World Aptitude - something for Arcanum 2?

Discussion in 'Arcanum 2 Suggestion Forum' started by Dark Elf, Nov 5, 2002.

Remove all ads!
Support Terra-Arcanum:

GOG.com

PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!
  1. Dark Elf

    Dark Elf Administrator Staff Member

    Messages:
    10,796
    Media:
    34
    Likes Received:
    164
    Joined:
    Feb 6, 2002
    An interesting feature in an Arcanum sequel would be a World Aptitude, ie the bias for Magick/Technology in the world as a whole. Could be nice to have quests related to that.

    Imagine yourself being catched up by a shady dark elf imploring you to assassinate some gnome scientists that are dangerously close making some great technological breakthrough. Since you're a wizard, and not that noble, you decide to make rid of these nasty garden statues before they invent their hellish machine.

    Upon killing these gnomes, the technological aptitude in the world as a whole drops slightly, and wizards would have it a bit easier. Likewise, if you decide to grab your oversized rifle and blast the city of Tulla into rubble, the technological aptitude in the world increases.

    Could be fun if this had an effect in the game (ie higher magick aptitude = common people abandoning tech for magick and the reverse, and change the end sequence)

    "Local Aptitude" would also be nice - it should be far easier to be a gun-toting bandit in the caves of a dwarven clan, as well as a wizard would find his spells being exceptionally potent while strolling in the Glimmering Forest. And the reverse. A technologists gagdet would be malfunctional if brought into T'sen Ang and a minor magickal artifact would mold to dust within the halls of the Wheel Clan. The local, or global, aptitude should result in increase/decrease of one's aptitude, just like the case with the backgrounds "Day Mage", "Night Mage" etc etc and possibly pull ones' aptitude above 100%, making your gun/spell an extremely powerful tool.

    What do the community think of this?

    Also, as a small note, I would like to see elves whitout a Constitution penalty in Arcanum II (if we'll ever see it, that is). Decrease their strenght further instead. Con is important for spellcasters! And elves are supposed to be mighty wizards. Better give them a bonus or no adjustment at all.
     
  2. Eternal Dreamer

    Eternal Dreamer New Member

    Messages:
    16
    Likes Received:
    0
    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2002
    [​IMG] Now that's a bright idea! I only wonder how difficult it would be to implement. Regardless, it's a great idea in my book. *cheers for Dark Elf*
     
  3. DarkUnderlord

    DarkUnderlord Administrator Staff Member

    Messages:
    4,315
    Likes Received:
    5
    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2001
    It is a good idea. It can actually be done at the moment too. Checking your characters aptitude is possible already. Essentially more quests for certain characters. It just means more grunt work.
     
  4. Drugar

    Drugar New Member

    Messages:
    113
    Likes Received:
    0
    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2002
    *Low fives Dark Elf*

    Capital idea lad! Another different ending to the game as wel, if you've destroyed every damn mage out there....
     
  5. zxcvbnmnbvcxz123

    zxcvbnmnbvcxz123 New Member

    Messages:
    52
    Likes Received:
    0
    Joined:
    Sep 29, 2002
    :-o Good idea... I wonder why I havent thought of it.. It makes perfect sense and can be done...

    2/4/6 post-endings, like after the base ending goes, it has another ending that is -

    And everyone started to use technology(magic) because you killed those pesky elves(dwarves)

    OR

    Most people shunned Magic (Tehcnology) and felt the new (old) ways were better. But the people of Tulla (The dwarfs) still accepted Magic (Technology) but were now very secrative

    OR

    People realized the advanteges that Magic (Tech) had over Tech (Magic) Many disputes were had and a war was fought between Tulla and some technologicaly based city/collection of short fat bearded little people. The (whoever u killed less, magic or tech) won but arcanum suffered so many casulties that it never fully developed...


    well the last one was kinda bad but it gets me wondering... what would happen if a 100 tech aptitude dwarf and a 100 magick apptitude elf fought?
     
  6. Dark Elf

    Dark Elf Administrator Staff Member

    Messages:
    10,796
    Media:
    34
    Likes Received:
    164
    Joined:
    Feb 6, 2002
    Well, according to the Arcanum manual, nothing special would happen. Since their aptitudes are equally strong, both spell and gun will work perfectly.

