Mechwarrior 3 Steam

[Cándida Jolie]

MechWarrior5: Mercenaries is an incredibly fun game to play if you like the action elements of mech combat in the BattleTech world. Now I realize that the game has been out for quite a while now, but it was never available on platforms that I personally had access to, having been an Epic Games Store exclusive for a year and later moving to Xbox One before finally landing on Steam, GoG and other PC platforms. And while I detest those PC-exclusive game launches that only go to the Epic Games Store, in this case it might have done the game some good.

The plot of MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries follows what is typical for most games set in the BattleTech world in that you somehow become the leader of a mercenary company, normally though some terrible event where your mentor/father/buddy is killed. Thereafter you must design your company, hire pilots, obtain and refit mechs, track down contracts and of course fight other mechs in intense combat and campaigns. MechWarrior 5 is no different in that respect, and the overall plot is kind of forgettable. BATTLETECH had a much better overall plot, and that is kind of saying something.

There are two main parts of the game, managing your mercenary company and fighting. Both are pretty well done. On the management side, you will be hiring pilots and obtaining mechs for your company. At first, you will have lower tiers from both groups.

In terms of the combat itself, there is a fairly steep learning curve. It takes a while to master moving your torso and direction of travel at the same time. And the game sends waves of enemy units at you as part of the early campaign, probably to help train you. You can also pilot the mech in first person or third person. For me third person view was much better with better line of sight all around, though sitting in the cockpit is pretty cool. You can play with up to three AI team members or invite up to three real players to fight alongside you. The AI is pretty good, though they do tend to jump right in front of your line of fire. There is a mod on steam that turns off friendly fire damage that I would highly recommend.

Graphics and sounds for MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries are good, and help to contribute to the overall environment where man meets machine. The pilots have unique things they say which is also very nice. The soundtrack for MechWarrior 5 is pretty forgettable, but its not bad. Graphically, the combat parts of the game look great, and the mech models are pretty awesome (yes you can paint them however you want). Some of the ship interiors and the cut scenes like when jumping from system to system look a bit generic, but that is a minor part of the overall graphics presentation.

It has been years since I played a MechWarrior title. I see myself more of a Mech Commander or turn-based mech game type of player. However, after just a few missions in MechWarrior 5, I was hooked. Once you get over the initially steep learning curve, piloting the mechs starts to seem almost like second nature. I was confidently pulling off some dangerous jobs and brining my lance back home safely to talk about it. If you put just a little bit into this game, then MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries has a lot to offer in return.

It's recommended, before installing BattleTech, to watch CryoByte33's video on how to get and use CryoUtilities as it will make playing games a bit better of an experience on the deck. The video is a bit long, but it explains using the utils and the benefits to performance it makes. Since the setup needs to be done in desktop mode return to desktop mode, after using CryoUtilities, and run steam from there. Note: Best to use either a usb hub or a dock for the deck to connect it to a external monitor and a bluetooth keyboard and mouse. This is to speed things up and simply the install process. Alternatively, use steam remote play to access the Steam Deck and do the set up from a PC. This gets around the issue of the app banner getting in the way.

We will start by making things less annoying to deal with for the installation of BTA and any other games you install on the deck. In either your home folder, if you have the freespace or on a microsd card make a new folder called SteamGames. After making the folder run steam from desktop mode then click steam, settings and select storage. On the right side you should see the default steam library with a + icon next to it. Click the + and browse to the location that you made the SteamGames folder and select it. Now that it has been added select the SteamGames folder and click the ... icon and select make default. You could also just select it when installing BattleTech so it is in the new unhidden libary folder.

It's almost time to install BattleTech. We need to install the native linux version of the game and not the windows version. By default the deck will install the windows version using proton. To force the linux version select the game in your steam library and click the gear icon, followed by properties. You should see the commatiblity tab select it, then click the force compatiblity and in the drop down choice scroll to the bottom choosing the steam linux runtime. Next close that popup and install BattleTech to the SteamGames library, steam will prompt you for the install location. You can either wait for the installtion of the game to complete or go to firefox, it may need to be installed via the discover app, and go to the BTA3062 wiki to download the BTA Launcher. With the zip file in your downloads, wait to extract it until you have created a BTA folder in either your Home folder or on the microsd card. Click the zip and open it with ark. Drag and drop the BTALauncher.exe from ark into that BTA folder you have made.

Once the game has finshed installing launch it with steam once and close it after you have seen the vanilla games title screen. Next step will be adding the BTALauncher to steam as a non steam game. On the steam title bar click Games, then add non steam game. In the popup that appears click browse and go to the BTA folder, enter it then select the BTALauncher. It should show in your steam library, select it and click the gear icon, then properties, select the compatibilty tab, force compatibly checkbox and choose Proton 8.0-3 the close the popup. Run the BTALauncher with steam. Caution only run the launcher when in desktop mode, do not run it in game mode.

