Home » BIT COMPOSER GAMES » JA Online (by Cliffhanger Productions) » JAO Beta
Re: JAO Beta[message #294925] Mon, 12 December 2011 02:46 Go to previous messageGo to next message
cdudau
It seems like it is another game with voice, text, and familiar story carted over. It seems like a Jagged Alliance mod of a totally different unrelated game. (Kind of like the Russian Fallout mod for Jagged Alliance 2).

Sometimes things just don't feel right.

It also seems that this game offers no rewards, just increased problems. It is too materialistic. In JA2, we get a sense that we are controlling a full fledged team, a unit if you will. We apply tactics and strategy towards our goals. Seeing our actions succeed is a very nice reward in itself. We could defend and attack. We could train civilians or rough them up. We also had the materialistic aspect.

Your game, when started seems like we are always wishing that we are further ahead in our progress so that we can buy all the fancy stuff. This detracts us from the present and thus reduces the immersion level.

Have you played Jagged Alliance 2 online?

That's how I personally like it. Of course it does need some tweaking here and there with regards to item selection, mercenary selection, ping, and some other things that I would like to see implemented, but out of sheer laziness do not feel like adding at this moment.

Ever play Total Influence?

That game, if your game is successful, is what your game will look like in regards to the equation and/or ratio of skill to the outcome of a match. The players who spend credit from ther chosen bank account will vastly be superior to new players. This is assuming that you still intend on having player versus player capability. Are you going to still include that before mentioned feature?

My second initial play was mediocre. I just did not see any complexcity. In the game, you run, walk, crouch, look, stand and shoot, crouch and shoot. All shooting accuracy and damage is based on a simple mathematical formula. Cover is useless because the artificial intelligence just tries to close the gap between him and you. Also, the movement is not sufficient. It is very frustrating.

The speed absolutely has to be addressed. this includes load times.

I did not have a real motivation to play the game. I thought: hire, buy, equip, go to pre determined destinations, kill enemies and/or collect item of importance (disarm bomb, rescue hostage, et cetera) receive money, upgrade, buy, equip, and on and on and on.........

It plays like a 16 bit console game. It could have been something designed for flash.

The voices do not fit some circumstances and events. They subtract from the experience in my opinion because it does not feel like Jagged Alliance and then I hear the 3rd male voice from I.M.P. Maybe you could have made a rip off instead? Ragged Affiliation Online

I understand that this is a low risk investment with the "potential" to yield some quality returns. Also, making some sort of comission because of the information selling of users factor.

This game feels kind of hopeless in regard that no matter what you have, it just isn't enough. If I wanted to do that I would not even play a game or two. I would just stay here in reality and subordinate myself to the criticisms of others pertaining to social status. I would just get caught up in the rat race of these so called "dreams". I would just be a "consumer". i would be nothing more than a degrading term of lexicon called a "consumer".

jagged Alliance 2 was a game about hope. We went into a country initially to get paid and murder some troops, but as the game progressed, something happened. We started feeling for these Arulcans. We weren't just in it for the dough anymore. We were in it to free the country from the evil, from the greed, from the imorality. If you need a check of that just go ahead and check out the end credit voice files for each and every mercenary in the game. JA2 was about life. It was about peace. This is of course opposed to the lifeless materialistic nature of JAO. As of right now, when I imagine myself playing JAO, I see myself as a zombie walking around a shopping mall looking at all the shit I can't afford.

In all reality, life gave us a lemon and you painted it Jagged Alliance 2 Gold.

Be sure to respond back brother.

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Re: JAO Beta[message #294945] Mon, 12 December 2011 10:21 Go to previous messageGo to next message
1Samildanach

 
Messages:56
Registered:February 2009
Location: Southern hemisphere
tao
--trimmed--
Also, making some sort of comission because of the information selling of users factor.

You might like to know that this is not the case, as far as I can tell from reading gamigo's privacy policy. To quote:

"Personal data relating to our partners [users] will only be disclosed to third parties with the express consent of the partner concerned."

