Development Info More JA3 bits

[Ausir]

Tags: Jagged Alliance 3 (Strategy First); Richard Therrien; Strategy First

Here's another portion of today's <a target=_blank href=http://www.strategyfirst.com/forum/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum;f=47>Jagged Alliance 3</a> forum bits by <a target=_blank href=http://www.strategyfirst.com>Strategy First</a>'s <b>Richard Threrrien</b>. In <a target=_blank href=http://www.strategyfirst.com/forum/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=47;t=000002>this thread</a> he talks about the development time, combat system, and <i>another</i> game related to JA franchise in addition to JA3:
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<ul><i>1-2 year(s) development for this game makes no sense. We are not talking about a simple sequel or add on. 2.5-3 years makes more sense.
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The turn based system has to be retained and improved. There might be some evolution on the tactical side of things to allow a more fluid and engaging multiplayer experience, which is something that Me and others are looking at currently.
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So, when can this be bought? When it's ready. There is no set date as we are way too early in the process.
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At this point, all I can say beyond this is that there are 2 games being worked on that are related to the JA franchise.</i></ul>
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Codex's own Pooperscooper then asked:
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<ul>Do you mean TB combat like JA2 or "TB combat" like baldurs gate?</ul>And got the <a target=_blank href=http://www.strategyfirst.com/forum/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=47;t=000005>answer</a>:
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<ul><i>Hum, this is not Bioware. <img src=http://www.rpgcodex.com/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_rolleyes.gif></i></ul>
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Another JA game? Could it be JA: Enforcer?

 

[Whipporowill]

Could it be a RtS (or even a TbS)? Remember this is a strategy label, after all?

 

[Ausir]

ArulCraft?

 

[Whipporowill]

There might be some evolution on the tactical side of things to allow a more fluid and engaging multiplayer experience, which is something that Me and others are looking at currently.

If, with this, Threrrien implies Timed TB, simultaneous turns et c. I can see why that would be a good idea in a multiplayer environment. Hopefully that won't mean anything has to be dumbed down, and just be more of an "extras" kind of thing[/b]

 

[triCritical]

Well Wizardry 8 had simultaneous turns and that was not too bad. However, I just don't see what advantage a phased based system in Wiz8 would have over the more tactical JA game. IMO it would actually make the game less tactical, and less intuitive. Especially, because you're characters would lack the ability to tactically respond to their enemies, Not to mentions sniping would become stupid. Actually there would be tons of problems with this design, not unlike the design of RT tactical squad based games, like commando's.

 

[Ausir]

I don't think it's an implication of simultaneous turns. It's just hype .

 

[Shevek]

I hope they implement that ToEE option to allow enemies that have turns one after another to go at the same time.

 

[triCritical]

JA2 was like Silent Storm, as in you go they go. So all the NPC's and enemies go in their own respective turns. Hence, the enemies will always be going right after each other. The question is if the enemies will all move simultaneously, which then becomes a system stressing scenario, and will depend alot on what the engine is capable of doing.

 

[Ausir]

Therrien's answer to this idea:

Having enemies take their turn at the same time to speed up things make sense provided that they are not in view and are not taking current action against a merc (like firing a weapon). Otherwise, you risk having one merc shot in one area while you are looking in another and you would never know what happened.

Of course, you could always freeze and move the camera on a shot and continue the turn. Still, you might miss enemy movements passing in and out of view.

 

[triCritical]

That indeed raises an interesting point. 6 merc's can see better then one human on a very localized screen. I would say you would need something like those little ear symbols in SS, but it can still be possible to miss an enemy.

One thing he doesn't address, is engine capabilities and AI. For instance, say JA3 was going to use an engine similar to SS, then unless all enemies are on the same page, one enemy may shoot down a tower, that the other enemy was going to climb up, or do it by mistake. In essense ruining their turn. I guess it depends on where AI is these days, and how simultaneous thinking, especially AI correlation is going to work.

 

[Rosh]

"Team AI" is quite possible, you'd just have the AI determined together in one script run and as separate parts of the same entity (with adjustments for skill, tiredness, awareness of each other, etc.), not independently for each character and try to fudge all sorts of calls back and forth between them and hope they synch up (the latter is especially not pretty in RT).

Now add in "aware flags" to the AI routine and then you can come up with aspects to it that includes enemies working much better together, throwing each other health kits when one is injured or healing each other, when in visual range they can communicate with hand signals, and they may even stalk one of their own if they become disorientated by a stun grenade or the like.