Arx Fatalis - Rune-drawing FPRPG

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Arx Fatalis - Rune-drawing FPRPG

Post by WhiteShark »

Image

https://www.gog.com/game/arx_fatalis
Improved game engine (essential): https://arx-libertatis.org
Mods: https://wiki.arx-libertatis.org/Arx_Fatalis_mods
Simple spreadsheet to plan attribute and skill distribution (make a copy): spreadsheet

Continuing my first-person streak, I'm now playing this classic.
► first impressions
Tips:
  • No autosave, so be sure to save frequently.
  • Skill effects improve every 10th skill level, so for example, skill levels 10-19 have the same effect.
  • Skills have no improved effect past 100.
  • Attributes apparently do have an effect beyond 23, the highest value listed in the manual.
  • Increase the PC's speed:
    ► Show Spoiler
Last edited by WhiteShark on March 6th, 2023, 06:14, edited 2 times in total.
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Post by WhiteShark »

Dang, I was trying to be peaceful but I'm kind of stuck.
► Show Spoiler
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Post by KnightoftheWind »

You have to go to the library in Lunshire's castle, and talk to that demon snake woman. She'll give you a book on the outside world, then you give that to the troll. Edit: Oh, and make sure you talk to the troll's friend in the mines before you visit her.
Last edited by KnightoftheWind on March 6th, 2023, 03:58, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by KnightoftheWind »

Arx Fatalis is one of those special kind of RPGs/dungeon crawlers, it's a dark game for certain and I'd almost classify it as a horror title given how unsettling some of the enemies and the ambience is. It gets under your skin more than any Dark Souls title IMO.

But the mechanics are very satisfying, and I like how interactive the game is. It's very unique amongst it's peers, and it's a shame a sequel was never made back when Arkane wasn't pozzed.
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Post by WhiteShark »

KnightoftheWind wrote: March 6th, 2023, 03:56
You have to go to the library in Lunshire's castle, and talk to that demon snake woman. She'll give you a book on the outside world, then you give that to the troll. Edit: Oh, and make sure you talk to the troll's friend in the mines before you visit her.
UGH, I knew I should have spoken with her while I was back in Arx looking for clues. Thanks. I became convinced it would be the merchant who wouldn't open up shop because I found this in his residence:
► Show Spoiler
Getting from A to B takes so long that it's downright painful to go around checking everything. And it turned out the goblin king didn't even have the keys to that chest so my genocide mission was for naught. I read online that there's a cheat spell to make yourself run faster but I can't get it to work in-game. Speedhack worked but right after I tried it my mouse controls were borked in inventory mode, not sure if that was related or not. Guess I should test again before I go insane.
KnightoftheWind wrote: March 6th, 2023, 03:58
it's a dark game for certain and I'd almost classify it as a horror title given how unsettling some of the enemies and the ambience is.
To be honest, at this point it feels more comedic than dark. The dialogue and voice acting are too hilarious.
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Post by KnightoftheWind »

Comedic?, well if you look at it that way that's good. The game is just too damn depressing for me personally, it's why I stopped halfway at the moment. The weird sounds you hear, the fact that you're underground at all times, and the satanic imagery definitely lends the game a dark and foreboding atmosphere. The stupidity of the goblins and trolls don't alleviate it all that much for me.

I absolutely agree that backtracking sucks in Arx Fatalis, your character is slow and the sound effects for footsteps repeat constantly, I can almost make out a rhythm to them I hear it so much. It's slightly better than Morrowind, but damn. If you're going to be walking a lot at least have better sounds!.

