Jagged Alliance 3 from Haemimont Games

[ArchAngel]

I'm enjoying this quite a bit but the combat just lacks a certain kind of punch, not sure what it is exactly.

Not being able to see hit chance is just annoying, one of the worst decisions.

If you bought it on Steam just activate official mod devs released on day 1 LOL

 

[Alienman]

Combat is Nu-Xcom

That is not correct. Xcom had very abstract boardgamey shooting, this doesn't. It's not perfect, but it is simulating the ballistics. If calling this Xcom, you might as well call Phoenix Point Xcom.

 

[raeven]

FYI, if you think the aiming reticle works like in 1.13 where if the reticle was inside the silhouette of enemy it was a guaranteed hit, then stop. The size of reticle doesn't mean the bullet will go there 100%, you can have two characters with same reticle size over enemy, yet higher hit chance. There's already hit chance mod on workshop, and it shows the lack of proper bullet simulation for the game. The reticle size on the enemy is just smoke and mirror and not the actual cone where bullets will go ala 1.13 mod.

You're talking about that garbage NCTH system. First thing I turn off in 1.13.

Nobody playing an RPG thinks your reticle size means anything. That's why Phoenix Point has to remind you of it every ten seconds, because it's the only game that does it that way.

 

[InD_ImaginE]

Honestly i just consider that reticle thing as indication of various level of aiming. Never really thought or want the "reticle simulate bullet landing"


That being said the UI in general is trying too hard to be quirky and modern

 

[ArchAngel]

Combat is Nu-Xcom

That is not correct. Xcom had very abstract boardgamey shooting, this doesn't. It's not perfect, but it is simulating the ballistics. If calling this Xcom, you might as well call Phoenix Point Xcom.

It is really not simulating anything. It is straight hit chance roll and if you miss that roll you miss character completely and at best the bullet can hit something behind although that happens rarely. Phoenix Point is actually simulating it.

 

[Surf Solar]

Combat is Nu-Xcom

That is not correct. Xcom had very abstract boardgamey shooting, this doesn't. It's not perfect, but it is simulating the ballistics. If calling this Xcom, you might as well call Phoenix Point Xcom.

In JA2 you can sneak into a sector, see the first few redshirts and can initiate the first killshot whenever you want.
JA3 uses retarded nu XCom free turn for the enemy to hide behind cover. It removes player agency. What are you talking about? JA3 feels boardgame-y as it is.

What the fuck is it that every merc has some kind of "special ability"?

 

[mondblut]

so it's not pure crap, but a missed chance. even worse.

That comes with the territory. "Missed chance" is Jagged Alliance's second name for over 20 years now.

 

[Tyranicon]

Initiating combat in this game is the dumbest thing I've ever seen in a tactical game*.

So, like most non-retards, you think in a turn-based game, you could toggle pause to give orders, slowly sneak your team up to the enemy, get behind cover, and start blasting.

No. That's for brainlets. Obviously you have to manage your entire team in real-time, including aiming with their fiddly ass system, try to get your guys in position without being seen, and then try to take potshots at the enemy, or even melee knife someone.



This essentially removes so many tactical advantages you could have otherwise had, and it makes combat really gamey instead of simulationist. At least in JA2 it was acceptable because the enemy didn't scatter behind cover with their free turn.

I can't decide if I'm impressed that they actually expected the player to run Starcraft-tier actions per minute to micro their squad (with the worst UI I've seen in a while), of if someone just was really stupid.

The best way to start combat is probably just to set up an overwatch trap and wait for someone to step into range.

*I will however, add the caveat that like a real man, I ignored the tutorial to learn the game organically. So if I'm being a retard and there's some easy way to actually toggle pause on the tactical map.... I missed it. Judging from the complaints on steam however, it doesn't seem like there is for the launch version.

 

[POOPERSCOOPER]

I would have probably enjoyed the game but then I read the codex. Gets me every time.

 

[DemonKing]

I would have probably enjoyed the game but then I read the codex. Gets me every time.

Well in good news the writing is very cheesy and non-PC (in a good way).

I just had Wolf invite Fox into the bushes to search for some nuts and she said she's already found a couple of melons but needs his opinion on whether they're ripe...

 

[InD_ImaginE]

Initiating combat in this game is the dumbest thing I've ever seen in a tactical game*.

So, like most non-retards, you think in a turn-based game, you could toggle pause to give orders, slowly sneak your team up to the enemy, get behind cover, and start blasting.

No. That's for brainlets. Obviously you have to manage your entire team in real-time, including aiming with their fiddly ass system, try to get your guys in position without being seen, and then try to take potshots at the enemy, or even melee knife someone.



This essentially removes so many tactical advantages you could have otherwise had, and it makes combat really gamey instead of simulationist. At least in JA2 it was acceptable because the enemy didn't scatter behind cover with their free turn.

