Unofficial Arcanum Patch (Original Thread)

[Xor]

Oh yeah...not sure if this is fixable but rarely the game will be stuck permanently on the enemy's turn in combat. Not sure what causes it though...

That's happened to me before too. The only way I could get the game to continue was by turning off turn-based combat.

 

[damaged_drone]

ok I fully reinstalled. game>1074>unofficial@c:\sierra\arcanum

Im taking it that since its still asking for the disk to play that its not working.

sigh.

 

[Drog Black Tooth]

ok I fully reinstalled. game>1074>unofficial@c:\sierra\arcanum

Im taking it that since its still asking for the disk to play that its not working.

sigh.

You're clearly installing it to a wrong folder. Press the "Browse..." button in the installer and select a correct one. Is it that complicated?

 

[damaged_drone]

ok I fully reinstalled. game>1074>unofficial@c:\sierra\arcanum

Im taking it that since its still asking for the disk to play that its not working.

sigh.

You're clearly installing it to a wrong folder. Press the "Browse..." button in the installer and select a correct one. Is it that complicated?

Apologies for me being such a retard, but:

I installed the game to c:\sierra\arcanum
I installed the official patch to c:\sierra\arcanum
I installed the unofficial patch to c:\sierra\arcanum

Which folder exactly should I be installing it to?

(I really do appreciate your efforts)

 

[Drog Black Tooth]

I installed the game to c:\sierra\arcanum
I installed the official patch to c:\sierra\arcanum
I installed the unofficial patch to c:\sierra\arcanum

Well, it must work.

If in some rare case the installer doesn't work properly you may try unpacking the files yourself. The installer is in fact a standard rar archive. Extract it with WinRAR and replace the files manually. Run CleanCache.bat when you're done. I can't think of any other solution/suggestion.

 

[damaged_drone]

nm, I'm lazy and dumb and terra-arcanum was lying.

 

[Shambelle]

Some more...

-The Hexed Dagger in the Bessie Toone Mine is missing its description. (+ Crit Fail )
-The Mystic Great Sword and the Magic Great Sword have are no image on the ground.
-The Auto Skeleton Key have its inventory image on the ground. (would be the same as the other lockpicks)

 

[Marco]

Awesome work here. Always been an Arcanum fan and these kind of patches are neat.

Some bugs and problems I found that weren't discussed here before:

- If you go NW of Dernholm, you can enter the Pits by the exit. If you talk to Tollo Underhill here, there will be options to inform him of Kan'Hua's intentions to retrieve the Vendigroh Device... even if you never met Kan'Hua in the first place. I think those options should be disabled if Kan'Hua didn't gave you the quest to find Tollo. However, I don't know if it is still possible to recruit Tollo otherwise.

- The Master of Firearms tells you about Halcyon Temple "in Roseborough", but the temple is in Voorinden. Someone made a fix for this at terra-arcanum iirc.

- If you accept Myrrh's quest for the Stillwater Giant pelt, then just kill him and bring his amulet to Gaylin, Myrrh's quest never gets crossed out in the questbook. I think some other quests do the same thing.

- I don't know if this is rebalancing or not (so you might not want to include that), but I always kind of found that the way the Quench Life spell worked was stupid. It's intended to kill the opponent, but it only delivers damage (somewhat like Bolt of Lightning). In the spell list, there are 2 versions of this spell: the one that deals damage, and a commented one that kills the target. I think the commented insta-kill should be restored (however I don't remember if there is a saving throw).

- About Disintegrate. I never really understood why this spell dealt damage if it just destroyed the critter afterwards. Maybe because you HAVE to deal damage to disintegrate doors, chests and stuff, and that instant death doesn't work on them? On this spell again, why was the content of chests not disintegrated too when you zapped chests?

 

[ninja_felix]

Nicely done sir

I've joined this forum as a result of this thread - excellent work and very noble.
I had to get the first version off the Terra-Arcanum site (where I found this) because I couldn't download off your link on the first page. Hence I'll always be a little behind but will help find bugs where I can.

