Something for ja2 and xcom fans

[crashdome 3]

SirTech was disbanded.

JA3 was a no go a LOoooong time ago....

JA2 was about a 100% BETTER than the original JA, although they still had Mercs that looked like synthetic humans when you were on the map.

Anyway [shameless plug], JA series inspired me (especially Deadly Games) for the mod I made below (for OFP)... and I am currently working on SOW 2 which allows the saving of "mercs" with their weapons and skills between MP games.

SOW 1 was kinda trashy and mostly an experiment, but I am about 90% done with SOW 2 and when I finish I will have a decent webhost with a real site.. which is why you wont see screens of SOW 2 on my old site.

hmmm... I'll throw some screens from the early stages out here (just cuz I like you guys!):

Screen 1

Screen 2

Screen 3

Screen 4

I wish I could have the different voices and attitudes in true JA style, but OFP is limiting and I want to capture the good fun rather than completely plagerize SirTech

[bn880 5]

CrashDome, I'm hoping you can fill a void in my life caused by JA3 not coming out. The screenshots are awesome so far! Hopefully you aren't having too many serious issues with OFP other than voice as you mentioned.

How about SP, is there going to be some SP functionality or is the whole concept based on MP play, if MP only can people host their own game and enjoy something?

Good Luck!

[Gollum1 0]

Slightly offtopic but how good is JA2?

Is it worth buying as I´m an avid JA and X-COM fan? Is it just JA with a new map or is it a significant improvement over the first JA?

HAHAHA! Oh man you just made my day!

(psst, what I really mean is BUY IT NOW!)

The expansion isn´t good value for your money though...

And this thread is going a bit OT...

[crashdome 3]

CrashDome, I'm hoping you can fill a void in my life caused by JA3 not coming out.  The screenshots are awesome so far!  Hopefully you aren't having too many serious issues with OFP other than voice as you mentioned.  

How about SP, is there going to be some SP functionality or is the whole concept based on MP play, if MP only can people host their own game and enjoy something?

Good Luck!

I assure you, if you are into JA2 like me....

If SOW 2 makes me happy, you'll be happy!  

It is meant to play as MP, because SP would have been much much easier to program just using the weaponPool commands. So, I did it the hard way     to accomodate MP capabilities. Remember, to play SP, you can then just start up an MP game and play it as SP.

The only things I wish OFP could handle in this (and maybe you could shed some light on how to do these) are:

Skills: such as Medic, Mechanic, etc.. being unique to each unit

Add-On equipment: such as the awesome "lead pipe and duct tape" or "glue" or whatever that was.

Because those require ALOT of work in OFP, I will not have those right off the bat.

Some Features:

Buy/Sell weapons/vehicles of course...

Saving inventory, player and merc info from mission to mission (in MP!)

Acquire Locations (just like in JA2 where you captured cities and mines)

Save ammo crates within those locations (wanna keep a spare Steyr Aug and ammo in a town for future missions?)

There is also a group feature I just added where you can move yourself or any unit from one group to another or even create a new group altogether.

It is based on Co-op mostly, but to not risk running WAY off-topic, I will announce my new site complete w/ info and the core files within the month. From there, I will make co-op missions in true JA fashion.

And CoCNS made this all possible (without tremendous lag and inconsistancies like in SOW 1)  

OK back OnTopic everyone!

[WhoCares 0]

According to this interview from 25th of May this year, there is still hope left, regarding JA3:

Quote[/b] ]RPGDot: How are chances to see Jagged Alliance 3 one day?

Robert: Chances are excellent.

[Oligo 1]

I very very very much hope that whatever turn-based tactical games still emerge use the we-go system (as in Laser Squad Nemesis and Combat Mission 1&2) as opposed to the crappy I-go-you-go system.

[bn880 5]

The only things I wish OFP could handle in this (and maybe you could shed some light on how to do these) are:

Skills: such as Medic, Mechanic, etc.. being unique to each unit

Add-On equipment: such as the awesome "lead pipe and duct tape" or "glue" or whatever that was.

These skills can be manually coded, have an information/statistics array for each unit created or used, in there you can add a sub arrays like ["medic","12","0.3"],["engineer",67","0.

563"]. Then when you are trying to use any of the functions you check with the particular units status array searching for those abilities and their values.

Just an idea.

As for equipment, get into addon making ;) Create seperate guns, for instance 5 different Steyr Augs, each with different addons built in and therefore different abilities. In game you simply replace the weapon as addon is added. Unfortunately combinations of addons could mean more variations of each weapon. I'm not sure how much you can do with a weapon in terms of changing it's specs with suer actions or event handlers in game. (another unfortunate problem with OFP is no jamming and no weapon weare, dang, but I've been suggesting that for OFP2)

This is Jagged Alliance + OFP stuff, not too too offtopic.

Ok, I guess they are hoping JA3 will make it someday... I hope so.

[Bluesman 0]

Maybe competition for Söldner . I'm looking forward to that game too, hopefully it can fill a void til OFP2 comes out.

Do you have a preliminary release for this mod?