Edit: But despite my personal qualms about the game, it's still enjoyable enough and I wonder how they would've improved (or downgraded) it's ideas for a sequel. Perhaps you could finally explore the surface?, skulk about in ruined cities or even have it set before the events of the first game. See the world in all it's original glory before the sun vanished?. At least in Ultima Underworld you knew there was a world outside the Stygian Abyss, but in Arx Fatalis?- the Abyss is all you got. :cry:
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Post by rusty_shackleford »

KnightoftheWind wrote: March 6th, 2023, 04:23
but in Arx Fatalis?- the Abyss is all you got. :cry:
There are other enclaves, it's just never expanded upon. Rather sad they never expanded it nor was there ever any spiritual successor to the setting.

The story of the world itself is probably based on the short story A Pail of Air, it's one of those things you see then realize a lot of other things either copied it or copied a copy.
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Post by WhiteShark »

KnightoftheWind wrote: March 6th, 2023, 04:23
I absolutely agree that backtracking sucks in Arx Fatalis, your character is slow and the sound effects for footsteps repeat constantly, I can almost make out a rhythm to them I hear it so much. It's slightly better than Morrowind, but damn. If you're going to be walking a lot at least have better sounds!.
HUGE breakthrough on this. If you're running Arx Libertatis, you can access the console:
Arx Libertatis Wiki wrote:
The rune sequence ImageImageImageImageImage Aam Mega Stregum Comunicatum Spacium (create increase magic control field) opens a console that can run script commands. The sequence must be in order, but there can be other runes between them (those that do not appear in the sequence at all). You do not need to have the runes to cast this spell.

Casting the spell once unlocks the console, after which it can be opened using the action Script console (`).

Debug builds and development snapshots do not need to use the spell and always start with the console unlocked.
Once you have the console open, you can set the player speed manually:

Code: Select all

player.setspeed <speed>
1.0 is the default speed.

EDIT: Oh, and I retested speedhack. It does work to speed up the game but it consistently causes the cursor in inventory mode to be locked to the center of the screen.
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Post by wndrbr »

I always liked Arx' inventory. It looks cool, has items that come in different sizes, and most importantly - it works in real time. There aren't enough RPGs with real-time inventory tetris, Arx and System Shock 2 are the only ones that come to mind. And Diablo.
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Post by WhiteShark »

I swear, if it's not one thing it's another with this game. Those strange magical-looking teepees scattered about? I keep getting stuck on the blocks around their perimeter. Now, I've got a candle stuck selected in inventory mode with no way to discard it or nor put it in my bag:
► Show Spoiler
This journal entry I found was pretty funny, though. One of the signs this game was made before <current year>:
► Show Spoiler
I also discovered that playerspeed seems to control the speed of all actions, including attacks and magic gestures. If melee combat in this game were deeper I would feel pretty conflicted about that, but since it's not and I'm specializing in magic anyway, I guess I won't worry about it.

EDIT: I got around the stuck selection by using the console to give myself another bag to put it in, but now I'm finding I can't discard any of my items and I'm not finding a console command to remove the bag I added. Bleh. I'm beginning to question whether this is all worth it.
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Post by KnightoftheWind »

I wonder if the upcoming "Arx Insanity" mod will improve on a lot of these problems, it mentions better stealth and whatnot so maybe it will?. I also find that this game looks better than most RPGs nowadays, it might be strange to say but the art design is top notch. It proves that you don't need high polygon counts or 4K textures to have a great looking title.

https://www.moddb.com/mods/arx-insanity-mod
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Post by Maggot »

This game rocks. UUW does some things better like not having to rely on gestures for magic and actual dialogue with npcs but this one has amazing atmosphere and some really clever quests like robbing the bank. The crypts in this game were top tier spooky too
Last edited by Maggot on March 7th, 2023, 02:49, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by ds. »

The Speed spell is the in-game way to increase movement speed. It should work as long as you have the two required runes and enough mana. But if you are already annoyed by the footsteps then you will not like the looping sound from that spell.
WhiteShark wrote: March 6th, 2023, 05:41
I swear, if it's not one thing it's another with this game. Those strange magical-looking teepees scattered about? I keep getting stuck on the blocks around their perimeter.
That's a known bug. Those are the game's fast travel method - you'll learn how to activate them during the main quest but you can also do it beforehand. Once activated you can use one to fast travel to any other activated portal.
Now, I've got a candle stuck selected in inventory mode with no way to discard it or nor put it in my bag
Lol, do you remember how you managed that? Normally you should be able to drop/throw whatever you are dragging.
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Post by Griffin »

