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Jagged Alliance 2

LorkLork Registered User regular
edited November 2010 in Games and Technology
ja2.jpg

It's like X-Com, only instead of coordinating the men in black, you control a band of mercenaries, and instead of aliens, you fight against some third world country. There are probably other differences too. I don't know, you tell me.


So anyway, this game looks pretty cool, but the interface sucks and it doesn't bother to explain its intricacies at all, some of which are vital. For example, the manual says that stuff you leave on the ground will disappear after a while, but doesn't offer any alternatives. Can I stuff all my things in a locker and expect it to be there when I come back, or will it disappear in a similar manner? Itisamystery.gif. On the other hand, the manual also says that a merc holding over 100% of their carrying capacity will be overburdened, but says nothing about anything in between. Will my mercs somehow perform better at 20% than at 50%? Again, Itisamystery.gif.

Wouldn't it be fun to keep all my shit on my mercs, only to find out later on that it was hampering them the whole time? Or maybe if I put it all in a locker instead, and find out that it all went missing while I was gone? I posit that no, it would not.

That was only two (connected) examples, but the game is filled to the brim with important details that you can only find out the hard way. Can somebody enlighten me on some of these?

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Posts

  • ArrathArrath Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Take a look here.

    Forums for the fan made (and pretty much accepted as required) JA 2 1.13 mod. It adds tons to the game and is still being worked on, in fact they just released their new inventory system to open beta.

    Wiki, and good old installer link. A few months old, but quite stable.

    How to download the newest most up-to-date revision

    Thread all about the new inventory system (its glorious).

    That said, I love JA2. Never played Xcom when I was younger so this was really my first introduction to the turn based strategy genre. One of the best examples of it imo.

    As to your questions, as far as I know stuff on the ground won't decay or disappear over time, it'll stay there forever. EXCEPT if bad guys retake the sector, assume they see this stuff lying around and loot it for themselves. An overburdened merc will burn their energy (blue bar) much faster as well as (I believe) move slower. In 1.13 traveling around overburdened increases the merc's stregnth and health stats over time, in JA2 it just burns that old energy.

    Arrath on
  • LorkLork Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Arrath wrote: »
    As to your questions, as far as I know stuff on the ground won't decay or disappear over time, it'll stay there forever. EXCEPT if bad guys retake the sector, assume they see this stuff lying around and loot it for themselves. An overburdened merc will burn their energy (blue bar) much faster as well as (I believe) move slower. In 1.13 traveling around overburdened increases the merc's stregnth and health stats over time, in JA2 it just burns that old energy.
    When you say "overburdened" do you mean over 100%? Does that mean that anything under 100% is ok?

    Lork on
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  • ArrathArrath Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Lork wrote: »
    Arrath wrote: »
    As to your questions, as far as I know stuff on the ground won't decay or disappear over time, it'll stay there forever. EXCEPT if bad guys retake the sector, assume they see this stuff lying around and loot it for themselves. An overburdened merc will burn their energy (blue bar) much faster as well as (I believe) move slower. In 1.13 traveling around overburdened increases the merc's stregnth and health stats over time, in JA2 it just burns that old energy.
    When you say "overburdened" do you mean over 100%? Does that mean that anything under 100% is ok?

    Oops, skipped that. There is no difference in merc proformance be it 1% or 99% weight.

    Arrath on
  • LorkLork Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Arrath wrote: »
    Lork wrote: »
    Arrath wrote: »
    As to your questions, as far as I know stuff on the ground won't decay or disappear over time, it'll stay there forever. EXCEPT if bad guys retake the sector, assume they see this stuff lying around and loot it for themselves. An overburdened merc will burn their energy (blue bar) much faster as well as (I believe) move slower. In 1.13 traveling around overburdened increases the merc's stregnth and health stats over time, in JA2 it just burns that old energy.
    When you say "overburdened" do you mean over 100%? Does that mean that anything under 100% is ok?

