State of the Mod #1 news

The following is the content in this mod as of posting. Please feel free to suggest new content or join us on Battlezone 2 Mod Development and contribute.

TheJamsh' Recycler Variant Pack
First, included is a recycler variant from project leader TheJamsh. The variant adds new units, weapons, buildings, and abilities to the build tree. Fed up of the using the same attack groups and winning/loosing games all the time? TJRV has a lot of thought-out new and old units that allow for different strategies.
Everything added has a purpose. Even the Scion tech tree has thoughtful expansions. Don't expect any overly fancy visuals as everything is kept on par with stock.

TJRV also improves the AI behaviour of some units, such as the sabre tank and others. It uses the nav beacon from QF Mod, but with a twist: The nav beacon will change to match your team color! The variant differs slightly between Instant Action and Multi-Player because of small bugs in BZ2's engine that cause problems in MP.

Several versions of this variant are provided featuring defense turrets attached to the recycler structure or special thug recyclers for use by non-commander players.

Festive Fireworks Variant
A new variant made by TheJamsh, that includes the fireworks from Steeveeo's festive fireworks mod released a while back. Playable in all modes. The stock weapons are replaced with the new ones, and there is a special power-weapon avalable from the armoury for a high price.

Local Mod Manager
The key part of the add-on pack is that you can run it alongside stock and play online WITHOUT getting bad assets. Therefore, it is an always-on mod that can even be run alongside other mods.

Local Mod Manager is a new application written by Nielk1, and allows you to add, modify or remove optional extras that are included with the add-on pack with the check-of-a-box. It is a very user-friendly program, but DO NOT confuse it with "mod-manager" (another application in the BZ2 world). Although similar in design, LMM works SPECIFICALLY with non asset-checked files to improve or change YOUR machine only. It still allows you to play with people hosting stock games online.

It is VERY easy to make your own mini-mods for LMM. Simply throw your files in a folder in the LMM addon directory, include an optional preview image or sound, and write a quick LMM file in notepad. LMM files are simply ini files, and plenty of examples are provided in the existing mini-mods to get you right on your way.

A selection of mini-mods included with the addon pack so far are:

Team-Color Textures
A while ago Zero Angel worked to make Multiplayer games using teamcolors a lot better by using a masking glowskin on all ISDF vehicles. Now, the add-on packs team has re-created this for PB5.1. Textures from ZA's original pack as well as many others skin every unit in the game, including the new ones included with the AP!

Below are some screenshots to show how your units will look in MP with this installed. Essentially, the team colors replace the orange area of your unit with the teamcolor for ISDF, and the blue area with the teamcolor for scion. It is advised that you use these for Multiplayer only, as they can make your units look strangely lit (and dark on non glow areas) on dark maps.

Color Schemes
We have also been kind enough to include a bunch of shell theme's and color schemes from favourite mods, and you may toggle one at a time. Included themes are:
Forgotten Enemies:

Queen's Filchers:

Starfleet:

Blue:

Green & Black:

Gold:

Red/Blue:

Alternative Gauges
There are also a bunch of swappable gauges for your health, ammo and weapon status.
BZClassic Demo Gauge:

BZClassic Gauge:

Circle Gauge:

Curvy Center Gauges:

QF Gauge:

Cornered Colorize
Zero Angel has included his cornered colorize files, that change the appearance of your HUD slightly. Very pretty...

Zero Angels Newkeys
Fed up of typing orders and taunts to friends and foes? Zero Angel has added his version of 'newkeys', that enables you to post very useful messages with your numpad. Not only can you post full messages with a single key press, but you can also change the chat type.

Note that if you have binded keys alternatively to stock, newkeys will re-set this when installed. Upon un-install, your key bindings will be returned to what you asked. You may however, edit newkeys to use your new key bindings, and save it as a new LMM add-on.

Alternative Radar Blip
An alternative sound to the high-pitched stock radar blip. This is useful if you play with headphones on, or if the high-pitched sounds are to powerful for your ears.

Alternative Missile Lock Sounds
Changes the high-pitched stock missile lock sounds. This is useful if you play with headphones on, or if the high-pitched sounds are to powerful for your ears.

Extra In-Game Music
Music provided by BZ1, TRO and Recoil can be switched on or off too. To hear them play, make sure the track choice is on 'Random' (default). You can switch these on independently of one-another.
(Obviously this may not be included in the final release for legal reasons, but for now they serve to demonstrate the working nature of the music mini-mod system which works slightly differently than all other mini-mods.)

