Quitting Arcanum

I am through with this game. It is too poorly done. I nominate it for the "Most likely to cause carpal tunnel syndrome" catagory. They put WAY TOO MUCH effort into the character dev and not nearly enough into making the story good. There are too many times when simple changes could have been made to make it less mouse click intensive and the dialog is really retarded in a lot of areas.

Having people necessary to Master quests attack you just because of backgrounds you choose or because you are too high in some stat is retarded as well. I look at the game and I think to myself, here is a game with so much potential to be really great and they missed it every time. They really should have worked on the dialog more and there should have been a lot more keyboard control options than there are.

I rate it a 4 out of 10 due to all the missed potential. I am moving on to some other game.

 

Well, let me give you one example right from the start of the game. You talk to the coward constable and walk toward doc roberts place only to be stopped by a gnome. He says he overheard you saying you were the sole survivor of the crash, you say that is right and the next thing he asks is if other survivors are in town. Doh! Doh! Doh!

Talk about stupid dialog. Sole means only. The game is filled with screwed up dialog like this. You have to work pretty hard to turn a blind eye to it, there is so much of it. So I guess you can strongly disagree all you want, it doesn't change the truth.

 

Actually, it's not that hard to turn a blind I too it. I do it all the time. The guy IS evil, he does want to make sure. You've never asked someone a question twice just to be certain? He works for some creepy guys, I wouldn't want to fuck up if I was doing their jobs either. true the storyline makers probably didn't think that far into it, but even so, if you only want to play a game with no bugs, you're not going to be playing much.

Dude, it's a role-playing game. If you are an Ogre, and you talk to an elf, the elf will probably not like you too much. Dante doesn't like Orcs. It's roleplaying, they tried to make the characters respond naturally, and maybe the Dodge master would naturally dislike you if you were a chick, so he might not want to train you.

Dude, I don't know about the carpal tunnel thing. I don't think it's that bad. Of course, if you don't like mouse-based controls, then you don't like them. It's like what Dark Elf said, to each his own. I think Arcanum's a fantastic game (what exactly about the ending don't you like?) and it's a shame you don't want to play anymore.

 

about the whole mouse click intensive thing... may be you should turn on turn based combat mode, and use the world map button while in towns and dungeons setup way points for yourself so you're not clicking as much...

 

*tries to think of a proper response but settles for*
i dont give a shit if you quit arcanum. i dont know why you bothered to tell us.

 

Ah, because this is a public forum for people to post their thoughts and feelings about the game on????

Maybe you think it was only set up for people who think there is nothing wrong with the game but you are wrong.

I think it is great that you don't care if I quit. I don't care that you are bothered by my post. That makes us even, doesn't it?

 

:roll: Uh-huh... Not been on many forums, have you? (Posts like this are generally considered a no-no on all the forums I frequent... Though at ATMoo the mods have to let people get away with it)

There is a huge difference between saying "This game has flaws such as X, Y, and Z" and saying "This game sucks!". Note that if X, Y, or Z is innacurate then you are actually in the second option even if you used the first.

A lot of what you complain about is because of a nested structure in dialogue -- this prevents several difficulties, and makes designing dialog much easier. While I admit its not perfect, saying that its "really retarded" is name-calling... A definate no-no everywhere I've been. Sure, there are mistakes. NOBODY is perfect. Quite frankly, the one error you named is, to me, actually character development. The guy is in shock, and can't understand what he just overheard (realistic effect)... or he knows that there should be someone else following you (the Melochian Hand guy).

Nope. It just makes you silly.

 

Wow ron, I am really impressed with your staggering intellect. I have been posting on forums for more than 10 years and it is only on narrowminded forums that the kind of censorship you advocate is allowed. On most forums, people are allowed to speak their mind about a product they paid for and their views are accepted for what they are.

If Sierra had given the game away, I would have no right to voice my discontent with the game. However, that is not the case. Good money was spent and equal value was not received. That is my opinion and I have every right to it. It really doesn't matter if you agree or not.

All I can say is that you should get used to it because in the real world, it is seldom, bordering on never that you find everyone in agreement with your point of view. In the real world, most people disagree. When you grow up, you will learn that truth or you will have a miserable life. Even though you tried to be nasty in your reply, I wish for you that you learn to deal with ideas that are not in line with yours. You will live a happier life if you do.

TTFN

 

I'd agree with you, Ron. When I initially reviewed Arcanum, I was especially down on its interface, which still seems to be like trying to stuff a 500-pound elephant in an overnight suitcase. But though the design is hardly intuitive, it is manageable. I tolerate the braindead combat AI of my followers because there's an enormous, well-connected world, a plethora of quests, a relatively well-balanced gaming system (especially with Chris' technocentric mod), the ability to play good and evil (and get different quests if you choose the latter route), beautfiul character creation and development over time, etc. Arcanum is a game of notable positives and drawbacks. Whether it works or not is a matter of how each potential player rates the importance of each of those qualities.

As for the guy who started this thread--folks, if it isn't obvious by now, he's a troll. He's not interested in ceasing to play. He's interested in stirring up a hornet's nest, otherwise he would have either stopped playing in disgust without posting, or posted once and left. Just ignore him, and he'll go away. Trolls feed on aggravated response.

 

No, I am no troll. I do see you point though. I should have done as you said and ignored those who posted negative replies to my post. My only intention was to state that I was stopping and why. Some people just can't let it be when someone doesn't like something they like. Fighting back against my dislike only breeds this kind of thread though.

