batman55 on 29/10/2006 at 11:49
I've gotten pretty far in the game (just got Shield of Ancients) and I'm quite frustrated with how uneven and non-intuitive the game is.
This is perhaps the most uneven RPG I've ever played. It does have its moments, of course. But the drawbacks are too many to count.
The problem is I'm a manic quick-saver and just realized that after getting the shield of ancients, my sacred dagger pass disappeared out of thin air. I never dropped it. But I refuse to do the "all keys" cheat... no cheats. I won't do it.
I have a regular save game that occurs JUST when I get the Shield of Ancients, where I have the Sacred Pass. But that's a while before my latest quick save, and lots of backtracking will need to be done, if I go back and play from there.
The strangest thing about this "key permanency issue" is what I read from a walkthrough (this refers to the rebel camp) :
"Once you're near ground level, go to your left and pass the closed metal door. Follow this wall until you see some guards drinking near a bar. Go straight through, and enter the hallways. Look for a boulder blocking a wall, with a blue emblem on the wall, and a guard nearby. Walk up the blue emblem, search your inventory, and combine the Secret Rebel Dagger Pass with the blue stone. This opens the door. Never lose this item as it's your only way back into the camp."
Was I supposed to combine the Dagger Pass with some "blue stone?"
After going thru the entire rebel camp, and following these directions... there is no such thing. No blue stone. No blue emblem.
I am worried that the Dagger Pass will disappear AGAIN, after I go all the way back with a full inventory, with a lot of quick saves along the way.
This is one of the most frustrating errors I've ever had in a game, and also, one of the most frustrating games.
Can anyone help me put an end to this torture of the Dagger Pass? How?
GABBFAT on 29/10/2006 at 23:50
By blue stone or whatever they said, what they mean is a keyhole which glows with a bright blue light. There are loads of them all over the place, not only inside the Rebel Camp. If you do lose the "Dagger" key which, yes, you do 'combine' with the glowing blue keyhole, I can let you know where to 'steal another', if you're in for a little murder and mayhem.
Could you let me know which walkthrough you are quoting - I've only been able to track down one - ONE! - through google - by Antzsee or something.
Anyway, hope I've helped, even if it's just to know there's at least one other person on this planet actually playing this loopy game ("uneven"? Hmmmm, you're being very polite!)
But I'm determined to finish it cos there is just something about it. And it's hard to find an RPG I've not already played other than the usual ..travel to inn/town ... explore and shop ..... crawl dungeon/forest/desert area .... few minutes cutscene to update "story" ..... travel to inn/town .... explore and shop ..... etc ad yawnseum.
P.S. Are you 100% sure it's vanished? One thing I always overlook is the obvious.
Also, have you done the lower crypt area yet? (The part after you've got the Shield, where you have to go through the purple barrier? I'm stuck.
batman55 on 30/10/2006 at 06:10
I'm kinda just playing it cuz I was excited for Dark Messiah, and this is Arkane Studios first game.
No I haven't done the lower crypt yet. I don't look forward to it.
This is one of the only single-player RPGs where you can spend 8 hours straight staring at the damn computer screen, and still be in the same 12-room dungeon that you entered 8 hours ago.
The nitpicky s**t is ridiculous.
By blue stone, does that mean just a keyhole to get into the rebel camp? I know you "combine" the Dagger Pass with those several keyholes to get into and exit the rebel camp.
But is there a "blue stone" that combining the Dagger Pass with, creates a "unique" item?
Maybe that's why my key vanished?
God I'm confused.
Help! This game has stolen my life, and I can't stop playing it!
GABBFAT on 30/10/2006 at 19:33
Ahhh _ I get your question now ......
...... "But is there a "blue stone" that combining the Dagger Pass with, creates a "unique" item?"
Not that I know of. Sounds odd. Can you tell me where to find the walkthrough that mentioned this? I'm curious now too. Thanks.
"Help! This game has stolen my life, and I can't stop playing it!"
Me too! And I couldn't tell you why? It's clumsy, infuriating, has plotlines with absolutely no in-game direction to tell you what/where next, battle strategy is non-existent, character graphics are appalling, and so on.....and on....and on.... yet I can't stop playing it. I'm determined to finish it.
Oh, I did the lower level of the Crypt today - I'd done my usual thing of missing the obvious.
Nice to know there's someone else out there to swap tips with. With games I've played in the past, their forums were overflowing.
