House party
House parties are parties that members hold at their or someone else's POH. Jagex has even made the primary activity of world 31 to hold house parties. House parties have many different activities and functions, for the most common reasons see the section Reasons for a party.
Open House
On the House Party World (31) in Rimmington some players will keep their houses open to other players for fun and to offer various services, such as providing a Gilded Altar, although going to Yanille is easier since it is closer to a bank. They may also have their dungeon within their house open for player versus player fighting along with other monsters. It should be noted that both players and monster do not drop anything.
To enter someone else's house, simply click on the portal and select the option "friend's house". Type in the owner's name of the house that you wish to visit and you will arrive in their house, free to do/train whatever possible in their house. You can only visit a house owner if that player is present in their home. If the owner leaves their home through the portal, you will not be kicked out, but if you exit as well, you won't be able to get back in until they are back in the house as well. However, if the house owner logs out of the game, all guests will be kicked out of their house.
Reasons for a party
There are many reasons a player may choose to hold a house party. These include:
- 99 Parties - Players who have just achieved level 99 in a skill will often have a house party to celebrate.
- Leaving Parties - Players who are leaving the game will sometimes have a party to say goodbye to their friends.
- Clan Event - A house party can be used as a clan event.
- Fun - Some players may host parties for fun.
- Celebration - Some people hold parties in celebration of a holiday (e.g. Christmas parties) or another event (for example, birthdays).
- Showing Off - Some players like to show their progress through Runescape by using their house as a medium. Skills Halls and Quest Halls as well as costume rooms can show general achievement, while the house itself can show off wealth.
- Open Altar - Many people hold house parties for an "open altar" which is a Gilded Altar with two marble incense burners. Usually the house owner will light the incense for you while he may or may not be running his own bones. If he/she is running his/her own bones, he /she may also get assistance from a friend or stranger that may be alching to light for him/her.
- Socialising - A house party is an excellent moment to catch up with friends, or to make new ones.
Commonly Used Features
Gilded Altar w/Marble Burners - These are in high demand because of the more than triple bonus experence the altar offers if both burners are lit.
Lectern - Many players use Mahogany Eagle/Demon Lecterns for profit and Magic XP.
Summoning Obelisk - Many players recharge their Summoning points with this obelisk. However, It is unlikely that players are going to come from across the globe to use your obelisk, people tend to use familiars when training prayer, so keep it near the altar.
Portals - Players like to get around quickly, easily so these will always be in demand. Varrock/Ardougne/Camelot portals are good to have. One that's particularly in demand is the Kharyrll Portal, which lands you at the Hair of the Dog Taven in Canifis, for faster access to the Barrows Minigame.
Amulet of Glory (mounted) - An Amulet of Glory in your Quest Hall gives players easy teleports to a bank, such as Edgeville or Draynor bank. This is very useful for visitors on prayer training runs.
Telescope - A Telescope facing a window of the house is very useful because it gives the general landing area of the Shooting Star D&D.
Oubliette/Dungeon - Used by players who enjoy unrestricted PvP combat, blood and gore, and like a challenge. Be careful! There are many dangerous clans who dwell in house dungeons.
Combat Room - An area where, depending on the centerpiece, you may restrain PvP combat to no armour or weapons, just weapons, or a free-for-all combat situation where anything goes.
Tips for a successful party
- All of the following tips are hard to follow when using quick chat. It is recommended that house parties are held in worlds without mandatory quick chat.
If you're hosting a house party yourself, here are some tips to make a successful party:
- Your house should be in Rimmington if you want to host a party, although Yanille, being close to a bank, is good too. If parties are held in Yanille visitors can be sure your level is 50 or over. However, Rimmington is usually more crowded.
- Remember to have private chat ON or people won't be able to enter your house.
- Advertise outside the portal about how good your house is.
- The bigger your house is and the higher your construction level is, the better.
- Tell your servant to welcome guests.
- Ask your friends to advertise so you don't have to exit and enter your house all the time to get more guests.
- Try to get a Gilded Altar installed, portals, lectern, and a dungeon if possible. Gilded Altars are usually on high demand for higher levels doing prayer, portals are used by everyone at random, and lecterns are usually used by lower levels trying to train mage and gain cash.
- Have a good layout. Put your portal in the middle, maybe a menagerie with an obelisk in it, then a gilded altar on one side of the portal, with a portal room attached and throne room on the other side; people don't like to run a marathon to get to the combat ring.
Trivia
- The original world where house parties were hosted was in World 6, this was before the Themed Worlds feature was released into RuneScape.
- Upon the remake of Taverly and Burthrope, the Taverly P.O.H. became the closest one to a bank, yet, Rimmington house parties moved to Yannile and Taverly is quite empty.