    Oops, skipped that. There is no difference in merc proformance be it 1% or 99% weight.
    Ok, thanks. That's one dilemma solved. Next question: if I have one doctor and two patients, is the healing effect slower than if I had just one patient? What if I had two doctors? Same goes for trainers/students.

    Lork on
    Steam Profile: Lork
  • ArrathArrath Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    More patients do not slow the healing, though multiple doctors to skill up more mercs may not be a bad idea. Note that this will use medical kits faster and increase their wages as they go up in exp levels. I've only gotten teaching and student--ing to work correctly once, but I assume it goes by the same rules that doctors/patients do.

    Arrath on
  • Venkman90Venkman90 Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    /ponders whatever happened to the DS version of this

    Venkman90 on
  • inthegrayinthegray Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Strategy First cancelled their DS port for Jagged Alliance 2. Same thing goes for Disciples II: Dark ProphecyDS and Warlords DS.

    :(

    inthegray on
  • Casually HardcoreCasually Hardcore Once an Asshole. Trying to be better. Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    I never give this game a chance because of that muscular woman on the cover.

    But now that I have a taste of Xcom turn base combat...I want more. Is this available on steam? I'm just gonna have to pick it up after Xcom.

    Casually Hardcore on
  • KelorKelor Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    I never give this game a chance because of that muscular woman on the cover.

    But now that I have a taste of Xcom turn base combat...I want more. Is this available on steam? I'm just gonna have to pick it up after Xcom.

    Pretty sure it is, but the Steam version doesn't allow you to give it the fan patch to fix a number of bugs.

    Also, try getting the first if you can, its aged well and feels more X-Commish than JA2 did.

    Kelor on
  • DrezDrez Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    The interface is just fine, dude.

    Drez on
    Switch: SW-7690-2320-9238Steam/PSN/Xbox: Drezdar
  • DrezDrez Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Kelor wrote: »
    I never give this game a chance because of that muscular woman on the cover.

    But now that I have a taste of Xcom turn base combat...I want more. Is this available on steam? I'm just gonna have to pick it up after Xcom.

    Pretty sure it is, but the Steam version doesn't allow you to give it the fan patch to fix a number of bugs.

    Also, try getting the first if you can, its aged well and feels more X-Commish than JA2 did.

    Are you sure about this? I'm pretty sure I read that Steam is compatible with most if not all fan patches - specifically for Jagged Alliance 2 but for other games as well.

    Drez on
    Switch: SW-7690-2320-9238Steam/PSN/Xbox: Drezdar
  • AxenAxen My avatar is Excalibur. Yes, the sword.Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Drez wrote: »
    Kelor wrote: »
    I never give this game a chance because of that muscular woman on the cover.

    But now that I have a taste of Xcom turn base combat...I want more. Is this available on steam? I'm just gonna have to pick it up after Xcom.

    Pretty sure it is, but the Steam version doesn't allow you to give it the fan patch to fix a number of bugs.

    Also, try getting the first if you can, its aged well and feels more X-Commish than JA2 did.

    Are you sure about this? I'm pretty sure I read that Steam is compatible with most if not all fan patches - specifically for Jagged Alliance 2 but for other games as well.

    It is compatible. However to make it work requires an arduous undertaking. There is a step-by-step instruction on how to do it somewhere. Its been awhile since I had to do it.

    Axen on
    A Capellan's favorite sheath for any blade is your back.
  • subediisubedii Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    I heard the Steam version was quite buggy.

    Anyway, JA2 is awesome all around, even if some of the character voices do irritate me. Really awesome squad level tactical game. Although I have a real terror of ever doing an iron-man run. Most of the time is fine but the end of a mission can be a pain where you're hunting down that one guy hiding around a corner somwhere and as soon as you round that corner, you KNOW he'll get the initiative and riddle you with holes.

