Overview
The guide for the old version of the High-Resolution Patch (HRP). Kept up for archival purposes only. I recommend you find and install the newer Unofficial Arcanum Patch (UAP) instead, which can be found on the Terra Arcanum website.
PLEASE READ
As a new HRP has been released, and the new UAP [terra-arcanum.com]contains it, there’s no reason to install this old patch. I’ll keep the guide up for archive’s sake or if someone wants to use an older version for some reason, but I doubt you’ll need it. Install the new HRP or UAP instead.
Also check out my intro to Arcanum modding via my Character Backgrounds Guide!
Introduction
I saw there was already a guide for DBT’s High-Resolution Patch, but it was in Russian. So, especially because I’ve convinced a number of my friends to buy this game, I want them to experience it as I have.
This might seem like a lengthy process, but it reallly shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes. Very much worth it.
But what does it DO?
The Arcanum High-Resolution Patch by Drog Black Tooth lets you manually adjust the resolution of Arcanum to ANY resolution, no matter how large or non-standard. If you’re running it in a window or a monitor with a custom resolution, this patch will let you match it, as long as it is not smaller than the original 800×600 in either dimension.
On top of that, the patch adjusts the interface and sound parameters so that the game performs the same. The only anomolies are that you can now see off the map in many areas, and can cast/target MUCH farther than the game intended for you to. You may also witness people ‘dying’ the moment they come into view- this is normal, they are supposed to be corpses. The readme included with the HRP and Drog’s website[terra-arcanum.com] should tell you anything else you need to know.
Installation Part 1: DAT Files
First you’ll need to extract the DAT files, which are archives found in the same folder as Arcanum.exe. HRP needs a couple of the packed files to install properly. I recommend DATBuilder[drive.google.com], which has a nice and easy interface.
As a last resort, if you cannot get DATBuilder to work properly, or wish to try and skip this step, you can create blank files with the same name and location it says in HRP’s error message (see ‘Troubleshooting’ for an example). This should still allow you to play in full resolution, but you may experience issues with the sound or interface.
To use DATBuilder:
2. Select ‘Open DAT’
3. Find “arcanum3.dat” in the same folder as your Arcanum.exe (usually under Steam/steamapps/common/Arcanum/Arcanum)
4. Select ‘Extract’
5. Locate the ‘data’ folder (same location as above; if it does not exist, create it)
6. Select ‘OK’
7. Repeat for “Arcanum4.dat”
Please note that only arcanum3.dat and arcanum4.dat contain files used by this patch, but if you expect you’ll be doing a lot of modding, extracting them all is not a bad idea. arcanum1.dat only contains art files, and arcanum2 contains art, sound, script, and a few others. arcanum3 & 4 contain most of the MES files used for things like backgrounds, items, and effects (see my other guide for a more comprehensive coverage of MES files). 5 & 6 contain more art data, as well as PROTO (item/object) files and scripts. Anything extracted will take priority over the DAT files, so if you’re playing around and accidentally break something, just delete the problem file and the game will use the one in the DAT archive instead.
Installation Part 2: Running the Patch
Firstly, download the patch from its main website:
[link]
More details about the patch and what it does can also be found there.
After that, run the downloaded HighRes1.1a.exe, and change the “Destination folder” box to point to your Arcanum folder – the one containing the Arcanum.exe file, not the one with the Sierra launcher. It should read something similar to this:
C:Program FilesSteamsteamappscommonArcanumArcanum
Don’t be afraid to try out the other options – you can always re-run the patch later to change or uninstall it by running HighRes.bat (NOT HighRes1.1a.exe OR Setup-HighRes.exe), which can be found in your Arcanum folder with Arcanum.exe.
Troubleshooting
If you receive any errors at all, they will likely be ‘missing file’ errors. Either the necessary files weren’t extracted properly from the DAT files, or the installation directory is incorrect.
Now, if the error message says it is missing a .MES file, like below:
The issue is that the DAT files were not extracted properly. Triple-check that you have extracted the DAT files from and to (ArcanumArcanumdata) their proper location.
If the error says it is missing a file in the “HighRes” folder, like so:
The issue is likely an incorrect installation of the HRP. Try reinstalling HighRes1.1a.exe, and triple-check that the destination folder is same folder as your Arcanum.exe, which should be in “SteamsteamappscommonArcanumArcanum”.
If you still cannot resolve the problem, you can create a blank text file of the same name and location in the error messages, and the patch should install. This will simply cause some features, such as the sound and interface adjustments, to work improperly.
Again, you can always re-run the patch by running HighRes.bat (NOT HighRes1.1a.exe OR Setup-HighRes.exe), which can be found in your Arcanum folder with Arcanum.exe. It should make changes and uninstall/reinstall fully without any adverse effects.
I have tested this patch on Windows 7 and 10, on the Steam version without any other modifications. As far as I can tell, there are no errors that cannot be corrected with reinstallation as described above. With that said, feel free to leave comments here or discuss possible problems in the forums. I will try to address them if I can.
I now have had time to test the game on a Surface running Windows 10, and the only two issues that arose were the frame rate bug (solved here) and setting the resolution to the 2160×1440 of my Surface, which caused serious graphical bugs. If you encounter this, lower your resolution a bit and it should be fine, or install the 1.5 patch linked at the start of this guide.
Final words
I actually have a number of modding tools and the Unofficial Arcanum Patch from back in the day, but I don’t think I have it in me to write guides for everything (and I’m not even sure some of them can still be downloaded). In any case, contact me if you’d like any of these tools or if you’re looking to get into modding this game, and I’ll see what I can do to help! (I now have a guide out for editing the MES files and creating your own custom character background!)
I hope this guide has been helpful to at least one person. I really shoulve written it months ago when I realized they put Arcanum up on Steam. Regardless, if you have any questions or suggestions for the guide, leave a comment below and I’ll see what I can do.