How often do you use the units from the unsupported or unofficial folders?

[Hammer]

As part of a larger data project I'm reviewing the various unit files and it brought me to two unsupported unit folders - Unofficial and Unsupported.

The unofficial folder:
Is made up of units from various out of print fan magazines, Mechforce, video games and fan sources. This folder has approximately 1500 units (1200 mechs, 300 non-mechs).


The unsupported folder are units that basically MegaMek only partially supports. For example old model LAMs not made to the current construction rules these are currently the only units left.


We really have two options for these folders(units).

Option 1)
Move the folders to an unofficial download that players can choose to add to there games. This option means out of the box the only units you see are canon; and will reduce the number of units by around 1500. I should add lots of these units have been remade and rolled into canon units by CGL over the years.

Adding would be as simple as - download the files and put in your data-mechfiles folder, delete units.cache, start Megamek and they are back.

Option 2)
Leave them as is, but with some basic cleaning (eliminating the few units that do cause issues).

As the data guy I'm leaning toward Option 1. None of these units are on a RAT or RAT Generator meaning you only see them with custom made RATs or adding manually. The do appear in MekHQ as refit options. Tons of these units aren't valid as they've been made with construction rules pre Tech Manual. Basically they would become an optional download for players.

In both cases these folders won't receive any official support from the devs.

[BATTLEMASTER]

I'm fine with option 1.  As much as I like to see the non-canon units in standard releases, I don't use them a whole lot, though it's kinda fun seeing them in MekHQ for sale, even if the opfor can't use them.

It's nice to see how the list of unsupported units has decreased over the years 

[yukamichi]

The game frequently grabs the old-rules LAMs when it should be loading the new ones and I would shed no tears if they were nuked from releases once and for all.

[monbvol]

Honestly cannot remember a time I have ever used something from those folders.  So 1 is fine for me.

[pfarland]

I'm more Option 2 as I will occasionally use a non-canon refit or repod. I head cannon them as a step between regular variants and pure custom variants.

[Sir Chaos]

I voted for option 2; however, keeping the unofficial units and pruning the unsupported ones would probably be the best of both worlds.

[Gribbly]

I always delete these folders as soon as I download a new version.

[Sartris]

I always delete these folders as soon as I download a new version.

this, though i voted #2 because it's not a hardship to make them go away

[Lanceman]

I like the idea of having it as an optional download. Though one thing does give me pause, does this include the "unofficial" combined Long Tom?

[Hammer]

I like the idea of having it as an optional download. Though one thing does give me pause, does this include the "unofficial" combined Long Tom?

No that would stay.

[Kojak]

Not only do I never use them, I always delete those folders whenever I set up the latest version, so getting rid of them would be a bit of timesaver, for me.

[pokefan548]

Maybe don't make them part of the default package, but I'd love to still have them as an optional download.

[pheonixstorm]

Not aware of ever using them, so having them as an optional download for those that do would probably be best.

[Kerfuffin(925)]

I think the most I have ever used them for was to modify the unofficial clan missile carriers to be my personal clan unofficial missile carriers

[MoleMan]

I never liked them so happy to get rid of all, but are the battletechnology ones the UK ones? Because I know a few people are fond of those min maxed refits

[GreekFire]

Option 1. It's not always clear to new users that these are unofficial, so I'd prefer them to be in a separate download.

[BATTLEMASTER]

Does this mean we'll lose the MechWarrior Online 'mechs and April Fools stuff like the UrbanMech LAM?

[martian]

Remove.

I came to play BattleTech, not BobTech.

[Hammer]

Does this mean we'll lose the MechWarrior Online 'mechs and April Fools stuff like the UrbanMech LAM?

From an official release yes. But it would be a separate download.

[Vengeant]

Emphatically, Option 1.  Keep the load of units clean, for the sake of the application... as well as those trying to have a loreful/canon experience.  As you say, if someone doesn't care about all that and wants to goof about, they still can.

[Sartris]

From an official release yes. But it would be a separate download.

In that case I change my vote to option 1

[Hammer]

Updated the poll to allow vote changing.

