Game News More JA3D & JA3 news

[Ausir]

Tags: Jagged Alliance 3D; MISTLand

Thanks to Snap, a Russian speaker from <a target=_blank href=http://www.strategyfirst.com/forum/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum;f=47>Strategy First forums</a>, here are more <a href=http://www.rpgcodex.com/gamedetails.php?id=257>Jagged Alliance 3D</a> and <a href=http://www.rpgcodex.com/gamedetails.php?id=166>Jagged Alliance 3</a> bits translated from <a target=_blank href=http://www.mistgames.ru/>MISTland</a>'s Russian forum:
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<ul><li>JA3D will use an updated graphical engine of <a target=_blank href=http://www.mistgames.ru/eng/projects/projects/alfa/news.shtml>Alfa: Antiterror</a>, MISTland's other tactical game. However, AI and other game logic will be developed from scratch.</li>
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<li>The project leader will be Yaroslav Astakhov, who is also the project leader for Alfa.</li>
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<li>Tactical features of JA2, such as movement, shooting, concealment, etc., will be preserved and even expanded.</li>
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<li>JA3D will not be turn-based outside combat like Paradise Cracked</li>
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<li>The weapons list will be expanded compared to UB. More heavy weapons are promised, but sci-fi weapons, like rocket rifles, are not planned.</li>
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<li>Strategy First has considerable creative control over the project</li>
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<li>The emphasis of this project will be on great looks and entertainment, as opposed to being aimed at the most hard-core fans (Wildfire was cited as an example of the latter).</li></ul>
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The last bit sounds a little worrying, although Wildfire was indeed too hardcore to me.

 

[Sol Invictus]

Hard-core strategy titles aimed towards the 'fans' have a tendency to be really, unplayably hard. JA2 had a lot of mainstream appeal, and everyone (who liked turn-based) could simply pick up the game and play it from the get go, with a little reading of the in-game help.

Wildfire was the antithesis of accessibility. It was bad, and unbeatably difficult. Not exactly my idea of fun.

That said I'm looking forward to this.

 

[keeks]

Hmm, the engine looks pretty good. However, MISTland's last game (Paradise Cracked) apparently sucked ass. So that's a bit worrying.

 

[Ausir]

It sucked mostly because the TB outside combat, which JA3 & 3D won't have.

 

[Anonymous]

TB outside of combat just made things slow, if you could get used to it, PC wasnt too bad, but it was still a problem, and as JA didnt have that, it's double good they arnt using it.

Wildfire just annoyed the piss out of me, it was basically an extra difficulty level for mega JA2 players that needed something more than the normal Hard more. Easy mode was still pretty tricky for me (I dunno, I do fine in most strategy games, but JA2 is a tough nut to crack), so that was a huge mark against Wildifre on my list.

If JA3 is too easy, I imagine someone will just plug-in some new difficulty modifiers like Wildfire.

 

[Ausir]

This is a comment by SFI's Richard Therrien to the (not very good) reaction of JA fans in the JA3 forum to the MISTland announcement:

Hi all, woah, lots of reactions for such little info!

Anyway, we should keep something in mind. We are doing a JA game and that should tell it all. JA is JA with JA rules. We have done Disciples too and Disciples is not JA so, it looks and play different.

This studio is competent on many levels and must be respected for that. What people may think of other games they may have completed is really irrelevant in the sense that we are talking about JA.

Come on people, give the guys a break, lol.

 

[Dhruin]

I'm still not clear on exactly what JA3D is vs JA3. Is it a UB remake or not? Why does it make sense to make JA3 and a UB remake at the same time?

 

[Ausir]

IT's not a remake after all. It'll just be similar in size to UB. And they aren't being developed simultaneously. JA3D is being developed first, then JA3.

 

[Dhruin]

OK...It must be my day for stupid questions. What is the point of the two games? Why not develop JA3 and then addons and sequels for that?

 

[Elwro]

Maybe they think they will earn some easy cash by not putting too much effort to the first game and quickly releasing it?

 

[Sol Invictus]

Perhaps. SFI is famous for releasing sub-par games based on hits. Case in point: the two Disciples expansions, the numerous Europa Universalis spinoffs, JA Wildfire, JA UB.