help! I want to mod but I currently have a problem

ok first off, I can't open any module in my World Ed! The current Arcanum copy that I'm playing right now isn't mine, and the previous owner has added a lot of new modules to it.

Now, I want to add new towns and locations to the Arcanum world then maybe release it as some sort of "unofficial expansion pack". But the 'Arcanum' module per se doesn't show on the roster of modules, and when I tried opening every other module, the world ed crashed with each and every one of them.

With each successive try the previous unsuccessfully opened module was gone fromt he modules folder so now I have NO modules to open! WTF? :x

so please help me here are my major concerns:

1.) what's going on? what happened to the modules? :-(

2.) can I edit the main module? i.e. Arcanum. If so, how can I open it when it won't show? :-(

3.) where can I get the 1074 patch? the old arcanum website doesn't exist anymore :-(

anyway, thanks in advance

 

Welcome to the modding community!

I've never encountered this problem so I can't give you an answer.
Are you getting any kind of .ocx or .dll is missing message?

This part is for after you get the first problem solved:

2) The best way to edit the main module for other people to use is to unpack it, then create a patch1 (or 2) file.

In the download section, get a copy of DATbuilder and unpack the dats into a separate folder. For example: Create a folder called Unpacked. Inside it make folders named Arcanum1, Arcanum2 - .... Arcanum (for the main DAT), and Patch1.
Note: You'll need to temporarily add a .dat to the end of the Arcanum.patch1 file for DATbuilder to recognize it.

Now unpack all the DATs into their respective folders. You now have the game files available.

Since the UAP has Arcanum 5 and 6 .dat as well as Arcanum.patch1, create a folder called Arcanum7.dat in the main folder of the game. In the Arcanum/modules folder create a folder called Arcanum.patch2.

Now you can add new stuff or what you want to modify to the respective folders and the WorldEd 1.0.6.9 (1070) can see it.

3) In the download section. Arcanum/Official Patches.