Unofficial Arcanum Patch (Original Thread)

[Langolier]

I noticed that Horace McGinley's (sp?) corpse in the game is that of a human, despite the fact that he is a half-elf if you pick his character. Minor thing, but it is still a blooper.

 

[OSK]

The wall spells are kind of ugly, but the added effects and sounds don't detract from them at all. I vote to restore as well.

Also, for other's convenience, I made and uploaded a video of my character using the modified spells:
Vimeo Link
Direct Download

I hope that'll help us get more votes on this matter.

I think they look fine. I'd vote to restore them.

 

[Drog Black Tooth]

I noticed that Horace McGinley's (sp?) corpse in the game is that of a human, despite the fact that he is a half-elf if you pick his character. Minor thing, but it is still a blooper.

There's actually a bigger problem with half elves in the game, all NPC half elves use elven art, but PC half elves for some reason look like humans. Or maybe it was meant to be so? Since they're half breeds they may resemble either of their parents. Although, I've never seen an NPC half elf with human's art in the game, except Horace (but since he's a PC, maybe it was meant to be so).

EDIT: Oh, he IS a human. The corpse has a wrong race. I'll fix it.

 

[Fez]

I vote to restore it.

 

[Earth Nuggets]

There's actually a bigger problem with half elves in the game, all NPC half elves use elven art, but PC half elves for some reason look like humans.

Huh. Is randomizing which art a PC receives possible?

 

[Drog Black Tooth]

There's actually a bigger problem with half elves in the game, all NPC half elves use elven art, but PC half elves for some reason look like humans.

Huh. Is randomizing which art a PC receives possible?

I'm afraid, it's not. At least not without a source code. I guess, I'll just set PC half elves to elven art as well, once I get to it.

Anyway, it seems nobody has objections to the wall spells' sfx, so they will be included in the patch. Also, the Fire Obstruction item uses the same graphics as the Wall of Fire spell, thus it will be improved as well.

 

[carlstar]

dante

ive read most of the pages so hope im not reposting.

playing the latest download version of the patch and for no reason during combat 'Dante' the moody priest at blackroot, sometimes runs away and then comes back. it isnt that he is hurt and happens in a random way. maybe it is when someone is hit for x damage? just annoying.

 

[Drog Black Tooth]

Re: dante

playing the latest download version of the patch and for no reason during combat 'Dante' the moody priest at blackroot, sometimes runs away and then comes back. it isnt that he is hurt and happens in a random way. maybe it is when someone is hit for x damage? just annoying.

Hmm, for some reason his AI is programmed to keep the distance of 5 tiles in a combat (e.g. like ranged fighters, such as bowmen and pure mages), but he's more of a melee fighter. Thanks for reporting, I'll fix this.

 

[carlstar]

i see. nice work with the patches. now only if we could transport you back to before the game was released with the fixes. then no one could call it one of the buggiest games ever

 

[carlstar]

Another thing that is crazy is when enemies and npcs try to attack through walls, oh and of course when you click on an enemy and your PC runs into a wall and plays being a noob instead of going through the door. is that something that can be fixed or is it just an issue that is way to big.

 

[Langolier]

I'm afraid, it's not. At least not without a source code. I guess, I'll just set PC half elves to elven art as well, once I get to it.

The description for half-elves in the game manual states that, physically, half-elves more closely resemble humans. So changing PC half-elves to look like full-blooded elves wouldn't really make sense. I never realized until now that that all the half-elf NPC's used elven art. I did see a few, but I always assumed they were just rare rolls of the dice when it came to their genes.

 

[Shota Shernokavich]

I'm afraid, it's not. At least not without a source code. I guess, I'll just set PC half elves to elven art as well, once I get to it.

