CHAT ROOM

 
You can join TTC's chat room (#Troika) anytime of the day or night. This is done through IRC or Internet Relay Chat which is the internet's standard real-time chat service. To run IRC you will first need a program like mIRC. After you have downloaded and installed this necessary program, you will need to add a Gamesnet server to the server list. This is done by clicking the 'Add' button and then entering the server (irc.gamesnet.net) and port (6667). Finally, just connect to the server, type #Troika as the channel to join and click 'Join'. Violla! You're chatting with other Troika fans just like you.

 

Below is the edited version of The Troika Connection's first ever developer chat log of July 20, 2001. Thanks to skwerly for doing the editing:
#Troika dev chat, July 20, 2001
Edited for content by skwerly, official mascot of #arcanum

Lord_Davidian - Hello Troikanites & Troika fans! Thank you for being a part of The Troika Connection's first Troika Games developer chat.
Lord_Davidian - Before we start, with the questions, please introduce yourselves and tell us what it is you do as Troikanites for those who don't already know. :)
shellman - I'm shellman... I believe "Troika Mom" best describes me :)
ChuBaka - i am Tiffany and i design in a junior kind of way... Hi!
Ilraven - I'm Jesse, a programmer here at Troika...
TimCain - I am Tim and I do stuff that makes us go.
McCarthy - I am Michael McCarthy, artist and other stuff.
Steve[Troika] - I'm Steve and I do all of Troika's dirty work
angryhippo - i'm Sissie... jr. designer..
cmoore - BTW...I'm cmoore...I'm the Big Cheese around here.

Micro_Furry - Here's a question: What's Troika's next project after Arcanum and the inevitable expansion?
TimCain - Sorry Micro Furry we cannot talk about it
Troika_JDA - We can't officaly say what we are working on right know
Steve[Troika] - To make long story short we're still not allowed to talk about what we're working on right now.
shellman - contractual legal crap and all that...

Vikjunk - What do you find the most rewarding thing about designing games?
ChuBaka - it's fun but it's work... see?
Steve[Troika] - I would say being able to see the box on store shelves and say, "Hey I did that" but I can't really do that right now... heh...
shellman - The awesome feeling of seeing the whole thing come together.
leonX - The joy of releasing it and seeing it on the shelves, knowing loyal fans can buy it
Ilraven - Hearing people's stories about playing the games and having things occur that we never expected...being able to put something in and see it work...
cmoore - I'd say the physical expression and implementation of your creative ideas...its really fun to see it all happen on the screen
TimCain - I like reading people talking about playing the game, the good and the bad stuff
shellman - Knowing your part of something like this.
leonX - it's fun to be paid to make stuff up
McCarthy - Really it's the high profile life-style. The money, the chicks, the fame... sometimes it's too much.

Guigz - Will we be able to attach a dialogue script to inanimate objects such as a door or chair?
Steve[Troika] - Too much sometimes you got to think about eating the shrip eh mike?
cmoore - yes
shellman - YES
leonX - Yes
Steve[Troika] - Yes
ChuBaka - yes, you just hafta unclick the clickthrough flag

Lord_Davidian - Will anyone be taking Mark's and Chris' place? If so do you know who and when?
shellman - We hired Steve... he replaced them both... right Steve?
TimCain - We are looking for another programmer too
leonX - we've got ads up on our new fangled site

bilbo_baggins - what ere your faworite snacks
leonX - cupcakes
TimCain - I like candy
angryhippo - nutter butters
Ilraven - Snoopy cinnamon mints!
cmoore - nutters, too...
McCarthy - Quaker Oatmeal.
Ilraven - and nutter butters, etc.
shellman - Chocolate Chip coodies!
shellman - And Hostess Cup Cakes. :)
Troika_JDA - cookies

Guigz - (in Arcanum) will it be possible to change the way shops restock their "inventories"?
cmoore - yes
McCarthy - yes
angryhippo - yup
shellman - YEP.
TimCain - Easily
cmoore - its very easy...just a txt file...
wartoy - it will be possible to change what they carry
leonX - It's fun to cheat that way
Troika_JDA - All shopkeepers have inventory sources that can be set to respawn

Lord_Davidian - When is everyone's birthday? (you don't have to give the year if you don't want to :P)
ChuBaka - 4/7
McCarthy - 3/7/74
cmoore - 12 3 70
wartoy - 3/14
leonX - 6 27 65 I'm an old man
TimCain - Aug 25 (1 day after we ship!)
angryhippo - 9/29
Ilraven - 7/25, yup!
shellman - Sept 15 Send chocolate!
Steve[Troika] - 6-22-78
Troika_JDA - 5 11 69

Xerophyte - What would you say your 'dream project' is, if indeed you have one? The perfect game you'd just love to one day create?
leonX - ARCANUM!
cmoore - Neuromancer...
TimCain - SimRPG
wartoy - EarthDawn
leonX - Leisure Suit Leon
Steve[Troika] - StarControl MMO
shellman - Sharon's RTS of Death!
McCarthy - Sci-Fi RPG
Troika_JDA - squad level comabat

melloj - Who is the good luck charm of the group or who do you rub for luck everyday?
angryhippo - cooter!!!
Ilraven - Cooter!
ChuBaka - COOT!
cmoore - my gut
TimCain - Cooter is rubbed quite a bit...

Zed - what kind 'o computers do u guys use and who's got the best one?
cmoore - Mine is one step away from an abacus
ChuBaka - ps450 something soemthing
shellman - We artist have the crappy ones at the moment, I believe.
Steve[Troika] - I think most of the programmers are on P3-900s
shellman - P2450's
TimCain - I have a monitor whose color is off. Mike didnt want it and I cant tell. :)
angryhippo - at work? p2 450 with 128 megs of ram....
Steve[Troika] - Yong has a Dual Xeon-1GHz
leonX - p2 450 dual processor with 512 megs of RAM
Steve[Troika] - I definatly have the most monitors of anyone though.

Saint Proverbius - Tim - Why'd you shave your beard?
TimCain - Well, to be honest, I trimmed it badly, so I just shaved it all off. It's too hot for a beard anyway

Lord_Davidian - What is your all time favorite movie?
ChuBaka - don't have one
TimCain - Raiders of the Lost Ark
leonX - ROAD WARRIOR
shellman - Dead Again
Ilraven - don't have just one, though Aliens ranks *high* up there...
cmoore - Balde Runner
leonX - MATRIX is up there too
wartoy - usual suspects
Troika_JDA - Star Wars was for a long long time, but after the last one i dont know
angryhippo - come on, everyone *loved* d&d, right??
McCarthy - N'Sync in Imax
cmoore - Jurassic Park 3
Steve[Troika] - Too many to pick from. But D&D ranked up there (hahaha..)
wartoy - Akira
TimCain - Manos: Hands of Fate
cmoore - Highlander 2
shellman - Encino Man?
leonX - Legend of the FLying Guillotine
Steve[Troika] - No way, Bio-Dome was better than Encino Man
cmoore - Halloween 8

