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An introduction and a promise


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@Haemimont_Boian Do all mercs get full voice acting in and out of battle? Do they also interact with each other? Example: Some mercs wont work with someone they dont like. Are they commenting every situation? (fear, wounds, anger, alerts, mistakes, humor)

 

The mercs and their personalities are very important for me because they are the soul of Jagged Alliance. Without them its only a generic tactic game. I hope you can answer these questions in the near future. 

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23 hours ago, WILDFIRE said:

@Haemimont_Boian Do all mercs get full voice acting in and out of battle? Do they also interact with each other? Example: Some mercs wont work with someone they dont like. Are they commenting every situation? (fear, wounds, anger, alerts, mistakes, humor)

 

The mercs and their personalities are very important for me because they are the soul of Jagged Alliance. Without them its only a generic tactic game. I hope you can answer these questions in the near future. 

Excellent questions and I believe we have good answers for them! Our team is currently at Gamescom, giving interviews and making presentations and I know that some of the answers will be revealed there, after the press embargo expires. Keep an eye out for articles and interviews published directly after Gamescom!

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Thank you for your fast answer. I cant wait to read all the interviews and articles from the team and to hear more good news from you in the future. Its great that we the fans and the devs here are now connected to create the best possible game.  

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  • 3 weeks later...
29 minutes ago, Haemimont_Boian said:

Gamescom was awesome! We thought the reaction was very positive and it felt like a huge morale boost for the entire team 🙂

 

Personally, I am happy that we finally shared some concrete info about the game!

And we, as fans of the game, are even happier and of course we are waiting for more information and developer diaries. 😉

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14 hours ago, Wigen said:

Besides, tomorrow it will be a year since the first announcement of Jagged Alliance 3 😉

 

 

After i played last year Jagged Alliance Rage multiple times it was just such a blessing to hear this news and watch this trailer (which i have watched countless times), i couldnt believe to myself.

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I only have two questions. Is it possible to lie down in the game and will it be possible to camouflage?

And from what I saw in the game presentation, mercenaries entering the sector can see the positions of all enemies. It is, of course, about the fog of war. This fact alone spoils the JA2 experience.

Edited by Wigen
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  • 3 weeks later...
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Hey Wigen,

It is certainly possible to go prone - we feel that the ability to have fine control over your actions in combat, such as choosing your stance, is a key element that differentiates Jagged Alliance from almost all the tactical games out there! I can also confirm that vision range is limited and you cannot normally see all enemies.

I can't comment on the camouflage at this time, suffice it to say that there is an involved stealth system that we will present in detail some day.

Sorry for dropping so rarely on the forums - I have been very busy with development recently (good news is that the game is coming up excellent)! I expect to be here more often once we have green light for the dev diaries from marketing.

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3 hours ago, Haemimont_Boian said:

Sorry for dropping so rarely on the forums - I have been very busy with development recently (good news is that the game is coming up excellent)!

As far as I understand, you are out of pre-alpha and the game is almost finished.

How many things improved from what you showed at Gamescom to October 4, 2022? 🙂

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18 minutes ago, Goliath said:

Cant wait for more infos!! 

Can you estimate how much time it will be at least till the marketing team gives go to the dev diaries? 

I can't wait for this as well, but unfortunately I am not really in a position to provide such an estimate. I thank you all for your patience - I believe both the DevDiaries and the game itself will be worth the wait.

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1 hour ago, Haemimont_Boian said:

I believe both the DevDiaries and the game itself will be worth the wait.

We believe in it as well as you and we hope it will 😉. We look forward to the first developer's diaries.

Edited by Wigen
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We can all wish for the game to be completed as quick as possible but like I said in another forum post, I am happy to wait as long as necessary for the game to be finished.

Regarding what Wigen said, while I have never been a games developer (although my friend has), I did used to be a modder for a game that came out over 20 years ago and one thing I learnt about working on that, is that there always seems a bit more to do…and then a bit more. You can give yourself a Things To Do list and find that you are adding things to the bottom of the list quicker than you are completing things. Therefore, it is difficult to truly say how much work there is left to do.

Edited by Solaris_Wave
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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...
On 8/5/2022 at 6:46 PM, GODSPEED said:

I HATE to argue your point, because I would also like a JA2 Remaster (to some extent), but at the same time, I'm old enough to understand what is at stake (jobs, wages, future support from Publisher(s)) and am able to weigh my expectations accordingly.

Well, I respect those who created masterpieces without any regard for all those things, like Fallout 1. And you know, I'd rather see a masterpiece made and a studio go bust, than even a good game be made and people keep their jobs. I guess I just put some things above others.

