Mechwarrior 4 Free!

From Blues News:

The MekTek Website has recovered from its recent outage, and now offers an updated beta of the MTX software designed to overcome some of the problems users experienced trying to download the free MechWarrior 4 rerelease using the first release of this content delivery system. The new version will no longer fail if their website is unavailable, and removes the custom skin that caused its performance to lag. They also respond to user criticism of the use of MTX to distribute the free version of MechWarrior 4, but they also say: "MekTek will be releasing a self extracting installer containing both MTX and Mechwarrior4: Mercenaries very shortly. However, in the meantime, if you have your MTX files, download the new installer of MTX, and give it a try."

From MTX:

Some people have expressed questions and concerns about using MTX to install the game. The main reason we are using MTX to deliver this free distribution of Mechwarrior: Mercenaries is to be able to serve the many updates we have planned in the near future. Patching and updating Mercs without an easy method of distribution to the amount of people who will need the patches and updates, will become a much larger problem than simply being patient with us and MTX while we work out the bugs. The community will fragment with all the different versions that will be out there once we start releasing updates without a system in place to deliver the updates to everyone playing the free release. We are aware of hardware issues and long standing bugs with Mechwarrior4 which we plan to address in the future. Also worth noting that we are planning to release more Mechwarrior titles via MTX in the future. We realize MTX caused grief for many folk and we apologize. We hope our 100,000 guests that crashed our server this weekend will return and not be too disgruntled.

Well, MTX is stuck in an infinite loop. Everytime it starts up, it wants to download and apply the same patch. Guess I'll just download the full new version and reinstall. If they're trying to push MTX as a delivery platform, they failed miserably.

Well I got everything set up today, thanks in no small part to this thread.

Now to set up a reasonable control scheme. Being as this is my first time ever playing a mechwarrior game this could take a while.

AmazingZoidberg wrote:

Now to set up a reasonable control scheme. Being as this is my first time ever playing a mechwarrior game this could take a while.

I use a decent Keyboard & Mouse layout that gets the job done:

Mouse X-Axis: Torso

Left Mouse Button: Shoot
Right Mouse Button: Flush Coolant
Middle Mouse Button: Toggle Active/Passive Radar
Mouse Button 4/5: Previous/Next Weapon Group

W/S: Accelerate/Decelerate
Shift+W: Set Accelerate 0%
A/D: Turn Left/Right
Q/E: Aim Arms Left/Right
~: Look Back
Shift+S: Look Down

1: Toggle Active/Passive Radar
2: Switch Firing Mode
3/4: Previous/Next Weapon Group
5: Next Weapon
R: Zoom Reticule
Shift+R: Toggle Night Vision

F: Override Shutdown
G: Flush Coolant
V/Shift+V: Start/Shutdown Mech
C: Get Up
X: Crouch

There's more to it than that, but that's the bulk of it.

deftly wrote:

Well, MTX is stuck in an infinite loop. Everytime it starts up, it wants to download and apply the same patch. Guess I'll just download the full new version and reinstall. If they're trying to push MTX as a delivery platform, they failed miserably.

Ya know, kicking MTX in the jewels when they screw up is fine. What happened with this free launch, I think the appropriate term is 'FUBAR.'

Trying to use an outdated version when the new version designed to deal with the problems you are running into, the technical term for that is 'PEBKAC.'

Is it possible to use TrackIR for head movement ?

I got some cooperative comp stomping in with this last night. Though I've forgotten my idealized builds for the different mechs (plus you can't snipe a computer player that sees all), I still had a lot of fun.

I really think a joystick is key, but that may just be my fond memories. Logitech still makes decent ones, and at least they are cheap.

lactose wrote:

Is it possible to use TrackIR for head movement ?

Not directly. I played around with my FreeTrack setup this weekend a little bit and tried to rig it for keyboard output, but wasn't having any luck. I'm going to mess with it some more, maybe I'll try mouse output.

I'm having trouble joining games and seems quite a few people running Windows 7 64bit are having the same trouble. I don't use a router since I use a 3G card, so the port forwarding isn't the issue. I've gone as far as disabling Windows firewall completely...still the "Cannot join selected game..."

