Arcanum - 50% Off @ GOG

If you don't already own Arcanum, $2.99 at GOG is an absolute steal for a classic game.
More information.

A marvelous deal.

Will it run? I can't get my original boxed game to play properly. Something is up with the game clock and it runs at some ridiculous speed.

Originally Posted by ToddMcF2002
Will it run? I can't get my original boxed game to play properly. Something is up with the game clock and it runs at some ridiculous speed.

The entire purpose of GoG is to re-release old games that they've updated to run on modern machines.

Originally Posted by Davion
The entire purpose of GoG is to re-release old games that they've updated to run on modern machines.

In theory: Yes. However, in practice you need to carefully check the requirements for each game. For example, according to GOG, Arcanum will only work on Windows XP and Vista (32-/64-bit). This means that it most likely will not work on any other OSs than the ones listed, i.e. it probably won't work (at least not flawlessly) on Windows 7.
If Todd is running Win 7 then I'd recommend to him to hold off on a purchase until GOG officially greenlights Windows 7 (or advise him to check the GOG forums for potential Win 7 workarounds if there are any at all).

That would be a shock. Windows 7 is just an upgraded Vista.

Well, I think can can cough up $3 to find out. Downloading now.

Edit: It mostly works. The videos aren't playing right in the game but the game itself is working fine.

I looked in the modules directory, found the movies, and played one with SMPlayer just fine. There's a binkw32.dll file in the root which might be causing issues. I'll dink around with it some more.

P.S. The manual is 187 pages! Where's a printer when I need one?? (And no, not the one at work, which happens to be right outside the CIO's office.)

Originally Posted by Moriendor
This means that it most likely will not work on any other OSs than the ones listed, i.e. it probably won't work (at least not flawlessly) on Windows 7.

"Most likely" is a bit much. They only tag OSs onto the titles after extensive testing. If an OS is not listed it doesn't mean the game is unlikely to work on it, just that they haven't tested it on a wide enough range of set-ups to feel they can guarantee it will.

It is kind of a matter of luck from there on out, that's true.

Originally Posted by Zloth
P.S. The manual is 187 pages! Where's a printer when I need one?? (And no, not the one at work, which happens to be right outside the CIO's office.)

I love the manual for Arcanum. I still have my original big box version of the game, and everything that came with it. The manual is one of those rare ones where you can tell they really put a lot of effort into it.

Too bad no one makes those anymore….

I still have my Arcanum CD, but I ended up buying it on GOG regardless. Nice to own a digital copy, and there's no reason not to buy it at that price. Had no problems running it on Windows 7 (64-bit).

Originally Posted by Maylander
Had no problems running it on Windows 7 (64-bit).

You just convinced me to get a GOG copy as well.

I have no idea when I'll actually have time to play it though.

I'm like the only person who hasn't got this.

People have said it's quite hard, and that's really put me off. I can't even do Fallout

Originally Posted by Dwagginz
I'm like the only person who hasn't got this.

People have said it's quite hard, and that's really put me off. I can't even do Fallout

It can be quite easy or quite hard, depending on what you choose to specialize in.

Imo, the worst thing about Arcanum is the balance, or lack thereof.

Doesn't have Windows Seven-Of-Nine any "compatibility mode" ?

Alas, last time I played Arcanum I ran into a game progress stopping quest bug partway through. I wasn't sure where things had gone bad and didn't want to restart so I just quit.

Wow. That's an amazing price. I wonder why they have cut it down so much? Didn't it start as $9.99? Just bought it and Ps:T. Now, just need to find time to play these things!

Originally Posted by blatantninja
Wow. That's an amazing price. I wonder why they have cut it down so much? Didn't it start as $9.99? Just bought it and Ps:T. Now, just need to find time to play these things!

It's a special offer called Community Favourites. 50% off selected games.

Originally Posted by JDR13
I love the manual for Arcanum. I still have my original big box version of the game, and everything that came with it. The manual is one of those rare ones where you can tell they really put a lot of effort into it.

Too bad no one makes those anymore….

Full ACK! It's very rare incident that I agree with something JDR13 writes, but in this case he is absolutly right.

ARCANUM is the game that shows how dumb the concept of Digital Distribution is. Have you ever tried to go to bed and use your pdf as a goodnight book? Okay, maybe on a E-Book reader, but this is nothing compared to the real McCoy.

Arcanum is the game every RPG enthusiast should have as a boxed copy.

There is also a version of the boxed Arcanum floating around that includes the printed manual AND incredibly useful, jam-packed, and detailed strategy guide. Picked it up used for about $10. Well worth it.

I bought Arcanum off GOG a few months ago and it's run flawlessly on Win 7 for me. Didn't completely finish it but I got awfully close to it with no bugs.

ARCANUM is the game that shows how dumb the concept of Digital Distribution is. Have you ever tried to go to bed and use your pdf as a goodnight book?

You would throw out digital distribution because you can't read the manual in bed!?!?

If it weren't for digital distribution, I would never ever get to play this game. Printing up old boxes and manuals would be terribly expensive if you only are making a few thousand per year. And how would you convice retailers to put the game on the shelves when there's only a 50/50 shot of even selling one of them? It would be economic insanity.

But with digital distribution, all you have to do is keep the game running on modern machines and you're set. No shelf space to worry about. No trying to match the size of the printing run against the expected demand. If the game gets ignored for months on end - no problem. If the game suddenly spikes in sales overnight because Oprah mentions it, you're right there with as many copies as your bandwidth can spit out.

Because of those economics, games can live a lot longer. Ten years ago, if you missed a game, you missed it. Now, games that come out STAY out for years on end. At least on PC.