On 8/5/2022 at 6:46 PM, GODSPEED said:

I also strongly disagree with your above statement, again, I hate to disagree with it, because inside, I WANT to agree with it.

Take most Bethesda games, take the new Xcoms, Civilizations, Starcraft, Call of Duties, Battlefields, and in what I consider to be among one of the best RPG series, Mass Effect... those we're all made for the wider broader audience in mind. They weren't made for the more technical and niche audience that appreciates something like 1.13 or some really complex layers like grand strategy games (Hearts of Iron, Victoria, Europa Universalis) to name the popular ones.

All of those games are awful. Mass Effect being the prime example of a mass product - superficial one-dimensional game without any choice or freedom, for those who want to be handheld and not make any decisions at all (there are no real decisions in Mass Effect, no).

Are you suggesting that JA3 should be made for a different audience than JA2? It, in all probability, will be made for "wider audiences", meaning a superficial, dumbed down, one-dimensional game with no depth, challenge, difficulty, etc. That is the modern way, it is what it is. Money is more important now, than the games themselves. Those pure early gaming times are gone forever.

On 8/5/2022 at 6:46 PM, GODSPEED said:

Those popular games have some of the most die-hard fans that will play the games for as long as they breathe. Yet, they are made for no one in particular. You don't need to be a military buff, or an armchair general, or a master strategist to play something like Civilization. It is approachable by a VERY wide audience! Same goes for most games I've mentionned... just look at most games by Bethesda. As much as I like their unique world landscapes, usually the game is barebones basic and is filled with mostly generic stuff... yet, I'd be surprised to learn that Bethesda games aren't the ones that rack up the most combined hours of gameplay out of most games. Just look at how many versions of Skyrim that released, and the staggering amount of mods STILL being developed.

Those are games that although many gamers will play, they are also on many gamers favorite all-time lists.

Let the superficial type enjoy superficial games. If JA3 is meant to be turned into a superficial game for a completely different type of player than JA2 - then what's the point of using the same title? Then it's just a cashgrab, and nothing more than that.

I really don't understand why you are writing about other games, it's like you want JA to be something different than what it is. Maybe they will make it more "modern", dumb and boring, and will make it popular. That's not what I would want for the legacy of that game, though. But it's pretty much impossible, everything gets tainted by greed in our times. It's just inevitable. And your arguments about wider audiences and more time spent playing superficial games just point out the core issue - stupid games will be developed instead of intelligent ones, if they bring more money. And they do, because that's just the nature of complexity and intelligence - they are far less widespread, than superficiality and stupidity.

On 8/5/2022 at 6:46 PM, GODSPEED said:

Look, I love Jagged Alliance 2, it is by far one of my favorite games of all time; I would have trouble playing it without 1.13, simply because I've gotten used to mechanics slowly through 1.13 versions.

But to sincerely EXPECT Haemimont Games to recreate JA2 to perfection is unfair and would most likely mean the game would tank. Do you REALLY think we niche die-hard fans are enough in numbers to make Haemimont Games at least pay the bills, pay their employees? Give them raises? For a studio like them, maybe the difference between a game that tanks or a game that succeeds to a wider audience means the difference between it's survival... or at the very least the scope of their next project. 

Also keep in mind, Haemimont Games are dealing with a publisher, so they don't have 100% control over everything, they have expectations to fulfil and probably if expectations are failed, it has deeper long-term consequences.

Oh, I don't expect them to honor the game. No. I fully expect them to betray it's legacy. That is why I wrote my message. It's a done deal already. I will be shocked if it's gonna be anything even decent, never mind good.

I fully expect it to cater to the "wide audience", with everything that implies. Sometimes it's best not to sully old things with trying to do better. Oftentimes, I'd say. It's just better to make new things. But then these are the times of exploiting nostalgia for profit. And I don't hold any illusions of this being anything else than that.

They should endeavor to create new things, not to exploit old masterpieces. And if someone takes on the responsibility of measuring up to a masterpiece - they should be ready to be criticized will all the harshness of unsatisfied nostalgia they are trying to exploit.

These excuses are just that, and they are pathetic. Excuses can be found in ANY situation, and they are needed only by the guilty.

On 8/5/2022 at 6:46 PM, GODSPEED said:

On another note, it is also extremely unfair to ask a studio such as Haemimont Games to simply want to "copy" an old game. Imagine having a bunch of employees eager to work on a project, but then we tell them they have to simply copy as faithfully as possible (or remaster) an old game, one they've never had a hand in creating either?

