MechEngineer

BattleTech mod that adds engines and other components to mechs based on TT rules.

Download

Downloads of the latest release can be found on github.

Requirements and Installation

either install RogueTech for the full MechEngineer experience

or

• install ModTek using instructions here
• install CustomComponents using instructions here
• install MechEngineer by putting it into the \BATTLETECH\Mods\ folder

Suggested Mods

Use these mods to maximize enjoyment

• CBT Heat - replaces overheat damage to be crit rolls
• CBT Movement - movement reduces accuracy
• CBT Piloting - mech can stumble by chance
• Pansar - applies armor ratio enforcement according to CBT rules

Compatibility Patches

• JK-ME - fixes JK mech variants to work with MechEngineer

TODOs and Bug Reporting

• see issues list

Contributors

Maintainer: CptMoore

• adammartinez271828 - rounding logic
• Aliencreature - ideas, lore and rules, item variants, testing
• Colobos - ideas, lore and rules, item and mech balancing, testing
• CptMoore - ideas, rules, coding, testing, core items
• CrusherBob - ideas, lore and rules, engine rating to walk/sprint distance conversions
• Denadan - ideas, custom components lib, coding
• Gentleman Reaper - ideas, lore and rules, testing
• LadyAlekto - ideas, lore and rules, testing, items
• TotalMeltdown - ideas, lore and rules

Features

Arm Actuators

Consists of CustomComponents to help define supported arm actuators of a chassis and define which components are arm actuators.

Also allows components to define an arm accuracy value.

ArmorStructureChanges

A CustomComponent to change overall structure and armor values of the mech. Works by multipling/divining armor and structure values before/after combat.

ArmorStructureRatio

A CBT rule enforcement, that armor at every mechs location is not more than 2 times the structure, head is allowed to be 3 times.

Setting	Type	Description
ArmorStructureRatioEnforcement	bool	disable the rule if you want to
ArmorStructureRatioEnforcementSkipMechDefs	string[]	mechs to skip the enforcement for

AutoFix

Fixes MechDefs, ChassisDefs and MechComponentDefs. Changes the sizes of components, the supported slots of chassis, reclassifies upgrades as CBT components, adds engines to MechDefs.

Reason this is done programmatically, is to allow fixing of save game MechDefs, however all other fixes could be done using ModTek json merging.

Settings:

Setting	Type	Description
AutoFixMechDefSkip	string[]
AutoFixUpgradeDefSkip	string[]
AutoFixMechDefEngine	bool
AutoFixMechDefEngineTypeDef	string
AutoFixMechDefCoolingDef	string
AutoFixMechDefHeatBlockDef	string
AutoFixGyroCategorizer	IdentityHelper
AutoFixMechDefGyroAdder	AddHelper
AutoFixGyroSlotChange	ValueChange
AutoFixCockpitCategorizer	IdentityHelper
AutoFixMechDefCockpitAdder	AddHelper
AutoFixCockpitTonnageChange	ValueChange
AutoFixCockpitSlotChange	ValueChange
AutoFixMechDefArmActuator	bool
AutoFixArmActuatorCategorizer	IdentityHelper
AutoFixArmActuatorSlotChange	ValueChange
AutoFixLegUpgradesCategorizer	IdentityHelper
AutoFixLegUpgradesSlotChange	ValueChange
AutoFixArmorCategorizer	IdentityHelper
AutoFixMechDefArmorAdder	AddHelper
AutoFixStructureCategorizer	IdentityHelper
AutoFixMechDefStructureAdder	AddHelper
AutoFixChassisDefSkip	string[]
AutoFixChassisDefSlotsChanges	ChassisSlotsChange[]
AutoFixChassisDefInitialTonnage	bool
AutoFixChassisDefInitialToTotalTonnageFactor	float
AutoFixChassisDefMaxJumpjets	bool
AutoFixChassisDefMaxJumpjetsCount	int
AutoFixChassisDefMaxJumpjetsRating	int
AutoFixWeaponDefSlotsChanges	WeaponSlotChange[]

IdentityHelper

Field	Type	Description
AllowedLocations	ChassisLocations
ComponentType	ComponentType
Prefix	string
CategoryId	string
AutoAddCategoryIdIfMissing	bool

AddHelper

Field	Type	Description
ChassisLocation	ChassisLocations
ComponentDefId	string
ComponentType	ComponentType

ValueChange

Field	Type	Description
From	T
By	T
FromIsMin	bool
NewMin	T?