Regarding turn based in SS, it works like this

"Only combats are turn-based. Turn-base mode can be switched on by both, player and AI(Artificial Intelligence). Player can switch it on by pressing an interface button or by giving command to make offensive move like: shooting, throwing the granate, punching, using knife etc... You can switch this mode off only when there is no enemies near to you. AI can switch this mode on by attacking one of player's characters"

Sounds like JA2 to me .

Full FAQ here

http://forum.nival.com/showthr....d=12330

Those Nival guys are on the move. Blitzkrieg was great and Etherlords2 looks good too.

BM

[Bluesman 0]

Regarding the demo btw.

It was apparently mis-communication with the LA based studio working on some new "revolutionary" facial expression engine. Apparently SS is showcasing this new technique.

Demo is still due in about 3-4 weeks. With at least 2 missions according to devs .

BM

[Gollum1 0]

Sounds like a pretty promising mod, but you´ll need some dirty, ragtag merc models and custom weps, too.

And I posted a topic a looong time ago about the fact that you could make Arulco (the island from JA2) very easily with the current OFP:res buildings and map size and everything.

You already have airport hangars, you´ll have to do a couple of destroyed small houses for Omerta, you can use the now-existing ruins for Chitzena and you can probably lend a jungle hut from some mod, you can make a one-storey prison with a fence around it for the prison in the desert...there´s a lot of buildings that you´ll have to make but the terrain shouldn´t be too tricky for anyone versed in Visitor/WRPedit.

[Bluesman 0]

The Russian demo is out. I didn't understand many words(I can read cyrillic though) but it's very fun nevertheless. It feels like an XCOM/JA game and that's what counts(How many turn based games are we spoiled with any way?). I think this game will be a real classic by the looks of it.

Demo has 2 scenarios from each side so it's quite generous.

http://www.gamershell.com/news_BSilentStormBRussianDemo.shtml

I think that's a good testament for game quallity

No Finns in the demo though.

BM

[amp 0]

Well I'm glad it's living up to it's promises.

But I think I'll wait for the English version, depends on how bored I get in the days to come  

[Bluesman 0]

I'll do a little AAR later when I have more time to scribble down things .

They said end of month for UK/US demo.

So far.

The graphics are simply the best I have seen for a game like this. It's super smooth, the way he walks and the scrolling but the environment is also fully rotatable and tiltable and..It looks amazing (this is 3d). If any of you tried the Lionheart demo, think this as the opposite how to do a beatiful movement animations and combat. If Lionheart used this game engine it would have been a winner.

I have already got some early taste on the dynamic destruction. It's like nothing I've seen yet.

And yes. THe movement and AP is just about exactly like JA2. It's realtime until you get to action, once there you get more or less the same style of cursor with how much AP you have left and you can calculate needed points etc.

This could be like the best game this year for me at least.

And to think that this is fully moddable(supported)? Drool.

BM

BM

[Bluesman 0]

For those who got the Russian demo there's a shortcutlist here

<up> Moves the camera forward;

<down> Moves the camera back;

<left> Moves the camera to the left;

<right> Moves the camera to the right;

<Page Up> Zooms in;

<Page Down> Zooms out;

<Ctrl> + <left>Turns the camera left;

<Ctrl> + <right> Turns the camera right;

<Ctrl> + <up> Turns the camera up;

<Ctrl> + <down>Turns the camera down;

<Home>Centres the camera on the selected character;

<Num +> Shows the upper level (floor)

<Num –> Shows the lower level (floor)

<Alt> Displays names of items

<1>...<7> Selects character by the number

<=>Selects all characters

<Click> on character's tab - Selects the specified character

<Tab> Selects the next character (in circle)

<Ctrl> + <Click> on character's tab

Adds/deletes the specified character to/from the group

<M> Move (keep on moving)

<S> Stop

<A> Attack/action

<L> Look

<H> Hide

<Z> Get up / run

<X> Get up / walk

<C> Crouch / sneak

<V> Lie down / crawl

<D> Keep orientation/strafe mode

<I> Calls up / closes Items window

<O> Show Objectives

<J> Show Journal

<U> Calls up / closes character's Parameters window

<R> Reload

<Q> Snap shot

<W> Aimed shot

<E> Careful shot

<[> Switch to previous mode

<]> Switch to next mode

<F> Short burst

<G> Long burst

<T> Sniper shooting mode

<Num 8> Aim at head

<Num 5> Aim at body

<Num 4> Aim at left arm

<Num 6> Aim at right arm

<Num 1> Aim at left leg

<Num 3> Aim at right leg

<Enter> End of Turn / Switch to turn-based mode

<F5> Quick save

<F6> Saves game

<F7> Loads game

<F8> Loads last quicksave

<F10> Game menu

<Pause> Pause mode on/off

<Print Screen> Makes screen shot (saved as *.bmp file in Screenshots directory)

<Ctrl> + <Q> Quits the game and exits to Windows

This should help people play it without knowing the language .

There are 2 scenarios one where you play a German commando group(including a German woman). Mission is to take out an Allied radio station, it features a beatiful train full with soldiers (they jump out from the wagons).