The description for half-elves in the game manual states that, physically, half-elves more closely resemble humans. So changing PC half-elves to look like full-blooded elves wouldn't really make sense. I never realized until now that that all the half-elf NPC's used elven art. I did see a few, but I always assumed they were just rare rolls of the dice when it came to their genes.

leave it for the controversial patch?


i just remembered something. virgil, and i think also geoffrey (it might be all male NPC's) prefer to wear ladies boots over normal ones (even if the normal ones have more armor)
I know it was meant as a joke but sometimes it just comes off as annoying..

 

[rroyo]

I just took the special effects fix for a couple test-drives and I, for one, love it!
This definately was needing to be restored.
And nice catch on the invisibility spell.

 

[TheHorseman]

Has that Potassium Nitrate with the photo-camera image been fixed?

 

[Faceless]

There's a mistake in the training dialogue for Backstab mastery.

"precise placement weapons" should be "precise placement of weapons"

 

[Relayer71]

Really late to THIS party but just want to say, Drog - this is awesome, excellent work!!!

I haven't come across too many bugs the 3 or 4 times I've attempted to play Arcanum but then again I've only ever played for about 4 hours or so before I've stopped for some reason or other, every time.

But I've read about how buggy the game is (who hasn't?) and still can't believe the amount of bugs being fixed and continuously being found. It's rather disgusting that a game could have been released in this state.

With a RELATIVELY bug free release and a more polished combat system it seems this game could have been legendary (perhaps enough to rival BG 2 in terms of sales?).

 

[The Vanished One]

I'm late too, but I have to thank Drog as well. Awesome work indeed! Maybe someday I'll finish Arcanum after all.
I'm also going to post some info about this patch in an italian forum to spread the word.

 

[Earth Nuggets]

Has that Potassium Nitrate with the photo-camera image been fixed?

Yes, in version 080425.

Orcish thugs will never have Potassium Nitrate (which is an unfinished item) in their inventory.

 

[Drog Black Tooth]

OK, I've found a section in the engine which controls PCs' art. I can change half elf PCs to elven art. Let's discuss whether or not it should be done.

Looking at the game's files, it's easy to notice that each and every half elf NPC uses elven art, it's even hardcoded to all half elf prototypes (standard files to which everything is linked). Also, I'd like to note that art for other NPC races is the same as with PC races. And in case you're wondering, it's still somewhat possible to change all half elf NPCs to human art, although it's not feasible as you will have to edit them one by one. And it's pretty obvious that it was meant this way, since of course the developers were conscious of what they were doing. I think, half elf PCs weren't tested properly and had human art assigned by mistake and it should be changed, since it doesn't make any sense for everybody to use elven art, while PC alone would look like a human. It's illogical. Moreover, half elven penalty to CN suits the slim body.

So, what's your take on this? And please state your reasons when voting.

 

[BillyOgawa]

I've never played as a half-elf. During the game, do NPCs comment about the PC's mixed race? Or does it seem like he's more on the human side of the half-elf deal?

 

[Drog Black Tooth]

I've never played as a half-elf. During the game, do NPCs comment about the PC's mixed race? Or does it seem like he's more on the human side of the half-elf deal?

Well, there are racist insults for every PC race. Here are some of them for half elves:

{1200}{What have you got to be arrogant about, Halfie?}
{1201}{All you half-elves are crackers, you are!}
{1202}{All you cheesy, pointy-eared Halfies are fools!}
{1203}{You panty-waist half-elf! I'll have your guts for garters!}
{1204}{You lazy, shiftless half-elves are a blight on the world!}
{1205}{All you half-elves are piles of perfumed manure!}
{1206}{You ignorant, half-a-brain half-elf!}
{1207}{Bugger off, ya blithering half-elf.}
{1208}{Bog off, ya bloody ratbag! I hate you half-elves!}
{1209}{All you low-born half-elves are lewd and reprehensible.}
{1210}{Bah! Half-elves! You are all gutless half-breeds.}

