The Blue Sun Mod

[R@S]

Originally Posted by Tozmeister

btw Ras, a Febuary release for the final version? hope you get it out before the release of Jagged Alliance. will you be switching to modding that after?

The release date is mostly egotistical, I want some spare time in February when BiA is released, damn all else

I am not a 100% sure if 2.0 will be the last version tho. Even if I'm a bit bored of modding 7.62, I've been doing that almost 3 years now, I might get my mojo back after playing BiA.

If it is possible to mod BiA I will prolly try to do something with it, once you get bitten by the mod bug it's hard to shake. But I wont know the modding capabilities of BiA until I have it on my HD, so we'll see.

I have just started looking into what to add in BSM 2.0 and made a small discovery. I found the file that controls what speed you get traveling on the global map. The problem is a binary file that adds the path finding points for it, but if I manage to crack it, adding a helicopter might not be out of the question. The model from BE5 could easily be imported.

Another thing that needs to get done for 2.0 is all the shops and their inventories. Since there is now more than 400 weapon in the game, dividing them up categories makes more sense. Some weapons should be very rare, others very expensive. I will also remake the weapon order code for Uribe, it's way to clunky and badly made. Maybe add a shopping cart so more than 1 item can be order at once. And while doing that, make some new places where you can order weapons, and ammo too. I'm not sure how I'll implement these ideas yet, but since I know it must be done I'll get it done ASAP.

[Tozmeister]

If you're on the requests trail then can you add a few more maps for random encounters? The 13(? 16?) there are now get a bit repeatative. Especially when you know where the good fire points are from. Another 6 or 7 would be good.

A random map generator would be even better but I'm guessing thats asking a bit much?

Request No. 2 :- glowsticks. useful in the early game before NVG's. chuck 'em around like grenades to light up a small area.

Request No. 3 :- the logic that allows AI to get past/through boobie traps too easily. Or has that been fixed and I'm forgetting?

[R@S]

I think I have used all the maps I can from Reloaded, not sure if there are any left that could work as a random encounter map. I was in your situation a couple of years ago, so I started forcing myself not to use the usual spots on those random maps. It actually makes the game more fun since you have to try new tactics when you don't have a perfect spot to shoot from.

Creating new maps are out of the question, I think the company that made the map builder for Apeiron has followed them down. And since all lighting are controlled through the map files(Tac Light excluded since it uses some different system I'm not familiar with) I cant do anything about it..

I would love to add glowsticks, but don't think it's possible without knowing the magic behind tac lights and grenades, sorry.

The AI is still omniscient regarding traps, I have tried many different things and it still wont work. All that is left is the actual source code for AI behavior, but that is obviously out of reach.

[Kyle]

Thrilled to hear that the Benicia situation's figured out! Yay!


In regards to supplying weapons/gear, if it's not too much trouble, could you supply two different systems? One that's geared towards "evolving gameplay" and another for those that want the immediate gratification of being able to cuddle up with their favorite lead-spewing babies?

The "evolving gameplay" system would be setup realistically. Legitimate weapon dealers at bigger locales would be able to supply a larger catalog of weaponry immediately from the game's start, and allow access to those weapons that they could order. The newest weaponry/gear could be ordered with a 50% down payment, and then take 3-4 weeks for shipment. There would be quite a price penalty to be paid for the shipping and handling, but as a major conflict heats up, the price/time cost would gradually reduce as these weapons would already be "in the pipeline" to the conflict zone since it's now a good source of dependable income for the weapons manufacturers. Eventually even the best "special forces" gear wouldn't have to be shipped at all. They'd be readily available at the better shops. Perhaps a bonus could be supplied to the Player for those traders he frequently shops from. Black market dealers can occasionally get their hands on such premium weapons, and perhaps have them delivered a week or two earlier than the legitimate dealers could, but their prices are much greater. Yes, I know that having Players wait for 2-4 weeks' worth of game-time is a pretty hefty "penalty," but it seems more than fair to me so that they can get their hands on a brand-spanking new HK416 or a SCAR...

The "immediate cuddle up" system would be accessible via the radio, and the Player could order up weapons/gear through it. They'd pay a normal price for the items (I'd make ammo available for ordering too), and then they'd spawn nearby, akin to ordering up a mercenary. This setup would be ideal for those Players who don't like the slow buildup to the weapons and gear that they love. They simply want their babies now so that they can execute the combat as they see fit.


