Friday, October 22, 2010

Melina Velba New Stuff

ArcaniA - Gothic 4


In 2001 began the Essen-based development studio Piranha Bytes "something big, maybe too much. The first part of the Gothic series appeared and was, above all among RPG fans, a great success. The game could the player to move because of its excellent atmosphere in the middle of the game. Shortly thereafter, in 2002, followed even Gothic II, which was also a great success. The third part of the series, however, exactly this very darkened. Disputes between the development studio Piranha Bytes "and the Publisher "JoWooD," which ended in a dispute, made sure that the original developers lost the rights to their work and these were given to the publisher. This meant that Piranha Bytes is now devoted to a new series called "Risen" and the fourth part of the Gothic series, the first time entirely by JoWooD alone, developed in collaboration with Spellbound Entertainment was. This of course stirred up fears among the Gothic-knit community, which feared, especially after the complete Bugverseuchten Gothic 3, the worst. How much gothic infected because now Arcania in this we will focus in greater detail.

way with the old, with her the new
hard to believe but true, the fourth installment of the series thanks the old nameless hero and differs from a dynamic goat herders, who comes from a small sleepy island. The name of the new routes continues to be a tradition in this part in secret. However, our hero gets is already so cherished in the first three parts of a not very significant role, this is in fact now the king Rhobar III currently resides in Agaarn. It is the easternmost island of the Kingdom of the Myrtana you will spend most of the play. The king has managed to unite the entire continent to themselves and would now like the rest of the kingdom in his empire record, down here there is also the island Feshyr on your adventure begins.

your hometown

The new hero wants to marry his friend Ivy gets from her father and several tasks to prove herself worthy to her. The game uses this very simple tasks to teach players the basic control. Is this "First Quest" were the main plot begins and this opens up also the main motivator of the hero who leads him through the adventure, the urge for revenge. Nothing really new, but at least it works.

The history of the game remains rather confused and bewildered more than she says. Apart from the motive of revenge, the player hardly understand what he is doing here at all, and above all why he does this. It will be open continuously to new side stories, the part simply does not close again, and part to do anything with the main story have. A big drawback compared to the previous parts is mainly the density and the depth of history, Arcania does not manage to captivate a moment or really surprised at all.

entrance to cave Diego

gameplay of the Lego box
A few seconds into the game, lets hope one of the first quest was nothing on the rest of his collected works. The game leads with a dream sequence of a new hero in which you take the role of the king and beats you through a dungeon full of skeletons. This is very reminiscent of Diablo in 3D, but with less story. After you wake up are the tutorial island starts in which, as already mentioned the story to the hero and his girlfriend Ivy is told. This was then, however, to change the moment they enter the main island awaits you just a recurring pattern of sadness. The complete Quest design is assembled like Lego blocks, unfortunately, the developers had only four different Stones. From now on it runs through again and again the following process: first


Hero enters new location and would like to speak with his second goal person
To speak with the target person can be person X and Y are initially impressed that they let you to target individual
third Both people are impressed you are allowed to target, this has a concern to you before you ask your question
Dared 4th You have met the concern is your question, get access to a new area

usually lead you to quests in a dungeon with skeletons or a cave full of goblins. All in all, very boring and very monotonous. Although this was in the previous parts of the series little different, but this one caught the player through many RPG elements, a tight gripping story and a free-roaming world.

One of the many dungeons

Less is more?
currently still on everyone's lips, the world economy Kriese, details of which seems to have struck hard at JoWooD also because it was missing at all and ends and corners of capital. Under the motto "less is more" the good old Gothic philosophy was purified and easily adapted to a new target group. So what has changed?

has always been very liked the opportunity to decide during the game for a Group, this falls away in Arcania, there are still groups, but only this one visits here. Where it then climb to a level still called "From the next coach and will be stronger," you can always do this now after the climb by pressing the button K on the keyboard. Trainers are therefore also become redundant. Where we are already at levels, as well, has fundamentally changed. The player must not, as earlier strength, dexterity, etc. individually by coach Skillen. Now you get after each level rise of three points you want to be distributed at will. This affect the selection, however, very thin, only melee, ranged, vitality, and the three magic can be improved in this way. Scope for a varied character design is so obviously not met. As mentioned above, the number of spells was reduced drastically. Where time there was all sorts of different spells including the transformation into a wolf, for example, there are now only fire, lightning and ice.

The nue crafting and skill system


The game world is also shrunk, from here you the error was committed in Gothic 3 learned. However, with the world, the open world feel is on a "barely noticeable to end minimum shrunk. Where previously could explore almost from the beginning, the entire game world and explore each of these trips made with a new cave and a valuable treasure paid ArcaniA waves in a although very beautiful but also very meaningless world. The player is indeed an open world fooled but once you open the world map after a bit of my playing time behind him you can see the hose qualities areas. Trips to the countryside is also worth not more, for one thing, there just from the Green to nothing more and that what remained remains is, is unfortunately almost dead. The genome of caves and all corners of the world game is no longer rewarded, thus creating no incentive to roam this yet. The result is a stump back and forth, running around between the objectives of the contract.