[Updated on: Mon, 12 December 2011 10:22] by Moderator

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Corporal
Re: JAO Beta[message #294955] Mon, 12 December 2011 15:48 Go to previous messageGo to next message
cdudau
The quote that you posted means, "It happens if the user agrees".

Also, if you run firefox, get an add on called Ghostery. You will be able to see all of the sites that collect information that way as well.

Edit:

I just got done reading through their privacy policy. Did you even read it????????

[Updated on: Mon, 12 December 2011 16:04]

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Re: JAO Beta[message #294986] Mon, 12 December 2011 18:38 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Slax is currently offline Slax

 
Messages:1411
Registered:July 2006
Location: People riding polar bears...
What game isn't a get-rich-quick scheme these days? It's simply becoming the norm. Spokespeople get hired to fool anyone and everyone into thinking you're buying quality, well thought out masterpieces each and every time. (Grumble grumble grumble...)
Come on, Cthulhu. We need a reboot. :et5: :ewok: :et5:

Long live 1.13, y'all.

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Sergeant Major
Re: JAO Beta[message #294987] Mon, 12 December 2011 18:41 Go to previous messageGo to next message
cdudau
Slax
What game isn't a get-rich-quick scheme these days?


Minecraft

...and in the end it still made millions.

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Re: JAO Beta[message #294988] Mon, 12 December 2011 18:46 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Slax is currently offline Slax

 
Messages:1411
Registered:July 2006
Location: People riding polar bears...
The natural spread of things. People like something and spread the joy. No advertisement required.
Not my cup of tea though (which makes me a bit sad).

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Sergeant Major
Re: JAO Beta[message #295029] Tue, 13 December 2011 02:46 Go to previous messageGo to next message
1Samildanach

 
Messages:56
Registered:February 2009
Location: Southern hemisphere
tao
The quote that you posted means, "It happens if the user agrees".

Also, if you run firefox, get an add on called Ghostery. You will be able to see all of the sites that collect information that way as well.

If the user expressly agrees. I have been using Ghostery for ages, along with a bunch of other stuff. The only things I can see are Google Analytics, which is widely used for gathering statistics about site usage (even The Bear's Pit has it), and Google +1 (which is simply social integration, as you often see around the web).

Admittedly, this is not from the pages where games are actually played (Unity doesn't support Linux Sad [yet?]), but I don't see much point in putting it on a page dominated by a plugin (and therefore relatively untrackable).

tao
I just got done reading through their privacy policy. Did you even read it????????

I did read it. 'Bout the only thing that I see as being of concern is:

"This shall not include the disclosure of the data to service partners of gamigo AG and especially, in the case of "social games" the disclosure of data to the corresponding platform, if and in as far as this is required to fulfil our contractual duties to our partners."

But even that sounds like they're simply covering the data sharing that's necessary for an online game, since you have to send stuff between servers, and other clients if it's a multiplayer game. The way I'm reading it, "as far as this is required to fulfil our contractual duties to our partners", translates to, "as far as this is required to give you the game we've said we would".

Also, "gamigo AG will in particular not disclose your data to third parties for the purposes of advertising external offerings" supports that interpretation.

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Corporal
Re: JAO Beta[message #295031] Tue, 13 December 2011 03:55 Go to previous messageGo to next message
cdudau
well, read it again.

You obviously missed a few sections.

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Re: JAO Beta[message #295041] Tue, 13 December 2011 06:14 Go to previous messageGo to next message
usrbid is currently offline usrbid

 
Messages:1506
Registered:December 2008
How about you help the grasshopper and post some sections you are concerned about Tao?

It is possible that two people read the same and come to different conclusions, posting the sections (if that is possible) will help everyone to figure out what your concerns are.

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Sergeant Major

Re: JAO Beta[message #295043] Tue, 13 December 2011 06:49 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Peal is currently offline Peal

 
Messages:259
Registered:August 2007
Location: Germany
tao
This game feels kind of hopeless in regard that no matter what you have, it just isn't enough.


Tao i agree to a lot of your points, but comparing JAO with JA2 is difficult, as you mentioned JAO will never be like JA2.

