Examine

Examine is a feature that allows players to inspect objects closely. Almost anything in RuneScape can be examined, whether it be items, non-player characters, interactive scenery, non-interactive scenery, and even other players. To examine an object, right-click it and click on "Examine" (see Game controls). The examine option is usually the last option when you right-click an object. If a monster's combat level is higher than yours, then the examine option is second to last. A short description of the object will appear on the chat interface.

Examining items is often not very useful for anything other than interest. One particularly unhelpful example can be seen when examining opal bolt tips, which yields the message: "Opal bolt tips." However, after an update, any item that could be traded on the Grand Exchange could be examined to learn its GE guide price without needing to use the Price Checker.

Examining some items or scenery during quests can be valuable, or even necessary. For example, examining the levers on the bottom level of the Abandoned Mine during the Haunted Mine quest lets the player know which lever is which.

When examining stacks of untradeable items (or coins) bigger than one hundred thousand, the usual examine is replaced by "[exact number of items] x [item name]" when examined in the bank or inventory. If it was dropped, the usual examine would appear below the amount. However, when examine stacks of tradable items in the bank, it will only show the regular examine text.

Noted items will have the examine text "Swap this note at any bank for the equivalent item." followed by its G.E. price, and "[Number] x [item name]." followed by the price in a stack of 100,000+ items. If dropped, the examine will say "[Number] x [item name]. GE guide price: [price] gp each" followed by "Swap this note at any bank for the equivalent item." regardless of stack size.

Upon examining a Members object on a free to play world the player will receive the message "Login to a members' server to use this object."

Examples of examines
Jagex often uses examine text to include cultural references or humour.

For example:
 * The Doomsayer: "Cheerful, helpful and optimistic, I'll bet."
 * The Examiner: "Upon examining the Examiner, you examine it is indeed an examiner!"
 * A sign in the Wilderness: "Stop examining signs! You're in the wilderness now!".
 * A skeleton in the Wilderness: "He died of natural causes, like a massive dragon, or something".
 * Skeletons in the Slayer Tower yield two different examines: The ones on the floor reads, "How do you make a skeleton laugh?" and the ones leaning against the wall reads, "Tickle his funny bone."
 * Growing wheat: "Kids grow up fast these days".
 * Young impling: "A young impling. It's not fair!"
 * Draynor Skull: "I shouldn't joke; this is a grave matter."
 * Sin Seer: "She's honest about the things you aren't."
 * Camo equipment: "Examine what?"
 * Horseshoes: "These would make fine shoes for... um... unicorns."
 * Head Chef: "Despite his name, rarely actually cooks heads."
 * A mounted bull's head, "Looks like the bull lost."
 * Huge Mushroom: "These fat fungi take up so much room."
 * Strung rabbit foot: "Not so lucky for the rabbit."
 * A Rug: "The handkerchief of giants!"
 * Burnt bread: "Nice crispy bread. Possibly too crispy."
 * A hidden rock in Daemonheim: "I can't see a rock."
 * Gnome Ball Field Cheerleader: "Cheerleading is a Real Sport!"
 * Cow: "Converts grass to beef."

The examine text is initially decided upon by the developer who makes the object, though it is occasionally adjusted by editors.

Feature


The player made examine was a feature added on 17 November 2014. To create or modify your examine, click on in the chatbox or if using Legacy right click the bottom right corner of the "Report" button. Players can use a list of 23 statuses and can type up to 80 characters into a personal message for other players to read. The player examine can show any worn items, overrides, levels, combat stats, and the clan that player is in. Regardless of the profanity filter setting, text that would not be filtered with the setting off will still be censored for saved text. This text can be reported just like normal text.

Players can set a privacy flag to hide information on worn items and will treat all visible equipment as cosmetic items, hide the clan the player is in, and disable the viewing of combat stats and levels.

Cosmetic overrides that the player does not own will have a glowing border around the slot the override is in. This is to show that the player can purchase the override from Solomon's General Store with RuneCoins and Loyalty Points where applicable. Owned cosmetic overrides will appear with a green border around the item slot. Purchasing an override ingame will give the player a short jingle.

On the day of release, certain characters and an excess of certain characters would cause players examining the personal message to disconnect from the game. The personal message feature was disabled for several hours before being able to use again. Some characters that cannot be used are alternate codes and commas.

Offensive and inappropriate player examines can be reported by clicking the red flag icon in top left of the player examine interface, and selecting "Offensive examine information" category under "Respect".

History
Player spoofs, such as the ones seen while riding Gnomecopters, have the 'examine' option. Their examine text usually contains a joke or reference of some kind. However, they are just non-interactive NPCs and are not players. It is possible to examine yourself in a certain part of the quest The Branches of Darkmeyer through the eyes of vampyres but with players' own consciousness, stating that this feels like "an out-of-body experience".

In the very early days, before the pop-up right-click menu, non-PK players did have an "examine" option that would say, "it's (player's name)".

Many players would like to be able to define their own examine text that others can read, and have posted this opinion on the RuneScape Forums. The idea was confirmed as being in development by Mod Jack in late 2014, and a forum post was created to let players suggest ideas on how to implement the system.

Mod Craddock said of the proposal: "It's quite a nice idea but it could be quite difficult for us to stop players from writing horribly insulting examines. Can you think of any solution to this?" Players responded by saying that examine text should be subject to the chat filter, and inappropriate text should be reportable under the Rule 1 - Offensive Language. They have even suggested that all player-made examine text should be checked manually by Jagex before "going live", and offenders should have their right to provide their examine text revoked.

Trivia

 * It is possible for a free-to-play player to "examine" members features on the edge of the free game world. For instance, in Taverley, it is possible to examine the Obelisk of Water in Catherby. However, no examine text would be shown.