Top 3 Wishes for the Next Release
(1) Supply ammo boxes that come pre-mixed with different ammo types. Graphically, such boxes would have two colors on it, color-coded to indicate the ammo mix inside. In bold font would be the following combinations:
AP+FMJ
AP+HP
FMJ+HP
The rounds could be mixed in one of two counts: Burst and Alternate. A "burst" count box of mixed ammo would be that the first of three rounds would always be a single AP followed by two FMJs. An "alternate" count box of mixed ammo would simply alternate the rounds so that it would go "AP, FMJ, AP, FMJ, etc., etc."

I strongly feel that a ton of Players would appreciate being able to purchase pre-mixed boxes of ammunition. While the Player can do this himself in the game, it's very time consuming, boring, and a third of the time the GUI doesn't display properly till a reload of the last save is done. This is more than a little irritating when it happens.


2. Ensure that windows always permit the Player to see the enemy on the other side of the glass. The reasons for this are pretty obvious, because to have an enemy see you when you can't see him, even though they're just 5 feet away from the window's surface is, well, pretty golly-durned frustrating.

3. Supply better Tips to aide in figuring out the gameplay. I'm talking about for items such as how to setup claymores, which I still haven't been able to pull off properly! I'd also list the Top Ten major changes that the latest release of the Blue Sun Mod supplies, and that includes managing taxes on a territory.

4. "Yes," I know that I said that this would be my "Top 3" list, but this last one's so low that I thought that it wouldn't hurt to mention it anyway... Allow the player to pickup and carry three medium-sized stones per single box, which can be used to throw towards the enemy to make them think that a grenade has been thrown at them. I've read about some rather nasty firefights in the Pacific Theatre during WWII where the American soldiers were so low on grenades that they alternated throwing stones at the enemy. It got to the point that when the light was dim enough the Japanese ran away in terror nearly every single time a stone was thrown.



If, as you mentioned earlier, you can get Brigade E5's helicopter into the game, that would be awesome!

If anyone has the mind and fingers to do it, it's you man!

Hopefully, the upcoming release of Jagged Alliance 2 Back in Action won't draw you away for too long. I am SO disappointed to hear that there's no fog of war, that only one attachment can be setup per weapon, and the game's being released so that it's not "mod-friendly." What in the world are the developers thinking when it comes to making these three HUGE blunders?!

I very rarely purchase "brand new" titles at top price, and I was seriously considering doing so for JA2 BiA, but it's hard for me to imagine doing so now. If they were smart, they'd release a free demo a week prior to release, because I can't imagine the wrath they're going to receive if they force JA2 lovers to shell out hard earned cash for a game that they're going to end up hating!

Honestly, as much as I admire JA2+1.13, the best tactical experience I've ever had in a game is 7.62, but that's primarily due to all of the work poured into it to improve it through the Blue Sun Mod. Seriously, 1C should be cutting you a BIG check every now and then!

Good luck R@S, and thank you for all that you freely do for us!

[IceShade]

Really? Those limitations for BiA? Not mod-friendly? That.. sucks.

Oh well, meanwhile, I shall play some more JA2 1.13.. It's not the same with turn based and action points, though :/

I love 7.62's gunplay a lot more. Shame it had to be made on such a wonky, wonky engine. Those crazy Russians.

[R@S]

@ Kyle

I have stopped adding features that makes the game easier, it ruins the fun. So for the new supply system I feel strongly about letting the evolution take it's course.

1: I never felt that making mixed ammo clips was time consuming or annoying. And never buggy! And I like to change my variation as the game progresses, like having 2 rounds AP, then one HP. Or 2 HP, then one FMJ.

2:That's an issue with the mapfiles, not possible to change.

3:Like telling people to read the frigging FAQ.txt located in the game folder?

4:Might be possible to create a grenade without a bang, I'll look into it.

@IceShade

I haven't heard a peep from you about the new weapon sounds, are they to your satisfaction?

[Kyle]

I have stopped adding features that makes the game easier, it ruins the fun. So for the new supply system I feel strongly about letting the evolution take it's course.

2:That's an issue with the mapfiles, not possible to change.

3:Like telling people to read the frigging FAQ.txt located in the game folder?

Well, maybe make it a little more detailed then, supplying step-by-step example wouldn't hurt. The taxing system was unknowingly bedeviling me. For instance, I didn't know why I had a -14 rating from the compound that I cleared to retrieve the CIA documents. After the bandits were all killed, it wasn't occupied by anyone other than a couple of the slaves I set free, the "Mayor" (that title for a small military installation that you control strikes me as odd, please consider changing it from "Mayor" to "Coordinator" or "Facilitator"), and the valet driver. It didn't dawn on me till much later that I had jacked up the tax rate at the Palinero bank before I had conquered anything. I just wanted to see if the system would give me free money, and it rightfully didn't. But even though I wasn't in control of anything at the time I made the request, it must've been applied to the military base as soon as I liberated it. I later lowered the tax rate to see if the -14 would go away, but Real Life kicked in and I haven't been able to see if that would affect any change in the positive direction. Players need to know that playing around with the tax rate at any bank, before any territory is conquered, is going to impact what happens as soon as a territory is taken over.

