[Mod] Rarity & Year Tags for Factions (1.5.1.0) (covers 400+ 'mechs & 200+ Vees)

[unclecid]

@44th MAC|Bonsai - lol, well whatever it was, so glad to hear it is not impeding you any longer On the flip side, the Panther will now be rarer in the field (unless facing Kurita or Arano Directorate)

which is a good thing....was getting so tired of the panthers little 'flamingo' dance idle animations.

 

[UncleGamer]

@Justin Kase I was looking at your list above commonality with factions, can you expand that list to include the pirates and various periphery states from the vanilla game? Also how do the DLC mechs fit in with that list?

 

[Marauder3D]

Question for @Justin Kase:

I'm using some of HotD (no charger), and no other additional mech mods. I tried following the installation directions, but it doesn't seem to be working (saw a lot of Com-1B and 2D in Marik space, for instance.

Do I need to be running your JK Variants for the faction lists to work?

Best,

Mad

 

[Justin Kase]

@Justin Kase I was looking at your list above commonality with factions, can you expand that list to include the pirates and various periphery states from the vanilla game? Also how do the DLC mechs fit in with that list?

It actually covers all the following factions :

• MagistracyOfCanopus - based on XOTL
• TaurianConcordat- based on XOTL
• Liao- based on XOTL
• Marik- based on XOTL
• Davion- based on XOTL
• Steiner- based on XOTL
• Kurita- based on XOTL
• ComStar - based on averages with bonus to SLDF era stuff
• AuriganDirectorate - based on combination of this region, the 'Mechs in the campaign and Kurita
• Betrayers - based on XOTL periphery
• AuriganMercenaries- based on XOTL mercs
• AuriganPirates - based on XOTL periphery with adjustments (like favoring Schrek AC over Schrek PPC)
• AuriganRestoration- based on combination of this region, the 'Mechs in the campaign
• Locals - based on XOTL periphery avg
• MajestyMetals - combo of MoC and Periphery
• MercenaryReviewBoard- based on XOTL merc
• FlakJackals - duplicate of Mercs with some of the rarer 'Mechs removed
• LocalsBrockwayRefugees - based on TC combined with Periph Avg
• SelfEmployed- based on XOTL periphery avg
• MasonsMarauders- duplicate of Mercs with some of the rarer 'Mechs removed
• SteelBeast- duplicate of Mercs with some of the rarer 'Mechs removed
• KellHounds- duplicate of Mercs with some of the rarer 'Mechs removed
• RazorbackMercs- duplicate of Mercs with some of the rarer 'Mechs removed
• HostileMercenaries- based on XOTL mercs
• NoFaction- based on XOTL periphery avg

I can start posting up the longer tables and the community can give feedback on the different groups.

Question for @Justin Kase:

I'm using some of HotD (no charger), and no other additional mech mods. I tried following the installation directions, but it doesn't seem to be working (saw a lot of Com-1B and 2D in Marik space, for instance.

Do I need to be running your JK Variants for the faction lists to work?

Best,

Mad

Depending on when you downloaded it, you might be seeing an issue with dependencies of JK_Variants. As this seems to cause the most trouble, I think I may just bundle everything in 1 folder for going forward.

Can you zip up your mods folder and post it for me to look at?

At the very least, go into BATTLETECH/Mods/.modtek and grab me the ModTek.log file to look through.

 

[Marauder3D]

Depending on when you downloaded it, you might be seeing an issue with dependencies of JK_Variants. As this seems to cause the most trouble, I think I may just bundle everything in 1 folder for going forward.

Can you zip up your mods folder and post it for me to look at?

At the very least, go into BATTLETECH/Mods/.modtek and grab me the ModTek.log file to look through.

Thanks @Justin Kase , I'll take a look this weekend when I'm not stuck at work and send you a PM. I look forward to getting this working!

 

[Justin Kase]

@Marauder3D - hope it works out for you - if not, send me those files and I may be able to suss out the issue.

 

[GallantDuke]

Are there any updates since the release of the Vulcan?

 

[Justin Kase]

Are there any updates since the release of the Vulcan?

Drop the attached mechdef files into the BATTLETECH/Z_Sab_JK_Encounters-OtherMods/mech_Colo folder and you should be good to go!

Instead of making the VL-BL a 'none' across the board, I added a new category "unit_hero_{faction}". I have to go over the whole list and grab the other hero mechs. Haven't integrated them into the LanceDefs yet, but I may open these up for the solo encounters to reflect the 1 off nature of many of these.

NOTE : Remember to adjust the load order so Colo_Vulcan loads before the Z_Sab_JK mods.

Or - just delete the .modtek folder before executing. Otherwise the Rarity adjustment will happen before the new 'mech is added to the game.

 

[GallantDuke]

Drop the attached mechdef files into the BATTLETECH/Z_Sab_JK_Encounters-OtherMods/mech_Colo folder and you should be good to go!

