Arcanum 2 Total Conversion?

I concur as well. I was actually thinking of posting something similar to the "people can pick up where others left off" plan. Personally, I'm willing to put in the effort to see this done. I'm well aware that it will take a very, very long time, but I've also made warcraft 3 maps and a campaign (well, it's only 2 missions so far but hey) which are a massive investment of time and effort (months, potentially years depending on available time).

To me, whether or not I stay with a project every single minute is irrevalent. This isn't going to be like a job, so there are no deadlines and I can always come back to it. This is what I do with warcraft 3 maps (usually spending a few intense weeks a year on maps and then leaving it till next year as there's nothing motivating me other then myself).

However, I find peer pressure can work wonders for making me stick to something big (even if I'd rather do something easier at the time). Case in point; painting games workshop models is infinitely easier when there's a tournament coming up, as well as making warcraft 3 maps when others want to play them.

If there are other people willing to help me, then I'l keep chipping away at this until it's done. At the moment, I'm going through the unreal 3 map making tutorials, so let me know if you guys are interested in using it (I want to learn it reguardless whether or not we use it).

Update:
Speaking of guidance, I'll be willing to help provide coordination. I was always the team leader at uni, so I've ironed out at least some of the kinks with coordinating a group project.

 

A game that could be useful is Titan Quest. They have a recipe system to make powerful artifacts, and a humongous play world. Honestly, though, most of it looks like it would fit in the Vendigroth Wastes, considering the game takes place in areas ranging from Greece to Babylon.
Whatever the case, the game automatically has an isometric view. I guess the biggest problem would be to shy away from the hack and slash aura that permeates the game. Every quest involves killing countless enemies, then maybe grabbing one inane object, and returning to your point of origin.
Also, there are tabs that allow for your character to learn disciplines. They could be altered to let you learn magic or technology. Also, you've only got three stats;
Strength, Dexterity, and Intelligence. Putting something in the game that has people recoil from an ugly character or swoon over a pretty one might be an offset.

Ah, it looks like I didn't read the last few posts before mine...

How does the Unreal Engine work, as far as malleability goes?

The most I've ever done, as far as modding goes, is change the size of weapons in Quake 3, change their sound effects, and change their damage/effects.
I made the machine gun fire rocket rounds with splash damage that covered nearly an entire level.

 

If the manual is anything to go by, you should be able to do practically anything provided you know how (just like in warcraft 3). As for personal experiance, I have no idea. So far I only know how to build a simple level with lights, 3D objects and textures. UT3 has over 20+ hours of video tutorials and I've only done an hour and a quarter - so there's still probably alot to go before I learn how to do what we're interested in.

Update: ( 24/02/08 )
Apparently unreal does have a way of linking levels, so that's good to know. Unfortunately I'll have to find seperate programs and tutorials for making weopons, characters, animations and textures. I remember trying something similar ages ago (it was days and days of searching followed by giving up). Would anyone happen to know of sites I could go to to find these things?

Update: ( 8/03/08 )
Has anyone heard of GMAX (Pretty sure it's GMAX)? Apparently it's pretty much the same as 3D studio max 2008. I say this because 3D Studio Max 2008 is capable of creating very complex 3D objects and animations (Among other things). You can import things such as models to UT3, so for people who want a free 3D drawing tool, search for GMAX and GMAX tutorials on google.

Oh, and sorry I haven't posted in so long - uni is taking up a fair bit of my time. I still have time to do a bit of work every week or so on this, I just won't be able to post almost every day like I did before.

Update: ( 22/03/08 )
In about 2/3 weeks I'll have my mid semester break. People don't seem to be replying at all (probably due to uni/school) so i'm letting you all know I'm still in this and waiting for replies though I'll probably only be able to do work on the project in my break.

 

I'm not sure. I haven't actually touched the UT3 tutorials since the begining of uni, but if memory serves, there should be something the equivalent of triggers (called Unreal Kismet) in warcraft 3. I.e. event, conditions, action. The last tutorial I looked at was basically the intro into it, so I'm not sure what all (indeed almost any) of it's capabilities are.

When my holidays come around, I'll continue the tutes and (if i have time) research the topics you mentioned if they aren't in the tutes. My holidays are looking pretty full (half uni work and at least 3 special events) so if there's anyone who can assist me with this, please let me know.

While I remember, here's a short to-do list:

Discover the capabilities of Unreal 3 in relation to (among others)
- stats/dialogue options
- stat dependant dialogues
- inventory screens
- quest system

What I know so far (well mostly that it's possible to do) is:
- The editor can create levels via a builder drush
- It comes with heaps of static meshes (3D objects)
- It comes with heaps of textures
- You can import objects, textures and other things I don't remember
- Doors that open and close
- Special effects like steam and lighting
- How to place objects (like weapons and player spawners)

Update: 28th April 2008
Sorry I never posted on my holidays. Unfortunately my lecturers decided I should actually work even harder on my holidays then normal, so I just didn't have the energy. It looks like I won't be able to do anything significant till after my exams (at least a month or two away).

Still, in a way I've made progress. I know know how to create and animate 3d character models in 3ds max. All I gotta do now is learn gmax (which hopefully will be similar enough to relearn stuff quickly).

Which reminds me, if anyone is wondering what kind of skills they need to provide, people with skills in 3d modelling would be appreciated. It takes a lot of time to make a model(and I mean a low poly one) so the more people wokring on that the merrier. Which also reminds me, what kind of models do we want to make? I was thinking arcanum models but 3d as well as new ones that we want to include of a similar style.