The same could be said in regards to building up a militia. I tried that shortly after I gained the radio, yet there wasn't a number displayed on the screen to show that a militia was being raised, nor were any men present whenever I returned to the base. I had plenty of money for the moderate number that I ordered, so I was left wondering "How long do I have to wait till I see any results?" And, I wondered, "What would they be armed with?" Could I arm them individually with weapons that I looted, or...? These kinds of questions weren't answered in the Read Me, and it's this kind of thing that I think that should be fleshed out, so players have a better idea as to what to expect.

4:Might be possible to create a grenade without a bang, I'll look into it.

Yay!

1: I never felt that making mixed ammo clips was time consuming or annoying. And never buggy! And I like to change my variation as the game progresses, like having 2 rounds AP, then one HP. Or 2 HP, then one FMJ.

*Sniff-sniff...sniff-sniff...*
Would it make it any easier if I said I could live with your style of ammo-mixing?

Puh-please... My...um...puppy...that had a bright red bow around its neck...just got ran over by a...semi truck...and my heart's already crushed...and I don't know how much more...pain...I could handle...sniff-sniff...

[Tozmeister]

May I just echo Kyle and add my thanks and appreciation for all your hard work on BSM, Ras and others. Good work fella(s).

Was this assked earlier but can items be re-combined to form a stack? nothing uglier than 20 half empty cartons of ammo each with it's own slot in inventory.

What about the big ammo box's? can they be altered so spare ammo can be put back in? what if it was classed as just a very large magazine that didn't fit any gun?

[R@S]

@ Kyle
I know there should be a better written FAQ, and maybe someday someone with some spare time will write one. But until then you will have to actually learn as you go. About the militia and their numbers. Each time you order more men, you do that by increasing the city's budget. The amount you increase varies, as do the number of men you will be able to have on the budget and the current salary of one single man.

And all the militia doesn't always turn up right away, sometimes it takes a few days before the numbers fit the budget you set for the town. This is why you should keep an eye on the "Check Economy" page when using the field radio. It tells you the most important parts, and the number of militias you have.

I know I said that I wouldn't add things that would make the game easier, but I might have to do that anyways. I was thinking of writing out the rank on enemies tags, like "Bandit Leader" or "Rebel Commander". The reason behind this is actually not to make it easier, but to balance another new thing that might make the game even more difficult. I plan to boost enemy AI and it will be tactically prudent to choose the right targets. There are 5 types of enemy soldier for most factions, and they will be more intelligent, see and react better. By putting their rank in the tag will make it easier to spot the biggest threat, apart from what type of weapon he's carrying and what current action he's performing. I think it will be very fun testing this once I have it ready

@Tozmeister
The stacking of ammo boxes are hard to do, would require some serious exe hacking, well out of my league.

If I made the big ammo boxes as large clips you wouldn't be able to refill other clips from them. You would have to empty all the rounds first, then drop them on the clip you wanted filled. I know, weird, but those are the rules

@Dajjal
Open up the BlueSunMod.ini located in your 7.62\ini\ folder and set the ClassSystem to "1". Then you need to start a new game and select a class. Hope you haven't gotten too far into the game.

And welcome to the board

[IceShade]

Originally Posted by R@S

@ Kyle

I have stopped adding features that makes the game easier, it ruins the fun. So for the new supply system I feel strongly about letting the evolution take it's course.

1: I never felt that making mixed ammo clips was time consuming or annoying. And never buggy! And I like to change my variation as the game progresses, like having 2 rounds AP, then one HP. Or 2 HP, then one FMJ.

2:That's an issue with the mapfiles, not possible to change.

3:Like telling people to read the frigging FAQ.txt located in the game folder?

4:Might be possible to create a grenade without a bang, I'll look into it.

@IceShade

I haven't heard a peep from you about the new weapon sounds, are they to your satisfaction?

Oh I haven't played 7.62 in a looooooong time. I decided to try Jagged Alliance 2 with 1.13 and that reminded me of this, so I checked here again.

I just installed the latest version to check the sounds, fired a few from the shop and it's much better. It wasn't so much the quality, but simply that everything sounded the same.

It's impressive you still have the motivation to work on the mod after all this time. The 7.62 fanbase is rather limited!