Wasn't Arx Fatalis quite heavily cut down from the original plan for the game, or do I remember wrong?
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Post by SharkClub »

It's a damn shame that the game doesn't have more options for either stealth or archer playstyles. IIRC there is like... two bows in the entire game, or something. It would be much more replayable if it had more niche gameplay and build options.
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Post by KnightoftheWind »

Griffin wrote: March 6th, 2023, 19:35
Wasn't Arx Fatalis quite heavily cut down from the original plan for the game, or do I remember wrong?
In Arx's case it wouldn't surprise me, this was the developers' first game and they had a hell of a time getting it published. Like with any game, you start off with grandiose ideas and gradually slim it down by the end.
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Post by WhiteShark »

KnightoftheWind wrote: March 6th, 2023, 16:53
I wonder if the upcoming "Arx Insanity" mod will improve on a lot of these problems, it mentions better stealth and whatnot so maybe it will?. I also find that this game looks better than most RPGs nowadays, it might be strange to say but the art design is top notch. It proves that you don't need high polygon counts or 4K textures to have a great looking title.

https://www.moddb.com/mods/arx-insanity-mod
I can't find a list of features on the moddb page nor on their site, but I was going to take a break from the game anyway so I guess I'll pin my hopes on this. There are just too many bugs, backtracking, and loading screens between the fun bits and the action is too simplistic.
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Post by Tweed »

WhiteShark wrote: March 6th, 2023, 22:30
No sprinting. Traversal feels a bit sluggish.
You get a haste spell later and it even stacks.
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Post by agentorange »

Had no issue with the speed in the game. Learn to be patient and stop looking at guides. The strength of the game is exploring these uncharted, weird locations, kind of ruins it if you are just looking at everything as content to get through as quickly as possible. It has a very peculiar tone and setting to it that you won't find in most other RPGs, neither grimdark nor generic fantasy cartoony.
KnightoftheWind wrote: March 6th, 2023, 16:53
I wonder if the upcoming "Arx Insanity" mod will improve on a lot of these problems, it mentions better stealth and whatnot so maybe it will?. I also find that this game looks better than most RPGs nowadays, it might be strange to say but the art design is top notch. It proves that you don't need high polygon counts or 4K textures to have a great looking title.

https://www.moddb.com/mods/arx-insanity-mod
Looks like shit. They've made every bad choice you could make in trying to "fix" the graphics, which don't need fixing to begin with.
"We want to implement new content based on old concept arts, ideas and concepts that Arkane Studios removed back in the days because of their deadline or other reasons."
Typical modder mentality of thinking that endless tinkering and adding more stuff will improve the game. Those "other reasons" are likely because the designers, who know better than a random modder with shit taste, realized those ideas weren't suited to the final game.
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Post by Tweed »

Since people have been talking about it I'm thinking about playing it again since it's been a long time. Anyone try the extended mod? Is it poop?
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Post by WhiteShark »

agentorange wrote: March 7th, 2023, 02:05
Had no issue with the speed in the game. Learn to be patient and stop looking at guides. The strength of the game is exploring these uncharted, weird locations, kind of ruins it if you are just looking at everything as content to get through as quickly as possible.
I looked at no guides, just the manual and a bit of information about how leveling up works. I got sick of the speed after walking back and forth between Arx and other areas multiple times trying to figure out a quest solution which was agonizingly slow and necessitated at least two loading screens, sometimes three per trip. I'm not some consoomer who consults a guide on his phone and watches a stream in the background while playing games. The game is just slow.
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Post by WhiteShark »

ds. wrote: March 6th, 2023, 18:39
The Speed spell is the in-game way to increase movement speed. It should work as long as you have the two required runes and enough mana. But if you are already annoyed by the footsteps then you will not like the looping sound from that spell.
Sorry, missed your post earlier. I knew about the Speed spell from the manual but I had yet to find the correct runes for it. The footsteps didn't really bother me in and of themselves, just how much I had to hear them while ponderously meandering.
ds. wrote: March 6th, 2023, 18:39
That's a known bug. Those are the game's fast travel method - you'll learn how to activate them during the main quest but you can also do it beforehand. Once activated you can use one to fast travel to any other activated portal.
Based on their frequency of appearance and location, that's what I assumed they would be. I was very much looking forward to learning how to activate them. I appreciate the link but when I get back to the game, I'll learn how to activate them when the time comes.
ds. wrote: March 6th, 2023, 18:39
Lol, do you remember how you managed that? Normally you should be able to drop/throw whatever you are dragging.
No, I don't really know what happened. I was just picking up things like usual and when I picked up the candle I found I had no space for it, so I went to put it down and found that I could not. Maybe it had something to do with trying to do a stealth+pickup followed by a regular pickup, as I'm sure the first thing I tried was to pickup directly to inventory so I wouldn't have to laboriously move the cursor about the interface. I'd go back and try to recreate it but my last save before the bug wasn't very close.
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Post by WhiteShark »

On the topic of bugs, here's another one: the goblin chef is clairvoyant. How do I mean? Well, I was bored and frustrated so I decided to take it out on the lone goblin fishing at the river between the troll and goblin fortresses. I blasted him with magic missile, then began fiddling around with my inventory and wondering why the fishing goblin didn't drop a fishing pole. Suddenly, who appeared before me but the goblin chef seeking vengeance for his fallen brother!

I can only assume the whole fortress had turned hostile as well, just as when I had tested attacking the king, but I reloaded rather than confirm it. It was quite dismaying to discover that all faction members share a telepathic link instantly alerting them to harm done to one of their number. That seems to be intentional, but the chef's initiative in leaving the fortress itself to come find me was, I assume, an oversight.
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Post by Rigwort »

Could be worse, could've aggro'ed the ice dragon and been forced to deal with paralysis every 3 seconds. Now that's good fun. :headbang:
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Post by ds. »

The ice dragon only paralyzes you if you get too far away - over twice its maximum melee attack distance to be precise. Same for Akbaa's pull and demon spawns vs. lightning attacks although there the "safe zone" is much smaller.
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Post by Rigwort »

I realized, but by then I was already far and away from it due to stubbornness. So I thought "hey, maybe if I leave, it'll reset." And it did! The first time. And so I continued on and saved. Came back after much more exploring and questing. It was mad again.
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Post by Fuze »

First time I played, I keep ding instantly to lich for reason that i could not understand.
Turns out it was because if they cast curse and you don't have a lot hp, you can outright die. It's quite bothersome because the only counterplay possible is to cast bless, and bless does not really last long.
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Post by Fargus »

Yeah, spell system looks too cool for the school and all, but i always played this game as a stronk warrior and had 0 problems lol.
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Post by KnightoftheWind »

I have to say I'm enjoying Legend of Grimrock a lot more than I did Arx Fatalis. Arx has a unique atmosphere with an interesting premise, but the amount of backtracking and headscratching situations really knocked it down a few pegs for me. Grimrock is a lot more of a pure dungeon crawler experience, with satisfying puzzles and little backtracking. I'm probably done a little over half the game so far, so I can't say with 100% certainty, but it is a superior game IMO.

Arx is one of those special titles that should be remade by a developer that can truly flesh out all of it's ideas, but I'm afraid the time for that has long passed and I'd hate to see anyone touch it aside from a Based indie developer somewhere out there.
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