Mods that balance out Arcanum

[Cthulhu_is_love]

Mods that balance out Arcanum

Joshie, is it you? We can't talk openly here... just give me a sign of thy will.

 

[Excidium II]

I just noticed there's two threads, one in GG and one in GRPGD so my posts aren't disappearing

 

[Prime Junta]

The real imbalance comes in how tech is not as realized and simply less fun than magic for a score of reasons. A typical Mage can teleport, summon ogres to his aid, disintegrate any doors/barriers in his way, and raise the spirits of the dead to extract information in certain (scripted) instances. A technologist is a glorified garbage picker whose level-up investments give him crafting schematics, often of dubious value. A mage feels like a typical master of the arcane, but a techie sure doesn't feel like Nikola Tesla, or even MacGyver.

It's just too bad that magic removes any semblance of challenge from it from the start though. Not just Harm-spam, lots of other ridiculously OP spells there too.

(Never even mind that according to the lore, guns and steam are pushing magic into the margins.)

 

[Goblino]

I just noticed there's two threads, one in GG and one in GRPGD so my posts aren't disappearing

Yeah I screwed the pooch on that. To be honest, I've only ever read forums before. I've only posted on certain anonymous boards for suicidal chinese cyclists until now. There's too much confusing peripheral bullshit for my soft one-track mind here.

 

[Goblino]

Met rapper and Community star Donald Glover at a Subway in Illinois yesterday. Told him his last album was a complete piece of shit and he started sobbing and agreeing, just mumbling "I know, I'm sorry, I know" over and over through his tears. Raised my hand like i was going to hit him and he flinched away. Then I asked him to give me fifty dollars and he did.

I want this to be true so badly

 

[Jimmious]

Speaking about Arcanum, I'm wondering how do most people play it, RTwP or Turn-Based ?

 

[Goblino]

I play it how it suits me at the moment. If i know I can survive, then I real time it to speed through. I turn base it when it's hairy or I've wasted ammo too much in a dark place. Reminds me of my biggest gripe with Wasteland 2, theres no way to get the jump on enemies with your guns. You fire once, pray you hit, then instantly they're all around you.

 

[Prime Junta]

When kiting my way through the early game or spamming OP attacks, RT. When playing for realz with e.g. a gunner or a technomancer who's not absurdely OP, TB.

The RT mode is especially lulzy because it lets you spam stuff with the only limitation how fast you can click. Harmharmharmharmharmharm haha you're dead.

 

[Excidium II]

Yeah, RT for spamming harm and watching your summons whack stuff, TB for everything else

 

[Harold]

Roll a dwarf mage and enjoy the balance of carrying around a ton of fatigue potions.

 

[Shadenuat]

Use a weapon that fires powerful shots without wasting too much ammo

- Fair way
Roll a char with +6 Intelligence background
Max Gunsmithing up to Hand cannon and beyond before leaving Shrouded Hills

- Unfair way
Earn a Fate Point
Pickpocket halfling near train station at Kensington Park for Hand cannon

- Completely unfair way
Earn a Fate Point
Pickpocket William in Ashbury for Looking Glass Rifle

 

[Reapa]

I'm surprised nobody mentioned yet the pickpocket exploit in shrouded hills.

 

[Ultra]

Last time I played was a horrible (from a min/max) perspective female half ogre with a focus on guns, tech, throwing explosives and diplomacy (I think) yeah it was busted because Arcanum is full of racist assholes and often somebodys disposition toward me would just tank and they would go hostile. I think I also had a trait that made people either love or hate me. Having said that it was a lot more fun than my first attempt with a boring mage who spammed stun at everything because that shit is OP it even works on Golems.
I was annoyed that tech characters have to buy so many batteries for the mine detector though and I must have rummaged through 1000 trashcans for precious saltpeter because seems like you go through bullets like nobody's business. Also, making molotovs and grenades was cool.

Never used anything other than TB for combat RT seemed a bit too fast.

 

[Shadenuat]

When playing techie you might as well upgrade trap detecting skill instead of using batteries since you'll need high perception for guns and you get extra perception from mechanical glasses & helmet. And you will generally take electricity just for +DEX rings.

 

[Delterius]

Speaking about Arcanum, I'm wondering how do most people play it, RTwP or Turn-Based ?

My character was a melee mage who stacked DEX + Haste and such. He was so quick that Arcanum crashed in RT, so I didn't have a choice half way through the game.

 

[Yrvyne]

The real imbalance comes in how tech is not as realized and simply less fun than magic for a score of reasons. A typical Mage can teleport, summon ogres to his aid, disintegrate any doors/barriers in his way, and raise the spirits of the dead to extract information in certain (scripted) instances. A technologist is a glorified garbage picker whose level-up investments give him crafting schematics, often of dubious value. A mage feels like a typical master of the arcane, but a techie sure doesn't feel like Nikola Tesla, or even MacGyver.

spoilers ahead

This description of Arcanum's problem is simply spot on. As accurate an observation as one can be. It is also faithful to the nature of the game. Essentially, Arcanum is going through the Renaissance period. From the olde to the modern, from the earth to the sky... from Magick to Technology.

It is understandable that the Magick system is perceived as over-powered. Magick had been nurtured since ancient times whereas Technology was still at its infancy in spite of the dwarven race's inventions. Their seclusion in mountains did not help spread the technological call. This is evident from the banishment of the B.M.C. The dwarven technology was used as a scapegoat to suppress technology itself. However, its potential was recognised by the Dark Elves given the other reason for the banishment - creating a rift and opening a portal from the Void.

Gilbert Bates was the catalyst in spreading Technology through the lands; more appropriately to the eastern lands. To note that west and north of the mountain ranges are no technological cities except for Caladon. In hindsight, Caladon seems to be half inclined to both disciplines. This due to the fact that there is the Panarii cathedral - an architectural relic from ancient times revolving around stories of extremely powerful magical beings and creatures - and also an extensive sewers system which in the real world is thought of as an advancement in technology for the welfare of civilization.

There is also the peculiar distinction that forestation is associated with vitality and fertility, therefore, Magick. This is mostly emphasized by the fact that the Elven cities are situated in forests. Desolation is the consequence of Technology. Or so did the game creators make us believe in spite of the fact that that discipline was also an ancient one. See the contradiction?

Magick had so suppressed Technology that no equivalent teleportation or disintegration equivalents were engineered. For that matter, Technology was able to conquer the skies by the construction of the Zeppelin and primitive aircraft. Then again, instant traveling is quicker and more convenient than air travel. At this point, Vendigroth makes its entrance. Imagine its future achievements had it not been destroyed.

Vendigroth in itself is another story altogether. So fearful was a particular member of the highest Elven echelon that the prestigious city was eradicated. No wonder the Dwarves embraced the mountains - to be fair there is no evidence that the Dwarves hollowed mountains after the destruction of Vendigroth. Dwarves are a proud and ancient race themselves who value the strength promulgated by the massiveness of mountains.

These facts laid out bare make you think. Technology had always been frowned upon. The Elves were too domineering for their own good. As a matter of fact, the game itself sort of leans towards the victory of Technology. It was being rediscovered after that most-advanced city was eradicated ages prior. The human race, always foreshadowed by the Elven and Dwarven (most discreetly) races, was taking the reigns of the current Technological era. At the end of the game, it is a technological device that promotes victory. Cities re-unite. Unions are formed. Technology catches up with Magick and balance is finally restored.