List of Jazz Jackrabbit 2 Command Line Arguments

This entry attempts to list the command line arguments that Jazz Jackrabbit 2 enables.

How to Use

Use the windows Run command (Start Menu → Run) and enter the location of your Jazz2.exe.
Example: C:\Games\Jazz2\Jazz2.exe. Put a space after the file and put the command-line arguments there. Example: C:\Games\Jazz2\Jazz2.exe -nosound. Alternatively, one can create a windows shortcut to Jazz2.exe and adapt the command line of the shortcut to include the command-line arguments. This can be used to automatically start Jazz2 without sound, or with the spy window on.

List of Command Line Arguments

Did you know :
  1. There are two types of command line arguments. The first type (system-type arguments) are parsed before the main window is created, while the second (game-type arguments) are parsed after. By convention, the first type should be entered in lowercase while the second in uppercase, but this is not necessary.
  2. Using -SERVER bypasses the instance check. This means that you can open as many JJ2 windows by running -SERVER randomlevel.j2l, and then leaving the game, as you want.

Note: This list is ordered in the way which Jazz2 interprets the arguments.

System-type Arguments

  • -safe – Starts in safe mode, which does the following:
    • sets window to safemode,
    • disables sound and directsound,
    • disables spy,
    • disables network,
    • disables joystick,
    • disables directdraw,
    • disables CPU detection,
    • ignores the remaining system-type arguments.
  • -windowed – Runs the game in windowed mode.
  • -fullscreen – Runs the game in fullscreen mode. (Warning: will overwrite -windowed setting.)
  • -log[=] – Writes a log file to filename (default: jazz2.log)
  • -nolog – Disables log output. (Warning: will overwrite -log setting.)
  • -spy – Enables the Spy window, which gives feedback information on what happens in-game, such as the filenames of levels that start playing.
  • -nospy – Disables the Spy window. (Warning: will overwrite -spy setting.)
  • -nosound – Starts Jazz without the sound drivers loaded. Useful for debugging problems or just if one likes to play without the sounds on.
  • -nodsound – Disables the usage of DirectSound.
  • -nonetwork – Disables network usage.
  • -noddrawwin – Disables DirectDraw in windowed mode.
  • -noddraw – Disables DirectDraw overall.
  • -noddrawmemcheck – Skips the memory check, which finds out how much available video memory the system has.
  • -noreg – Disables reading from/writing to the registry.
  • -nojoy – Disables the detection of joysticks.
  • -noerrtrap – Disables the Jazz2 version of the “Application Error” message when an error occurs.
  • -nocpucheck – Disables CPU detection.

Game-type Arguments

  • -RECORD – Records a macro of the level you start.
  • -PLAYER – Usage: Player x. Sets the number of local players. (Not available in 1.24 unless using JJ2+.)
  • -COOP – Cooperative mode.
  • -BATTLE – Battle mode.
  • -TREASURE – Treasure mode.
  • -RACE – Race mode.
  • -CAPTURE – Capture the Flag mode.
  • -HARD – Hard difficulty setting.
  • -MEDIUM – Medium difficulty setting.
  • -EASY – Easy difficulty setting.
  • -NOFILTER – Skips the parsing of filter.lst, banlist.lst and filter.list.
  • -NOTRIPLE – Disables triple buffering.
  • -MAXCACHE128 (or 32, 8 or 2 – default is 512) Creates a section cache with N entries in the video memory.
  • -SERVER – Starts Jazz2 in server mode. This mode does not put the server on the list servers, but runs the server in TCP/IP mode.
  • -MAXPLAYERS – Sets the maximum players that can join the server. Used in conjunction with -SERVER.
  • -COUNTS – Usage: -Countsxx. Sets the amount of roasts/gems/flags required to win the level. Used in conjunction with -SERVER.
  • -J2I – Usage: -j2i filename.j2i. Loads the specified j2i file.
  • -CONNECT – Usage: -Connect x.x.x.x. Connects to the server at the specified IP address.
  • LevelPath.j2l – Starts the specified level. Example: Jazz2.exe Battle1.j2l.

TSF-Only Arguments

  • -PLAY – Plays a game. (Works badly, removed in JJ2+.)
  • -LORI – Starts the game as Lori.
  • -SPAZ – Starts the game as Spaz. Also works with 1.23+.

Jazz2+ New Arguments

JJ2+ allows new arguments in command line. They are listed here in its readme: https://docs.jj2.plus/#newcommandlinearguments

Related Content Outside the Wiki

Category: