Post by RaZor HeaÐ on May 20, 2010 6:53:09 GMT -5
In case you may not know.
Put on your metal suit, because MW4 is back!
The MekTek web-site has released a free version of our old game on their site called Mechwarrior4 MeKPak 3.1 www.mektek.net
They're primarily doing this because a new game is going to be released next year called simply Mech Warrior. This new game will not be a new version, but actually a combination of the entire series with all new high end graphics, and so they're calling it a re-boot. Anyway, they figure to get us all excited with this free release of the old game, so when they release the re-boot we'll all buy it. They're also giving us the free release so MekTek can push their MTX down loader/installation program on us.
It took me almost a month to finally get on the site and figure out how to make it all work.
First, everyone swamped the site and crashed their servers for weeks, and then the MTX down loader/installation program they make you use to get the game was buggy and wouldn't patch the game. Then of course, once I got the game installed and fully patched, Norton and McAfee anti-virus utilities were registering false negatives for Trojans on the MW4.exe files and automatically quarantining them. And finally, nobody bothered to mention that you also have to know how to "port forward" and open router ports to be able to play on-line.
If you're interested in still playing, here is what I did to get it to work.
You can try using the "MTX Client Download" program that is supposed to handle everything automatically, but it may still be buggy.
1 - Download/install the MTX Client Download www.mektek.net/index.php?pid=13
- After you run it, click the Games Available tab. Then click Mechwarrior4: Mercenaries/Install Game
(Now is where the problems might start)
3 - After it installs the game, you now have to apply 3 patches. The MTX program is supposed to do this automatically, but when I tried, it only installed the 1st patch and failed to do the others. It might be working properly now, so try right clicking on the MW4 game (which now appears in the Installed Games section) and choose the update option. If this doesn't work, try closing the MTX and then start it again. You'll know it isn't fully patched when you try to start the game and it asks you to put the game CD in the drive. This is because one of the patches which didn't install is needed to remove this. If everything patches properly, then goto the last step below if you're using a router.
You can also try downloading the patched game file yourself (using a Torrent), and then use the "MTX Extract and Patch Utility" program to install it. This seems to by-pass the buggy patch installation problem above, and also allows you to skip using the MTX Client Download (which appears to be constantly down due to heavy traffic).
1 - Download/install the MTX Extract and Patch Utility www.mektek.net/index.php?pid=13
2 - Download the Torrent for the fully patched game Mechwarrior4: Mercenaries MTX FULL Install (version .0021)
3 - Run the Torrent (I use the freeware eTorrent) and place the .rar file you get in a separate folder on your desktop with nothing else in it (this is important)
4 - Run the MTX E&P and Browse to the folder you put the .rar file and select the file
5 - Set the path to C:\Program Files\MekTek.net (I have Vista, so my path is C:\Program Files (x86)\MekTek.net)
6 - Hit the Start button only once (also important)
To open the ports you need in your router.
1 - Click the windows start button, and in the Start Search box type Run then enter
2 - In the Run box, type cmd then OK
3 - In the black DOS window that appears, type ipconfig then enter
4 - Write down the "IPv4 Address" number (example: 192.168.0.200)
5 - Now type Exit in the Dos window and enter
6 - Look on the back of your router for the IP address of the router and the default User Name/Password
7 - Open a web-browser and enter this IP into the web address box at the top (example: you would write 192.168.2.100 , and then enter
8 - Type your User Name/Password and then OK (if it doesn't accept the User Name/Password, you'll have to press the little reset button on your router to reset to the default ones)
9 - The router web command interface page will now open. Look for either a Port Forward or Applications & Gaming section.
10 - Type 2300 into the Port Range Start box, and 2400 into the End box, and then type what ever name you want into the Applications box so you can remember what game these ports are for
11 - Set the Protocol box to TCP
12 - Next type the last digits of the IPv4 Address number above into the IP Address box (Example: 200)
13 - Lastly, click the Enable box and then Save Settings
At this point you should be good to go. If you have any question, contact me here and I can walk you through it.
