[Mod] JK_Variants 1.8.0.0 - 175+ 'Mechs and 125+ Vees, Rarity Tables, and more

[Justin Kase]

Looks like I need to add some new factions into the tables to account for the FPs - working on that this eve and tomorrow!

EDIT : Yes - need to add in 3 new factions. Been working on it.

 

[Prussian Havoc]

To help anyone out who is having issues with visualizing the instructions :

After downloading the Zip, unzip and then place it in : C:\Users\((login ID/Name here))\Documents\my games\BattleTech\mods\
View attachment 529273

When done, the mods folder should now have a JK_BTMods sub folder, which then has multiple sub folders for the various mods.
View attachment 529274

Then you need to :
Start the game
Click on the Mods button in the lower left corner
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Make sure mods are turned on in top right corner (#1)
Click all the Mods you want to activate (#2)
Save and close (#3)
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Quit and restart BT

Now the mods should be there and active

NOTE : If you are having issues - I recommend going back to the mods folder and opening the HBS sub-folder to clear the cache & database (just delete the 2 folders indicated below), then follow the above steps to activate the Mods and allow the Cache to rebuild.

View attachment 529279

Thanks to you and your post here, I finally feel ready to give HBS’s Mod Support a try. Thank you! :bow:

 

[Justin Kase]

Let me know how it goes bro

 

[unclecid]

@Justin Kase installing without the jkcab folder dos the trick.
so was playing all yesterday with jkvariants no issues.

 

[Justin Kase]

Cool - thanks for confirming @unclecid

What I figured out after the fact was that if you activated the Rarity Table, it auto-activated JK_CAB which is known not to work at the moment (due to CAB not working).

Also juts discovered that the Skirmish 'Mechs are appearing even with the Rarity Tables activated, as they are being added into the MDD.db instead of just the VersionManifest.csv - so you can delete that folder, or just add "BLACKLISTED" into each mechdef tag for those 'Mechs.

 

[unclecid]

since i dont skirmish i always delete or dont install the skirmish folder

 

[unclecid]

@Justin Kase hey in case you are unaware the latest release of modtek (7.6) kinda bypasses any mods in the HBS mods folder.

i just moved all mods from there to old mods folder and all seems good
modtek is using the hbs gui without issue it seems

 

[Prussian Havoc]

@Justin Kase hey in case you are unaware the latest release of modtek (7.6) kinda bypasses any mods in the HBS mods folder.

i just moved all mods from there to old mods folder and all seems good
modtek is using the hbs gui without issue it seems

Why bypass the Mod Functionality that HBS added under Free Update 1.8?

 

[unclecid]

Why bypass the Mod Functionality that HBS added under Free Update 1.8?

no idea....but after installing 7.6 the only mods i had on startup were the ones in old mods folder.
after moving mods from new to old they loaded up

maybe a bug?

 

[Justin Kase]

Edit : see note from @KMiSSioN below for correct answer on how ModTek works.

But, yes, these should work with old-school ModTek as well.

 

[KMiSSioN]

Have you ever read release notes?

 

[Justin Kase]

Have you ever read release notes?
View attachment 529475

I try not to, they give me rashes.

But more seriously, I hadnt looked at the latest version yet, and had not caught up with the thread. So I relayed my understanding - which was incorrect. No offense or misdirection meant.

 

[KMiSSioN]

rashes, it is 5+ (A+)

 

[Eximar]

It all works beautifully, I'm glad to say.

Haven't played since 1.7 dropped since too many things were broken, so I've enjoyed today.

 

[Deadmansplat]

Testing these I have found that if you want to remove mods without a crash you need to delete the cache and database folders in /MODS/HBS and the "load order" file in the main mods folder, not doing this gives me the spin of death.

Also, activating JK_VariantsCampaign removes LBX ammo from the stores when they refresh, so if you leave a system that has it before you install the mod it will not be there if you leave the system and return.

Any time you want to roll back to a different mod configuration the cache, database, and load order do not seem to remove the deactivated mods, but if you just delete the load order and the two listed folders in the HBS folder they will rebuild without causing a crash.

As an edit: The folder issues were tested by deactivating all the mods but leaving the mod enabler on, even starting a new career would cause the spin of death. I may not know enough about modifying the files directly but deleting the folders did cause them to be recreated when I loaded the game.

 

[Justin Kase]

Thanks @Deadmansplat !!

I'm on the road most of the day today, but I will check the ammo issue, I think I know what it is

Yes, currently the ModManager doesnt clear the cache when you make changes- but I know HBS is working to add those fixes to the next patch.

 

[Justin Kase]

@Deadmansplat THANK YOU again

Looks like there was an older file I forgot about - as I didn't realize HBS was adding the rare loot (like LBX ammo) to all stores. Oddly, they don't add the other specialty ammunition in there (not even Gauss).

Replace the file in : mods/JK_BTMods/JK_VariantsCampaign/itemCollections folder with the attached one.

 

[Eximar]

I assume that adding Ammo_AmmunitionBox_Generic_GAUSS,AmmunitionBox,0,10
will take care of gauss ammo showing up also?
lostech and BLACKLISTED has been removed from the GAUSS entry in ammunitionBox.

 

[Justin Kase]

Yessir, that it would.

Just not sure why HBS didn't add it.

 

[Eximar]

Thank you Sir!