Parrallel Story

In the first Arcanum, we experienced a world where Magic was on the decline. Technology was the new wave and everbody wanted on the band-wagon. So, why not a storyline that is parrallel to the Arcanum story, but set on a different continent where tech. is just arriving and nobobdy knows about the Tech v. Magic movement.

I can see it now... Mages greeting steamshovellers with open arms, just before they both get blown to smithereenes. Also, since magic is the upper hand on the world, different spells. I have seen all the spells and even found uses for all of them, but they get really old after a while.
Ex. ~Teleportation is a great way to travel, but *zip* there and *zip* back can be a bit redundant.
I don't mean change them up entirely, but what about, say, "walking the corridors of magic" when you teleport. Why not a spell to take you to different planes?

Technology: I understand that this is a fantastical world, but to many of us, it is more real than the real world is real and the real world is fantastical in comparison to the fantastical world which we see as real, but why so many imaginative technological things. I'm not saying this just because I am partial to magic, but what about more likely technological devices. Change things up a bit to make it all the more supposable.

Misc.: 1 Travel could be a bit more fun. Random encounters always seem to be with enemies. Why can't you stumble upon an NPC once in a while. I mean, are you really the only person that moves between towns? Seems a bit odd don't you think? What happens if a rustic town is short on winter clothing- someone goes into the nearest big city and buys some, that's what.
2 Conversation is always a bit bland. Sure, you can talk to a lot of people, but what about those gusy who all they say is "Can I help you?" and then turn away.
Also, what about an off topic subject? If you hear about a big stash of treasure in the caves near a backwater town, and you travel to that town, why can't you ask the people ther about it? Or even the people of another town? Somebody else is sure to have heard something, especially if some nobody from out of town heard about it.
3 Why does every creature automatically attack? I remember being a lvl. 43 mage, fighting off a pack of sewer rats just because they were programmed to attack me. Maybe enemies could size you up first. I know I do it. Let's see, I'm level eight and he's level ten, but Virgil is with me so I can count on a distraction for at least two turns...
Something I noticed in Fallout 2 is that you could box in New Reno. Why not in Arcanum? Maybe not box, perse, but make bets on fights, participate in the fights, etc.
4 Pack Animals! Pack Animals! Pack Animals! It gets sooooooo tiring having to rearrange your equipment just so you can pick up a ring you need for a quest when you're already loaded down with equally important items and weapons. True, I do use my followers as pack animals sometimes, but then everbody is reeeeaaaallllly sssllllloooooowww. ANd it would look realll cool, I mean REALLY cool, to see your mage come riding up on a white stallion, his robes flowing behind him, staff held high (LOTR RTK movie previews ) Flowing robes just reminded me-cloaks. Nice hooded cloaks. Who doesn't want one?
5 Prisons: Yes I saw them in the first one, but you never get thrown into one. Guards just kill you! Maybe a good punch in the jaw could just knock you out-fatigue-and you could wake up in a jail cell. Some people would argue that this would be a waste of time, but I say: If you can't do the time, don't get caught. You could even post bail or something.
Mixture of points 3 and 5: when you're followers do something wrong, all of a sudden your public enemy number one. Why can't I stand back while a mob beats my follower and dras him off to prison and then maybe go spring him? That would be a lot better that aving to kill everybody, making more people hat you, and having to kill them, etc.

Well, I realize that that is a big post, so I will end on that note. Mae Govannen.

P.S. the corridors of magic idea is from the book series Dragonlance. Buy it!

~So says Madel, Ranger of the Three Moons. :smoke: