Sierra: Arcanum

IGN Editors and Readers Agree, Arcanum is Best of 2001
January 17th, 2002
Arcanum picked up another two awards Tuesday, this time from top-tier entertainment site IGN, as vendors and editors agreed on Arcanum as the Best Roleplaying Game of 2001. "Featuring elves, dwarves and steampowered technology, Arcanum was a welcome change from the standard fantasy fare that we've grown accustomed to," wrote IGN's editors.

Franklin Payne, Others Return in Custom Modules
January 7th, 2002
Troika Games has released the Arcanum Mod Pack, a collection of six new and unique adventures designed by the original Arcanum team. Download the free Arcanum Mod Pack from FilePlanet (requires prior installation of Arcanum: Of Steamworks & Magick Obscura).

WorldEd Manual Now Available
October 31st, 2001
The WorldEd manual is now complete and available for download from Troika Games. Note this manual pertains to the latest version of WorldEd that is included in the 1074 patch.

Arcanum Patch (1.0.7.4) Now Available
October 30th, 2001
The Arcanum 1.0.7.4 patch, released today, upgrades the game to include additional features and updated settings.

More details about the patch can be found in the Support section of this website.

Mod Building Lessons Continue on RPG Vault
September 10th, 2001
The second of a series of articles has been posted on RPG Vault. In this article, Sharon Shellman reviews all aspects of adding non-player characters (NPCs) to the game world.

Arcanum Materializes on Store Shelves Worldwide
August 21st, 2001
Arcanum, the debut RPG from the core team that created the award-winning role-playing game Fallout®, has shipped to computer retail outlets worldwide. Set in the land of Arcanum, the game is an imaginative world of ancient runes and steamworks, magic and machines, sorcery and science. Beautifully detailed environments are captured in this compelling new world where Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Orcs and other races battle to coexist in new sprawling industrialized cities.

"Our goal with Arcanum has been to bring a new quality to the genre," said Tim Cain, Co-CEO, Troika Games. "By spending time on the intricate environments of Arcanum, we have achieved our vision of creating a living, breathing world, where gamers' experiences are determined by their decisions and shaped by their imaginations."

Arcanum Patch (1.0.7.4) Now Available
October 30th, 2001
The Arcanum 1.0.7.4 patch, released today, upgrades the game to include additional features and updated settings.

More details about the patch can be found in the Support section of this website.

Arcanum Update Available Soon
August 20th, 2001
With just days left until Arcanum's worldwide launch, Troika Games is pleased to announce several new additions to the game that will be available for download within the next week.

Full Screen Mode - Toggle the interface off and on via a hot key, enlarging the playable area.
Inventory Right Click Feature - Quickly buy and sell items, loot bodies, steal things and use items simply by right clicking on them.
Improved Follower Lock Picking Abilities - Followers no longer need their own set of lock picks in order to help and will interrupt you and take over if their skills surpass your own.
Improved Weapon and Armor Feedback on Followers - When you look at weapons and items wielded by your followers, they will display attributes based upon your followers magick/tech aptitude, not your own.
Video Memory Usage Enhancements - Arcanum will make better use of video memory, especially on cards with larger caches.

Enroll in Mod Building 101
August 15th, 2001
The first of a series of articles on mod making from Sharon Shellman has been posted on RPG Vault. In this article, Shellman tackles the basics of WorldEd, the world editing tool included in every copy of Arcanum. You'll learn to create terrain, buildings, creatures, and light sources in this beginner's tutorial.

The Troika Connection Plans IRC Chat
July 19th, 2001
Sharon Shellman of Troika Games will participate in an online discussion hosted by The Troika Connection fansite. The chat begins in room #troika on irc.gamesnet.net Friday July 20th 2001, 4:30 PST. The moderated chat will be open to everyone. An IRC client such as myIRC is required.

Arcanum Sheet Music Now Available
July 17th, 2001
The sheet music for the main theme from Arcanum is now available in the Soundtrack section. A new score will be posted every week through the game's worldwide release on August 21st. The scores can be viewed using the Finale Music Viewer which allows users to audition and print the music from their web browser. A full score is available for following along with the recordings, and the individual parts are provided for performance.

The entire Arcanum soundtrack, performed by members of the Seattle Symphony, is available for download at MP3.com.

GameStats Recommends Arcanum
July 13th, 2001
GameStats has delivered an Arcanum preview based on an advance beta of the game. Reviewer Cenk Sensoy recommends that Arcanum "should definitely be on every RPG gamers list for the fall."

Sharon Shellman on RPG Vault
July 9th, 2001
Shellman, one of the best known members of the Arcanum team, talks about her background in the gaming industry and the characterization of female characters in Arcanum.

Tim Cain on Electric Playground
July 9th, 2001
The Electric Playground talks extensively with Troika Games co-founder Tim Cain about the development of Arcanum, RPG toolsets, and the prospect of a return of adventure gaming.

Change Your Clothes, Your Hair, Your Face
July 7th, 2001
Not satisfied with the appearance of your Arcanum character? It's possible for advanced users to expand the number of portraits in the Arcanum demo to include custom images. To get started, choose a digital photograph or other image and follow the instructions available in the Arcanum FAQ. If you're stuck without an image, pre-sized fantasy portraits can be found at the Galleria Arcanum fansite.

Terra Arcanum Plans Developer Chat on IRC
June 18th, 2001
Members of the Arcanum development team will participate in an online discussion about the game hosted by fansite Terra Arcanum. The chat begins on channel #arcanum on irc.gamesnet.net Tuesday June 26th 2001, 4 PM Pacific Time (PST) [00:00 GMT]. For additional details and instructions on how you can get involved, visit terra-arcanum.com. The moderated chat will be open to everyone. An IRC client such as myIRC is required.

Roleplaying Games Are Like a Jar of Marmite
June 15th, 2001
"Arcanum has one of the most thorough and versatile character generation systems ever seen in an RPG," writes Darren Evans this week. Catch Darren's full review on GameSpot UK.

ActionTrip Posts Arcanum Itinerary
June 13th, 2001
ActionTrip's Arcanum preview, based on several hours spent with the demo version of the game, will give you a good idea of what to expect when you embark upon the full version later this year. "I have to admit that I can barely wait for Arcanum: of Steamworks and Magick Obscura," says ActionTrip.

Arcanum Previewed on Gamespot
June 7th, 2001
Calis, RPG community elder and Gamespot contributor, has filed a preview of Arcanum in Desslock's RPG News vault. Based on a feature-complete build of the game, the preview includes a look into each of the game's major features.

PC Gamer Hell Bent on Arcanum
June 5th, 2001
PC Gamer joins the list of publications excited about the upcoming release of Arcanum. In their just released July issue, PC Gamer states that Arcanum is "...going to be one hell of an RPG."

GamesFirst! Salivates for Arcanum
June 1st 2001
Matt Blackburn, GamesFirst!'s resident RPG expert, is excited about this year's crop of roleplaying games, Arcanum in particular. "This is my favorite title from E3," writes Blackburn. "The more I think about it, the more excited I get."

RPG Vault Posts Arcanum E3 Update
June 1st 2001
RPG Vault visits with the Troika team and turns out some interesting details from this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo.

Arcanum Demo Downloads Exceed 100,000 Mark
May 28th 2001
Over 100,000 copies of the Arcanum: Of Steamworks & Magick Obscura Demo have been downloaded from FilePlanet, one of the Internet's top file distribution destinations. In fact, the Arcanum demo has been the most downloaded demo on FilePlanet for the past four weeks. Weighing in at over 250 MB, the Arcanum Demo allows you to experience the beginning of the game being touted by FGN as the RPG that "harkens back to a time when this genre held gamers enthralled."

Arcanum Makes IGN's Best of E3 PC Awards List
May 24th 2001
Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura was named "Best PC Roleplaying Game of Show: Runner Up" by IGN PC in their annual Best of E3 list. The Electronic Entertainment Expo (or E3) is the world's largest interactive entertainment trade event, held this year in Los Angeles May 16th through the 19th

Arcanum Composer Interviewed on RPGDot
May 21st 2001
Ben Houge, in-house composer and sound designer for Sierra On-Line, discusses the influences that shaped the unique Arcanum soundtrack with Garrett of RPGDot. The Arcanum soundtrack is available with the June 2001 issue of Computer Gaming World and MP3.com.

Arcanum Demo Fix for Computer Gaming World Readers
May 3rd, 2001
Users have reported problems installing the Arcanum Demo included on CGW's June CD-ROM. The fix is simple. To install the game, users must copy the entire installer application and folders to the hard drive from the CGW CD. Next, rename the folder from "Arcanum_Preview" to "Arcanum Preview" (delete the underscore character). Then run the "Setup.exe" application to install the Demo. The installation should proceed without further complications.

Future Games Network Previews Arcanum
May 1, 2001
FGN's Arcanum preview delivers an excellent summary of the game with a strong focus given to the gameplay mechanics. We're happy to note that they seem excited about the Arcanum's potential for roleplaying genre enthusiasts. "Arcanum is pure RPG fun and harkens back to a time when this genre held gamers enthralled," says FGN. "There is more depth of adventuring within Arcanum than in many recent offerings, with the added twist of both technology and magic tossed in for good measure."

Arcanum Demo Spans the Atlantic!
April 26, 2001
Joystick (France), PC Zone (United Kingdom), and PC Gamer (Sweden) magazines have entered into exclusive agreements with Sierra to include the Arcanum demo on their demo disks next month. As previously announced, the Arcanum demo will also be available in North America on Computer Gaming World's companion CD-ROM in the June 2001 issue.

New Arcanum Log Posted on Gamesmania
April 26, 2001
Follow Jason MacIsaac, the Charles Kuralt of computer roleplaying, around Arcanum's next bend in his latest journal entry. MacIsaac has been logging his travels through Arcanum (by means of early game builds) since November 2000.

IGN Reports on the Travels of Sir Delicious, "Hated Dwarf"
April 26, 2001
Meet "Sir Delicious," Trent C. Ward's dwarven alter-ego and Electric Novice, in IGN's latest game preview. This article contains links to past Arcanum previews and a treasure trove of screenshots.

Chad Moore on Terra Arcanum
April 24, 2001
Terra Arcanum recently had a chance to interview Chad Moore (and his Arcanum alter ego, Sir Chadwick Moore), lead designer on Troika's upcoming RPG, Arcanum. The questions are in-depth and Chad's answers offer a detailed view in the Troika design kitchen, covering topics such as mod design and literary influences.

Arcanum Demo Available in Computer Gaming World
April 20, 2001
Look for the Arcanum Demo on Computer Gaming World's companion CD-ROM in the June 2001 issue. This whopping 255 MB demo includes the first locales from the game. The June issue of CGW is due on newsstands across North America in early May.

Stravaig's Second Visit to Troika Games
April 12, 2001
Stravaig returns to the Troika Games offices this month to probe the minds of the Arcanum design team. Read his account, including insights into the upcoming demo, on Dimensions of Arcanum.

Arcanum Gameplay Trailer Available
April 11, 2001
Sierra and Troika Games are pleased to present a brand new trailer for the upcoming release of Arcanum: Of Steamworks & Magick Obscura.

Payne Accepts Tarantian Coat of Arms
March 26, 2001
The honored Franklin Payne, the most recent recipient of the Tarantian Coat of Arms, addressed the Tarantian Zoological Society this Sunday past. Hear Payne's golden vocal tone and sharp wit through the modern miracle of recording!

Sierra Titles at Game Developer's Conference
March 26, 2001
Sierra presented three upcoming titles, Empire Earth, Arcanum, and Throne of Darkness at the annual Game Developer's Conference March 20-24th in San Jose, CA. For photos and a complete rundown of these games, check out Gamespy's GDC coverage.

Leonard Boyarsky on Gamesmania
March 20, 2001
Leonard chats with Jason MacIsaac about the length of Arcanum, the World Editor, and the game's multiplayer mode.

Payne to Receive Honor
March 19, 2001
Franklin Payne, the famed surveyor, naturalist, and rough-country traveler, is to receive the Tarantian Zoological Society's highest mark of distinction this month, according to a recent edition of The Tarantian news-paper.

Arcanum "Get in the Game" Contest Winner Chosen
March 14, 2001
Matt de Cesare was the first to crack the code and submit the correct answer in the Get in the Game Contest last week. The correct answer was "Simeon Tor." Troika Games has already begun work to add "Sir" Matt de Cesare into the world of Arcanum.

Look here to see how the puzzle was solved.

Arcanum Soundtrack Available Free in CGW Magazine
March 14, 2001
The Arcanum game soundtrack will be included on Computer Gaming World's companion CD-ROM in the May 2001 issue. Recorded in large part by a live string quartet, the soundtrack weighs in at 21 tracks and nearly 50 minutes of music. The May issue is scheduled to arrive on newsstands across North America in early April.

Chad Moore Posts New Developer Journal on IGN PC
February 26, 2001
As the development of Arcanum rages onward, tasteless links and doughy snacks occupy the thoughts of Sir Chadwick Moore.

Gamesmania's Arcanum Log Returns
February 15, 2001
After a brief hiatus, Jason MacIsaac has ventured back into the land of Arcanum, posting three additional Arcanum Journal entries this month. MacIssac borrows a page from the wizened wizard Dale Carnegie, realizing that winning friends and influencing people is indeed the path to success!

Arcanum Editor Chat on IRC
February 15, 2001
Michael McCarthy, an authority on the Arcanum World Editor, will appear on #ages (irc.gamesnet.net) Sunday, February 18th at 6pm PST to discuss building maps and mods for Arcanum. The moderated chat will be open to everyone. An IRC client such as myIRC is required.

For more information, please visit the Arcanum Geographical Exploration Society website.

Arcanum "Get in the Game!" Contest
February 13, 2001
Have you ever wanted to be in a computer game? This is your chance! The winner of the "Get in the Game" Contest will be immortalized in Arcanum: Of Steamworks & Magick Obscura, the upcoming role-playing game (RPG) from Troika Games and Sierra. Riddles will be posted weekly through March 9th on the Arcanum website. The first person to correctly solve each riddle and piece them together to solve the final, mind-bending puzzle will have a character named after him or her in Arcanum, due to be released this summer.

Devil Inside
February 12, 2001
Daily Radar published "Technology, The Devil's Work," an article written by Troika Games, as part of their Arcanum Thursday feature.

A Bug's Life
February 12, 2001
Sir Chadwick Moore interrupted his bug-stomping long enough to record the "State of Arcanum Address: Feb. 6, 2001" for GA-RPG.

Leonard Boyarsky Takes a Trip
February 8, 2001
Ure, Action Trip's self-described "RPG hermit," caught up with Troika Games co-founder to get the inside scoop on Arcanum from a fanatical role-player's perspective. PLUS: An ogre-sized screenshot gallery!

All Aboard GA RPG!
February 5, 2001
The good natured technologists at GA RPG have added three new Arcanum screens to their website today, including two shots taken near a train station. Whoo whoo!

This is...Arcanum
January 31, 2001
Arcanum was featured today in the Fun and Games section of CNN.com's SCI-TECH area. The overview, a quick explanation of the Arcanum's universe and gameplay mechanics, appears courtesy of Gamepro.com.

Computer Games Online Cooks Up Arcanum Preview
January 29, 2001
Take a whiff of Computer Games Online's Arcanum preview, "The fresher aroma of RPG," fresh out of the oven.

Troika Takes You Behind the Games
January 29, 2001
Follow along with the ongoing Adventures of Sir Chadwick Moore (Lead Designer Chad Moore) in part two of the Arcanum Developer Journal series on IGN.

Leonard Boyarsky Interview on Sharky Games
January 26, 2001
Enid Burns, a contributing editor at Sharky Extreme, has posted an interview with Troika Games' co-founder Leonard Boyarsky today. The multi-page interview discusses the world of Arcanum and several elements of the game's design.

GameKult.com's Tim Cain Interview Available Now in English
January 23, 2001
Tim Cain's January 8th interview with GameKult.com, a leading French-language gaming site, has been translated and is available from their website.

Gamepro Magazine Publishes Arcanum Preview
January 17, 2001
Gamepro, the world's largest multiplatform gaming magazine, has published a full-page Arcanum preview, including more than a dozen screenshots, in their February 2001 issue. Arcanum "promises to mix traditional RPG elements with original gameplay mechanics," predicts Gamepro.

Voodoo Extreme Plays Arcanum Beta
January 12, 2001
The folks at Voodoo Extreme have posted their first impressions of the Arcanum beta alongside seven new screnshots.

GameSpy Daily Serves Up 5 New Arcanum Screens
January 10, 2001
Check out the five exclusive game screens appearing exclusively on GameSpyDaily.

Terra Arcanum Chat Log Online
January 8, 2001
The able scribes at Terra Arcanum have posted an edited version of Saturday's Arcanum IRC Chat. The chat, hosted by Terra Arcanum, was attended by eight Troika Games developers.

Tim Cain Interview on GameKult.com
January 8, 2001
Tim Cain grants an exclusive interview to GameKult.com, a leading French-language gaming site.

What I Really Want to Do is Direct
January 4, 2001
Chad Moore (a.k.a. Sir Chadwick Moore) stepped out from behind the writing desk and into the director's chair for Arcanum's principal voice recording sessions last month. He's recorded his humble journey from game developer to Hollywood mogul as Part I of IGN PC's series of Arcanum Developer Journals.

Troika Games Earns Two Vault Network Awards
January 4, 2001
IGN's RPG Vault has recognized Troika Games for two top honors in their third annual Vault Network Awards. The "Outstanding Achievement In Community Building" award was bestowed on the team for "consistently demonstrating its belief in the importance of community." The editors also declared Sharon Shellman (our favorite gadabout) as "Spokesperson Of The Year."

Terra Arcanum to Host Troika Games IRC Chat
January 2, 2001
To kick off 2001 with a bang, Terra Arcanum will host an IRC chat with Troika Games, the team behind the upcoming RPG Arcanum: of Steamworks and Magick Obscura, Saturday, January 6th 2001, 4:00 PM PST on #arcanum on irc.gamesnet.net.

An IRC client will be needed to participate. A java-based client can be found at http://java.gamesnet.net/Java. For more info, visit Terra Arcanum's IRC page.

Chills, Thrills Found in Gamesmania's Arcanum Journal
January 2, 2001
The intrepid adventurers at Gamesmania have added five new journal entries since our last report. Get the full account of their journey through the Arcanum "Chapter One" Beta on Gamesmania's Arcanum Journal Index.

Arcanum Converts the Unwashed at PCGamerWeb.com
December 19th, 2000
Tien Nguyen, a self-described member of the so-called RPG opposition, looks forward to Aracanum's final release in this game preview.

Intelgamer Previews Arcanum
December 14th, 2000
"Arcanum looks set to live up to the hype and anticipation," proclaims Wolfhound. Read the full two page review at Intelgamer.

Stravaig's Quest Log
December 11th, 2000
A brave gamer enters the game designer's lair -- and lives to tell the tale! Stravaig's account of a day at Troika Games has been recorded for the ages at Terra Arcanum and Dimensions of Arcanum.

Arcanum Questions Answered!
December 7th, 2000
Jason, Gamesmania's resident Arcanum sage, has opened himself up to questions about his travels in the land of Arcanum. To write Jason, or to see his responses thus far, check out his Gamesmania feature.

Keep on Truckin'
December 6th, 2000
Jason at Gamesmania continues his journey across the world of Arcanum this week. You, too, can read his ongoing adventure log.

Gamespot Posts Arcanum Preview
December 1st, 2000
Gamespot has posted an in-depth preview of Arcanum by Elliott Chin. The four page preview includes some new details and more than 80 different game screens.

Leonard Boyarsky, Shake Before Serving
November 29th, 2000
IGN PC explores genre-bending in recent PC and console titles in the recently published article "Take Genres, Add Ice, Blend Well." The article features comments from several in the games industry, including Boyarsky, joint CEO of Troika Games.

What's in a Name?
November 28th, 2000
Troika Games' Leonard Boyarsky explains the origin of the Troika Games name and logo to Gamespy.com.

Gamesmania Continues Arcanum Preview
November 21st, 2000
Gamesmania is back in the world of Arcanum with a brand new character.

Arcanum Previewed on Gildenweb
November 20th, 2000
Glidenweb, a German-language fantasy-gaming website, has posted a preview of Arcanum.

GA-RPG Posts Preview, Screens
November 20th, 2000
GA-RPG shares their experience with Arcanum, calling the "character creation/development system is a real treat for RPG fans."

Gamepower Rubs Elbows with Arcanum Inhabitants
November 15th, 2000
"The best RPGs feature impressive, consistent, and believable fictional worlds. Arcanum is all of that,"says Gamepower's Arcanum preview. "I did not want to stop exploring, meeting new people, tackling new quests, and learning more about Arcanum's complex and fascinating society." Check out the full article for additional comments and the Gamepower/Arcanum gameplay video.

Games Domain Review Previews Arcanum
November 10th, 2000
Games Domain Review has posted the first of several looks into Arcanum.

GameSpy Posts Preview, Boyarsky Interview
November 10th, 2000
Arcanum is front and center in the pages of GameSpy today. An in-depth Arcanum preview by Mark "Kyote" Allman sets the stage for a companion interview with Troika Games co-founder Leonard Boyarsky.

Avault Posts Arcanum Preview
November 9th, 2000
"The proven Troika design team is made up of people whose careful design decisions and sheer creativity shows an obvious love for the RPG genre, and it looks as if they're prepared to deliver yet another unorthodox, engrossing title," concludes Matt Plumb's review of Arcanum published November 8th.
Get the full review, complete with several new screenshots, at the Adrenaline Vault.

Arcanum Preview on IGN RPG Vault Updated
November 6, 2000
In what could be called the most definitive Arcanum preview to date, IGN RPG Vault talks about the game and offers some behind-the-scenes intrigue.

Arcanum Preview on Firing Squad
November 6, 2000
"Arcanum promises to be a huge game - absolutely colossal on a scale that even MMORPGs can't touch," says Firing Squad.

Arcanum Exposed!
November 6, 2000
Beta Bites and Gamescreenshots.com have posted new Arcanum screenshots from the Arcanum beta for your hungry eyes.

IGN Adds to Arcanum Archive
November 3, 2000
Vincent Lopez tacks on his thoughts of the Arcanum beta to an already massive Arcanum preview page at IGN PC. Complete with dozens of screenshots and concept artwork, IGN's Arcanum preview page is quickly becoming one of the most exhaustive stores of Arcanum curiosa online.

SharkyGames.com Previews Arcanum
November 3, 2000
SharkyGames.com has taken a bite out of the Arcanum Beta and seems to have enjoyed the taste. "...RPG fans looking for something a little different can take heart, a totally new and original game called Arcanum promises to deliver a gaming experience unlike anything we've seen thus far." says Contributing Editor Peter Suciu. The preview includes new screenshots and several pages of commentary.

Gamesmania Reflects on Beta Build
November 2, 2000
Gamesmania has begun a series of articles based on their experiences with a beta build of Arcanum. Day one of Gamesmania's preview explores the many available opportunities for character customization in Arcanum. Day Two features a travelogue of early adventures. In day three, Gamesmania wrastles a prodigious vermin.

Arcanum Preview on Daily Radar
November 1, 2000
Daily Radar filed their preview of Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magic Obscura today. Preview writer Barry Brenesal warns "pencil out a week or two now; every RPGer will want to check it out." The preview contains three new screenshots and links to previous Daily Radar articles on the game.

Beta Testers Notified
October 30, 2000
Huzzah! The participants in the Arcanum beta have been chosen! These lucky gamers will be notified early this evening by email (all email notifications will arrive no later than 2 AM PST, October 31st). Sierra and Troika games are delighted with the number of beta applications we received in the last several weeks. Regrettfully, not everyone can join us for the beta, but we look forward to welcoming you to Arcanum early next year.