{3200}{Another misbegotten half-breed. What do you want?}
{3201}{You elves are the worst of the lot...}
{3202}{Bugger off, ya lousy half-breed! I'm busy.}
{3203}{You're a tree-brained half-breed if ever I saw one...}
{3204}{Half-breeds! They should burn the lot of you...}
{3205}{Another arrogant half-breed. What do you want?}
{3206}{I thought true elves were repulsive, but you...}
{3207}{I hate elves and their kin.}
{3208}{What is it, you ignorant half-breed?}
{3209}{Elven scum. I don't speak with your kind.}
{3210}{Your very presence disgusts me, half-breed.}
{3211}{Get out of my sight, elven trash.}

I'd assume they're more on the elven side of the deal.

 

[BillyOgawa]

Yeah, it definitely seems like they should have elven art over human art. Too bad they don't have they're own unique art.

 

[puppyonastik]

v080510---- Playing as a severely retarded (int 2) Elf bow-a-zon named "Drool"
_______________________________________________________________

* When talking to Ristezze, If you have both the camera and the Toone boot in your inv, you only have the options to give both the cam and the boot together, or to go back in the conversation. If not paying attention, or clicking the former option thinking you will get the choice of either the boot or camera, this can be a severely costly mistake for a dumb player considering that it can cost nearly 2k to buy the camera back. This can be avoided by only having one of the said items in your inventory when you want to sell it, so I don't know if it needs fixing. However it is very easy to make the mistake.

* When in Tarant, even if you have Jared's finance's letter in your inventory and have read it, you will not get the option to mention it, thus making the quest uncompleteble. I can't say if this is intended or not.

* The dialog error in Tarant with Virgil and Jochim's telegram (mentioned here: http://rpgcodex.net/phpBB/viewtopic.php?p=514820#514820) has not been fixed. I wasn't sure if you forgot about it so I thought I'd bump it.

* When asking Caleb Malloy in the boil about what he thinks about both gangs, he only gives you his opinion of Pollock's gang, but no mention of the other.

 

[Drog Black Tooth]

* When talking to Ristezze, If you have both the camera and the Toone boot in your inv, you only have the options to give both the cam and the boot together, or to go back in the conversation. If not paying attention, or clicking the former option thinking you will get the choice of either the boot or camera, this can be a severely costly mistake for a dumb player considering that it can cost nearly 2k to buy the camera back. This can be avoided by only having one of the said items in your inventory when you want to sell it, so I don't know if it needs fixing. However it is very easy to make the mistake.

This is intended, I think. A mentally challenged character can't judge the value of the camera.

* When in Tarant, even if you have Jared's finance's letter in your inventory and have read it, you will not get the option to mention it, thus making the quest uncompleteble. I can't say if this is intended or not.

It should be OK. Have you actually read the note? It sets the global flag which makes the line in Jared's dialogue appear.

* The dialog error in Tarant with Virgil and Jochim's telegram (mentioned here: http://rpgcodex.net/phpBB/viewtopic.php?p=514820#514820) has not been fixed. I wasn't sure if you forgot about it so I thought I'd bump it.

Well, nobody suggested a better line, so I'm waiting for that.

* When asking Caleb Malloy in the boil about what he thinks about both gangs, he only gives you his opinion of Pollock's gang, but no mention of the other.

Hmm, interesting. According to the dialogue file after you ask about Pollock's gang there should be no lines for a dumb character at this point, so the dialogue is messed up. I'll have to check this in the game as well, of course. EDIT: Checked and fixed. There were no lines for a stupid character once you ask about Pollock's gang. There was only "And the Clan Maug?" for normal characters, so I added "And whut 'bout Clan Mog?" for dummies. Thanks for reporting!

 

[Faceless]

"You protect me, Virgil!"

Adding the words "job to" fixes it.
If you want it to be stupider take out the "to" although most people will probably see this as an error.

So: "You job to protect me, Virgil!"

-

Did you address the bug I found when you take Magnus' bracelet after you kill him where he talks to you as if he's in your party about your lack of respect for his property?