I can't decide if I'm impressed that they actually expected the player to run Starcraft-tier actions per minute to micro their squad (with the worst UI I've seen in a while), of if someone just was really stupid.

The best way to start combat is probably just to set up an overwatch trap and wait for someone to step into range.

*I will however, add the caveat that like a real man, I ignored the tutorial to learn the game organically. So if I'm being a retard and there's some easy way to actually toggle pause on the tactical map.... I missed it. Judging from the complaints on steam however, it doesn't seem like there is for the launch version.

Yeah the real time stealth thing is badly done. Its just pretty annoying most of the time, but then its added with the pod free turn system just make first killshot hard to do.

They really need to remove one of these

 

[Lemming42]

Snipers are ludicrously overpowered for stealth shit, I just got to the church place on the mainland and cleared the whole map without ever going into turn-based mode. Entire team sat around doing fuck-all at the entrance while Buns crept in and took all the goons out with silent sniper headshots. Only exception was two guys who were stood together who she took out with a grenade.

 

[Black]

That stupid ass free-move so your enemies can get in cover is the most asinine, unrealistic, 2023 pro-gamer thing they could've added.

I was wondering how it plays out, and it's literally all your enemies scoot into cover as soon as they detect you.

nuxcom garbage

 

[cretin]

glad i didn't get my hopes up for this lol

 

[bobocrunch]

I would have probably enjoyed the game but then I read the codex. Gets me every time.

Well in good news the writing is very cheesy and non-PC (in a good way).

I just had Wolf invite Fox into the bushes to search for some nuts and she said she's already found a couple of melons but needs his opinion on whether they're ripe...

 

[udm]

I would like to buy this to show that there are monocled people out there who appreciate non-PC writing, but OTOH I don't want to show that I support the streamlining of games, especially when it comes to a revered series that I really love. What do, fellow dexers?

Spoiler

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

My biggest complains are small maps (even on the mainland) and bullet sponge enemies.
I don't know how much their stats changed, but suddenly they can withstand a couple of bursts from the trusty AK's.

Aren't vanilla JA2 black shirts pretty much same?

 

[Tyranicon]

According to random Steam rumors, stealth in the game got nerfed after one of the testers roflstomped the AI. I can see that, the AI is just mindlessly patrolling out in the open. If you are able to get the drop on them, you can wipe them out pretty easily.

I'm debating shelving the game until mods come out to remove certain nuXCOM elements, but it's not horrible.

In fact, a lot of the game's weaknesses are highly reminiscent of vanilla JA2, which since I replayed it not that long ago, is somewhat fresh in my mind.

Bad UI, fiddly controls, no tactical map pause... the list is pretty long.

But JA2 was a product of its time, limited by the technology of its day. I don't know what JA3's excuse is.

 

[randir14]

How do you enter underground areas? There's a sector that says it has a bunker but when I click on it nothing happens except my guys start traveling away to a different sector. I can't actually load into the map either:

Spoiler

 

[Lemming42]

The entrance to the underground area is found on the gameplay map itself, just a big interactable door.

 

[randir14]

The entrance to the underground area is found on the gameplay map itself, just a big interactable door.

Yeah I just figured it out, I didn't realize the command list let me load into the map.

 

[WhiskeyWolf]

Guess I will buy this once it's on discount, patched and there is a complete overhaul mod available for the game.

 

[markec]

Imagine still having hope for modern games.

 

[Beowulf]

My biggest complains are small maps (even on the mainland) and bullet sponge enemies.
I don't know how much their stats changed, but suddenly they can withstand a couple of bursts from the trusty AK's.

Aren't vanilla JA2 black shirts pretty much same?

Here every enemy is blackshirt

 

[Beowulf]

According to random Steam rumors, stealth in the game got nerfed after one of the testers roflstomped the AI. I can see that, the AI is just mindlessly patrolling out in the open. If you are able to get the drop on them, you can wipe them out pretty easily.

I'm debating shelving the game until mods come out to remove certain nuXCOM elements, but it's not horrible.

In fact, a lot of the game's weaknesses are highly reminiscent of vanilla JA2, which since I replayed it not that long ago, is somewhat fresh in my mind.

Bad UI, fiddly controls, no tactical map pause... the list is pretty long.

But JA2 was a product of its time, limited by the technology of its day. I don't know what JA3's excuse is.

Yes, stealthy melee kills are incredibly hard to pull off, at least at the beginning of the game. Same for throwing knives. I wanted to make it happen so it took me 6 or 7 reloads before I could kill one guard with a knife thrown into his neck.
Why do they choose this real time dexterity system is beyond me. You basically have to memorize the shortkeys and click like madman hoping that you can make in the time the mook stands still and before he wanders off.
In JA2 you could have someone like Blood clean the outer ring of the guards by himself using just throwing knives.