Flashpoint Playtesting

[Sigil]

I've written three Flashpoints and I'm looking for a playtester. Preferably someone who has some previous BT modding experience.
You need all three DLCs and the flashpoints work using either the HBS Mod Loader or ModTek on either Mac or PC.

 

[Hobbes__]

I find that the best way to find playtesters is to post the mod on Nexusmods

I can have a look at them. I'm always curious to see how other people do it.

 

[Sigil]

I find that the best way to find playtesters is to post the mod on Nexusmods

I can have a look at them. I'm always curious to see how other people do it.

.zip file attached.
Unzip into the HBS Mod folder or the ModTek folder, I used it both ways.
Tested against the vanilla game with all DLCs installed.
Recommend end-game company with a min. 8 assault/heavy-class 'Mechs (drop min. weight of 60 tons) and min. 8 pilots used with disposable save.
Once you start the Flashpoint, there is no going back.
Spawns on Kimi, no pre-reqs, with a weight of 1000, so it should spawn quickly. Can also use a Debug save to force it to spawn.

And thanks

P.S. I designed this Flashpoint to challenge my own team of tricked out mercs in hopes I could create something they wouldn't just walk all over

 

[Hobbes__]

.zip file attached.
Unzip into the HBS Mod folder or the ModTek folder, I used it both ways.
Tested against the vanilla game with all DLCs installed.
Recommend end-game company with a min. 8 assault/heavy-class 'Mechs (drop min. weight of 60 tons) and min. 8 pilots used with disposable save.
Once you start the Flashpoint, there is no going back.
Spawns on Kimi, no pre-reqs, with a weight of 1000, so it should spawn quickly. Can also use a Debug save to force it to spawn.

And thanks

P.S. I designed this Flashpoint to challenge my own team of tricked out mercs in hopes I could create something they wouldn't just walk all over

Thanks. Haven't played it (gonna require a few adaptations in order to be able to bring the required Mechs/pilots) but already had a look at the .jsons to get the feel and I already have a suggestion.

To keep the length (6 consecutive missions) but also to add player choice, why not separate both flashpoint objectives and the player is given the choice after completing the first of either stopping (after 4 missions) or take the last two missions for a bigger risk and reward? The Percentor could call the company and offer a better deal... say one of those shiny SLDF 'Mechs in exchange for his life? We're all professionals here...

Bug (missing comma):
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\BATTLETECH\Mods\Planetary_Assault\pilot\pilot_d10_bodyguard.json
Newtonsoft.Json.JsonReaderException: After parsing a value an unexpected character was encountered: ". Path 'abilityDefNames[2]', line 35, position 2.

 

[Hobbes__]

Tested the first mission, everything seems to be working fine, just a couple typos I've noticed.

I also noticed in one contract units labelled as "Escourt" rather than the correct form "Escort".

I read all the conversations, story is simple and coherent. I didn't play all the missions, assaults slugging isn't my favorite type of murder, and they're all standard contracts. Overall, well done so far, just recheck for style, typos and grammar.

 

[Sigil]

Thanks. Haven't played it (gonna require a few adaptations in order to be able to bring the required Mechs/pilots) but already had a look at the .jsons to get the feel and I already have a suggestion.

To keep the length (6 consecutive missions) but also to add player choice, why not separate both flashpoint objectives and the player is given the choice after completing the first of either stopping (after 4 missions) or take the last two missions for a bigger risk and reward? The Percentor could call the company and offer a better deal... say one of those shiny SLDF 'Mechs in exchange for his life? We're all professionals here...

Bug (missing comma):
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\BATTLETECH\Mods\Planetary_Assault\pilot\pilot_d10_bodyguard.json
Newtonsoft.Json.JsonReaderException: After parsing a value an unexpected character was encountered: ". Path 'abilityDefNames[2]', line 35, position 2.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to wrap my mind around branching dialogue in ConverseTek. I like to add an option to completely turn down the contract right at on the onset but I haven't been able to figure out how to do it. This is something I would like to do for all the flashpoints I'm working on.

I would also like to add a dialogue branch mid-contract, as you suggested, but I would branch it at the defend base contract, allowing players who don't need repair facilities to skip that contract and move ahead.

 

[Sigil]

Tested the first mission, everything seems to be working fine, just a couple typos I've noticed.

I also noticed in one contract units labelled as "Escourt" rather than the correct form "Escort".

I read all the conversations, story is simple and coherent. I didn't play all the missions, assaults slugging isn't my favorite type of murder, and they're all standard contracts. Overall, well done so far, just recheck for style, typos and grammar.

Thanks for the taking the time to look at this. It always amazes me how many typos and grammatical errors creep in to so few sentences. I swear I know how to write!

A couple quick questions about the end:

Did the end reward spawn correctly, i.e., 15 mil C-bills and SLDF Royal 'Mech stuff (there is a custom itemCollection).

Is there a tag created indicating this Flashpoint has been completed or not?

 

[Hobbes__]

Unfortunately, I have not been able to wrap my mind around branching dialogue in ConverseTek. I like to add an option to completely turn down the contract right at on the onset but I haven't been able to figure out how to do it. This is something I would like to do for all the flashpoints I'm working on.

I would also like to add a dialogue branch mid-contract, as you suggested, but I would branch it at the defend base contract, allowing players who don't need rpair facilities to skip that contract and move ahead.

I can edit the milestoneSet file and one of the conversations to show you how it's done.

