Tue, 18 April 2006 11:31

One of the most aggrevating things you encounter when mapping for Ja2 is 'object counts' being too high along roads you place.


Does anyone know an easy way to get around this problem?

Do you just have to try to save after every road tile you place or is there a faster way?

Tue, 11 April 2006 12:40

Greetings.
I'm trying to extract files from a standard install of JA2 with Snaps JACE program.
http://www.ja-galaxy-forum.com/webhome/temporary/jace.zip

Not being a techhead I'm having problems working out the exact command line sequence to get the job done.
Would be greatly appreciated if one of the techs could work out the sequence and post or even better if same person could create the easy to work for dummies batch files mentioned.
What I'm after is being able to extract files from each .slf one at a time. Example:
-s extract merc speech from SPEECH.SLF

Here are the folders on my machine where JA2 resides & where I need the extracted files to end up.

JA2 C:\Program Files\TalonSoft\Ja2\Data

Destination for extracted files C:\Documents and Settings\User\Desktop\Thumbnails\Files
**************************************************
Here is the JACE readme.
jace: Jagged Alliance Character Extractor
Extracts data files for a merc/NPC/RPC
Version 1.0 of August 2002
Author: Snap
Bug reports to tacpans@yahoo.com
This program is freeware.

Usage: jace [-opts[modifiers]] Data_path char#1 [char#2] [-d exdir]
Data_path path to the Data directory ('.' for current directory)
char#1 extract files for this character number
char#2 rename extracted files into this character number
exdir put extracted files into directory exdir
Options:
-s extract merc speech from SPEECH.SLF
-p extract NPC speech from NPC_SPEECH.SLF
-b extract misc. sounds from BattleSNDS.SLF
-c extract .EDT & .NPC files from NPCDATA.SLF
-m extract .EDT files from MERCEDT.SLF
-f extract portrait STIs from FACES.SLF
-a extract files from all of the above sources
Modifiers:
-n never overwrite existing files
-o overwrite files WITHOUT prompting
-q quiet mode

This program should be run from a command prompt (DOS window) or
using the "Run..." command in the start menu. The easiest way to
use jace is to copy it into your Data directory (where all
the SLF files reside) and run it from there.

Files are extracted into their appropriate subdirectories in the
Data directory (SPEECH\, NPC_SPEECH\, NPCDATA\, etc.). If an
alternative directory is specified with the -d switch, all files,
together with subdirectories, will be extracted there instead of
the Data directory.

Also included is a batch file ce.bat, which can be used instead
of running the program from a command prompt. To use the batch
file, first open it for editing, change the jace options, save
the file, then double click on it. When using the batch file,
both jace.exe and ce.bat should be in JA2 or JA2UB Data
directory.

Examples:

jace -sf . 69 -d Vince

=> extract Vince's merc speech and face STIs into the Vince directory

jace -aq "c:\program files\talonsoft\ja2\data" 56 17

=> quietly extract all files for character #56 and rename them into #17

Fri, 07 April 2006 00:13

Recent searches unearthed this utility:-

Dragon Unpacker. Do a 'google search' and it will give you the link. Posting the link here does not seem to work.

Have downloaded it myself (it's a freebie) and looks handy. Will specifically unpack JA2 slf files - among many others. What you can do with the files, I have yet to explore. Just hope it proves useful.

Thu, 30 March 2006 23:21

Sorry for silly question but can anyone tell me which tool can I use to edit sectors in JA2 - I mean enemy placement, items and so on.

Thu, 23 March 2006 03:05

When making .stis for Ja2 the two most common problems I've run into are getting the look of the faces right (that is to say the rather cartoonish look they have in their deep shadow lines and general layout) and the ever present colour palette problems.

I was wondering if any graphic artists (or just people who really know their way around imaging software) know of or could design a format that takes any picture and filters it into a Ja2 looking image. I know there are settings like Special Effects that can create a more cartoonish look to any image loaded in but I'm wondering if anyone has come across (or would like to create) a tool that automatically adjusts a picture to look more like a Sir Tech Image?

I'm also wondering if anyone knows of a way to add more colours to a Sir Tech Palette or a program that accurately represents what the colors are going to look like in a game of Ja2? I know the original developers must have used something to make their lives a little easier and I'm wondering if anyone knows what that is?

I've made some images I'm happy with but there has always been a long trial and error guessing game in getting the palette to look right and getting images to look like the rest of the existing .stis (in game images). This process would be so much faster (and thus more productive) if there were just a program to prep photos or .bmps before you work on them.

I'm interested in making all my new faces look compatable with existing faces so while I can get very acceptable images, getting them to look like Ja2 images is very much a trial and error.

Any ideas are welcome.

Sat, 25 February 2006 03:20

I am only just getting the hang of modding, but a thought has been bugging me for a few days, especially with the new 1.13.

Let's say a mod is done for 1.13, the quest(s) are completed etc.. by the player, but instead of closing sequence, an exit grid appears which will take your mercs to a completely new map screen, where a continuation and/or entirely new situation is found. My assumption is, that upon exit, the needed exe/files/etc.. are loaded and you are immediately in the firing line.

Sounds good to me, but I am no 'techie' on this and may be impossible to do.

Sat, 24 December 2005 02:09

When I try to modify anything, I pres export, and then it says DONE! Then i make some changes, and i press import. Then it says "can't open MercImport.cvs" What to do?

Thanks in advance

Mon, 03 October 2005 12:38

Right now a silencer in decent condition will reduce a gun's noise volume to 1. I say that's too boring :diabolical:

Firstly, I suggest that an item with the silencer attribute be given a noise reduction rating, e.g. 90%. This way we can have more than one silencer in the game. The silencer rating will act upon the guns's noise volume (ubAttackVolume). So a gun with ubAttackVolume = 50 will have it reduced to 5 by a 90% silencer.

Speaking of which, noise volumes need to be stratified more. Most pistol-caliber weapons should be much quieter than rifle-caliber weapons. This way we can have an appreciable difference in silencer effectiveness.

Perhaps even better would be to implement a two-step silencing mechanism. Pick a threashold volume - let's say, 50 - which sort of models the threshold between subsonic and supersonic ammo. Most pistol-caliber weapons will have a noise volume below or just a above this threashold. The silencer will reduce any volume below the threashold in proportion to its noise reduction rating, but anything above that will only be halved. So, for example:

Glock 9mm, ubAttackVolume = 40
Silenced (90%) = 40 * 0.10 = 4

M4 5.56mm, ubAttackVolume = 70
Silenced (90%) = 50 * 0.10 + (70 - 50) / 2 = 15

Dragunov 7.62R, ubAttackVolume = 85
Silenced (90%) = 50 * 0.10 + (85 - 50) / 2 = 22

Barrett .50, ubAttackVolume = 100
Silenced (90%) = 50 * 0.10 + (100 - 50) / 2 = 30


It would probably be more logical to attach the volume attribute to ammo, rather than to the gun, but waepons such as LAW, which don't have ammo, make this problematic. Perhaps we could introduce a "subsonic" attribute to ammo, which would serve to lower the noise volume on guns in which it exceeds the "subsonic" threashold.

Sat, 17 September 2005 11:35

This is for all things balance-related: money, weapons, etc. I'll start by reposting Kaiden's post from another thread:

Quote:

Originally posted by Kaiden:
Snap, Money is definitely a huge balance issue. Especially with the drop everything option. Even to the point where not having the "Sell ALL option" would still be game-breaking, running guns and equipment to Tony with a team of mercs every day would pay for the fuel and cost of those mercs. Especially if you sent the free mercs.

In my Externalization of options, I will be allowing any "controversial" options to be turned on or off, but in THIS case, it won't fix the problem.

Here are some options that I was considering, and feel free to offer your input:

1. Lower the buyback rates even more, for both Arms's Dealers AND for the Alt-LMB option.

2. Make ALL mines run out of Ore eventually.

3. Make the Crepitus show up in EVERY Mine when the time comes.

4. Increase the Cost of Mercenaries for Hire.

5. Increase the Sell price of goods from the Arm's Dealers.

6. Lower the output of Mines.

7. Put a time restriction on the "Sell All" button, OR restrict it to a certain amount of cash per day (like the arm's dealers).

Other than that, How is the game balance with the all the improved weaponry and other goodies vs. the Improved AI of the enemy on Insane Difficulty?

Sat, 17 September 2005 10:01

I'm trying to figure out what the items/guns are in the NightOps and the Shady Job mods. I've tried extracting as many as I can from the itemdesc.edt / itmdesc25.edt files but can't make heads or tails of half of the russian.

Can someone please post or send me a list of the weapons (and items too, if you've got time) for one or both mods in English? No need to do the obvious ones, like the MP-7 and MP5, but the ones with Russian text have me stumped.

Thanks!

MM