Future Games Network Staffer Encounters Hungry Wolves
October 30, 2000
After a few days with a beta release of Arcanum, FGN has published their preview, complete with several new screenshot thumbnails. The article reveals details about the gameplay mechanics and offers hints to beginning adventurers (stay away from the wolves!).

RPG Vault Reports First Impressions
October 30, 2000
Richard "Jonric" Aihoshi reflects on the 20 hours he spent with his preview copy of the Arcanum beta. Purists beware -- this article contains mild spoilers.

Gamespot Adds New Arcanum Screens
October 24, 2000
Greg Kasavin updates Gamespot's Arcanum coverage with 25 new screenshots.

Arcanum Mugshots
October 20, 2000
A series of Arcanum character portraits and descriptions have been posted on the RPG Vault.

Beta Applications are Closed
October 19, 2000
The book has shut on applications for the Chapter One Arcanum Beta. Troika Games and Sierra would like to thank the thousands of people who signed up to take part in this early preview of our game. All chosen testers will be notified in the upcoming weeks.

Actiontrip Previews Arcanum
October 2, 2000
The writers at Actiontrip have posted a preview of Arcanum, complete with plenty of commentary and several screenshots.

Arcanum Beta Registration Begins Today
September 26, 2000
Sierra and Troika Games are opening up the land of Arcanum to a few lucky souls this fall! All beta participants will receive an Arcanum Beta CD-ROM and an exclusive pass to the Arcanum Beta Forum. This is your chance to get an advance look at the game and offer helpful feedback to aid in the development process. To be a part of this select crowd you must complete the online registration form. Due to a limited amount of spaces, not everyone will be chosen.

Open Beta Test Sign-up to Begin September 26
September 20, 2000
Sierra and Troika Games are proud to announce that enrollment in the Arcanum beta test will begin next Tuesday, September 26th. The "Chapter One" testing session will encompass the first 20% of the total content found in the single-player game.

Selection for the beta test is based on a variety of criteria: system specs, experience with other games, and skill in documenting suggestions and communicating them clearly. Beta testers will get a pre-release version of the game, and will have access to a private message board to communicate directly with the developers at Troika Games.

All potential beta candidates are required to sign-up via a web form to be posted on this website Tuesday, September 26th at 9:00 AM PT (16:00 GMT).

Tim Cain on Computer Games Online
September 14, 2000
The Computer Games Magazine interview with Tim Cain (October 2000 issue) is available on the web at Computer Games Magazine. The interview covers Cain's impression of many contemporary computer RPGs, the founding of Troika Games, and Troika's approach towards the design of Arcanum.

Arcanum Designer Interview on Terra Arcanum
September 1, 2000
Terra Arcanum, a masterfully-crafted compendium of Arcanum lore, has posted an interview with Tim Cain, Leonard Boyarsky, and Jason D. Anderson of Troika Games.

Arcanum Preview on Games Domain
August 25, 2000
Chris McMullen mulls over Arcanum's game mechanics in this one page preview.

Arcanum on Computer Games Online
August 22, 2000
Cindy Yans, a visitor to Sierra' booth at Gencon, writes about "patience obscura."

Arcanum on Gamecenter
August 22, 2000
Mark Asher files his Gen Con report on Gamecenter, touching on Arcanum and Throne of Darkness from Sierra.

Arcanum News on German-language PC Portal
August 21, 2000
Zocks, a German website dedicated to PC news and information, has posted a preview of the game online.

Arcanum World Editor Chosen for Dungeons & Dragons Product
August 14, 2000
Wizards of the Coast has recently licensed the Arcanum World Editor from Troika Games. The editor will be integrated into Dungeons & Dragons Master Tools, am upcoming product designed to streamline tabletop role-playing adventure creation.

Arcanum Beta Test Planned for September
Aug 8, 2000
A public beta program for Arcanum will begin in September 2000, giving gamers access to some of the 19 major environments within the land of Arcanum. A private online forum on which to discuss the game with the developers, give feedback and suggestions, and report bugs will be available for all testers. Watch this space for registration information in the weeks to come.

To fully incorporate feedback from the beta program, Arcanum will be released in February of 2001. Sierra and Troika Games will release a playable demo this winter.

Troika Talks Tech
Aug 3, 2000
Daily Radar features a new article prepared by Troika Games explaining the role of technologgy in Arcanum. The page-long article includes a small FAQ and 12 new screenshots.

Arcanum Preview on Eurogamer
August 7, 2000
Eurogamer's Gestalt takes a look at Arcanum, a title he declares is worth a "closer look."

The "Wordsmiths Wanted" Contest Has Ended
Aug 2, 2000
From the Desk of Aldus T. Giles
Assistant Correspondence Clerk
Tarantian Library

On behalf of all the learned peoples of Arcanum, we extend our warmest thanks to the authors who submitted texts for consideration. The full-staff of our librarians, antiquarians, and archivists have been fully occupied with weighing the merits of each transcript. If your work gains their approval, you will be contacted within the fortnight.
May your quills never grow dull.