Instead of making the VL-BL a 'none' across the board, I added a new category "unit_hero_{faction}". I have to go over the whole list and grab the other hero mechs. Haven't integrated them into the LanceDefs yet, but I may open these up for the solo encounters to reflect the 1 off nature of many of these.

NOTE : Remember to adjust the load order so Colo_Vulcan loads before the Z_Sab_JK mods.

Or - just delete the .modtek folder before executing. Otherwise the Rarity adjustment will happen before the new 'mech is added to the game.

Thank you so much.

 

[Justin Kase]

... and rarity tables for the Javelin (toss in the Colo folder).

 

[Pode]

Thanks for staying on top of this for the modded mechs.

 

[Justin Kase]

Thanks for staying on top of this for the modded mechs.

Not a problem - if they are are era appropriate, I'll add them in as soon as I see them

I'm still working out the 3039 and 3050 tables, which will also define the other 'Mechs, for those playing a mod for those eras

 

[Pode]

For Majesty Metals, I would expect their corporate security to use almost exclusively Mechs they produce, for serious cost savings reasons. The guard at the Beretta factory near me isn't paying for his own Glock, nor are their techs maintaining a Glock for him. So according to Sarna they should get base variant Locusts, Stingers, Wasps, Phoenix Hawks, Shadow Hawks, and Marauders.

 

[Justin Kase]

For Majesty Metals, I would expect their corporate security to use almost exclusively Mechs they produce, for serious cost savings reasons. The guard at the Beretta factory near me isn't paying for his own Glock, nor are their techs maintaining a Glock for him. So according to Sarna they should get base variant Locusts, Stingers, Wasps, Phoenix Hawks, Shadow Hawks, and Marauders.

Totally agree, but, if someone uses this with Vanilla or even just JK Variants, that means Locusts/Shadow Hawks.

Once the core HBS game has more 'Mechs, then we can do that.

This is the same reason some of the rarity levels across the board.

 

[Dialcaliper]

Totally agree, but, if someone uses this with Vanilla or even just JK Variants, that means Locusts/Shadow Hawks.

Once the core HBS game has more 'Mechs, then we can do that.

This is the same reason some of the rarity levels across the board.

Good point, although that kind of information would make good guidelines for what the “common” mechs would be for a faction.

For example,Majesty metals could start with the “general periphery” table, but with locust/shadow hawk/Phoenix hawk, marauder,etc variants all bumped up a notch (uncommon->common, rare->uncommon) combined with the rest of the general periphery list knocked down a notch (common->uncommon, uncommon->rare) etc.

That might give you plenty of variety while still making a good showing of faction featured mechs.

 

[Justin Kase]

Good point sir

 

[Justin Kase]

REPOST from Variants thread. In my sleep addled state, I posted the reply to the wrong thread .....

I've done some reworking on the folders and consolidated down to 1 mod folder now.

With the new ModTek, it seems to work well, not causing any problems if it doesn't find the 'Mechs/Vees it is looking for.

I have also been working to add in the rarity for the Mobile HQs in the Ambush mission they appear in - this required the contract to be adjusted and a new LanceDef type to be created - testing it tonight and hoping that it will work. If so, I may work on another mission to allow it to be used more than this one time

This would also mean that ICE versions of the Mobile HQs would become more likely in the periphery, while the Fusion Engine variants would be more common in the Inner Sphere.

A copy is attached - please delete the old Z_Sab_JK_Encounters and Z_Sab_JK_Encounters-OtherMods folders and replace with the attached new folder (once extracted)

Thanks - everyone - for your assistance with testing this mod!

 

[UncleGamer]

I've done some reworking on the folders and consolidated down to 1 mod folder now.

With the new ModTek, it seems to work well, not causing any problems if it doesn't find the 'Mechs/Vees it is looking for.

Does this mean it will work with a vanilla game as is, as well as your variant pack?

 

[Justin Kase]

Does this mean it will work with a vanilla game as is, as well as your variant pack?

It should work fine with Vanilla - but you will see a lot of the same repetative 'mechs due to the limited options.

As you add the various supported mods, you will see it the spectrum increase for each faction.

JK Variants adds 65+ 'mech & 45+ vehicle variants all based on core game models.

Mods that add new models (like @bloodydoves Annihilator, Archer, Flea, etc mods) will also work with this mod. Giving even more options for the Lance's to pull from.

However, if you choose to just go plain vanilla, you don't need to do anything special, it wl just not apply as there is no file to merge the tags with.

The way the mod is designed, it should also work with things like 'MechEngineer, as it just changes the tags on the files.

At the moment, I would not recommend overlaying it on RogueTech, as they have their own way of tagging 'Mechs/Vees. I may work at integrating it with their system once the mod has proved to be steady and viable.

 

[UncleGamer]

Thank you this is AWESOME.... Right now considering doing one with your variant pack. Wasn't there a mod that let you build a base mech from ANY parts no matter the variants? If you had enough Hunchback parts you could build a Hunchback for example?

Have considered some of the new Model mechs but was not sure how stable they were and do they really add whole new models to the game?