To kick off with - I could never get Harrow to do any damage whatsoever - no matter who I gave it to. Possibly it only works with your character & I don't play technologists.

There's a treasure chest - the first you come to in the Bangellian deeps that looks like a shopkeepers chest - no big problem but seems odd.

I love the concept of having a conversation menu like the Worthless Mutt's for the familiar - might make them worth having if there was.

Also the reason I don't play technologists is that I can't be bothered going all over the countryside looking for healing herbs and the like. If you could manage it putting a lot more herbs etc in the various people who stock them inventories every day would make a big difference. If balance is a concern then changing the price to make a sale hardly worth doing would probably sort it.

I'll add more here as I find them but so far this seems to be a fantastic project - much kudos to you.

 

[Drog Black Tooth]

Thanks for the reports, I appreciate it. Some specific comments:

If you go NW of Dernholm, you can enter the Pits by the exit. If you talk to Tollo Underhill here, there will be options to inform him of Kan'Hua's intentions to retrieve the Vendigroh Device... even if you never met Kan'Hua in the first place. I think those options should be disabled if Kan'Hua didn't gave you the quest to find Tollo. However, I don't know if it is still possible to recruit Tollo otherwise.

I was thinking about disabling Tollo, and making him appear only when you take Kan Hua's quest. And there's the same problem with Nasrudin as well. If you go to Stringy Pete early in the game, kill him and take the ship, you can go to Thanatos, and Nasrudin will be there. Although, I think in this case it's a better idea to disable Thanatos in the ship's dialogue if you don't have the quest.

I don't know if this is rebalancing or not (so you might not want to include that), but I always kind of found that the way the Quench Life spell worked was stupid. It's intended to kill the opponent, but it only delivers damage (somewhat like Bolt of Lightning). In the spell list, there are 2 versions of this spell: the one that deals damage, and a commented one that kills the target. I think the commented insta-kill should be restored (however I don't remember if there is a saving throw).

The spell was an instakill previously, but they changed it to 50-100 damage. There's still a line with full damage flags, it's just commented out. Well, it's their decision. And yes, there's another one, with full damage, it's used in scripts.

 

[Dark Elf]

New version hosted. Keep let 'em coming. :D

 

[Shambelle]

To kick off with - I could never get Harrow to do any damage whatsoever - no matter who I gave it to. Possibly it only works with your character & I don't play technologists.

Well, Harrow is neutral and have nothing to do with Magick (or Technology).
This strange weapon does 0-0 points of damage by default and adds additional bonus (via script) only with high evil-good alignment and the user's race.
So, it's a worthless weapon if you are a evil elf and it's a really good weapon if you are a good dwarf.

PS: I don't know if it's a good idea to change NPCJay and HEF2, these images were some sort of easter egg in the game: for example, HEF2 is Sissy Chang like NPCTollo is Tim Cain and HGM2 is Steve Moret.
The old HEF2, HOF2 and the like could still be restored on top of the existing portraits.

 

[Drog Black Tooth]

To kick off with - I could never get Harrow to do any damage whatsoever - no matter who I gave it to. Possibly it only works with your character & I don't play technologists.

Well, Harrow is neutral and have nothing to do with Magick (or Technology).
This strange weapon does 0-0 points of damage by default and adds additional bonus (via script) only with high evil-good alignment and the user's race.
So, it's a worthless weapon if you are a evil elf and it's a really good weapon if you are a good dwarf.

Yes, it deals damage via hit script. If a wielder is a dwarf with 50+ alignment it hits 10-42 + ST based damage modifier, thus hitting 32-64 at ST21.

 

[crakkie]

Heh, do you think you had something to do with this, Drog?

 

[Drog Black Tooth]

PS: I don't know if it's a good idea to change NPCJay and HEF2, these images were some sort of easter egg in the game: for example, HEF2 is Sissy Chang like NPCTollo is Tim Cain and HGM2 is Steve Moret.
The old HEF2, HOF2 and the like could still be restored on top of the existing portraits.

