Well I'm opening the TFAF files in Arcanum\modules\arcanum\saves. Also, if I try to open the Skills part of the editor, it crashes with the error "Runtime error 383. 'Text' property is read only".

Something is certainly wrong, it shouldn't be behaving that way.

Are you running Vista or 7 with UAC turned on? If so, you should make sure you run as Administrator. Your save games may also not really be in the GOG install folder if that's the case, but in the weird mirrored folder thing that they create inside your user folder to prevent you from modifying files in the Program Files directories (assuming you installed in the default directory). I can't remember what it's called at the moment.

Save game locations discussed here:

http://www.gog.com/en/forum/arcanum_of_steamworks_and_magick_obscura/save_game_location

Never, ever go into melee with fewer than two points invested into the skill. On hard difficulty you'll need three points before you get anywhere. Below that, high strength will work out to your disadvantage as it's easy to fumble and kill yourself in one hit.


Oh, and you might want to pick up Drog's unofficial patch.

Nope, XP.

Well all the save files are in the location I mentioned last post. That's the BMPs with the save picture, the TFAFs which are the only ones the save editor can open (in the Open window, the filetype drop-down menu only lists TFAF) and then two other types. One of which has the name you give the save when you create it in-game.

So despite that all being in correct working order, this editor just seems to make up random information, have a good number of fields that are uneditable and also crashes when I try and change skills. Also, if I go into Tech or Magic, it too is completely random - like it says my Herbology is level 251 even though I haven't put anything into it.

Dunno if it's related - probably not - but the official script editor and world editor both crash on start up...

Just going to double post so as to mark the thread unread to people who've read all previous posts but could answer this question - and no need to make a new thread just for this, I think. Just a simple question - does the lock opening spell render the lockpicking skill totally useless? In DnD games, the equivalent spell (Knock, I think it's called) is as good as lockpicking with maximum skill but since magic works in a more limited way, it's still good to have lockpicking. In Arcanum you can just wait for your stamina to come back.

The unlocking spell is very noisy, unlike using lockpicks. Also, I think that using lockpicks via the lockpicking skill is considered a tech-aligned skill, so tech characters will want to use that method because they will have penalties to magic. Similarly, magical-focused characters will prefer the spell as they will have penalties to their tech skills.

Furthermore, I don't think that lockpicks break so easily in Arcanum, like they would in some other RPGs (although I'm not certain of this). So mainly I think the two unlocking methods are just different ways to get around locks, depending on whether you'd rather use tech or magic.

You can also smash open locked chests and many locked doors. But I've heard that this can break items inside chests so that you will get less good treasure if you do it that way.

OK, thanks. Would you say that a balanced character is therefore weaker than a character taking to either extreme? I was considering levelling lockpicking as I assumed that a levelled up lockpicking skill would be better than a lockpicking spell if I'm not going to max out the magic alignment, but will the lockpicking skill be similarly underpowered if I don't go along the tech route fully?

I also read that there are various pluses to each type. Apparently while it's a lot noisier, the magic spell can't jam locks. I also read about certain magical locks only being unlockable with the spell, but that wasn't confirmed. It seems like the skill is best used for burglary whereas the spell is better used in dungeons.

Usually. A balanced character will not be able to use tech or magic very effectively. You will find, for instance, that the unlocking spell won't succeed very often unless you're more geared toward a magical track. However, there are definitely character builds that are neither tech-aligned nor magic-aligned that are still quite effective; for example a straight melee fighter. In my opinion though, it's more fun to pick either tech or magic because then you can actually use the relevant skills effectively. A pure fighter can get a little boring.

Not exactly... each time you put a point into lockpicking, you will shift your affinity towards tech and away from magic. Your actual lockpicking ability, however, will depend entirely on the level of your lockpicking skill, whether you've gotten any of the training perks for the skill (apprentice, expert, master) and how good your lockpicks are. So basically, it will let you pick locks at the expense of some magical affinity. Low magical affinity means that you are not only bad at spells, but enchanted items don't really work for you. If you find a magical sword, for example, you will see a percentage number that tells you what percent of the enchantment is actually effective... this number will be low and quite possibly zero for tech-aligned characters. So if the enchantment says 50 fire damage, if you're only running at 10% you'll only get 5 fire damage. Also, magic cast ON you is not very effective either. This is good, when it's an attack spell aimed at you, but it's bad when someone is trying to heal you magically and it doesn't work.

Going the magical route, higher magical affinity will make the spell succeed more often. You gain magical affinity by putting points into magic skills, i.e. into spells. I don't remember if having a higher level in the same magic SCHOOL will help (i.e. whatever category contains the unlocking spell, if you get more spells in that same category, I'm not sure if that also makes the unlock spell better). Magically aligned characters will get better benefits from enchanted items and spells will work better when cast on them (both damaging spells and healing spells). There are also tech items in the game, usually weapons and armor that are somehow enhanced technologically. Magically-aligned characters will have trouble with these items, as there will be an additional chance of critical failures when using them. You can see how high this additional chance is by examining the item.

That is probably true. But as I explained above, it's probably easiest to pick one or the other for your character, depending on whether you want to be tech or magic... otherwise neither will work very well. The general consensus is that magically-aligned characters are easier to play, but many people find tech characters more fun despite the added difficulty.

Remember, Arcanum is designed to be played many times, trying many different characters, as they play quite differently and the game reacts differently depending on your choices. So go ahead and pick something for this run-through, then come back later and try the other option with your next character.


NOTE: It might be possible to max out lockpicking skill but still end up with a magically-aligned character overall by spending lots of character points on spells. You probably won't get your magical affinity quite as high as a pure magic character but it could still be feasible... I haven't tried it myself. If you are able to do this, then both the lockpicking skill and the unlocking spell would work well, I think. I don't think there's any extra failure chance to the lockpicking skill due to magical affinity, but others can correct me if this is wrong.

I chose the Bandit background, so I started with no cash, but a Quality Revolver and 50 rounds.

so far its been extremely effective against everything ive gone up against, im level 5 and am just now starting to travel cross-country, and its still my main weapon.


with a potion of haste, i can mow down an entire crowd of swordsmen without taking a scratch