Making Jedi Academy a new generation game... my thoughts on it.

[RancorSNP]

This is NOT a Teaser, this is NOT a project it will NEVER be done.

 

This is just my thoughts, very old thoughts, on making this game more interesting, nice, good looking etc.

 

Well, I think I'll start with the gameplay :,

generally I really do like its vanilla gameplay but it could use some improvements.

1) For example I think that weapon shooting is a little bit boring, adding more dispersion to the guns, not just some random values but depending on player state, should do just fine. For eg.

 

 

if playerstate == walk 

angs[YAW] += (WEAPON_SPREAD + 0.5f );

angs[PITCH] += blah blah

elseif playerstate == run

Of course this code is entirely wrong, but I guess it shows what I have in thought. 

 

2) I do not have any objections to to saber fighting system, but maybe fixing some of the special features like ground stab or saber locking, would make them actually worthwhile and they won't be a mere annoyance when enabled (well only one of them can be disabled)

Also fixing force requiring moves like pull stab, slashing would be good in siege mode (any in siege mode only)

 

3) Fixing votes so hackers can't access server files  and than finishing the development of team votes which were supposed to be implemented.

 

4) Fixing in game award system, 

 

5) Making animals work in multiplayer (yay, that's a part of my old JAE project. Well I plan on fixing howler with my friend, when I will finally learn C language). Adding them full AI support for their animations (like rancor's attack against high targets, which would finally make rancor any threat)

 

6) General fixing, adding features and fixmes, that are in code and they seem possible , have sense.  For eg. there is a comment that shows that unlimited staff chain is only temporary, but changing this, and thinking of new chain limit, would just discourage players to use it, On the other hand lots of other changes mentioned in code, would be a nice addition to our game. This of course would require a skilled crew, eezstreet maybe? Don't really remember that much coders. 

 

Graphics and immersion :

 

1) When it comes to the graphics, shadows need a little bit fixing, don't know if its possible though. cg_shadows 2 looks really nice, but they are often created on player in very unnatural way, that makes it look extra weird  cg_shadows 3 on the other hand , are way to dark, and act like static, shadow can just flow in air.

 

2) Retexturing the game... Not really. While new textures are sufficient for player models, I use JulioC's characters (except of jawas), just textures don't really cut it when it comes to general look. Using Graphics overhaul, and Better graphics combined, can give you great textures and amazing look, but its still squarish and there is a contrast between quality of textures and 

 

3) models. Yeah, what this game needs is a general reworking of models for objects and litter, bottles, cards, chairs , that kind of stuff.They'd have to be a high quality like Szico's or Inyri's. Right use of glass effects , and shine, reflections is crucial.

 

4) General map improvement, maybe adding some new maps, to each gametype. At least one per type. 

 

5) Using better sound really makes you feel a lot nicer. I have made one mod, Rancor's Sound overhaul I think , for sure it starts with Rancor's and have sounds in name, it really makes you feel way better playing the game, also changing sounds text file to make some of them audible in wider spread worked just fine. Hearing waterfall before you see it is good. This mod is NOT download able, as I have used sounds from Oblivion, Left 4 Dead, and some from internet, WITHOUT permission of original owners, therefore I have no right to upload it anywhere.It's just for my use, sorry.

 

 

That's all I can remember for now, but I sure have more ideas how to improve the game, which I will post somewhere here. Doing something that big would require a lot f skilled modders, (which are actually reading it), and I repeat, I have NO intention of making such a thing. It's just an idea box for you guys.

Well I'll probably post some more soon. 

Cheers.

 

(Oh well, you can sure share your own ideas, or to (dis)agree with mine. Don't feel bad about it, its a forum afteral)

[Fighter]

1) For example I think that weapon shooting is a little bit boring, adding more dispersion to the guns, not just some random values but depending on player state, should do just fine.

 

5) Making animals work in multiplayer (yay, that's a part of my old JAE project. Well I plan on fixing howler with my friend, when I will finally learn C language). Adding them full AI support for their animations (like rancor's attack against high targets, which would finally make rancor any threat)

 

6) General fixing, adding features and fixmes, that are in code and they seem possible , have sense.  For eg. there is a comment that shows that unlimited staff chain is only temporary, but changing this, and thinking of new chain limit, would just discourage players to use it, On the other hand lots of other changes mentioned in code, would be a nice addition to our game. This of course would require a skilled crew, eezstreet maybe? Don't really remember that much coders. 

 

For 1, I did something like this that make you more/less accurate with your shots depending on if you were standing, running, or walking, and/or crouching. I don't think I tested the code though, but if you or anyone else is interested, here it is.

 

This goes in the FireWeapon function in g_weapon.c, but I'm not sure if the func is base JKA or OJP.

 

For 5, OJP did some stuff like this, and I think they included in in OJP Basic too, so you could take a look at that code if you wanted. For example, howlers screech and they force you to cover your ears like in SP. Not sure if they did anything with the rancor, though.

 

For 6, JAC's modbase is doing a lot of that sort of stuff, and because it's Git people can make pull requests to have their own fixes and such included.

[eezstreet]

give it better graphics, everyone will be none the wiser.

[eezstreet]

edit:

 

4) Fixing in game award system, 

 

wasn't ever "broken", it's just leftover code from Quake 3

[RancorSNP]

@@eezstreet

While I do agree, that "fixing" is a wrong term. Something that doesn't really exist can't be broken, I have to disagree its just a leftover.

Don't know how bout the code, but strings point Jedi Academy direction :

 

 

REFERENCE           40MOM019

LANG_ENGLISH        "Ace award"

 

REFERENCE           40MOM020

LANG_ENGLISH        "First Strike award"

 

REFERENCE           40MOM021

LANG_ENGLISH        "Jedi Master award"

 

Anyways, you are probalby right that improving graphics would be enough for almost everyone, but if we are dreaming (creating new models and making them all compatible + everything else would require too much effort for any team to make)  we can always dream about more eh?

 

@@Fighter

 

I am novice when it comes to C, but I don't think you can add slope to Disruptor which is traceent.

 

Thanks for your links, I'll sure have a look at them.

[Fighter]

I don't think you can add slope to Disruptor which is traceent.

Makes sense, thanks for the info! I'll be sure to update my code in my project.

[eezstreet]

@@eezstreet

While I do agree, that "fixing" is a wrong term. Something that doesn't really exist can't be broken, I have to disagree its just a leftover.

Don't know how bout the code, but strings point Jedi Academy direction :

 

 

REFERENCE           40MOM019

LANG_ENGLISH        "Ace award"

 

REFERENCE           40MOM020

LANG_ENGLISH        "First Strike award"

 

REFERENCE           40MOM021

LANG_ENGLISH        "Jedi Master award"

 

Anyways, you are probalby right that improving graphics would be enough for almost everyone, but if we are dreaming (creating new models and making them all compatible + everything else would require too much effort for any team to make)  we can always dream about more eh?

I'd ask Rich if I were you. He's always behind the scenes coding weird things into JA (SOF2's RMG port works, with a little bit of maintenance, Siege was in JK2, etc)