Yes Cliffhanger Productions aren't blessed with a huge budget, but what would you do, if you actually have to pay 20 ppl in your Company each month. This isn't xenonauts were Chris can hire some freelancer per an hour if needed. So their approach is kind of what you get in such a situation.

They aren't stupid, actually i have a lot of respect for Primetide cause i watched many interviews with him in german. He seems to be a guy with the heart and humor on the right spot but also with the ability to realize a project in teamwork due to a strong hand.

In Business, such ppl are rare like married Hatchfond Managers. Thats almost 80% why i support them so hard. They are honest, skilled and they believe in us. For what better conditions could we ask? Seriously think about it and especially think about the monkeys at bitCompser.

That doesn't mean, they can sell us apeshit, sure. But if only 1.13 can serve us pleasure and nothing else, then i guess nothing else could make us happy... Like i said i know what you mean and yes JAO is not JA 1.13 at the slightest, but why should it? Nothing can top JA2 1.13, nothing man. But if something comes close to it, i think we should be thankful for the effort, at least.

[Updated on: Tue, 13 December 2011 07:01] by Moderator

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Master Sergeant
Re: JAO Beta[message #295044] Tue, 13 December 2011 06:52 Go to previous messageGo to next message
cdudau
...because I am replyin via cellular phone. i will try to clarify my reasoning tomorrow. Thank you for your concern.

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Re: JAO Beta[message #295086] Tue, 13 December 2011 19:14 Go to previous messageGo to next message
cdudau
We collect information from you when you register on our website, play online games, order real or virtual goods, respond to a survey or to a communication such as an email, or use other services on our websites. We store that information ourselves or by the use of third parties under contract with us.

For some activities, your web browser or client software may transmit certain geographic information or information regarding your computer to gamigo. gamigo may use that information to generate aggregate statistics about our user community and may provide that information to advertisers and other parties with whom we have a business relationship. In addition, gamigo may use any such information for security, system integrity (the prevention of hacking, cheating and other improper or unlawful activities), or enforcement purposes.

gamigo may also identify and track your Internet protocol (

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Re: JAO Beta[message #295087] Tue, 13 December 2011 20:04 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Sam Hotte

 
Messages:1966
Registered:March 2009
Location: Middle of Germany
tao
We may share your Personal Information among our affiliates worldwide. They may use your Personal Information to offer products and services to you consistent with the purposes identified in this privacy policy. We may use your Personal Information for internal marketing, profiling, or demographic purposes, so we can adapt our products and services, the better to suit your anticipated needs.

gamigo may provide your Personal Information to other organizations that offer products or services that may be of interest to you. Those third parties may then use that information to offer products and services to you.

The Personal Information you provide to gamigo may be transferred as an asset in connection a merger or sale involving all or part of gamigo or as part of a corporate reorganization, stock sale or other change of control.

Those are IMO the relevant/critical parts (everything else is just plain necessity to make the service work at all) If anybody wants to discuss privacy policies here.

So they do work with Google Ads and the like - what else is new? Wink
I personally do not like this but IMO everybody registering for any free-to-play (or similar services) should know that this is how they all work. TANSTAAFL.

IMVHO not worth discussing - evaluation of gameplay, engine, interface etc. seems a lot more interesting to me. Smile

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Sergeant Major
Re: JAO Beta[message #295088] Tue, 13 December 2011 20:10 Go to previous messageGo to next message
cdudau
Well, I wrote a complete analysis of what I thought and the only thing that was pointed out was this shit.

No shit.

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Re: JAO Beta[message #295096] Tue, 13 December 2011 23:04 Go to previous messageGo to next message
primetide is currently offline primetide

 
Messages:74
Registered:March 2011
@ tao
Thanks for the extended version of the comments, I do appreciate you taking the time out to write that.
I think half of what you mention are balancing issues or optimization issues - game speed, the constant feeling of lacking stuff and of course AI behavior etc., which we are adressing (by the way, early AI actually behaves stupid on purpose, later type AI does get more demanding, but perhaps this isn't the best approach and we also still have bug fixing to do on the AI).

As for the other part, I do agree with your assessment that it does not have a lot of story (I would replace heart here, as we did put in our heart and then some) and lacks the coherence and individuality of JA2, thereby making it less engaging from that point of view. This is partially due to the budget (for example we couldn't really afford voiceover so either we would have had to take bitcomposer's or the originals and we also couldn't do on-map dialog interaction) and partially due to the game system being geared towards a shorter session length and of course server effciency - we have to commercially run this with over a thousand concurrent users per server.

JAO is not supposed to be JA2 - it is in many ways a simplified, cut down version of it - nor did we ever say it would be. I do see the potential for growth over time (we will add features as long as we can afford to maintain the game) and a lot of things can be added and polished. It may evolve into interesting directions with regards to multiplayer, guilds/clans and guild wars and I would hope we add melee, grenades, wire cutting and on map healing and other things. As it stands now, this is not the full game we have in our minds. I still maintain it is a pretty good start, though.

That being said, as Peal mentioned- we will not be able to satisfy anyone expecting JA2. We may be able to interest some people in looking into the originals again and perhaps one day this will lead to a real successor being made worthy of that title.

Anyway, I am not going to rag anybody for disliking the game, I just want to thank you again for allowing me to understand why.

And as far as I can tell (not being gamigo), they don't sell adresses, as this is prohibited under German Law and they are owned by a big media corp that would probably not want to risk that for what little profit can be gained from this.

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Corporal
Re: JAO Beta[message #295117] Wed, 14 December 2011 04:13 Go to previous messageGo to next message
1Samildanach

 
Messages:56
Registered:February 2009
Location: Southern hemisphere
Sam_Hotte
Those are IMO the relevant/critical parts (everything else is just plain necessity to make the service work at all) If anybody wants to discuss privacy policies here.

Weird. What's showing up for me is quite completely different to what toa posted. 'Course, I'm assuming he's getting it from the same page as I am. Here's what it says for me:


gamigo AG (the responsible body in the sense of the data protection legislation) collects, processes and uses personal data for the purposes of providing contractual services for its partners (users). The collection, processing and use of all personal data relating to partners is carried out for the purposes of creating, executing or terminating contractual relationships between gamigo AG and its partners on the basis of the Data Protection Law (BDSG), the Teleservices Act (TMG) and, if applicable, other mandatory statutory regulations or on the basis of the consent provided by the partner concerned.

All the private individuals affected by the collection, processing or use of personal data are entitled at any time to demand the provision of information about the data stored relating to them, the purpose for which the data are stored and, if applicable, the origin and recipients of the data. This information will be provided free of charge for the person concerned. The right to demand that the data be corrected, deleted or blocked (

[Updated on: Wed, 14 December 2011 04:14] by Moderator

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Corporal
Re: JAO Beta[message #295123] Wed, 14 December 2011 05:47 Go to previous messageGo to next message
cdudau
In my post, I just wanted to point out that nothing is free. Even if it says FREE. I typed out a long post about my thoughts on the game and for some reason, the next 13 or so posts clung to this instead of the LONG bullshit that I wrote analyzing the game.

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Re: JAO Beta[message #295129] Wed, 14 December 2011 11:00 Go to previous messageGo to next message
usrbid is currently offline usrbid

 
Messages:1506
Registered:December 2008
Wow, and I thought I shouldn't post when I am blitzed - but then, I would never post, he, he, he...

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Sergeant Major

Re: JAO Beta[message #295524] Tue, 20 December 2011 14:01 Go to previous messageGo to next message
RagingRook is currently offline RagingRook

Messages:2
Registered:October 2009
Location: Utrecht, the Netherlands
I've been away from JA for a while, but came back when I read sth. about JA Online. I registered and requested a key, but sadly got none yet. With all these comments floating around, I'm increasingly eager to see how it works out for me. JAO sounds a bit like JA-light - without all the "hassle" (I'm careful to include these quotation marks as the hassle is part of what makes JA2 great). Or, if you wish: JA snack-sized, for while dinner is on the stove but not ready yet.

