xStart0.pkk - How It's Done

The 'xStart0.pkk' file in the 'savegame' folder is the initial purchasing file for the expansion campaign. (Similarly 'Start0.pkk' is for the original campaign.) This is the file you need to replace if you wish to setup any starting conditions (mechs/warriors/components/vehicles already owned and/or mech/warrior/component/vehicle restrictions in the purchasing list) for your own custom campaign.

In this article I will outline the procedure to create your own 'xStart0.pkk' for your own campaign, highlighting some of the pitfalls and difficulties involved. Please follow all steps carefully. The procedure works for me on a number of test missions linked into a campaign but I cannot guarantee your success if you miss anything out. Nor has the method been tested on the endless possibilities you guys will no doubt now throw at it. However I'm sure there'll be enough info here for you to iron out any creases yourselves. Also backup your original xStart0.pkk if you haven't already done so.

(I will not go into the hacking of sol.txt and issolo.pur (or clansolo.pur) here, as many of you know how to do this already. [However a definitive article on these files would be nice to see so that we can all share in all the hacks. Any volunteers?])

OK, so you've got your campaign planned and you have your missions built and have customised the sol.txt and issolo.pur to give you the starting conditions for the first mission of the campaign. You've saved all your missions, generated the .DPK files and extracted them. Let's assume you've called your first mission 'mycamp01'. When you saved the mission in the normal editor it will have generated a 'mycamp01.sol' file from your customised sol.txt and issolo.pur. This is the purchasing file used when you play the mission solo.

Now the first major realisation is that the format of '.sol' files is the SAME as 'xStart0.pkk' and ALSO any '.sav' files.

So COPY 'mycamp01.sol' OVER 'xStart0.pkk'. Is that it? Unfortunately no :-)

If you now run MC and click on 'Expansion Campaign' you should successfully get into the main mission logistics area. Ignore the map for the moment (and certainly don't try to launch the mission!) and click on 'Purchasing'. You should see that your customised initial conditions and purchasing list are indeed in place. Now click 'Briefing/Deployment' to switch back to the map. Now one of two things will be apparent here. If your mycamp01 mission is based on Port Arthur, then you should see the map of the first mission of the original MC campaign. If your mycamp01 mission is based on Cermak you should see your own mycamp01 map.

Why is this? Well, I guess the logic programmed into MC is along the lines of "if I have a Port Arthur purchasing file then run the original campaign missions, else run the expansion missions UNLESS they are overridden by the presence of an xMechCmdr1.FIT file". So if you have a Cermak mission you're alright but if you have a Port Arthur mission you have to jump through an extra hoop...

Close MC for the moment.

To get a Port Arthur campaign started you must precede it by a dummy Cermak mission (don't worry, I'll show you how to skip this when the campaign starts so it's no problem). So create a dummy (i.e. does nothing, no fancy terrain, minimum one enemy mech and one drop point) Cermak mission (say 'mycamp00') to be the first mission of your Port Arthur campaign and apply your purchasing hacks and save it and DPK it and extract it. Now copy 'mycamp00.sol' over 'xStart0.pkk'. Now run MC and confirm that when you go into 'Expansion Campaign' you too can now see your own purchasing list and dummy Cermak map. Now close MC.

Now create a new 'xMechCmdr1.FIT' campaign file (either manually or using the editor 'Extender') for the missions in your campaign (include the dummy Cermak mission if applicable) and copy it into your missions folder.

Now run MC and select 'Expansion Campaign'. You should still see your own purchasing list and map. Select the pilots/mechs you want for the mission and click 'Begin Mission'. You should get into your mission ok. If you don't then there's probably an error in the 36-character mission ID string in your xMechCmdr1.FIT file. Complete the mission either by playing it or using the CTRL-ALT-W cheat. You should get back to the logistics screen and see your second mission in the map area. Your pilots/mechs/salvage will be carried over from the first mission. Close MC.

Now, if you had to add a dummy Cermak mission this is what you do to skip having to play it each time you run the campaign. MC will have created a 'CermakAfter_Op1_Mis1.sav' file. Remember I said that '.sav' files have the same format as 'xStart0.pkk'? OK, so copy 'CermakAfter_Op1_Mis1.sav' over 'xStart0.pkk'. Now run MC and click 'Expansion Campaign'. This time the 'xStart0.pkk' file has a pointer within it to start at the 2nd mission in the 'xMechCmdr1.FIT' file i.e. your first real Port Arthur mission. So you should get straight into your first real mission this time having skipped the dummy Cermak one. I guess this is exactly what WolfCross did for his DSCRaid campaign as if you look at his 'xMechCmdr1.FIT' file he has the first two mission ID's duplicated.


OK, that should get you started in the campaign with your own purchasing setup. However you should bear in mind that the pre-programmed addition of purchasing items between missions (i.e. the "add 2 more of these and 3 more of those and one of the other, and make pilot X available..." whatever...) may cause you some problems. I do not currently believe that we will ever be able to customise this pre-programming completely, although some of it may be overridden (e.g. by totally excluding an item), so you'll have to cater for it through your campaign.


Good Luck!
And I look forward to playing all the wonderful campaigns that are in the works.