Home » SIRTECH CLASSICS » Jagged Alliance: Unfinished Business » Vanilla Modding » Musings for after the first stage is complete.
| Musings for after the first stage is complete.[message #101027]
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Mon, 05 April 2004 02:55 
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 PegasusJF |
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Messages:19
Registered:March 2004
Location: Northern IL |
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One thing which I've been thinking about lately is this. What if we could replace the strategic engine with something else. Jagged Alliance 2 has one of the best 2D turn based combat engines I know of, give it some of the features of X-COM apocalypse (like destruable terrain, multiple levels) and I don't see a better incarantion of a 2D turn based tactical combat engine.
But my primary question is the strategic engine. How possible would it be to replace it with something else. We could replace it with the earth and could essential mod a new X-COM, with all the special missions, the mercs (as squad leaders to more pedestrian soliders). Anyway, that's one idea, one of many that can be done using the tactical engine as a base.
Something to consider as the first goals of Project Source Code get nearer to completion.
PegasusJF
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| Re: Musings for after the first stage is complete.[message #101031]
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Tue, 06 April 2004 22:03 
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| Kurt |
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Messages:423
Registered:March 2004 |
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To keep the strain on programming (and on the computer) down, just group the militia in squads (they get created in groups after all), and give each squad a "common" AI, so you can give orders to a whole squad (simple orders, like "stay here", "patrol around here", "go there", "spread/group"). If a militia squad sees an enemy, they'll attack, but (please, pretty pretty please) they don't move: They seek cover and pin the enemy down, waiting for the specialists (mercs) to come and clean up. Of course if there are no mercs in that sector, militia will work as before.
Yes, I'd like some (drivable) vehicles too. Not (only) military stuff, but regular civilian vehicles. Like pickup trucks to move your mercs, maybe bikes for scouting, and so on.
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Master Sergeant
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| Re: Musings for after the first stage is complete.[message #101034]
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Wed, 07 April 2004 04:48
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| Kurt |
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Messages:423
Registered:March 2004 |
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Quote:Originally posted by PegasusJF:
You guys seem to be asking me as if I have a choice in the matter. No, don't worry, those aren't requests, this is just a little bit of brainstorming. It could ultimately be of some use for one of you, who's (white) hat is far too low on his eyes for him to see... 
I don't know what X-Com is like (somehow I never played that one), but engine-wise, the changes needed would IMHO profit a vanilla JA setting too. The rest is, as far as I've understood X-Com, just level design and graphical changes. So if the JA engine is well build, doing a X-Com sequel would just need some specific artwork and level design. Is that right?
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Master Sergeant
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| Re: Musings for after the first stage is complete.[message #101035]
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Wed, 07 April 2004 07:28
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| PegasusJF |
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Messages:19
Registered:March 2004
Location: Northern IL |
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Quote:Originally posted by Kurt:
The rest is, as far as I've understood X-Com, just level design and graphical changes. So if the JA engine is well build, doing a X-Com sequel would just need some specific artwork and level design. Is that right? True to a point, X-COM and X-COM Apocalypse had multiple levels. So hills, valleys, and multistory buildings where possible. X-COM apocalypse also had destructable terrian. It wasn't unknown to be crouching on a elevated walkway and an explosion literally collapsing the floor from under you. APOC also had the possibility for real-time battles (which I preferred to turn-based in that game). But other than that, your assumption is largely true.
The thing that would be needed to be ripped out would be the strategic engine. X-COM had bases all over the globe (you had to keep the sponsoring nations happy), with events occuring everywhere (like UFO sightings, terror attacks on cities) It also had fighter interceptions (fairly basic though). APOC has the bases and interceptions, but only in one large city (in isometric view, and you had to keep corporations happy). Both were fine games.
I would recommend you look for "X-COM: The collector's edition" Which has all three tactical/strategic combat games. You'll find it a worthy purchase.
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| Re: Musings for after the first stage is complete.[message #101038]
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Sun, 11 April 2004 01:26
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| PegasusJF |
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Messages:19
Registered:March 2004
Location: Northern IL |
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One other thing that I mentioned before for implementation in the JA2 tactical engine. X-COM APOC had the ability to pause and issue commands during pause. They also had the ability to issue waypoints (at least in the sqaud level) so you can easily make more in depth movement commands. I would reccomend adding this and another option: The ability of synchronizing movement. Have the mercs move at the speed of the slowest unit, and wait until all reach their own "waypoint 1" until they set off to waypoint 2.
Not only would I reccomend this for any X-COM mod of JA2, but this would be a good feature for JA2 itself, allowing for more fine-tuned Real Time control (while keeping the original method useable) in tactical battles.
My 2 cents
PegasusJF
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