Jagged Alliance Jagged Alliance 2, Temple of Elemental Evil & Silent Storm Retrospectives

[octavius]

I never could get Strac to look as good as 1.13.
Have you tried using dgVoodoo?

 

[Jimmious]

I never could get Strac to look as good as 1.13.
Have you tried using dgVoodoo?

Hm... No, I didn't even know it existed until now.
I'm wondering if the problem is that I'm trying to run JA2 Gold? That shouldn't be an issue but mods are mods

 

[jebsmoker]

dgvoodoo's great for getting older games to run in widescreen resolutions. give it a shot, i've used it many times. do note that some anti-virus programs don't like dgvoodoo's files and may give you a false positive warning

http://dege.freeweb.hu/

for some reason firefox doesn't like this website. its saying its been compromised or something, but i dont see why that would happen

 

[Strange Fellow]

Terrific as it is, I don't think dgVoodoo is going to do anything for this game.

The game is displayed in a small area within a larger window.

The tictacs window or just the menus and strategy screen? As previously mentioned Stracciatella doesn't scale those for some reason, so if you insist on running the game in 4K you're going to have a bad time.

I'm wondering if the problem is that I'm trying to run JA2 Gold?

Could be this too. The Steam version is a piece of shit. The GOG version has never given me trouble, so acquire that one if the above isn't the problem.

 

[Jimmious]

The tictacs window or just the menus and strategy screen? As previously mentioned Stracciatella doesn't scale those for some reason, so if you insist on running the game in 4K you're going to have a bad time.

Oh it scales only the battle screens in the larger resolutions?

*I didn't go in a battle because I thought it was fucked up. Probably that's my issue. I guess I'll stick with 1.13 then..

 

[Strange Fellow]

I guess I'll stick with 1.13 then..

This is what I'd recommend anyway if you have at least a playthrough under your belt and have a decent idea of what you want the .ini to look like. With that caveat out of the way 1.13 is simply better.

 

[Efe]

i feel better now that someone else also had the same problem.
its also sad he didnt even read last page..

 

[biggestboss]

She's alive. Happy Thanksgiving.
https://lilura1.blogspot.com/2019/11/Jagged-Alliance-2-Game-Play-Vids.html

 

[Surf Solar]

She's alive. Happy Thanksgiving.
https://lilura1.blogspot.com/2019/11/Jagged-Alliance-2-Game-Play-Vids.html

Did she quit the codex again?

 

[Swigen]

Lilura I checked out Jagged Alliance: Rage!. I think it’s a pretty good gaem and I can see why you think so much of the series. I think you’d probably enjoy Achtung! Cthulhu Tactics if you like games like Rage!. Not sure what I did to end up on your ignore list but I hope this recommendation gets me off it.

 

[Nostaljaded]

I never could get Strac to look as good as 1.13...

It's a stracciatella bug for Win7 aero mode which enlarges the game internal resolution, resulting in the blurriness.
Will look as crisp as 1.12/1.13 after turning off aero (by changing to Windows Basic Themes).

 

[The Red Knight]

(by changing to Windows Basic Themes).

Disabling it temporarily in compatibility preferences (disable desktop composition) is not enough?

 

[Lilura]

She's alive. Happy Thanksgiving.
https://lilura1.blogspot.com/2019/11/Jagged-Alliance-2-Game-Play-Vids.html

Yeah, haven't been blogging much lately. Been having too much fun with Jagged Alliance 2 on Expert mode (currently on Day 38).

Holding onto Alma hasn't been easy:

Roaming forces can be large, too:

The squad ran to zone transition when they heard a mortar whistle through the air. Narrowly escaped.

We only have one Steyr Aug:

And one Dragunov:

We got ambushed by 30 bloodcats. 10 surrounded us upon entry to the sector. There were no survivors:

I reloaded and didn't go back there.

Current situation:

 

[Nostaljaded]

Disabling it temporarily in compatibility preferences (disable desktop composition) is not enough?

Doesn't work with any of the Win7 compatibility mode preferences.
It's running off SDL2, which technically does not need any Win7 compatibility mode switches.


Codexers,
If turning off Win7 aero solves your Stracciatella's blurriness as well, please chime in at their github issue tracker below:
https://github.com/ja2-stracciatella/ja2-stracciatella/issues/933

1 of their code contributors does not have such issue on his Win7 machine.
If there's more reports, that it's more certain to be an issue with their code, rather than specific Win7 configurations.

Edit:
Workaround method for Win7 aero windowed mode:
Going windowless. In other words, removing its titlebar and window border.

screenshot

Cause: Bugged Intel iGPU Drivers v15.45.19.4678
Resolved by: Installing v15.45.31.5127

 

[Lilura]

For those interested in Stracciatella, don't forget to check out the externalized tweaks available in game.json (open with Notepad++.)

 

[GarfunkeL]

Hah, I remember running into the Bloodcat nest for the first time. Bad times, comrade, bad times.

Next time I went there on purpose, loaded up the gills with HP (and even later with Glaser) ammo. Everybody got a fur coat that day.

 

[Lilura]

Next time I went there on purpose, loaded up the gills with HP (and even later with Glaser) ammo. Everybody got a fur coat that day.

On Expert mode, and in that particular ambush scenario, 10 immediately surrounded the squad and started taking swipes before we can act. And then the party is so densely surrounded, we can't move. Wouldn't matter if we had plated + compounded Spectra along with pimped out Steyr Augs loaded with hollow point: wouldn't survive it. Be lucky to down five before they get their next turn, at which point 20 more come bounding in, and we're already on our last legs.