    I just wish the gas grenades worked more in the later stages. It seems everyone had gas masks.

    subedii on
  • Nitsuj82Nitsuj82 Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Yeah, the interface is just fine. If you haven't picked up this game, there's no better way to spend $20.

    Besides, the learning curve is part of the fun of the game.

    Nitsuj82 on
    Your sig is too tall. -Thanatos
    Nitsuj82.png
  • lowlylowlycooklowlylowlycook Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Nitsuj82 wrote: »
    Yeah, the interface is just fine. If you haven't picked up this game, there's no better way to spend $20.

    Besides, learning to throw knives in you enemies face in the dead of night is part of the fun of the game.

    I stepped on and broke my JA2 disk. D:D:D:

    lowlylowlycook on
    steam_sig.png
    (Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
  • DrezDrez Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Nitsuj82 wrote: »
    Yeah, the interface is just fine. If you haven't picked up this game, there's no better way to spend $20.

    Besides, learning to throw knives in you enemies face in the dead of night is part of the fun of the game.

    I stepped on and broke my JA2 disk. D:D:D:

    If you glue or tape the pieces together, would the disc itself not then become a jagged alliance?

    Drez on
    Switch: SW-7690-2320-9238Steam/PSN/Xbox: Drezdar
  • ArrathArrath Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    The steam version does work with the fan mod I linked earlier. Here are the step by step instructions to get it to work. The Strategy First online store also has it for download that works with the fan patch as well.

    The fan patch fixes quite a few major bugs, adds higher resolution, more guns, lets you make more custom mercs, train roving militia that patrol around the countryside, sell items to the locals for cash, and a whole slew of other things.

    The steam version isn't all that buggy, the fan patch includes a custom JA2 executable that is built off of the final offical JA2 release source code so that gets past problems a modified exe that is distributed with the downloaded game might have. For instance the Strategy First download has a modified exe to support 'trial mode' and entering the key they give you when you buy the game to unlock the full mode. Quite buggy, and doesn't work with vista at all. Installing the fan patch got rid of all of those problems and made it quite stable on Vista.

    Arrath on
  • Kris_xKKris_xK Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    As I've proffessed in several other threads, I love this game. Havent played it recently however, so this unofficial patch business sounds interesting.

    Maybe once I finish my replay of Xcom ill throw in my JA2:Gold disc and play through with the patch. Mmm... higher resolution.

    Kris_xK on
    calvinhobbessleddingsig2.gif
  • Nitsuj82Nitsuj82 Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Nitsuj82 wrote: »
    Yeah, the interface is just fine. If you haven't picked up this game, there's no better way to spend $20.

    Besides, learning to throw knives in you enemies face in the dead of night is part of the fun of the game.

    I stepped on and broke my JA2 disk. D:D:D:

    The first time you pop an enemy's head is pretty sweet too.

    Nitsuj82 on
    Your sig is too tall. -Thanatos
    Nitsuj82.png
  • Kris_xKKris_xK Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Nitsuj82 wrote: »
    Nitsuj82 wrote: »
    Yeah, the interface is just fine. If you haven't picked up this game, there's no better way to spend $20.

    Besides, learning to throw knives in you enemies face in the dead of night is part of the fun of the game.

    I stepped on and broke my JA2 disk. D:D:D:

    The first time you pop an enemy's head is pretty sweet too.

    I prefer the chest explosion personally.

    Kris_xK on
    calvinhobbessleddingsig2.gif
  • ArrathArrath Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Kris_xK wrote: »
    Nitsuj82 wrote: »
    Nitsuj82 wrote: »
    Yeah, the interface is just fine. If you haven't picked up this game, there's no better way to spend $20.

    Besides, learning to throw knives in you enemies face in the dead of night is part of the fun of the game.

    I stepped on and broke my JA2 disk. D:D:D:

    The first time you pop an enemy's head is pretty sweet too.

    I prefer the chest explosion personally.

    Gotta love those point blank interrupts with a shotgun.

    Arrath on
  • -SPI--SPI- Osaka, JapanRegistered User regular
    edited November 2007
    This game is easily my favourite Turn Based Strategy of all time. The interface is awesome, it's much less clunky than something like Silent Storm. The right click accuracy adjustment alone puts it leagues ahead of the competition.

    I really should go back to my one man Shadow only (<3 Shadow) run I was doing. I took drassen easily but chitzena was being a bitch.

    Oh and the fan Patch wins on so many levels, higher resolution for a start.

    -SPI- on
  • Tim JamesTim James Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Slow down with these threads, people. I'm still working on Silent Storm.

    In playing through old games I missed, I'm trying to limit myself to playing 1 FPS, 1 strategy, and 1 RPG in parallel. :) (Right now it's SS, Q4, and ToEE if you're curious.)

    I loved Xcom and even enjoyed Incubation. Not sure why I never pulled the trigger and bought JA2 back in the day.

    Tim James on
    sig.gif
  • Lord YodLord Yod Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Tim James wrote: »
    Slow down with these threads, people. I'm still working on X-Com.

    JA2 wins so hard. Dual automags were my personal weapons of choice, how about yours?

    Lord Yod on
    steam_sig.png
  • ArrathArrath Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    In my most recent playthrough I've taken a liking to the 6-round magazine burst/autofire capable grenade launcher. Its so wonderfully devestating. :twisted:

    Arrath on
  • Tim JamesTim James Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Lord Yod wrote: »
    Tim James wrote: »
    Slow down with these threads, people. I'm still working on X-Com.

    JA2 wins so hard. Dual automags were my personal weapons of choice, how about yours?
    I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to dock you a few points for odd, overly-clever quoting.

    Seriously, were you trying to say that you're still working on X-Com? Or did you just type in my quote and make a mistake? I'm curious now. :)

    Tim James on
    sig.gif
  • Steel AngelSteel Angel Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    While I feel that the game drags on past the midpoint and isn't as atmospheric as other tactical strategy titles, I absolutely love some of the game mechanics that are pretty much unique to JA.

    Auto-shot doesn't compare to firing a burst at someone's head from point blank range, as you watch them live JUST long enough to get brain damage before dying.

    Macguyvering a weapon upgrade by combining random junk, glue, and duct tape.

    Sneaking up on a guard and clobbering him with a crowbar.

    Or even better, sneaking up on him and getting an instant kill with a throwing knife.

    Being able to attack at night with both advantages and disadvantages for doing so.

    I have some issues with JA, but a lack of options to try is seldom one of them.

    Steel Angel on
    Big Dookie wrote: »
    I found that tilting it doesn't work very well, and once I started jerking it, I got much better results.

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  • lowlylowlycooklowlylowlycook Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Tim James wrote: »
    Lord Yod wrote: »
    Tim James wrote: »
    Slow down with these threads, people. I'm still working on X-Com.

    JA2 wins so hard. Dual automags were my personal weapons of choice, how about yours?
    I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to dock you a few points for odd, overly-clever quoting.

    Seriously, were you trying to say that you're still working on X-Com? Or did you just type in my quote and make a mistake? I'm curious now. :)

    Used to be that around here it was common to change a quote and either highlight the change it or bring attention to the edit by saying something like "fixed that for you". These days this seems to be optional. And yes he is saying that he agrees with you but is working on X-Com.

    lowlylowlycook on
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    (Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
  • Lord YodLord Yod Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Tim James wrote: »
    Lord Yod wrote: »
    Tim James wrote: »
    Slow down with these threads, people. I'm still working on X-Com.

    JA2 wins so hard. Dual automags were my personal weapons of choice, how about yours?
    I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to dock you a few points for odd, overly-clever quoting.

    Seriously, were you trying to say that you're still working on X-Com? Or did you just type in my quote and make a mistake? I'm curious now. :)

    Used to be that around here it was common to change a quote and either highlight the change it or bring attention to the edit by saying something like "fixed that for you". These days this seems to be optional. And yes he is saying that he agrees with you but is working on X-Com.

    Yeah, this. Thing is, I don't remember X-Com being anywhere near this hard, so I think I may just say fuck it and install JA2 again.

    Lord Yod on
    steam_sig.png
  • Tim JamesTim James Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Used to be that around here it was common to change a quote and either highlight the change it or bring attention to the edit by saying something like "fixed that for you". These days this seems to be optional. And yes he is saying that he agrees with you but is working on X-Com.
    I know. It's one of my least favorite forum mem--err, habits. (I hate the word meme, too.) But this one was extra confusing.

    I sure am cranky, huh? Back to games! :P

    Tim James on
    sig.gif
  • LitejediLitejedi New York CityRegistered User regular
    edited November 2007
    I loved Jagged Alliance 2 when I found out that I could, through a sort of "bug," level up myself and Ira before trying to battle anyone. Otherwise it kicked my ass.

    Litejedi on
    3DS FC: 1907-9450-1017
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  • SmashismSmashism Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Holy shit this game is awesome. I played it for the first time about a month ago.
    I got a job working QA for a company. Some software we relicense, so I got handed a stack of Strategy First titles and was asked to find out which was fun.
    Jagged Alliance 2 and Expansion were at the top of my list. Turn Based Strategy Squad Awesomeness. I played the Commandos series, it was nice to see its roots.
    Probably will relicense them for cheap next year sometime. I work for a company called Cosmi.
    Anyways this game was a blast, never heard of it until I played it, and its good to see a thread pop up about it too.

    Smashism on
  • OrganichuOrganichu poops peesRegistered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Drez wrote: »
    Nitsuj82 wrote: »
    Yeah, the interface is just fine. If you haven't picked up this game, there's no better way to spend $20.

    Besides, learning to throw knives in you enemies face in the dead of night is part of the fun of the game.

    I stepped on and broke my JA2 disk. D:D:D:

    If you glue or tape the pieces together, would the disc itself not then become a jagged alliance?

    :^:

    Organichu on
  • ArrathArrath Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    HOLY SHIT

    Someone has the beginnings of multiplayer support working in JA2.

    Arrath on
  • NocrenNocren Lt Futz, Back in Action North CarolinaRegistered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Any word on the supposed JA2 DS port? Was suppose to be out earlier this year.

    Or any word on JA3? Or JA3 alt? (There's some legal things going on as to who exactly has the rights and who's developing the true sequel).

    Nocren on
    newSig.jpg
  • ArrathArrath Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    From what I've heard the DS port was cancled and JA3 is being handled by some Russian dev studio.

    Arrath on
  • NocrenNocren Lt Futz, Back in Action North CarolinaRegistered User regular
    edited November 2007
    I think the russians said fuck you to SFI and started developing their own game with the engine that they were given (hence the JA3 Alt I mentioned)

    Nocren on
    newSig.jpg
  • inthegrayinthegray Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Nocren wrote: »
    Any word on the supposed JA2 DS port? Was suppose to be out earlier this year.

    from earlier in this thread:
    inthegray wrote: »
    Strategy First cancelled their DS port for Jagged Alliance 2. Same thing goes for Disciples II: Dark ProphecyDS and Warlords DS.

    :(

    inthegray on
  • Lord YodLord Yod Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Arrath wrote: »
    HOLY SHIT

    Someone has the beginnings of multiplayer support working in JA2.

    Holy shit indeed... That's really awesome.

    Lord Yod on
    steam_sig.png
  • NocrenNocren Lt Futz, Back in Action North CarolinaRegistered User regular
    edited November 2007
    So I have this save.... It's where I'm just about to assault the military base pretty much have every other town rescued. I'm also using the 1.13 mod. I also have a bug infestation. I don't know why but it's usually around this part in the game where I lose intrest. Every damn time.

    Nocren on
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