Heavy Metal Mech .jsons

[Thaxor]

Where might these lovely .json's be? They don't appear in the /data/Mechs folder for me. I want to add some of the new guys in for a new game.

Alternatively, is there a place where custom mechs (like from the Mech Lab) are stored? If I can find those I'll just use those, since that's what I actually want to do.

Thanks

1/24/2021 edit:

See below for more uptodate instructions

Originally posted by Chilkoot:

Sorry for necro, but there is MISINFORMATION posted above which has probably led to considerable frustration for a lot of people. @Thaxor, you should really edit these posts as they show up in Google search and your instructions don't work.

If you want to edit the Heavy Metal files (specifically the mech chassis files), you need to EXTRACT them from the asset bundles, modify the files, then REPACK the asset file. It's a bit fiddly if you've never done it before, but full instructions can be found here.

The link to the UABE software in the instructions is dead, but you can pick up the Unity Asset Bundle Extractor here[github.com].

[gphotopoulos]

In fact I can't find any DLC .json files (except the Battle Computer), no Cyclops, Raven, Crab etc I guess they put DLC content elsewhere, but where? I have rebalanced the game's weapons and would like to do the same for the UACs, LBXs etc. so if anyone knows where those files are it would be a great help.

[Zuul]

Previous expansion content was not put into the easy .json format of the base game. They were stowed away in the asset bundles. I assume these are too.

[Thaxor]

Did some digging and looks like it will take some work to get to them, but possibly not that hard.

https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/is-it-possible-to-mod-dlc-mechs.1186005/

[Thaxor]

Partial success

https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/help-sought-in-changing-the-starter-lance-for-the-campaign.1285683/

Here are the names for the Phoenix Hawk and Assassin, unsure if you can just plug these into the simgameconstants.json

Gonna try and report back

Edit 1: From further in the thread, looks like HBS is actually supplying the DLC .json info now, nice of them!

https://github.com/caardappel-hbs/bt-dlc-designdata/commit/33bff4ae087cae302bc574c650f9540a98f2d6e9

[Thaxor]

SUCCESS!

Super easy, bless HBS for making it so.

This GitHub link has the text of all the Heavy Metal .jsons.

https://github.com/caardappel-hbs/bt-dlc-designdata/commit/33bff4ae087cae302bc574c650f9540a98f2d6e9#diff-0b2b0ff8cf0d2ef0e2dd16ebb8afbfa1

Just look for the chassisdef_[...] and mechdef_[...] you want. Copy them into new text files and save them as .jsons with the proper naming scheme and in the correct folder. The GitHub page has their file name right above the text. Just move them into the [...]BattleTech_Data\StreamingAssets\data\mech or \data\chassis folders as required.

[Nemean Lion]

Quick question: what's the difference between the chassisdef and mechdef files?

[Erronis]

Originally posted by Nemean Lion:

Quick question: what's the difference between the chassisdef and mechdef files?

The chassisdef defines general mech details, such as the types of weapons that can be installed in a given location. The mechdef is for the specific mech loadout and armor.

Originally posted by Thaxor:

SUCCESS!

Super easy, bless HBS for making it so.

This GitHub link has the text of all the Heavy Metal .jsons.

https://github.com/caardappel-hbs/bt-dlc-designdata/commit/33bff4ae087cae302bc574c650f9540a98f2d6e9#diff-0b2b0ff8cf0d2ef0e2dd16ebb8afbfa1

Just look for the chassisdef_[...] and mechdef_[...] you want. Copy them into new text files and save them as .jsons with the proper naming scheme and in the correct folder. The GitHub page has their file name right above the text. Just move them into the [...]BattleTech_Data\StreamingAssets\data\mech or \data\chassis folders as required.

I tried this, but the changes don't take effect. They probably need to be dropped into their own DLC specific folders. Does anyone know the proper folder location?

[Chilkoot]

Sorry for necro, but there is MISINFORMATION posted above which has probably led to considerable frustration for a lot of people. @Thaxor, you should really edit these posts as they show up in Google search and your instructions don't work.

If you want to edit the Heavy Metal files (specifically the mech chassis files), you need to EXTRACT them from the asset bundles, modify the files, then REPACK the asset file. It's a bit fiddly if you've never done it before, but full instructions can be found here.

The link to the UABE software in the instructions is dead, but you can pick up the Unity Asset Bundle Extractor here[github.com].

[Thaxor]

Originally posted by Chilkoot:

Sorry for necro, but there is MISINFORMATION posted above which has probably led to considerable frustration for a lot of people. @Thaxor, you should really edit these posts as they show up in Google search and your instructions don't work.

If you want to edit the Heavy Metal files (specifically the mech chassis files), you need to EXTRACT them from the asset bundles, modify the files, then REPACK the asset file. It's a bit fiddly if you've never done it before, but full instructions can be found here.

The link to the UABE software in the instructions is dead, but you can pick up the Unity Asset Bundle Extractor here[github.com].

I have not played Battletech pretty much since I did this, and for whatever reason what I did worked at that time. Regardless thanks for adding this info here. I've been in the boat of finding an old thread that hopefully fixes my issue only to find it doesn't, so thanks for the new intel.

[Jamie Wolf]

Originally posted by Chilkoot:

Sorry for necro, but there is MISINFORMATION posted above which has probably led to considerable frustration for a lot of people. @Thaxor, you should really edit these posts as they show up in Google search and your instructions don't work.

If you want to edit the Heavy Metal files (specifically the mech chassis files), you need to EXTRACT them from the asset bundles, modify the files, then REPACK the asset file. It's a bit fiddly if you've never done it before, but full instructions can be found here.

The link to the UABE software in the instructions is dead, but you can pick up the Unity Asset Bundle Extractor here[github.com].

That is the worst way of going about it and I wish people would stop suggesting it.

The far simpler way:
1. Install modtek
2. Download the JSON files you want to mod from HBS repo (link further up this thread).
3. Mod the files how you want
4. Make a folder in your mods folder
5. Stick your modded files there
6. Write a simple mod.json file
7. Done

You don't have to modify the actual asset bundles and risk screwing up your game completely and you can change your modified files much easier.

[Chilkoot]

Originally posted by Jamie Wolf:

That is the worst way of going about it and I wish people would stop suggesting it.

Unless they're still farming achieves but want to tinker in the meantime.

Also, if you screw something up with the asset pack, just run a file validation through Steam and voila. Both methods have their pros/cons.

[Jamie Wolf]

I fail to see how the other method has any pros over modtek, it will be incompatible with every published mod. It is far easier to screw up and leave you with no information as to what failed. Modtek will still load the game and will give you logs as to what failed.

modtek does not disable achievements. Numerous modders, myself included have gotten them while testing/playing our mods

I'll be clear uabe has its place for modding this game, it is used for the creation of new mech models, but it should not be used for any not non art asset related things