Runescape designer Jagex has put a stop the development of Runelite HD, a fan-made HD mod for the popular Open-Source client of Old School Runescape, just at the time the project was due to launch on  OSRS gold Monday. The 11th-hour move has some Runescape players disliking Jagex’s decision , and stating that they’ll go to other MMOs.

Runelite HD creator “117” posted on Reddit Tuesday, sharing a message he had received from Jagex the company. The information was confirmed by Jagex in their own blog article. Runelite HD operates as a plugin that could provide an important visual overhaul the foundation game Runescape as observed the account of 117 on Twitter. Moderator 117 also said that they’ve logged around 200 hours over the last two years developing Runelite HD.

“Yesterday we contacted the developers of known HD projects and we asked them to stop development of their games, as this is a project we are actively investigating,” Jagex stated. Jagex told 117 it was working on an HD variant of Old School Runescape was “still relatively early in the exploration stage” but “very much in progress.”

“Naturally this means the fan-driven projects that will attempt to alter the way Old School RuneScape appears appears not in line with our ideas,” Jagex wrote to 117. “We consider it essential that there’s a consistency in the way Old School looks, and so we want to make certain that our changes to the official version are the only ones that are available.

I hope the news that Jagex as well as the Old School team are tackling this project in earnest is something that you are excited about however it could indicate that we have to be politely asking you to stop your own personal project.”

117 stated that they had offered Jagex an option in the form of dropping their project when Jagex had released theirs, and granting Jagex “collaborative oversight” over the Runelite HD’s visual design.

“They declined outright,” 117 said. “I am extremely disappointed and frustrated with Jagex and regret for this long journey and a long time, I’m unable to present this project to you. The mod isn’t able to be in violation of Jagex’s guidelines for third-party client applications, but the Runescape developer has said it will be reviewing the guidelines in the coming weeks to include references for projects that influence the visual appearance of the game.

Original Runelite creator Adam1210  buy osrs fire cape shared his thoughts on Reddit and said that the ability to allow Runelite HD to continue would provide a benefit to future updates made by Jagex.

“I do not agree with including it in the “third party guidelines,” Adam1210 said. “Most of them are trying to determine where the line is between “quality of life] and cheating is and I’m of the opinion that the majority of players agree that the current guidelines are a fair description of that. it can help keep the game’s integrity.

But there is no unfair advantage in the slightest for improved graphics and it only affects you if you allow it. It’s just a misapplication of guidelines. This is, in the end, an issue for all involved and I’d like to see Jagex could reconsider.”

Some players associated with the Runelite HD project have taken to a town square in Falador, the capital in one of Runescape’s largest kingdoms, to hold protests similar to the demonstration World of Warcraft players held in July. In the video posted with the text of a dialogue that criticizes Jagex in buy osrs fire cape  its decision-making process and hashtags like #Free117. Another video shows more people “marching” out of Falador Square.