Lord_Davidian - What is you favorite book?
leonX - Bluebeard by Vonnegut
TimCain - Lord of Light by Zelazny
* wartoy reads wheel of time
ChuBaka - don't have one!
Steve[Troika] - I'm gonna have to say Fight Club by Chuck Palahnuik
cmoore - Neuromancer
Ilraven - Hmm...I love the Saga of Pliocene Exile, by Julian May...amber series by zelazny...bunch of others...
shellman - Hmmm... don't have a favorite. I'm not one to re-read books. I just mow through lots and lots of them. :)
McCarthy - An Untimely Affair by Sir Chadwick Moore

Guigz - On the day the game ships, will it be availlable at stores or will we have to wait until it gets to the stores(kind of weird question isn't it?)?)
ChuBaka - yes (to the kind of a weird question part)
leonX - i think August 24th is the shelf date
TimCain - I think Aug 24 is street date, so it is available then
shellman - That's the whole 21st/24th dilemma
Steve[Troika] - I thought, the IN STORE date is the 24th
Troika_JDA - by the 24th
shellman - Its shipping on the 21st. It will be to all of the stores by the 24th.

Merlina - you're sure it will be in europe 24th as well?
shellman - That's what we're told. I personally guarantee nothing. :)

Lord_Davidian - Did you have any heros/idols growing up? If so, who?
McCarthy - Dolemite
angryhippo - mr. potato head.
Ilraven - my mother and father... ;)
ChuBaka - yah.... right now, jet li
Troika_JDA - Han Solo
cmoore - George 'The Animal' Steele
shellman - My mom.
Lord_Davidian - Oh, that's sweet shellman :)
TimCain - My childhood is a blur
Steve[Troika] - I was happy they finally let me out of that dark box, I have no memories of childhood.

melloj - Are any of you guys going to camp out at a computer store the day of the release and watch the shelf? Or just hide somewhere far away for a week?
McCarthy - I'll be watching my checking account....
cmoore - I'll be out in the streets...preaching the good word
Steve[Troika] - I'll be outside with my pen signing for $20 a box.
Ilraven - probably stop by a store to glance in...
ChuBaka - i'll be playing something and looking at food
angryhippo - maybe outside with a box of krispy kreme donuts...
shellman - We have organized plans to hang out at the stores all day long telling everyone who comes in its the greatest game that there ever was
shellman - And if they don't buy it... we know where they live. ;)
TimCain - I plan to walk the dog and pick up his "nuisances"

stravaig - if you were an animal, what would you be?
cmoore - Grizz
McCarthy - Silverback Gorilla
TimCain - I'd be a dog. They have good lives.
Steve[Troika] - Without a doubt, everybody here would definatly say I'd be a monkey.
Troika_JDA - Human
Ilraven - a cat...perhaps a dog...
* wartoy is a sneaky lizard
shellman - A bird.

stravaig - is there anything we fans can do to help? is there anything you'd like to see on the fan sites or on the boards?
Steve[Troika] - Preorders!
McCarthy - 50 copies a piece.
wartoy - preorders would be nice
TimCain - When the game ships, talk about it in public forums so I can read it
cmoore - emotional support
Steve[Troika] - Preorder for your friends and family too!
ChuBaka - more polls, and fan created stuff, and simple design
cmoore - fan fiction is always cool, too...
Steve[Troika] - Tattoo your body with Troika and Arcanum logos!
TimCain - Make the recipe in the manual too
Troika_JDA - Just see that people are interested enough to put up a site is enough for me
angryhippo - tell your friends how cool arcanum is!
cmoore - read about it in the papers...

Shards - what will you do with all the earning from Arcanum?
McCarthy - can of coke.
Steve[Troika] - I think a quarter pounder with cheese is about all we can do.
Ilraven - eat my next meal? :)
Troika_JDA - shellman will answer that one for me :(
ChuBaka - not in the loop for earnings!
leonX - Put gas in my car
McCarthy - Put gas in my car and go over to Jasons house to watch his T.V.
TimCain - Buy shiny things and look at them
cmoore - taxes
Steve[Troika] - Payoff those loan sharks.
TimCain - I plan to work towards world peace

stravaig - for tim: any recent exciting additions to the 'chocolates i have known' book?
TimCain - Yes, some chocolates from San Fran
TimCain - From Scharfenbergers...

shellman - TROIKA... What games have you been playing lately? (Instead of working! You slackers!!!0
angryhippo - cs!
angryhippo - ut!
Steve[Troika] - Well, after I get all my work done, I'm usually blowing people up in a good game of Counter-Strike....
Ilraven - ummm...troika-strike (cs that is)
angryhippo - puzzle fighter!
ChuBaka - super puzzle fighter
ChuBaka - i play ADOM at home
McCarthy - Virtual Valerie 8
ChuBaka - or check out my bro's diablo2 expansion
cmoore - tic tac toe
shellman - "See how fast Troika can eat a box of donuts"
Troika_JDA - D2

melloj - After the game is out, will you guys be going on tour?
shellman - LOL! A tour would be a scary, scary thing
Steve[Troika] - Like I said, $20 a box, I'll have my pen with me.
Ilraven - a tour of eateries perhaps?
Steve[Troika] - If someone wants to setup the travel plans I'll fly from country to country on tour!

Lord_Davidian - Who of you is married?
McCarthy - Chad is.
cmoore - Mike is...
leonX - I am
shellman - Leon and Yong are it.
Steve[Troika] - Leon and Yong are married, but Mike and Chad are definatly out of the game.

Shards - do you guys have a monkey fetish? because I'm seeing a lot of monkeys and gorrila things in the tropical screeshots.... :)
wartoy - that would be steve
ChuBaka - only steve...
Ilraven - well...steve does...
angryhippo - steve does.
TimCain - Steve loves his monkeys
Steve[Troika] - Its not a fetish, its a coincidence.

ender_ - Do you guys get out much, you don't have very good tans, except Tim, I think he uses bronzer?
shellman - pasty people
ChuBaka - WHO INSULTED MY TAN?????
wartoy - tim has a tan... its a fake!!!
TimCain - I have a good tan from walking the dog three times a day, picking up his nuisances
shellman - I'm tan now!
Ilraven - some of us walk Cooter almost every day!
shellman - Thank god we finished this game!
wartoy - troika day @ the beach!!
shellman - We get to see the sun this summer! Woohoo!
McCarthy - some of us are stuck inside working....
Troika_JDA - I got sun burn last weekend does that count?
shellman - Can you get a sunburn playing Couter Strike?