Meanwhile, since I cannot try JAO yet, I dusted of good ol' JA2 gold with a fresh 1.13 install, and enjoy that hugely (again). Great to see that this dedicated community is still around!

RagingRook

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Civilian
Re: JAO Beta[message #295753] Tue, 27 December 2011 04:03 Go to previous messageGo to next message
dipperq is currently offline dipperq
Messages:2
Registered:July 2007
Location: USA
got my access during the first wave, and was too busy to try.

Not bad for a closed beta. Although the download takes more than 30 mins, and IE is preferred browser.

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Civilian
Re: JAO Beta[message #297115] Sun, 22 January 2012 12:56 Go to previous messageGo to next message
relnor is currently offline relnor

 
Messages:57
Registered:April 2011
Location: Philippines, Cebu
i tried the game. its kinda ok.
weapons might be imbalanced and the ai is wacked sometimes but its still beta.
the game needs tool tips. i dont know what the stats and skills do other than requirements for weapons.
there seems to be 2 categories of armor (excluding unique with crit bonuses)
all around armor (dex requirement)
full front armor (strength) this is for those cqc or charge in types
there are armors that only require levels but its sort of weaker than the stat required armors.
my build is tank shotgun guy. sucks at 1st coz its slow and accuracy is bad, no buckshot style. but when you get saiga 12 then burst fire all the time.
burst fire seems to be the thing if you want to hit something. and since shotguns are powerful mostly 1 hit or 2 so burst away.

and the loading is really slow. i wish it just download the main game and the crucial files will be online and not download everything over again when you exit.

strangely even at 0% to hit the ai keeps shooting. and at a rare time they can actually hit. but doesnt apply to the player. :/ no lucky shots beyond range i suppose.

many said rifles are the thing. but dunno about that yet
dimitri is having alot of success with an assault rifle tho

yeah im having fun. i just need that turn based strategy fix XD

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Corporal
Re: JAO Beta[message #297172] Tue, 24 January 2012 06:05 Go to previous messageGo to next message
primetide is currently offline primetide

 
Messages:74
Registered:March 2011
will have a solid re-balance for wepons and AI gets a big boost for group tactics for the next patch...

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Corporal
Re: JAO Beta[message #297226] Wed, 25 January 2012 13:50 Go to previous messageGo to next message
dethica is currently offline dethica

 
Messages:43
Registered:September 2009
been waiting long to get in the beta. any news on when the next batch of people will get in?

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Corporal
Re: JAO Beta[message #297263] Thu, 26 January 2012 02:30 Go to previous messageGo to next message
relnor is currently offline relnor

 
Messages:57
Registered:April 2011
Location: Philippines, Cebu
oh and umm, i think there are some errors on the mercs. i understand that there is no melee combat so they are just given smg skills and such.
but im pretty sure Linx is a sniper, not cqc
and wolf should be buffed, i mean he got a large jaw but his body dont match, it looks funny XD. he should have similar body with steroid or grizzly.

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Corporal
Re: JAO Beta[message #297329] Fri, 27 January 2012 12:38 Go to previous messageGo to next message
primetide is currently offline primetide

 
Messages:74
Registered:March 2011
We may have made some errors here, but also due to the different weapon categories, we need to have some spread of weapons in Mercs, so some mercs may have been adapted.

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Corporal
Re: JAO Beta[message #297468] Mon, 30 January 2012 11:51 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Shanga is currently offline Shanga

 
Messages:3482
Registered:January 2000
Location: Danubia
I played a little, can't really form a definite oppinion atm.

Graphics are nice, but on loading my Chrome freezes the PC for about 20 seconds.
Either I missed it or there no crouch and prone? A combat game without those isn't JA.
The whole "run to 2m" tactical gameplay the AI displays is bad.
I once ran out of ammo and found out you can't punch out enemies. bad.
Enemies drop nothing?

Looking forward to see the game evolve closer to JA2 and BEYOND.