The game world

How does this look because with the craft? Here, too, JoWooD has cut drastically. Those who have previously learned the blacksmithing at the blacksmith, the crude steel, bought it and forged on the anvil with fervor in the right shape kloppte, the red-hot iron was then hissing into the water bucket and in this As forged his own sword, the press must now only the C key and may at any time, even during a struggle to forge weapons as you like, provided it the necessary materials and to have the recipe. Behaves analogously to the alchemy. It is precisely among these role-playing elements, such as interacting with have almost any object to the things that made the Gothic series so unique. Have they now completely removed, one has indeed possible in the options selbige re-activate, but it has no effect on the game when the hero now can return it to a bed or reading a book, not the time goes quicker, yet he learns new skills. This is a huge step backwards for the series and a tragedy at that. Thus, the dynamic change of a day, which is sure to look very pretty, no effect on the "routine" of the population. presented in the previous parts of the Gothic in his bed at night after work, or twisted into the pub. In contrast, there are those ArcaniA daily routines and not a carpenter, it really bothers little whether it is dark or light, he hammers easy 24 / 7 of his closet.

fighting a demon

come in ... sit down ... you take all of my property!
This is the motto of the population of Agaarn. Where the owner of a hut nor a previously desolate abused and beat her if necessary from his cabin, followed the communist ArcaniA generation a clear view. "What is my yours" is the guiding principle. So you can browse all the peace in every home and wegstibitzen their chests and the inhabitants belongings right in front of the nose. The lockpicking has also been drastically simplified, so it now requires no special skills, but needs to solve only a stupid mini-game. The graphics can

As regards the technique ArcaniA really worth watching -

The island simulator. The world looks very realistic and is compared to its predecessor, again much smaller and more manageable. Since it is the game world by two islands are thronged with beautiful palm trees, sandy beaches and rocky cliffs of which, with a loud roar, a waterfall plunges into the depths. But except island Feeling ArcaniA has more to offer than there would be a great swamp, a dense jungles and even icy mountain peaks.

icy peaks


The sun casts beautiful shadows when it comes out behind the leaves of a tree or on objects breaks. The world contains a dynamic day-night cycle and, consequently, dynamic shadows. However, the shadow only every second to be recalculated, so they huckeln through the landscape, this should really be fixed until the release, but is unfortunately still present and spoils the realism considerably.

Here you see the light effect of the sun

are also nice to see the weather effects. Of thick fog, a strong storm, to a violent storm is taken care of. In particular, the rain looks very nice, as soon as it rains a "water texture effect" on all objects that are affected by the rain is laid, which makes them seem very credible. After a heavy rain, the earth will effectively dry. The only thing this charming drama into something ridiculous drawn is the fact that the rain texture is put on the cave walls of a temple or dungeon. So it happens that one is deep in a cave and the walls suddenly start to "bleed".

Here you see the rain effect

general seems to be the game developers a forgetful beings. Since there are graphical effects that are completely logical, technically easily implemented and since Gothic 1, which here in ArcaniA shine with their absence. Notably the fact that the hero goes through water, ensuring no noise, still causing waves or otherwise in the water. What is the overall picture is also somewhat clouded by continuing changes in the weather, it may well be that the rain by this great texture even looks really beautiful, but so it does not rain every 5 minutes. In ArcaniA the weather changes so often it's ridiculous. Apart from these few points, however, it looks beautiful and comes from a benchmark rather than a game the same. The price of hardware is hungry for it but also enormous.

What also still very disturbing is the lack of NPCs. If you thought "The Witcher" in the original version of little character models would be wrong. ArcaniA manages to poorer this gestallten. Apart from the important Hauptcharaktären there are only three male Charaktäre felt that you meet really permanent and are wrapped only in different clothes.

brings the Tree of the magician in the bottom

TomTom already integrated
ArcaniA all sorts of "comfort" features are released, which can be added gradually turn the player. There is therefore now either a minimap with associated Quest and Quest Info Display. Acids to Lootbare opponents, as well as objects in houses and dungeons. If you can activate all of these tools is basically ignored any more. But even without all these aids can thanks ArcaniA some optical aid center to ensure that one plant, etc. find them. Those who think that you get back a little more old gothic feel without all this nonsense, you are wrong. The only thing that is eternal search for results from Quest NPCs somewhere in the dense thicket of the jungle are.


localization and sound
The localization of the game is successful. The voice actors are a lot of love and total commitment here, so the game can also easily be played in German, above all, it is nice that even Diego, Lester and his associates have again their old Syncro. In addition, although boring, Quest told mostly through funny dialogue, that comforts a little.
The sound effects and music are all great and provide the right background for the world and the struggles. The only thing that is immediately noticeable negative effect of the storm. Once it's in times Agaarn storms, then shake the trees and leaves and the whole looks very credible, but lack the right tone about what caused the player a very strange feeling. I hope this sound will last for per patch.

Conclusion: All in all
Arcania is - Gothic 4 consistently average, neither the story nor the quest design, nor the level and character system are outstanding. This is clearly seen to whom is the game now and those are the casual gamers. The story captures the player is not for a moment and he does not draw with the world of Agaarn inside. It is all playing very easy, very straight and very abwechslungslos. With a Gothic the game definitely has nothing in common, aside from the characters from the series. Those who have nothing better to do on pretty graphics and the money is added to the game can look at times. Each Rollenspielfan and should especially every fan of the Gothic series a steer clear of this title make. It has basically missed anything if you have not played it. The game is more a sense of work as fun and that should do well not really a game.

receives Thus Arcania - Gothic 4 I 2 of 5 fox paws


to Screenshot Gallery of Arcania - Gothic 4 (114 Screenshots)

Good 2 know:
- Gothic 3 was due to its bugs a name in the community. This resulted in a GameStar - Bug video that is very popular in the community.
- Development costs for ArcaniA amount to JoWooD to almost six million € (June was 2010)
- Even before the release of "Tales from the split virgin" have been published that tell the story behind the game.

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