Vault Network Chat Log Posted on IGN
July 15, 2000
The chat log from the July 10th Arcanum event is now available online at the Vault Network.

Arcanum Editor Week Begins at IGN's RPG Vault
July 10, 2000
Today kicks off a week long question and answer session focusing on Arcanum's unique game editor.

Arcanum Editor Chat This Friday
July 10, 2000
Troika Games, Sierra and the IGN Vault Network are pleased to announce an IRC chat for Arcanum Friday, July 14 at 5:30 pm PT (00:30:00 July 11 GMT). Among those expected to attend are Troika Games co-founders Tim Cain, Jason Anderson and Leonard Boyarsky. To join, visit the RPG Vault Chat page in channel #ignvault.

Wordsmiths Wanted!
June 29, 2000
This is a call to arms! (Or to pens...) Troika Games has begun filling out the literature of Arcanum, and they want your help. Imagine going into a library or a bookstore in Arcanum and finding something you wrote! All the information you need to get started is available on the official Arcanum Literature Submissions page. All submissions are due by August 1st 2000.

Troika Games' Sharon Shellman on Gamer's Alliance RPG
June 26, 2000
In an interview published today, Chris Johnson, editor-in-chief of Gamer's Alliance RPG, talks with Troika Games operations manager Sharon Shellman about the game's development and design philosophy.

Sharon Shellman Profiled on IGN's RPG Vault
June 26, 2000
Last but not least in a series of Arcanum developer profiles is Sharon Shellman, Blizzard-alumnae, 3D artist, and operations manager for Troika Games.

IGN Vault Posts Arcanum Programmer Profile
June 22, 2000
Jonric asks Troika Games' Jesse Reynolds about his current work, his gaming interests, and how he landed a job programming games for a living.

Live Chat with Troika Games
June 22, 2000
Voodoo Extreme.com will host a live IRC chat with Tim Cain, Leonard Boyarsky and Jason Anderson of Troika Games Friday, June 23 at 5:30 pm PT (00:30:00 Jun 24 GMT). The three will answer questions surrounding the design and development of Arcanum.

June 26, 2000 Update
A log of the Troika Games chat has been posted online. Special thanks to Calis and Ainamacar.

Arcanum is Gamespot News Editor's Pick
June 20, 2000
Sam Parker chooses Arcanum as the roleplaying game he's most excited about in Gamespot's Question of the Week.

IGN PC Updates Arcanum Preview
June 20, 2000
Trent Ward adds an in-depth discussion of spells to his running Arcanum preview.

Arcanum Developer Profile Update
June 19, 2000
Jonric of the RPG Vault kicks off the week with a profile of artist/animator Yong C. Park.

Gamecenter Posts Arcanum Update
June 16, 2000
Leonard Boyarsky of Troika Games dropped in on CNET Gamcenter earlier this week to demonstrate the progress of Arcanum. Writer Perry Gentry describes what we saw.

At Last, Sir Chadwick Moore Speaks!
June 15, 2000
Great whoops of joy can be heard across the land of Arcanum! Sir Chadwick Moore, the distinguished gentleman, sometimes author, and erstwhile scholar of monetary affairs spends a scarce-free moment with the electronic news-paper IGN.

Cain and Boyarsky Interview
June 13, 2000
Tim Cain and Leonard Boyarsky take a moment to chat with IGN PC.

IGN Adds Another Developer Profile to the Vault
June 13, 2000
Read all about Arcanum animator and level designer Mike McCarthy on IGN's RPG Vault.

New Arcanum Team Profile Online
June 9, 2000
Jonric of the RPG Vault spends some time with Troika Programmer and game industry veteran Chris Jones.

Arcanum Teaser Movie Now Online
June 8, 2000
Get a preview of steamworks and magick obscura with the Arcanum Teaser Movie in Windows Media Player and QuickTime formats.

Arcanum -- What Characters!
June 7, 2000
Sharon Shellman of Troika Games explains their approach to character development in Gamer's Edge RPG.

Sharon Shellman Interviewed on Daily Telefrag
June 6, 2000
Troika Games operations manager Sharon Shellman talks about the inspiration for Arcanum, the game's RPG system, and the day-to-day life at a game development studio.

What is your Quest?
June 2, 2000
Troika Games carves out a few minutes with to talk with John Coghlan of Daily Radar on Arcanum's quests, atmosphere, and game editor.

Troika's Mage Apprentice
June 1, 2000
IGN's RPG Vault talks with David Bragg, Arcanum programmer and University of California Irvine senior.

Gamers Central Takes a Hike
May 30, 2000
Ravage explores the game design and mechanics behind Arcanum, noting that the gameworld is a "single area of incredible proportions."

Arcanum Preview on Incite.com
May 30, 2000
Check out the Arcanum preview on Incite.com, check out the screenshots, and sound off on the Buzz Factor meter.

New Troika Developer Profiles Added to IGN's RPG Vault
May 29, 2000
Leonard Boyarsky and Tim Cain take a short break from Arcanum to discuss their professional backgrounds, gaming interests, and the day to day business of game development.

Jason Anderson Profiled
May 22, 2000
What is it like to work in the computer game industry? Jonric of IGN's RPG Vault tracked down Jason Anderson of Troika Games to find out.

GameSpy Chooses Arcanum as RPG Runner-up in E3 Awards
May 22, 2000
Gamespy, the gaming news and community service, awarded Arcanum as the roleplaying game runner-up in their 2000 GameSpy E3 Awards. This first offering from Troika Games came second only to Bioware's Neverwinter Nights, a RPG based on Dungeons and Dragons 3rd edition rulebook.

Top PC Gaming Site Features Arcanum Preview
May 19, 2000
Gamespot has posted their Arcanum feature on the site's front page today. The five page preview includes an overview of the game, insight into the game's unique roleplaying system, and 25 screenshots -- including pics of the included level editor.

RPG Vault Posts Screens
May 15, 2000
Go to IGN's RPG Vault for 9 new Arcanum screenshots as seen at last week's E3.

Evil Smiles on Arcanum
May 14, 2000
The Evil Avatar himself chooses Arcanum as the runner-up to his top pick for Best RPG of Show.

Gamespy Posts Arcanum "Quick Look"
May 13, 2000
Silverdawn posts a quick description and first impressions of Arcanum.

Daily Radar Posts E3 Preview
May 11, 2000
Kevin Rice revisits Daily Radar's coverage of Arcanum in this E3 wrap-up.

CNET Gamecenter Interviews Troika's Tim Cain
May 1, 2000
Marc Slatzman hobnobs with Troika's "celebrated RPG designer."

Gamespy Previews Arcanum
April 28, 2000
John Keefer takes a look at character editing, magic, technology, quests, world editing in Arcanum.

Arcanum on Daily Radar
April 27, 2000
Daily Radar's Chris Kramer posts new screenshots and a brief game overview.

Entertainment Tonight Online Features Arcanum
April 27, 2000
Entertainment Tonight Online, the website for the popular television news magazine, have placed Arcanum on their front page today. Check out new Arcanum screenshots ET's Cyber Central section.

The RPG Vault Reports from Hollywood's Magic Castle
April 27, 2000
"Arcanum looks to be well on its way to becoming a rich gameplay experience set in a huge, unusual world filled with game content, and the world editor will make it extraordinarily simple for players to craft their own worlds and adventures," says RPG Vault's Jonric.

Tim Cain Speaks
April 25, 2000
Next Game chats with Troika's Tim Cain about the intricacies of computer role playing game design.
The interview is available in English and Italian.

Gamecenter Previews Arcanum
March 24, 2000
Perry Gentry of Gamecenter traveled to Troika Games' Irvine headquarters to check up on Tim Cain, Leonard Boyarsky, and Jason Anderson, the "fomenters of this quiet RPG revolution."

New Troika Details Uncovered on Daily Radar
March 10, 2000
The editors of Daily Radar extract several gameplay details from Tim Cain and Leonard Boyarsky of Troika.

FGN Reports Plans for Arcanum Sequel
March 10, 2000
FGN hears whispers about Troika Games' upcoming debut and plans for the future.

IGN PC Echoes Arcanum Sequel News
March 10, 2000

Arcanum Previewed on Gamelinks
March 8, 2000

Troika Interview with Joystick France
March 8, 2000
Tim Cain, Leonard Boyarsky and Jason Anderson speak with Joystick France about Arcanum. The RealAudio portion of the interview is in English (Requires RealAudio), the text interview is in French.

Gamesurge Previews Arcanum
March 4, 2000

Arcanum Appears in Gaming Comic
March 1, 2000
Scott R. Kurtz of PVP pinpoints the dichotomy that is Arcanum -- or is it the gaming public?

Gamespot Debuts Extensive Arcanum Preview
February 29, 2000

Future Gamer Posts Arcanum Q & A
February 8, 2000

3DGaming Posts "Quickie" Preview
February 28, 2000

IGN PC Previews Arcanum
February 22, 2000
In Part One of his two-part series, Trent Ward of IGN takes an in-depth look at the role-playing system and storyline for Arcanum, the upcoming role-playing game from Sierra and Troika Games. The online preview includes dozens of screenshots, sketches, and an overview from project leader Tim Cain. Make sure you check back Friday, February 25th, for Part Two, where everything from the magic system to the multiplayer modes will be revealed!

Gamespot UK Posts Arcanum Preview
January 31, 2000

Arcanum Developer Interview
October 22, 2000
Find out how Troika Games plans to use their magic-meets-technology idea to bring the roleplaying genre out of the dark ages. Hear the thoughts of Fallout-alumni and Arcanum creators Tim Cain, Leonard Boyarsky, and Jason Anderson as they chat with editor-in-chief Jonric on the Vault Network.