I have to admit I haven’t been checking Terra Arcanum for quite some time now. And so I completely missed that there’s an Unofficial Arcanum Patch! The latest version has been released just days ago. Following is a list of changes/fixes:

-Removed two red pixels in Light Wood Door’s art.
-Level scaling is back, but now you get random encounters after levels 45-49 as well.
-There’s a chance that orcish bandits in random encounters will have an ogre in their group now. (This wasn’t working before because of a typo).
-Fixed scripts of Molochean Hand Assasins, Orc Bandits and Bates’ Bounty Hunters. You won’t be caught in neverending dialogue loop anymore if you try to control their mind.
-Fixed wrongs stats on a number of orcs and ogres’ prototypes. Summoned orcs and ogres aren’t considered monsters anymore.
-Vendigroth’s music track is restored.
-Fixed music issues in the part of Tarant around the library, Caladon’s docks, the boat landing on Thanatos, the Ruby Glade, Ashlag Village and Stringy Pete’s Cove.
-Fixed three typos in Thom Grak’s dialogue.
-Fixed a typo in “IFS Zephyr Miracle” newspaper.
-Fixed a typo in Malek Nebbs’ dialogue.
-One of passages in the Black Mountain mines can’t be destroyed anymore.
-A table in Bates’ factory can’t be highlighted anymore.
-A painting in the Mayor’s mansion in Black Root can’t be highlighted anymore.
-Restored Virgil’s dialogue about Lawrence Brummond’s newspaper.
-Lawrence Brummond’s newspaper can’t be pickpocketed from the clerk anymore.
-Fixed a typo in Lawrence Brummond’s newspaper.
-Fixed a typo in Virgil’s dialogue (talking about the newspaper).
-Fixed a typo in Virgil’s dialogue (talking about the flying machines).
-Fixed 12 typos in newspapers.
-Fixed a typo in Gilbert Bates’ dialogue.
-Gilbert Bates now asks for his ring after the questions’ branch as well.
-WorldEd: changed categories for many critter prototypes.
-Fixed several problems with some of critter prototypes.
-Summoned creatures now have correct palettes. (not default ones)
-Fixed basic proto issues with the guard in front of the gates on the Isle of Despair: correct soundbank and portrait now.
-The junk dealer in Derhnolm now has a correct dialogue.
-Fixed some broken tiles in the herbalist’s house in Shrouded Hills.
-Fixed three broken lines in the dialogue of the Mayor of Black Root.
-Fixed 8 typos in train ticket agents’ dialogues.
-Fixed a typo in Black Root’s rumors.
-Fixed a typo in Winston Schuyler’s dialogue.
-Fixed the land bridge’s townmap.
-Fixed two broken lines and a typo in Killian Drake’s dialogue.
-Prince Farad won’t talk to you anymore if you tell him that Aria is being tortured by Praetor.
-Fixed two broken lines in the dialogue of the Mayor of Black Root.
-Removed a description from Princess Aria’s Amulet.
-Standardized descriptions for Dorian Amulet, Ring of Protection, Amulet of Beauty and Axe of Strength.
-Standardized a lot of descriptions for unique items.
-Fixed wrong descriptions for Charmed, Magick, Mystic and Arcane Robes.
-Fixed wrong descriptions for Charmed, Magick, Mystic and Arcane Chainmails.
-Fixed wrong descriptions for Charmed, Magick, Mystic and Arcane Platemails.

You can download the UAP here.

1UP had the chance to talk to Leonard Boyarsky about the upcoming Diablo III. Here’s an excerpt:

1UP: Since you’ve worked on games like Fallout and Arcanum, can you talk about how your background in hardcore RPG design contributes to the design of the action-heavy Diablo III?

LB: Since you didn’t catch the world design panel, this isn’t going to be information you heard already. But in the panel, we talked about how you can argue that an action game doesn’t really need a story. I would then argue that even if you have an action game that concentrates on the action, if you have that story layer in there — which is opt-in of course because a bunch of players won’t care about the story in that type of game — but if it’s there for the people who do care, or if it informs all the art and the mood and the way people talk in the game, I think it comes across to the player. Even those who only peripherally encounter it through their quests, it gives them something to care about. They’re not only caring about the next piece of armor or the next level, but if we’re doing out job right, they’re going to care about the next plot point. That’s where I come in.

You can read the full interview here.

