Jagged Alliance 2 LOBOT - new sprites and animations mod

[Maggot]

I got nothing on big maps, but what I'm interested in with new animations is having martial arts animations for someone other than the default male bodytypes.

"Whoa! Ivan's got a brand new squatting animation! Time to replay JA2 again!"

...I just don't get it.

Now, new melee gameplay instead of the dumbed down crap that vanilla has, this is something I can imagine getting behind. But animations? Jesus.

What do you think is dumbed down about the melee gameplay in the vanilla game that warrants them completely redesigning it? There's already tangible differences in how melee weapons and unarmed work with health damage vs energy damage, you can target every bodypart with melee, and unaware enemies can be killed with a well placed knife throw.

 

[mondblut]

What do you think is dumbed down about the melee gameplay in the vanilla game that warrants them completely redesigning it? There's already tangible differences in how melee weapons and unarmed work with health damage vs energy damage, you can target every bodypart with melee, and unaware enemies can be killed with a well placed knife throw.

It is boring. An afterthought mechanic only thrown in as a last ditch to be used maybe once or twice in the first couple of battles when you have no extra clips. Even fucking Pool of Radiance back in 1988 felt more thrilling and rewarding when poking other people with a pointy stick. Even fucking Fallout.

 

[Maggot]

What do you think is dumbed down about the melee gameplay in the vanilla game that warrants them completely redesigning it? There's already tangible differences in how melee weapons and unarmed work with health damage vs energy damage, you can target every bodypart with melee, and unaware enemies can be killed with a well placed knife throw.

It is boring. An afterthought mechanic only thrown in as a last ditch to be used maybe once or twice in the first couple of battles when you have no extra clips. Even fucking Pool of Radiance back in 1988 felt more thrilling and rewarding when poking other people with a pointy stick. Even fucking Fallout.

It's extremely useful against blackshirts if you can set up for it. When you punch someone in JA2 the fatigue damage has a snowball effect where you can land successive hits easier and the enemy will be too tired to retaliate next turn and it's easier than dealing with their body armor. Try punching Mike to death next playthrough, it works.

 

[GrafvonMoltke]

Make a UI that doesn’t suck.

 

[vota DC]

I got nothing on big maps, but what I'm interested in with new animations is having martial arts animations for someone other than the default male bodytypes.

"Whoa! Ivan's got a brand new squatting animation! Time to replay JA2 again!"

...I just don't get it.

Now, new melee gameplay instead of the dumbed down crap that vanilla has, this is something I can imagine getting behind. But animations? Jesus.

Fat civilians can't punch or shoot.....you can't even do a Bud Spencer mod. But I ageee that melee sucks, even with 1.13. They should add new values for melee attack and defense.

 

[mondblut]

It's extremely useful against blackshirts if you can set up for it. When you punch someone in JA2 the fatigue damage has a snowball effect where you can land successive hits easier and the enemy will be too tired to retaliate next turn and it's easier than dealing with their body armor. Try punching Mike to death next playthrough, it works.

Are you trying to convince me that turn-based sucks? Because you don't punch in a firefight. Worst case scenario, you grapple and try to disarm. But throwing roundkicks at someone who is pointing an SMG in your face? Have fun missing him once.

 

[Asdow]

A full set of animations for all three bodytypes was just committed to GameDir. As far as I'm concerned, this is no longer in WIP state since the game is now playable completely with logical bodytypes enabled.
Like any mod, I'm sure it has its share of bugs and issues, so if you happen to find any, you can start a new issue about it here: https://github.com/Asdow/JA2-Character-Animation-Photobooth/issues


Next up on the agenda is improving the rendering framework documentation so others can contribute to JA 2 animations and create new equipment graphics or bodytypes for the game.

 

[Asdow]

For anyone interested in the content creation side, here's the first in a set of tutorials aimed at explaining the whole rendering framework setup. It'll go through importing, rigging and rendering a new rifle, and converting the render output into an .sti file. With hopefully not too much of an information overload.

https://thepit.ja-galaxy-forum.com/index.php?t=msg&goto=364117&#msg_364117

 

[Asdow]

Added the second entry, which details how to actually get the new .sti file into the game. After this, the only thing we're missing from a fully functioning new rifle is the muzzle flash upon firing. That will be the topic for the next tutorial.

https://thepit.ja-galaxy-forum.com/index.php?t=msg&th=24955&goto=364118&#msg_364118

 

[Twiglard]

Did they ever fix JA2 1.13 so that the 'optimal' strategy of lying in a half-circle in the corner of the map no longer functions? Or added new variations to the new AI, or something.

