Need lotsa help.

Mordred · #1 (**permalink**) 12-19-2004, 04:48 AM

Hi, guys. I just bought Arcanum (it's a miracle I was able to find a copy) and my copy doesn't have a manual. I know, I can still play thru the game, but I'm missing out on a lot of things. Could you guys help me out with these stuff?

1. Hotkeys (for casting, combat toggle, etc..)
2. Abbreviated stuff (FT, NP, etc..)
3. How do I use my healing skill?
4. And lastly, what skills should I improve to make an effective magick melee fighter who steals extensively? (hehe) I mean, how do I balance my skills between thievery and martial stuff?

One comment about the game, though. It would've been a hell lot better if the followers could be controlled BGII style. Just an opinion.

Deadalready · #2 (**permalink**) 12-19-2004, 08:59 AM

1. Hotkeys (for casting, combat toggle, etc..)
2. Abbreviated stuff (FT, NP, etc..)
3. How do I use my healing skill?
4. And lastly, what skills should I improve to make an effective magick melee fighter who steals extensively? (hehe) I mean, how do I balance my skills between thievery and martial stuff?

1. I'm not sure about many of them, but I know Space bar toggles between turn based and real time fighting.
F1-F6 Control your followers somewhat
A and S I think uses the last skill you used.

2. FT - Fatigue?
NP - Something to do with Noise when sneaking, I'm pretty sure this is a bad thing.
ER, PR, DR - Electrical Resistance, Poison Resistance, Damage Resistance ~ just something ending in resistance.
CN, ST, PE, AG, BE, CH - Constitution, Strength, Perception, Agility, Beauty, Charisma and the other stats your character has. Should be simple to work out.

3. To use your healing skill requires you to have bandages, which can be brought at many of the stores around. Just buy a few and drag one of them into your quick slot and you can use it by pressing the right number or clicking on the bandages and clicking on the person you want to heal.

4. Trial and Error, there's a few characters you can make but the main decider is the annoying fight at the gates to leave Shrouded Hills.

Mordred · #3 (**permalink**) 12-19-2004, 11:00 AM

Thanks a lot for the help, man.

Mordred · #4 (**permalink**) 12-19-2004, 09:18 PM

Hmm.. It seems there's still a lot of stuff I need to know. Does anyone know of any online manual?

Deadalready · #5 (**permalink**) 12-20-2004, 09:24 AM

Have you tried game banshee itself?
http://www.gamebanshee.com/arcanum/

Not great but fair, kinda more like the manual when it comes to info (which reads more like a fan fiction rather than a manual). Unfortunately I remember the manual being not that helpful...

Ruds · #6 (**permalink**) 12-20-2004, 05:17 PM

FT is fatigue, or how much stamina your attacks drain from your opponent. Drain them enough and they may fall unconscious.

NP is noise penalty, or how penalyzing this armor is when you try to sneak around while wearing it. You want a SMALL (or nonexistant) noise penalty. A negative number means that some of the noises you make are actually absorbed or muffled (providing a bonus).

If memory serves, your healing skill allows you to create better healing items (herbs, salves, cures, remedies, panacea, etc).

A tip... the actual stealing skill is almost useless. Most "stealing" was a result of sneaking and picking a box open and taking what was inside it. I did very little pick pocketing in where I stole from another character directly from their person. Sneaking is extremely powerful in Arcanum - you can get tons of items, and a master sneak can sneak during combat (absurdly powerful with the right kinds of firearms).

Not all RPGs are BG2, nor should they be. I'm glad not all games allow full control over all party members. I found it refreshing that Arcanum restricted your control over your teammates. It allowed for the micromanagement with your main character to be tolerable without being overly tedious.