MechWarrior 4 Free Release Status Update

[Emabulator]

http://evavhost.com/i/news/Mechwarrior4.jpg

According to this post (http://mektek.net/index.php?ind=news&op=news_show_single&ide=1108) on its forums, MekTek is looking to hammer out the final details on the free release of MechWarrior 4 during a meeting with Smith & Tinker in the near future. You can find more information on the free release at MekTek (http://mektek.net/index.php?ind=news&op=news_show_single&ide=1097) and in this news article (http://evilavatar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=89836).

The Mechwarrior4 FREE release is still currently to be announced. MekTek had hoped to gain permission for the release while visiting Smith and Tinker, Inc. in Seattle this week. However, we have learned that Microsoft has endured several administrative changes which currently impede the release. The good news, however, is that a meeting to finalize the release is scheduled near the American Thanks Giving Holiday. Smith and Tinker said that it will only take 1-2 more days before permission is granted. From MekTek, we are happy to report that the release is ready and awaiting permission to push that big shiny green release button at MekTek headquarters.
[via Destructoid (http://www.destructoid.com/get-mechwarrior-4-for-free-maybe-around-thanksgiving-155212.phtml)]

[CSargeP]

FINALLY.
I've been waiting for this since it's been announced. Almost forgot about it. I have all the games and expansions mind you but this release is supposed to contain major additions and gameplay changes from MekTek.

[Emabulator]

FINALLY.
I've been waiting for this since it's been announced. Almost forgot about it. I have all the games and expansions mind you but this release is supposed to contain major additions and gameplay changes from MekTek.Same here. For those of you that have no read about it; here's some info on MTX from the second link in the article:

Our focus on the FREE release has been revamping our match making service MekMatch in order to accommodate many more users. In addition to the work being conducted on the Mechwarrior4 FREE release, we are also working on a community software distribution and patching application which we have been alluding to on our forums. This software is known as MekTek X (or simply MTX). X stands for the last decade of service to the Mechwarrior community. MTX was developed out the need for a centralized distribution and patching point for all of MekTek's software currently being developed and planned to be released including MekPak4 for the FREE release, Single Player Campaigns from Mechwarrior4: Vengeance and Black Knight, Assault Tech1: BattleTech, and much more. This software has been in development by Studio MekTek since the announcement of the FREE release and successfully reached beta testing status two weeks ago. MTX is a free desktop product which has been thoroughly tested and will connect you with MekTek.net's community as well BattleTech.com and the rest of our partners.

MTX will be the central point of distribution for the launch of the FREE release. This application boasts some of the following features:


Bootstrap Installations

Incremental Delta Auto-Patching

Torrent or HTTP Downloading from an exclusive MekTek Tracker

Custom Web Browser

News Updates from MekTek and Partners

Online Help

Community Chat Lobbies

Network Diagnostic Tools

[Elysium]

tried replaying this lately but it dosen't seem to like modern videocards very much. Lots of Z buffer and assorted graphics glitches.

[doogz23]

Great news update. Thanks Emabulator. I loved the Mech series, i never did play 4, so i'm now on the lookout for this one.

[Anenome]

I've been following this or awhile. I know they've had a series of setbacks on various issues for some time now. Good to hear they're finally pushing this out. I'd love to see what the community does with it. And I definitely plan to get it and play a classic.

[grognard66]

I actually still have this game in the original box. However, I think I'll just download this patched version.

[LobsterMobster]

I've been following this or awhile. I know they've had a series of setbacks on various issues for some time now. Good to hear they're finally pushing this out. I'd love to see what the community does with it. And I definitely plan to get it and play a classic.

A series of setbacks? They announced the release in JUNE. Then they said they couldn't release it till the community bought them some new servers to handle the demand. Then nothing for months. Now they're complaining about "release insurance" and travel costs, and want thousands of dollars more.

This is an outright scam. I will be amazed if they actually release Mech Warrior 4 for free ever, never mind in November 2009.

[Reverend Meta]

A series of setbacks? They announced the release in JUNE. Then they said they couldn't release it till the community bought them some new servers to handle the demand. Then nothing for months. Now they're complaining about "release insurance" and travel costs, and want thousands of dollars more.

This is an outright scam. I will be amazed if they actually release Mech Warrior 4 for free ever, never mind in November 2009.
Lobster wins the thread.

[balamoor]

A series of setbacks? They announced the release in JUNE. Then they said they couldn't release it till the community bought them some new servers to handle the demand. Then nothing for months. Now they're complaining about "release insurance" and travel costs, and want thousands of dollars more.

This is an outright scam. I will be amazed if they actually release Mech Warrior 4 for free ever, never mind in November 2009.

It should also be noted that Neither Microsoft nor Smith and Tinker aren't the bad guys here, in the best of worlds S&T would have MS make this available in their MSN games, in fact the so called regime change was and still maybe is considering it. A lot of Mechheads are viewing what MT is doing here with a very leery eye...free doesn’t mean buy our servers and pay our travel cost...

In any event S&T has the whole Harmony Gold fiasco about wrapped up and will be pushing ahead on the new MW game.... MW4 was never the gold standard of the Battletech Franchise anyway, and personally I'm looking forward to that more.

[Anenome]

A series of setbacks? They announced the release in JUNE. Then they said they couldn't release it till the community bought them some new servers to handle the demand. Then nothing for months. Now they're complaining about "release insurance" and travel costs, and want thousands of dollars more.

This is an outright scam. I will be amazed if they actually release Mech Warrior 4 for free ever, never mind in November 2009.
- Clearly I haven't follow it as closely as you, thanks for the info ;)
All I remember reading about was the issue with licensing certain images and the removal of my favorite mech (/crai). Dunno why they're bothering complaining about servers, just set it to torrent. That's one of its best legitimate usages, to truly spread upload costs all around and avoid having your server slammed. Never heard about release insurance and travel costs, what's that all about o_O?

[dirtbag]

I think they still haven't been able to fix the widescreen issue -- something about the way the game is coded makes it *generally* unable to function in widescreen. Otherwise, you have to play it windowed.