Whipporowill - Any idea if the european version will ship in a dvd case? How the heck will the manual fit?<Whipporowill> Any idea if the european version will ship in a dvd case? How the heck will the manual fit?
shellman - No DVD case as far as I know.
shellman - Box and manual like here.
TimCain - The manual is the same size as the US
Troika_JDA - we haven't seen the packaging for eroupe

Vikjunk - What do you find to be that hardest part about making a game?
shellman - Working with Tim
TimCain - Being Tim
Steve[Troika] - Going home at the end of the day.
ChuBaka - when the creative juices run dry...
Ilraven - the 7 days a week for months on end... :O
shellman - Trying to get home
McCarthy - Watching people take credit for your good ideas......
cmoore - the working part
shellman - Time. Not enough time is always the hardest part.
angryhippo - not enough sleep...
cmoore - Trying to let other people come up with cool ideas...
TimCain - Reducing the run time of non-polynomial algorithms!
Ilraven - trying to see what needs to be done to make the game even better...
Steve[Troika] - Solving NP-Complete problems in linear time.
wartoy - balancing
cmoore - chafing
shellman - Fighting over the last piece of pizza
TimCain - making AI that people will not describe as "retarded"
shellman - Fighting because you don't *want* to have pizza again.
shellman - Not being retarded

stravaig - are you still doing the 'find the fan graveyard' contest, or is that off because of the warez?
McCarthy - what warez?
TimCain - No one has found it yet, right?
shellman - We can probably still do it. As long as you guys aren't playing the warez. I haven't heard of it being found.
shellman - If anyone's heard it has. Email me.

Zed - what kind of music do u guys play at the office?
Saint_Proverbius - They're all playing the warez. I recommend just making a huge statue of me, instead.
angryhippo - cowboy bebop soundtracks!
leonX - Barbra Steisand
TimCain - Ambient - Eno, Biosphere, Global Communication...
ChuBaka - BSB
cmoore - electronica...
angryhippo - glay!
Ilraven - a *wide* range...everything from anime soundtracks to ambient to you name it...
TimCain - Mi dios, me he ejecutado del caramelo
Steve[Troika] - All sorts of stuff: from electronica to rock to local punk to latin pop to ambient to just about anything.
McCarthy - Radiohead, DJ Shadow, Boards of Canada, Carly Simon

Lord_Davidian - What word/phrase makes you laugh uncontrolably?
ChuBaka - roman catholic
wartoy - leon got the sweet SB dev kit!!
Troika_JDA - quicksand, SOAD all kinds of stuff
leonX - titmouse
TimCain - I was going to say that LeonX!
cmoore - all your base are belong to us
shellman - Anderson
TimCain - DirectX
McCarthy - Moc 5
cmoore - Baldur's Gate 2
shellman - Microsoft
ChuBaka - chinglish amuses me too
wartoy - MicroSoft
angryhippo - when chubaka says stuff is gay
angryhippo - all the time...
McCarthy - Grunion Run
Steve[Troika] - Golden Shrimp
McCarthy - Shrimp Gobbler

Whipporowill - What's the weirdest game idea anyone you've come up with? (and probably made the rest laugh)
leonX - Capture the Sperm
Steve[Troika] - I'd have to say Mike's Cloud City was pretty funny.
wartoy - tims bionic underwear
cmoore - Pregnant Invaders
TimCain - I wrote a treatment called "Hell Hath No Fury"
TimCain - It was about a very angry woman
TimCain - She had guns
shellman - The Troika Sim?
TimCain - Arcanum 2?
shellman - ...an MMORPG
shellman - (The Troika one)
Ilraven - Monkey, the poo flinging monkey?

Lord_Davidian - What are your favorite hobbies? (serious or otherwise :P)
cmoore - Writing...
ChuBaka - playing video games, card games, board games, and talking
TimCain - Reading
shellman - Swimming... Now buy a bunch of copies... because I don't have a pool! :P
McCarthy - Music and martial arts.
Steve[Troika] - All of the above.
wartoy - reading... pen and paper rpg
cmoore - Blasting my biceps, too..
shellman - oh... reading is definetly up there.
TimCain - Walking the dog and picking up his nuisances
Ilraven - reading too..
wartoy - swimming too
Troika_JDA - music, guitar, hang'n out with Gwyn
ChuBaka - i also enjoy writing, music and wishing i could move like jet li
angryhippo - killing and getting killed in fps's.
TimCain - Eating candy
shellman - Eating in general. :)
leonX - yoga eating
angryhippo - listening to music, sleeping, eating, and blowing bubbles.

Flipz - If you guys weren't working for at Troika right now, where would you be?
Steve[Troika] - Unemployed.
leonX - the gutter
ChuBaka - studying for law school
wartoy - watching daytime tv
shellman - At home on the couch with a bag of chips
Ilraven - travelling in europe
cmoore - Micky Dills
angryhippo - going to art school.
TimCain - Walking the dog and picking up his nuisances
shellman - Back at Blizzard?
angryhippo - hmm... maybe back at square.
ChuBaka - hmm... possibly blizzard qa?
* wartoy would be back managing his wherehouse
McCarthy - pixar, ILM, taco bell... I like to keep my options open...

Lord_Davidian - Is there, or will there be any room for talanted writers (i.e. myself) for future projects? (You don't have to pay me :) )
McCarthy - Theres always room for unpaid staff here at Troika Games.
shellman - as the silence fills the room....
Steve[Troika] - First you'd have to spell talented right, and you'd have to go through our HR.
TimCain - Troika never has and never will hire talented writers
shellman - Yeah... our HR is tough!
shellman - Aren't I?
angryhippo - <silence....>
* TimCain watches the tumbleweeds
McCarthy - Make a good mod when the game ships Lord-D'. That would be good way to get noticed.

stravaig - what are some of the most annoying habits of your co-workers?
shellman - Walking the dog...
Ilraven - killing me in CS
leonX - Talking to me
cmoore - Mike -- always losing in quake
shellman - Eating all of the beef jerky within an hour of buying it.
Ilraven - eating all of the cookies 2 seconds after they were opened...
ChuBaka - chad leon and jason plays the same song 20 times over loudly... well that's not really that bad =o)
angryhippo - when cmoore tries to imitate me!
Troika_JDA - people playing CS :)
McCarthy - Hearing chad eat his cereal.
shellman - never restocking the fridge...
Ilraven - leaving cokes in the freezer to explode?
ChuBaka - when cooter farts in public
wartoy - tims jedi mind tricks
cmoore - leon stealing all my ideas
angryhippo - when chubaka doesn't eat...
shellman - "Coffee" design sessions
cmoore - chubaka and her weirdness

Whipporowill - You guys play cs online or lan? Any server you use to hang around? *itching trigger finger*
wartoy - lan
shellman - LAN
angryhippo - lan.
leonX - LAN, though mike is pretty weak
shellman - We like to kill eachother
ChuBaka - lan, but i want to do tfc internet sometime

Lord_Davidian - Can I get height and weight measurements of you all for TTC?
angryhippo - sorry guys...
shellman - Ha Ha Ha. NO
ChuBaka - i'm 5 foot 4 and a half...
wartoy - im incorporeal
McCarthy - 6'1'' buck 50.
cmoore - 24 35 26
angryhippo - i'm short.
shellman - Whose the shortest?
TimCain - I am 6'1" too but I weigh a little more than Mike
angryhippo - cooter weighs 50 lbs.
Ilraven - 5' 11"
leonX - 5' 8 178 105% body fat
cmoore - think Shwarzenegger
wartoy - 6'1" and heavier than tim

melloj - Comic relief : Tim Cain would look good in a dress. Discuss.
TimCain - I did shave...
shellman - He looks good in one today.
shellman - I LOVE that color on you Tim
TimCain - What color is it? I cannot see it
Ilraven - some images are indelibly marred into my brain...
TimCain - The dress fits well on my Depends

Whipporowill - What do you guys think of the Rpg's out there? What things would you buy yourself? What do you consider CRAP?
Steve[Troika] - I'm really looking forward to buying Torn when it comes out.
wartoy - i bought Darklands
cmoore - BG2 -Crap. IWD - Crap. D2 - Crap
shellman - Arcanum... RULES
shellman - No... we're not biased.
TimCain - I like EQ dammit! But it aint much of an RPG...
cmoore - I'm only biased against crappy games. Like Deus Ex
leonX - I didn't think there had been any RPGs since Fallout
TimCain - I liked the Ultima Underworlds, those were great

Shards - what does Tim do with his dog's "nuisances"?
cmoore - stew
McCarthy - codes
Ilraven - we don't ask, he doesn't tell
TimCain - I make "chocolate" for my friends
shellman - Well... there's this little safe he keeps in his bedroom...
angryhippo - he uses those little blue baggies that smell tropically fresh.
cmoore - jif
Steve[Troika] - He journals shape, color, consistency, and taste in an excel spreadsheet.
McCarthy - hacky-sack
cmoore - peter pan
McCarthy - smooth and creamy

melloj - Do you guys thing there is 3D in your future? What do you think of 3D RPG's vs traditional 2D?
shellman - At some point, there will definetly be 3D in our future.
ChuBaka - some rpgs look like ass in 3d. some non-rpgs look like ass in 3d but looked beautiful 2d
angryhippo - monkey island..
Steve[Troika] - 3D gives a lot of benefits to 2D, it will only be time before 3D is a huge mainstream. 2D just doesn't scale in technology like 3D does.
shellman - Most of the 3D ones have still had lots of "mechanical" problems.
ChuBaka - dare i say... Monkey island 4?
Troika_JDA - Ultima underworld was cool
cmoore - As long as it plays cool, I don't have a preference
TimCain - We plan to skip straight to 4D

Shards - any chance you will guys reveal what your next project is soon?
shellman - No.
TimCain - What Shellman said
shellman - Don't you feel Arcanum was revealed a bit too soon?
leonX - we won't publisize our next game until after it is on the shelves

Flipz - do you guys have much contact with other game Developers?
wartoy - there are other games?
leonX - we have spies everywhere. I men, uh, no
cmoore - I still have a lot of friends I used to work with at Black Isle...
TimCain - I still see a lot of the Interplay crowd
shellman - Not as much as we used to. We were very understaffed on Arcanum. That's changing this time. Right guys? Right????
Steve[Troika] - Yeah, the industry is somewhat incestious.
McCarthy - We have a few friends at other companies.... for now.....
Steve[Troika] - I have some friends at Quicksilver, and some IPLY people hang out with us at times.
cmoore - I have a lot of contacts at Blizz, too...
ChuBaka - i know no one
TimCain - Oh yeah, I know people at Quicksilver and Blizzard too.
TimCain - And Sierra and Microsoft
TimCain - And WOTC
cmoore - Square, Nintendo, etc...
cmoore - Oh, and Sony, too...
wartoy - activision
shellman - Ensemble
leonX - I'm friends with Tim Cain
cmoore - Did I mention Sega?
McCarthy - POV

Micro_Furry - What about 3D rpgs in the 2D style (isometric rather than first person), to get rid of problems like having to draw art for every single race and weapon/clothing combination?
cmoore - I like that approach...
Steve[Troika] - Yeah just like Torn, I like those kinds of games.
McCarthy - I think it is very important to have 3d characters. I will push that as much as I can.
shellman - Yep. That's my preference.
Troika_JDA - I personaly like that style
leonX - Yeah, but you have to be flashy to get people's attention, as we have seen

melloj - are you guys all American born?
cmoore - I is!
ChuBaka - i'm not
angryhippo - yup
Ilraven - yes
shellman - I am.

Steve[Troika] - Thanks everybody for showing up... its been a blast!
McCarthy - by everyone
Lord_Davidian - Thank you all for coming
wartoy - bye all thx for coming out!!!
shellman - Thank you! :)

--end--

 

 

Below is the edited version of the #Arcanum developer chat log of June 26, 2001. Thanks to skwerly for doing the editing. I highlighted in green the two questions I had that were chosen as well as the team's answers:
Arcanum developer chat, June 26, 2001, 4:00pm PST
Edited for content by skwerly, mascot of GamesNET's #arcanum

<Calis> Hello to you all, and welcome to this Arcanum developer chat!
<Calis> Before we begin, the only ground rule: Please do not disrupt the chat. This includes repeatedly leaving and rejoining the channel, and repeated nick changes.
<Calis> As this is a moderated chat, questions should be sent to me, and I'll forward them to the channel at the appropriate time. You can msg me by double-clicking on my name, for the IRC-inept among you.
<Calis> While the channel is moderated, you can join #arcanuminn for unmoderated chat.
<Calis> Now before we start with the questions... how about you Troika maniacs give us a description of who you are and what you do?
<shellman> My name's shellman... Sharon Shellman and I buy the cookies. :)
<Leon> I'm leon, the joint ceo/art director/designer/silly guy
<Steve[Troika]> <-- programmer and official dog playing toy.
<JDA> I'm jason and i eat cookies. do art, design. go insain
<Steve[Troika]> Jesse is rebooting, his computer sucks.
<TimCain> I am Tim. I like candy, system level design and programming
<ChuBaka> I'm Tiffany and i .... i dunno
<ChuBaka> what do i do?
<Steve[Troika]> You scratch the dog when he's bored.
<shellman> Uh??? Help with the general lunacy
<Calis> well, wanna get started with the questions?

<Michael_Wolf> How many and what kind of multiplayer (or singleplayer) scenarios will ship with the final game?
<JDA> one
<shellman> of each
<shellman> We're leaving the mod-making for you guys
<Leon> One each, though we've made a module to be distributed by some outlets
<shellman> Although I'll make a few small ones to demonstrate the manual
<Steve[Troika]> The multiplayer module much smaller than the single player one.
<Leon> ...and then there's the two uh, nevermind

<Kozmo_Naut> How do you feel about Arcanum at this moment. Is it all you hoped it would be?
<shellman> I don't think any game is every *all* you hope for. But we're very, very happy with it.
<Leon> Arcanum is everything and more!
<Steve[Troika]> I'm overly impressed with all of the great things we were able to get into Arcanum.
<Ilraven> Well, it has almost everything from the original design doc. ;)
<TimCain> It turned out to be HUGE too!
<shellman> Its definetly our best effort. And a ton of fun!
<JDA> It has most of what I wanted, a little less and alot more I didn't think wluld be in there.

<Michael_Wolf> Will there be any "official" scenarios after the release?
<Leon> Possibly
<shellman> Probably.
<Steve[Troika]> Well I know there was a module that was to be released with special retailers. Rumor was internally some people had their own 'mods' they wanted to work on, but nothing official I know of.
<TimCain> Some people here are making mods. I am not sure if Sierra has in mind anything "official"
<shellman> Depends how swamped we are with the next baby.

<Calis> Speaking of The Next Baby... I take it you won't be answering questions about that in any shape or form? :)
<shellman> Its a .... game! :P
<TimCain> Sierra wants it to be mum for a while...

<Thenomain> Thenomain's Important Question: Will the amazingly popular and wonderfully fun "Twixt" card game (based entirely on the Arcanum world itself) be distributed with Arcanum?
<Steve[Troika]> I don't think it's on the CD, and it would be up to sierra to have it printed out and put in the box. So I don't think so.
<Steve[Troika]> But I could be wrong.
<shellman> I don't believe it will be on the CD, but I'm sure it will be available. Sorry about not on the CD :(

<Sahin> Question about multiplayer: Will we be allowed to have 1 character we join in many games with (via Diablo), or a new character for each game?
<Steve[Troika]> Your character gets saved and can go to different games. Items do not transfer over however.
<Steve[Troika]> You can also export your character from the single player game into multiplayer.
<TimCain> I used my character, MR. Speedo, in several games.
<JDA> The character becomes unique with each game you join.

<stravaig> to all: what is the longest stretch of time you spent at the office while working on arcanum?
<Leon> 20 hours
<shellman> Jason did 3 straight days...
<Ilraven> Well, 7 days a week...but I never slept here...I live too close by... ;)
<Steve[Troika]> I think one time I was here for nearly 20 hours, but I took the next day off cus I was so tired.
<JDA> I got the record 3 days no sleep

<Fintilgin> Does Troika have a philosophical or other preference for the isometric 3rd person POV (2d/3d irrelevent), or is there any chance we might see a first-person perspective Troika RPG at some point in the future? Personally I prefer 1st person, as it's the difference between >playing< a character, and >being< a character. :)
<Leon> it's hard to do parties with a first prson perspective
<shellman> I haven't liked the party controls in any of the first persons so far
<TimCain> I think we will try first-person one day, but it makes for a VERY different game and groups are almost impossible to control
<Leon> but we never rule anything out
<Steve[Troika]> Personally I think each has its own severe limitations, and really its up to the game mechanics to make it come out good.

<[SoO]Genocide_Angel> What kind of cookies do they each prefer? <since they all like cookies obviously>
<ChuBaka> i'm o a diet
<Leon> chocolate chip!
<TimCain> CHOCOLATE CHIP!!!!
<angryhippo> mrs. fields
<Ilraven> ginger snaps & peanut butter ;)
<shellman> I think we go through Nutter Butters and Taffy cookies the most
<JDA> Choc Chip
<TimCain> Girl Scout cookies too
<angryhippo> uh... nutter butters!!!
<Steve[Troika]> MMmm... my roommate's parent's neighbor makes a mini chocolate chip with vanilla pudding baked in it, its absolutely wonderful.

<Calis> <stravaig> have you done a patch yet?
<TimCain> We have code in place for the patch, we are one version ahead of the gold right now
<Leon> We're working on something
<Leon> maybe
<JDA> Not officaly.
<Leon> uhm or maybe not
<Steve[Troika]> Huh, whats a patch, Tim's too perfect of a programmer to need a patch.
<Leon> it's not to fix bugs....
<Leon> Ooops
<Leon> did I let something slip?

<Hecktar> If Any charecter can beat the game(even a weak one) is this means the end-boss is easy?
<Ilraven> It means that there is more than one way to "win" the game... :)
<shellman> Yeah... the end-boss is a wus. ;)
<Leon> It depends what kind of bugs you exploit, I mean, what strategy you take
<Steve[Troika]> There are always multiple ways to get out of different situations.
<Leon> It depends which followers you have
<JDA> If you are weak you better have some friends.
<TimCain> The game takes so long to play, that the end boss kills you via exhaustion
<Leon> I think Chad wrote 152 different follower interactions for the end
<TimCain> Mostly "Let's run away!"

<Telchar> Editor related question: What can we edit regarding the magick spells and skills ?
<Ilraven> You can't add any new spells or skills...
<Ilraven> But you can attach spells to items...
<JDA> You can via scripts in a way
<Steve[Troika]> You can't really change any of the ones that are already there. But there are other spells besides those of the colleges to have in scripts.
<Ilraven> Yah, you could "script" skills/etc., for a module...would be specific to it

<_Strider_> why did they remove the background editing?
<shellman> Uh... it wasn't *removed*
<Ilraven> Just never made it in...
<shellman> Sadly, we just didn't have time to add it.
<Steve[Troika]> The engine doesn't really support having text stored in players well.
<shellman> That was one of the few things that we envisioned that didn't make it.

<Fintilgin> How do the difficulty levels/experience gained differ in the final build from the demo we've played?
<Leon> It's hard to remember
<JDA> A little steeper
<Leon> The game balance improved dramatically in the last month

<Eiloch> If you had a chance to do this all over again, fresh from the start, would you do anything differently? Are there any design decisions or such that you wish you'd gone with a different way to start with?
<cmoore> I'd fire Leon...
<shellman> More people!
<JDA> that is a big question
<Leon> I'd cut Chad's pay
<cmoore> don't let me answer...
<TimCain> I would have gotten the dog earlier
<Steve[Troika]> I know I wouldn't have let so much of the game get written without multiplayer support already in place.
<Leon> Definitely more people
<Steve[Troika]> And of course, more and more and more people.
<Ilraven> and more cookies
<Leon> We figured that we had about 2.5 full time artists for the duration of the game
<Leon> compared to every other games 15
<cmoore> A more comprehensive design as well...
<Leon> You should talk to the lead designer about that, CMoore
<shellman> Or some designers that didn't keeping adding more and more and MORE! :P
<Leon> Yeah, Chad
<cmoore> I take no responsibility for anything...
<Leon> I remember a certain ship captain

<toblix> How do you feel about the criticism Arcanum's graphics received? Are you satisified with the games graphics or would you, if possible, improve/change it?
<cmoore> go ahead, art director... :)
<Leon> Once again, we would have been helped by having about 10 more artists, but I think we got some pretty good things in there
<Leon> I think the art has been inordinately slammed
<shellman> I agree
<Leon> It isn't horrible (leon breaks down in tears)
<Ilraven> especially, wait until you see other places in the game.. ;)
<Steve[Troika]> I do think there are a lot of apples to oranges comparisons in terms of the graphics too.
<angryhippo> there are some really beautiful areas in the game though, that's for sure.
<Steve[Troika]> That and the later parts of the game are rarely reviewed.