As much as I want a modern Remaster of JA2 with 1.13 and all the guns in the world... I do want a fresh game, with the layers, humours and complexities of the original JA2, but with new mercs, a new story, new locations. New easter eggs to discover.

Don't use an old title, don't exploit nostalgia - and you won't get expectations. Wanna create something new?? DO THAT. Don't be so obvious as to exploit a trademark for easy marketing. If you are foolish to do that - then you deserve all the criticism of a fan of the franchise.

If you want a fresh game - name it something fresh then. Do a spiritual successor, like some more principled and ethical developers (Xenonauts didn't quite measure up to the original X-Com for me, but in many regards Goldhawk Interactive did an outstanding job, surpassing the original, for example).

On 8/5/2022 at 6:46 PM, GODSPEED said:

That said, I get where you are coming from; for JA3 to standout, to feel unique, new and fresh... to pay homage to its roots, it must keep certain aspects intact! That, you are 120% on point!

Humour, unique mercs, basic one-liners and comments on actions, or reactions... give these mercs more than a picture and generic words. Multi-layered strategy, I wouldn't want a dumbed-down version of JA2, "simple" enough for newcommers not to throw the game away within the first 10 minutes, but with complex enough options for us fans. There is so much I also want... but until we get updates, kind of hard to set expectations.

DON'T. CALL. IT. JA3. THEN. DO make something fresh. But I'm not naive, I get that this is already a done deal. And that it WILL NOT be half as good as even the vanilla JA2. I'll only be overjoyed to be wrong. But I won't be. I just accept the new age of superficial remakes, and refuse to be a part of that world. It's enough for me. I only pay tribute to the really dedicated to their craft gamemakers - inspired new world creators.

Exploiters of the old successes of others - do not impress me.

Dumbed down version is what you'll get. Because nowadays we let things slide too much. I'm not one of those who does that. I'll DEMAND perfection from those who dare to claim they are good enough to measure up to great things. I'm not someone who's afraid to call out anyone on anything. Although in the virtual censored world it's becoming nigh impossible.

On 8/5/2022 at 6:54 PM, GODSPEED said:

@trueman11
Sorry, couldn't edit my post anymore.

But my arguments we're 200% friendly in nature and are simply opinions, nothing more! I respect and appreciate all opinions.

This isn't Steam Discussions 🍻

I did not take them any other way than being friendly.) That said, I really put honesty as the cornerstone of friendliness. So my reply is also friendly to a fault.)

And I can not say that I respect all opinions. I respect only intelligence, not stupidity. This is not addressed to you specifically, just a part of me being totally honest. I don't think stupidity should be respected, I think us respecting stupid things just perpetuates stupidity. I prefer being painfully honest, and challenging stupidity to become intelligence.

Thank you.)

Edited by trueman11
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  • 3 weeks later...
On 12/6/2022 at 6:52 PM, trueman11 said:

[Everything you said]

Yeah, I can only agree. Unfortunately. (Although I couldn't care less what another person thinks is intelligence or not, everyone thinks their idea is the brightest anyways).

I can appreciate the effort being put forth by employees, but I am not impressed by the direction taken thus far for almost everything I've seen.

It's sad, it's unfortunate, but I also have to face it and be brutally honest. I'm not the type to want to "stomp" on other peoples creativity. But what frustrates me is the same thing that frustrates you; why use the name unless you will be 100% faithful to it?


I've actually stopped even thinking about it. This is just looking like an xcom-alike game, patched with names related to Jagged Alliance.


But, in the end, it's just a game. I've gotten used to the entertainment industry ruining things. So, I've invested more energy into my other hobbies.

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It is interesting to see other people showing concern about JA3 taking too much influence from XCOM. I know I have repeated that sentiment over and over in these forums (and I am assuming that other people's views are regarding the XCOM reboot and not the X-COM original (which is a pain that they named them so similarly)).

While it has been expressed how people are worried that JA3 will feel like a reskin of XCOM both in these forums and on Steam, it could be worthwhile saying precisely what things you don't want JA3 to be, and what XCOM-like mechanics you don't want to see.

We have been told that the maps will be larger than what has been shown so far in previews, but map size was one of my own concerns. I'll also add that I don't want to see the removal of the action points system in favour of two general actions.

