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OT: Arcanum?
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RPGDot Forums > CRPGs General

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Drakhan
Village Dweller
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Joined: 24 Dec 2001
Posts: 23
Location: Drakhan
   

For those of you who have played Arcanum, what did you think of it? would you recomend it? I really enjoted the Fallout series, is this a game worth playing, and how many hours of gamplay do you think are involved?
Post Sat Jan 19, 2002 10:04 am
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RingWrath
Jedi Master
Jedi Master




Joined: 08 Jan 2002
Posts: 513
Location: new zealand
   

i would also like to know the answers to these questions, sum one help out?
Post Sat Jan 19, 2002 10:29 am
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I tried it out but I didn't really care for it. I'm a big fan of the Baldurs Gate and Fallout series and I've played all of them but I had a hard time getting into Arcanum. The animation is really poor. Although it just came out last year the graphics look more like something from 4-5 years ago. What I really had a tough time with was the way they try to blend fantasy with technology. It's kinda cool but mostly just plain weird.

The reason I mentioned BG and Fallout is because some of the people that made Arcanum
also worked on those games. Arcanum is very similar to Fallout in some ways. It's just not nearly as good. If you want a good RPG that blends fantasy and technology try Planescape Torment.
Post Sat Jan 19, 2002 11:19 am
 
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I might also recomend trying out Final Fantasy 7 or 8. (7 is better)
Post Sat Jan 19, 2002 11:22 am
 
RingWrath
Jedi Master
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Joined: 08 Jan 2002
Posts: 513
Location: new zealand
   

ah i c,
4-5 years ago?!
5 years ago = very early 1997, warcraft 2 came out in like 96
Post Sat Jan 19, 2002 11:25 am
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The graphic aren't horrible. I just thinks it's kinda funny the way they move and fight. Download the demo and you'll see what I mean. For instance, if you use a bow if fires arrows out really fast. Looks like a damn machine gun or something, and the character sprites look and move like cardboard cutouts.
Post Sat Jan 19, 2002 11:39 am
 
Joey Nipps
Orcan High Command
Orcan High Command




Joined: 03 Jan 2002
Posts: 849
Location: Outer Space
   

I found the game to be quite enjoyable. There is quite a bit of depth and replay value. While it is true that the animations aren't spectacular - it depends on what you play a game for. Do you play (and replay) a game because it is pretty or because it has good game-play?

_________________
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Post Sat Jan 19, 2002 2:23 pm
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At first I was put off by the graphics. They do look rather cardboard cutoutish, and like Fallout theres only one model per player race (one male human, one female human, one male ogre... etc). However, the games storyline is great. I LOVE the blending of fantastic steam age technology and magic. The game could have been called Shadowrun: 1885.

The replay value is high. Really high. I haven't completed it because I restart every day. Tech characters, fighters, negotiators, mages, combinations, good, evil, selfish, thieving, smart, dumb... the game changes slightly with every combination, and your tactics sure as hell have to. (It's all well and good for a level 15 mage to destroy the game without breaking a sweat... try it with a sickly feeble scientist. Your inventions don't renew themselves like a mages magic points do....).

Other than the severe unbalances (they say humans use technology because its easier... oh really? Then how come there are 5 levels of wizard spells in 12 schools, any one of which can win the game... and 7 levels of technology in 8 disciplines... and you need two or three of them maxed in order to get the really good stuff.)

A mage at level 15 can disintegrate any opponent in the game. A technologist at level 15... well... depending...

He can make dynamite, which isn't so useful (or safe!) in combat (great on doors when you don't want to bother finding the key though. ) Or maybe a clockwork spider golem (cool). IF he can find the parts (not so cool). WHile the mage keeps on blasting, pausing to swig down some potions to keep his energy up.

But it's a great game despite the inbalance. If you want ot win fast, play a mage. If you want to level fast, play a fighter. if you want a challenge play a technologist. if you want to pull your hair out in frustration and throw your monitor through a window play a technomancer.
Post Sat Jan 19, 2002 3:30 pm
 
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I probably should give the game another chance. Maybe I'll pick it up later on at a discount. Won't be anytime soon though because I'm getting ready to play the entire
Baldurs Gate series(+ expansions) from beginning to end.

