Fallout-style 90s game [Arcanum]

Aldeb · Post by **Aldeb** » Mon Apr 13, 2015 2:04 am

Late 90s windows RPG-style game, similar to Fallout 1/2, brown with lots of greys I think. You navigated a single character in an isometric environment. I played the demo once. The most vivid thing I can remember is that it contained a narrated tutorial level. At one point, you were supposed to pick a lock, and the narrator went 'Picking a lock is like picking your nose, sometimes you find something, other times you don't'. Which I found pretty funny at age 10. Maybe that helps. Any ideas?

DOS Wolf · Post by **DOS Wolf** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 12:17 am

Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura

It is the only thing I can think of. Was like Fallout, but had a steampunk/magic aspect to it. One of the games I have always really wanted, but never got to find an actual copy of.

Aldeb · Post by **Aldeb** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 12:34 am

I'll try it out. You can find Arcanum on GoG for about 9$ today

DOS Wolf · Post by **DOS Wolf** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 10:26 pm

Do you get the complete cd, game manual and box? Or is it just a download? If it is just a download I do not want it.

And plus I prefer to pay for games in person at a store, not online.

And I assume I was correct in the guess since the title was changed to it.

Quadko · Post by **Quadko** » Tue Apr 21, 2015 12:51 pm

From GOG, always "just a download", but usually with manual, maps, and often with extras like soundtracks when available. Plus they have an easy installer to get it working on supported platforms - Windows, Mac, Linux where possible; that installer (plus other fixes they add to get old games working) is usually worth the price for classic games just to get easily working on modern computers. Some early Windows games don't work out of the box on Win7 & 8, but Gog's managed to get a number of them working.

If you can find a PC games store anymore, plus one that sells 10+ year old games? That would be a happy day; not much chance of that that I know of. If you know of some, share please! Ebay, but that still counts as online, I assume. That's quite a relationship you have with the internet, not clicking links and not even buying from trusted stores online? But to each his own.

Rwolf · Post by **Rwolf** » Tue Apr 21, 2015 2:12 pm

I sometimes visit a physical retro-store, when I'm in town.
And I see it has a new boxed version of Arcanum available.

http://retrospelbutiken.se/store/produk ... odukt=6744

(The very cheapest used games can lack box or manual, so it's better to look at such items in person.)

Quadko · Post by **Quadko** » Wed Apr 22, 2015 9:37 am

That's a fantastic looking store, I'd totally blow my paycheck there too often if I had one near me.

With options like that not buying online makes more sense!

When I lived in Seattle we had some great Recycled PCs stores (repc http://www.repc.com/seattle.html) and in the back I found some CGA/EGA monitors that I "needed" for my XT/286 project. I miss it, but my wife doesn't.

But I've never found such a cool classic software place, just some online Atari stores and such. Thanks for the link!

Rwolf · Post by **Rwolf** » Wed Apr 22, 2015 11:38 am

Another retro shop, I may have mixed up the other shop with this one, but both have nice stuff, like flight simulator addons.
(What I haven't found much of in these shops is Atari ST games.)

It had a used Arcanum game available:
http://gameshop.se/pc-begagnade-spel-arcanum

DOS Wolf · Post by **DOS Wolf** » Fri Apr 24, 2015 11:20 pm

There was a PlayNTrade but they left and also a Game Over. PNT was pretty good. Had decent prices. And when they tried to fix a game of mine, but could not, did not charge me for the attempt. Other places charge $3-$5 just to try and if does not work, oh well.

GO however is ridiculously expensive. An NES (The original, not the top loader.) that should cost no more than $40 or $45 costs $80-$90. And you can say that stark price difference for just about any game system or game. And it is not like you have a lifetime or even a two year warranty, but two to four weeks only. No thank you.

(Although thinking more on it, retro games in general have been going up the last few years, but still GO is expensive in it's own right. But you looking for a particular game or system, they will most likely have it though. Not sure about PC games though...)

I simply go there to look at all the neat stuff and that is about it. They do have a gaming museum of old consoles, posters and the boxes the consoles came in, although they may not actually work, they are not for sale anyway. Plus they have arcade games you can play for free and like PNT you can try before you buy. But I think that store truly is for collectors, because I can not imagine any normal person buying much from them.

Then again maybe I am just a cheap skate, but geeze... I will say this though... If you need a Guitar Hero Guitar for the PS3, they only cost $10...

Quadko · Post by **Quadko** » Sat Apr 25, 2015 4:07 pm

Yes, we seem to have passed out of the cheap retro era; I kick myself about passing up some deals a few years ago that now are way more expensive. Time? Availaiblity? Not sure what the thing is.

I think I mentioned the book: Ready Player One; it was about a cool VR/Meta-MMO online and a huge retro gaming/culture plot inside it. Fun escapism. I think they are talking about a movie - whoa, Spielberg mentioned to possibly direct? That'd be sweet.