New Arc Line

[WaterMage]

Before I buy the game, how is the compatibility with Linux?


Now one posted anything in protondb yet > https://www.protondb.com/app/2458310

[rusty_shackleford]

buy the game

[Xenich]

I detest playing CRPGs in early access, it's like reading an unfinished book. Very poor genre for early access beyond being nearly complete and having people test it for you, imo.

Yeah, EA for games like these should just be a short run to catch any minor missing bugs or the like to prep for release. Major development cycles in EA suck.

[WhiteShark]

I detest playing CRPGs in early access, it's like reading an unfinished book. Very poor genre for early access beyond being nearly complete and having people test it for you, imo.

This, except it goes for newly released games, too. Better to wait for it to complete its full development cycle of patches, DLCs, and expansions, in most cases. I'm not so desperate for new games that I have to play them on launch day. The only compelling reason to get in on a game that just came out is to not miss the boat on multiplayer.

[WaterMage]

Bought the game.

Can't play.Launched for the first time. The game demands that I install VC++. I install. The game suddenly closes and ask the same thing, I click yes, goes to a UNinstall option. Tried --skip-dependencies and WINEDLLOVERRIDES="msvcp140=n;vcruntime140=n" %command% but the game wouldn't launch, no matter what.



I tried find ~/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/compatdata/2458310/pfx/drive_c/windows/ -name "vcruntime140_1.dll"
And the DLCs are found in the correct place. Also tried WINEPREFIX=~/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/compatdata/2458310/pfx winetricks -f vcrun2017 vcrun2015 vcrun2013 vcrun2010 and nothing. Same C++ check.

[WaterMage]

Fixed.


What I didn't liked?

• Cooldowns
• Your spell damage seems to scale with weapons my Poison bolt spell went from 1 to 11+d6 damage after I equipped a staff. This is D3 tier bad.
• So far, I can't use celestial or occult magic, types of magic that are imo more interesting than the current type of magic
• Elves are taller than humans and can have beard.
• Too long loading even in a SSD
• The game is too heavy
• The beginning, walking with hospital clothing in a destroyed place was booooring.

What I liked?

• Multiple ways to solve even the most basic quest
• Skill checks everywhere
• No pronouns
• No body types 1/2
• Hot woman
• The setting
• 3 cool options for tech and 3 cool options for magic later in development.
• Magic seems to corrupt you. I like it and hope that is good implemented.
• Animations in TB aren't slow.

Just a first impressions of about half hour of game.

[rusty_shackleford]

Bought the game.

Can't play.Launched for the first time. The game demands that I install VC++. I install. The game suddenly closes and ask the same thing, I click yes, goes to a UNinstall option. Tried --skip-dependencies and WINEDLLOVERRIDES="msvcp140=n;vcruntime140=n" %command% but the game wouldn't launch, no matter what.



I tried find ~/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/compatdata/2458310/pfx/drive_c/windows/ -name "vcruntime140_1.dll"
And the DLCs are found in the correct place. Also tried WINEPREFIX=~/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/compatdata/2458310/pfx winetricks -f vcrun2017 vcrun2015 vcrun2013 vcrun2010 and nothing. Same C++ check.

winetricks vcrun2022


The issue isn't missing dlls, UE games just check whether the redistributable is installed or not.

[WaterMage]

winetricks vcrun2022


The issue isn't missing dlls, UE games just check whether the redistributable is installed or not.

I changed the proton version, changed back and worked. I will wait till the full release to play, only wanted to get a taste of the game. Because honestly, I don't mind playing a unfinished game. But I want Occult magic. Seems more interesting than Voodoo magic.

[Roderick]

Unreal engine... how is the performance? When was the last time a game had male/female CC.

[1998]

Unreal engine... how is the performance?

Atrocious, max settings consistently below 30FPS.

[rusty_shackleford]

I'm so glad every developer stopped using that slow unity engine for the very fast unreal engine where every game stutters nonstop and can't maintain a stable 30 FPS no matter what it looks like

[1998]

On the flip side it looks quite charming on min

[Rand]

Hidden Content

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[1998]

Gender specific armor, nice.

[gastovski]

Worth buy, yay or nay?

[rusty_shackleford]

Worth buy, yay or nay?

We'll have a review of early access out probably before next Monday, maybe.