Unlike other sectors, we don't get to choose our squad's position upon entry. And the bloodcat lair can only be manually approached from the north or from the west. Either way, I was instantly surrounded by 10. Killed a few, then 20 more. Then owned.

I'll go back when I'm higher level + bigger squad. It's only a sidequest, anyway.

 

[GarfunkeL]

You won't get ambushed upon entry if your average team level is high enough and your better mercs will get interrupts when Bloodcats try to rush you. It's a good time to get rid of all that HP ammo that is otherwise almost useless. But I'm sure you know all this already.

 

[Lilura]

But I'm sure you know all this already.

Yes, higher level = more interrupts and larger squad = more collective attacks.

No. of bloodcats:

Normal mode: ~12
Expert mode: ~30

 

[cretin]

does anyone know if JA2 vanilla has hidden stats for weapons? I ask because in vanilla it seems like some weapons are more inaccurate than others despite the greater range. For example a merc with high mrk often seems to miss with the AUG whereas he will reliably hit with the C7. This is especially true in burst fire where the AUG seems really inaccurate.

 

[laclongquan]

What?

What?

Didnt the best way to deal with bloodcat pack is drop mustard grenade and smoke gas on our feet and wearing breath mask?

My man, being faster, more numerous, immediately surrounded, mean we are so screwed nothing will save us unless desperate measure.

The gas equalize both their numerical advantage, AND stat advantage. Then we bet on the mask give us enough of a surviving advantage to kill them all before we run out of grenades.

 

[Surf Solar]

What?

What?

Didnt the best way to deal with bloodcat pack is drop mustard grenade and smoke gas on our feet and wearing breath mask?

My man, being faster, more numerous, immediately surrounded, mean we are so screwed nothing will save us unless desperate measure.

The gas equalize both their numerical advantage, AND stat advantage. Then we bet on the mask give us enough of a surviving advantage to kill them all before we run out of grenades.

You're already doing something wrong when you allow them to engage in paw range. Pew pew them from afar

 

[GarfunkeL]

What?

What?

Didnt the best way to deal with bloodcat pack is drop mustard grenade and smoke gas on our feet and wearing breath mask?

My man, being faster, more numerous, immediately surrounded, mean we are so screwed nothing will save us unless desperate measure.

The gas equalize both their numerical advantage, AND stat advantage. Then we bet on the mask give us enough of a surviving advantage to kill them all before we run out of grenades.

Genius but wasteful :D HP ammo becomes useless for most of the game once enemies wear vests - and IIRC all redshirts have vests - until very late game when you're doing nothing but headshots, though even then there's the risk of helmets though. So the best use for HP ammo is kitty murder.

does anyone know if JA2 vanilla has hidden stats for weapons? I ask because in vanilla it seems like some weapons are more inaccurate than others despite the greater range. For example a merc with high mrk often seems to miss with the AUG whereas he will reliably hit with the C7. This is especially true in burst fire where the AUG seems really inaccurate.

I have a vague recollection that this is true. C7 is definitely the best assault rifle in vanilla JA2. I -think- it had something to do with barrel length, as in reality, but it's honestly been so long that I might be talking out of my ass since 1.13 overhauled weapons like a decade ago.

 

[Beowulf]

I have a vague recollection that this is true. C7 is definitely the best assault rifle in vanilla JA2. I -think- it had something to do with barrel length, as in reality, but it's honestly been so long that I might be talking out of my ass since 1.13 overhauled weapons like a decade ago.

C7 was the best, because it was Canadian

 

[laclongquan]

What?

What?

Didnt the best way to deal with bloodcat pack is drop mustard grenade and smoke gas on our feet and wearing breath mask?

My man, being faster, more numerous, immediately surrounded, mean we are so screwed nothing will save us unless desperate measure.

The gas equalize both their numerical advantage, AND stat advantage. Then we bet on the mask give us enough of a surviving advantage to kill them all before we run out of grenades.

You're already doing something wrong when you allow them to engage in paw range. Pew pew them from afar

Dawg, this is the critical ambush on the way moving through, or upon entry~ it's not like you can control that. The only way you can control is survival~ And that, is chancy.

Genius but wasteful :D HP ammo becomes useless for most of the game once enemies wear vests - and IIRC all redshirts have vests - until very late game when you're doing nothing but headshots, though even then there's the risk of helmets though. So the best use for HP ammo is kitty murder..

Being dead is wasteful. Liberal use of grenade is just emergency tactic. And that is only possible if you have enough grenades and at least one working breath mask. I remember, barely, it's been a decade, that at that encounter I have only one guy can act, barely enough grenades to smoke the other faraway pack to last until I kill off the kitties in first pack before the gas expire. One operational, 5 barely on their feet. I remember them stay at hospital a good five big missions before they can rejoin the front line.

That one happen because I expect to fight them at civilized distance like a proper white hunter, not ambushed upon entry. With same loadout I did fine in other occasions, normal engage distance. THEY are the reason my loadout always have smoke gas and mustard grenades, even if I often use them on human redshirts.

As for HP ammo. One important use is to burst them onto target. They are mostly unharmed but their energy is expended due to bullet hitting body. And so we can fist them easier into unmoving target, then rob them off their weapons. Without that combo of HP vs armored vest, robbery would require 3 guys for safety. With, just two guys.