I apologise for adding to the negativeness of this thread. I did not start the negative aspect but I realize I did help to keep it going. I will do so no longer.

 

!!! Of course I knew he was a troll. Why else would I be feeding him? If it wasn't obvious in my post that I knew he was a troll (and hence was responding to him as one) I'm sorry. I normally only take that kind of hard-line attitude with people I really don't like... and most of those are trolls. The rest are... well, that one is a long story.

On all the forums I've been to, thats true. If you'd listened to what I'd said, certain (admitedly subtle) distinctions changed my meaning. Substantiated statements consisting of things that can be argued (for which evidence is required) are allowed on all the forums I've been on; bashing (which you engaged in) consists of similar statements without specific (as opposed to your general ones) examples from the game; if such things are easily recognizable simply by having played the game through once (i. e. something as recognizable as "Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou...") don't need specific stating.

Your right - you have the right to that opinion. But its really bad manners to come here and babble that out without giving reasons why. And its even worse to name-call, period.

Um... duh. But then, I don't bring comments about how good a game is or questions about how to play it to a forum about how bad it is... Or statements on how bad it is to a forum on how to play it / possible future developments, etc etc.

LOL You thought I was trying to be nasty? Man, you would never last a second at OSMoo, much less ATMoo!

Oh, I know exactly how to deal with ideas that are different than mine. I ask questions, attempt to understand the persons position, and / or attempt to prove him wrong. Its only through arguement that the realality of the situation comes to light... Assuming there isn't a dual reality, as here.

BTW - the majority of my post wasn't on how you were wrong; it was on how you shouldn't have said what you did in the manner you did.

 

Works for me. I'm sorry you didn't like the game, VPoH, but I understand your sense of frustration with it. What kind of RPG are you interested in? Perhaps we could make some recommendations.

 

First, every RPG game has it's good points and bad points. I do find the dialogue lacking sometimes in Arcanum. Then there is the problem with Magnus. :x But you have a wide range of options in character development, quests, weaponry.... It reminds me of playing SHADOWRUN, except no cyber. On a scale of ten, I'd give Arcanum a 8.5. If you really want to play something frustrating, play Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Awesome game, worst combat system I've ever dealt with. And I've been playing RPG's (Paper and video game) for 15 years. But I like everything else about Morrowind, so I keep playing. Besides, VPoH if you are going to quit playing why tell the world? I just toss the games the I quit playing into the shoebox under my desk and forget about them.

 

whats so bad about the combat system for elder scrolls? its just like what it would look like if you were trapped in the body of one of your arcanum characters focused on melee... even if it looks like you hit them it still depends on basic rpg statistics etc, and if you focus on being an archer type character ow this; archers werent meant to travel alone. if you cant kill a melee enemy before he closes with you then good luck, its the same as it would be in true 1on1 medival combat. i also liked the magic system, but i could understand if you had some problems figuring it out at first, lord knows i did. i guess everyone really does have a different opinion on ese types of games

i dont know why VPoH decided to share his distaste with us in the hints and tips section, but whatever. at least hes making conversation and not flaming everyone for being arcanum loving ass pirates...

but what really interests me about your post (i'm talking to serak vulnar) is your mention of "the magnus problem" what are you refferring to? just curious :-? i'd like to know what it is before i encounter it myself you know? :/ :thumbup:

 

i have TES III Morrowind and i love it but ive got this dam glitch so when i create a new character adn get out of the boat it quits. i think magic is overrated in MW however as its extremely easy to dodge a spell, especially at long ranges. ive found in most games that the best character is a pure fighter even though i hate thos characters. i also found the real time combat in arcanum was superior to bothe arcanum turnbased and morrowind. i hate it when you keep attacking someone and your blade goes right through them but doesnt hit. vpoh i wasnt responding maliciously just wondering why it was so important for you to tell us, who are mostly hard-core arcanum fans that you were quitting.as far as i can remember uhave contributed little to none to this board.
I just can't fathom why you'd tell us that you are quitting. No one cares. were u expecting us to try to persuade you to keep playin? im not angry that you are quitting. im not even angry you told us you were quitting i just dont understand why you took the liberty to tell us. sorry to repeat myself but WE DON'T CARE

 

I just wanna say this: if the Dialoge is the main thing about Arc that bugs you, then open up world ed and fix it! I mean seriously! don't come bitching and moaning "oh this games sucks, I'm NEVER playing it agian!" seriously. I can understand your being mad at the game, I oft am, but don't complain needlessly. and if your quitting arcanum, say it at the end of a post about something else, because truthfully? nobody cares. no offense, but this IS the real world! and nobody gives a shit if you stay or leave, play or don't. hopefully you will stick around, since one more char on these boards is pretty interesting, as long as you don't spam a lot, and you don't make all your posts like this... and the troll thing was kinda rude, though how he was acting is a fitting name for it. heh... trolling... :lol:

 

He's already apologized, guys, and pretty decently, too. That's not the conduct of a troll, so can we drop the labels?

 

Mr. Wolf, the "Magnus problem" I referred to is the difficulty in keeping him happy so he's not threatening to leave or actually leaving. I think he's a decent npc, but I've had him try to leave when Molochean Hand assassins attacked us and I killed them. I believe it's a common problem.

The combat system in Morrowind is quite difficult to get the hang of, but I think the game overall is excellent.

 

i wasnt asking about that it was sleek