A modder going by Historical_Yogurt622 has posted an alpha version of a mod on the Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura subreddit that adds WASD controls for walking and running.
What the mod changes in Arcanum
If you’ve tried revisiting this Troika Games classic in recent years, you’ve probably worn a hole in your mouse. The protagonist used to move entirely through clicks, which gets pretty irritating by today’s standards. This mod lets you walk and run with the familiar WASD layout, just as you would in a modern RPG.
The creator sees this feature as one part of a much larger overhaul. Releasing the movement controls separately is simply a way to gather feedback, and they’re actively asking the community for it. I respect that approach: testing a major set of mechanics in smaller pieces is always more reliable.
Here’s what we know so far:
- The mod adds walking and running with the WASD keys.
- Version 1 fixes conflicts with the original interface.
- Real-time combat with pause is planned, along the lines of the two Pillars of Eternity games.
- The developer’s ultimate goal is something closer to action RPG combat, with new schools of magic and skills.
- Instant stealth kills have also been promised as a separate mechanic.
- Controller support is still very much up in the air, although testing is planned.
🔥 For me, direct movement control is exactly the kind of change that can transform how good old Arcanum feels. Just being able to move without clicking every patch of ground is a pretty strong reason to start another run as a dwarven technologist. I’m not surprised the old guard on the forums have welcomed the alpha so enthusiastically.
The combat overhaul is much less clear-cut. Bolting action RPG mechanics onto the main character is one thing; making the old engine handle those new stats properly for every NPC is quite another headache. That’s why I’m keeping a healthy dose of scepticism about the promised overhaul. It’s an extremely ambitious undertaking, with a lot of work still standing between it and release.
How the Arcanum overhaul developed
The creator originally planned to rebuild the game in sections and release each module when it was ready. The movement system became the first public build, with a real-time-with-pause combat module intended to follow.
They even promised a combat test with new perks within a week, but no such release has actually appeared yet. If projects like this interest you, take a look at my article on mods that rebuild classic RPGs. Morrowind is getting its own control overhaul too: ISOWIND adds an isometric camera and click-to-move.
When will Arcanum get real-time combat with pause?
There’s still no firm release date for the combat update. The creator openly acknowledges that balancing magic against technology under the new combat rules will take a great deal of time. Teaching enemies to respond to attacks in real time clearly isn’t a couple of evenings’ work.
Personally, I’m rooting for combat with tactical pause. With Arcanum’s wild variety of builds and schools of magic, careful control of the battlefield makes the most sense to me. I’ll keep following the updates and covering them in the modding news section.
