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JA2 Noob needing starting help and advice[message #197452]

Sat, 27 September 2008 01:10

Balious is currently offline

Messages:42
Registered:April 2007
Location: England!

First of all hello everyone. Wasnt sure exactly where to place it so sorry if it is in the wrong place.

I would first like to say Jagged Alliance is a very good game and when i first played jagged alliance 1 (i do hate to admit this) i always thought the blue guys/guards were the enemies but hey i was very young and didnt understand it back then and i have yet to actually play ja1 as i no longer have it.

Second I do love these type of games but i do suck at them badly including the fallout games and JA2 isnt much of an improvement for me doing good.

Basically i suppose i could be new to ja2 but i do know some things that happens in the game and i know the story too.

Anyway to the point I need a beginners help badly as i always end up dying.

I am one of those people that finds out theres something that improves the game (i.e 1.13 for ja2 in this case) and must try and get it and play it as i would always stop playing the normal one to play the better one.

Now i would set everything to easiest possible but i would like the queen to actually attack me along with defending so could i have a little help here?

Basically maybe a good guide to helping me get on the good start i need and actually complete one of the best games i have ever seen. I.E what mercs be best to buy for a beginner and teach me how to become a stealth master and maybe i be able to learn how to use tactics properly (mine do suck)

Thank you all for all your help. Also JA2 amazes me every time i look at it with those graphics which i wouldnt be expecting back then.

P.S is there a way to turn the cheats off cause i seem to always get tempted to turn it on and give me self more money and instant kill enemies. If not then i will try my best to force myself not to cheat.

[Updated on: Sat, 27 September 2008 01:10] by Moderator

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Corporal

Re: JA2 Noob needing starting help and advice[message #197485]

Sat, 27 September 2008 13:59

lockie is currently offline

Messages:3721
Registered:February 2006
Location: Scotland

I HATE to state the obvious , but the thread you're posting in does indeed have many tips , tactics etc . , so as I've said before in these topics , take time out and do a little studying beforehand , then when you do come a cropper , you may remember someone else's posting for help .

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Captain

Re: JA2 Noob needing starting help and advice[message #197659]

Mon, 29 September 2008 11:46

Will Gates is currently offline

Messages:1012
Registered:September 2006
Location: Far far away.

Learn by playing. First 4 years or so of playing JA2 I had no internet access and didn't realise there was forums etc. First few games me thinks "this is grett game but I'll never be any good at it" type thing. It comes by & by. Learn the shortcut keys (R-un, C-rouch, T-rees, first A-id etc). Make stealthy night ops IMP (come on look at those questions!) and hire Buns, Grunty, Barry & Igor for your insert team. Never cheat. It takes away any sense of acheivement and totally kills your replay value on the game imho. Play: Novice + Tons of Guns + Sci-fi on (keep some hollow point handy) and explore every map. This way you will learn everything you need to know. Talk to every named character you meet. Even the un-named civs have useful comments sometimes. Play on.

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Sergeant Major

Re: JA2 Noob needing starting help and advice[message #197661]

Mon, 29 September 2008 12:02

lockie is currently offline

Messages:3721
Registered:February 2006
Location: Scotland

Quote:

First 4 years or so of playing JA2 I had no internet access and didn't realise there was forums etc.

I was the same , even when I did get online , connection was too bloomin slow to be much use ! Only started looking about when I got b/band , stumbled across BP and enjoyed the game even more .
Will's correct , though , PLAY the game many times and enjoy Very Happy

Very Happy

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Captain

Re: JA2 Noob needing starting help and advice[message #197669]

Mon, 29 September 2008 15:05

Messages:36
Registered:September 2008
Location: Galway

A tactic that has saved me a lot of pain and reloads is to use the look action (L) if crouched or prone behind a window or wall Etc. If you just pop up (Page UP) more often than not you get your head blown off, where as if you "look" you're Merc will pause midway giving you the advantage. It costs six AP to look but if you spot a target mid turn it will only cost you two or four depending on how far you have scanned the area. Hope this helps a bit.

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Private 1st Class

Re: JA2 Noob needing starting help and advice[message #197704]

Mon, 29 September 2008 22:56

Balious is currently offline

Messages:42
Registered:April 2007
Location: England!

Thank you all for the help.

Right now on my current game i seem to be losing but hanging on. So far i have lost ira and igor (igor was ambushed cant quite remenber what happened to ira). At least i have chitzena in my grasp and i need to capture cambria hospital as soon as possible as my mercs need patching up.

Also never knew there was a look action. That will surely save me a few times.

Thanks again for all the help Smile

Smile

.

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Corporal

Re: JA2 Noob needing starting help and advice[message #198191]

Sun, 05 October 2008 23:59

Messages:117
Registered:September 2007
Location: Hanover, Germany

You may also try iron man mode at least once when you feel ready (I don't know when this is, maybe 5 good games or so). Can even be in novice. Now while iron mind without saving and reloading may be more safe in terms of crashes, it still feels pretty different. I found my tactics had improved a lot after my first iron man game and it was much easier afterwards to play with an iron mind and without quickloading. Quickloading can really spoil the game. Also, a very slow computer (and with slow I mean nearly as old as the game itself) helps not to reload too often. Wink

Wink

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Sergeant

Re: JA2 Noob needing starting help and advice[message #200310]

Wed, 29 October 2008 13:37

Balious is currently offline

Messages:42
Registered:April 2007
Location: England!

Seeing as this topic is still here and the last post was at the start of the month i post here with my questions.

First of all how many mercs/IMP do you first get? Do you normally start out with one merc or do you have about four or so. Also how much money do you spend on the mercs if you buy them on AIM. I thought it be best to buy cheap mercs and save your money later on is this a good tactic (i suppose it is).

Second question is whats best to capture first after omerta? I think i remenber seeing a topic about this but i can't remenber what it was called or where to find it so sorry for wasting your time. I was thinking either Drassen or Chitzena but im not sure which one. What one do you think? Also what should really be captured second?

Thank you all for the help Smile

Smile

.

Edit: just re-read the entire topic again and realised will has said some merc names for team. I give them a try and see if i get anywhere.

[Updated on: Wed, 29 October 2008 13:40] by Moderator

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Corporal

Re: JA2 Noob needing starting help and advice[message #200315]

Wed, 29 October 2008 16:10

funk is currently offline

Messages:45
Registered:March 2008

i only start with 1 imp just to level him quick and save money
i try to leave 10K to buy guns and ammo.
after omerta the sam that covers the airport just so you can use the copper.

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Corporal

Re: JA2 Noob needing starting help and advice[message #200317]

Wed, 29 October 2008 16:55

SpaceViking is currently offline

Messages:751
Registered:January 2004
Location: Rochester, Minnesota, USA

How many IMP guys to get is up to you. The game is a LOT easier if you go for more than 1. I tend to either just get 1 or 6.

Cheap or good from AIM? I tend to switch back and forth in different games. In the long run it is way cheaper to hire all the low cost guys and let them level up through the game. They end up just as good (or even BETTER) than the expensive guys but will cost vastly less. However, this will make the start of the game a bit harder (except, maybe, money) and definitely more frustrating (firefights take forever when everyone misses most of the time).

I almost always now go west instead of east at the start of games. I find it a whole lot easier to take and hold Chitzena than Drassen. Plus you can run guns to Tony in San Mona and sometimes stock up on ammo and such or even pick up a good gun from him if you are lucky.

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First Sergeant

Re: JA2 Noob needing starting help and advice[message #200320]

Wed, 29 October 2008 17:22

smeagol is currently offline

Messages:2705
Registered:June 2008
Location: Bremen, Germany

My first town usually is Cambria. The mine has quite a decent income, Keith provides some basic items and besides Cambria serves as the main base throughout the entire game (except for the later stages, when I start the Meduna assault, most stuff will then be taken to Estoni). It's position is just perfect, there are roads to every direction and most sites can be reached fairly easy from Cambria. Next up is usually Drassen Airport, then in no particular order the mine sectors of each town (tixa will most of the time be taken right on day 1 or right after taking Cambria). Also the Queen tends to ignore Cambria. Most heavy counterattacks in my experience occur at Grumm, even Alma tends to be forgotten quite soon...
I leave the SAM sites alone, most of the time, as I don't need/use the helicopter much.

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Lieutenant

Re: JA2 Noob needing starting help and advice[message #200326]

Wed, 29 October 2008 18:07

Balious is currently offline

Messages:42
Registered:April 2007
Location: England!

ok thanks for all the help i let you know how i get on. I have four IMP's and about to pick a merc from AIM then going to go west to chitzena first then see what happens next.

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Corporal

Re: JA2 Noob needing starting help and advice[message #200333]

Wed, 29 October 2008 18:57

foij is currently offline

Messages:227
Registered:February 2007
Location: in a van, down by the riv...