    In Arcanum, it's the one with the higher aptitude that is the winner. If the dwarf had 100% technological aptitude and the elf had a magickal aptitude of 50, the elf will miscast spells and cut himself on his magickal sword, while the dwarf would have great success with his elephant gun.
     
  7. Drugar

    Drugar New Member

    Messages:
    113
    Likes Received:
    0
    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2002
    Dunnae ye be insultin' tha Dwaarves! *whacks Zxcvbnmnbvcxz with his Flamberge*

    Reet, anyway, I think Tech has an advantage though....if you're far away from a powerful mage with a sniper rifle, his magick will not influence your gun, and neither will it stop a 3 inch sniper bullet from entering his brain.
    However, if a mage sees a techie from a long distance, a lot of his spells will have no effect, as his technological aura distorts the magic thrown at him.

    The bullet is no tech, the gun is, so the bullet is not affected, if the techie is far enough away from the mage.
     
  8. xento

    xento New Member

    Messages:
    3,116
    Likes Received:
    0
    Joined:
    Jun 18, 2002
    Great ideas, Dark Elf!
    I agree with the magick/bullet(gun) thing. A bullet is just a piece of metal.
    However, unless you sabatoge it by hand, how does a gun not work? All it does is make a piece of metal shoot forward (which was held by a spring) and hit the back of the bullet, causing an explosion. What could go wrong? At least not with the simple flintlock and revolver.
     
  9. Icairus

    Icairus New Member

    Messages:
    744
    Likes Received:
    0
    Joined:
    Oct 12, 2002
    Magick/Bullet

    magick/bullet thing: Using the old excuse that guns don't kill people, bullets do. Magick bends the rules of physics, that's the whole premise of it, so it is quite possible that the bullet would miss
     
  10. Amos Trask

    Amos Trask New Member

    Messages:
    244
    Likes Received:
    0
    Joined:
    May 30, 2001
    If you've done any reading in quantum theory you probably know about the cat in the box theory, which has more holes than arcanums plot, and even less to do with it.

    the gun fires an explosion happens, because the trigger was pulled releasing the potential elastic energy held by the hammer which scrapes very quickly past a metal board next to a gun pwder charge. The friction creates heat that causes a spark from the metal to hit the charge causing a chemical reaction at this temperature creating a good deal of heat, kinetic energy and waste gases the force pushes the bullet out.

    In conclusion my post count is up by 1
     
  11. Amos Trask

    Amos Trask New Member

    Messages:
    244
    Likes Received:
    0
    Joined:
    May 30, 2001
    If you've done any reading in quantum theory you probably know about the cat in the box theory, which has more holes than arcanums plot, and even less to do with it.

    the gun fires an explosion happens, because the trigger was pulled releasing the potential elastic energy held by the hammer which scrapes very quickly past a metal board next to a gun pwder charge. The friction creates heat that causes a spark from the metal to hit the charge causing a chemical reaction at this temperature creating a good deal of heat, kinetic energy and waste gases the force pushes the bullet out.

    In conclusion my post count is up by 1
     
  12. Ray Stryke

    Ray Stryke New Member

    Messages:
    169
    Likes Received:
    0
    Joined:
    Nov 27, 2002
    you mean 2? :D
     
  13. Arconis Trava

    Arconis Trava New Member

    Messages:
    43
    Likes Received:
    0
    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2003
    i cant find the quote, but someone said that magick (lets use the spellings in the game, shall we?) distorts the natural physics of the world, so the bullet would concievably miss.
    Now, back to the original topic. I think that its a great idea, but what about everyone else. WHat about the theives who want to steal the guns and the magick swords, what about the bowmen who have preception goggles and dexterity increasing boots, what about the sword men who only want to kill people whith their big good-old fashion 6 foot greatswords.
    I think that there is alot of stuf in the game about that magick vs technilogy, but there are other pathes people can take, with keeping an almost 0 tech-magick aptitude rating.
    All i ask is that we think about the other, neutral people.
     
Our Host!