Update: 10th June 2008
Well exams next week, so around a week or 2 from now, I'll be able to throw myself back into this fully. I know people are busy with uni or school, but even a short reply would be awsome (and I can't double post so anyone watching this thread won't know I've been updating it).

Update: 25th June 2008
Exams over at last and I've gone back to the UT3 tutorials. The editor looks capable of alot, tho I'm still not sure about key things like a journal, or leveling up etc. I've made a post about this on the epic games forums here
http://utforums.epicgames.com/showthrea ... st25418205
just in case anyone there has some ideas.

 

Earlier up i read about the idea of using the oblivion editor, sparking an idea. Cant we wait till fallout 3 comes out and modify that? It follows the same engine as oblivion, yet it's even closer in terms of skills, combat, and even turn-by-turn.

 

Fair enough. I'll try to learn the UT3 editor anyway (to make maps as much as a 3D Arcanum). I've never played the fallout games, though I might give them a try. When Fallout 3 does come out, let me know what its editor is like - if it's what we want, I'll buy the game.

 

You think is a good idea to create a website with the contents, ideas, and people who are willing to work on this?

Also I think the best choice would be modding Oblivion.
Me and a friend can help in the storyline, and some concept art, desing (but not modeling), etc.

Talk to my MSN sceamerarg@hotmail.com

 

Having a website would be handy - if we can get someone who knows how to make one, that it would be cool. As for the engine, I have no idea. Thescroll mentioned using fallout and there have been other people who mentioned Oblivion - however I have no idea what these engines are capable of (advantages and disadvantages of each).

If you could make some kind of list of Oblivion's capabilities that would be very useful. Also, I think before we go on to storyboarding, let's try and re-create the rules and items etc of the original game. Then we can see how it should be improved, and/or simply come up with ideas that work with it. This would mean we'd need a complete list of items, combinations, stats, skills and magic etc. Even if we don't end up using all of it, we'd have one easy to review document which contained all of what Arcanum could do.

Just as an aside; maybe even before we put all these rules into the engine, let's make a database so we know all the rules how a character's stats and skills etc should interact. I don't know if oblivion has anything which makes knowing the forumlas obsolete, but it's a thought.

Please let me know of any thoughts you have on what I've said. My email is: squ333ck@hotmail.com - MSN is useful, but going by reply times, we have a bit of a time difference. (Going by my time, I submitted at 9:39 am)

 

You might have a hard time with oblivion, considering that it doesn't have firearms or any kind of technology that resembles arcanum at all. Fallout would be way closer.

Also, it's going to be hard to recreate the weapons and items, considering that you have 2d art rather than 3d models. Good luck, though.

 

Fair enough. I've done unit on 3D modelling, so I don't think recreating the weopons and items will be a problem. It'll be the time and error checking that will be the real effort. Does Fallout allow 3D objects and animations to be exported to it? I've successfully exported a 3D character with tectures to the torque game engine, but I've no idea about fallout.

On a related note, does anyone here know how to make textures? I've only ever used ones from the net so far.

Update:
Wait a moment, do you mean the current fallout is 2D? If it is, I'll just wait for fallout 3.

 

I was talking about fallout 3, because alot of people have been saying 'oblivion', but fallout 3 is really a modifictation to what makes of oblivion, and itll include stats that are almost matching with arcanums, as well as some turn based support, etc.
I think that the biggest part though would be to get so many 3d models for arcanum, as well as the tech/item combining to work.

 

Alright, good news and bad: good news is that I took the time to disassemble it. Bad news is that it came out in base64, and I'm now going to bed. Yours to play with:

 

Um, what exactly is this?

 

Wow its cool that there is interest in making a sequel or continuation of Arcanum.
My thoughts are to use one of these two engines, they represent tome more what Arcanum would play like then a full 3D engine like OGRE. Also these all have toolsets to make building and scripting way easier:

1. NWN engines Aurora or Electron. With the addition of the D20 Modern mod for firearms.

2. Xplorations RPG (an isometric 2.5d game making application)
This would be the second easiest to learn
http://www.explore-rpg.com/

You should be able to convert rulesets enough tomatch Arcanum's rules. There was a Shadowrun NWN conversion using the D20 Modern mod for NWN that was in progress, there was a downloadable beta finished.

I am good for ideas, design, plots, missions/qiests, dialogues, artwork, and some programming/scripting-would ned to learn more. But I only have a few hours per week to help.

 

I'd be glad to contribute, the game is the love of my life, it's my wife even.
I may be able to draw pictures, old-fashion-like, like in the original game, with strange faces, mysterious and gloomy (not like the kitch fan artwork I have often seen on the web -I don't mean to offend anyone), maybe even oil paintings-like.
It's your call.
Or just give brilliant ideas like sayin' "hey guys, make it multiplayer!"
or "when a player achieves a quest, make that appear in the day's newspapers".
Or join a modding team
Though I don't know anything about modding.
I'll read the topic tomorrow.

ps: I too have always dreamt of a first-person Arcanum ever since I was a kid

 

Alright, so what have you eventually decided guys?

I don't like to be negative, and I don't want to be a dick guys but that's strange that the frequentation of this thread is so low, and the posts are so distant in time... It's a bad omen don't you think?
And there's nothing concrete...
You should first dedicate a site, a dedicated forum & start recruiting as many people as you can. That might be a first step towards a general exaltation...?

 

You're not the first to bring this up, and you won't be the last.

But by all means, continue. Don't give up. It's kind of cute. Your enthusiasm, that is.

 

And what about you go fuck yourself?

Don't take it literally, I don't want to be banned. Just consider it like an option.