Jazz Jackrabbit 2 1.21

[Assassin]

In the 90s it was custom to create a shareware version of your game, with only a part of the game made available, or, as was the case with Jazz Jackrabbit 2, completely different levels from the full product. There would be a section in the game with order info, where you could contact the company that made the game to order the game through the mail. This is what version 1.21 was for Jazz Jackrabbit 2.

Version 1.21 comes in a jewel case, with on the cover art the same image with Jazz and Spaz standing next to each other, this time against a white background. Interestingly, it seems they took the art from the 1.00h oem version for this one, especially the back, and just made some changes. It also has a full colour manual, with, like Jazz Jackrabbit 1 had, a comic that sets up the story for Jazz Jackrabbit 2. It also includes some information of the story of each episode, making this the main place where you could find the Jazz 2 story. A letter was also included if you received this version, noting there might be installation issues with the game and if you were to run into them, to just copy the resource folder from the CD to your hard drive to play. That means this version contains the game twice, once as the normal setup program, and once as an already installed copy.

Version 1.21 also exists in the form of a patch for version 1.20, which was made available briefly on jazzjackrabbit.com, before the better known 1.23 patch appeared, at which point it was removed. While the 1.23 patch works as a separate application to update your version, the 1.21 patch is simply a zip file you can copy over your 1.20 installation to update it to version 1.21.

This version included a new level, not available in version 1.20. A ctf level called Chemical Warfare. It's actually included twice, since it was also made part of the shareware ctf levels as sharect2.j2l. For some reason these two levels are not hidden in the home cooked levels, making it the first time a copy of Jazz 2 came with home cooked levels.

Like with 1.20, 1.21 also has a shareware version, 1.21s. This exists as a seperate installer or a patch you can apply to your 1.20s installation.

The official change log compared to version 1.20 from JazzJackrabbit.com:

v1.21 (Released Patch Version)

• Added a Progress Meter for the Downloading screen.
• Fixed seeing two characters when finishing a level.
• If server has the flag, then minimizes the game the flag now returns to base.
• Bubbles now displayed when firing the Fire Shield underwater
• Fixed buttstomping frozen objects.
• Hover board mode disabled when entering water.
  • Server players hidden from F9 Player List.
• Recorded new DEMO macros.
• Added new CTF map, Chemical Warfare.
• Fixed install scripts and version number errors.
• Fixed Player Chatting bug which sometimes caused the text string to be lost.
• Fixed client flooding servers. Wrong calculation of number of times to send packet, caused packets to be sent on each frame.
  • Better as calculated speeds from delta-positions.
  • Better prediction.
• Tested multi player at approximately 50% forced packet loss situations on client-server communications. Still plays ok.
• Prediction is turned off when no packets are received from a player within a second.
• When a KILL message arrives, you will now DIE immediately.
• Weapons: When you have the max. available ammo, you can't pick up any more for that weapon.
• Health: When you have full energy, you can't pick up any more carrots.
• Optimized collision with several object-types.
  • Fixed repeating messages.
  • Fixed players of same team being able to kill each other.
• Version number changed to v1.21 (essential).
• Shareware version can now upload levels to registered versions. Shareware can't download content.
  • So that players cannot rename files and change levels for cheating.
  • Shareware won't download info.

v1.20b (Internal Release)

• New level masks implemented. Reduces the risk of players getting stuck in the scenery.
• Fixed the Power-up bug which sometimes caused the amount of bullets/rockets to be reduced to 25:
  
  • You always get 25 rockets/bullets from a monitor, if it's upgrading or not (more logical).
• When loading a level, all old player structures are cleared (which fixes some of the problems when you had 2 players active, and loaded a 1 player file, the 2nd player wasn't cleared and stayed active.
• Fixed getting stuck in scenery when butt stomping on One way event areas.
• When you land "half" in the scenery on One way events, the game now moves you up to the correct height. (looks a bit weird).
• Added CRC in Shareware.

v1.20a (Internal Release)

• Fixed the "pause" problem on Sidewinders and other joysticks.
• .j2i links from web link page now work in Registered and shareware.
• Command line enabled, you can start servers with:
  jazz2 -nosound -<mode> (capture, battle or treasure) -server -maxplayers<enter players> -counts<enter amount of kills/roasts/wins>
  Makes it easy to start games using batch files. Server name and player information is read from registry. Set the server and player name up in the game first so registry entries exist, then use command line stuff.
• Removed dead bodies.
• Fixed some things in spanish language, rolled back and checked all characters.
• Default sound now set to: WINDOWSMM instead of DIRECTSOUND:
  
  • DirectSound sound gives more problems (Windows 98 woes)
  • Default sample rate is now set to 22050 khz.
• Fixed "Retrieving Serverlists" message not being shown.

Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20020612155623/http://www.jazzjackrabbit.com/faq/120121.htm

Full Game:

You can download and play the shareware version by downloading it here. The full game is not made available, because it can be patched to the latest version. Get the full final game by purchasing Jazz Jackrabbit 2 from GoG - you will be supporting game preservation done correctly.