Please see the following two screenshots. The character is equipped with a fine revolver and has two ranks in firearms (apprentice). I was checking the "to hit" chance versus an ailing wolf at different ranges, and as I was approaching the target the "to hit" chance increased (as expected), but at some distance, approaching one more tile the "to hit" dropped (from 70% to 45%) and then started to slowly increase again when getting closer. Is this a bug or there is some other explanation? At this distance 70% chance: One tile closer, with the target in the same position and no obstacle in between, 45%:
The only thing I can think of is a lighting penalty due to you almost having passed the corner and are therefore unable to take advantage of the lantern to your right. This seems unlikely though. To my recollection the lighting where the PC is standing doesn't affect the "to hit" chance, only the lighting at the target does. I also think that the symbol for lighting penalty is a light bulb not an eye (the eye simply means you're having difficulty seeing the target, often due to distance) so you're probably not suffering from it. In Fallout 1 & 2, long distance weapons such as the sniper rifle suffered from accuracy penalties when they got too close to their targets. However, these penalties increased as you went closer, which they don't in your case, and I can't recall the same penalties existing in Arcanum. And your character is armed with a revolver not a rifle so the point is moot. In all likeliness it's a bug, although one I've never noticed before.
Knowing the specific gun you are using might help, but judging by the picture it appears to be a pistol of some sort, which as far as I know wouldn't explain any of this strangeness. Perhaps somebody else has an answer?
I agree that it seem like lighting penalty, even though there is not symbol indicating this. I don't see anything in the stats of the Fine Revolver that would provide an answer either.
I don't know if it's anything useful, but here is a Wiki page about the Arcanum firearms, in which you can see the statistics of many guns. By all means, I am no expert when it comes to the Arcanum combat since I mostly play in Real-Time Mode. http://arcanum.wikia.com/wiki/Firearms
I'm pretty sure it's a bonus because the wolf is initially unaware (the same bonus you'd get when sneaking), then it becomes aware and the to hit drops (before an increase where it closes range). You don't have to necessarily be sneaking to get these bonuses, just far enough away from the critter so it can't perceive you. All of this is more noticeable in real time, where after your first shot your to hit percentage will drop. At least I think this is the case, it's been a while since I've played.
This can't be the case, because this is happening during a single turn (my turn) and if I move back again one tile with the remaining action points, the "to hit" chance increases back again. Edit: Thinking again, your explanation is plausible. The distance the chance drops may be the distance the enemy becomes aware of your presence and would attack you if you aren't the one starting combat.
That's probably it, an easy way to find out would be to just turn on real time and see if it all checks out (when it's wandering around not attacking you're on 70%, when it runs towards you you're on 45%).
I played this game primarily through turn based, but I can't remember if you get a bonus hit% with firearms if the target was currently unaware of your presence/you weren't already in combat. I really wish I had Arcanum installed on this PC because it's something I could check out pretty quick with my multitude of Shrouded Hills save files. Were those screenshots posted in reverse order? Judging by your action points total, it looks like the first chronological picture was the one where you were one tile closer. If this is the case the "in/out of combat" accuracy bonus wouldn't really apply as you would have been IN combat already in the closer picture, and moving further away shouldn't have caused you to leave combat if you were already in it. Puzzling to say the least. Do you get a bonus to firearms if your character itself is in better lighting? You're standing in visual range of a light source in the "further away" picture. I honestly have no idea, just throwing ideas out there. I would also like to point out that I apparently can't read and was retarded when I asked for the gun that was used when it was clearly stated in the OP. I'm bad and should feel bad about being bad.
It seems that some of the penalties are not counted when the chance to hit is displayed. I missed with over 100% TH displayed in target window (not critically fail), and with 95% or 98% chance to hit I kept missing like five or six times in a row.
Since we're at firearms, does tesla gun has some hidden +critical chance? I score a lot more criticals with it than with the fine revolver, and it's especially effective against the sewer shamblers, killing them in one or two shots with a "melting" animation.
Unfortunately I'm really not sure, and most people who did used to dig around in the files and might know if such a thing were true aren't around much anymore. I guess for now just be happy that the Tesla Gun is pretty ballin' and maybe someone wiser will eventually get back to you.