ChassisSlotsChange

Field	Type	Description
Location	ChassisLocations
Change	ValueChange

WeaponSlotChange

Field	Type	Description
Type	WeaponSubType
Change	ValueChange

BTLoadFix

Fixes the vaniella issue with items missing in inventory until exiting the mechlab and reentering it.

ChassisQuirks

The CustomComponent allows to attach status effects to chassis, to make those more unique. Avoids having to introduce fake/fixed equipment to a mech.

ComponentExplosions

Vanilla simulates CASE protected compartments for all locations of a mech. This features introduces CustomComponents to specify if a component can explode and with how much force, as well as CASE components that follow the CBT rules to protect the mech from such explosions. Explosions without CASE containing them will propagate throughout the mech.

CriticalHitStates

A CustomComponent that allows components to survive multiple critical hits and have different status effects active for each critical level of a component.

(Bonus-)Descriptions

Display different textual versions of the same bonus in tooltips, slot and inventory elements. Uses CustomComponents.

Setting	Type	Description
BonusDescriptionsBonusTemplate	string	formatting of a single bonus entry
BonusDescriptionsDescriptionTemplate	string	format of how all bonus entries are wrapped
BonusDescriptions	BonusDescriptionSettings[]	the list of bonus descriptions

DynamicSlots

Used to define dynamic slots a component requires.

Settings:

Setting	Type	Description
DynamicSlotsValidateDropEnabled	bool	don't allow dropping of items that would exceed the available slots

Engines

A major feature of MechEngineer is the introduction of engine items. An engine consists of several parts, each representing a CBT variable in regards to engines.

• Fusion Core (e.g. Core 100): The fusion core rating defines the movement speed, number of jump jets and internal engine heat sinks of a mech. By default the weight of these items assume standard engine shielding.

• Engine (Shielding) (e.g. Std. Engine): Just called "Engine", it actually represents the shielding of the fusion core. An XL engine is extra-light shielding for the engine. In combination with CC and the Weights feature, shielding differs in size and influences the fusion core weight.

• Mech Cooling System (e.g. Cooling DHS): When choosing a heat sink system for the mech, in CBT one has to decide between standard and double heat sinks. Since the engine heat sink type is derived from the mechs heat sink system, this is still part of the Engine feature.

• Engine Cooling System (e.g. E-Cooling + 2): In CBT additional heat sinks can be added to engines for core sizes 275 and higher, this item represents the additional heat sinks added.

All these items are linked together in case of receiving critical hits, and if any engine item is destroyed, all of them flagged as destroyed. The EngineCriticalHitStates setting defines what happens on critical hits.

Settings:

Setting	Type	Description
DefaultEngineHeatSinkId	string	default heat sink type for engines without a kit
EngineMissingFallbackHeatSinkCapacity	int	heat sink capacity if no engine is detected

Settings-Section: CBTMovement

Setting	Type	Description
UseGameWalkValues	bool	set to false to use TT walk values
JJRoundUp	bool	this setting controls if the allowed number of jump jets is rounded up or down
TTWalkMultiplier	float	translate TT movement values to game movement values
TTSprintMultiplier	float	translate TT movement values to game movement values
EngineCriticalHitStates	CriticalHitStates	the critical hit states that apply to an engine
MinimumHeatSinksOnMech	int	minimum heatsinks a mech requires
EnforceRulesForAdditionalInternalHeatSinks	bool	can't have those juicy ++ cooling systems with smaller fusion cores than the rules allow it
AllowMixingHeatSinkTypes	bool	only useful for patchwork like behavior

HardpointFix

see other section and put here

HardpointFixMod

Originally a standalone mod, it is now incorporated into MechEngineer.

InvalidInventory

Makes sure that InvalidInventory issues with mech loadouts are properly rejected in skirmish and campaign play.

