The Tarant Daily

We Have moved! We are now hosted on Gamestats.com

Our new URL is:

http://arcanum.gamestats.com

and if that doesn't work, try:

http://arcanum.gamestats.com/cgi-bin/index.cgi

20 Strength and 20 agility

Jason manages to max out both Enid's "power stats", In today's Electric Playground journal. Of course she has all the local wildlife running, even tough she's unarmed. With all the critical hits she's getting, "opponents in the level 25 range don’t get a chance to try an attack."

New and Improved!

Troika gets a new website design!
Also added are tons of new content, new FAQ,
and now you too can apply for a job at Troika!
Although Troika's new project isn't revealed,
its a sure bet that its in 3d.
(just look at the Jobs page

"like hamsters on speed for weeks on end"

Shellman (Troika) gave this answer when asked how she (and all the other Troika team members) lived "like hamsters on speed for weeks on end" when they where developing Arcanum:
"Sugar and Caffeine. Lots and lots and lots of them.

No sunlight. Sunlight is bad. The same goes for excersize, socializing and more than 6 hours sleep in any 24 hour period. Occassional freaking out is a standard side effect, but relatively harmless in the long run.

That's how we got by. But... I can't say we escaped unscathed.

shellman looks around to make sure no ones within earshot... If you ask me, a lot of the people around here are a little tweaked! Uh... No Leon. I didn't say anything. Really... "
Sound fun Shellman!
Shards

Enid gets the boot

Off a train, that is. That's right there a New Electric Playground Journal. Jason tells us about how NPC's use skills, and a little about "temp" NPC followers.

Just a little Propaganda...

7/010/01

Our new site should be up in around a week...

Tim helps with portraits
7/09/01
I got this from Heroman (moderator of the Official Boards) who got it from Tim Cain (Troika):
"User portraits are indexed from a message file called data\portrait\userport.mes that begins with message 1.

Each portrait is a 256 color BMP file that is 64 x 64 pixels. It's name should have a three letter prefix which is 2 letters for race and one letter for gender. This prefix defines which race-gender combination of a PC or NPC can use this portrait.

The race prefixes are HU - human DW - dwarf EL - elf HE - half elf GN - gnome HA - halfling HO - half orc HG - half ogre

The gender prefixes are M - male F - female

Special prefixes NPC - this portrait is useable only by NPC's, regardless of race or gender ANY - anyone (PC or NPC of any race or gender) can use this portrait

Examples:: {1}{ELM1} means there is a portrait named data/portrait/ELM1.bmp which is only available to elf males {2}{ANYpretty} means there is a portrait named data/portrait/ANYpretty.bmp which is useable by anyone {3}{NPCbob} means there is a portrait named data/portrait/NPCbob.bmp that is avialable to any NPC but not to PC's

Tim."
Shards

What's several thousand pages long and only 19.99?
7/09/01
...The Official Prima Arcanum Strategy Guide.
I don't know if this is "new" news, but hey I just found out!
And as Heroman (Official Board Moderator) said, I have no clue how they are going to find out EVERY
solution to EVERY quest... Anyway, you can buy it here.
Shards

Info-tid-bit
7/09/01
Shellman (Troika) On followers leveling up:
"To the best of my memory (and believe me, sometimes its faulty),
followers ONLY level up when A) They are part of your party AND B) you level up."

Shards

Enid loses her armor, and is forced to run about unclothed...
7/09/01
In Today's electric playground journal Jason learns the hard way that armor won't stand up all that well when you
have baddies bashing away at it 24/7.
Looks like someone should
put points into their repair skill :)
Shards

Well, there hasn't been much news lately...

7/07/01

So I thought I'd just tell all of you that we will soon be rid of this geocities "hosting" and will be on Gamestats.com! And with any luck we'll have a new design too! Yay!

Arcanum PnP = Very hard to do

7/06/01

Tim Cain (Troika) gave this response when asked whether an Arcanum Pen and Paper game would be feasible:

"It would a lot of work to make such a document. Just explaining all of the rules associated with, say, Pickpocket would be tough. The skill rank converts to a base percentage chance of success, but then lighting factors in. So we would have to explain how that works (explaining distances and lighting values). Then the item size penalties, Perception checks, facings, fate points, etc. all factor in. This is just one skill too. It would be a hefty undertaking."