If anybody's interested, here's all different portraits they were using at the time.
PC portraits:

From left to right, from up to down: HEF2, HEM1 (only slightly different than in the final), HEM2, HGM2, HOF2, HOF4.
NPC portraits:

From left to right, from up to down: NPCBane, NPCChukk, NPCGorg, NPCJay, NPCKrak, NPCTollo, NPCWar. Waromon's portrait is different here only because they were using different models for Bedokaan at the time. (Although those models were still used in ending slides for Bedokaan in the final game).

As I see it, most portraits got changed because they were clearly inferior in quality to other portraits. Also, Chukka's portrait perhaps didn't fit his character well, while HEM2 was too sad looking for a PC portrait, I guess. I've no idea though why they replaced HEF2 and NPCJay.

 

[Ander Vinz]

If anybody's interested

We told you we are.

 

[Shambelle]

HEM1 (only slightly different than in the final)

Can you tell me what's the difference between the old and the final ?
I can't see at all...

I've no idea though why they replaced HEF2 and NPCJay.

Well, the old NPCJay was perhaps of not so good quality.
The new one is perhaps not pretty but is really of better quality overall.

And of course, they added some easter eggs like members of Troika portraits...
See for example Sissy Chang:
http://members.tripod.com/troika_connection/Home/id2_m.htm

And if my memory don't fail, HEF2 seems inspired of a very old movie actress (B&W and all) but I can't remember where I saw her...

 

[Drog Black Tooth]

HEM1 (only slightly different than in the final)

Can you tell me what's the difference between the old and the final ?
I can't see at all...

You must be blind.

I've no idea though why they replaced HEF2 and NPCJay.

Well, the old NPCJay was perhaps of not so good quality.
The new one is perhaps not pretty but is really of better quality overall.

The new one has funny eyes and slightly retarded smile, and altogether looks a bit mentally challenged to me. Or is it just me?

And of course, they added some easter eggs like members of Troika portraits...
See for example Sissy Chang:
http://members.tripod.com/troika_connection/Home/id2_m.htm

That is interesting. Thanks.

Also, I'd like to add, that at any rate, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so if enough people vote against my changes, I'll revert them.

 

[Ander Vinz]

- Ring of influence is missing description (you can make it unidentified like N'Tala amulet)
- There's no gold in Matthew Jameson's pockets if you choose to keep the ring for yourself. It's illogical.
- Nicholas' dialoge is broken.
- Dresser in the Mooreland residence is missing it's name.
- You can sell "Kherghan and Persephone" to Thaddeus Mynor more than once and quest for Mrs. Garrinsburg doesn't fail upon this.
- If you decline after suggesting a doc worker in Tarant a game of dice you won't be able to play with him later because the line disappears.
- Killing Mr. Plough after completing his quest or after insulting him doesn't result in alignment penalty.
- The line to pay toll doesn't dissapear after you completed Lukan's quest. And the "I'd be honored to hear more about YOU, Lukan" branch shouldn't be cycled, imo.

Also, you made Dark Helm available for purchasing from wise women. Why?

 

[Volrath]

There's a small typo in the dialogue with Aldous Buxington when you talk to him about the elven mystic Mazzerine(sp?). In the dialogue he says that a certain book (can't remember the name) was written 300 years ago, this goes against the lore that's written in the book you can get from Aldous about the pagan gods (specifically says 3000 years ago).

 

[Shambelle]

You must be blind.

I was looking for some added detail, not the zoom out...:wink:

The new one has funny eyes and slightly retarded smile, and altogether looks a bit mentally challenged to me. Or is it just me?

Her eyes are not funny, she's only looking from below and to her right ( when you turn your head to the same direction, you can briefly have the same eyes).
And she doesn't smile, she only has a neutral expression.
Really, this portrait seems taken from a moving person who was photographied doing so.

Also, you made Dark Helm available for purchasing from wise women. Why?

The Dark Helm was always available from wise women, this was never changed...