InventorySorter

A CustomComponent that allows specifying a sorting key that is used in the inventory part of the MechLab.

MechLabSlots

This patches the machlab, so changes to the chassis slot count are visually represented in the mechlab.

SaveMechToFile

Saves the mechdef to a file when confirming a mech in the mechlab. Useful when modding new mechdefs.

Setting	Type	Description
SaveMechDefOnMechLabConfirm	bool	only enable it if you want to

ShutdownInjuryProtection

Small patches to enable injury incase the mech shuts down or the heat threshold is stepped over.

Setting	Type	Description
HeatDamageInjuryEnabled	bool	when overheating, injure the pilot
ShutdownInjuryEnabled	bool	when shutting down due to overheating, injure the pilot

Weights

The Weights CustomComponent influences various weights of the mech.

Setting	Type	Description
ArmorRoundingPrecision	float?	overwrite the weight precision for armor points

Misc

Additional CC categories are added to the game.

Additional CC tag restrictions are added to the game.

Setting	Type	Description
FractionalAccountingPrecision	float	change to 0.001 for kg fractional accounting precision

To see a complete list of settings look into see the Settings Source Code for all available settings.

Components

Some of the components introduced are only aesthetic or placeholders for the converted upgrades.

RogueTech introduces more components.

Cockpit	test only
standard	-
small	yes
cockpit upgrades*	-

*vanilla upgrades are auto-converted to be the items themselves

Gyro	test only
standard	-
gryo upgrades*	-

*vanilla upgrades are auto-converted to be the items themselves

Engine Core	test only
rating 005-400	-

engine type	test only
std	-
xl	-
compact	yes
light	yes
cxl	yes
xxl	yes
cxxl	yes

E-Cooling	test only
DHS	-
CDHS	yes

Heat Sink	test only
Clan Double Heat Sink	yes

Armor	test only
standard	-
ferros-fibrous	-
clan ferros-fibrous	yes
light ferros-fibrous	yes
heavy ferros-fibrous	yes
stealth	yes

Structure	test only
standard	-
endo-steel	-
clan endo-steel	yes
endo-composite	yes

HardpointFixMod

Originally a standalone mod, it is now incorporated into MechEngineer.

• Fix bad visual loadout issues, sometimes the wrong or ugly looking loadout was shown, a new algorithm should improve upon this. Sometimes attaching a PPC after having already attached many small lasers would hide the PPC, this should be fixed now.
• Restrict weapon loadouts to what is supported by the mech model. BattleTech has some of the best looking models due to MWO, however we never know what mechs support which model hardpoints and therefore we might mount weapons that can't be shown.

An example of how the weapon loadout restrictions feature work for the Highlander assault mech: The left torso has 2 missle hardpoint slots, however only one can mount an LRM20, the other is limited to LRM10. Without this mod you can mount an LRM20 also for the second slot, but it visually would only be showing up as LRM10. With this mod you can't mount the second LRM20 anymore, you have to take either an LRM10 or LRM5. Of course SRMs are still an option. The left arm is also limited to an LRM15 and you can't mount an LRM20 at all.

There are currently the following configuration settings available:

Settings-Section: HardpointFix

Setting	Type	Default	Description
EnforceHardpointLimits	bool	false	set this to false to deactivate the hardpoint limits in mechlab
AllowDefaultLoadoutWeapons	bool	true	always allow to reattach weapons the mech comes with by default
AllowLRMInSmallerSlotsForAll	bool	true	set this to false so only mechs with a proper sized hardpoint can field an LRM20.
AllowLRMInSmallerSlotsForMechs	string[]	default ["atlas"]	a list of mechs that can field larger LRM sizes even in smaller slots, even if allowLRMsInSmallerSlotsForAll is false.
AllowLRMInLargerSlotsForAll	bool	true	allow smaller sized LRMs to be used in larger sized hardpoint slots. E.g. an LRM10 should fit into an LRM20 slot.
AutoFixChassisDefWeaponHardpointCounts	bool	false	changes the hardpoint limits per chassis location based on configured prefabs.

Limitations:

• can't replace weapons by dragging another weapon ontop of it, you have to remove the weapon first and then add another one (you dont have to leave the mechlab for this to work)