There's a caveat with branching the FP. RIght now the sequence of the milestones goes:
Start - Mission 1 - Talk 1 - M2 - T2 - M3 - T3 - M4 - T4 - M5 - T5 - M6 - T6 - End

When you add a decision and create a branch, the milestones start as usual until the decision between A/B:

Start - Mission 1 - Talk 1 - M2 - T2

But when the player chooses you need to recreate the entire branches (A/B) on the milestoneSet file:

M3(A) - T3(A) - M4(A) - T4(A) - M5(A) - T5(A) - M6(A) - T6(A) - End A (all missions)
M4(B) - T4(B) - M5(B) - T5(B) - M6(A) - T6(B) - End B (less the Defend mission)

The issue here is that you might need to have different versions of the same contract/conversation for each branch. If the player skips the base defense misssion, then any of the following contracts/conversations can't have any reference to that mission.

And everytime there's an additional decision, that creates more different endings that require their own milestoneSet branches. Add the decision at the beginning to skip the FP then you need:

Common: Start
Branch A: End A (Skip Flashpoint)
Branch B: Mission 1 - Talk 1 - M2 - T2
Branch BC: M3(C) - T3(C) - M4(C) - T4(C) - M5(C) - T5(C) - M6(C) - T6(C) - End BC (all missions)
Branch BD: M4(D) - T4(D) - M5(D) - T5(D) - M6(D) - T6(D) - End BD (less the Defend mission)

Thanks for the taking the time to look at this. It always amazes me how many typos and grammatical errors creep in to so few sentences. I swear I know how to write!

A couple quick questions about the end:

Did the end reward spawn correctly, i.e., 15 mil C-bills and SLDF Royal 'Mech stuff (there is a custom itemCollection).

Is there a tag created indicating this Flashpoint has been completed or not?

It's normal to have typos/grammar errors even when you're a professional writer. That's why editing and proof reading exists

I haven't played the final mission (will do later) but looking at the custom itemCollection the reward seems correct.

I couldn't find in the milestoneSet .json file any reference to adding a flashpoint complete tag at the end.

 

[Sigil]

I can edit the milestoneSet file and one of the conversations to show you how it's done.

There's a caveat with branching the FP. RIght now the sequence of the milestones goes:
Start - Mission 1 - Talk 1 - M2 - T2 - M3 - T3 - M4 - T4 - M5 - T5 - M6 - T6 - End

When you add a decision and create a branch, the milestones start as usual until the decision between A/B:

Start - Mission 1 - Talk 1 - M2 - T2

But when the player chooses you need to recreate the entire branches (A/B) on the milestoneSet file:

M3(A) - T3(A) - M4(A) - T4(A) - M5(A) - T5(A) - M6(A) - T6(A) - End A (all missions)
M4(B) - T4(B) - M5(B) - T5(B) - M6(A) - T6(B) - End B (less the Defend mission)

The issue here is that you might need to have different versions of the same contract/conversation for each branch. If the player skips the base defense misssion, then any of the following contracts/conversations can't have any reference to that mission.

And everytime there's an additional decision, that creates more different endings that require their own milestoneSet branches. Add the decision at the beginning to skip the FP then you need:

Common: Start
Branch A: End A (Skip Flashpoint)
Branch B: Mission 1 - Talk 1 - M2 - T2
Branch BC: M3(C) - T3(C) - M4(C) - T4(C) - M5(C) - T5(C) - M6(C) - T6(C) - End BC (all missions)
Branch BD: M4(D) - T4(D) - M5(D) - T5(D) - M6(D) - T6(D) - End BD (less the Defend mission)



It's normal to have typos/grammar errors even when you're a professional writer. That's why editing and proof reading exists

I haven't played the final mission (will do later) but looking at the custom itemCollection the reward seems correct.

I couldn't find in the milestoneSet .json file any reference to adding a flashpoint complete tag at the end.

You gotta learn to crawl before you learn to walk. I'm scooting around pretty good now

How about the initial accept or reject choice for the contract at the very start Start? I might be able to learn from that example. I need to know how to do that.

And if there is a choice in the Capture Base mission that would effectively skip the Defend Base mission and pick up with the Destroy Base mission, how does that look? It isn't two different tracks after the choice, just a choice to skip one mission and pick up from there. The ending is the same either way.

Thanks again for your time.

 

[Sigil]

Here's the second of my Flashpoints.
As with my first one, it is compatible with Mac / PC and with either ModTek or the built-in HBS Mod support.
Personally, I use the built-in HBS Mod loader as my primary machine is actually a Mac, and ModTek does not (easily) support the Mac.
Drop restrictions of 50 tons per slot and consecutive missions.
Feedback (of any kind) encouraged and welcomed.

 

[Hobbes__]

I just had a glance but it looks good, with a different structure and number of deployments.

I wish I could give you more feedback but I've restarted working on my own Flashpoints and I don't really want to dive into third party material at the moment.

If you have any specific issues of getting things to work just ask though.

 

[Pode]

Downloaded both. Gonna be a long time before I've got an endgame lance to test them with, just started an 8 part campaign, But I always want to support and promote flashpoint makers.

 

[PauloBrito]

Are they compatible with BEX-CE ?
If yes, I can do some testing.

 

[Pode]

Seems several folks from the BEX discord channel have tried these and had trouble with the salvage screen after the final Planetary Assault mission. Might join that channel and ask in the other mods (where these are pinned as suggestions) for more detailed feedback. It's a good group and I think they'd be glad to help.