[Updated on: Mon, 30 January 2012 11:52] by Moderator

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Captain
Re: JAO Beta[message #297469] Mon, 30 January 2012 12:12 Go to previous messageGo to next message
primetide is currently offline primetide

 
Messages:74
Registered:March 2011
Well crouch is in- we have run and "crouch-walk" - not to well communicated, though. prone isn't in, as is melee, the latter will come after launch.

AI is being trained and is getting better in the next patch, though please also keep in mind, that early level AI isn't that clever on purpose (and also we have cautious and less cautious AI types) - they tend to get better in higher levels...

Enemies drop with the next patch.

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Corporal
Re: JAO Beta[message #297470] Mon, 30 January 2012 12:23 Go to previous messageGo to next message
relnor is currently offline relnor

 
Messages:57
Registered:April 2011
Location: Philippines, Cebu
@Shanga Click on your merc to make it crouch. right click you mouse to cycle from run to crouch to look at direction.
as for ammo buy them in the shop
no drops yet. maybe coz of ragdoll thing. if you look at the gun where it falls its usually on places you cant take them so i dont mind without it as long as you get end mission loot or buy stuff before you go.
melee would be cool. maybe instead of different weapon skil this just use physical stats but dunno looks hard to implement.
just a thing i noticed. i think we need to see the level of the mission. since exp is level dependent. too high or too low for you merc then that 1k exp turns to 10-50exp Very Happy
Yeah AI is kinda dumb but i noticed the AI goes to your last known position rather than chase you to the end of the world like most games. which is a good thing (tip, when they get there, make them patrol abit and return after a few turns Very Happy)

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Corporal
Re: JAO Beta[message #297528] Tue, 31 January 2012 19:19 Go to previous messageGo to next message
dipperq is currently offline dipperq
Messages:2
Registered:July 2007
Location: USA
around level 15-18. There is a biker mission at Texas. The last part of the mission is to kill the biker's boss, visible from start on your left.

Carry two snipers. the boss is dead first turn. It has a ~ 10-30% chance to drop a gold pistol, which uses .44 gold ammo.

nice pistol, but i can't afford to use this pistol for long.

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Civilian
Re: JAO Beta[message #298202] Thu, 09 February 2012 02:42 Go to previous messageGo to next message
dethica is currently offline dethica

 
Messages:43
Registered:September 2009
the new update changes quite a lot of things. much better than it was before.

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Corporal
Re: JAO Beta[message #300351] Sun, 26 February 2012 12:38 Go to previous messageGo to next message
hitgena is currently offline hitgena

 
Messages:15
Registered:June 2011
hi there,

tried the beta version and it looks pretty good in my opinion.
dont want to compare it with ja2 though cause its a totally different game.

with some fixes and fourther development it could be really addictev.
Anyway... i get a lot of crashes cause of the media player the game runs on.
My internt connection is ok but the media player crashes very often.
any ideas ??

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Private
Re: JAO Beta[message #300352] Sun, 26 February 2012 12:42 Go to previous messageGo to next message
DepressivesBrot is currently offline DepressivesBrot

 
Messages:3658
Registered:July 2009
If in doubt, check the official forum, look if there are updates for Unity or try a different browser.

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Captain

Re: JAO Beta[message #300463] Tue, 28 February 2012 04:07 Go to previous messageGo to next message
primetide is currently offline primetide

 
Messages:74
Registered:March 2011
chrome has the best native support for unity

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Corporal
Re: JAO Beta[message #301737] Wed, 14 March 2012 14:25 Go to previous messageGo to next message
wanne (aka RoWa21) is currently offline wanne (aka RoWa21)

 
Messages:1961
Registered:October 2005
Location: Austria
Can someone tell me how I can drop an item (to the ground to get rid of it) from my inventory??

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Sergeant Major

Re: JAO Beta[message #302165] Wed, 21 March 2012 22:01 Go to previous message
primetide is currently offline primetide

 
Messages:74
Registered:March 2011
Currently not possible I am afraid- you can move stuff from your inventory to the loot box, though.

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Corporal
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