I love the way combat is handled in BG which is another reason I had a tough time getting into Arcanum. That semi-turned based combat didn't suit my taste at all, and I also prefer to have full control over the NPC's in my party and Arcanum doesn't offer that option.
Post Sat Jan 19, 2002 7:09 pm
 
Llama
High Emperor
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Joined: 11 Oct 2001
Posts: 509
Location: Earth
   

Arcanum is one of the most unbalanced games I've ever played.

Along with graphics looking several years old, repetative sound, a wonderful musical score ranging of 2 songs played over and over and over and over and over and over... the game basically sucks.
Post Sat Jan 19, 2002 7:42 pm
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Max Killen
Exalted Potentate
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Joined: 04 Dec 2001
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Location: Why not Minot?
   

I only finished about half of the game. I was bored to death. Been there, done that with a lot better games.
Post Sat Jan 19, 2002 7:55 pm
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dunno
Eager Tradesman
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Joined: 30 Dec 2001
Posts: 32
   

Arcanum is a pretty good game, but there are several flaws that prevent it from being a great game. Even though some of the developers are from the original Fallout team, the way they made the game certainly doesn't make it seem so (i.e. the game isn't nearly as good as Fallout, IMO).

Even though the game doesn't have complex graphics, some people tend to get slowdowns and pauses even with top-of-the-line PCs so you'd best try out the demo first and see if it works well.

There's also some game-balance issues. Magic and Melee are WAY overpowered and playing a Technologist or using a ranged weapon is quite a bit harder and the devs don't give a damn no matter how many people post on their msg boards discussing the inbalance. But it's still not as unbalanced as Gothic in that sense so it's not too hard to beat as a pure Technologist or ranged weaponer.

Also, don't buy the game for multiplayer. It's not worth your time. The singleplayer is good but the multiplayer is very poorly implemented.
Post Sat Jan 19, 2002 10:00 pm
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Drakhan
Village Dweller
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Joined: 24 Dec 2001
Posts: 23
Location: Drakhan
   

Well, thank you for all of the input, I especially enjoyed the comment about what would happen if one were to play a Technologist

Pulling hair and throwing monitors is really fun

Well, seeing as how I love fallout (all of them) and Baldur's Gate (even though I can never seem to dedicate enough time to beating it, I own them all plus expansions). I think I'm gonna give arcanum a chance. I downloaded the demo, it ran fine, and I can get past the low-end graphics and the sub-par sound, and it seems to be quite fun. (I have also found that combat is handeled far better when playing in the turn-based mode )

If anyone else out there has amything to add regaurding this game, I am always greatful to read whatever poeple post (negetive and Positive).

Thanks for the info.

[ This Message was edited by: Drakhan on 2002-01-19 19:59 ]

[ This Message was edited by: Drakhan on 2002-01-19 20:01 ]

[ This Message was edited by: Drakhan on 2002-01-19 20:02 ]
Post Sun Jan 20, 2002 1:58 am
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Gorath
Mostly Harmless
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Joined: 03 Sep 2001
Posts: 6327
Location: NRW, Germany
   

You can continue this discussion in the Gerneral CRPG forum soon.
Post Sun Jan 20, 2002 11:50 am
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Di
Village Dweller
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Joined: 22 Jan 2002
Posts: 16
   

I looked forward to Arcanum literally for years. I drooled for it, knew the background of those who were designing it (I mean, Fallout 2 is in my all-time favorite list)and could not wait to get my hands on it. When I finally did, I could not have been more disappointed.

I know a lot of people love the game, although I honestly cannot see why. In my opinion, it was mediocre at best. Yes, I played it all the way through and having done so, could not muster the slightest enthusiasm for playing it again although I've played most of the great RPG's (all the BG series, Fallouts, Torment, FF series, Anachronox, M&M, you name it) a dozen times each.

Arcanum was for me a disappointing dud for all the reasons others have mentioned here. I cannot recommend it. Gothic, however, with all its warts is a wonderful, unique game that I CAN recommend. It too has bugs and problems, but it's worth the frustration factor if you are blessed with a machine that can run it.

~Di
Post Thu Jan 24, 2002 6:16 pm
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