<stravaig> so, is the teleport spell going to be useless in mods? if so, is there any way to alter it and make it usefull?
<Ilraven> it's not useless...
<ChuBaka> it's not useless, it's just not as useful?
<Ilraven> it teleports you back to the starting point of the module
<TimCain> It is trivial to make teleport scripts and attach them to items and tiles
<Steve[Troika]> I do believe without a worldmap the teleport spell is like a recall spell, brings you back to the start point.

<toblix> Are any of you planning to write a Post Mortem for Gamasutra? I find those interesting to read.
<Steve[Troika]> Tim loves writing those, don't you TIm.
<Leon> We were just speaking about that today
<JDA> Just talkin' about it
<TimCain> Funny you should ask Toblix...
<cmoore> I have many opinions...:)
<shellman> Do we each get to write our own?
<JDA> We plan on it
<TimCain> Yeah we will write a post-mortem
<TimCain> Shellman will write NOTHING!
<cmoore> "...I blame everyone else..."
<Leon> Yes, something will be written
<TimCain> Gamasutra may not want it...
<shellman> Can they publish words like that?
<Calis> by the way, fully 3 people asked the Gamasutra thing. They really want it. :)

<Korny> Can I put my own music in my MODs ????
<cmoore> Of course!
<Steve[Troika]> Yup
<ChuBaka> mp3 right?
<cmoore> yup
<JDA> Yes no prob

<Olvan> How well do you think you balanced firearms and tech-melee weapons?
<cmoore> JDA?
<Leon> Testers?
<shellman> Anyone? :P
<TimCain> Bueller?
<angryhippo> wellll.........
<ChuBaka> it's pretty well balanced
<Leon> I sense some stalling here
<JDA> I think they are
<Steve[Troika]> Urm is such a confident response.
<Ilraven> I think they are fairly balanced overall...
<cmoore> IMHO, I think they are balanced very well...I played both kinds of characters, and both were viable and enjoyable

<ThemisMH> will there always be many paths to solve a quest or you will have to get to an endless bloodbath to the bitter end? How about the final challenge will we able to face it with many different ways or just pure violence?
<Ilraven> Yes, there are multiple solutions to all main story-arc quests...side-quests are different story though
<Steve[Troika]> Some non-story arc quests may be VERY specific on how they must be finished, but from what I can tell the trip down the main game can be finished many different ways.
<angryhippo> there are different ways indeed.
<cmoore> There are more paths in Arcanum then in any game ever made.
<TimCain> The Pick Pocket skill is an excellent way to avoid direct confrontation
<Calis> And he's not just bragging.
<cmoore> Beleive me...I had many nightmares about those paths...:)

<_Strider_> what do you guys have to say about that pirated version of the game that has been leaked
<cmoore> Walk the plank!
<TimCain> They are bad people!
<Ilraven> well...it was bound to happen...we certainly aren't happy about it...
<ChuBaka> that version isn't as cool as the final version
<cmoore> exactly...
<Steve[Troika]> You tell them Tiff!
<shellman> Um... we're not shocked
<JDA> I personaly can't say any thing.
<angryhippo> good save good save.
<cmoore> [uh...wasn't that the final verion...?]
<angryhippo> no
<shellman> Shhh dumbass!
<JDA> no
<ChuBaka> HAHAHHAH!
<cmoore> sorry...uh...nothing to see here!
<TimCain> No the pirated version is full of bugs that erase your hard drive
<angryhippo> uhhh....
<Calis> [no, it was the "blow up computers all over the world next week" version, I think]
<Steve[Troika]> Piracy is bound to happen, we didn't want it to but we expected it.
<SierraPR> The pirated version will sleep with your wife and burn down your house
<Steve[Troika]> And beat your dog on Sundays.
<Ilraven> even more than you do
<ChuBaka> i don't have a wife, and thankfully nor do i have the pirated version!

<stravaig> now that it's done, where are you all going for vacation?
<Ilraven> vacation?
<JDA> HAHAHAHA
<JDA> Not any time soon.
* TimCain looks up "vacation" in the dictionary
<Steve[Troika]> If I can ever get this shackle removed I'd be happy to leave, but at the I think Tim and Jason and Leon have lost th ekey.
<Ilraven> I want to go to Spain again someday... *someday* ;)
<shellman> We get vacations?
<JDA> but weekends are nice right now
<shellman> Yeah... we ACTUALLY get weekends... Go figure.

<ApTyp> Do you hope to repeat or possibly exceed the success of Fallout? If yes, why - the market is getting more and more saturated with CRPGs these days.
<shellman> We very much hope to exceed the success of Fallout.
<Steve[Troika]> Personally I had nothing to do with Fallout so I think of the game as hopefully being independantly successful.
<Ilraven> Well, obviously we want it to be as popular as possible...the depth of the game is so huge, I think people will really enjoy it immenselly
<cmoore> I think Arcanum will do much better than Fallout as well...
<shellman> And I don't think there are too many rpgs out there right now.

<Calis> Ok, now an important follow-up to the 2.5 artist thing...
<Eiloch> What exactly does half an artist look like, and was he or she a result of some playtesting with real swords?
<ThemisMH> what happend to the other half of the artist?
<Leon> He became a designer
<Ilraven> We left it at the last building...
<cmoore> Cooter...
<shellman> they were uh... doing design and scripting and dialog and crap...

<Telchar> Follower Q: will followers join or leave the party because of the story ? and can we loose a follower with no way of getting him back ?
<angryhippo> yes
<ChuBaka> yes
<Steve[Troika]> The easy answer is: yes
<cmoore> yes!

<stravaig> will you forgive me if i get the pirated version, but still buy the game when it hits the shelves?
<cmoore> no
<ChuBaka> you must pay with girl scout cookies!
<Steve[Troika]> No we'll hate you forever.
<Steve[Troika]> But of course our love can be bought by chocolate.
* TimCain pulls out his notebook and writes "Stravaig"
<shellman> You must pay for your sins in chocolate...
<stravaig> chocolate chip okay?

<Whipporowill> Will the next "project" have a bigger team, or is that still to be decided?
<Leon> BIGGER!
<Steve[Troika]> Well if we keep eating chocolate we'll get bigger.
<TimCain> We plan to expand, both in number and in size
<cmoore> We're eating as much as we can to increase the team's size...
<JDA> Yes, we will be adding people
<Ilraven> *We*?
<shellman> More money = More people, right? ;)
<cmoore> Uh...you'll have to run that one by me, JDA...
<cmoore> Let's do lunch...

<Lord_Davidian[TTC]> What were your favorite character types to when playing Arcanum?
<ChuBaka> half ogre mages!
<ChuBaka> then elf mages!
<TimCain> I like the dumb ogre fighter. Some of the dialogs made me spew with laughter!
<cmoore> Dwarf Mechanist with bow skill...unstoppable...
<shellman> half orc or half elf female mage.
<Steve[Troika]> Suave gun toting humans.
<Ilraven> I liked mages a lot...but that's because I had to test spells all the time ;)
<JDA> Gunfighter with a little magic
<angryhippo> female half-orc raised in the pits.
<TimCain> Dont forget Xena with a boomerang
<cmoore> Anything, as long as your not a mage...

