I'm thinking of getting it, but I'm not sure if I'll like it. I know it has bad graphics, but I don't really care about that. As long as it doesn't use the Fallout-type system of battle, I'm happy. However, how's the mood of the game? I like BG 2, so how does Arcanum match up?

combat is similar to fallout, though if i recall correctly you can switch to real time.

I felt the plot was pretty good, has the fallout ending archetype so things you do in game will result in different endings for the various mini plots/towns.

As for gameplay itself, traveling is a true nuisance i think - but luckily one of the magic schools allows teleportation. also, there are notable side-kick npcs with their own little story and sometimes quests so its somehwat similar to baldurs gate in that fashion.

I really like that game. It is a very large world and it's not a barren wasteland, it's actually full of towns and settlements. I love the way you have to do research just to take up a quest, and there are two uber-quests which no one will give you; you'll have to figure them out by yourself. And I was amazed at the fact that for a game so big and free there's only one combination of character-building which will make the game easier. Everything is quite balanced, except for some spells which are misplaced in the school levels(Identify Object is a level 5 spell, which is the last spell level).
As for real-time playing, do not do it. Enemies will get you dead before you can even choose who to attack. I'm not joking, real-time is not hard-it's impossible! Play it in fast-turn-based, you won't be disappointed.

The only really irritating thing about it is that an magicks user can get WAY stronger than an technics user :(
Elf, sold your soul, is the best build i think.

This will include spoilers and tips to play:
SPOILERS!!!

If you're planning to be a jack-of-all-trades, then a half-elf born under a sign is the way to go. It limits failures, critical failures and critical successes, but when the crits happen, they tend to be extreme(level 1 backstab crit-hits and kills Doc Roberts in one shot).
Technophobia is not worth it. I thought it might be nice but it forbids some quests and disables alot of stuff in the game. Any Frankenstein is a very good history, and fun too. Magical characters can be stronger than technologists, but only if a technologist is ill-prepared. The true strenght of a technologist is it's inventory. He can build a sword at the very beggining of the game, and it will be the best sword untill one gets to the prison island and gets an even faster sword. And let's not forget about pyrotechnic axes and the Iron Clan equipment. A techie walking around dressed in Iron Clan Powered Armorwith and carrying a Vendigrothan Cannon, a hundred explosive grenades and a healing spider-bot or armored and armed Automaton is a godlike character. And it costs very little to be that techie. The game is quite balanced. Unless you play a mage and decide to excell in Water, Divination and Time schools, which are poor.

Be sure to download the patches. Arcanum is EXTREMELY buggy.

I bought it played it and burried it in the deseret. On Moon! I don`t know. I love BG II but this game just didn`t get under my skin like BG did.

Bleh; I was going to be either a Sniper or an Elven Archer; a Mage would be my second choice.

Are all of the classes capable to ending the game?

At first I disliked this game, and said so here in an old thread. Then I gave the game another chance and now I love it.

Being a thief in this game is awesome. It has the best thief engine yet. YOu can enter by windows and even break them.

It's not true that tech characters are weaker than mages. I tried both, and when you know what you are doing, any class can easily kill anything. This game is easy, once you understand the system.

how interactive is this game with it's environment? i heard you can even screw a sheep if you want to.. [img]smile.gif[/img]