FREE MW4 Mercs and MTX

Greetings Mech Fans

By now you all know that MekTek has released MW4 Mercenaries along with the Microsoft Mech Packs and the MekTek Mech Paks. If you did not know this, then I suggest you head over to the MekTek web site ( www.MekTek.net) and download the MTX program and then let it download MW4 and install it for you. It will search out and get all the updates and bring your installation current. You will NOT need any discs and this will be a completely NEW installation, separate from any others may already have on your system. Please note that the new download for MW4 Mercs is just over 1.7gig in size, so it may take a bit to download. MTX Client is similar to a torrent program except that it handles the installation of the software for you and then checks to see if you need any updates.

Some people had issues with MTX. If you do have issues, please visit the MekTek Forums and do a search for your problem before making a new post. IT is most likely that some else had that problem or one very similar and that the issue had been resolved already.

I had NO issues with MTX. I installed it on 3 different machines and used it to install “Free Mercs” on each of them with no problems. In fact, my download times were very fast and so were the installs. Yours, of course, will depend on the speed of your internet connection and the speed of your machine as well as the number of users 'feeding the seed'.

Why MTX? Many have asked this question. I am not part of the MekTek Team even tho I was part of the Beta Test Team early on, but I completely understand the MTX solution. MTX was designed with the idea that all people could install MTX, and then use MTX to install whatever you download (AT1 or MW4 Mercs currently). MTX would also act as a revision checker to make sure that each person using MTX ALWAYS has the most current up to date installation of whatever game they installed.

In the past, MekTek would come up with some ideas and Battlemechs and release those as a patch. Most times they were large installs and they would completely 'revamp' your game to have the latest and greatest version of Mercs. With the introduction of MTX, you only will have to contend with 1 really big download (version 021) and then MekTek can make adjustments to that or, and more importantly, they can release “parts” of what we would have known as a complete patch or newer version (example MP1 to MP2). MTX allows the team to work on something specific, lets say new types of armour, test it completely, and when they deem it complete, they can release it via MTX and everyone can download it poste haste rather than having to wait for MekTek to complete work on something else. They can do this with just about any part of the game they are working on including adding new Battlemechs one at a time, or lump many things together. MTX also allows them to put out bug fixes rather quickly if something was missed in Beta Testing. All in all, MTX is a good way to do what MekTek wanted (and still wants) to do.

Bugs? Sure there were bugs. I have been watching the MekTek forums, specifically the 'problems' with the game and MTX. Since the release of version 017, the numbers of issues has continued to reduce. This is good. In defense if MekTek, I am pretty sure that they were not expecting the number of downloads that occurred during that first week to ten days. During that time, I was running a Linux version of U-Torrent and the numbers of seeds and peers surprised me. The high numbers I saw exceeded 40,000 users for that version. Thats a lot of MechWarrior floating in hyperspace.

I think since that time that MTX has become more stable and the flow is better. MekTek is now up to version 023 with 024 just on the horizon (maybe before this even hits the web). I would like to post kudos and accolades to the Team and also members of the forums for their patience in helping (many times very rude) users. Some of the folks that did this are not even part of the Beta Team, but still they took their time to help people with installation issues and other basic and even complex troubleshooting problems so that person could enjoy a “free” game with many times no thank yous involved. Hell, I even tried to help some of the people. And this type of 'community' effort is what is needed to keep this game going and to support the MekTek staff so we can get MORE goodies from them.

I dont often go out and say you should donate to this or that because money is a very personal thing and many dont have it to spare (especially in these economic times), but I suggest that if you can spare 5 or 10$, please do so. Every little bit helps and MekTek is mostly just a bunch of users like you and me that love the game and found a way to make it better and decided to share their abilities with all of us so we can enjoy a better MechWarrior too. They do this for no pay and give up LOTS of their own personal time so WE (you and I) can have a new 'toy'. So think about that next time you pull up to the drive thru at Macky D's or Taco Hell, or the next time you go to the local store and ask for a pack of Marlboro Lites or Newports and save that 5$ this one time and send it to MekTek. They use PayPal (I think) or most credit cards. IF you dont have access to either of those, send a PM to Vam or Whitefeather and ask them for info and mail them a money order or personal check. We are not talking Hundreds of dollars form any one user, just a little from you.

I do have one thing I need to get off my chest concerning MekTek even tho I have a complete understanding of why. What is it? Well, sometime ago, I had asked Jeho for an interview about the free release and possible inclusions for MP4. Jeho had responded positively, but then said I would really need to clear it with Vam first. My idea was to do an interview, record it, post it to my blog and even offer a “podcast” of it for download. I did not get a response from Vam, so after several days (week or even longer, dont remember now) I sent another PM to him and still no response. Maybe a month or so later, I see a post where they were do a live interview on MWL radio (shout cast) about the same thing(s).

I know the MWL shoutcast would reach a bigger audience so I have no issue with that, but I would have liked to at least received a response from Vam telling me no, or no thank you, or we decided to go do it at MWL or whatever, but I got nothing. Yeah, I was miffed about that, but I completely understand the reasoning behind why they went with MWL and I dont disagree with that decision. I just felt slighted, and yeah I may be old but I still got feelings. This does not affect how I feel about MekTek and their product and I will continue to be a supporter, donater and user and if asked, I would be on the Beta Team again, or even do an additional interview and post it on my blog with a podcast if they (MekTek) agreed to it.

IF you dont have it yet, I suggest you go get the download started and then enjoy the game. It's not the same old MechWarrior. Play thru the single player to get accustomed to the controls and the battlemech movement and weapons abilities, then go on line and get with real people playing and having fun. I would like to remind you that this game has been around for 10yrs or more. There are MANY veteran players out there and they are VERY good. If you need help once on line and in a server, dont be afraid to speak up and ask someone. Most of the players I have seen are more than willing to help you learn the game to make yourself better and to give them a better opponent as well, RGMU Corrine has a nice server called “coolants theme park” or something like that and Oneshot has a great server called +PT+Sunder II. I know the players in these 2 servers will go out of their way to assist you. You can also view older pages of my blog where I reviewed some of the mechs or maps or tactics and the SunderJunkies web site is also full of info for pilots. You can get there by typing www.sunderjunkies.com into your browser. Be sure and tell 'em Vettie sent ya.

So there you have it. Mercs released for FREE. MekTek working on more and more fun stuff for us. Get MTX and get the game. Then Get online and destroy stuff. What more could you want from a game? Its FREE, its GOOD, its fun, lots of maps, its FREE, its well supported, many players, its FREE, it works, you can customize your favourite mech and did I mention it was free? Well it is. Get it, get it today, get online later today or tomorrow and kick a little butt.

….w00t! Folks!....