Unofficial Arcanum Patch (Original Thread)

[Chefe]

Question: Is it possible to include a way to play the game in windowed mode? I know your against custom content, and rightly so, and don't know if this would fall under that category.

 

[Drog Black Tooth]

Question: Is it possible to include a way to play the game in windowed mode? I know your against custom content, and rightly so, and don't know if this would fall under that category.

D3DWindower does that just fine with Arcanum, as I heard. The original version is in Japanese, but I guess you can easily find a translated version on google, if you'd like.

EDIT: A bit of restored content. A Vendigrothian newspaper and Gilbert Bates' journal.

I've also stumbled upon a conversation of Virgil and Darian Maug (pretty similar to Pollock's one), but it felt kind of lame (maybe that's why it was never made accessible), so I didn't include it in the yesterday's update. I might release the fix separately though, so you'll be able to see it for yourself.

 

[Earth Nuggets]

D3DWindower does that just fine with Arcanum, as I heard.

Yes, it works well for most games, but last time I used it for Arcanum it crawled a bit.

Here's a Filefront link for a somewhat translated version: http://files.filefront.com/D3DWindower+ ... einfo.html

Brief tutorial: add Arcanum's executive program, copy the D3dHook.dll file into Arcanum's default directory, edit the height (800) and width (600) into the settings and then hit the "Launch Application" command.

 

[Drog Black Tooth]

And finally, I instigated the orc riots, then figured I stick around to make sure the riots went alright. Some people didn't hate me/attack me on sight. I figure we've got some wrong origins...though it's arguable in some cases. Anyways here's a partial list(power went out when I was in the middle of it.)
Aldous Buxington(The pagan God's guy) and the University bookseller.(everybody else in the university hates me)
Cedric Appleby
Stanton and his guards
the Paperboy by Stanton's(every other paperboy attacks me on sight I think)
the Human City Dweller in Madam Lil's
All of the Gentlemen's club, and most of Grant's Tavern(only J.T. Morgan and his guards hated me).
The Bridesdale Innkeeper
The female gnome in Vermillion Station.
The Wise woman outside the city.(I don't think this should change.)

I've started fixing origins in all locations, since it seems there's a lot of mistakes. Anyway, turns out, they disabled origins in all taverns for gameplay reasons. NPCs (those who play the game of wits) in all taverns don't have origins, so I won't be changing that.

And the Boil is too controversial to figure out who is entitled to have Tarant origin or not.

 

[Koshachiy Barin]

The error with Constable Owens in Shrouded Hills is still present. Turns out, it was in unpatched game as well, I just didn't notice it before. Also, I described it a little incorrect.
After you read Joachim's note to Virgil, you have an option to ask Constable where Tarant is. If you choose it, your objective changes to something like "find P. Schuylers & sons in Tarant", even if your character doesn't know a thing about them yet. Shouldn't this only happen when Ristezze tells you about Schuylers?

 

[Drog Black Tooth]

The error with Constable Owens in Shrouded Hills is still present. Turns out, it was in unpatched game as well, I just didn't notice it before. Also, I described it a little incorrect.
After you read Joachim's note to Virgil, you have an option to ask Constable where Tarant is. If you choose it, your objective changes to something like "find P. Schuylers & sons in Tarant", even if your character doesn't know a thing about them yet. Shouldn't this only happen when Ristezze tells you about Schuylers?

I see. When you read Joachim's note, it sets a global flag, that allows you to ask the constable where Tarant is. The constable marks it on your map and for whatever reason advances the story status. Thus you can skip the whole thing with Ristezze. There are at least two ways to fix it:

1) Make the constable not advance the story state, let him just mark the location.
2) Add a condition, so that you can ask him about Tarant only when you know about P. Schuyler's.

What do you think?

P.S. The same global flag is set when you take Ristezze's receipt. The receipt sets this gf, sets the quest as completed, advances the story state, but doesn't mark the location, so you ask the constable in that case.

 

[Kz3r0]

A little thing, in Shrouded Hills, if you kill Ristezze his soundbank is a her, namely it's a female sound.
A mistake or we have discovered Ristezze little secret?

 

[Kz3r0]

The error with Constable Owens in Shrouded Hills is still present. Turns out, it was in unpatched game as well, I just didn't notice it before. Also, I described it a little incorrect.
After you read Joachim's note to Virgil, you have an option to ask Constable where Tarant is. If you choose it, your objective changes to something like "find P. Schuylers & sons in Tarant", even if your character doesn't know a thing about them yet. Shouldn't this only happen when Ristezze tells you about Schuylers?

I see. When you read Joachim's note, it sets a global flag, that allows you to ask the constable where Tarant is. The constable marks it on your map and for whatever reason advances the story status. Thus you can skip the whole thing with Ristezze. There are at least two ways to fix it:

1) Make the constable not advance the story state, let him just mark the location.
2) Add a condition, so that you can ask him about Tarant only when you know about P. Schuyler's.

What do you think?

P.S. The same global flag is set when you take Ristezze's receipt. The receipt sets this gf, sets the quest as completed, advances the story state, but doesn't mark the location, so you ask the constable in that case.

My vote go to 1 option, seems less troublesome and more fitting to me, you already know of Tarant from Joachim's note, it's a little inconsinstent don't be able to ask for something so obvious like the biggest city in the game world.

 

[Axel Blaze]

Great patch!

First of all, let me tell you that this project is absolutely brilliant. I played Arcanum through a few years ago, and only barely because its immense amount of bugs made playing both difficult and effectively broke the suspension of disbelief. Thanks to your patch, I've not only started again, but I was willing to buy the game again as I had lost my old copy.

I haven't played very far yet, but I have a couple of bugs / oddities that I'd like to report:

1. The game crashes occasionally. This happened to me right in the beginning at the crash site after about five minutes of play. Is this something that happens to all players sometimes? If it does, would you need to know the source code to do anything about it? This crash happened when I was in the inventory, not during a quest or dialogue.

2. My HUD disappears constantly. It returns after I press M, but it's annoying as hell. I read the manual, but there was no info on this on it and there's nothing on the option screen. Is it a bug?

But nonetheless, brilliant work mate. Keep up the good work!

 

[Drog Black Tooth]

Re: Great patch!

Welcome to the forum.

1. The game crashes occasionally. This happened to me right in the beginning at the crash site after about five minutes of play. Is this something that happens to all players sometimes? If it does, would you need to know the source code to do anything about it? This crash happened when I was in the inventory, not during a quest or dialogue.

The game may crash in the inventory if you have some bugged items. Do you remember picking up some specific items?

2. My HUD disappears constantly. It returns after I press M, but it's annoying as hell. I read the manual, but there was no info on this on it and there's nothing on the option screen. Is it a bug?

Don't run the game in the full screen mode.

 

[OSK]

1) Make the constable not advance the story state, let him just mark the location.
2) Add a condition, so that you can ask him about Tarant only when you know about P. Schuyler's.

What do you think?

Option 1.

 

[Koshachiy Barin]

1) Make the constable not advance the story state, let him just mark the location.
2) Add a condition, so that you can ask him about Tarant only when you know about P. Schuyler's.

What do you think?

The first option seems good. Most probably, the character first learns about Tarant from the note, not from Ristezze, so why shouldn't he ask Constable immediately after reading? Moreover, the player might not want to complete Ristezze's quest - he will go to Tarant just to seek elder Joachim, not Schuylers... but then find them accidentally.

There is one problem though... After discovering the ring's origins, the quest to find Schuylers appears in the journal as 'completed', even if you didn't take it from Ristezze...

 

[Drog Black Tooth]

There is one problem though... After discovering the ring's origins, the quest to find Schuylers appears in the journal as 'completed', even if you didn't take it from Ristezze...

In what way? There are several ways to discover the origins. Be more specific.

 

[Koshachiy Barin]

In what way? There are several ways to discover the origins. Be more specific.

I persuaded Schuylers to tell me, and I also killed them and read the telegram in the closet... what else there is? In both cases the completed quest appeared in the journal, even though I didn't take it.
Another strange thing is, if I kill them and read the telegram, I get a quest to find Bates, and if I persuade them, I don't...

 

[Drog Black Tooth]

In what way? There are several ways to discover the origins. Be more specific.

I persuaded Schuylers to tell me, and I also killed them and read the telegram in the closet... what else there is? In both cases the completed quest appeared in the journal, even though I didn't take it.
Another strange thing is, if I kill them and read the telegram, I get a quest to find Bates, and if I persuade them, I don't...

Pelonius Schuyler wasn't marking the quest "Discover the origins of the strange ring." as completed in the original release. They added this in the patch. It makes sense, since you finally discover the origins. A nice observation about Gilbert Bates' quest though, I'll add it to Pelonius' dialogue.

 

[Koshachiy Barin]

Pelonius Schuyler wasn't marking the quest "Discover the origins of the strange ring." as completed in the original release.

I speak about "Get information from P. Schuyler & Sons about the owner of the strange ring". This quest is given only when Ristezze tells you about Schuylers, but I didn't talk to him this time, still it appears in the journal after killing/persuading them.

 

[Drog Black Tooth]

Pelonius Schuyler wasn't marking the quest "Discover the origins of the strange ring." as completed in the original release.

I speak about "Get information from P. Schuyler & Sons about the owner of the strange ring". This quest is given only when Ristezze tells you about Schuylers, but I didn't talk to him this time, still it appears in the journal after killing/persuading them.

Well, believe it or not, there's a lot of quests in the game, that can be marked as completed with out you accepting them first. E.g. if you bring the camera to Maxim right away, he'll just mark the quest as completed. That's how the game works.

 

[Chefe]

I tried out D3D and it made the game incredibly choppy. Thanks, though. There's no way to do it without external programs?

EDIT: A bit of restored content. A Vendigrothian newspaper and Gilbert Bates' journal.

Those look cool. Maybe I wait until the next patch...

 

[Koshachiy Barin]

Well, believe it or not, there's a lot of quests in the game, that can be marked as completed with out you accepting them first. E.g. if you bring the camera to Maxim right away, he'll just mark the quest as completed. That's how the game works.

Well, I'm glad it's not another bug!

But here's some more that I remember...
- In a mountain pass leading from the crashsite, one of the wolves often attacks another wolf. Same thing happens in Bessie Toon's mine - one of the wolves attacks a spider (or maybe spider attacks him). Not sure if this should be fixed at all, but just in case...
- Once you have killed a group of orcs that demand money in Tarant, they keep respawning every evening, but then, instead of demanding money again, attack you on sight. If they can't see you, they attack any citizen walking into their view. Was it intended this way?
- One of the love lights in Ashbury graveyard is always hostile.
- If you find Princess Aria's medallion in Razors Pointe, you get a quest "King Praetor wants you to find his daughter", even if you don't know who King Praetor is. I believe there were some other problems with this storyline, but I haven't any savegames to prove it.
- Also, there were some problems with dialogs in Panarii Temple in Caladon, but again, I have no savegames to prove it. I remember having trouble finishing the quest with Mannox's skull.

 

[Axel Blaze]

Re: Great patch!

Welcome to the forum.

Thank you.

The game may crash in the inventory if you have some bugged items. Do you remember picking up some specific items?

I was not able to reproduce this, and I don't remember what caused the crash. But I can narrow it down greatly: I was playing a custom-made half-ogre, I was at the crash site, I had picked everything from the crash site, and in the beginning I had bought a pistol, a pair of boots, a sword and some bullets. I'm pretty sure the game crashed as I tried to equip the pistol (I wasn't able to equip it despite I think I had the stats to use it). I'm sorry for not being able to be more specific.

Don't run the game in the full screen mode.

Yes, I remember I was running it in full screen. It's perfectly fine to run it without it, but is it fixable? Or is it a source-code requiring engine problem? Just my curiosity.