[Vergil]

Jew Bark Fine

[Finarfin]

downloaded it through gog-games.
Runs well so far. 60fps on max settings, looks ok, though a bit blurry.
Very weird that some dialogue is just silent but some is voiced. Had a ****** elf couple standing on the edge of some island-like thing floating in the air and I had the choice to tell them to please not jump to their death. Obviously I did not choose that one and said "yeah, probably a good idea" and they chimped out and said that I should crack my skull on the nearest rock. I like it so far. Gonna be an ******* to all ******* in this game if possible

[1998]

Runs well so far. 60fps on max settings, looks ok, though a bit blurry.

Wait until you reach the slums...

[UltraFan123]

What is it with game devs and this divide with the concepts of "magic" and technology?

If you stop and think about it, in a world were magic is a normal everyday thing, then as far as the in-story peoples would be concerned, the magic IS technology.

Who would make pistols when even low-level wizards and sorcerers can make wands that shoot acid/electric bullets? Who would make antibiotics when even arcane bards that don't pray to nobody can heal wounds/diseases and likewise produce magic items that can heal?

As far as I know, these type of settings just shoehorn our real-life concept of technology into them and then make-up excuses to explain why our real-life technology and the in-story technology are incompatible.

Like Arcanum for instance that stated how "magic" was twisting the laws of physics while "technology" was working in tandem with said laws, but even that didn't made much sense to me because if there is indeed some force can twist the laws of physics, then why would this force be incompatible with anything that woks in tandem with laws that this force can twist?

I don't think that the concept of fantasy magic and real-life technology coexisting in the same setting is inherently bad, is just that I haven't found someone who does it properly I think.

[WhiteShark]

What is it with game devs and this divide with the concepts of "magic" and technology?

The thing that divides real life magical traditions from technology is that magic is dependent on the whim of spiritual entities (demons), whereas technology is based on the natural laws of the universe. Removing that component, the intelligent entity with its own will and priorities, makes magic just another natural force, as you say, but devs (and fiction writers in general) want to retain the mystique and glamour of "magic" while making it practically mundane. I don't think every fictional depiction of magic needs to make it demonic, but, if they want it to be functionally different from technology, they need to make magic non-learnable and magic items extremely rare.

[Acrux]

Like Arcanum for instance that stated how "magic" was twisting the laws of physics while "technology" was working in tandem with said laws, but even that didn't made much sense to me because if there is indeed some force can twist the laws of physics, then why would this force be incompatible with anything that woks in tandem with laws that this force can twist?

Arcanum implies that in the past magic and technology DID work in tandem. You can find schematics for "lost" technology like a magical gun. The setting is at the beginning of their Industrial Revolution where the scientific consensus at that time is that they are incompatible because most technological knowledge was lost in a worldwide catastrophe. And I think Tim Cain has said that the sequel would have explored more about how the two interact when working together.

[Konjad]

I don't understand why would anyone say it's "Arcanum-inspired" like so many people do. I mean, sure, it can be Arcanum-inspired, just like you could say Bethesda's Thiaf was Arcanum-inspired, the term means nothing in this case.

Yes, it has steampunk world, and it has technology and magic working against each other, but that's where I feel the similarities to Arcanum end.

At the beginning of the game, at a pier, there's a dude waiting for you that is supposed to take you somewhere. He won't leave with you, however, because he has made some debts. You can say a lot of things to him, that you don't care, it's not your business and so on, but after you exhaust all dialog options you will only have one left that is available from the beginning saying that you will gladly help him.

Then you get into a fistfight to earn money. If you play a mage you can use Finger of Death to instantly kill your target. Nobody minds you just murdered someone with voodoo magick in a fist fight with 20 people watching. You get your dollars for winning in a fist fight.

There's a mother who lost her child after leaving ship and instead of going around and looking for the child she stands in place crying that she lost him, but of course YOU can help!

Remember the debt guy? Well, he picks up drugs from police officer standing in the pier, because the police officer owes him. No, you can't say anything mean to him, or decline doing anything he wants you to because if you click anything else than "1. OF COURSE I'LL DO ANYTHING FOR YOU" you just deplete all the other options until this one is left.

Also, the city is full of technology, gears working, steam engines and such every step you take, huge ones in the background moving. Even playing as a mage it doesn't seem to bother your character. At the pier you can shoot a gun to gain money. As a mage you have option to say "I'm not touching technology" or something similar, but you can also just shoot it.