BZGame_Team.cfg
A replacement .cfg file that enables you to see your teammates hull and ammo status, and their name under their icon. A very useful addition indeed. Click HERE for the full post.

TheJamsh's Chaos UT Newkeys
Welcome newkeys with voiceovers. There are male and female versions of this local-mod, that play a full set of voice-overs for each given command (VO's taken from Chaos UT 1999). You can also take advantage of the new pre-named nav beacon feature, that allows you to place a selection of pre-named nav points, rather than un-named ones. Useful for Thugs!

This version of newkeys is substantially larger that other versions, so i suggest you print off the included read-out sheet and learn it!

Team Color Picker
Some of you may have used OvermindDL1's Color picker. Local Mod Manager also integrates a similar idea and allows you to change you're team colors and save and load them at any time. You can have as many color pre-sets as you like, and some attractive ones are also included in case you're bored of blue and red.

Red Vs. Blue (Default)
Red Vs. Blue (P3 Like)
Reds Vs. Blues (FFA)
Blue Vs. Green
Purple Vs. Sand
Pastel Red Vs. Lime Green
Plated Gold Vs. Acid Green
Gold Vs. Silver
GDI Vs. Nod
Red Devil's FFA
And More!

Nielk1's Reactor Wars Multiplayer Mode
Reactor Wars is a brand-new multiplayer mode for Battlezone II, with new maps, new ships, new weapons, new objects. New everything! The idea is a team-based objective game, where typically you must fight to control switches on the map, which protect your team's reactor. Should you loose a switch, your shields power down, and your reactor is open to attack from the enemy! Of course, its not all as simple as this, to collect switches you must use tugs in some maps, or destroy them in others.

Reactor wars is best played with 6 or more people, but can be played with 2 so get those big games going! Mappers and Modders will be pleased to hear that the mode is VERY adaptable. It uses various inputs from external files to know how to run for diffident maps.

Nielk1's Mutator Recycler Variant Pack (MRVP)

MRVP 2.0 is now included with the add-on pack! Nielk1 adds many adventurous, ridiculous and downright weird recycler variants to expand gameplay options ever further. The list of variants currently includes:

Guns Guns Guns:
There are no gun towers, what could you possibly defend yourself with? You are doomed, or ARE you? NO! Every single structure has self defense capabilities. While these might not be as strong as a gun tower in some cases, they are efficient at augmenting unit based defenses to repel attacks. In addition, Scion lungs now have a thirst for blood and will attack you if you get too close. (Note there may be a version of this that still has Gun Towers).

Power Lungs Only:
Both ISDF & Scion now use power lungs rather than powerplants.

Mega Structure:
Ever wonder why there are so many buildings in every ISDF base? Well no more, now ISDF bases can make the best of a small area with Mega Structures. These combination structures upgrade to pick up more functions. For example, the Bomber Bay, Service Bay, and a Comm. Tower all form one structure.

Power Catcher:
The ISDF now use a power-catcher system, similar in design to the Queen's Filchers system. This allows the ISDF to power as many as 8 gun towers with only 2 power (if surrounding the catcher). The Scions, following this lead, have created a similar structure that places a lung under a powerful shield. It then directs the power to surrounding Gun Spires.

Research:
Ever wonder why a Tech Center had a magical power to unlock any and all technology instantly? Ever wonder why it came so late in the tree? Well now you don't have to. The Tech Center, and a Scion equivalent, now allows you to build it early and research technology. Want Service Trucks before a Service Bay? Research it.

Self-Defending Extractors:
Tired off those Extractors getting destroyed every time you set them up? Now they can defend themselves with laser or arc beam technology. Be aware, this system is automated and will attempt to fire on the closest enemy, though this may prove unreachable, incidentally target a nearby friendly constructor, or cause enemies just passing by to attack. It's safer than it sounds... no really.

Silo:
Every wonder what the big deal is with the large container above an Extractor? Ever wonder why you can't just blow it off to hurt scrap production? Now you can, at the cost of 15 hold each.

Deploys
All buildings start in vehicle form. This provides an excellent system for deploying an outpost quickly, easily, and suddenly.

Deploys B
In addition to all buildings starting as vehicles, now they can be un-deployed by a constructor (if fully upgraded) and moved elsewhere. Move a gun tower to a better position, or move your entire base!

