Arcanum Arcanum is a bit shit tbh

[ItsChon]

Arcanum is a classic for a reason. Is it perfect? NO. Nothing is. Try playing the black mountain clan part as a tecknological character if you want to rage hard for example. But this edgeposting comes around every few months/years. Why Arcanum is teh suck, 21 reasons. Why Fallout 3 is the best Fallout (yes there was an actual thread). Why Baldur's Gate is terrible.

We get it, you're contrarian. Goddamn edgelords edging for attention and Kodex Kool Kredits.

Sometimes it's edge posting, but other times the arguments brought up are valid, but go unaddressed. The FO3 thread was an obvious bait thread, but this doesn't seem like one to me. I can understand not wanting to rehash an argument that's already been had, but it looks to me that a lot of people accept these games as "classics" at face value, without ever actually addressing any criticisms.

If this exact topic has already been discussed before, I'd love for you to link me to said thread, as I'd love to read through it since I think this is an interesting topic.

 

[Broseph]

Arcanum has great aesthetics (art design and music) but it's rather shit as a game. I think the steampunk aesthetic causes people to remember it more fondly than it deserves. At the end of the day, it's good for what it is™

 

[bloodlover]

I don't see the issue with guns and swords existing in the same universe. One does not exclude the other and if you really want to nitpick, think about the availability, costs or proficiency with specific weapons.

Not being the hero in shining armour is actually a breath of fresh air after almost every RPG gives you that. Fun can be had without you being the center of attention.

I feel that you are taking/trolling this waaaaaaaaay too seriously. Arcanum is a fantastic game. Is it perfect? No, but it's far far from shit.

 

[Eisen]

it's good for what it is™

AKA mediocre

 

[octavius]

After two weeks of playing and nearing level 40, Arcanum just crashed for the first time for me, when I tried to fast travel from Vermillion to The Boil.
Not bad for a buggy game.

 

[pomenitul]

Arcanum has great aesthetics (art design and music) but it's rather shit as a game. I think the steampunk aesthetic causes people to remember it more fondly than it deserves. At the end of the day, it's good for what it is™

And when you're not into the steampunk aesthetic to begin with, precious little remains.

 

[Decado]

I tried to play this game years ago, I actually have the original box sitting right here on my bookshelf. I can't recall why I didn't finish it.

This thread has inspired me to install and give it a whirl again, probably haven't touched in at least 15 years so it is, practically, a new game for me. I barely remember it.

Anything I should know before I start? I patches/mods essential to make sure I have?

ETA: I vaguely remember rolling a firearm character and being slightly frustrated. But interested to play more? Fuck, I'm getting old.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

Firearms was the only reason I bought the game. That's the same reason I bought the World of Aden Games; well, Thunderscape mainly.

 

[Chippy]

You don't play Arcanum for the gameplay, you play it for the writing and the atmosphere. Crafting was cool as well.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

I played it to break into houses and stores and steal everything. I can't remember if you can instakill sleeping people. I probably would have mudered people as well.

Damnit, I didn't play a hobo scrounging in garbage cans for decades. Me and my woof.

 

[tred]

I tried to play this game years ago, I actually have the original box sitting right here on my bookshelf. I can't recall why I didn't finish it.

This thread has inspired me to install and give it a whirl again, probably haven't touched in at least 15 years so it is, practically, a new game for me. I barely remember it.

Anything I should know before I start? I patches/mods essential to make sure I have?

ETA: I vaguely remember rolling a firearm character and being slightly frustrated. But interested to play more? Fuck, I'm getting old.

Here, take it:

https://terra-arcanum.com/drog/uap.html

The UAP is a must-have.

Also stick to magic or tech, do not try to go both ways. I recommend magic for your first playthrough.
I envy you, this is a masterpiece (a rough one but a masterpiece nonetheless). I wish I could play it again for the first time.

 

[jackofshadows]

The UAP is not a must-have. You can play vanilla for the first time with the latest official patch. UAP add stuff, too.

 

[tred]

The UAP is not a must-have. You can play vanilla for the first time with the latest official patch. UAP add stuff, too.

Yes, today the UAP is a must have. We're in 2021 for christ's sake. Do not listen to this stupid idiot.
Arcanum was known as one of the buggiest RPGs of its time. Troika's official patch is not enough. It wasn't enough at the time, it isn't now.
The stuff the UAP adds is optional and it does not detract from the experience, it adds (a lot) to it.

Edit: Just read the fucking changelog.

 

[jackofshadows]

Just read the fucking changelog.

Tl;dr: Modders gonna mode.

 

[agris]

Just don’t install any of the optional/beta/restored content Decado. Scrubs always think more is better.

 

[Beans00]

Everybody complains about the BMC. Personally I found the Wheel Clan and the Drege more annying. It's bigger and less easy to navigate. BMC is quite short, but I can see how it can be frustrating if you insist on doing it ASAP. When I met the first Ore Golem, I decided to retreat and explore other areas first.

Wheel clan/Dredge can be completely bypassed with either a charisma or intelligence check(can't remember). I never really had a problem with the BMC either since it can be cleared in ~45 minutes.

Blackshirt

As for the OP, there's a few valid points and some nonsense ones. I consider arcanum my 3rd favorite RPG although it is heavily flawed. The combat is bad, that's a given. Turn based can be ok for some fights but it isn't that developed.
I do agree with what octavius said about Stillwater, I never liked when games gate certain areas for no reason (ala cloakwood in bg1).

The parts about the overall story are hit and miss. Story in games is best conveyed through the characters in the world and the experiences the player has. Arcanum is sort of a chosen one story with a typical big bad. I don't have a huge problem with this although it is a bit generic although the villain himself is interesting enough to interact with.

It's intellectually dishonest to pretend most games have more interesting villains though. (name some)

The parts about the setting are complete nonsense. To be it just sounds like you're trying to be pretentious and find things to bitch about. Again story setting is best told through the characters in the world. The inter community politics, the politics/animosities between the races. Magick/tech, ect.

What game aside from planescape and IMO Fallout has more interesting story/lore?



There seems to be a new trend of picking random late 90s/early 2000's games for people to beg for attention and shit on for inane reasons. From the recent fallout/morrowind and now Arcanum threads.

 

[gaussgunner]

I tried to play this game years ago, I actually have the original box sitting right here on my bookshelf. I can't recall why I didn't finish it.

This thread has inspired me to install and give it a whirl again, probably haven't touched in at least 15 years so it is, practically, a new game for me. I barely remember it.

Anything I should know before I start? I patches/mods essential to make sure I have?

ETA: I vaguely remember rolling a firearm character and being slightly frustrated. But interested to play more? Fuck, I'm getting old.

Same here, I did everything wrong the first time. Not reading the manual or forums, starting as a gunslinger, not using turnbased combat. Then I saw these threads last week, reinstalled it, played a gunslinger for a few hours in turnbased... restarted as a half orc melee mage, played for a few days... was gonna keep going, but I started a little test run as an elf slut with nothing but Harm, Shield of Protection, Unlock Cantrip, everything else in BE+CH... and in one night she progressed further than my melee mage. Pure mage combat is boring, mostly spam Harm and drink Restore Fatigue potions, or just hit the spacebar and let followers kill weaker enemies in realtime combat. If I get bored of her I'll try a gunslinger-grenadier now that I understand the game.

Expect to do a few abortive playthroughs to figure out the quirky systems and controls. I don't mind that, it's actually a challenge unlike most games I've played lately.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

Try harem bitch + woof. Let the NPCs do your laundry.

still dling thag patch. God my net sucks.

 

[gaussgunner]

Arcanum has great aesthetics (art design and music) but it's rather shit as a game. I think the steampunk aesthetic causes people to remember it more fondly than it deserves. At the end of the day, it's good for what it is™

The steampunk and the quartet music are hipster as fuck, Victorian Age style without substance. That put me off at first.

What I do like is the (unmodded) low-res graphics aesthetic. 800x600 is a sweet spot, not ultra-low-res pixel art bullshit, not too detailed either. The game world feels more rich and alive than newer games with their little streamlined worlds in 1080p with full voice acting.

The gameplay isn't the best, but aesthetically, this is the pinnacle of RPGs before the decline.

 

[d1nolore]

Makes me want to give Arcanum another run after 10 years since last play.

I remember one time I decided I would not save the dog and keep as a companion because it’s too overpowered. Then once I came to the encounter where it was being kicked to death I had such a visceral reaction I just had to save it and took as a companion

 

[Humbaba]

Blackshirt

As for the OP, there's a few valid points and some nonsense ones. I consider arcanum my 3rd favorite RPG although it is heavily flawed. The combat is bad, that's a given. Turn based can be ok for some fights but it isn't that developed.
I do agree with what octavius said about Stillwater, I never liked when games gate certain areas for no reason (ala cloakwood in bg1).

The parts about the overall story are hit and miss. Story in games is best conveyed through the characters in the world and the experiences the player has. Arcanum is sort of a chosen one story with a typical big bad. I don't have a huge problem with this although it is a bit generic although the villain himself is interesting enough to interact with.

It's intellectually dishonest to pretend most games have more interesting villains though. (name some)

The parts about the setting are complete nonsense. To be it just sounds like you're trying to be pretentious and find things to bitch about. Again story setting is best told through the characters in the world. The inter community politics, the politics/animosities between the races. Magick/tech, ect.

What game aside from planescape and IMO Fallout has more interesting story/lore?