Hope to see you soon on the field of battle.
RaZor HeaD
Put on your metal suit, because MW4 is back!
The MekTek web-site has released a free version of our old game on their site called Mechwarrior4 MeKPak 3.1 www.mektek.net
They're primarily doing this because a new game is going to be released next year called simply Mech Warrior. This new game will not be a new version, but actually a combination of the entire series with all new high end graphics, and so they're calling it a re-boot. Anyway, they figure to get us all excited with this free release of the old game, so when they release the re-boot we'll all buy it. They're also giving us the free release so MekTek can push their MTX down loader/installation program on us.
It took me almost a month to finally get on the site and figure out how to make it all work.
First, everyone swamped the site and crashed their servers for weeks, and then the MTX down loader/installation program they make you use to get the game was buggy and wouldn't patch the game. Then of course, once I got the game installed and fully patched, Norton and McAfee anti-virus utilities were registering false negatives for Trojans on the MW4.exe files and automatically quarantining them. And finally, nobody bothered to mention that you also have to know how to "port forward" and open router ports to be able to play on-line.
If you're interested in still playing, here is what I did to get it to work.
You can try using the "MTX Client Download" program that is supposed to handle everything automatically, but it may still be buggy.
1 - Download/install the MTX Client Download www.mektek.net/index.php?pid=13
- After you run it, click the Games Available tab. Then click Mechwarrior4: Mercenaries/Install Game
(Now is where the problems might start)
3 - After it installs the game, you now have to apply 3 patches. The MTX program is supposed to do this automatically, but when I tried, it only installed the 1st patch and failed to do the others. It might be working properly now, so try right clicking on the MW4 game (which now appears in the Installed Games section) and choose the update option. If this doesn't work, try closing the MTX and then start it again. You'll know it isn't fully patched when you try to start the game and it asks you to put the game CD in the drive. This is because one of the patches which didn't install is needed to remove this. If everything patches properly, then goto the last step below if you're using a router.
You can also try downloading the patched game file yourself (using a Torrent), and then use the "MTX Extract and Patch Utility" program to install it. This seems to by-pass the buggy patch installation problem above, and also allows you to skip using the MTX Client Download (which appears to be constantly down due to heavy traffic).
1 - Download/install the MTX Extract and Patch Utility www.mektek.net/index.php?pid=13
2 - Download the Torrent for the fully patched game Mechwarrior4: Mercenaries MTX FULL Install (version .0021)
3 - Run the Torrent (I use the freeware eTorrent) and place the .rar file you get in a separate folder on your desktop with nothing else in it (this is important)
4 - Run the MTX E&P and Browse to the folder you put the .rar file and select the file
5 - Set the path to C:\Program Files\MekTek.net (I have Vista, so my path is C:\Program Files (x86)\MekTek.net)
6 - Hit the Start button only once (also important)
To open the ports you need in your router.
1 - Click the windows start button, and in the Start Search box type Run then enter
2 - In the Run box, type cmd then OK
3 - In the black DOS window that appears, type ipconfig then enter
4 - Write down the "IPv4 Address" number (example: 192.168.0.200)
5 - Now type Exit in the Dos window and enter
6 - Look on the back of your router for the IP address of the router and the default User Name/Password
7 - Open a web-browser and enter this IP into the web address box at the top (example: you would write 192.168.2.100 , and then enter
8 - Type your User Name/Password and then OK (if it doesn't accept the User Name/Password, you'll have to press the little reset button on your router to reset to the default ones)
9 - The router web command interface page will now open. Look for either a Port Forward or Applications & Gaming section.
10 - Type 2300 into the Port Range Start box, and 2400 into the End box, and then type what ever name you want into the Applications box so you can remember what game these ports are for
11 - Set the Protocol box to TCP
12 - Next type the last digits of the IPv4 Address number above into the IP Address box (Example: 200)
13 - Lastly, click the Enable box and then Save Settings
At this point you should be good to go. If you have any question, contact me here and I can walk you through it.
Hope to see you soon on the field of battle.
RaZor HeaD