Anyone else having this problem?

Mektek[/url]]*UPDATE*

We are very aware that some of you are having problems using MTX to download and install the free release of Mechwarrior4: Mercenaries. We are currently preparing a self extracting executable to install the game without using MTX.

This new release will require a new download, but should alleviate any of the issues of installing via MTX.

This new release will contain some bug fixes for Mercs, and we will prepare a patch for those of you who have been successfully installing and updating via MTX as well as executable patches to bring any version previously downloaded, up to date.

Once this new version clears our beta team, it will be made available for download in your BitTorrent client of choice. Please be patient as this may take a few days.

We will continue to work on ironing out the bugs in MTX, until then, we will provide an alternate way to acquire the game and updates through the self installing executables.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

Good hunting.
The MekTek Team.

Nice of them

Thin_J wrote:

*edited*

DirtierParsley wrote:

I think I'm in the same boat as you Thin_J. Patched up without a problem now. First time I launched got some message about my system not being compatible. Now when I launch the game seems to start, I hear sound but just a black screen. I screwed around with the autoconfig_MERCS.exe but no luck. Seems like a video driver issue now.

Sigh.

Fixed the patching issue I had.

But the game won't run. There's a problem with my hardware or drivers. At that point it's going way too far for me to get a free, old game to run.

I have the exact same issue as you guys but all I did was run the game as administrator and it works fine now.

I'm going to give this a try tonight. Never played a multiplayer mech game before unless original cardboard and dice Battletech in the 80s counts. Be gentle with me?

LtWarhound wrote:
deftly wrote:

Well, MTX is stuck in an infinite loop. Everytime it starts up, it wants to download and apply the same patch. Guess I'll just download the full new version and reinstall. If they're trying to push MTX as a delivery platform, they failed miserably.

Ya know, kicking MTX in the jewels when they screw up is fine. What happened with this free launch, I think the appropriate term is 'FUBAR.'

Trying to use an outdated version when the new version designed to deal with the problems you are running into, the technical term for that is 'PEBKAC.'

I wasn't talking about the patch to MW4. I was talking about the patch to MTX itself, to update itself so it's no longer the outdated version. If Steam, Java, or your antivirus software couldn't patch itself, I'm pretty sure you'd still call it FUBAR.

In any case, I reinstalled MTX, and its performance is still ass. It takes forever to refresh itself, and it bogs down other apps even when it's not downloading. I have to leave it in the foreground and go feed the cat or take out the trash, then come back. By then, I can usually click on the Games tab, wait 5 minutes, right click on MW4, wait 5 minutes, than click install. Of course, now that's it's finished downloading, it won't install the .mtx file. It just tries to download it again. The archive is fine and complete. I did want to use MTX to keep it updated, but I guess I'll just extract the files with a zip tool and not bother with MTX.

Almost seems like less effort to just find my old MW4 CDs.

Thanks for the play by play, guys. I may start a download tonight. If I go through with this, I have an old Thrustmaster TQS/RCS/F16 FLCS - I'll post configs if anyone wants. I bet I still have my old MW2 configs to start from. I just remember 4 being so simplified compared to 2 (and 3?) that I played the demo for a couple hours and didn't think it worth the money.
I could do everything from the sticks. And rudders for torso twist rocks.

wickbroke wrote:

I could do everything from the sticks. And rudders for torso twist rocks.

Yeah, this game makes me miss my old Sidewinder. I could twist the stick to twist the mech's head! Craziness!

Nevin73 wrote:

Almost seems like less effort to just find my old MW4 CDs.

All of the servers have switched over to this new version. In other words, if you want to play MechWarrior 4, you'll have to figure out this nonsense.

The good news is they are about to release a standalone installer that you can torrent using a normal torrent program. Once that happens, this should all be sorted out and everyone will finally be one happy family again.

Has anyone else managed to get in a few rounds of multi-player, or am I the only one?