Fat-Boy
Scavengers are replaced with a max of 5 Fat Boys, a new vehicle that is cable of both scavenging and generating its own scrap. These new vehicles are a hefty cost of 40 scrap and make scavenger defense an extremely important part of the game. Know that scavengers don't run away from attacking units or gun towers. Because pools are not used, a new unit called a Service Pylon Driller is available. It deploys on biometal pools and converts the resources to armor and ammo.

Inverted Power
The ISDF and the Scions are experimenting with new power technology. Fight as the ISDF with power lungs or the Scions with power generators, the choice is yours.

Merger
Creates a Recycler of the opposite race on deploy of the main Recylcer. The first Rec is on slot 1 and the 2nd on slot 4. This means you can play as both races at once. Note the 1st Recycler is the main Recycler.

No Extractors
This Recylcer breeds its own scrap. Service pylons can be deployed to make use of pools.

No Lung Recycler
The Scions use power generators in just like the ISDF. No structures use lungs.

No Power A/B
Neither side needs lungs or power generators. In the B variant, at least one template P.Gen must be made for the ISDF to build any other structures.

No Rescource A/B
This Recylcer breeds its own scrap. In addition, neither side needs lungs or power generators. In the B variant, at least one template P.Gen must be made for the ISDF to build any other structures.

Scrapper
Brings the scrap management of Battlezone to the world of Battlezone II. Build Silos, collect loose scrap with hovering scavengers, and turn scrap pools into regenerating scrap fields.

TheJamsh' Berserk AIP Set
Lets face it... insane... isn't, and after a while the same 5-mauler, 3 titan attacks get really boring. Not quite as evil as G66 2.0, but closer. The Berserk AIP's are a few levels up from insane. The enemy now builds ALL of the units from TJRV, including flying dog-fighters, heavy rocket bombers. And they built LOADS, FAST.

You'll need a full-squad of experienced Multiplayer Instant players to take on this and win. These AI Plans are compatible with stock so long as TJRV is installed. The berserk AIPs are designed to increase difficulty of gameplay, and reduce repetitiveness of long MPI/IA games. The AI will build units and buildings from TJRV the same way stock AIP's do, but they will build much quicker, and will build much more. Gone are the days of 4-5 unit attack waves if you progress to mid-games.

TheJamsh's Shell Enhancements
This new escape menu for multiplayer allows you to view all of the extra options in game, without having to ask your commander or the host. You can quickly view any option set by the host, your alliance configuration etc etc. Its easy, useful and tidy. Credit goes to Red Devil for the initial idea for this.

Additions have been made to the pre-game shells. You can change vehicle lists to a wider available selection, and compliant submissions can add their own lists as well. The pack has been designed to run alongside other mods and extra variants, so you needn't worry about asset clashes.

TheJamsh's Dogfight Multiplayer Mode
Deathmatch gets a little old after a while. You're restricted to only 2 real directions of movement, and the action is a little slow-paced. That's where dogfight mode takes over.

Dogfight adds all-new units and weapons to MP, as well as a special 'Lucky Dip' mode that truly randomizes the weapons you pick up with a new dll. You may get a space bomb, you may explode! Who knows, that's the fun!

Dogfighting allows for 3 axis of movement, and you can fly at blindingly fast speeds. The agile Supa, Ultra and regular dogfighters dorn the ISDF fleet, and the Bee, Super Bee and Legion for the scions.

And if you think its human-only, think twice, CPU bots fly just as hard if not better than you could. 1.2 hovering vet? Dogfighting in the sky is an entirely new skill to master. Seven maps are converted for dogfighting mode, additional ones may follow as soon as you realize how fun it is!

Icons
Nielk1 has included a batch of BZ2- Related icons for you're desktop and for the included LMM program, feel free to use these for you BZ2 programs!

Additional Maps
The Jamsh has taken the time to convert quite a selection of old maps into new ones, as well as convert some stock ones to be used in more modes. The current list of maps from their original authors goes something like this. All credit for the maps should go to the original authors, along with some gratitude for allowing TheJamsh to convert them. Do note, not all of these maps are converted from 1.2's ZST!

Appel
ST: Ancient
ST: Barren
ST: Hilo Blues
ST: Bowls
ST: Garden
ST: Haven
ST: Phoenix
ST: Quagmire
ST: Redslope
ST: Reflex
ST: Rendon
ST: Ridges
ST: Tempest
ST: Terron
ST: Trench

Oppressor
ST: Eygpt

Malelovence
ST: Aztec
ST: Beaches
ST: Echelon
ST: Europa
ST: Exodus
ST: Ground Zero Lite
ST: Ice Age
ST: Insula
ST: Jade Green
ST: Lunar
ST: Mojave
ST: Ravine
ST: Sahara
ST: Uxbridge
ST: Wales

RocketmanX
ST: Ammo2Go
ST: Balance
ST: Box
ST: CanyonX
ST: Clay Ridge
ST: Hazzard Us
ST: Militus Procinctu
ST: Pit Stop
ST: Simplicity
ST: Space Roast
ST: Subterfuge
ST: The Pass
ST: The Ward

TheJamsh
MPI/ST/IA: Outposts
MPI/ST/IA: Tranquility
MPI/IA: Oxide
MPI/IA: Rock Pools
DF: Arena
DF: Figure Eight
DF: Orbit

DF: Titan
DF: Volcanoes
DF: Spin Cycle
DF: Loot
DF: Shangri-la
ST: Snow Blind

MPI/IA: Quarry
RW: River
Set high in the peaks of a distant world, River is a well-balanced mid-large sized map based around a stream in the mountains. This stream is surrounded by large fortifications that relied on the cool water to forge ultra-hard bio-metal. The factories still run and the water keeps coming. Both your teams set down by dropship on either side of the river, desperate to claim control, but only one team can hold it.

Destroy the power terminals and control the power sources to keep your defense grid active, and to protect your dropship. As terminals are destroyed, Blast doors open to reveal the innards of the enemy production plant. if you get far enough inside, take out the power to the landing pad blast door, and blow up the enemy dropship to leave them stranded in a highly-volatile overloading factory. River shows the other side of reactor wars, and proves just how modable it is.

RW: Mining Facility
Mining Facility is a huge underground tunnel network constructed by the scions many years before the war. It's systems were never shut down and are always running, leaving thick trails of molten rock between your base and the enemies. Power down the shields in the correct order to get to the enemy base. Even better, you can slingshot your enemies crystals into the lava, leaving them stuck out of reach.

Power down the shields to the main reactor core by travelling deeper into the mine, avoiding the automatic defense grid and capturing 'energy crystals' for your own defense items.

Fizzy
ST: Iceolation

AHadley
Loot: Mire
Loot: Core

GreenHeart
MPI/ST/IA: GH Snowman

Nielk1
RW: Core
Core is the first Reactor Wars map any newbie should play. The objective is fairly straight forward, power down the enemies shields to their reactor core, by removing the power crystals from their holding areas. Do this before they get yours down, and you will be able to kill the enemy reactor, the same way you kill it in the final ISDF mission. Choose from either a fighter, tug or service unit to play with (which can be changed at any time in-game).
DM: Daisy Chain
DM: Tunnel Square
DM: Snowflake

Datannti
MPI/IA/ST: 2009
MPI/IA: Remember
FFA: Remember Four
MPI: Scrapmine
MPI: Volcano
ST: Dunes River

ScarleTomato
MPI/IA: Warzone Hills (slightly altered for higher FPS on lower-spec machines)

StormFront
ST: Boot Hill
ST: Chaos
ST: Trinity

{NOK} Clan
ST: Amazonia (SparrowHawk)
ST: Desert Storm (MightyBlade)
ST: Falling Sun (MightyBlade)
ST: Lava Pit (SparrowHawk)
ST: Arctic Circle (MightyBlade)
ST: Canyons (Darkman)

TimeVirus
ST: Cauldron
ST: Crater
ST: Supply Lanes
ST: Mountain Pass
ST: Oxide
ST: Plaza
ST: Red Bluff
ST: Terrace

*IX* Clan
ST: 7-Forts
ST: Arctic Assault
ST: Blaze
ST: Inferno
ST: Polar
ST: Red Planet
ST: Scorched
ST: 6Sixway
ST: Trenton
ST: Voodoo Child

Feared_1
ST: Bolt
ST: Iraq
ST: Rampant
ST: Sinister
ST: Valley
ST: Vortex
ST: Wipeout

Maps From Mad-Dog, Laguna, EXE, Sly are waiting on approval.

TheJamsh' Warship Recycler Variant
Supported by the CPU (and potentially for human players in the future), the warship variant swaps-out the traditional recycler for a pre-placed warship, complete with its own defensive batteries and build capabilities! Each base-ship supports up to 40 turbo laser batteries and additional missile batteries at once, and its your job to take down this ship while it continues to build fighters and collect scrap the same way a normal base would.

The base-ship has a mega range, and its 30+ defensive batteries will keep it well-protected. Destroy the warship before you are annihilated!