018 (Update):
  • Fixed numerous client crashes that could occur in specific situations.

• patch 12 March 2018 (Update):
  • A 'Bang' option has been added to the ladders near the NPC Gregg 'Groggy' Herring in the Deep Sea Fishing hub so that players can interact with him in Java.

• patch 23 October 2017 (Update):
  • Players can once again switch graphical toolkits when using the Java client.

• patch 10 July 2017 (Update):
  • A client crashing issue that previously occurred after using the Communication device during the Dishonour among Thieves quest in the Java client has been fixed.

• hotfix 26 June 2017 (Update):
  • Environment overrides were stopped from applying when using the Java client, since they were not applying correctly.

• patch 5 June 2017 (Update):
  • Fix for volumetric overrides.
  • Fix for quick chat.

• patch 15 May 2017 (Update):
  • It is no longer necessary to auto-setup every time when graphics drivers are out of date.

• patch 6 March 2017 (Update):
  • The lobby no longer flickers when using the Java client.

• patch 27 February 2017 (Update):
  • The shoreline wobbegong fishing spot is once again visible when using the Java client. Wobbegongs out in the sea remain unchanged.

• patch 1 August 2016 (Update):
  • Fixed a bug where the client could think a player was facing the wrong way.

• patch 25 July 2016 (Update):
  • Added engine support for Arc content.

• patch 11 July 2016 (Update):
  • A fix for NPCs occasionally not appearing in the correct positions has been implemented.

• patch 13 June 2016 (Update):
  • Java and NXT search results now match up
  • Fixed a rare crash in the animation system.

• patch 16 May 2016 (Update):
  • A billboard scaling mismatch with Java has been fixed.

• patch 20 October 2014 (Update):
  • Point lights will correctly appear in java and HTML5 when switching to an instanced area not on level 0.

• patch 4 August 2014 (Update):
  • RuneScape’s java certificates have been renewed. This will mean players will get a popup asking them to accept the new one. An ‘always trust’ tick box is available if they don’t want to see it again.

• ninja 23 June 2014 (Update):
  • A legacy mode has been added to the hunt code so that Barbarian Assault can be reverted back to it’s previous behaviour.
  • Engine support has been added for the recommendation system as well as two-factor authentication, and additional support has been added for the RuneScape Companion.

• patch 22 April 2014 (Update):
  • Resizing the game window will no longer leave a trail behind it of what was there before.

• patch 14 April 2014 (Update):
  • The maximum actions that can be performed by the client in one cycle has been changed from 6 to 9.

• patch 10 March 2014 (Update):
  • A fix has been applied to correct a rare crash when entering DirectX mode.
  • Several new features and fixes have been applied to enable the world map changes.
  • A potential fix for the screen freezing issues has been implemented.

• patch 28 February 2014 (Update):
  • A fix has been applied for a rare crash on ATi cards.
  • A fix has been applied to the camera angles when forcing the camera to move to a new position.
  • A fix has been applied to remove some instances of double hitbars.
  • A fix for grass appearing through other objects has been implemented.
  • A fix for ATI cards not displaying large models correctly has been added.
  • A fix for Mac screens flickering black while moving around the world has been implemented.

• hotfix 21 January 2014 (Update):
  • Fixed a frequent client crashing issue for players using a certain Intel chipset.

• patch 13 August 2013 (Update):
  • Bloom once again works correctly in the Java client.

• patch 11 December 2012 (Update):
  • The RuneScape logo when logging in with Facebook is no longer stretched.

• patch 4 December 2012 (Update):
  • The chat pane resize arrow no longer disappears when you resize the game window.

• patch 24 June 2010 (Update):
  • Adjusted some of the game loading code for diagnostic purposes.

• patch 23 September 2009 (Update):
  • Changed some core code to fail gracefully rather than cause the game client to crash.

• patch 9 September 2009 (Update):
  • We've also fixed a large majority of game crashes that users have been experiencing.

• patch 6 May 2009 (Update):
  • Fixed a render issue with the various full helms and your chathead.
  • Fixed an animation that was playing faster than intended.

• update 23 June 2001 (Update):
  • Improved runescape auto-update code.

• update 10 May 2001 (Update):
  • Windows client now lets you select which server to use.

• update 26 April 2001 (Update):
  • Version 2 of the classic client is now available.
    • IE-5.5 users were hearing "beep" noises whenever they pressed a key.
    • IE-6 users got a "page could not be displayed" message.

• update 25 April 2001 (Update):
  • First iteration of a RuneScape client was introduced.

Trivia

• Previously, if you dragged a desktop icon of a website on the old client, the program could be used to browse any website.
• The client source bundle (jagexlauncher-src.tar) consists of 7.826.577 (7.8 million) lines of code. This includes 89 lines of C++ code for the Jagex Launcher itself, and approximately 7.8 million lines of Oracle's JDK.
• In 2011, a regional lockout function was implemented into the client which could prevent players outside of select countries from accessing Jagex servers. This function remained unused since implementation.
• Around 2012, code was added into the client that suggest that it could have been configured to play Stellar Dawn.