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Hi,
Apologies if this is known but I had searched online and found no solutions for adding custom pilots in Career mode.
After looking through the json files I found this winning combination.
It assumes you know how to add pilots in Story / Campaign mode, there are a few guides out there for that already, but I've added how I do it below, for completeness.
ADD NEW PILOTS
In data\simGameConstants\SimGameConstants.json
Go to the CareerMode section.
Change "StartingMechWarriorCount" from 4 to 0.
Remove the line for "argoUpgrade_pod1",
In data\shipUpgrades\argoUpgrade_pod1.json
At the end of the Actions section, put in your MechWarrior_AddRoster lines (see below).
Save the files and start a new game in Career mode.
You will start with only your commander.
Go to Engineering and buy Pod Alpha. It will cost nothing and complete in 0-1 days.
Once completed, all your custom pilots will appear.
Other useful changes:
STARTING MECHS
In data\simGameConstants\SimGameConstants.json
Go to the CareerMode section.
Replace the StartingPlayerMech and StartingLance with suitable mechdef entries.
Example:
Be careful of what mechs you choose as they might be too expensive to maintain at the start of the game.
ADD MECHWARRIOR
In the Actions section of a suitable file, you can add pilots like below. Be careful of the commas - every curly bracket block ends in a comma except the last one.
If you're adding your new blocks after the end of the original Action blocks, be sure to add a comma.
Example of a modified Actions block from argoUpgrade_pod1.json
CUSTOM PORTRAITS
This is trickier but it works. I've used it in a few games.
You need the portrait pictures to be 512x512 pixels, saved as .png files. Example: new_A.png
Add the picture files to sprites\portraits
In data\pilot, edit some files you want to modify, such as pilot_backer_Huxley.json
Use Ronin pilots as they will only appear once in each game, so you don't get duplicates.
Modify the Description as you like and also the Pilot stats. I prefer to use this as a good starter. Use different "Voice" files for some variety.
Update the "Icon" to your new portrait picture.
For the final step you need to update the VersionManifest.csv file in the data folder.
Add your new portraits by creating new lines like this. Search for existing Sprite Portraits to see what values to use in all fields after .png
Now, save the files and start a new game.
If you start the game and the circle stays spinning, then you either missed a step above or got the commas wrong.
Note that the above will not work for modifying a Saved game as the .json files are only read when starting a new game.
Apologies if this is known but I had searched online and found no solutions for adding custom pilots in Career mode.
After looking through the json files I found this winning combination.
It assumes you know how to add pilots in Story / Campaign mode, there are a few guides out there for that already, but I've added how I do it below, for completeness.
ADD NEW PILOTS
In data\simGameConstants\SimGameConstants.json
Go to the CareerMode section.
Change "StartingMechWarriorCount" from 4 to 0.
Remove the line for "argoUpgrade_pod1",
In data\shipUpgrades\argoUpgrade_pod1.json
At the end of the Actions section, put in your MechWarrior_AddRoster lines (see below).
Save the files and start a new game in Career mode.
You will start with only your commander.
Go to Engineering and buy Pod Alpha. It will cost nothing and complete in 0-1 days.
Once completed, all your custom pilots will appear.
Other useful changes:
STARTING MECHS
In data\simGameConstants\SimGameConstants.json
Go to the CareerMode section.
Replace the StartingPlayerMech and StartingLance with suitable mechdef entries.
Example:
Code:
"StartingPlayerMech" : "mechdef_grasshopper_GHR-5H",
"StartingLance" : [
"mechdef_shadowhawk_SHD-2H",
"mechdef_shadowhawk_SHD-2H",
"mechdef_jenner_JR7-D",
"mechdef_jenner_JR7-D"
],ADD MECHWARRIOR
In the Actions section of a suitable file, you can add pilots like below. Be careful of the commas - every curly bracket block ends in a comma except the last one.
If you're adding your new blocks after the end of the original Action blocks, be sure to add a comma.
Example of a modified Actions block from argoUpgrade_pod1.json
Code:
"Actions" : [
{
"Type" : "Ship_SetRepairState",
"value" : "0",
"additionalValues" : [
"Pod"
]
},
{
"Type" : "MechWarrior_AddRoster",
"value" : "pilot_backer_Huxley",
"valueConstant" : null,
"additionalValues" : null
},
{
"Type" : "MechWarrior_AddRoster",
"value" : "pilot_backer_Lemos",
"valueConstant" : null,
"additionalValues" : null
}
]CUSTOM PORTRAITS
This is trickier but it works. I've used it in a few games.
You need the portrait pictures to be 512x512 pixels, saved as .png files. Example: new_A.png
Add the picture files to sprites\portraits
In data\pilot, edit some files you want to modify, such as pilot_backer_Huxley.json
Use Ronin pilots as they will only appear once in each game, so you don't get duplicates.
Modify the Description as you like and also the Pilot stats. I prefer to use this as a good starter. Use different "Voice" files for some variety.
Code:
"Icon": "new_A"
},
"BaseGunnery": "4",
"BonusGunnery": 0,
"BasePiloting": "3",
"BonusPiloting": 0,
"BaseGuts": "3",
"BonusGuts": 0,
"BaseTactics": "3",
"BonusTactics": 0,
"ExperienceUnspent": 0,
"ExperienceSpent": 2900,
"Injuries": 0,
"Health": 3,
"LethalInjury": false,
"Incapacitated": false,
"Morale": 0,
"Voice": "f_pro04_midwest",
"abilityDefNames": [],Update the "Icon" to your new portrait picture.
For the final step you need to update the VersionManifest.csv file in the data folder.
Add your new portraits by creating new lines like this. Search for existing Sprite Portraits to see what values to use in all fields after .png
Code:
new_A,Sprite,sprites/Portraits/new_A.png,90,2018-02-27T00:45:29.5565233Z,2018-12-17T22:17:46.6888492Z,,,False,0,False,FalseNow, save the files and start a new game.
If you start the game and the circle stays spinning, then you either missed a step above or got the commas wrong.
Note that the above will not work for modifying a Saved game as the .json files are only read when starting a new game.
Last edited:
