1. Download SCI_7435_sevenfm, containing all needed files and options.
Just copy it over your new ja2 installation and run new exe. Warning: do not run vanilla exe in your mod dir, as it can damage your installation. link removed
You can also download this small modpack (Wildfire6.07, Arulco Revisited 1.4), copy it to your mod dir, select mod from ja2.ini or IniEditor and play. link removed
2. There is a Data-User dir in the SCI, which containt the following:
TableData:
Interface - background pictures for widescreen interface, bullet images
ExtImages - custom big images, currently only for ak-103, HK 53, M870 and Ithaca 37.
INI files:
Ja2_Options.INI
ADVANCED_NCTH_INFO = FALSE
Enable it to see additional NCTH info
USE_EXTENDED_ITEM_IMAGES = TRUE
Custom images - you can see them in extended widescreen interface, attachments interface or in magnified sector inventory
EXTENDED_TACTICAL_INTERFACE = FALSE
Not implemented yet
EXTENDED_WIDESCREEN_INTERFACE = 3
0 - disabled
1 - only background
2 - mini - show only item pictures and names
3 - full info
EXTENDED_WIDESCREEN_AMMO = 3
0 - do not show
1 - show as numbers
2 - show as default bullets (same as in NCTH cursor)
3 - show as small bullets (stock calibers only)
IMPROVED_NCTH_CURSOR = 1
0 - default cursor
1 - improved cursor: laser dot, scope mode icon, show extended AP info, limit maximum shown aperture size (optional)
2 - compact cursor: mounted indicator, aiming levels as numbers
IMPROVED_AUTOFIRE_CURSOR = 2
DISABLE_BADCTH_QUOTE = TRUE
Disable potentially annoying 'No line of fire!' quote
IMPROVED_NCTH_APERTURE = TRUE
More wide (sqrt) bullet deviation when firing beyond weapon range.
Vertical distribution is limited to 0.5 - less ground hits.
IMPROVED_TRACER = TRUE
Use red trails for tracers
Disable light for tracers
You can delete those files safely if you don't need them.
3. Additional info:
Hotkeys: [x] - go prone, same as [p]
Feedback, constructive critisism and suggestions are appreciated.
Personally, I like the NCTH cursor so much I don't care about its size, but limiting that might indeed improve the whole thing visually. Good thinking.
Sadly, for some reason I cannot enlarge the video or watch it on YouTube, the links don't work. Already tried different browsers. Is it just me? ^^
@rummtata
NCTH is very good, with all recent tweaks and additions
As for youtube link, I have the same problem, something with embedding.
You can always right click on 'YouTube' sign and select 'copy link'.
Now reworked, more logical and supports recently added features. Excel table
List of possible mouse actions:
[font:Courier New] MB: Look [l] Alt+MB: Firing mode [ b] Ctrl+MB: Scope mode [.] Shift+MB: Transform object in hand [y] Ctrl+Alt+MB: Reload weapon
WheelUp/WheelDown - nothing This was changed to prevent accidental unwanted merc switching Alt+WheelUp, Alt+WheelDown [PGUP, PGDN] This was reversed comparing to old mouse actions feature.
It seems more logical to scroll UP to stand UP, and scroll DOWN to sit DOWN. Shift+WheelUp, Shift+WheelDown: Select visible enemies [e] Ctrl+WheelUp, Ctrl+WheelDown: Change active merc [space] Ctrl+Alt+WheelUp: Pickup backpacks [Ctrl+Shift+f] Ctrl+Alt+Down: Drop backpacks [Shift+b]
X1: Show line of sight [Shift+V] Alt+X1: Swap sling [Shift+k, Alt+q] Ctrl+X1: Swap hands [Shift+h, Ctrl+q] Shift+X1: Select All [=] Ctrl+Alt+X1: Show player mines [Alt+Shift+v]
X2: Show cover [Shift+c] Alt+X2: Toggle formation movement [Strl+Shift+g] Ctrl+X2: Jump [j] Shift+X2: Jump through window [Shift+j] Ctrl+Alt+X2: Show metal detector view [Alt+Shift+c]
[/font]
IMPROVED_NCTH_APERTURE
This option changes shot distribution inside the aperture.
1. If you are firing at less than max weapon range, default (flat) distribution is used.
If you fire at target beyond the weapon range, sqrt (more wide, less likely to hit) aperture is used.
This simulates the bullet loosing ballistic stability after certain (effective) range.
