Is it possible to mod DLC mechs?

[ArneHD]

Hi, I messing around with chassisdef files, but discovered that the chassisdef files for the DLC mech were bundled in the unity asset bundles. I was able to extract the .json files from the bundle to edit, but I was wondering if it is possible to make the game use the .json files rather than looking in the asset bundle files or if there is an easier way of doing it.

Thanks for your time.

Edit: The mod works, here is what I did to get it to work:

Ok, I just tested the Raven and it works fine, here is what I did to get it that way:

Step 1: Get the [Mod edit: No unapproved links]

It's a tool to examine Unity Asset Bundle Files.

Step 2: Extract the chassisdef files for the Mechs you want: open the program and go to \BATTLETECH\BattleTech_Data\StreamingAssets\data\assetbundles and find the 'urbanwarfare' file. Once the program has loaded, click 'Info' scroll to find the chassis def file and extract it.

Step 3: Create JSON: Open the extracted file in a text editor (I use Notepad++) and copy everything between the {} (first one can be hard to spot) to a new text file, disregarding the unreadable stuff and the chassisdef sentence at the top for now. Then rename the text file with the chassisdef name that should be in the extracted file at the top of it and give it a .json extension, this should work without any problems.

Step 4: Copy / Move the JSON / Chassisdef file to the ModTek mod.

Step 5: Test: Just, you know, play the game and make sure it works.

 

[Mpstark]

Assuming that you're using ModTek to inject the new content, then yes, it can overwrite the DLC MechDef/ChassisDef content.

 

[ArneHD]

Assuming that you're using ModTek to inject the new content, then yes, it can overwrite the DLC MechDef/ChassisDef content.

No, I haven't been using ModTek, does it work with UrbanWarfare?

 

[KMiSSioN]

latest version does

 

[ArneHD]

Assuming that you're using ModTek to inject the new content, then yes, it can overwrite the DLC MechDef/ChassisDef content.

latest version does

Thanks to both of you! I just tested my mod and it works!

 

[LionZoo]

What are you using to extract the .jsons?

 

[ronhatch]

FWIW, even if you aren't using ModTek it's possible to point to the plain JSON file instead of the one in the asset bundle.

Most people doing low-level manual modding just change the existing JSON files, but the cleaner way to do it is to make a copy and point the VersionManifest.csv file to the new copy... and that approach would work for the expansion stuff, too. There are a couple more fields that would need to be changed, since you're pointing to a regular file instead of an asset bundle.