Alright, let's continue down the railroaded tube that is the game world. Next stop in the main quest: A broken machine with a technician standing next to it and drinking alcohol because people want him to repair the machine and he's depressed. Why is he depressed? He always wanted to be an actor and make everybody smile, not be a technician. This nonsense continues, it's not the end, it's just the beginning of it, but at this point I think you get it. The writing in this game is terrible and makes no sense whatsoever. I'm not sure if "Arcanum-inspired" was supposed to mean it's a parody of Arcanum, because neither I see any connection in writing nor is it funny. There was not a single moment I thought "this joke is alright" or smiled. It's all garbage.



I know, Arcanum didn't take it seriously either. But it struck a good balance between jokes and seriousness and could sometimes go for one or the other without sabotaging the atmosphere. This game can't make anything serious and at the same time fails at its every-moment attempt at humor.

The combat is alright. I tried both Classic as a techie and (kinda fast-forward) Adventure as a mage - Classing is quite nicely challenging, while Adventure is press a button to win, obviously I don't recommend latter for anyone on 'hq, but you can get your mom to play it! Though I don't know why would you. That said, at least at the beginning it's not a combat heavy game and focuses on dialogs (which would be its really strong advantage if writing was good...)

Maybe it gets better fifty hours later, I don't know because I did not finish the alpha demo as I want a refund before time limit runs out.

Overall, I rate it:
Behead all those who said it's like Arcanum/10

[rusty_shackleford]

I don't understand why would anyone say it's "Arcanum-inspired" like so many people do. I mean, sure, it can be Arcanum-inspired, just like you could say Bethesda's Thiaf was Arcanum-inspired, the term means nothing in this case.

We have an official HQ review of the EA, our reviewer indeed said it's not like Arcanum
viewtopic.php?t=3156-new-arc-line-review-early-access

Probably should have just iterated upon Arcanum's systems rather than trying to invent their own, as the game is obviously wearing Arcanum on its sleeves without saying so.

It actually feels more influenced by BG3. The camera, narrator, all those skill checks with open dice rolls, that's probably their no.1 source for inspiration.

[rusty_shackleford]

Like Arcanum for instance that stated how "magic" was twisting the laws of physics while "technology" was working in tandem with said laws, but even that didn't made much sense to me because if there is indeed some force can twist the laws of physics, then why would this force be incompatible with anything that woks in tandem with laws that this force can twist?

Arcanum implies that in the past magic and technology DID work in tandem. You can find schematics for "lost" technology like a magical gun. The setting is at the beginning of their Industrial Revolution where the scientific consensus at that time is that they are incompatible because most technological knowledge was lost in a worldwide catastrophe. And I think Tim Cain has said that the sequel would have explored more about how the two interact when working together.

This is actually found in the primary Judges guild product too. I'm unsure if it was the Judges guild writer that included it, or perhaps they were influenced from Judges guild material consciously or subconsciously.
Too lazy to go dig thru all their material so here's a copy-pasted list from elsewhere of lost technology in Judges guild material:

Judges Guild's campaign world (City State of the Invincible Overlord, City State of the World Emperor, etc.) is a standard fantasy setting with spells, magic items and medieval level technology. However, some supplements have examples of high tech relics from the past.