NOTE: if your aim is good enough (small green circle) you will still hit as always, at any distance.
2. Vertical distribution factor is limited to 0.5
This will make ground hits less frequent.
Messages:1410
Registered:July 2006 Location: People riding polar bears...
Could we perhaps get simulated sights for the visuals? Iron sight and/or scope(s). Reticule (sight) swaying about to show how tricky a shot will be. Just a thought. :whoknows:
@Slax I think maximum I can make is implement different cursors for ironsights/reflex/optics.
And making them looking good and fit to general style is another big problem =)
Also I think of adding small optional indicators telling you why your aiming aperture is so big or so small - for example, because the target is moving too fast, or your red dot doesn't work, or you are wounded and tired and your hands are shaking...
Disable potentially annoying 'bad chance to hit' quote.
DISABLE_BADCTH_QUOTE
With NCTH, you can shoot beyond the weapon's range and hit, but the quote is still played as if you can't shoot there.
Unfortunately, I cannot find and fix the problem, but I can disable the quote
Would it be possible to add an indicator for "target is behind hard cover"?
I'm asking because even after playing this game for so many years, due to the graphics, it's sometimes still hard to tell if trees etc. are blocking your shooter's LOS or not.
It can *look* like you have a clear shot but be blocked, and also the other way around. CTH can give you a hint, but it's far from reliable. I guess I'm thinking about the XCOM remake here? Don't hit me
There is no 'cover system' in JA2 1.13 like in xcom or other games.
When the bullet is fired, it is checked for collisions with jsd structures and it has some random chance to get through or hit structure.
Currently, the only way to tell the 'cover' value is using 'calculate approximate cover and show' feature - press del for that.
You can also use SHOW_COVER_INDICATOR feature, it will show your current cover value using color of the merc's name:
;------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
; Show current merc's cover using color - GREEN, YELLOW, ORANGE and RED
; 0 - do not show cover
; 1 - show using color of merc's name
; 2 - same as 1, show only in stealth or when disguised
;------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Having some kind of additional 'cover system' seems to be good idea.
How I see it (raw idea):
Cover works only when an obstacle is directly in front of the merc (similar to that 'mounted gun' feature).
Cover works only when you see the enemy who is shooting at you.
So when someone shoots at you and you are behind the 'cover', you have additional chance that the bullet that passed through the cover and tries to hit you will hit the cover instead (simulated hit). It can then has a usual chance to get through cover and hit you again, but it's another story.
So, you have some kind of 'additional simulated cover', when you see enemy.
It should work only for first bullet that was fired from face direction, if you are fired at multiple times, you have much less chance to avoid next bullets (but they can naturally hit mentioned jsd structure, as always).
This feature should take into account how dense is the object in front of you (I think that Anv's extended tile properties can help with that), and how big your merc is, how he is agile (it is active cover, after all - you need to hide), and it can consume some APs.
So I think that such optional system could add more tactical options for gameplay. Maybe some more qualified coders will be interested in implementing it in the future. (looks in general direction of Flugente and Anv). :compcuppa:
Hmm, thank you for explaining that. I also like your ideas, but I remain a little confused about the different meanings of the term "cover" here. I think it can mean three things:
A) "Physical" cover which actually stops ranged attacks (more or less, there might be "soft" and "hard" physical cover), e.g. rocks, walls, tree trunks. Already in the game as you've described. Physical cover is always directional and vulnerable to flanking.
B) "Visual" cover which serves to keep someone hidden from sight, but is rather useless against random hits, AOE attacks or if your position is known even though you're still "invisible", compare "stealth". Visual cover can be directional (e.g. a curtain), but the system that is implemented in 1.13, which can be displayed in colours, is pureley non-directional, e.g. high grass, correct?
C) A third meaning would concern something like what you describe; cover which works through actively using it, or which effectiveness depends on using it, yes? Sounds advanced. There could even be traits influencing the ability to utilize cover, but I imagine that could have a dramatic effect on balance.
What I was aiming at originally was merely the fact that while your mercs are (sometimes) able to tell you if a shot is "impossible", there are situations when a shot is just as unlikely, but you get no feedback at all, even though from your merc's perspective, it should be pretty obvious how difficult a succesful hit is going to be.
a) Physical is implemented since vanilla (though it sometimes work a bit unpredictable)
b) Visual is implemented in 1.13 [Tactical Cover System Settings]
c) Yes 'active cover' is the system that I think of. It can use existing physical cover but in active way, using APs and with some restrictions.
