1.23 vs TSF: Which is better?

[KRSplat]

A couple of... seconds ago, I thought "all the good levels are coming on TSF. Not fair." Then I evolved it in that curious way minds do into this question: All things considered: which is better, TSF or 1.23?

I'm going to try to break this down and hopefully turn it into a fair question without an obivous answer. You will have to decide for yourself which is better to have if you can only have one. Here we go:


<b>SINGLE PLAYER:</b>

TSF is everything 1.23 is, and more. But only a little bit more. Although it does show off some of the more advanced capabilities of JCS, the new SP addition in TSF is worthless. Of course, the entire JJ2 single player was worthless anyway, so it doesn't really matter. So, instead of analyzing this section, I am going to simply make fun of how bad it is. Or maybe I won't. Anyway, 1.24 wins this, but not by much. It's not like this really matters anyway.

<b>LEVELMAKING:</b>

This one obviously goes to TSF. The Secret Files JCS gives you a bigger level size, bigger tileset size, and more events. This comparison is evened out slightly (very slightly.) by a 1.24 -> 1.23 level converter, which allows TSF users to turn their 1.24 JCS levels into 1.23 levels. This program, unfortunately, seems to be a little bit buggy, and it still can't let you have the extra sizes and events that are TSF-only. Also, TSF is a little bit harder to design for, as you have to incorporate the character addition of Lori in your gameplay and still keep it un-biased, fair, and even. But overall, TSF has a large advantage in this important category that has kept JJ2 alive for the five years it has been.

<b>ONLINE PLAY: </b>

This one is, by far, the most important aspect of both games. There are a few things to review in this category: Capabilities, Features, Speed, Bugs, and Online Community. But since both are about exactly the same in everything except one, I'll just skip right to Community. The original wins this one by far. While 1.23 is played worldwide, TSF is played almost exclusively in TSF. Half of the time, there is nobody playing TSF online anyway, while there has never been a time at which I have experienced nobody playing 1.23 online. So 1.23 wins this one.

<b>FEATURES: </b>

The only difference between the two is Lori, and since nobody uses her anyway (sorry, Dr. Jones), this doesn't really make a difference. Jazz Jackrabbit 2 doesn't really have that many important extra features that can make a game perfect, anyway. How about recorded and saved stats? How about built-in chat log? How about bug fixes (there are plenty of roaches and mosquitoes in JJ2 to kill)? Anyway, TSF wins because of the semi-unimportant Lori.

[Lark]

1.24 sucks. Why? N00bs.

[Disguise]

TSF wins, you can't make somehting like <a href="http://www.jazz2online.com/downloads/moreinfo.php?levelid=2418">this</a> in 1.23, we're all just too lazy to go play in TSF

[EvilMike]

1.23 has better online play due to the levels hosted and the people who play in them. I stick with 1.23 because the people I know play it. I'm not as rabidly anti-TSF as I used to be, but I hate lori just as much as I always have, and I also hate making levels which cater to lori and her inability to jump high.

As for bigger tilesets and levels able to be used in TSF, there's no arguement from me about how that is a good feature. I must say that I really have never seen a tileset bigger than 1000 tiles where I would feel like using each one, so I don't care too much about this feature. The bigger levels thing is nice, but I found out that 1.23 can still make levels that size; you just can't save in them. Therefore I see no point in making a TSF level unless it's in a TSF tileset, because a 1.23 level can be played in both.

As for single player, TSF levels have two main advantages which I see: a larger selection of tilesets to chose from and new enemies. Unfortunately the only new enemy that actually has unique stats and isn't just an old one with a face lift is the blue ghost (it follows you when you face away from it and takes 2 hits to kill instead of one). The blue ghost looks like crap though, and it has to be the ugliest enemy in jj2 (probably why it is hidden from the event list). I did not mention the fact that jj2 doesn't crash with big levels because you can just make a 1.23 level and play it in TSF, which I reccomend.

[Radium]

1.23, because pretty much everyone who has TSF got it illegally.

[$tilettø]

1.23, because pretty much everyone who has TSF got it illegally.
..that makes no sence.

[Stijn]

I got it legally. Hah. Go me.

BTW, When searching for JJ2 (t-shirts) on the internet (with (Spyware Package 2003+Chinese Fried Rice) I found more 1.23 downloads than TSF downloads.

Derby: Content replacement.

[MoonBlazE]

I dislike the TSF JCS because you can play 1.23 levels on TSF, but not opposide. I don't like Lori either.

[Newspaz]

ONLINE PLAY:

This one is, by far, the most important aspect of both games. There are a few things to review in this category: Capabilities, Features, Speed, Bugs, and Online Community. But since both are about exactly the same in everything except one, I'll just skip right to Community. The original wins this one by far. While 1.23 is played worldwide, TSF is played almost exclusively in TSF. Half of the time, there is nobody playing TSF online anyway, while there has never been a time at which I have experienced nobody playing 1.23 online. So 1.23 wins this one.

TSF also wins this. Since we're looking at what game is best. Not what community is best :P

[Stijn]

TSF is played almost exclusively in TSF.

What?