<Korny> Can I lock my mod if I don't want it to be edited ??
<Steve[Troika]> Nope, it can be unpacked. Although if you repack it it is not considered the same mod.
<JDA> No, but it wont be seen as the same mod

<Cw5|Cybermancer> How many hours of gameplay will there be (min/max)?
<Leon> I think it's about 60 minimum
<JDA> 60 minum sounds right
<cmoore> 200 max
<TimCain> It's a HUGE game
<Steve[Troika]> I still haven't finished the game.

<enclave_trooper> are there any safari quests... i really want a safari quest..
<cmoore> hmmm...maybe...
<ChuBaka> kinda like yah
<cmoore> I'm sure you'll be happy...:)
<angryhippo> yes.
<Steve[Troika]> Well if you buy little plants and place them by your desk, and buy one of those funny pit hats, and of course turn on Animal Planet during the Croc Hunter, it'll seem like a Safari.

<[Saints]Dabrinko> What exactly was translated to europe?
<shellman> Dialog
<shellman> lots and lots of dialog
<cmoore> everything...
<Leon> French and German
<angryhippo> the languages you mean?
<Calis> you got voice-overs too?
<shellman> box and manual too, I believe
<Steve[Troika]> From what I know, English, French, German, and French voice overs too? (not positive) and manuals too.
<cmoore> yes, I think so...
<SierraPR> sounds right - I thought Spanish too, but I could be wrong

<Lord_Davidian[TTC]> How do you all unwind when things get hectect at work?
<shellman> We beat on Tim
<TimCain> I am beaten
<ChuBaka> cooter pettin'!
<Ilraven> We walk the dog. ;)
<Steve[Troika]> We wait until Chad is not around and drink till we puke.
<Ilraven> Well, *some* of us puke. ;)
<shellman> Let the children run wild in the office for a while?
<Leon> We go home and bask in the glory that is our children
<Steve[Troika]> And then we walk the dog in traffic.
<Steve[Troika]> I guess Jesse (while sober) supervised.
<shellman> We eat out a lot?
<ChuBaka> super smash bros
<TimCain> Captain Morgan
<Ilraven> UT
<ChuBaka> mario kart 64
<shellman> More COOKIES!!!

<Calis> Next question is one you've heard a zillion times, but people love hearing about it, so-oo...
<Telchar> Will events reported in the tarantiant daily always link to real events in the world ? like the black root werewolf, for instance ?
<ChuBaka> "real world?"
<Leon> Not always, but there are some cool ones in the game
<SierraPR> That would be funny to grab a Tarant Daily with the headline "Bush Meets Sharon, Says Sees Some Progress"
<cmoore> There will be both kinds...things that are happening in the world around you, and things that you make happen in the world around you...

<toblix> How do you come up with the death animations? Where do you get inspiration?
<Ilraven> cartoons? :)
<angryhippo> from real world expereinces
* Ilraven edges away from angryhippo.
<shellman> Our sick, twisted imaginations?
<Steve[Troika]> Some say itchy, others say scratchy...

<stravaig> what's your favorite quote from the Holy Grail?
<TimCain> "Some call me...Tim?"
<shellman> Spank Me?
<shellman> (boy am I gonna hear about that one...)

<Olvan> Who is the main responsible for writing the tech schematic descriptions?
<Leon> CMoore
<shellman> Chad
<ChuBaka> CHAD!
<Steve[Troika]> Chad!
<angryhippo> go chad!
<Calis> I think Olvan means: "They're really good! Good job, Chad!"
<Leon> I gave him spiritual support, though
<cmoore> thanks!
<angryhippo> they're hilarious.

<enclave_trooper> are there romances in arcanum?
<cmoore> yes...
<ChuBaka> HA! yep
<angryhippo> uh... "romances"....
<ChuBaka> they can be interpreted as such in any case
<angryhippo> yes, what she sad.
<Leon> It depends how smooth you are
<shellman> Some fine romances can be found at Madam Lils. ;)
<shellman> Baaaa
<cmoore> smoothness is rewarded...:)
<Leon> How long does it have to last to be considered romance?
<Steve[Troika]> If playing a little Barry White while you go to madam lil's is romantic I guess so.

<delta> Can we ride some veicules in the game?
<Leon> Nope
<cmoore> trains...
<cmoore> boats...
<ChuBaka> steamrail

<Whipporowill> Are the manuals translated for all non english speaking countries? Can I get a hold of a english manual if I'd prefer it to my native tongue?
<Leon> The manual is translated for France and Germany, at least
<Steve[Troika]> If you buy the English version you'll get an English manual.
<Steve[Troika]> I think French and German are in their respective languages.
<Leon> I think if you buy the german version you get an english manual
<Leon> and the french manual comes with the english version

<Whipporowill> Are there any female halfling/gnome/dwarf/half-ogre npc's? I believe I saw a female halfling in Shrouded Hills
<shellman> Yes.
<Leon> she was hot, wasn't she?
<shellman> at least for the first 2

<[AW]Bad_Buck> For the mods can you have your own Tarant Daily with your own headlines?
<Leon> YES!!!!
<TimCain> Yes
<Steve[Troika]> Yup.
<Ilraven> Yup, cool!
<shellman> Uh... that would be a positive. ;)
<Leon> They are extremely easy to implement, as well
<TimCain> That was a TC triv
<Leon> It's all text file based

<stravaig> mod making: can you lock a follower's inventory (or an item in their inventory) so that the pc can't take it?
<Leon> YES
<stravaig> like $$?
<cmoore> YES
<Leon> You can't lock it, but you can make items themselves not removable
<angryhippo> yes
<Leon> Or you can flag items to be no show, so the PC can't even see them

<ThemisMH> will each NPC have its own story that will unfold through the game like Torment did?
<Leon> Most of the main ones do
<cmoore> what leon said...
<TimCain> we have a lot more NPC's
<ChuBaka> tim, it's not nice to brag
<Leon> You can even recruit some main story arc characters...
<cmoore> There are almost 20 unique followers...

<Whipporowill> Would you consider adding a fan-made follower as a prize in a contest (for the next project)?
<cmoore> leon has to implement it...
<Leon> We'll consider anything if the price is right
<Steve[Troika]> If the "winner" happened to know how to "play ball" it may happen.

<Sawtooth> But does the paper have to be the "tarant daily", or is that font based and not in the art?
<Steve[Troika]> The title of the newspapers all say Tarant Daily.
<TimCain> That is in the art
<Leon> You'd have to hack the code for that
<Leon> which I'm sure no one will do
<shellman> Its the only newspaper in Arcanum. ;)
<Ilraven> It gets shipped out to all of the towns...
<ChuBaka> it's like omnicorp
<cmoore> Its the only one you need...
<shellman> Even those unheard of ones in the mods...
<Leon> The Tarantian has bought every newspaper publisher in Arcanum

<Cw5|Cybermancer> Is there religion? (if yes) is it a big factor?
<cmoore> Hmmm...interesting question...
<shellman> yes. No.
<cmoore> Yes...there is a main religion (see: Virgil) as well as various other "pagan" religions
<cmoore> they will play a part in the game as well...

