Waltorious: What kind of graphics card do you have? What OS are you using? If you're in Vista or Windows 7, have you tried using compatibility modes when running the game?

Waltorious: I also wonder if updating your graphics drivers and/or directx will help, as it certainly sounds like some sort of grpahics codec issue. I'm surprised at how often new graphics drivers will help fix issues in an old game. Although if you're using the "-no3d" line maybe it's not applicable in your case.

Waltorious: Also, did you try the game without the patches? Specifically the high-res patch, since it changes graphics settings... make sure you get the same issues with the base game.

oganalp: I know this is a bit of a gravedigging but I just bought the game and would like to help to new-users. If you are having issues with games (Arcanum and others) in means of screen flickering and overlapping images, disable crossfire / sli option of your graphics card before playing the game. It fixes the issue. Driver re-installing / updating may not always work with the problem, so this is the known fix for such cases.

oganalp: I know this is a bit of a gravedigging but I just bought the game and would like to help to new-users.

If you are having issues with games (Arcanum and others) in means of screen flickering and overlapping images, disable crossfire / sli option of your graphics card before playing the game. It fixes the issue.

Driver re-installing / updating may not always work with the problem, so this is the known fix for such cases.

sirgrail: Hi all,

I just installed Arcanum and I'm having a problem with the graphics. Here's what happens: Upon start up, during the logo animations of Sierra and Troika, there is flickering. Then the "Loading" screen appears and everything is fine for the moment. Then the first cinematic plays. First, the cinematic flickers and sometimes single frames appear and overlap the movie as it runs. Also, off to the left side, I can still see part of the "Loading" graphic which hasn't fully disappeared. Then the screen burns away and I see the start menu. Part of the "Loading" graphic is still visible off to the left. My mouse leaves a ghost trail behind it as I move it. When I go into any of the menus, the graphics sometimes flip back to the previous menu and then back to the current one. It makes the game rather unplayable.

Now, before anyone mentions the usual solutions, here is what I have done so far:
1) Installed the game in C:/Games
2) Installed the Unofficial Patch, High-Res Town Patch, High-Res Patch and Music Patch all as an administrator
3) I have modified the shortcut to the game with -no3d -doublebuffer in the Target field and checked the "Run this program as an administrator" box. I have also disabled visual themes and desktop composition.
4) I have tried different resolutions under the High-Res patch, but that has not made a difference so far

I'm hoping someone can suggest an new way of fixing my problem. Any ideas?

Thanks in advance,
Sir Grail

BrotherJayne: Nobody else has had this happen?

klubrotator: to anyone who still has the intro/cutscene overlapping/flippering problem [this method assumes you have integrated graphics card & xp/w7/w8]: switch over to your integrated graphics card your VGA control panel. now check yr directx config by start -> run -> dxdiag -> display and see if directdraw/direct3d acceleration is enabled. if so, disable it from there if you can. if not, dl the ms dx control panel and you should be able to do so. http://www.majorgeeks.com/Microsoft_DirectX_Control_Panel_d4017.html
the are 2 checkboxes related to hardware acceleration, one in direct3d, the other in directdraw. uncheck them and try the game.
found this while searching for a solution to fix the cursor-leaving phenomenon in icewind dale. yea, it worked. remember to re-enable them after you exit the game. or else... exactly.