Zero Radius Games is a hobbyist game design group that consists of Chris Taylor, Tom Decker (he was part of the ToEE and Bloodlines teams) and Scott Everts. ZRG has finally a working website again and they have put up some of their games for download. The games are in PDF format (yes, these are board and/or card games) and you don’t use a PC to play them. As far as I’ve heard their games are pretty sweet, so have a look at their site!

By the way, I’ve found that piece of information at the Fallout 3 Blog! Thanks briosafreak!

Hell froze over and Blizzard finally announced Diablo III. This may be big news for all computer game fans but why here on Troika Chronicles? That’s because Leonard Boyarsky of Troika fame is the Lead World Designer of Blizzard’s upcoming Action RPG. Wow! I’ve heard rumors that Leon was working for Blizzard Entertainment but that he’s in charge of World Design just blows me away! Good luck, Leon, and try to smuggle some Brahmin into the Cow Level.

Some time ago I stumbled upon a great blog that I read almost every day: Briosafreak’s Fallout 3: A Post Nuclear Blog. In his blog he brings us daily news on everything related to the Fallout series with special focus on the upcoming Fallout 3 by Bethesda. One of the features on the site is a real blast from the past: Desslock’s interview with Tim Cain about ToEE. If you haven’t already read it, check it out and remember the good old days.

Here’s the list of changes (taken from the forums at The Patches Scroll):

Made basic patch install as default and removed overlooked changes.
+Removed crossbow from Sin Bin and fixed Yukie double swords issue.
Included memory and widescreen resolution tools, thanks to Wabbite.
Many Malkavian lines added for blood dools, thanks to RobinHood70.
+Removed humanity for Dementating McFly and tutorial .38 on default.
Swapped Lily cutscene Phil with scrubs and adjusted Vandal’s line.
Made it possible to specify which clothes Heather should wear next.
Restored SM haven for traitorous Tremere and fixed sewer shortcut.

Re-did Ginger Swan knowledge fix and warehouse re-entering stopper.
Corrected boss flags for Mercurio, Chastity and Tzimisce Creation.
Fixed Venus’ reaction for persuading Boris and Asylum email issues.
Restored newscaster and Cal lines and fixed minor dialogue errors.
Repaired Imalia’s quest failure message and new Vandal alternative.
Fixed possible random crashes on exiting Grout’s Mansion and Dane.
Corrected hostess not getting elevator and phoning without a phone.
Added inspection to text at Society and a few more missing sounds.

The patch can be downloaded here.

GameBanshee’s Thomas Beekers has talked with Jason D. Anderson of Troika fame who is currently Creative Director for the Interplay Entertainment MMORPG project. Although he couldn’t reveal much about the project he’s working on since it was not “officially announced”, it seems a sure bet that it’s a Fallout MMOG. Here’s an excerpt:

As I am interviewing potential employees for Interplay, I am not only taking a hard look at people’s skills, but at their overall attitude on game making and the gaming industry as well. I am very interested in people with a “we can do it!” attitude - something you see much more of at small development houses and top-rated companies like Blizzard. I am trying to put together the best hand-picked team I can so that we can create a really great game. Pessimists need not apply.

You can check out the full interview here.

According to this news post @ Blues News Interplay (yes, they are still around) has hired Jason Anderson. Jason will be working on an “unannounced MMORPG”. I am pretty sure that’s the Fallout MMORPG Hervé Caen has been talking about for some time now. Although it’s good to hear that Jason is back in the industry, I don’t think it was a good idea to work for Interplay again…

Update: According to the Fallout 3 Blog, Jason Anderson will not be working on the Fallout MMOG but on another yet unannounced MMOG. Hmm, I remember the unannounced part from the original news but assumed there hasn’t been a formal announcement of the Fallout MMOG yet. Hmm, I think I was mistaken. So Interplay is working on two MMOGs or has the Fallout MMOG been cancelled?

Another unofficial Vampire Bloodlines patch has been released. It can be downloaded at The Patches Scroll.

Although “Arcanum - Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura” is out for some years now, several avid fans are still working hard to bring us some new modules to play. And working hard they are, since WorldEd is not the easiest piece of software to use (I tried and failed).

• The first new module was created by Lord of Halifax and its written completely in the french language. It’s called “Le livre des Ombres” and can be dowloaded at the Arcanum Lab.
• The second new module, called Doomsday was created by Terra Arcanum forum regular Quaid. This module is hosted at the other remaining Troika Games fansite “Terra Arcanum“. You can download it here.

I found news about both modules at Terra Arcanum. Special thanks to mathboy for posting the news!