There seems to be a new trend of picking random late 90s/early 2000's games for people to beg for attention and shit on for inane reasons. From the recent fallout/morrowind and now Arcanum threads.

>Story in games is best conveyed through the characters in the world and the experiences the player has.

I don't see how this incredibly vague statement is supposed to contradict anything I've said.

>Arcanum is sort of a chosen one story with a typical big bad

Except it isn't. The chosen one angle is a red herring.

>although the villain himself is interesting enough to interact with.

How so, considering you never do until literally the end of the game?

>It's intellectually dishonest to pretend most games have more interesting villains though. (name some)

Jon Irenicus
The Master
Gizmo
Ravel
Trias
TTO
Benny
The Guardian
Lord Blackthorne
That orc from Dragonfall
Sarevok

And that's just from traditional cRPGs. Besides that there are villains like the Chosen, Deidrianna, the Trickster or Jaldon Goldtooth, who of course are not directly comparable but still infinitely more memorable respective to their genres.

>To be (or not to be) it just sounds like you're trying to be pretentious and find things to bitch about.

To me you sound like you don't really wish to honestly engage with legitimate criticisms, which, incidentally, you don't and probably can't.

>Again story setting (???) is best told through the characters in the world. The inter community politics, the politics/animosities between the races (redundant). Magick/tech, ect. lmao

You clearly don't know the difference between story and setting and quite obviously conflate the two.

>What game aside from planescape and IMO Fallout has more interesting story/lore?

Again you're conflating things, so I have no idea what you want to hear.

>There seems to be a new trend of picking random late 90s/early 2000's games for people to beg for attention and shit on for inane reasons.

Again, you don't want to engage and just dismiss everything as le epic bait. So much for intellectual honesty.

 

[Beans00]

Jon Irenicus
The Master
Gizmo
Ravel
Trias
TTO
Benny
The Guardian
Lord Blackthorne
That orc from Dragonfall
Sarevok
.

Aside from the fallout and PST characters most of those are 1 dimensional and boring. Never played ultima but from what I understand(from watching the spoony reviews) the guardian is as typical as it gets.
Irenicus is your first choice, butthurt elf who's evil because 'reasons' gets exiled with retarded sister and plots revenge spree in the most convoluted way possible.


Again you're doing this thing where you shit on a random late 90's/early 00's game thats popular here basically just to beg for attention. It's weird.

 

[Humbaba]

Aside from the fallout and PST characters most of those are 1 dimensional and boring. Never played ultima but from what I understand(from watching the spoony reviews) the guardian is as typical as it gets.
Irenicus is your first choice, butthurt elf who's evil because 'reasons' gets exiled with retarded sister and plots revenge spree in the most convoluted way possible.


Again you're doing this thing where you shit on a random late 90's/early 00's game thats popular here basically just to beg for attention. It's weird.

>Aside from the fallout and PST characters most of those are 1 dimensional and boring

Oh I get, I'm only allowed to list villains that you like, my mistake. Also calling Blackthorne one-dimensional is peak decline.

>Never played ultima but from what I understand(from watching the spoony reviews) the guardian is as typical as it gets.

Ah yes, Spoonard, a bipolar headcase who famously can't even get past the tutorial section of Fallout 2 or UU2. Shows what you know.

>in the most convoluted way possible.

You have to be an actual brainlet to think that BG2's plot is convoluted.

>Again you're doing this thing where you shit on a random late 90's/early 00's game thats popular here basically just to beg for attention. It's weird.

Wow you gotta be one of those deductive geniuses like Sherlock from your favourite show "Sherlock" featuring your husbando. You really figured me out damn. Come back with proper arguments or don't bother next time.

 

[Beans00]

Ah yes, Spoonard, a bipolar headcase who famously can't even get past the tutorial section of Fallout 2 or UU2. Shows what you know.

Well in his video reviews he clearly beats all the games, again you just sound butthurt that you suck at arcanum =/

 

[honko]

>Aside from the fallout and PST characters most of those are 1 dimensional and boring

Oh I get, I'm only allowed to list villains that you like, my mistake. Also calling Blackthorne one-dimensional is peak decline.

>Never played ultima but from what I understand(from watching the spoony reviews) the guardian is as typical as it gets.

Ah yes, Spoonard, a bipolar headcase who famously can't even get past the tutorial section of Fallout 2 or UU2. Shows what you know.

>in the most convoluted way possible.

You have to be an actual brainlet to think that BG2's plot is convoluted.

>Again you're doing this thing where you shit on a random late 90's/early 00's game thats popular here basically just to beg for attention. It's weird.

Wow you gotta be one of those deductive geniuses like Sherlock from your favourite show "Sherlock" featuring your husbando. You really figured me out damn. Come back with proper arguments or don't bother next time.

Mate, pretty much everyone on this thread thinks you're a retard.

Writing essays on the internet won't get you laid...

Mr Lord of Virginity