Looks like we won't be seeing an Arcanum PnP soon...

Play Arcanum with your favorite BG character!

7/06/01

Or with their portrait at least. New Arcanum portrait site: Galleria Arcanum. They have hundreds of portraits (including some BG ones)

and a wide selection, but all seem more magick-oriented then Technological.

No Arcanum journal today...

7/06/01

...But there was one yesterday! Jason apologizes for the problems with the Tim Cain interview (some IE viewers couldn't scroll down all the way) and Enid's NPC follower gets her in trouble because of his big mouth, but makes up for it by buildeing her some spike traps. See it here.

Shellman Interview!

7/06/01

Seems all of Troika's getting interviewed these days... Sharon Shelman (Troika) is interviewed by rpgvault. Lots of news about Shellman and Troika too, so check it out.

Tim Cain Interview!

7/04/01

Jason, as promised delivers his interview with Tim Cain today.

Tons of information, so click that link!

Jason threatens to send half-orcs to your house

7/03/01

New electric playground Arcanum journal, and its a round-o-reader mail! Jason also tells us about an upcoming Tim Cain interview! So don't miss that! (refer to the title to see what Jason will do to you if you do miss it)

16 year-old forced to review Arcanum at stickpoint!
7/02/01
The Atlanta-Journal constitution today forced sixteen year old Barry Johnson, of Decatur to Review Arcanum. He tried to run, but critically failed, landing in the reporters waiting car. From there he was whisked away to the Atlanta-Journal's underground game testing station, where he was forced to play Arcanum for a total of
three days. He was quoted as saying
"it was horrid, they taunted me about my lack of mental faculties, and then poked me with sharp sticks"
He is now in "stable" condition at a nearby hospital, having been treated for minor puncture wounds.
Police chief Larry O'brown made a public statement about the incident this evening:
"It is a sad, sad world where a young boy can be abducted and forced to play a game that is
as challenging and thought-provoking as Arcanum. All the quests, the many options had him confused,
he just couldn't think."
When asked if he had anything else to say, Barry just responded with "bugger"

Go Shellman!

7/01/01

Shellman posted this on the Arcanum Inn about pirating:

"It really sucks that you, our loyal fans, who have been waiting patiently for this game for a long time (Many for more than a year, some for more than 2) have had this happen to you. Its truly fucked up that people who have just become acquainted with Arcanum are learning intimate details about it when you have been waiting paitently for it and have to sit back and watch while they play.

We hate that this happened. And we are very grateful to you, or hard-core fans, for hanging in there and waiting for the full release. I really wish there was something special we could do just for you guys (and girls), because you really deserve it.

I know this sound like I'm just kissing your ass, but thats not it. I just want you to know that everyone here has our deepest gratitude and respect. Please hang in there. The game will be yours shortly."

You Little Thief!
6/30/01
Shellman (Troika) answers some thieving questions:
"1) Yes, stealing does adjust your alignment. If you steal from somebody, your alignment is adjusted a very small amount, always in the negative. So if you steal from someone neutral or good, it will always shift some, but if you steal from someone really evil, it won't adjust your alignment at all.

2) Yes. Shopkeepers will always restock their supplies within 48 game hours if their inventory changes. They will not go out of business. So a good thief can have a very lucrative career.

3) The only place you should be able to sleep in Arcanum is at an Inn or out in the country. Never in anyone elses homes (even if you dispatched them). If you can now, it is a bug, and hopefully we fixed it.

4) If you break into someone's bedroom at night while they are sleeping, they will only protest (and attack you) if they hear you. So if you broke in quiet enough, you're safe. If you start attcking them in their beds though, they will definetly fight back.

5) If they notice you trying to plant it, it is seen as a hostile act (if you fail), and they will attack you. However, if you succeed in planting it, they will not try to get rid of it at some time in the future.

6) Keys were something we did not have to add. We can set doors to "locked during the day" or "locked at night" or "locked always" We used keys in cases where they were needed for quests, or to set certain flags, or if NPCs needed to be able to get in and out of rooms that were locked all the time. Also, if we put keys on everyone, thieving would have been "THE" way to play.