[Iceweb]

I like the UK versions somewhat, while they don't always meet my version of min/maxed playstyle when making a random army by BV and the UK things come up I always smile a little. 

My feeling on things like the UK stuff is they are valid custom mechs and I would like to keep them as easily available, so I think I lean to option 2.  But as long as I can easily copy paste or download them I'm not gonna be too upset. 

Now stuff like LAMs that break the rules and make things rough yeah either update or get rid of. 

Anyways I'm going option 2

[Deadborder]

I delete them whenever I'm unpacking a new release.

[Idiot60]

I use these folders to load the units I modified in MekLab.

For example, I was a career military Infantryman. The lack of even the simplest Anti-Armor weapons for a Rifle Platoon was a issue I felt need to be fixed. So i modified every basic "Rifle Infantry" platoon so they carry the VLaw.

So I then put them in the Unofficial Folder under sub-folder Infantry and finally into a folder I have named "Infantry Expanded". They appear on the list of Infantry and it gives me a handy place to put modified, "Unofficial", units.

[BATTLEMASTER]

I use these folders to load the units I modified in MekLab.

For example, I was a career military Infantryman. The lack of even the simplest Anti-Armor weapons for a Rifle Platoon was a issue I felt need to be fixed. So i modified every basic "Rifle Infantry" platoon so they carry the VLaw.

So I then put them in the Unofficial Folder under sub-folder Infantry and finally into a folder I have named "Infantry Expanded". They appear on the list of Infantry and it gives me a handy place to put modified, "Unofficial", units.

You may want to consider putting them in a new separate folder in the data/mechfiles directory.  I've been doing that forever to keep my customs separate from what ever's shipped with MekHQ.

[Hammer]

I use these folders to load the units I modified in MekLab.

For example, I was a career military Infantryman. The lack of even the simplest Anti-Armor weapons for a Rifle Platoon was a issue I felt need to be fixed. So i modified every basic "Rifle Infantry" platoon so they carry the VLaw.

So I then put them in the Unofficial Folder under sub-folder Infantry and finally into a folder I have named "Infantry Expanded". They appear on the list of Infantry and it gives me a handy place to put modified, "Unofficial", units.

You may want to consider putting them in a new separate folder in the data/mechfiles directory.  I've been doing that forever to keep my customs separate from what ever's shipped with MekHQ.

BATTLEMASTER has the best practice you should create a folder called Customs in the data/Mechfiles directory and store customs in there. You can also set up subfolders. Then you can move just that folder to a new release with little risk.

[Idiot60]

Thanks for the advice!

I created a Customs folder and moved them there.

Salute, Idiot60

[Battleclad]

Voted for Option 1 but personally, I think they'd be better off being resorted into sub-folders so the problematic units that have invalid designs are out of the standard folder structure, It'd be nice if they did stick around for legacy purposes and if the invalid units were somehow moved then having a toggle to allow the valid ones in the RAT Generator would be nice.

[Thom293]

As someone that tries to file regular bug reports, I prefer another option that has been mentioned here a few times:

1.  Remove that unsupported ones as they literally can cause crashes.
2.  Keep the unofficial ones.  They are completely optional already, and dont cause crashes.  No one is forced to use them, and their presence does not hurt anyone.  They can just choose not to use them.  Or if they really hate them they can just delete them once (as may people say they do).  But for someone like me that does regular bug reports, I dont do custom mechs because they require another step in bug reporting.  The unofficial mechs allow me to have common-sense upgrade kits that can be bought off the market and used to upgrade my mechs, while not requiring me to make customs and do the extra step of zipping the customs folder every time I report a bug.  Making them an optional download would still require the extra step in a bug report.  So I would prefer to leave these in.  Just as a practical matter:  Leaving them literally hurts no one.  Removing them hurts some.

Even if I did not report bugs, many of the unofficial ones are just common sense upgrades that many players would make anyway (mostly: adding CASE, DHS, FF and Endosteel where appropriate).  So they are just step savers.

Just my opinion.