I vehemently do not want to see the inventory and equipment system of the XCOM reboot, where you can only carry one secondary item or another unrelated item (medkit or grenade or a pistol…and so on). Whoever came up with that idea should have been severely thrown around the room. I know it was done for ease of play and for simplification, especially as it was also for consoles; and gamepads aren't pixel precise like a mouse is. Regardless of that reason, it proved immediately frustrating and unrealistic for me. It just made me think, 'Why am I playing this when I have played turn-based squad games that are so much better?' I don't care if games magazines called the XCOM reboot a 'breath of fresh air' compared to the old games, as if we all unanimously supported the idea. I like a game that allows me to really plan and tool up for the battle. I don't have the short attention span that 'apparently' plagues every single gamer of the last 15-20 years (and I'm sure it isn't the case, despite what games publishers would really like you to think).

So, I have given my specific concerns for JA3, and I apologise for sounding like a broken record by repeating the same things. What are other people's specific concerns about JA3 potentially not being a Jagged Alliance game and instead being an XCOM clone? Also, given that we haven't seen too much gameplay footage and the game is still firmly in development, are those above concerns genuine or unfounded?

Edited by Solaris_Wave
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12 hours ago, Solaris_Wave said:

It is interesting to see other people showing concern about JA3 taking too much influence from XCOM. I know I have repeated that sentiment over and over in these forums (and I am assuming that other people's views are regarding the XCOM reboot and not the X-COM original (which is a pain that they named them so similarly)).

While it has been expressed how people are worried that JA3 will feel like a reskin of XCOM both in these forums and on Steam, it could be worthwhile saying precisely what things you don't want JA3 to be, and what XCOM-like mechanics you don't want to see.

We have been told that the maps will be larger than what has been shown so far in previews, but map size was one of my own concerns. I'll also add that I don't want to see the removal of the action points system in favour of two general actions.

I vehemently do not want to see the inventory and equipment system of the XCOM reboot, where you can only carry one secondary item or another unrelated item (medkit or grenade or a pistol…and so on). Whoever came up with that idea should have been severely thrown around the room. I know it was done for ease of play and for simplification, especially as it was also for consoles; and gamepads aren't pixel precise like a mouse is. Regardless of that reason, it proved immediately frustrating and unrealistic for me. It just made me think, 'Why am I playing this when I have played turn-based squad games that are so much better?' I don't care if games magazines called the XCOM reboot a 'breath of fresh air' compared to the old games, as if we all unanimously supported the idea. I like a game that allows me to really plan and tool up for the battle. I don't have the short attention span that 'apparently' plagues every single gamer of the last 15-20 years (and I'm sure it isn't the case, despite what games publishers would really like you to think).

So, I have given my specific concerns for JA3, and I apologise for sounding like a broken record by repeating the same things. What are other people's specific concerns about JA3 potentially not being a Jagged Alliance game and instead being an XCOM clone? Also, given that we haven't seen too much gameplay footage and the game is still firmly in development, are those above concerns genuine or unfounded?

Totally unfounded, unnecessary fear imo, even if it will be lil like XCOM it would not be the end of the world, i really liked XCOM 2 but Jagged Alliance 3 seems much better already, but i dont want to get over excited either. 😉

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 12/24/2022 at 4:43 AM, GODSPEED said:

Yeah, I can only agree. Unfortunately. (Although I couldn't care less what another person thinks is intelligence or not, everyone thinks their idea is the brightest anyways).

Except mine are.)

On 12/24/2022 at 4:43 AM, GODSPEED said:

I'm not the type to want to "stomp" on other peoples creativity.

I am. Because it's not creativity. It's imitation. And very poor imitation at that.

Take Xenonauts as an example: they made an X-Com like game, they made a lot of improvements, they made new lore, new systems, lots new stuff. Not an impressive game for me, no. But an honest one. They made what they were saying they are making. A faithful spiritual X-Com successor. What did the XCOM devs do? They made a completely different game, that is superficially similar to the original, and they just exploited the title to cash in.

I am glad that when devs wanted to make Xenonauts 2 more like XCOM 2, they listened to the community, and it seems at least changed their course to create new original systems, instead of imitation. That I can respect.

If devs think they are making JA game by following more in the footsteps of the XCOM creatively cheap imitation cashgrab - they are lying to themselves. At best.

And the money they make won't ever compensate them when the time comes to look back at their life. Yeah, it's just a game. And a game doesn't matter. Honesty and creativity do though.

Edited by trueman11
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On 8/2/2022 at 1:21 PM, trueman11 said:

Making a game for everyone - is making a game for no one in particular. Name a game that everyone likes that anyone loves to death.

Loving a game is not necessary to sell it. It's more profitable to make a game that millions will play once, that thousands will play their whole life. Playtime does not make profit, only sales.

For that love for a game to translate into profit there needs to be a new model of rewarding the developers. That would actually encourage developers to make pieces of art, instead of one-time entertainment.

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