Jo vs JA (before I buy, what are differences)

[slickXQ]

Just wondering before I buy Academy if the multiplayer saber fighting/force but mostly saber dynamics are more similar to Jedi Outcast (original) or Jedi Outcast (post 1.04patch) cause personally I think the patch made the saber fighting not very smooth and didn't look as acrobatic/choreographed(sp?) as it did with the 1.04patch?

 

Thanks

-Nik

[Prime]

That's a bit of a tough one, Nik. I would probably say that it is closer to 1.04, at least in the saber damage aspect. There are a lot of new moves though, so it is quite different from JO in that department. Others will probably have to give their own feelings. I find JA MP to be smoother averall though...

[Wa'es]

JA is so much smoother than JO that there is no comparison. The differences are striking and definitely an improvement.

[Enjoi9187]

I COMPLETLY disagree. It seems as if they have made JKA more noob friendly. They have gotten rid of pratically ALL timing, because when you do time them after a swing, it hits their saber, and not them, as it would in JK2. There are so many cheap battles that end in 1 accidental hit that it is rediculous.

[Kurgan]

Well if you say the saber damage is similar you're right.

 

But remember that 1.04 was setup for "weak" sabers (ie: duel friendly) with saberdamagescale 1.

 

To get 1.02 style damage (which is better for non duels anyway) choose g_saberdamagescale 2.

 

Actually I prefer 2 for duels myself, so that's what I'm using all the time now.

 

The console is a powerful and wonderful thing, use it well (ie: don't turn forceregentime to 0, don't disable force or sabers on Siege, etc)

 

 

JA is skill based, its just different from JK2 in subtle ways, making some former JK2 players refuse to play the game, so if you're one of those guys don't buy it, because you'll end up whining on here a lot.

 

I COMPLETLY disagree. It seems as if they have made JKA more noob friendly. They have gotten rid of pratically ALL timing, because when you do time them after a swing, it hits their saber, and not them, as it would in JK2. There are so many cheap battles that end in 1 accidental hit that it is rediculous.

 

And I completely disagree. The new moves are ALL about timing. Just ask anybody. All the special moves and katas are useless if timed incorrectly. They waste mana and leave you wide open to attack, but if done right they can kill in one hit.

 

There is a new system (that can be mostly toggled off) for locational damage and smaller targetting areas that is meant to reward accuracy. However with lots of lag it seems harder to hit people (sorry 56kers?). But with practice you will get the timing. "Spamming" will never get you anywhere against experienced players except on servers that turn forceregen to 0.

 

 

Now, that said, lets NOT turn this into another flame thread ok? Just a warning because it seems like some people are determined to turn every thread commenting about the differences between JA and JK2 into a flame war. Instead, let's just let people know the differences without bashing everybody that plays each game and let the poster make up their own mind?

[Kurgan]

Okay, feature wise JA has more to offer than JK2 (despite a few missing features).

 

There is Siege, with classes and objectives in a team setting (although only three maps and no true bot support yet), and Power Duel (2 vs. 1).

 

"Flip Kicks" for the saber have been removed. If you want to kick you have to use the Staff (or Melee with g_debugmelee 1) and they don't work quite the same as in JK2.

 

Melee mode replaces the Stun Baton (fists). With g_debugmelee you can also do staff style kicks and grapples (grab enemy and beat them up at close range). Melee grants you most of the acrobatic moves normally associated with sabers. The sabers have a ton of new acrobatic moves added (roll away after being knocked down or kick up, grab wall and push off, run vertically up a wall, etc). New saber moves like katas (spinning combos that use force mana), ground stabs (for fallen victims), and roll stabs. Most new special moves use up mana and leave you vulnerable somehow.

 

Sabers can now be knocked out of your hand with the right type of swing or a missed throw, forcing you to retrieve it (like JK2 single player) although this doesn't happen much to the staff (unless thrown).

 

Idle sabers don't do damage anymore (might be a way to turn this back on other than in team games with friendly fire on, not sure...).

 

Graphical stuff has been added like locational damage (which can be toggled off to be more like JK2), body marks like saber scarring and twitching bodies, ragdoll physics (toggleable), etc. Dismemberment is stable online just like in 1.04.

 

Lightsabers and Melee are forced into Third Person Mode Only (you can change the camera views with the console, but no transparent skins, so first person mode in these just doesn't work right). Ditto for vehicles.

 

The BlasTech pistol is a slower version of the Bryar with infinite ammo.

 

You can use the Concussion Rifle from JK1 again (modified of course).

 

Inventory items can't be used anymore (except on addon maps like the JK2 conversion packs), except by non-Jedi in Siege mode (instead of Force Powers). There are new items like the EWEB, Cloaking Device and Jetpack.

 

Drivable vehicles & NPCs (Rancors, Wampas, etc) are usable in Multiplayer (Siege). You can also man Heavy Blaster Cannons in one CTF map.

 

CTY, Holocron FFA and Jedi Master Mode have been removed. Jedi Vs. Merc, CTF, FFA, Team FFA and Duel are still there, with totally new maps.

 

The bot don't seem quite as smart as they were in JK2, especially on this one map (Vjun) where they get stuck a lot and run backwards.

 

You can do more taunts in Duel and Power Duel mode, if you care about that sort of thing (thankfully you're vulnerable during them, but you can bust out of it with a quick swing or jump).

 

Single Player has lots more variety, where you can choose your character and the order of missions you play. The downside is that the plot is more generic and you don't get as much customization as Star Wars Galaxies (although by reading the "Not Enough Customization" thread you can see that with tweaking you can get a lot more variety for your character than the default settings allow).

 

The game is somewhat easier at least at the start, because you have Force and Saber right away. You also get more powers (previously only in Multiplayer) and the puzzles are simpler.

[Jaden X]

For this year's children's day (October 12th), mom wants to give me a present (I am 14 years old...). And I was thinking in buying JO, JA or Bounty Hunter (I doubt she will buy Bounty Hunter, anyway...).I saw JO for US$30.00 (R$90.00, in Brazil's money (the Real)). I haven't seen JA around here...

 

But what do you think? JO for US$30.00, or should I wait for JA (probably much more than US$50.00)?