Landscaping season is upon me so work on the mod is taking more of a back seat but I'm still at it. (oh, btw that's what I do for a living, landscaper) Working on stock mech variants, and still the winter stuff piece by piece.
I've done some editing on the site here after some proof-reading, and I might do some further descriptions because there are a lot of subtleties that one might not notice right away when the mod is finally released.
One thing I'm not sure I've been clear about is that the "weapons mod" downloads on the downloads page are actually earlier versions of my work that have custom stock mech variants, lots of new sounds, and weapons that were created by me that are not canon with Battletech. Just want to point out that the "weapons mod" that I keep talking about in this blog is different from those in that mainly the new weapons are canon, as are the stock mech variants, and many things are being tweaked and tweaked again...and that this module has not yet been released. I might include a "final" version of a harder campaign with this module, or I might make them separate, I haven't decided.
Speaking of this "final" version of the campaign, let me describe what I'm planning...and this is what I've been planning since the very beginning:
This campaign will have the following:
It will follow the same basic plot as the original, but there will be added weapons which will be explained as follows: "after examining the data captured from the success of mission 2, the mfb technicians have found information about the smoke jags finding a "brian cache" containing new weapons technology (lostech, which is actually new tech later in canon) which they have duplicated and distributed amongst their warriors and in several locations along our planned mission route" and there will also be data found regarding a "devastating new technology which will change the primary mission objective, the outcome of which could change the outcome of the war, and it is such a threat to the inner sphere that it must be stopped on tranquil"
This campaign will also introduce limitations on the mechlab, no customizing internals or engines except on the mission after the mech factory is captured. Because mfb's can't do that kind of work....customizing the internals of a mech takes weeks...you don't have more than a few hours between missions/threats on Tranquil....and there's no spare engines around...when you salvage a mech what are the chances that engine can even be used for a different mech, even if the engine survived intact? You're stranded on Tranquil with limited capabilities and you don't have time to do that kind of stuff.
There will be added dialogues, new lancemates, epic battles, allied attack forces, Alan Matilla's twin brother Jeff, even better enemy AI than in the "improved AI" modules, custom enemy mech configs to fight against...it's only fair since they don't have mfb's, huge battles against vehicles....AND THEN....after winning the final battle YOU CAN'T LEAVE Tranquil because the search for data about the new technological threat is not over....and so in OPERATION DAMOCLESE: PART TWO THE SEQUEL you have stranded yourself on Tranquil in order to complete your mission, the shuttle was damaged beyond repair even though your techs diffused the bomb, and "my clan arrives and you will not live to stain their feet"....the incoming Smoke Jags arrive on Tranquil to hunt you down...and warden Clan Wolf...? finally steps in and gets involved.
Now you know why I've been calling it "Operation Damoclese: The Real Story"
We'll talk next month.
Bring the Pain.