<enclave_trooper> what games are you guys looking forward to?
<Leon> Arcanum
<shellman> War 3!!!
<cmoore> Arcanum 2
<angryhippo> metal gear solid 2
<ChuBaka> dynasty warriors 3 (and arcanum 2)
<monkeypunch> Civ 3, arcanum
<TimCain> Shadows of Luclin
<JDA> War 3
<Leon> Warcraft 3
<cmoore> Baldur's Gate: Throne of Baal. I need some new coasters...
<ChuBaka> unreal championship
<Leon> Oh, wait, I meant Empire Earth

<stravaig> would you guys 'sell out' and let product placement ads in your games for enough money? like, being able to buy coca-cola or pepsi in a tavern?
<Leon> Define "enough money"
<cmoore> Of course
<Steve[Troika]> Perhaps you missed my statement about "playing ball".
<Leon> As long as it didn't impinge on our integrity
<TimCain> Nope
<cmoore> Virgil could sport a rolex, drink some Heinekin...
<Steve[Troika]> Integrety? Hahahahaa.a..a....
<JDA> only if i belived in the product :)
<shellman> wE LIKE money!!!
<Leon> Though who needs integrity when you're rich?
<cmoore> exactly...
<Steve[Troika]> When Mike's driving around in his Lambo he's not caring about integrity.

<enclave_trooper> in iwd there are musical things for the bards.. i kno arcanum has no bards.. any items similar to that in the game?
<JDA> no musical things realy
<shellman> Didn't we shoot all the bards?
<cmoore> No singin allowed in Arcanum.
<Leon> isn't there a music box?

<ThemisMH> are there factions, clans etc if so how essential are to the game does the game involves politics?
<cmoore> Factions can determine who will help you in a fight...
<cmoore> They can also alter people's reactions to you...
<Leon> The main story arc has it's share of intrigue, but the factions and politics are much more evident in the side quests (we needed to allow every character to finish the game, remember)
<cmoore> The game does involve politics, but not so much having to do with factions...

<Calis> Against my better judgement:
<stravaig> to each of you: who's your favorite fan?
<Leon> Paladin Lord!
<shellman> M!
<cmoore> Chud...my arch nemesis...
<Steve[Troika]> The tewit guy!
<angryhippo> oh, that's right! the tewits!!
<JDA> Yeah Scratch is it.
<cmoore> although the T-A guys are right up there as well...
<cmoore> As well as all the guys at the board...
<Calis> quick, someone say Strav is his favorite fan! He'll be really depressed if you don't.
<Steve[Troika]> Oh, and Strav.
<TimCain> I like Strav!
<cmoore> and the rest of the fans who are going to BUY the game...
<Leon> Jason MacIsaac
<cmoore> oh, hell...I love everyone...
<cmoore> who is not a mage.
<Leon> I can't believe that guy has posted a journal for everyday for so long!

<Cw5|Cybermancer> Instead of killing/robbing people for their loot, can you bully/blackmail?
<cmoore> yes
<Leon> In some instances
<ChuBaka> for some people

<Fintilgin> Do the major NPCs (like Virgil) have full speach for every line of dialoge they have, or only partial speach, like in the demo?
<Leon> FULL
<cmoore> every line
<JDA> Yes
<angryhippo> yup
<Leon> Every last long winded drawn out line
<Steve[Troika]> Sometimes I think Virgil just wont SHUT UP!

<Whipporowill> How much of the found treasure are random? Is it possible to find _all_ items with the same character?
<Calis> and we want an exact percentage. ;)
<cmoore> its possible...
<JDA> Most of the chests in dungeons.
<JDA> in the towns for the most part it is set

<Fintilgin> Will some major areas (like the Mage city) be totally inaccesable to certain characters (like techies), or will every character be able to /go/ everywhere, even if they can't do all the quests.
<Leon> Every character can go most every place, unless his previous actions have made it impossible
<cmoore> I don't think there are specific areas that are inaccessible to certain characters...
<JDA> No you can go every where one way or an other
<ChuBaka> you just might not be able to DO everything there
<Leon> And you can always just kill the door guards if they won't let you in
<cmoore> ...but there will plenty of quests that are customized...

<Sahin> is it possible to get through the game without you yourself killing anyone (i liked the thing you did with the dark elf wanderer and virgil, but the gnome that attacked you on the other side of the bridge, you had to kill.) :(
<Steve[Troika]> Technically there were ways around killing him.
<Leon> It would be difficult. You'd have to turn off auto combat, definitely
<cmoore> You could do it...
<Ilraven> Well, you could have knocked him out... :P
<cmoore> You'd just have to let your boys do the fighting for you...
<TimCain> You will always be forced into conflict with random encounters with monsters, though. You cannot talk your way out of a wolf bite
<Steve[Troika]> Bad doggie... charm beast... good doggie.
<cmoore> Animal Scent!
<Leon> What about animal scent or charm beast?

<Whipporowill> How effective are unarmed combat compared to melee? Is it good idea trying to stay unarmed during the game?
<ChuBaka> you might want to fetch a gauntlet
<Ilraven> Depends on your character stats, too..
<JDA> You generaly do more fatigue damage punching
<Steve[Troika]> Sometimes the speed of fists is better than the damage of a sword.

<stravaig> how weird does jason look without his beard, anyway? can we get a pic?
<ChuBaka> he's so HAPPY!
<Ilraven> Well, he looks different... :)
<shellman> Well, I think he's kinda cute, myself. :)

<Telchar> We know that there will be more than 50 found schematics, but how much "item-only" spells are in the game ?
<Ilraven> There's like 60+, but some of them are very specific
<Ilraven> or variations on other spells...
<Ilraven> Different durations, etc.

<ApTyp> Will we see children NPC in Arcanum?
<Leon> No Children
<Saint_Proverbius> Why no children?
<Leon> Europe doesn't like them to be killed
<Steve[Troika]> Killing kids in europe is bad.
<shellman> We'd get an M rating. ;)

<Sahin> Will the ogre champion be butt naked like in the demo? Some stuff we dont wanna see.
<Leon> He does have underwear on
<cmoore> skivvies
<ChuBaka> sadly, there are no naked butts in arcanum
<TimCain> Elves have red underwear
<shellman> Isn't naked the best way for an ogre champion to be?
<JDA> yes he will still be naked

* shellman had fun and will talk to you all later! :) Goodbye!
<Leon> I gots to go as well. Thanks to all you Arcanumaniacs
<ChuBaka> leon's gone to play UT
<TimCain> Are we done?
<Ilraven> almost 5:30
<Calis> Thanks for coming, guys.
<stravaig> yes, big thanks.
<Calis> Some nice infobits, especially at the beginning.
<JDA> sure thing it was fun
<Ilraven> Glad to come!
<ChuBaka> have fun then!