 

[Sykar]

At least you don't get romancing mods (or do you?).

Found the secret Ira admirer!

 

[Asdow]

Added third entry for the rifle tutorial. Going through these three tutorials should teach everything necessary for adding new weapons into the game.

https://thepit.ja-galaxy-forum.com/index.php?t=msg&th=24955&goto=364129&#msg_364129

 

[cretin]

Surprising lack of interest in this? AFAIC being able to see gear and individual weapons is a huge incline.

 

[Asdow]

 

[luj1]

GOG or Steam version better for modding? Tnx

 

[Haba]

There should be absolutely no difference.

 

[Sevenfm]

There's still a bug in the LOBOT - when doing long jump, soldier disappears.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bzql6Iwb8ns

 

[Asdow]

There's still a bug in the LOBOT - when doing long jump, soldier disappears.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bzql6Iwb8ns

There are a lot of bugs still in LOBOT I'm trying to get this xml editor rewrite done before delving back into lobot issues.

 

[Asdow]

Added more armors and equipment to latest release.

 

[mondblut]

Did they ever fix JA2 1.13 so that the 'optimal' strategy of lying in a half-circle in the corner of the map no longer functions? Or added new variations to the new AI, or something.

Well, what do you propose? It's either that, or it is the AI lying in a half-circle in the corner of the map waiting for the player to show up in the ironsights. And you can't sell the game to AI.

 

[Twiglard]

Did they ever fix JA2 1.13 so that the 'optimal' strategy of lying in a half-circle in the corner of the map no longer functions? Or added new variations to the new AI, or something.

Well, what do you propose? It's either that, or it is the AI lying in a half-circle in the corner of the map waiting for the player to show up in the ironsights. And you can't sell the game to AI.

Maybe make it so that there's always another walkable chunk of dirt around the player characters on screen edges.

Or have the AI pull back toward the center of the map.

 

[Sevenfm]

This is what happens if you try this strategy in +AI:
1. Enemy will not rush to you, instead they will approach cautiously from different sides, using cover if possible.
2. Enemy will start blind shooting for suppression from different sides, and since you are gathered in one corner, you have no maneuver available to avoid suppression fire, and you have increased suppression from bullets since all mercs are lying close, you start cowering and loosing accuracy.
3. Enemy will shoot GLs and mortars at you, if they have any, and you will have a lot of casualties and suppressed mercs since you are close together and have no room to spread out.
4. Enemy will start slowly approaching, throwing smoke grenades between them and player mercs.
5. Once they are close enough, enemy will start throwing grenades at your wounded and half suppressed mercs.
6. Once they see you cannot resist effectively anymore, they will rush at you in numbers, trying to overwhelm remaining defense.
Also, +AI removes instant vision bonus from scopes and binocs, so the distance between the moment when you see enemy and the moment he can see you and shoot at you is much shorter.
In general, in +AI you want to spread you mercs and be able to control flanks and outflank enemy instead, and any sitting position may become a trap once enemy knows your location and starts shooting blindly for suppression and use grenades/mortar shells and finds cover from you and also attacks you from flanks.
Also, some enemies with low morale will not move out of cover and will wait for you to advance instead, unless their friends have real success in battle, then they can move out and go to help.

 

[Stavrophore]

Added more armors and equipment to latest release.

Now, this is TRUE pixel art i can appreciate.

 

[Ghulgothas]

Added more armors and equipment to latest release.

What other additions do you have planned to implement with this? Equipment, Armor, Guns, NPC Models?

 

[Sevenfm]

I think the most anticipated things would be shields and maybe proper zombie animations, but who knows.
There's also still missing long jump animation and window jumping uses standard over fence animation which doesn't look great for that.

Asdow is there a list of new animations added in this version?