Arcanum - getting started

[Melusine]

My new monitor arrived yesterday (YAY) so after I (or rather my flatmates) got it to work properly, the first thing I did was install some games that my old monitor couldn't take (I'd bought a new system a few months ago but still used my old monitor - very frustrating to have a good videocard but no monitor to work it with).

Anyway.

I installed Arcanum, first time I play this game. I'm not looking for any spoilers, but some hints in getting started would be welcome. Such as: is there a freaking pause button on this thing?? And if not, any hints as to how combat can be made easier? Also, technology or magic? Or both? I think I'd be more suited for magic - I'm a half-elven Débutante (higher Beauty and Charisma, but lower Strength and combat skills). Oh and another thing, when leveling up, you can put the character points in stats, skills AND spells, contrary to the D&D system where you start with much higher, fixed stats and get new spells or skills every level. This really bothers me - I only got one point when I levelled up. I put it in Strength or Dexterity I think, but that means I haven't got any Skills or Spells yet! Help!
I'm only at the very beginning of the game, talked to Virgil, accepted him into my party and whacked a few wolves and sewer rats. So no spoilers beyond that please! [img]smile.gif[/img]
Any help would be much appreciated. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Sir Degrader]

MAGIC.
You will get RAPED by tech, it sucks, trust me, I ran out of bullets in the last fight,debutante isn' really a good idea, as there are WAY more exp. points fighting then talking, the game is really unbalanced for this. Go for a magic/melee character. Oh and in the beggining, if you want to get past the bandits at the sherifss house, blow up the bridge materials.

[Melusine]

Thanks for the help. Really nice choice of words, too.
And erm, I specifically asked for no spoilers past where I am now. Oh well, thanks for trying, anyway

[The Hierophant]

Wow, Sarah, you playing the exact same character I play/played. Half-elven, high charisma/beauty (I chose the male portrait with that awesome chin-strap beard. wicked stuff! )

Anyway, I'm shit at this game, I got bored with it and went back to playing fallout 2. There ya go, words of wisdom for ya
My friend finished it with a dwarven technologist. Apparently it was "the fuckin' way to go man". Big guns and all that. But then, my friend was very stoned, and somewhat smelly, when he told me this. So maybe it shouldn't be taken as gospel...

The way I see it, you've just gotta choose a 'style' of play and max it out to the fullest. No middle-ground playing. This is a game of extremes, you have to excell at a particular aspect in order to do well, whether it be guns, melee, spells, diplomacy, whatever. Choose a path (and by the sounds of it you've chosen diplomacy. Well done, a kindred spirit ) and stick with it. Get NPCs to compensate for your weak areas.

[Melusine]

LOL, thanks mate. [img]smile.gif[/img]
Why are you so surprised though? Obviously the characters we chose are the only ones right for cool people like us!

Edit: three sigs in a row is slightly exaggerated...

[ 04-17-2004, 11:38 AM: Message edited by: Melusine ]

[The Hierophant]

**SPOILER!!!! OMFG!!!!! TOTALLY EXTREME SPOILAGE HOLY SHIT!!!!!!****


when you get to Tarant and find the brothel, let me know what sort of options are available for a female character I 'slept' with all of the 'courtesans' *cough* *hookers* *cough* as a male, just wondering if females can do the same... mmmmmmm. Elven girl-on-girl action [img]graemlins/1drool.gif[/img]


Edit
Ps: Yes we are incredibly cool. Most observant of you my child.

[ 04-17-2004, 11:57 AM: Message edited by: The Hierophant ]

[Sir Degrader]

Yeah,that's the only good "high charisma " quest, and the bandits and the bridge aren't really spoilers, it's maybe ten minutes into the game, hehe a spoiler is when I say that the last battle is arch nemesis is actually your father converted to the dark side (or was that starwars?)Anyway, The Hierophant was right, go all the way, magic or tech, choose magic. With tech you can do maybe 20-30 on a critical w/ firearms master with a repeater like I did, or at half the level you could kill the same creature with one spell using magic.

[ 04-17-2004, 05:09 PM: Message edited by: Sir Degrader ]

[Bozos of Bones]

**may contain gameplay(not plot) spoilers**
The thing is that it's IMHO well-balanced between magic and tech. The important thing is not to multi as one diminishes the usefulness of the other. I've beaten the game some 4-5 times now and I know quite alot about it. If you're a debutante try wielding weapons like chakrams, bows(not very powerfull) and such. Concentrate on Willpower for your magic(if you're still up for being a mage) and the Harm spell is one of the best in the entire game. Ditto for Shield of Force.

[Melusine]

Thanks guys! Very helpful. [img]smile.gif[/img]
One more question though - does anyone have any good advice as to how to distribute my character points? Like I said, the fact that you can put them in stats, spells AND skills is sort of confusing. So far I've put all the points I got at character creation and the ones I got levelling up (am at level two or three or so) in stats, and none in skills/spells.
Oh and if Débutante wasn't an awfully good choice, I might still go back and recreate my character. I've only just started playing so that wouldn't be too much of a bother. But then I'd like to know 1. whether a low CHA and Beauty affect the game much (like in Planescape - I like being well-liked in games ) and 2. did most of you go for "no specific background" or are there any backgrounds you would recommend?

Thanks in advance! [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Melusine]

Originally posted by The Hierophant: **SPOILER!!!! OMFG!!!!! TOTALLY EXTREME SPOILAGE HOLY SHIT!!!!!!**** when you get to Tarant and find the brothel, let me know what sort of options are available for a female character I 'slept' with all of the 'courtesans' *cough* *hookers* *cough* as a male, just wondering if females can do the same... mmmmmmm. Elven girl-on-girl action [img]graemlins/1drool.gif[/img] Edit Ps: Yes we are incredibly cool. Most observant of you my child.

Aaaaahhhh that's freaky man! I was just going to reply and thank you for making me laugh really hard, when you logged into MSN. Freaky shit [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Degrader, when I play through a game the first time, quest-wise I like to do everything on my own at first, so any hints on quests that I didn't even know existed are spoilers in my eyes.