Question on adding new weapons and mechs loadout!

[Zombie101]

I was just wondering if anyone has done this. I know that I wanted to add several new mech loadout in the game. Give it more of a better options for load outs. Weapons config them to have varity maybe mod in clan stuff for some fun.

Problem is that it seem beyond my skills to figure out what I need to do add that in. Like what to edit and if there a table and order. Like I like to add in MRM's in to the game or Bombast Laser. or Config a Atla with a different Varent loadout

[Mistfox]

Just refit them in your mech bay?...

[wesnef]

Originally posted by Mistfox:

Just refit them in your mech bay?...

I believe he's talking about modding in new weapons & mech variants, so they appear in shops & on the field.

[Mistfox]

Oh, ok, you can go to local files and modify the .json files or do the lazy way and use the Roguetech collection of mods.

[Mohrrunkel]

Modding the mechfiles is not what OP intends to do, or he will be very limited in his productivity, since you can only override existing loadouts. Adding new files to the game requires multiple steps as described here:

http://btmodding.warriorsblood.com/index.php?title=Add_Mechs

Be warned, it requires some understanding for mods or you can/will break your game completly.

[your.sheepy]

Like cooking, some tasks are really simple, while some are crazily complicated and require professional tools and skills.

Adding new mech variant is easy:

http://btmodding.warriorsblood.com/index.php?title=Add_Mechs

Adding new weapon variant is almost the same, except that you clone a weapon instead of mech.

Adding new weapon "logic", like MRM, is a lot more complicated because no weapon in the game can switch ammo. You need to modify game code, modify game interface to allow ammo selection, and teach game AI to use these weapons.

Unfortunately, that requires *really* good programming skill, since they must be done in the confines of existing game code. Kind of like opening twenty cans with a fruit knife. To complicate things, some ammo code seems to be "inlined", you can't change them. How do you strip cut something when the kitchen only allows dice cut? Setup a new cutting station outside the kitchen, guard all chopping boards and knives and redirect every single cutting request to the new station and back, obviously.

Adding new 3D model, like Bombard, is a feat I have yet to see too, much less a tutorial. You need to model the mech part by part (each part can move individually and can be damaged or destroyed), define Inverse Kinetic, and animate them: front walk, reverse walk, turn, fall, stand, melee, got hit, shutdown, restart, and every single animation I forgot to list. Then you have fine details like night lights and weapon mounts - if you put four SRM6 on a King Crab you'll see that they are all different shapes. Putting all models and textures and animations back to asset bundles may be the easy part.

A good news is, the modding skill can (mostly) be transferred to other Unity games. Good luck.

[Zombie101]

Wesnef on the money I just want make simple weapon changes make new weapons and New Mech Varents

I want See a AC/15 and Guass Maybe a pulse like laser or "Core of Hell Staker" Missile

[Cathulhu]

So, you want to create new weapons, which has nothing to do with new loadouts or changed hardpoints.

[Zombie101]

Cat New mech is something simple as changing Laser to Ballistic. Making it faster then changing Loadout so it proper. I understand that getting into this can be complex so simple stuff then expand.

Adding a completely new Varient to shop and new weapon is my main goal right now. Just if see can be done.

The game doesn't support true config like MW2 and MW3 did. MW4 changed that added in when it added weapon mounts.

[Pherdnut]

Best way to experiment IMO.

Mod to skip tutorial missions.

http://btmodding.warriorsblood.com/index.php?title=Skip_Tutorial

Then create new mechs per that other link people listed.

And then add new mechs to your starting lance (look for the blackjack ID in simgameconstants).

Start a new campaign.

Be sure to save a copy of your data folder if modding files directly. Or you can do the steam verify file integrity thing if you can't figure out where something went wrong.

[Mohrrunkel]

@Zombie101
Just look up the files located in the "mech", "chassis" and "movement" folder in
"C:\Steam\SteamApps\common\BATTLETECH\BattleTech_Data\StreamingAssets\data\"

The chassis defines hardpoints, structural hp, armor points and stuff like that
The mechDef is basicaly the variant, based on the chassis, defining the loadout of the mech.
The moveDef defines it's walk/sprint distance and stuff like that.

You can edit those files any way you want with a simple editor like notpad++, but if you want to create new files, you need to add them to the versionmanifest so the game is able to find them.

You can then test out your new mechs in the skirmish mode, but they will not appear in the singleplayer. For this you have to follow the link that was posted twice above and edit the MetaDataDatabase, because the dynamic lance composition uses the tags in the MDDb file to chose the mechs.

[Pherdnut]

Also, for JSON, Sublime Text is better than Notepad ++ for built-in color-coding. It's try-before-you for $60 and has a nag on save every six saves or so but it's not annoying enough for me to bother to put in my license key in for months sometimes when I put it on a new machine. I ultimately appreciated the product enough to just pay the 60 bucks. Atom is similar and non-naggy but I found it a bit buggy. Notepad++ too sometimes and I've also learned to hate the glare of a white background while editing. Sublime updates very regularly and has a ton of plug-ins if you want them but you won't need them for JSON tweaks. Very popular with web developers, which I am.

[Zombie101]

LOL or use window wordpad it free with windows just not fancy.

[Pherdnut]

Originally posted by Zombie101:

LOL or use window wordpad it free with windows just not fancy.

Notepad++ and Atom are free. Sublime is trial-ware so basically free if the occasional nag doesn't bug you. These are all lightweight editors that install in seconds. Notepad is fine until you need to figure out where you got some syntax wrong after making a dozen changes.

[Mohrrunkel]

Notepad++ was a mere suggestion, I did not intend to start WW3 over this, lol.

[Pherdnut]

Originally posted by Mohrrunkel:

Notepad++ was a mere suggestion, I did not intend to start WW3 over this, lol.

I meant vanilla Notepad, which is a step down from ++. But I do recommend trying anything with color-coding out. It's nice for spotting syntax goofs as you edit. And I am a dizzy web developer.