The reason many people head to Drassen first is to take the airport, so you have access to Bobby Ray's. Another reason is to finish the Father Walker quest so you can get Dimitri for free. Drassen is easy to take and hold, provided the Drassen Counterattack is set to FALSE.

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Sergeant 1st Class

Re: JA2 Noob needing starting help and advice[message #200348]

Wed, 29 October 2008 23:53

Messages:117
Registered:September 2007
Location: Hanover, Germany

SpaceViking

I almost always now go west instead of east at the start of games. I find it a whole lot easier to take and hold Chitzena than Drassen. Plus you can run guns to Tony in San Mona and sometimes stock up on ammo and such or even pick up a good gun from him if you are lucky.

Yeah, same here. Plus, I'm totally annoyed of Drassen and usually neither need Booby Ray or the Chopper until I hold three towns. Drassen now usally is that third town, I either go straight for Cambria or Chitzena as first and second, stopping by in San Mona. I mean, if I got that right, on your first arrival there you can make 40k (+ 10k) there.

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Sergeant

Re: JA2 Noob needing starting help and advice[message #200352]

Thu, 30 October 2008 01:22

Balious is currently offline

Messages:42
Registered:April 2007
Location: England!

Ok i got to chitzena and managed to capture it all. I put it on novice for now because i needed to learn more of tactics before i go wondering in places. Right now im currently under attack at chitzena and we see if i hold it or not looks like i can as i have more men then them right now.

Im a little surprised cambria is one of the first places to take over. I know its important with the hospital and mine there but i thought it be quite dangerous with the low equipment at the beginning.

Also a question about san mona. Does the queens men/women patrol round there like with the other towns? i know its owned by kingpin and hes a totally different person to the queen and you can make him hostile or not. I want to know if the queens troops start there so i can be ready for some fighting before i head there

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Corporal

Re: JA2 Noob needing starting help and advice[message #200357]

Thu, 30 October 2008 03:49

Messages:117
Registered:September 2007
Location: Hanover, Germany

Well Cambria has four sectors while Drassen has only three and Chitzena only two, so there are more soldiers. But in the early stages of the game, most of them are as weak equipped as the dudes in Drassen and Chitzena, and in general I find most Cambria sectors easier to fight in than the Drassen ones. Easier to defend than Chitzena and Drassen, too.
San Mona is the only safe place in whole Arulco, except the mining area, there you may have some encounters with soldiers or felines. But main San Mona is great to take off duty for a few days to train, drink, and screw. I have encountered a patrol moving through once I think, but that may as well be in some mod. In my last game I was there for two weeks and nothing happened.

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Sergeant

Re: JA2 Noob needing starting help and advice[message #200359]

Thu, 30 October 2008 04:39

Messages:1760
Registered:March 2006
Location: Jerusalem

Cambria has 5 sectors... But I agree - it's much easier to take Cambria first (at least, before Alma!). I personally end up taking Chitzena first more than 50% of the time, because it's so small (can occupy quickly, and hold with few mercs).

You can also have encounters with enemies in San Mona, btw. They're free to move through it, and often do... I usually hit San Mona quickly for the large cash rewards you can get there, but mostly on the way to Chitzena.

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Sergeant Major

Re: JA2 Noob needing starting help and advice[message #200361]

Thu, 30 October 2008 05:36

SpaceViking is currently offline

Messages:751
Registered:January 2004
Location: Rochester, Minnesota, USA

The soldiers don't patrol in San Mona but when they are moving somewhere specific they will cut through on their way there. They even do that in Omerta sometimes.

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First Sergeant

Re: JA2 Noob needing starting help and advice[message #200362]

Thu, 30 October 2008 07:05

Messages:1760
Registered:March 2006
Location: Jerusalem

I've had soldiers move in and garrison San Mona. Happened to me only once, ever (but they kept trying to reinforce that same sector for the rest of the game)

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Sergeant Major

Re: JA2 Noob needing starting help and advice[message #200371]

Thu, 30 October 2008 14:11

Balious is currently offline

Messages:42
Registered:April 2007
Location: England!

Ok after i made sure chitzena is fully defended i shall next go to san mona then cambria.

Also im on 1.13. I will let you all know how well i do.