• Revised Guide to the City State (of the Invincible Overlord). The Hell-Bridge Temple treasury holds two walkie-talkies, each charged for 10 uses.
• The Fantastic Wilderlands Beyonde
  • Sea of Five Winds hex 0307. An audio system that can perform recording and PA (Public Address) functions.
  • Sea of Five Winds hex 1828. A usable periscope lies under a table in a partially burnt cottage.
  • Elephant Lands Ruins & Relics hex 2223. Three orcs are playing with a periscope.
  • Elephant Lands Ruins & Relics. Hex 4207 has a partially operational tape recorder.
  • Lenap Idyllic Isles hex 2107. A corroded battery can be found in a leather pouch.
  • Lenap Idyllic Isles hex 2410. A "dangerously operational" steam locomotive is in a crumbled temple.
  • Lenap Idyllic Isles hex 3432. An airplane propeller is used as a ship's anchor.
  • Lenap Idyllic Isles hex 4912. Beneath a tower are six deep-sea diving suits and twelve oxygen tanks.
  • Lenap Idyllic Isles hex 5016. A ruined aerial balloon holds a telescope.
• Wilderlands of High Fantasy issues N and O
  • Issue N has a set of tables which include a plethora of relic high tech items with little description. They include a parachute, hang glider, airplanes (prop-driven and jet), a helicopter, a re-entry capsule, a "spacecraft", an anti-grav vehicle, a fully operational "flyer harness" (Jet Pack?), an "underwater suit" (diving suit?), mechanical Powered Armor, vehicles that can bore through earth and rock, and a nuclear submarine.
  • Issue O has a wrecked, yet fully operational hang glider, a partially sunken telescope, a partially operational hot-air balloon and an aqueduct made of steel-reinforced concrete.
• Wilderlands of the Magic Realm
  • Isle of the Blest hex 0513. A mechanical man walks in a circle on the ocean bottom. Its internal mechanisms can't be repaired.
  • Isle of the Blest hex 4131. In the broken hulk of a ship can be found a functioning optical rangefinder.
  • Isle of the Blest hex 4226. A defective crawler/tractor digging machine, deep within an ancient silver mine.
  • Isle of the Blest hex 4429. Ten rolls of stainless steel barbed wire.
  • Before Island has a hidden laboratory complex that contains android parts and other mechanical devices.
  • The Isle of the Giant Sundial has a time machine in the form of a giant sundial.
  • Ebony Coast — Ruins and Relics. In hex 4523, a hill giant uses the stainless steel rudder of an ancient ship as a gardening tool.
  • Idyllic Isles of the Ebony Coast hex 4506. A high tech artifact powered by geothermal energy projects a laser hologram of an elven princess.
  • Ghinor Islands hex 3102. On the island of Skymetal Rock is a building framework made of steel girders.
  • Ghinor - Ruins and Relics. In hex 3406 is an underwater laboratory, the lair of a Mad Scientist looking for experimental subjects.
  • Ament Tundra — Ruins and Relics. A fully operational hang glider is tied down to a small hill in hex 4423.
• Wilderlands of the Fantastic Reaches
  • Idyllic Isles - Ruins and Relics. In hex 2049, a halfling has a x4 power telescope.
  • Silver Skein Isles — Ruins and Relics. In hex 3530 is an ancient machine that travels in a two-mile diameter circle in the ocean. It is a 40 foot long, cigar-shaped object made of seamless metal (possibly a submarine).
• Glory Hole Dwarven Mine. The Dragon King named Kukalkin lived during a period of advanced technology in the planet's history. A number of high tech artifacts were buried with him, including flashlights and batteries, cameras and film, video and computer games, disposable lighters, electric typewriters, hand calculators, wrist radios, telephones, automatic pistols, motorcycles, Geiger counters, television sets, record players and toaster ovens. In one room of the Mine can be found items made of a super durable, super hard plastic.
• Shield Maidens of Sea Rune. The ancient (7,000 years ago) Markab civilization had 1990s equivalent technology, including rifled gunpowder firearms. Their aircraft were capable of powered flight and had VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) capability. Their civilization was destroyed during the Uttermost War (a nuclear war).

[Oyster Sauce]

Has brown people so it's bad

[Rand]

Like Arcanum for instance that stated how "magic" was twisting the laws of physics while "technology" was working in tandem with said laws, but even that didn't made much sense to me because if there is indeed some force can twist the laws of physics, then why would this force be incompatible with anything that woks in tandem with laws that this force can twist?

Arcanum implies that in the past magic and technology DID work in tandem. You can find schematics for "lost" technology like a magical gun. The setting is at the beginning of their Industrial Revolution where the scientific consensus at that time is that they are incompatible because most technological knowledge was lost in a worldwide catastrophe. And I think Tim Cain has said that the sequel would have explored more about how the two interact when working together.

This is actually found in the primary Judges guild product too. I'm unsure if it was the Judges guild writer that included it, or perhaps they were influenced from Judges guild material consciously or subconsciously.
Too lazy to go dig thru all their material so here's a copy-pasted list from elsewhere of lost technology in Judges guild material:

Judges Guild's campaign world (City State of the Invincible Overlord, City State of the World Emperor, etc.) is a standard fantasy setting with spells, magic items and medieval level technology. However, some supplements have examples of high tech relics from the past.