It's not obvious in JA2 to tell exactly if the shot will succeed, especially with NCTH. So you can generally guess the probability by your aperture, what your merc is saying and the 'merc vision visualisation' with [end] key.
1. Improved NCTH cursor
Some players dislike the NCTH cursor because of it's huge size.
Though it is absolutely correct mathmatically, the visual game design and good playing feeling is another thing.
So, the maximum size of the cursor was limited, as you can see in this video:
(if current aperture exceeds maximum size, the color becomes slightly darker)
2. IMPROVED_NCTH_CURSOR option also changes color of 'AP' label according to action points remaining after your planned shot:
- yellow: you can make 2 shots with current aim
- orange - you can make one shot with current aim, but you will have MIN_APS_TO_INTERRUPT after that, so you will be able to interrupt somebody or take cover.
- red: no interrupts, no taking cover
This is of course approximate, as there are a lot of factors that influence shooting.
Set IMPROVED_NCTH_CURSOR = 1, and you will see small red laser dot on your target.
The brightness of the dot depends on the laser effectiveness (distance and daylight brightness).
It's relative so it only shows how good you see the dot, but not the added CTH bonus.
Also fixed minor bug with NCTH cursor placement relative to mouse cursor (1 pixel offset for each x and y)
Messages:37
Registered:January 2008 Location: Portugal
Stable 2014? What revision is it based on? Do stable revisions from the 113 team have different numbering from the unstable ones? I'm asking this because of all the yummy features that have been implemented in the latest few unstables
@Yoshi
stable2014 is the unofficial name of the yet-to-be-released somewhere in this year new stable version.
More information here: New Stable Release 2014
It was closed some time ago for new features, so no moving vehicles and such.
1. Shown autofire bullets are limited to 5
[+] sign means full autofire - full APs or full magazine.
You need only few rightclicks to go full auto, even without mousewheel.
2. Aimclicks are shown as numbers
Yellow - full aim.
Grey - no aim is possible.
3. Current scope mode is displayed instead of [x]
4. If your gun is mounted you will see small red horizontal line below the crosshair
What a tremendous amount of feedback. I even think it's still comfortable to read. You really know how to make us detail-obsessed complexity-whores happy :party:
@anv at least they should be tested and balanced good enough to not bother RoWa anymore with too much patches
Also, some of them really go against the original NCTH concept introduced by it's creator, Headrock.
My idea of improving NCTH experience has come from some discussions (mostly on russian forum) where people were disappointed with how it works.
Usually players dislike huge cursor, the inability to hit comparable to old CTH, and too much extremely lucky shots.
This project hopefully solves most of these inconvenences.
Also I use custom .ini files that restore shooting feeling closer to original JA2 system.
Messages:1410
Registered:July 2006 Location: People riding polar bears...
All the things you wanna know in one handy dandy spot. Indeed, I can't see why this shouldn't be in the main trunk.
Also, who doesn't use custom ini files these days?
1. Shown autofire bullets are limited to 5
[+] sign means full autofire - full APs or full magazine.
You need only few rightclicks to go full auto, even without mousewheel.
Why not simply write BURST and AUTO(or FULL)? After you have SINGLE in the other picts. Btw, the number in the respective pics or the bullets are illustrative of how big the burst is? As far as I know that's a variable.
1. I didn't change anything about single or burst, so it's default behaviour.
2. If I simply write 'burst', you will not know if it's 2-burst or 3-burst, and in Aimnas guns can have even 4-burst.
3. The only thing changed in autofire mode is the maximum number of displayed autofire bullets.
Previously it was 15 - three groups of 5 bullets each and [+] sign if that's not enough.
Now there's only one group of 5 bullets.
Reasons:
- more compact indicator
- convenience: how often do you decide between 13 and 14 bullets in your games?
Usually, at least from my experience, my mercs fire short bursts (max 3-5) or go full auto for suppression or in critical situation.
- now, if you don't have or dont' use mouse, you can go full auto (fire full magazine/full APs) in several clicks (2-3 usually), instead of clickng 15 times.
Hmm. I think for no aim I like the first a little more than the other two, because it's rather unique. For normal aim, No. #2. But the differences are subtle, it's hard to pick one
Sometimes using [p] key for Prone is not convenient.
Now you can also press [x] to go prone. E[color:#990000]x[/color]change places functionality is not affected.
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