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Corporal

Re: JA2 Noob needing starting help and advice[message #200375]

Thu, 30 October 2008 14:59

SpaceViking is currently offline

Messages:751
Registered:January 2004
Location: Rochester, Minnesota, USA

If you kill Kingpin then the queen will send a small garrison to the sector that has Tony in it. But it's only a couple of guys and even Flo and Gumpy can handle them assuming they are well armed.

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First Sergeant

Re: JA2 Noob needing starting help and advice[message #200376]

Thu, 30 October 2008 15:34

Balious is currently offline

Messages:42
Registered:April 2007
Location: England!

Ok i went to san mona and talked to darren about the fighting competition. I give him 2000 money all of a sudden everyone went hostile and he explained the rules. Then it was my turn after he finished and all i could see was that watch and i couldnt do anything.

Is this normal or does something else meant to happen?

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Corporal

Re: JA2 Noob needing starting help and advice[message #200384]

Thu, 30 October 2008 16:20

foij is currently offline

Messages:227
Registered:February 2007
Location: in a van, down by the riv...

The fighting ring has long been known to be buggy. I would save your game before attempting to fight, then save after every round in a different slot.

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Sergeant 1st Class

Re: JA2 Noob needing starting help and advice[message #204064]

Sun, 14 December 2008 20:53

Balious is currently offline

Messages:42
Registered:April 2007
Location: England!

Sorry for posting this message in the wrong place but I am not sure where to post it and seeing as i have a thread still here on the first page and I know it's old.

I want to mod on Jagged Alliance 2 but I do not know how. I can edit the text file that comes with 1.13 where you can give yourself as much money as possible and make it so the enemy have unlimited troops. But i want to mod like most of you can do to make this game very good. I want to be able to make my own characters and put them into the game and also make a whole different army. Can anyone point me to a guide or a starting place to begin jagged alliance 2 modding?

Also how hard/easy is it to mod for jagged alliance 2? Because I find modding on a game called STALKER: shadow of chernobyl hard when it comes to scripting.

Again sorry I didn't know where to post it I got confused.

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Corporal

Re: JA2 Noob needing starting help and advice[message #204065]

Sun, 14 December 2008 21:10

Khor1255 is currently offline

Messages:1817
Registered:August 2003
Location: Pleasantville, NJ

The General Modding Info and Talks section would probably be best for this type of question but to start, what exactly do you want to make for the game? Do you just want to change the characters or do you want to do a whole map and storyline?

There are many facets to modding this game and knowing exactly what you want to do would be a big help towards getting you only the information that you need without a very long post containing a lot of stuff you en be interested in.

For just modding characters you would need the EDT Editor (to change the text portions of what they say as well as their descriptions), Proedit (which comes standard in the 1.13 version in the Data1.13/Binarydata folder), STI Edit (which allows you to save Ja images as bitmaps and import bitmaps into STI format for use in the game) along with an imaging editor of your choice.

You would also need a sound editing utility if you want your characters speeches to actually have sound and of course a microphone to record your speeches.

If there is more you want to do please explain. There are a lot of utilities for Ja2 modding and most are in serious need of overhaul but you can make even a full scale mod after you familiarize yourself with a lot of utilities and put in a lot of work towards every area you choose to develop.

I don't want to sound discouraging but it really is a lot of work to make a full scale mod. Just working on one aspect is maybe doable in a few months if you really put a lot of time into it.

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Sergeant Major

Re: JA2 Noob needing starting help and advice[message #204067]

Sun, 14 December 2008 22:14

Balious is currently offline

Messages:42
Registered:April 2007
Location: England!

Thanks for the reply. I understand modding can take ages to do and I start with the very basics of the mod whichever the basics for ja2 will be.

The first thing I want to do one thing at a time starting with making characters I guess. After I learnt about that I guess making weapons be the next thing then after that improving the AI (making them better etc so they attack more etc). After that maybe try making a big mod that changes lots of things (not as many as 1.13 but key features)

So i have to find the EDT Editor to change their description along with what they say.
What does the Proedit actually do? Edit their stats etc?
And I guess i need the STI Edit to add/edit images i.e the characters face's? I could struggle with this as I am not really good with things to do with images.
And for the sound editing. I do have the microphone part but not the other bits. Not exactly good using it though to record voices.

Maybe I should now post this in the General Modding Info and Talks section so I can get more help.

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Corporal

Re: JA2 Noob needing starting help and advice[message #204143]

Mon, 15 December 2008 22:24

Balious is currently offline

Messages:42
Registered:April 2007
Location: England!

Completely new thing.

