Picture too large, no options for resulution ...bad, very bad

when not working please tell OS version and may be also your Hardware.

Can't downloading on OSX 15" MacPro Late 2016

NOT WORKING!!!!

Really expected this to include the patch... so strange to have v 1.03

Any ideas how to make it work on macOS Mojave?

how can i know the DLC is working?

I may decide to answer this more completely some other time, but I'll just give an overview this time. I will probably copy this to a fresh thread in the general discussion area just to help out a bit.

The DLC for Jagged Alliance 2 does give you the Classic Version, at least it did for me this last week around Christmas of 2022. But as usual, it isn't clearly explained either on the Store Page or many of the threads in this forum. Seems this is the curse of Jagged Alliance 2 almost everywhere online.

So here are so key facts:

-- JA2 Classic is actually installed in a sub-folder of the Wildfire Local Files.

This means that when you go to the Steam Library entry for Jagged Alliance 2 Wildfire and right click and choose Properties Local Files, the Classic Game is in the JA Classics sub-folder to the game.

-- JA2 Classic does not require Steam actually, Steam didn't exist when it was made.

-- You can directly run JA2 Classic by simply executing (double-clicking on JA2.exe or by simply right click and Open the file.

-- This will likely give you something like a 1024x768 or smaller resolution that is then stretched out to your actual desktop size, so it won't be true pixel to pixel on your monitor, so it may look blurry and lousy.

-- JA2 Classic DLC install here has some issues with it, all of which can be easily fixed, but this DLC does not actually give you the original files. What it does is install some custom Wine.dll files. This will allow it to have a slightly higher resolution than usual, but these were not in the original JA2 Classic.

-- These Wine files allow it to display at some larger resolutions than the original game did, but it is not the best way. There are better ways to handle this. In fact, Wildfire itself also is not solving the resolution issues in the best way. It is not really that Wine is the issue. It is these Wine files that aren't the best. This is because Wildfire was originally made when 1024x768 was close to the best you could do, with maybe 1280x1024 as the very, very best. The reasons don't matter, I'm just giving some context, and also explaining why many don't think Wildfire is not that hot.

-- Instead you can use other methods. I'm going to mention the way I used, which is also the same way that current Jagged Alliance 2 v1.13 mod NOW DOES IT, which is why I tried it. Yep it does work also.

-- The method is to use a program called CNC-DDRAW ... which was originally developed for Command & Conquer, is free and open-source, and available on Github. You can easily do a DuckDuckGo search and find the info for it. You just put it in the directory where JA2 Classic has its main executable ja2.exe. You then run it install it there, run CNC-Draw once to configure it, exit to save its configuration which is like 3-5 basic choices including stretch or not, resolution size, using integer scaling will avoid stretching yet keep it at the right resolution so that it looks picture perfect (the game is made of sprites so integer scaling you fit your resolution will not look blurry) and so on. After that, you won't have to worry about the wrong resolution for your monitor, at least it is fine up to 1080p, above that I didn't try.

-- If you want to, and I would highly recommend it, you can now also just download the latest Jagged Alliance 2 v1.13 Mod's files and slap those into the JA2 classic's folder, and CNC-DDRAW is already included in those. Plus with JA2 v1.13 Mod you also get options for new features, lots more to configure, and the ability to play either the original game, or the Unfinished Business Add-On that is running in its engine from JA2 Gold, or play the JA2 v113 mod, which has a ton more stuff but which does change from Classic with new features and other slight modifications and bug fixes.

-- My opinion is that v113 Mod is much, much more configurable than Wildfire, looks better than the standard Wildfire resolution improvements, works on a good JA2 CD install or whatever other way you got it, and because it is configurable it will not make the game as hard IF YOU DO NOT WANT IT SUPER HARD, BUT CAN ADD MANY FEATURES AND/OR MAKE IT AS HARD AS YOU WISH. So that flexibility is the icing on the cake.