7) If you commit a crime and are not caught initially, you are usually home free. There are a few instances where it may come back and bite you, but not many.

8) NPCs can not go through standard locked doors if they do not have the key, but they can not go through a door if it has been set to "always locked". A door set to a locked day/open night cycle will reset if you pick it. So it will be locked again the next day. If it was just set to "locked" and you picked it, it will remain open."

Info-bits
6/29/01
ChuBaka (In-House tester) answers some NPC related questions:
"...is it possible to walk into (an NPC's) bedroom without them complaining. Has that been changed?

if it's unlocked they shouldn't complain

Will there be simulated (not scripted) events where NPC thieves try to cause mischief directed towards other NPC's?

no, i don't remember so"

Shards

Kickin' over seven different varieties of ass.
6/29/01
New Electric Playground journal. Enid's new follower really works his enemys, but seems lacking in other areas.
Enid also aquires a Chakram, much better then the old bladed boomarang.
(which fills Jason with glee, and he is also happy that Virgil dosn't wear srinking-midriff-exposing tops)

Shards

Warez NOT gold!
6/29/01
The Warez version of Arcanum is NOT, I repeat NOT, the gold final version.
look at this:
"Well, I can say one thing for certain. We have discovered its not the "gold". It was a few revs previous. Hooray for us. The gold has NOT been warezed. :)"-Shellman (Troika)
And Leon (troika) posted this at a Warez forum:
"First off, I hate you all, though I'm fired up you like the game....

I know you will think this is not true, but the version available for download is not the final. It is close (within a week or two of the final), but it is not the official Gold.

You are now okayed to Flame Away.

And please buy Arcanum when it comes out for real so we can make more games."

Not Arcanum related

6/28/01

...But a new Fallout 3 interview with Feargus Urquhart is up a Duck and Cover. A must see for all you Fallout fans.

Just in case you didn't know...

6/28/01

Arcanum's official release date is August 24th. This was re-affirmed by Sierra today.

More throwing fun!

6/28/01

A new Electric Playground journal, that is. Enid gets some expert help, and meets some new friends.

Arcanumaniacs

We have the pleasure of presenting to you, the esteemed reader Stravaig's (board regular) hilarious "Arcanumaniacs" song.

Enid and the Boom-a-rang

6/17/01

New Electric Playground Journal. Enid boosts her throwing ability, and Jason considers going tech. with her. She also tries out called shots.

New Preview

6/27/01

New preview at PCgameplay.co.uk. Not much of anything new, but hey, previews are always good.

Wassup? ASL plz d00d!

6/26/01

The Developer chat was today, and we have a chatlog up! Many thousands of questions where answered by Troika team mambers, so if you want to know more about Arcanum read this! (well, maybe not thousands ; )

ChuBaka knows

ChuBaka (ex-in house tester) said that follower NPCs cannot build high-level technological items (like the mechanical arachnid) but they can, however build lower level ones.

WorldED tidbits

6/26/01

Shellman (Troika) said that it is possible to scrip dialog to an object (to make telephones and such), and that you can can make a creature hold position.

Retirement for the gadget-man

6/26/01

A new electric playground journal, and a new character:

Enid, the warrior women. (has Jason been watching too much Xena?) Shes tough, moderately stupid, and seems to like unarmed combat...

Be wery, wery quiet, its birthday season

6/25/01

Lots of birthdays this time of month... Congratulations to:

Steve and Leon (Troika), Calis (Terra-Arcanum), Gerko and Whipporowill (Arcanum Inn regulars)! Hope you all had great days!

Run! Hide! The tattered are upon us!

6/25/01

New Creature at the official site: The Tattered Bowman This skeletal monstrosity wields a longbow with frightening accuracy, and is usually found in ancient ruins. They will defend their territory to the bitter end. (which will probably be yours)

Cross-disciplinary is fun!

6/25/01

New Electric Playground journal. Leroux has made his first cross disciplinary gadget, the goggled helmet. And Jason also compliments Arcanum for having a "...bazillion quests"!

We're back!

6/24/01

Well after quite a long time of being down, we are back!

The entire site has been completely re-done, and updated for your viewing pleasure, and we are still committed to bringing the Arcanum community the very best news, daily.