Why is there no Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura Remake?

It's a waste of time and money. Ask for a sequel, a spinoff, a spiritual successor, something "inspired by". I see no worth in repainting the oldies. If there's will and the knowhow to modify the old, surely there's capability of harnessing the design goals and sensibilities - to the best of the developers knowledge - in a more productive way and creating something new. Even if it won't be "the best thing ever", which is more than likely, at least it'd be something new.

 

Not sure if an unambiguously better one exists (aside from maybe some HD re-releases that keep everything intact and just include optional visual enhancements and support for modern operating systems), as full remakes usually have different strengths and weaknesses compared to the original, but Ultima V: Lazarus is one possible contender. In general I consider remakes to be a waste of time, but if someone was crazy enough to remake Arcanum in that sort of quality, I really wouldn't mind.

 

Remakes are awful. The real question is why is there no Journey to the Center of Arcanum kickstarter.

 

Old games are products of their time: tech, aesthetics, gameplay, everything. If you're looking at anything more than making it work on a modern OS and, say, adding support for somewhat higher resolutions, you'll end up with something that just won't fit, or will be more of a reboot or re-imagining at best. GoG already made it possible to run it. That's enough.

Make another game inspired by it instead, try not to screw it up the same way while retaining and building on its strengths, and put in completely new and original content. That's much more exciting. Respect the past, know it, and build on it, but don't get trapped in it. The old games won't go anywhere, any more than old movies. You can go play them at any time (and should, too).

 

This is untrue. We have X-COM remake that is half-assed but is a remarkable remake that shows that in this time too people are very willing to play 'old fashioned' games. This latter term annoys me. There are games that are classics because they are exactly timeless. Like Deus Ex and Thief.

 

I want Wizards & Warriors remake. Or at least for someone to make this fucking thing playable on modern systems.

 

There is another solution. Game developers could always make Arcanum's spiritual successor and expand it's ideas even more.

 

I am passionately in favour of making more "old-fashioned" games. Games that challenge rather than pamper, make you discover mysteries rather than leading you by the nose, let you find the best ways to play them rather than giving you detailed tutorials.

Just make new ones. Leave Deus Ex and Thief alone, make new games inspired by and building on them.

 

Who knows, maybe it'll be next for the Kickstarter treatment

 

I am not asking to modify Deus Ex or Thief, in any other way than graphics update. What is wrong with that? I am not asking to delete the old versions either. In fact the mods like GMDX can only improve the game in my opinion,

 

ToEE uses the Arcanum engine. Arcanum with prerendered backgrounds wouldn't work.

Castlevania IV, Donkey Kong for Gameboy, Metroid: Zero Mission.

Remakes can be fine when you're updating some ancient 2D platformer, but even they can be screwed up (e.g. not too fond of Super Mario All Stars or Mega Man: The Wily Wars)

 

Just install the original, add Drog's patch...and there you go. Graphics look awesome with the higher resolution

Fucking love this game. Would have sex with it every night if my penis somehow would fit in the disc

 

The games with Baldur's gate, Arcanum and other likewise rpg engine could use a more user-friendly installation for the unofficial patches.

Beamdog would make less money then...

 

Because no one would play it

 

Your Honor, the prosecution rests.

 

Waste of effort that would be better spent on making more games like it.

Updating the models and textures in them will just make the clunky animations stand out more. Updating the animations will make the dated UI and control scheme stand out more. Update those, and it won't be a "simple graphics upgrade" anymore.

Metropolis wouldn't be any better if they re-shot it in IMAX 3D. In fact it would almost certainly be worse. Make a different film instead.

 

I am not asking for a graphics patch. But a real remake with a new engine.

 

Oh?

 

Well, if I remember correctly, the sequel for Arcanum was going to be an FPS.

 

What about Arcanum remake-reboot from first person perspective like System Shock and using Cryengine.
It would be huge project.

http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/inde...ch-document-for-unmade-arcanum-sequel.104723/

 

That means to give it a complete graphics only makeover. I.e. New engine. I agree that it was not worded completely unambiguously.

 

In case of Arcanum, which is in my eyes the most heavily flawed gem of a crpg, it would do wonders.

 

I'd rather have an arcanum 2. With the same soundtrack guy.

 

I don't think that it would. It's a through and through familiar experience either way. Some fiddling with graphics and mechanics wouldn't make it fresh or "more enjoyable" enough to warrant a full remake rather than a new game altogether.

Something like Fallout 1.5 with a new engine and the wanted improvements on mechanics and systems might be just swell, but I just can't see the appeal of a repaint.

 

If the Arcanum sources turned up and somebody gave it proper combat, rebalance, and fixed some of the most egregiously broken mechanics like Harm spam and magic boomerangs, that might be kind of cool. Maybe. Sort of like what Wesp did with VtM:B.

But a full remake in a modern engine? Nah.