Arcanum: I can't remember if it's worth 5 yuros

[Pedrito]

I bought the game when it was published, and played it a lot, but I rememeber the vanilla game had lots of unresolved issues and ultimately I never finished it.
Now I've found it in a €5 bin in a shop round here, and was considering buying it to play on my less than performing laptop: is there anything I need to know - recent patches, user created content, anything that can enhance the game?

L.

[Razgovory]

What's a Euro worth again?

[Pedrito]

1 yuro = 1,5 dollah

Do your math

L.

[Razgovory]

1 yuro = 1,5 dollah

Do your math

L.

Okay, then the answer is no.

[Slargos]

Any game that isn't completely fucked up is worth its price at €5 IMO.

I never finished it either, but if I picked it up today I would probably get some sort of trainer and max out everything just to explore the story and whatever stuff I couldn't do last time around due to character limitations.

[Galrion]

Absolutely.  There is a great patch by Drog Blacktooth over on the terra arcanum forums.  http://www.terra-arcanum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=14895  Fixes most if not all of the bugs.  Couple other downloads that add some content that wasn't enabled initially as well.  Combat system isn't good, but the characters are interesting and the story is great.  Also has a no CD patch, for when you constantly lose your play disk .

[LaCroix]

i liked the secret gnome conspiracy subplot

and how the gnomes were basically the jews of arcanum

[barkdreg]

Worth it, every cent.

[Razgovory]

i liked the secret gnome conspiracy subplot

and how the gnomes were basically the jews of arcanum

Problem is like so many of the ideas, it doesn't really go anywhere.  The game feels unrealized.

[LaCroix]

which part? the former isn't supposed to go anywhere. it's a realization that the jews gnomes will always be in control and there's no stopping their insidious goals. the latter just provides atmosphere to the game. i think the game excels there. between orcs being used as factory slaves, magic interfering with technology, and even a bill gates-like character who built his success on the theft of ideas from another race, i think the game solidly creates a unique fantasy world that parallels our own in a number of ways.

it's lord of the rings in the victorian age, what more could you want?

[Razgovory]

which part? the former isn't supposed to go anywhere. it's a realization that the jews gnomes will always be in control and there's no stopping their insidious goals. the latter just provides atmosphere to the game. i think the game excels there. between orcs being used as factory slaves, magic interfering with technology, and even a bill gates-like character who built his success on the theft of ideas from another race, i think the game solidly creates a unique fantasy world that parallels our own in a number of ways.

it's lord of the rings in the victorian age, what more could you want?

I'd like a game that is balanced in play with a decent AI and some interesting challenges.

[LaCroix]

different strokes for different people

[Valmy]

The problem with Arcanum is despite what should be a fascinating setting and concept magic is simply better than technology so you sorta end up with swords and spells, and despite a great backstory fighting generic enemies by the bucket load.  I mean there is a ton of fighting in that game, which is odd since it uses a system similar to fallout which was designed to enable you to build a character that can win without killing anybody.

[Caliga]

I played Arcanum quite a bit but never did beat it.  I remember liking it, but I think I got some other game that distracted me and then I never went back to it.

I don't think I could take it up again today, simply because the graphics are so bad by modern standards they would actually hurt my eyes.   I tried to go back to Fallout 2 once and couldn't for this reason.

[Valmy]

I played Arcanum quite a bit but never did beat it.  I remember liking it, but I think I got some other game that distracted me and then I never went back to it.

Pity the surprise ending was one of the best parts.  Totally blew me away.