Arcania - New Screens, Gameplay Video

Only a week after the last batch, Omega points out a handful of new Arcania screens. Are we starting to see the PR mill stir for Spellbound's Gothic entry?
While we're on Arcania, check out this GameStar video if you missed it in the comments of our last newsbit (thanks Gorath). This gameplay video actually shows a populated gameworld, rather than the landscape flyovers that have been officially released of late.
More information.

looks nice.

The game looks beautiful; shadows and lighting look very good.

I'd like to know what hardware specs the system was used for capturing/running the demo because did it look like a lot of game stuttering when the character was running?

Originally Posted by Rills
The game looks beautiful; shadows and lighting look very good.

I'd like to know what hardware specs the system was used for capturing/running the demo because did it look like a lot of game stuttering when the character was running?

nevermind, they say the game was alpha status, so there will be some optimizing to run smooth.

Did they say the American and European version have different color palettes?

Originally Posted by turian
nevermind, they say the game was alpha status, so there will be some optimizing to run smooth.

Yeah super smooth… like Gothic3!

If that's alpha status, then what was the fotage they released before (not so long ago, with no population) pre-alpha? i doubt that since its gonna be released this year, it's not like they can be in alpha state for like 3 years+ and beta in just a few weeks or so.. well when i come to think of it, i guess they can and the game will be released in an, almost alpha state, like usual hehe

Originally Posted by JuliusMagnus
Did they say the American and European version have different color palettes?

The palettes can be seen in the GameStar video. It's just a filter you can toggle in the options, if there will be an option for it.

I'm really liking the look of the game so far.

I must say, i like the look of the game. But, what about the content? Have any specific features been released? What are the quests like? What about the story?

These pictures plus the GameStar video inspired me a great deal.

Why, oh why did they have to include a look-picking minigame? How could that not get old after 3 times?

Otherwise it looks pretty nice. I felt bad about him killing the sheep in the beginning though. He's a sheep herder for christ sake! Don't kill your flock…

Originally Posted by Rills
The game looks beautiful; shadows and lighting look very good.

I'd like to know what hardware specs the system was used for capturing/running the demo because did it look like a lot of game stuttering when the character was running?

I think this is their big chance to really make a big hit. They are more than ever focusing ob the US market as well. I hope for all of us that this really does turn out to be a smash hit! Dragon Age was a bit of a dissapointment for me.

I can't wait till this game comes out!

Originally Posted by Lemonhead
Why, oh why did they have to include a look-picking minigame? How could that not get old after 3 times?

Mini-games are a form of Chinese water torture and, for humanitarian reasons, must be banned by international treaty (with the sole exception of Arcomage). Any developer found responsible for implementing mini-games should be denied food, fire and water and banished forthwith to the wilderness to live out the sorry remnant of their sick, sadistic lives.

The UN really needs to get it's act together on this issue.

Originally Posted by Gorath
The palettes can be seen in the GameStar video. It's just a filter you can toggle in the options, if there will be an option for it.

But - why ???

BeKaus Americuns liek teh shiKnee Culors!!1! According to JoWood's extensive market research. And looking at the success of Oblivion who can blame them. Meanwhile, in soviet Europe palette chooses you.

Originally Posted by Cassius
Mini-games are a form of Chinese water torture and, for humanitarian reasons, must be banned by international treaty (with the sole exception of Arcomage). Any developer found responsible for implementing mini-games should be denied food, fire and water and banished forthwith to the wilderness to live out the sorry remnant of their sick, sadistic lives.

The UN really needs to get it's act together on this issue.

Hopefully the UN will have more serious issues to deal with but if they don't them I'm all for that!


It puzzles me why developers are so fond of minigames.
In my view a good minigame can't substantially improve a game but a bad minigame can seriously harm it! ie. I've never found myself looking forward to play a game because of it's awesome minigame but I often gave up a game in frustration because of a bad one… It seems like a risky no-win situation.

The video has been yanked off of YouTube - any other sources? The others I can find there are all cheesy running-through-terrain ones.

while i can agree that bad minigames can ruin and lengthen a game to a stage of boredom (see mass effect 2 planet scanning), there are indeed good and varied ones that allow different logical and or other style puzzles that help to liven up gameplay and allow you to do things outside of the main character engine/persona. anachronox for example had diffrent minigames for each of the main/party characters, some obviously better than others but since their were so many and they weren't needed that often i think thats the perfect way to do it as most of them weren't even required for the main storyline. also rewards for a particular mini-game help to not leave a bitter aftertaste of what can sometimes be frustrating trial and error minigames. in regards to anachrox, successfully yammering someone always led to some of the most hilarious and ridiculous dialogue, in addition to some other bonus as well. how about drunken brawling in the witcher? again not required but how can you implement brawling into the main game with a character who primarily uses swords unless its a mini-game.

people lament games being unoriginal or carbon copies yet they decry devs who make an attempt to try out new novelties/ideas some in the form of minigames. alchemy for example or crafting depending on the game your talking about is a form of mini-game, and to me games without those are rather lacking.

I missed the vid too anyone with a linky?