Ring of influence is missing description (you can make it unidentified like N'Tala amulet)

And mentioning the Ring of influence (G_ABA0DFB9_408E_4108_B7C7_594CBFC3482A), it's heavily bugged.
Two flags are missing (CAN_USE_BOX and NEEDS_TARGET) and, if you add them, you
can only use the Charm spell and not the Dominate spell: you can't have the magic weapon box so you can use only the first spell of its magic list.

 

[Ander Vinz]

Also, you made Dark Helm available for purchasing from wise women. Why?

The Dark Helm was always available from wise women, this was never changed...

My bad. I've never seen them selling it. But I don't usually play mages.

 

[Drog Black Tooth]

- Ring of influence is missing description (you can make it unidentified like N'Tala amulet)

The same thing as with the Hexed Dagger, Caladon's Crusading Chain, etc. There are correct descriptions for all these uniques items in the game. They just forgot to attach them. Caladon's Crusading Chain for example had Amulet of Leadership's description attached to it. That created a rumor that the armor was supposed to give +1 to followers limit, and somebody even created a mod for it, as I heard.

- There's no gold in Matthew Jameson's pockets if you choose to keep the ring for yourself. It's illogical.

The game is not the real world.

- Nicholas' dialoge is broken.

Can you be more specific? I checked it several times. You have to take around 5 or 6 free drinks and then the option to sexually harass him will appear.

- Dresser in the Mooreland residence is missing it's name.

Where's it?

- If you decline after suggesting a doc worker in Tarant a game of dice you won't be able to play with him later because the line disappears.

What do you mean? You can initiate the game only once, there are local flags checking for it.

- Killing Mr. Plough after completing his quest or after insulting him doesn't result in alignment penalty.

I just killed him without taking his quest and didn't get a penalty. He has only 10 alignment, maybe that's the reason.

Also, you made Dark Helm available for purchasing from wise women. Why?

I didn't. The Dark Helm has never been a unique item and was always pretty common at gypsies.

EDIT:

And mentioning the Ring of influence (G_ABA0DFB9_408E_4108_B7C7_594CBFC3482A), it's heavily bugged.
Two flags are missing (CAN_USE_BOX and NEEDS_TARGET) and, if you add them, you
can only use the Charm spell and not the Dominate spell: you can't have the magic weapon box so you can use only the first spell of its magic list.

What? It has no spells attached. It's just missing a description. The original description doesn't mention any spells as well. (ch,be(+3),+Persuasion Skill and +Haggle Skill.)
EDIT: What you meant is called the Negotiator's Ring.

 

[Ander Vinz]

- Nicholas' dialoge is broken.

Can you be more specific? I checked it several times. You have to take around 5 or 6 free drinks and then the option to sexually harass him will appear.

If you have one of my previous saves check how Magnus disbands and rejoins. There's a bug there, as I wrote.
There's also a glich in new Nicholas dialoge: he gives you one drink and says you should buy a girl and whatever you do he keeps repeating the line.

More specific: regardless of what I did before talking to N. (bought a girl, bought two girls, didn't talk to Lil at all) he gives me 1 drink and when I ask for another he says I should go buy a girl or no more drinks. When I buy a girl (or two) he just repeats previous line (go buy a girl or no more drinks).

- Dresser in the Mooreland residence is missing it's name.

Where's it?

Mooreland residence, Tarant. Somewhere near Schuylers.

What do you mean? You can initiate the game only once, there are local flags checking for it.

That's exactly what I meant. It's not a bug then.

 

[Drog Black Tooth]

More specific: regardless of what I did before talking to N. (bought a girl, bought two girls, didn't talk to Lil at all) he gives me 1 drink and when I ask for another he says I should go buy a girl or no more drinks. When I buy a girl (or two) he just repeats previous line (go buy a girl or no more drinks).

It seems to be a problem on your end. It works perfectly. There's a global flag for checking free drinks, and it gets set when you pay money for a girl. Maybe something got messed up if you talked to him earlier (when he still had a generic dialogue). Try starting a new game.