You should see the BTA Launcher open and with a popup, click ok the follow it by clicking the Set Perferences button. I recommend choosing BTA Light instead of classic just to deal with lighter experience. Also set the path for the BattleTech binary here. Click browse and go the the / that you see to find SteamGames folder and enter it following this path /home/deck/Steam Games/steamapps/common/BATTLETECH/ and select the BattleTech file that is there. With the path showing in the space for it close the preferences popup. Next click the Advanced Mode button, the checkout workspace will already be in the BTA folder with the BTALauncher itself so leave that alone. For the Install Target click the browse button and go to the /HOME/deck/Steam Games/steamapps/common/ and select the BATTLETECH folder. You should see Z:/home/deck/Steam Games/steamapps/common/BATTLETECH/Mods as your install target and Z:/home/deck/BTA/BtalCache for the Checkeout workspace. Finally what you've been waiting for installing BTA so click the Update/Install button and wait for it to download the cache once it does it will ask you to pick your installation options. It is important that you select LinuxFire option, it is required if you want the fire texture\shaders to work the other default fire will only result in broken pink fire. Once the launcher has completed installing BTA, close it and open steam, go to BattleTech and click the gear icon, then properties. Here the launch option needs to be added for for ModTek to work. In the space provided for it copy paste this command into it:

from the period to the last percent on the right. Then select the Installed Files tab and click browse. It will open the BATTLETECH folder, in here you need to find the run.sh script then right click it and choose properties, then the permissions tab. Here you will see an Is executable checkbox, check it and click OK. Launch the game in steam to make sure it works. There will be a bit of a delay, the BattleTech cursor should appear then the game will take over the screen. If you see ModTek in the middle of the screen with a green progress bar. Congradulations you have installed BTA on the steam deck. If you have issues refer the the troubleshooting section of the wiki which you found this guide or come to the BTA3062 Discord for support.

BattleTech is playable on the deck, but there are issue with text and the controls being unusual since the game was not made with controllers in mind. For the best experience is best played while the deck is docked connected to a montior, keyboard, and mouse (power also connected is recommended).

The top results based on the latest update are XCOM 2 [Score: 3.6], Phantom Brigade [Score: 3.5] and Mars Tactics [Score: 3.5] The top rated games you can find here are XCOM: Enemy Unknown [SteamPeek Rating: 9.9] ranked #4, XCOM 2 [SteamPeek Rating: 9.4] ranked #1 and Into the Breach [SteamPeek Rating: 9.1] ranked #28 Also don't forget to check the newest releases FRONT MISSION 1st: Remake [Release date: 2023-06-30] ranked #24, Phantom Brigade [Release date: 2023-02-28] ranked #2 and RAM Pressure [Release date: 2021-09-15] ranked #21 While it is tempting to play with the newest and the best, there might be some other gems in the results, like Phantom Doctrine [SteamPeek Rating: 6.1] ranked #13, The Dungeon Of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet Of Chaos [SteamPeek Rating: 7.7] ranked #14 and Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus [SteamPeek Rating: 8.5] ranked #16.

Hey there, fellow gamers! Are you ready to dive headfirst into the explosive world of BATTLETECH? Well, buckle up, 'cause we're about to embark on one wild ride!

Imagine this: you're the boss of your very own mercenary group, with a bunch of massive, hulking 'Mechs at your disposal. But hold on tight, 'cause things are about to get intense! We're talking about an interstellar civil war that's about to go down, and you're right smack in the middle of it.

Get ready to strategize like a boss, as you command your MechWarriors to pilot those beasts of destruction. It's a high-stakes game of survival, where you'll need to make tough choices to stay afloat. Who needs stability, right? We thrive on chaos!

But here's the twist - it's not just about firepower. You'll need to be the master of your own destiny, as you navigate complex relationships, forge alliances, and make some tough calls that will shape the course of this savage war. Think of it as a massive game of chess...but with giant robots. Oh, and did I mention the explosions? BOOM!

With stunning visuals, strategic gameplay, and a gripping storyline, BATTLETECH is a game that'll get your heart racing and your brain working overtime. And who better to guide you through this mech-tastic adventure than yours truly, GameGal?

So, gather your gears, polish your tactical skills, and embark on a journey that will keep you on the edge of your seat. BATTLETECH is calling your name, my friend, and together, we'll conquer the galaxy, one explosive battle at a time.

Game on, my fellow MechWarriors! Let's show 'em what we're made of!

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