<s>
Arcanum	B-Application
:	I-Application
Of	I-Application
Steamworks	I-Application
and	I-Application
Magick	I-Application
Obscura	I-Application
is	O
a	O
2001	B-Application
role-playing	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Troika	O
Games	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Sierra	O
On-Line	O
for	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
story	O
takes	O
place	O
within	O
a	O
fantasy	B-Application
setting	O
currently	O
undergoing	O
a	O
transformation	O
from	O
its	O
own	O
industrial	O
revolution	O
,	O
in	O
which	O
magic	B-Application
competes	O
against	O
technological	O
gadgets	O
,	O
and	O
focuses	O
on	O
the	O
efforts	O
of	O
a	O
zeppelin	B-Application
crash	O
survivor	O
to	O
find	O
out	O
who	O
attacked	O
the	O
vessel	O
,	O
ultimately	O
discovering	O
a	O
plot	O
by	O
an	O
ancient	O
power	O
to	O
return	O
to	O
the	O
world	O
and	O
cause	O
chaos	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
,	O
conducted	O
from	O
an	O
isometric	B-Application
perspective	I-Application
and	O
within	O
an	O
open	O
world	O
,	O
offers	O
players	O
the	O
opportunity	O
to	O
craft	O
their	O
protagonist	O
with	O
a	O
variety	O
of	O
skills	O
,	O
including	O
the	O
option	O
to	O
be	O
gifted	O
in	O
magic	B-Application
or	O
use	O
guns	O
and	O
gadgets	O
to	O
combat	O
enemies	O
,	O
and	O
complete	O
quests	O
in	O
different	O
ways	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Gameplay	O
in	O
Arcanum	B-Application
consists	O
of	O
traveling	O
through	O
the	O
game	O
world	O
,	O
visiting	O
locations	O
and	O
interacting	O
with	O
the	O
local	O
inhabitants	O
,	O
typically	O
in	O
real-time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Arcanums	B-Application
combat	O
design	O
has	O
received	O
some	O
levels	O
of	O
criticism	O
,	O
with	O
reviews	O
usually	O
stating	O
that	O
it	O
is	O
poorly	O
balanced	O
and	O
frantic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Combat	O
skills	O
that	O
the	O
player	O
character	O
can	O
choose	O
from	O
include	O
melee	B-Application
weapons	O
(	O
with	O
an	O
optional	O
back	O
stabbing	O
skill	O
for	O
stealth-oriented	O
players	O
)	O
,	O
thrown	O
weapons	O
,	O
archery	O
,	O
firearms	B-Application
,	O
and	O
a	O
large	O
variety	O
of	O
certain	O
damage-inflicting	O
spells	B-Application
from	O
some	O
schools	O
of	O
magic	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
AI-controlled	O
followers	O
the	O
player	O
has	O
in	O
the	O
party	O
will	O
find	O
their	O
character	O
's	O
conduct	O
morally	O
objectionable	O
,	O
causing	O
the	O
player	O
to	O
lose	O
reputation	O
with	O
some	O
of	O
the	O
followers	O
who	O
may	O
leave	O
or	O
even	O
attack	O
the	O
player	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Arcanum	B-Application
begins	O
with	O
the	O
player	O
creating	O
their	O
character	O
,	O
choosing	O
from	O
a	O
large	O
and	O
unique	O
variety	O
of	O
races	O
,	O
attributes	O
,	O
technological	O
skills	O
,	O
magical	O
aptitudes	O
,	O
and	O
background	O
traits	O
,	O
or	O
the	O
player	O
may	O
choose	O
a	O
predefined	O
character	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Every	O
time	O
the	O
player	O
gains	O
a	O
level	O
,	O
they	O
can	O
spend	O
one	O
character	O
point	O
to	O
improve	O
any	O
attribute	O
,	O
weapon	O
skill	O
,	O
technological	O
discipline	O
,	O
school	O
of	O
magic	B-Application
,	O
thievery	O
skill	O
,	O
or	O
social	O
skill	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Player	O
characters	O
have	O
the	O
choice	O
of	O
specializing	O
in	O
a	O
technological	O
path	O
which	O
emphasizes	O
constructing	O
weapons	O
,	O
ammunition	O
,	O
and	O
items	O
from	O
various	O
components	O
;	O
a	O
magical	O
path	O
which	O
emphasizes	O
spellcasting	O
;	O
or	O
a	O
neutral	O
path	O
,	O
learning	O
both	O
magic	B-Application
and	O
technology	O
skills	O
,	O
which	O
allows	O
the	O
most	O
flexibility	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
uses	O
a	O
meter	O
to	O
show	O
how	O
biased	O
towards	O
magic	B-Application
or	O
technology	O
the	O
player	O
is	O
;	O
any	O
character	O
points	O
spent	O
on	O
a	O
technological	O
discipline	O
or	O
skill	O
move	O
the	O
aptitude	O
meter	O
towards	O
the	O
technology	O
side	O
and	O
any	O
points	O
spent	O
on	O
spells	B-Application
move	O
it	O
towards	O
the	O
magical	O
side	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
high	O
aptitude	O
toward	O
technology	O
renders	O
the	O
character	O
resistant	O
or	O
immune	O
to	O
magic	B-Application
(	O
both	O
harmful	O
and	O
beneficial	O
)	O
and	O
also	O
greatly	O
decreases	O
the	O
character	O
's	O
ability	O
to	O
use	O
magic	B-Application
effectively	O
and	O
limits	O
the	O
effectiveness	O
of	O
magical	O
items	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
high	O
magical	O
aptitude	O
increases	O
the	O
effects	O
of	O
the	O
character	O
's	O
magic	B-Application
and	O
the	O
power	O
of	O
magical	O
items	O
they	O
equip	O
,	O
but	O
technological	O
items	O
they	O
equip	O
will	O
be	O
subject	O
to	O
malfunctions	O
,	O
reflected	O
in	O
an	O
increasingly	O
higher	O
chance	O
of	O
the	O
character	O
critically	O
failing	O
in	O
combat	O
,	O
which	O
can	O
have	O
devastating	O
effects	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
,	O
like	O
its	O
successors	O
in	O
the	O
Neverwinter	B-Application
Nights	I-Application
series	O
,	O
features	O
"	O
modules	O
"	O
;	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
create	O
custom	O
maps	O
and	O
missions	O
using	O
an	O
editor	O
included	O
with	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
thumb|right|alt	O
=	O
An	O
almost	O
square	O
island	O
with	O
mountains	O
running	O
from	O
the	O
bottom	O
left	O
to	O
center	O
right	O
and	O
forest	O
in	O
the	O
top	O
left|A	O
screenshot	O
from	O
the	O
game	O
illustrating	O
Arcanum	B-Application
's	O
game	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Arcanum	B-Application
is	O
the	O
name	O
of	O
the	O
fantasy	B-Application
world	O
in	O
which	O
the	O
game	O
unfolds	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
world	O
is	O
inhabited	O
by	O
various	O
races	O
resembling	O
those	O
from	O
the	O
works	O
of	O
Tolkien	O
,	O
including	O
humans	O
,	O
elves	B-Application
and	O
half-elves	O
,	O
dwarves	O
,	O
gnomes	B-Application
,	O
halflings	O
,	O
orcs	B-Language
,	O
ogres	B-Application
,	O
and	O
various	O
wildlife	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
can	O
choose	O
from	O
humans	O
,	O
elves	B-Application
,	O
dwarves	O
,	O
gnomes	B-Application
,	O
halflings	O
,	O
and	O
human	O
hybrid	O
races	O
,	O
including	O
half-elves	O
,	O
half-orcs	O
and	O
half-ogres	O
as	O
playable	O
races	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Glimmering	O
Forest	O
,	O
the	O
largest	O
in	O
Arcanum	B-Application
,	O
is	O
home	O
to	O
the	O
elven	O
city	O
of	O
Qintarra	O
and	O
the	O
dark	O
elven	O
city	O
of	O
T'sen-Ang	O
,	O
and	O
has	O
been	O
untouched	O
by	O
the	O
technological	O
advancements	O
of	O
the	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
biggest	O
of	O
these	O
is	O
the	O
ruins	O
of	O
Vendigroth	O
,	O
the	O
most	O
advanced	O
city	O
on	O
Arcanum	B-Application
,	O
which	O
met	O
a	O
sudden	O
and	O
mysterious	O
end	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
important	O
in-game	O
dynamic	O
is	O
the	O
dichotomy	O
of	O
magic	B-Application
and	O
technology	O
in	O
the	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Magic	B-Application
,	O
on	O
the	O
other	O
hand	O
,	O
is	O
explained	O
to	O
manipulate	O
physical	O
law	O
to	O
make	O
a	O
lightning	B-Architecture
spell	B-Application
follow	O
the	O
shortest	O
path	O
to	O
the	O
target	O
,	O
instead	O
of	O
the	O
natural	O
path	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Technological	O
devices	O
will	O
become	O
ineffective	O
or	O
even	O
permanently	O
inoperative	O
in	O
the	O
presence	O
of	O
powerful	O
magic	B-Application
and	O
vice	O
versa	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Much	O
of	O
the	O
population	O
has	O
chosen	O
to	O
embrace	O
technology	O
for	O
its	O
efficiency	O
,	O
accessibility	O
,	O
and	O
permanent	O
results	O
,	O
while	O
the	O
majority	O
of	O
elves	B-Application
,	O
dark	O
elves	B-Application
,	O
and	O
some	O
humans	O
and	O
half-elves	O
continue	O
to	O
practice	O
magic	B-Application
exclusively	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
also	O
affects	O
interactions	O
between	O
different	O
characters	O
,	O
as	O
spells	B-Application
cast	O
on	O
technologists	O
or	O
firearms	B-Application
used	O
against	O
mages	O
have	O
a	O
failure	O
rate	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Orcs	B-Language
and	O
ogres	B-Application
are	O
looked	O
down	O
upon	O
as	O
savage	B-Application
,	O
feral	O
peoples	O
by	O
Arcanum	B-Application
's	O
civilized	O
folk	O
,	O
who	O
own	O
virtually	O
all	O
the	O
industry	O
of	O
the	O
major	O
population	O
centers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
is	O
a	O
great	O
enmity	O
between	O
elves	B-Application
and	O
dwarfs	O
,	O
the	O
former	O
being	O
naturally	O
inclined	O
towards	O
magically	O
defined	O
society	O
,	O
the	O
latter	O
being	O
forerunners	O
of	O
the	O
technology	O
race	O
—	O
and	O
many	O
elves	B-Application
blame	O
the	O
dwarfs	O
for	O
the	O
rise	O
of	O
human	O
technology	O
and	O
concomitant	O
waning	O
of	O
elfish	O
political	O
power	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Arcanum	B-Application
begins	O
with	O
a	O
cut	O
scene	O
of	O
the	O
IFS	O
Zephyr	O
,	O
a	O
luxury	O
zeppelin	B-Application
,	O
on	O
her	O
maiden	O
voyage	O
from	O
Caladon	O
to	O
Tarant	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Two	O
monoplanes	O
,	O
piloted	O
by	O
Half-Ogre	O
bandits	O
,	O
close	O
in	O
on	O
the	O
craft	O
and	O
commence	O
attack	O
runs	O
,	O
succeeding	O
in	O
shooting	O
it	O
down	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
old	O
gnome	B-Application
who	O
is	O
a	O
passenger	O
aboard	O
the	O
Zephyr	O
is	O
now	O
in	O
his	O
death	O
throes	O
under	O
charred	O
debris	O
and	O
tells	O
the	O
player	O
to	O
bring	O
a	O
silver	O
ring	O
to	O
"	O
the	O
boy	O
,	O
"	O
and	O
promptly	O
dies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Arcanum	B-Application
is	O
an	O
example	O
of	O
a	O
non-linear	O
role-playing	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
central	O
quest	O
ultimately	O
develops	O
according	O
to	O
how	O
players	O
navigate	O
its	O
dichotomies	O
,	O
the	O
most	O
apparent	O
being	O
that	O
of	O
magic	B-Application
and	O
technology	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
magic/technology	O
and	O
good/evil	O
alignments	O
also	O
influence	O
what	O
followers	O
a	O
character	O
can	O
attract	O
throughout	O
the	O
game	O
or	O
how	O
other	O
NPCs	O
will	O
react	O
to	O
the	O
player	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Arcanum'''s	O
public	O
beta	O
testing	O
commenced	O
in	O
September	O
2000	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
the	O
debut	O
title	O
of	O
now-defunct	O
development	O
house	O
Troika	O
Games	O
,	O
which	O
consisted	O
of	O
former	O
Interplay	O
Entertainment	O
staff	O
—	O
most	O
notably	O
Tim	O
Cain	O
—	O
responsible	O
for	O
1997	B-Application
's	I-Application
critically	O
acclaimed	O
Fallout	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
release	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
found	O
to	O
be	O
incompatible	O
with	O
some	O
video	B-Device
cards	I-Device
,	O
such	O
as	O
Voodoo2	O
,	O
and	O
drivers	B-Application
such	O
as	O
nVidia	O
's	O
Detonator3	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Furthermore	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
copy	O
protection	O
software	O
,	O
SecuROM	B-Operating_System
,	O
caused	O
system-component	O
conflicts	O
with	O
particular	O
brands	O
of	O
sound	B-Device
cards	I-Device
and	O
CD-ROM	B-Device
drives	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Such	O
bugs	B-Error_Name
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
some	O
gameplay	O
bugs	B-Error_Name
,	O
were	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
biggest	O
criticisms	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
DesignArcanum	O
's	O
large	O
,	O
free-form	O
world	O
bears	O
many	O
similarities	O
to	O
Fallout	B-Application
with	O
regards	O
to	O
the	O
scarcity	O
of	O
towns	O
,	O
cities	O
,	O
or	O
other	O
locations	O
of	O
interest	O
;	O
however	O
Arcanum	B-Application
's	O
map	O
is	O
much	O
larger	O
and	O
more	O
diverse	O
than	O
Fallout	B-Application
's	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
travel	O
system	O
has	O
some	O
similarities	O
with	O
The	B-Application
Elder	I-Application
Scrolls	I-Application
in	O
that	O
the	O
world	O
can	O
be	O
traveled	O
across	O
in-game	O
(	O
where	O
occasionally	O
the	O
player	O
runs	O
into	O
enemy	O
groups	O
)	O
,	O
without	O
the	O
use	O
of	O
the	O
world	O
map	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
does	O
n't	O
rush	O
the	O
player	O
into	O
pursuing	O
the	O
main	O
quest	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
a	O
2000	O
interview	O
with	O
Nextgame.it,	O
Tim	O
Cain	O
announced	O
plans	O
for	O
an	O
Arcanum	B-Application
sequel	O
,	O
but	O
these	O
plans	O
would	O
not	O
come	O
to	O
pass	O
—	O
Troika	O
Games	O
filed	O
for	O
dissolution	O
on	O
September	O
30	O
,	O
2005	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
September	O
2006	O
,	O
one	O
of	O
Arcanums	B-Application
lead	O
programmers	O
and	O
co-founder	O
of	O
Troika	O
,	O
Leonard	O
Boyarsky	O
,	O
divulged	O
that	O
the	O
studio	O
had	O
originally	O
commenced	O
work	O
on	O
a	O
sequel	O
,	O
going	O
by	O
the	O
working	O
title	O
of	O
Journey	O
to	O
the	O
Centre	O
of	O
Arcanum	B-Application
,	O
which	O
would	O
use	O
Valve	O
's	O
Source	B-Application
Engine	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Composed	O
by	O
Ben	O
Houge	O
,	O
Arcanum	B-Application
's	O
soundtrack	O
features	O
an	O
unusual	O
instrumentation	O
by	O
avoiding	O
the	O
predominantly	O
symphonic	O
orchestration	O
common	O
to	O
RPG	O
soundtracks	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
songs	O
follow	O
the	O
conventional	O
RPG	O
soundtrack	O
format	O
:	O
short	O
,	O
impressionistic	O
vignettes	O
which	O
are	O
looped	B-Application
in-game	O
,	O
with	O
each	O
area	O
using	O
different	O
tunes	O
,	O
and	O
alternative	O
songs	O
for	O
combat	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
soundtrack	O
was	O
produced	O
by	O
Ben	O
Houge	O
and	O
Jeff	O
Pobst	O
,	O
with	O
Leonid	O
Keylin	O
on	O
first	O
violin	O
,	O
Kathy	O
Stern	O
on	O
second	O
violin	O
,	O
Vincent	O
Comer	O
on	O
viola	B-Protocol
,	O
Susan	O
Williams	O
on	O
cello	B-Application
,	O
Evan	O
Buehler	O
on	O
marimba	O
,	O
and	O
Ben	O
Houge	O
on	O
djembe	O
,	O
rainstick	O
and	O
synthesiser	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Writing	O
for	O
GameSpot	O
,	O
Desslock	O
reported	O
that	O
Arcanum	B-Application
"	O
sold	O
very	O
well	O
"	O
in	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
during	O
its	O
initial	O
weeks	O
,	O
but	O
"	O
faded	O
"	O
from	O
the	O
charts	O
afterward	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Arcanum	B-Application
was	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
 '	O
11th-best-selling	O
computer	O
game	O
for	O
the	O
month	O
of	O
September	O
,	O
and	O
totaled	O
domestic	O
sales	O
of	O
69,522	O
units	O
by	O
the	O
first	O
week	O
of	O
November	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
Chart-Track	O
,	O
Arcanum	B-Application
was	O
also	O
September	O
's	O
10th-highest	O
computer	O
game	O
seller	O
in	O
the	O
United	O
Kingdom	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Remarking	O
upon	O
its	O
chart	O
position	O
,	O
Anthony	O
Holden	O
of	O
PC	O
Zone	O
wrote	O
that	O
it	O
was	O
"	O
good	O
to	O
see	O
that	O
a	O
relatively	O
minor	O
RPG	O
with	O
solid	O
gameplay	O
values	O
can	O
shift	O
a	O
few	O
units	O
"	O
.Arcanum	O
ultimately	O
sold	O
234,000	O
copies	O
and	O
drew	O
revenues	O
of	O
$8.8	O
million	O
by	O
February	O
2005	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Carla	O
Hacker	O
reviewed	O
the	O
PC	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
for	O
Next	O
Generation	O
,	O
rating	O
it	O
four	O
stars	O
out	O
of	O
five	O
,	O
and	O
stated	O
that	O
"	O
An	O
in-depth	O
and	O
engaging	O
role-playing	O
game	O
that	O
deviates	O
from	O
the	O
traditional	O
fantasy	B-Application
setting	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
"	O
Arcanum	B-Application
received	O
"	O
generally	O
favorable	O
"	O
reviews	O
from	O
critics	O
,	O
according	O
to	O
the	O
review	B-Application
aggregation	I-Application
website	O
Metacritic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
also	O
praised	O
the	O
game	O
for	O
its	O
responsiveness	O
to	O
the	O
player	O
:	O
"	O
A	O
well-adjusted	O
Elf	B-Application
may	O
get	O
more	O
information	O
out	O
of	O
an	O
aristocrat	O
than	O
a	O
surly	O
Half-Ogre	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
conversations	O
you	O
have	O
will	O
be	O
completely	O
different.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
IGN	O
did	O
,	O
however	O
,	O
criticize	O
its	O
interface	O
,	O
calling	O
it	O
"[not]	O
very	O
intuitive	O
,	O
bordering	O
on	O
downright	O
clunky	O
"	O
and	O
the	O
in-game	O
user	B-Application
interface	I-Application
"	O
takes	O
up	O
over	O
a	O
third	O
of	O
the	O
screen	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
editors	O
of	O
Computer	O
Games	O
Magazine	O
named	O
Arcanum	B-Application
the	O
best	O
role-playing	O
game	O
of	O
2001	B-Application
—	O
tied	O
with	O
Wizardry	B-Application
8	I-Application
—	O
and	O
presented	O
it	O
with	O
their	O
"	O
Best	O
Writing	O
"	O
award	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
called	O
Arcanum	B-Application
a	O
"	O
phenomenally	O
well-written	O
"	O
title	O
with	O
an	O
"	O
incredibly	O
creative	O
"	O
setting	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
also	O
won	O
PC	O
Gamer	O
USs	O
,	O
RPG	O
Vault	O
's	O
,	O
The	O
Electric	O
Playgrounds	O
and	O
IGN	O
's	O
2001	B-Application
"	O
Role-Playing	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
"	O
prizes	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
nominated	O
in	O
GameSpy	O
's	O
"	O
PC	O
RPG	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
"	O
and	O
GameSpot	O
's	O
"	O
Best	O
Single-Player	O
Role-Playing	O
Game	O
"	O
and	O
"	O
Best	O
Story	O
"	O
categories	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
PC	O
Gamers	O
editors	O
wrote	O
,	O
"	O
Arcanum''	O
greatly	O
exceeded	O
our	O
expectations	O
,	O
optimizing	O
everything	O
we	O
hold	O
dear	O
about	O
roleplaying	O
on	O
the	O
computer.	O
"	O
</s>