And finally, not really a bug but something that's not very realistic. After I stopped the bank robbers in Shrouded Hills, the woman in the bank had survived, but kept on shouting ¨spare me¨ and other BS that she does when the place is attacked. I just think it's strange that she doesn't stop, might be better if she'd get floating text like ¨thanks for helping us out¨ or something instead. This is no real problem but it's not a balance isssue so if you have nothing better to do maybe you could do it :wink:

 

[Drog Black Tooth]

- In a mountain pass leading from the crashsite, one of the wolves often attacks another wolf. Same thing happens in Bessie Toon's mine - one of the wolves attacks a spider (or maybe spider attacks him). Not sure if this should be fixed at all, but just in case...

Two wolves are set to a different faction, another wolf nearby notices and attacks them. I guess, this was intended.

- Once you have killed a group of orcs that demand money in Tarant, they keep respawning every evening, but then, instead of demanding money again, attack you on sight. If they can't see you, they attack any citizen walking into their view. Was it intended this way?

They're supposed to respawn, yes. Not sure about them attacking on sight though. I'll take a look at scripts.

- One of the love lights in Ashbury graveyard is always hostile.

A default faction for Love Lights is the same as zombies. So, it tries to "protect" them.

Yes, I remember I was running it in full screen. It's perfectly fine to run it without it, but is it fixable? Or is it a source-code requiring engine problem? Just my curiosity.

Huh? That's the whole purpose of the full screen mode, it disables the HUD, so you have a bigger "working field". Just run the game with out it if you want the HUD. Also, F10 turns the HUD on while in the full screen mode.

After I stopped the bank robbers in Shrouded Hills, the woman in the bank had survived, but kept on shouting ¨spare me¨ and other BS that she does when the place is attacked.

She's scared. Wait a few hours and she'll be normal again.

 

[Kharza]

When speaking to Thorwald, line 33 goes something like "I'm looking for Thorwald, are you he?" -> "I'm looking for Thorwald, are you him"

 

[Kz3r0]

Now I'm trying a no kill/no fight game, the only problem until now is in Shrouded Hills.
I wasn't able to pass the molochean hand agent at the end of the bridge out of the city, when approaching him the script conversation started despite I was in safe prowling state, at night, of course.
The script depends on the awareness of the character or it's start automatically anyway?
The workaround that I found for this until now are access the worldmap after the gate is open, or aprroaching him in real mode at night, and when he chases me head back turning on the right passed the gate, in this way he keeps running losing himself in the city surrounds.
Not an important issue, but would be nice avoid any unnecessary confrontation.
Last thig he spawns himself even if I have not previously meet him.

PS Edit:
I have made another test,via cheat menu, even with prowling mastery and invisibility spell the script starts in any case.
Well I think is inavoidable.

 

[Axel Blaze]

Dang, man! You're right!

Fullscreen mode - You're right on all accounts. Sorry!

and as for the bank robber.... right as well. Maybe next time I'll test a bit more before I report these kind of ¨bugs¨ than before.

And a thought as well about rebalancing - I don't really think that the game needs that much rebalancing. I know that some skills are way more useful than others, and that some character types and races are far easier to play with - but that's how it is in the real world - there doesn't need to be a balance. On the other hand, I think that some balancing must be done in order to make everything at least usable.... there are many spells that are practically useless. But I guess these kind of ideas belong to the controversial patch. (I read this entire posting before I began an account)

Another thought.... is it possible to make a mod that allows you to make markings on your map? I mean, nearly all of the houses look identical, and it's hard as hell to complete a quest if you can't make a distinction between homes.

I'd also like to comment on removing the level cap... I read your thoughts on it, and I agree - I also despise powergaming. However, I like to play with a same character for practically forever, until there are no more quests - and in late game, levels are the only reward - since at that point you're rich enough to afford anything by money - so I'd like to see the level cap go. If you have a problem with it, could you please create a separate level cap remover that would cause no problem with this brilliant patch of yours? Would be also very much appreciated.

 

[Kharza]

@Kz3r0: I'll give you a hint: If I remeber correctly, the bridge isn't the only way out of Shrouded Hills.

Another thought.... is it possible to make a mod that allows you to make markings on your map? I mean, nearly all of the houses look identical, and it's hard as hell to complete a quest if you can't make a distinction between homes.

The game in itself adds descriptions to houses when click their address plates or signs. Just hilighting isn't enough, you have to click.