-- AKA you don't have to get v113 to get it to run at higher resolutions. You can use something like CNC-DDRAW which is free and does work. But if you then get v113 Mod files you just install over, and it doesn't use Wine. It just will add lots of more files and take up more disk space, but that's what mods cause. The v113 mod adds all sorts of things. Want enemy Tanks to move instead of stay in one place, you can do that. Want Covert Ops so that you can try to infiltrate without getting caught and maybe not even fire a shot, you can do that. You want the Militia to be able to move from one strategic map sector to another, you can enable that option or not. You want to command Militia using Extended Ears as a radio during a battle in your sector, you can do that if you want to burn the AP to do so instead of have that MERC shoot, or do a bit of each. Get the point? It's in there. Some options can make you more capable, some can make you more vulnerable. It's a menu of options, you pick them, you set how they work, you configure amounts, costs in ap, etc. Wildfire is modders telling you the recipe. v113 is you telling the cook you want your steak rare and to add oregano on top of the left half of the second steak, but not on the first one.

-- For Jagged Alliance 2 v113 mod -- Understand that once again in its history the servers storing the files went down. So the files got moved to Github. IT is still being worked on and constantly improved or changed. But the mod is long ago finished in terms of being in working condition, we are talking working for years going almost on to a decade now.

-- So where do you find the download. Here is the easiest way, it is a link to a thread of a long-time poster known as Kitty on JA-Galaxy forums, which also went down about 2-4 years back, then was brought back a year later or so. Different event, same effect. Here is the link:

http://thepit.ja-galaxy-forum.com/index.php?t=msg&th=24648&start=0&

The thread there will explain everything. But in case you don't want to go to the forums, here is the link to the actual download off of Kitty's Mediafire page:

{LINK REMOVIDO}https://www.mediafire.com/folder/v3fqk19jbsai0/SCI+JA2+v1.13

This is just a folder on a cloud storage site where he has stored his copies of the files from GitHub. So why not just link to GitHub. Well the devs for the game only put source code basically there. It isn't yet compiled into an executable file and data to use on it. It is in Source Code right straight off the compiler and a bin file that works for the compiler, basically. Why? Because this is built from the original Sir-Tech devs' release of the source code and data files done after Sir-Tech went out of business. Sir-Tech was the actual original devs of Jagged Alliance Series. They also made Wizardry Series like volume 8, I think all of them actually, but just in case just saying 8 for now. Sir-Tech is almost as old as the original Microprose or SSI, there is overlap in their existence with those companies as they were contemporaries for quite some time.

Ok, so now you should know enough to figure it all out on your own, if you want to undertake the journey. But I'm not going to go into further detail.

-- One more thing just to help you out. There is no virus threat in any of this. But, if you use the Online Safe crapola stuff from certain anti-virus software, any site which doesn't file a special entry to Microsoft etc., which costs hundreds of dollars, is going to automatically be deemed unsafe. If you turn off the online function which is basically asking for a Certificate of Identity of the site being registered, some sites don't have them, some had them but let them expire, etc. Well Kitty is a person, he's not a company, so he ain't gonna do that. And Sir-Tech is long out of business, so forget them. And the v113 devs, well their SVN depository for code etc went down about 6 months ago, and probably was on several volunteered computers. They would be stupid to waste money, hundreds of dollars for registering the certificates, and each time they change servers, it happens again, and probably every year another deposit. You can just use GitHub and the right compiler with the right settings and do it the hard way. Or you can understand that checking a certificate of authenticity is not on most smaller sites of individuals. Also, in case you don't know this, most hacks on business sites that stole your information where on sites that had these certificates and it did not protect you then, nor will it now. But all that is up to you.

So there you have it. And this was the short version, long enough to explain what any person who wants to truly do it needs, but I'm not going to hold your hands farther. No one helped me. You can just read all the posts of the last 5 years on every website, Gog, Steam, JA Galaxy, have used all the v113 versions of note from 7609 to the one from 12-22-2022 if you want. Or you can go, hmm he wasted all this time and space, maybe he actually loves JA2 and is trying to give me some help -- that's on you.

Have a belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. If it works for you, hey feel free to pass it along in any post you make or just link to my post. Whatever works for you and spreads the enjoyment.

I'm just tired of the nonsense of the constant JA2 curse and the fog of war about all the versions. I posted stuff like this in lots of the other Steam Forums before publishers changed and then they nuked those forums or nuke the old posts on those forums, same on Gog etc. I tire of the misinformation on this great, great game.

Blessings to you. Now, i'm going to let the door hit me on the way out.