Gaming Mechwarrior 4 Released for Free

[Eagle]

On Friday, Microsoft gave MekTek permission to distribute Mechwarrior 4 for free. The initial server crushing rush is over so you should be able to get it pretty easily. The download includes MW4, MW4:Mercs, and extra 'mechs/battle-armor/weapons etc not present in either game.

• 111 different 'mechs ranging from 20 to 100 tons.
• 9 Battle Armor
• 6 Infantry
• 32 Beam Weapons
• 43 Ballistic Weapons
• 44 Missile Weapons
• 7 Electronic Components
• 3 different types of armor

http://mtxgear.mektek.net/MW4/
Instructions:

1. Download their MTX installer (its like a really old version of Steam)
2. Run the MTX thing and Download MW4
3. Patch the game twice using the MTX installer
4. Play

You can technically bittorrent the files yourself, but you need to extract/install them with the MTX client. I would suggest just using the MTX program unless you know what you're doing.

Well that's it. I can't think of anything else clever enough to say.

 

[MeDiCS]

I downloaded their MTX installer and I'm still waiting for it to check for updates :dry:.

Slashdot can be a pain sometimes...

EDIT:
Buggy and slow software *sight*. Hope that at least MW4 is good.

 

[Ark]

Oh my god I used to love that game.

 

[Eagle]

I downloaded their MTX installer and I'm still waiting for it to check for updates :dry:.

Slashdot can be a pain sometimes...

Yes, I managed to get MTX and get it updated on Friday, but I wasn't able to get MW4 downloaded, patched and running until last night. Their servers might still go down every now and then.

 

[Zachstar]

From what I hear the servers are so badly overloaded that you mise well not think about getting it this week.

 

[n122vu]

Here's the latest from MekTek:

*UPDATE*

We are very aware that some of you are having problems using MTX to download and install the free release of Mechwarrior4: Mercenaries. We are currently preparing a self extracting executable to install the game without using MTX.

This new release will require a new download, but should alleviate any of the issues of installing via MTX.

This new release will contain some bug fixes for Mercs, and we will prepare a patch for those of you who have been successfully installing and updating via MTX as well as executable patches to bring any version previously downloaded, up to date.

Once this new version clears our beta team, it will be made available for download in your BitTorrent client of choice. Please be patient as this may take a few days.

We will continue to work on ironing out the bugs in MTX, until then, we will provide an alternate way to acquire the game and updates through the self installing executables.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

Good hunting.
The MekTek Team.

 

[SlyCoopersButt]

Lucky I was able to download it only about an hour or two after it was released. Played it quite a bit this weekend, Few games offer such a variety of possibilities! If only I could play it online it would be superb. But port forwarding is a mystery subject to me.

Still, Been following this since last summer, Glad the day came!

 

[Izack]

I can't even get this MTX thing on-line.
I think I'll have to wait until they bring out the installation package.

 

[n122vu]

Just downloaded it with MTX in about 2 hours. Installing now.

 

[jedidia]

Is there anything particular about the game that they invested so much work to get it out free?

 

[n122vu]

I got it installed, but it kept asking for CD2. After searching the MTX forums, I found I needed to update. Trouble is, the next time I opened MTX MW4 wasn't listed, so I couldn't update it. Ended up uninstalling it. Going to try again tonight after work.

 

[Eagle]

I got it installed, but it kept asking for CD2. After searching the MTX forums, I found I needed to update. Trouble is, the next time I opened MTX MW4 wasn't listed, so I couldn't update it. Ended up uninstalling it. Going to try again tonight after work.

Yes, you have to update it twice. If MW4 isn't listed its because that server was down temporarily.

So Open MTX again, if their server is up you may have to reinstall (you won't have to download because its still saved). Let it install, then go back to games available and have it update (twice, one patch 3.1 MB the other ~65 MB.)

Once your game version is .20 you should be golden. If you can't play multiplayer its because you need to correct your checksum file (core.mw4) and follow the pretty simple instructions. (mostly save to desktop, open with MTX.)

Its a bit of a chore, but you do get Free MW4 and get to blast everyone on Mulitplayer.

---------- Post added at 11:46 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:43 AM ----------

Is there anything particular about the game that they invested so much work to get it out free?

Well there are 2 reasons why the owners allowed it to be released free:

1. Its kinda old and they're not making many sales anymore.
2. There will be a new Mechwarrior so they want to remind people how fun the game is.

The special stuff that MekTek added were new mechs, weapons, systems etc. see my first post for that. Also there is still a community of people who love the game.

 

[Izack]

Downloading it now, can't wait to start updating...
I'll be happy if I'm playing this by Friday. Very happy indeed, if it's better than Mechassault (XBox) was. I'm a big fan of Battletech, but somehow never played the PC games.

Big walking metal machines with lasers, rockets and guns that aren't Japanese for once sounds like a real treat.

 

[n122vu]

Can't wait to get it up and running. I played MechWarrior 3 for years. I got it free in the box when I bought the first MS Sidewinder Force Feedback controller (which still works btw) back in '99.

Although I heard many say that MW2 was better than 3, I never played it. I never played 4 either, though I wanted to. My PC at the time wouldn't handle it.

 

[Izack]

It would appear that Vista users cannot play this. I get an error message upon launch and the whole affair crashes. I looked at the forums and it seems that it is impossible to fix.
Can any other Vista users here confirm this?
(http://www.mektek.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=156473)

 

[ar81]

{silly mode}
Hey guys, I have a criminal idea... let's download Mechwarrior 4 in secrecy... ooops, it is free for download... piracy mission aborted... jump off the pirate ship...
{/silly mode}
:lol: :rofl:

 

[Ark]

Someone should rip a few mech models and use them as UMMU models.

 

[Eagle]

It would appear that Vista users cannot play this. I get an error message upon launch and the whole affair crashes. I looked at the forums and it seems that it is impossible to fix.
Can any other Vista users here confirm this?
(http://www.mektek.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=156473)

:/
Sorry to hear of your bad luck. My cousin is playing with Vista, so not all Vista users are affected. Aside from "Run under administrator mode" and the usual check drivers, reinstall and manage settings I don't know what to say.

 

[golden_eye]

That could be a problem. I'm running Win7 x64 but I haven't finished installing the game yet because the download is very slow. I'll have to see how it works on 7 once it finishes.

 

[Izack]

A friend lent me a copy of the original release of Mechwarrior 4, and I get the exact same error.
Oddly enough, he uses Vista as well as 7 on different systems, and both versions work fine on both of his systems.

One giant WTF over here. Ah well, it's not that bad.