Recently though - not so. Just before Arx Fatalis I played a couple of other "oldies" - Shadow Hearts & Shadow Hearts Covenant. I'd run out of games to play so dug deeper and came across them (and AF). Empty forums for them too, just like AF. :confused:
twisty on 31/10/2006 at 00:20
I beg to differ about the character graphics being "appalling". Most of the characters looked great and were much better than most games at the time.
batman55 on 31/10/2006 at 06:27
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Oh, I did the lower level of the Crypt today - I'd done my usual thing of missing the obvious
If you think hitting the same lever twice to open two different doors is obvious, you must be some special kind of mentalist. I never even CONCEIVED that such a thing could be possible. And then I read the Walkthrough for the umpteenth time to find out... that's exactly what you had to do to eventually reach the Poxsellis helmet.
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Nice to know there's someone else out there to swap tips with. With games I've played in the past, their forums were overflowing.
Recently though - not so. Just before Arx Fatalis I played a couple of other "oldies" - Shadow Hearts & Shadow Hearts Covenant. I'd run out of games to play so dug deeper and came across them (and AF). Empty forums for them too, just like AF. :confused:
If you think you've run out of games to play, you can always get World of Warcraft and subscribe to it. It doesn't cost that much as far as I know.
But then, if you're like me, you might run the risk of spending half of your waking life in the World of Warcraft, and dreaming about it in your sleep.
GABBFAT on 31/10/2006 at 13:26
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If you think you've run out of games to play, you can always get World of Warcraft and subscribe to it. It doesn't cost that much as far as I know.
Might give it a try. Thanks.
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If you think hitting the same lever twice to open two different doors is obvious, you must be some special kind of mentalist. I never even CONCEIVED that such a thing could be possible. And then I read the Walkthrough for the umpteenth time to find out... that's exactly what you had to do to eventually reach the Poxsellis helmet.
Nah, not a mentalist - just a try everything until SOMETHING works-ist, or pedantic determined stubborn single-minded-ist more like..
Hit a lever twice - was that what I did. The only lever I'm certain I hit twice was the one in the room next to the end room with the blue "field", but only because it sprung back up into it's original position after I'd hit it the first time.
Now I'm struggling in the Dwarves area. I get to a room where I'm supposed to stick a powerstone into a machine before a monster gets me - but can I see a ****** machine - NO! That's how come I popped upstairs to log on and search this forum for clues and saw your reply.
So, I'm off back downstairs to the game ............. and being pedantic determined stubborn single-minded ...........:D
batman55 on 1/11/2006 at 06:23
Quote Posted by GABBFAT
Might give it a try. Thanks.
Nah, not a mentalist - just a try everything until SOMETHING works-ist, or pedantic determined stubborn single-minded-ist more like..
Hit a lever twice - was that what I did. The only lever I'm certain I hit twice was the one in the room next to the end room with the blue "field", but only because it sprung back up into it's original position after I'd hit it the first time.
Now I'm struggling in the Dwarves area. I get to a room where I'm supposed to stick a powerstone into a machine before a monster gets me - but can I see a ****** machine - NO! That's how come I popped upstairs to log on and search this forum for clues and saw your reply.
So, I'm off back downstairs to the game ............. and being pedantic determined stubborn single-minded ...........:D
What age wouldst thou be?
Art thou a married man?
Even if you have a girlfriend, you'd be quite lucky--most girls don't tolerate "gamers" as well as we'd like them to.
I like the escapism and the artistry of a good RPG... Arx is very uneven but it does have a lot of well-crafted atmosphere, some neat design. Just got to the Ratman lair and the part in the tunnel with that huge insect... that's pretty impressive.
GABBFAT on 1/11/2006 at 06:58
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What age wouldst thou be?
Ancient.
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Art thou a married man?
No, a married woman.
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--most girls don't tolerate "gamers" as well as we'd like them to.
Foolish wenches --- they don't know what they're missing!!!!
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I like the escapism and the artistry of a good RPG...
Me too. I find it amazing that people will sit and watch the most mindless TV program when they could be off in another world. A good RPG is like a good book mixed with a good film but better because you can actually get in there, do stuff, effect things and so on. Clearly, you know what I mean.
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....Arx is very uneven but it does have a lot of well-crafted atmosphere, some neat design.
I agree.
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Just got to the Ratman lair and the part in the tunnel with that huge insect... that's pretty impressive.
yeah, and gruesome. Sadly I'm ready for the final part - the Ylsides Bunker. Think I've done everything bar completing robbing the bank (made the key in the forge from the mold etc) but lost interest in it as have more money than I need anyway - there's nothing left to buy.
Hope you'll still "talk" to me now you know I'm both female and ancient. :(
Biohazard on 1/11/2006 at 07:58
And married.