Played several rounds of multiplayer. Seeing way too many poptarts, sadly. Enough so that I started using my poptart swatter - Daishi with 6xMiniGauss. Boring but effective. Not as much fun as a modifed Hunchback IIC (less firepower, more speed, get in close and run circles around the assaults that litter every server.) Heck, even a stock Hunchback IIC is more fun. Just expect to get primaried.

I guess I'm just lucky with MTX. I'm not experiencing the problems with it that others are. Not doubting that you are having these issues, just saying I'm not. I will admit to torrenting the main install and two patches, and downloading both versions of MTX directly from MekTek, not letting it patch itself. But hell, I've had worse luck with installers from games I pay for, such as WoW. Or Eve. If major players have these problems, I ain't giving grief to people that aren't charging me.

It's been a while since I played MW4. For anyone that has played both, how does MW4 compare to Mechwarrior: Living Legends, the Crysis converstion mod?

FenixStryk wrote:
Nevin73 wrote:

Almost seems like less effort to just find my old MW4 CDs.

All of the servers have switched over to this new version. In other words, if you want to play MechWarrior 4, you'll have to figure out this nonsense.

Bleah, that's too bad. Hopefully the standalone installer will work better.

drdoak wrote:
wickbroke wrote:

I could do everything from the sticks. And rudders for torso twist rocks.

Yeah, this game makes me miss my old Sidewinder. I could twist the stick to twist the mech's head! Craziness!

I just pulled my old Sidewinder out from the basement in anticipation of this game and to replay Freespace 2 but I am a victim of obsolesence! Athought the stick works my fancy new motherboard has no gameport connection. There may have once been a USB converter but I think it's gone the way of the dodo.....

(Great excuse to buy a new stick - if only Amazon would ship to Canada I'd grab the Saitek X52 HOTAS for $68. Ah well. Such is life).

So has anyone started a steam group yet?

MTX makes my scalp itch =/

eta: managed to install it just manually unpacking the .mtx files. Ran and started up OK, although I've not had time to fire up a game yet.

I have to say that if they're planning to release future products on this platform I'm pretty sure I wont' be buying them as I don't want this useless headbutt software anywhere on my computer.

drdoak wrote:
wickbroke wrote:

I could do everything from the sticks. And rudders for torso twist rocks.

Yeah, this game makes me miss my old Sidewinder. I could twist the stick to twist the mech's head! Craziness!

I almost got rid of my old Sidewinder (and a bunch of other old stuff) that was sitting around in storage, recently. Now, I'm glad I didn't. Need to go pick it up from the storage.

I'll be waiting for them to release the standalone installer, personally. I installed the new MTX, clicked to initiate the download and it immediately locked up.

It was then I realized that I'd rather have the standalone installer because I could back that up. With MTX, if I wanted to move to a new computer (or reinstall the OS on this one) I'd have to redownload the whole thing with MTX.

Or maybe I'll just torrent an ISO of the original. I don't care about multiplayer, and since they're releasing it free it's legal.

You can run MW4:Merc without running MTX, if all you want is the single player. Done that, spent several hours listening to Duncan Fisher waxing ecstatic as I waxed the competition in the medium circuit. Twin CLBX-20 + 2 medium lasers means never having to say you are sorry... as long as you don't run out of ammo while taking down every other mech in the arena.

MekTek finally released a standalone installer/patcher that can be downloaded via a torrent program such as uTorrent. I strongly encourage you guys to pick this up if you're even somewhat interested; it's a great game and now is the time to jump in.

http://www.mektek.net/index.php?pid=13

From the above link, you'll need to download: (via a torrent):
MTX Extract and Patch Utility (v.0.0.1.4)
Mechwarrior4: Mercenaries MTX FULL Install (version .0021)

Use the extractor, install the game and have fun!

Whats a good torrent software that I could use to pick up MW4? I've managed to stay away from torrenting in general for almost 2 years now and I know almost nothing about it these days.

Most programs will work. uTorrent is one of the most popular. Just install and open the torrent files, basically.

Citizen86 wrote:

Most programs will work. uTorrent is one of the most popular. Just install and open the torrent files, basically.

Listen to the pirate.