The other features Allies vs Axis. You get to try the Bazooka which is mighty cool with the destructable terrain. Walls crumble and roofs fall in etc. Depending on you graphics setting of course. But OFP users should have pretty good puters as it is .

Default difficulty is set pretty low so the enemy seems a bit easy but you can bump up the diff.

One cool feature I've discovered is a Fallout style Perk system which each class can upgrade. A grenadier has a grenadier "perk" tree and a sniper has his own tree. Of course you have the typical RPG stats and skills (which increase through levels).

There's all sorts of explosives, nades and various utilities (classic wire cutters for one). Guys climb, jump, crawl and when you shoot someone in the head(critical) it sort of bumps off and bounces (a bit brutal perhaps hehe). Guys gets bullet holes and end up in all sorts of positions when killed. You can also carry dead guys around (throwing them off a cliff is sort of fun)

In short. It's JA2 on steroids that's for sure (no voiceovers here though so I dont know how well that transfers)

[Gollum1 0]

The Russian demo´s out? Well, I think I´ll wait for the English version for maximum enjoyability.

[Bluesman 0]

The Russian demo´s out? Well, I think I´ll wait for the English version for maximum enjoyability.

I've been playing the demo almost non stop for 2 days now .

Seems it has made quite an impact already on the net, even in it's Russian incarnation. JA2 gamers are flocking to their forums .

English demo out any day according to devs. Will be fun to hear how they managed the voiceovers for them.

[GoOB 0]

This game sounds very interesting and the graphics, well they are just a big bonus!

I am looking very much forward to this game, looks really nice. And I am a huge JA2 and JA fan, but I lost my JA2 discs (in progress of doing a basement wide search for them) I hope that you will be able to create your own little mercenary like in the JA series.

I am gonna go try the Russian demo now, I can't wait till the English version

[GoOB 0]

Just got back from the very first play session with the russian demo. What can I say? I love it! Even though I didn't understand squat of what my soldiers reported in to me. The graphics are stunning for this type of game, it breaks many other games not in the genre aswell. The machineguns are by far my favourite. The german scenario has a machinegunner that is pretty much unstoppable if you have him covered by a sniper. Even without the sniper he is great. Also the "scoutish" woman you get in that scenario is great aswell, jump aboard a train wagon silently, then take the officer supervising the guns out with your knife. Then man the machinegun and shoot away (died three times before I managed to do it successfully) The way blood effects are also quite stunning, during the allied scenario my medic who was just about to enter a building got a burst of MG fire through him, the MG burst destroyed a small piece of the wall he was standing next to wich allowed a few more bullets to hit my other team members hiding in the house. Needless to say my medic was dead. And it actually looked quite realistic (I think, I have never seen a guy who has been shot to death by MG fire)

Overall the demo gets a 8/10 it could have been a nine but I am pissed that I didn't make the allied scenario. So that is one point deducted, the other is because I couldn't use most of the features to full effect. But this has of course nothing to do with the game, just me and not knowing russian. And not knowing how to place my soldiers

[bn880 5]

Yes this does look quite stunning, I got only a few minutes of poking around and translating hard in my head but I was impressed at how much this really is like JA2. They could have made the RMB the shoot mode toggle but I guess the icons in the menu are good as well.

I will certainly be playing this title if I find the time later on.

[GoOB 0]

I found the AI very good aswell, but the AI turns took a lot of time. Sometimes a bit too much time for my tastes. I mean taking time is good when you need to plan, but when the enmy is outside of shooting range it is just a nuisance.

[bn880 5]

It's one of those unfortunate things we have to put up with if we want really smart AI. CPU time... sure they might finally "tweak" it for speed, but it will only make the Ai dumber in the end.

[GoOB 0]

Ah well thinking about it it isn't that bad after all. I mean it allows you to tinker with more important things than gaming meanwhile. Getting drinks, taking bathroom breaks etc. But this game is wonderful, it feels like the first time i played JA2. And the flashbacks I am getting from those days spent infront of my old 400 MHZ P2. I need to find that game

[Bluesman 0]

Well this is a demo, i'm sure they will tweak and polish the game afterwards. At least they are very dedicated to do so in their forums (allways a good sign when devs answer questions asap and take notes on complaints). BIS listened to customers and thats what made OFP great(ok they didnt listen to every single whine but who does?).

Microprose biggest drawback was it's poor customer relations. Pity with the great games they did have.

Btw, they now have a US publisher too and UK is due out already in September.

I think the glowing preview in Penny Arcade might spark more interest.

BM

[bn880 5]

Ahh well if you're talking about lunch break long AI sessions then they probably need to install some loop detections or tweak them. It sounds like a tiral and error AI process running. (like solving a chess game to make one move)

[GoOB 0]

It's not really lunch break long. Just enough time to scurry out in the kitchen and grab a glass of water or a soda. Might be able to put a bag of pop-corn in the microwave aswell. But I think it is partly due to the large number of enemies in the missions. In the allied scenario (Russian demo) there are a great number of enemies. But when you have cut them down the time it takes for the AI to make it's turn is a few seconds. I am very impressed with this game and I will buy it as soon as it hits store shelves.

P.S Are there supposed to be two German scenarios in the Russian demo? I can only play one D.S