Didn't want to make a new topic in 1.13 for one question so i say it here. And sorry for double posting.

Heres the question. I changed a few things in the JA2 Options and im sure i didn't touch anything to do with anyone for the AP you get to move, shoot etc during your turn against the enemy. Well soon as it landed on my turn i had 99 AP for most of my mercs (apart from one who had been getting beaten by bullets and was close to dying so he had 60). Does anyone by any chance know how this happened? I was sure the extra points in IMP attributes wouldn't affect it as i had two mercs from AIM.
Heres my squad:
Balious (IMP)
Jamie (IMP)
Talos (IMP)
Rebecca (IMP)
Igor
Barry

I did have a look at Pro Edit but I did not tocuh anything and if I did touch something by mistake I never saved it so it can't be that. I have double checked the JA2 Options and can't see what exactly is wrong with it. Can anyone explain if they can why I had so many AP and how to actually fix it so its normal?

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Corporal

Re: JA2 Noob needing starting help and advice[message #204144]

Mon, 15 December 2008 22:36

SpaceViking is currently offline

Messages:751
Registered:January 2004
Location: Rochester, Minnesota, USA

You have the 100 AP setting turned on. Or rather, don't have it turned off.

If you want to turn it off look around the forums for one of the 100 AP discussions.

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First Sergeant

Re: JA2 Noob needing starting help and advice[message #204145]

Mon, 15 December 2008 22:59

Balious is currently offline

Messages:42
Registered:April 2007
Location: England!

Ah thanks SpaceViking. After lots of searching I finally found a post that told me how to turn it off and going to check if that worked.

What I think of the 100 AP system is cheating for players to have so many AP's but I am not actually looking at the right side of this of what this was actually being used for. Or if anything else on it has changed. I personally would have this off automatically and have people able to turn it on instead of the other way round for people that want to play the game and not have it on.

Thanks again for the help.

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Corporal

Re: JA2 Noob needing starting help and advice[message #204152]

Tue, 16 December 2008 00:02

Messages:254
Registered:March 2000

Did you try to play with the 100 AP on (or read the thread)?

Actions take a lot more action points to do.
So if an action took 5 action points before it takes 20 action points now, i.e 1/5 of the maximum action points.

The reason for it is so that you can now have larger differences between weapons (and items).

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Master Sergeant

Re: JA2 Noob needing starting help and advice[message #204155]

Tue, 16 December 2008 00:31

Balious is currently offline

Messages:42
Registered:April 2007
Location: England!

Ah I see thanks for explaining that.

I didn't know it existed until after seeing all my mercs having it. So i quickly went through its thread to try and disable it.

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Corporal

Re: JA2 Noob needing starting help and advice[message #204214]

Wed, 17 December 2008 00:30

Balious is currently offline

Messages:42
Registered:April 2007
Location: England!

Okay I have the 100 AP mode disabled now.

I have a few questions some of them may be 1.13 but seeing as I haven't played vanilla apart from about a few minutes (Reason being I can't play a game when I know it can be improved with mods as I just get the urge to get the mod and play that).

Two of them being about the ordering from Bobby Rays. If you had lots of money and did lots of orders and after they all arrive is there a limit to how much equipment you can have in that box in drassen? Because I seem to have missing things and no Pablo did not steal it although he did once and got the stuff back. Im saying this because I ordered a few tool kits after lots of equipment ready for any assault and none of the tool kits were in the box.

Another question about Bobby Rays is what happens if you send them to a different place then where you have an airport? Meduna I would think the queen would get the supplies and may have a scene with her and elliot like you get with the flowers but I have seen noting of this so I don't think thats the case. What about sending it to one of the other places does it just go there and nothing happens to it?

What actually are the best guns to use? I suppose it does count on what your character specials are but what are really good guns to kill lots of soldiers?

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Corporal

Re: JA2 Noob needing starting help and advice[message #204215]

Wed, 17 December 2008 00:39

Messages:254
Registered:March 2000

1. Remove them out of the box with the shift-M hot key. This should help with the problem.

2. Nothing will happen, the only places where it will do anything is Drassen and Meduna (when it is liberated).

Get Headrock's EDB and check out the guns yourself, or just check Headrock's best of the best in the general discussion forum. The best gun is the one you have, and I always end up playing games with different weapons than the one before and somehow I'm having tons of fun. So my suggestion is that you don't go for the "best gun" because that is incredibly boring.

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Master Sergeant

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