Modding MechCommander Windows, Mac, Linux game

Hello MechCommanders,
as many of you will know - MechCommander is one of the hardest games - not only playing this game successfully is difficult - but although modding ain't easy to come. How many people did i have seen in the past decade that wanted to introduce new mechs in MC1/MCG? - I can't imagine anymore. The people come with modding knowledge from other games or are clueless about modding at all. The main argument i saw all the time: It can not be that difficult to make new mechs.

And sure - technically it is easy done. But to introduce it you need to do allot more. Even IF you have created 2.000+ little *.tga & shapefiles for the game - introducing them as functioning units is way more work to do. The reason is that MechCommander was not built on an existing gaming creation platform like Unity - Unreal/Half-Life engine or others - but on a special library & compression system - in a language that is called Advanced Business Language. It has many elements from C++ in it. Further you can say that C++ code was used as backbone. But MechCommander not allow all C++ codes - only the codes that where designed or present as entry into mentioned function-libraries. The whole game works with that library system. There is no "engine" at all. MechCommander is the source itself compressed - functioning threw seperate moduls that work together/similar.

When i came to MechCommander modding in 2016 the game was almost completely vanished. You could find the open source code on GitHub by Alex Gopher. MechCommander was released as freeware 2006. Microsoft then although released the source code for MechCommander 2 - which was build on another "engine" than the original. Rumors where that they lost the original source. I don't know exactly how the extracted source got created - but i believe people like Alex Gopher, CMunsta and others extracted the files in a reverse engeneering process and the modding group uploaded the source on Github then. Correct me in the comments when i'm wrong. The problem with the extracted source on GitHub is that it doesn't contain my remastered file content and the mission files are completely messed up in the basic version. Even for modders - the code in the basic version is stored really confusing. And to work efficent with all modding tools the files need to saved in a certain way. They need to be saved with its subdirectories in order to make them work with the development tools. I did that work with ALL missions that i could find for MechCommander. And i restructured/ordered the source. Not only the remastered source but although the existing retro stuff got completely overhauled - including all basic missions of the original version. I have uploaded an older version of my personal extracted source here on modDB. I recommend you use those files to mod MechCommander. It spares you allot of time. Bringing the files into that order was almost one year of work. Repetitive things i already did - the most of it. So using my extracted source will be much more comfortable for modders than the original Github version. All to be used in the manner of cMunsta's Modding Guides - work folder strategy - that are although available as download on my profile.

Then there was a website called NoGutsNoGalaxy that gave modders a forum place for communication. There was allot MechCommander internal and technical knowledge and database shared by the community. This site went offline at the end of 2019. It's content of information can nowadays only be accessed via web.archive wayback machines. But it is only a rudimentary backup of NGNG. Most of the files for players - so that they can still play the game - i reuploaded here on modDB now.

So players already can enjoy the game & it's excessive guide / tactical information content by using the existing guides and MechCommander content link collections.

At the moment i'm working on a brandnew "original built" for MechCommander. The pre-installed Original Desperate Measures Version on modDB is way outdatet right now. With that new fullversion i although will release a new "basic" source code - only containing the basic game functions. The game will be the same for players. No mentionable difference. But the file structure - and the physical backbone of MechCommander will be more stable then. All 42 missions got recompiled in a CLEAN naming procedure and compressed seperately as mission.fst files out of the main mission.fst. The size of the Main mission.fst will be reduced by up to 80% - this will make it run more smooth and stable. But this is not the only thing i will update. Some other minor or major issues will be solved with that new Original Version built.

You would like to give it a try? - Mod MechCommander!

To make a long story short: This place will be filled with modding information, articles and knowledge how to mod MechCommander by a long time run. When you have any interest in modding MechCommander - never mind to leave a comment - thank you for reading this.

Planned article's topics:

• ABL - Advanced Business Language - useable library content
• MechCommander Scenario & Map Editor & Editor Extender
• *.pkk, *.sol & *.mpk file extensions
• *.fst & *.dpk file extensions
• modding campaigns
• modding solomissions
• modding mechwarriors
• modding battlemechs
• modding vehicles
• modding equipment
• modding purchase & logistics
• modding starting conditions
• ArtWork modding / Game design
• General MechCommmander modding knowledge

Regards RizZen
(c) 21/04/2020