• Revised Guide to the City State (of the Invincible Overlord). The Hell-Bridge Temple treasury holds two walkie-talkies, each charged for 10 uses.
• The Fantastic Wilderlands Beyonde
  • Sea of Five Winds hex 0307. An audio system that can perform recording and PA (Public Address) functions.
  • Sea of Five Winds hex 1828. A usable periscope lies under a table in a partially burnt cottage.
  • Elephant Lands Ruins & Relics hex 2223. Three orcs are playing with a periscope.
  • Elephant Lands Ruins & Relics. Hex 4207 has a partially operational tape recorder.
  • Lenap Idyllic Isles hex 2107. A corroded battery can be found in a leather pouch.
  • Lenap Idyllic Isles hex 2410. A "dangerously operational" steam locomotive is in a crumbled temple.
  • Lenap Idyllic Isles hex 3432. An airplane propeller is used as a ship's anchor.
  • Lenap Idyllic Isles hex 4912. Beneath a tower are six deep-sea diving suits and twelve oxygen tanks.
  • Lenap Idyllic Isles hex 5016. A ruined aerial balloon holds a telescope.
• Wilderlands of High Fantasy issues N and O
  • Issue N has a set of tables which include a plethora of relic high tech items with little description. They include a parachute, hang glider, airplanes (prop-driven and jet), a helicopter, a re-entry capsule, a "spacecraft", an anti-grav vehicle, a fully operational "flyer harness" (Jet Pack?), an "underwater suit" (diving suit?), mechanical Powered Armor, vehicles that can bore through earth and rock, and a nuclear submarine.
  • Issue O has a wrecked, yet fully operational hang glider, a partially sunken telescope, a partially operational hot-air balloon and an aqueduct made of steel-reinforced concrete.
• Wilderlands of the Magic Realm
  • Isle of the Blest hex 0513. A mechanical man walks in a circle on the ocean bottom. Its internal mechanisms can't be repaired.
  • Isle of the Blest hex 4131. In the broken hulk of a ship can be found a functioning optical rangefinder.
  • Isle of the Blest hex 4226. A defective crawler/tractor digging machine, deep within an ancient silver mine.
  • Isle of the Blest hex 4429. Ten rolls of stainless steel barbed wire.
  • Before Island has a hidden laboratory complex that contains android parts and other mechanical devices.
  • The Isle of the Giant Sundial has a time machine in the form of a giant sundial.
  • Ebony Coast — Ruins and Relics. In hex 4523, a hill giant uses the stainless steel rudder of an ancient ship as a gardening tool.
  • Idyllic Isles of the Ebony Coast hex 4506. A high tech artifact powered by geothermal energy projects a laser hologram of an elven princess.
  • Ghinor Islands hex 3102. On the island of Skymetal Rock is a building framework made of steel girders.
  • Ghinor - Ruins and Relics. In hex 3406 is an underwater laboratory, the lair of a Mad Scientist looking for experimental subjects.
  • Ament Tundra — Ruins and Relics. A fully operational hang glider is tied down to a small hill in hex 4423.
• Wilderlands of the Fantastic Reaches
  • Idyllic Isles - Ruins and Relics. In hex 2049, a halfling has a x4 power telescope.
  • Silver Skein Isles — Ruins and Relics. In hex 3530 is an ancient machine that travels in a two-mile diameter circle in the ocean. It is a 40 foot long, cigar-shaped object made of seamless metal (possibly a submarine).
• Glory Hole Dwarven Mine. The Dragon King named Kukalkin lived during a period of advanced technology in the planet's history. A number of high tech artifacts were buried with him, including flashlights and batteries, cameras and film, video and computer games, disposable lighters, electric typewriters, hand calculators, wrist radios, telephones, automatic pistols, motorcycles, Geiger counters, television sets, record players and toaster ovens. In one room of the Mine can be found items made of a super durable, super hard plastic.
• Shield Maidens of Sea Rune. The ancient (7,000 years ago) Markab civilization had 1990s equivalent technology, including rifled gunpowder firearms. Their aircraft were capable of powered flight and had VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) capability. Their civilization was destroyed during the Uttermost War (a nuclear war).

That kind of ******** makes me actually angry.