MechWarrior 3 - PCGamingWiki PCGW (2024)

Table of Contents
Contents Availability Version differences Demo versions Monetization DLC and expansion packs Essential improvements Patches Official map pack Adding compatibility for modern Windows Game data Configuration file(s) location Save game data location Video Input Audio Localizations Network Multiplayer types Issues fixed Installing under modern Windows Fix bouncing APCs and dysfunctional AMS Variable game speed Pirate's Moon 4th pirate mission crashes often Other information API Middleware System requirements Notes References References
MechWarrior 3
Developers
Zipper Interactive
Publishers
MicroProse
Hasbro Interactive
Engines
GameZ
Release dates
WindowsJune 1, 1999
Taxonomy
Monetization One-time game purchase, Expansion pack
ModesSingleplayer, Multiplayer
PacingReal-time
PerspectivesFirst-person, Third-person
Controls Direct control
GenresAction, FPS, TPS, Vehicle combat
VehiclesRobot
Art stylesStylized
Themes Sci-fi
SeriesMechWarrior

MechWarrior 3 - PCGamingWiki PCGW (2)

MechWarrior 3 - PCGamingWiki PCGW (3)

MechWarrior 3 - PCGamingWiki PCGW (4)

MechWarrior 3 - PCGamingWiki PCGW (5)

MechWarrior 3 - PCGamingWiki PCGW (6)

MechWarrior 3 - PCGamingWiki PCGW (7)

MechWarrior 3 - PCGamingWiki PCGW (8)

MechWarrior 3 - PCGamingWiki PCGW (9)

⤏ Go to series page
Subseries of BattleTech
MechWarrior1989
MechWarrior 2: 31st Century Combat1995
MechWarrior 2: Mercenaries1996
MechWarrior 31999
MechWarrior 4: Vengeance2000
MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries2002
MechWarrior: Living Legends (unofficial game)2009
MechWarrior Online2012
MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries2019
MechWarrior 5: Clans2024

Contents

  • 1 Availability
    • 1.1 Version differences
    • 1.2 Demo versions
  • 2 Monetization
    • 2.1 DLC and expansion packs
  • 3 Essential improvements
    • 3.1 Patches
    • 3.2 Official map pack
    • 3.3 Adding compatibility for modern Windows
  • 4 Game data
    • 4.1 Configuration file(s) location
    • 4.2 Save game data location
  • 5 Video
  • 6 Input
  • 7 Audio
    • 7.1 Localizations
  • 8 Network
    • 8.1 Multiplayer types
  • 9 Issues fixed
    • 9.1 Installing under modern Windows
    • 9.2 Fix bouncing APCs and dysfunctional AMS
    • 9.3 Variable game speed
    • 9.4 Pirate's Moon 4th pirate mission crashes often
  • 10 Other information
    • 10.1 API
    • 10.2 Middleware
  • 11 System requirements
  • 12 Notes
  • 13 References

Warnings

SafeDisc retail DRM does not work on Windows Vista and later (see Availability for affected versions).

MechWarrior 3 is a singleplayer and multiplayer first-person and third-person action, FPS, TPS and vehicle combat gamein the MechWarrior series.

The game received two official patches, as well as the Pirate's Moon expansion in December 1999, which introduced a new campaign, multiplayer maps and 'Mechs.

Since the Windows XP era, the game has had severe compatibility issues, which would manifest in one or more of the following: rendering and control issues, refusal to start up, broken physics and uncontrollable game speed. Two methods are known to resolve most of these issues on modern systems.

General information

See Also
MechWarrior 3 ReviewMechWarrior 3 (Windows)

BattleTech Wiki - A massive wiki for everything BattleTech related
MechWariorsUnited - A community with patches and multiplayer maps
Mech3Mod - A community with mods
MechWarrior3.org - A huge fansite for MechWarrior 3 (archived)

Availability

SourceDRMNotesKeysOS
Retail

SafeDisc DRM[Note 1].

SafeDisc retail DRM does not work on Windows Vista and later (see above for affected versions).

Version differences

The Gold Edition includes the base game and the Pirate's Moon expansion.

Demo versions

Free demos are available from GameFront: singleplayer, multiplayer.

Monetization

DLC and expansion packs

Name Notes
Pirate's Moon

Essential improvements

Patches

The latest patch for the game (v1.2) can be downloaded from the Files section. The patch is available in English, French, and German.

Official map pack

An official map pack has been released, and is available here.

Adding compatibility for modern Windows

The following methods apply to both MechWarrior 3 and the Pirate's Moon expansion pack (except for the official patch step, as none were ever released for Pirate's Moon).

Method 1: Use dgVoodoo 2[citation needed]
  1. Install the 1.2 Patch.
  2. Download dgVoodoo 2.
  3. Extract dgVoodooCpl.exe, as well as the following files from the MS\x86 into <path-to-game>: D3DImm.dll and DDraw.dll.
  4. Set the Mech3.exe compatibility options to Windows 98 / Me compatibility mode, with administrator rights and display scaling disabled.
  5. From the Windows Control Panel, enable DirectPlay.
  6. Run the game.
Method 2: Configuring compatibility settings[citation needed]
  1. Install the 1.2 Patch.
  2. Set compatibility settings for mech3.exe to Windows 98 / Me.
  3. Through the graphics card's control panel, enable "Vertical sync" and "Triple buffering".
  4. From the Windows Control Panel, enable DirectPlay.
  5. Run the game.

Game data

In-game general settings/options menu.

Configuration file(s) location

SystemLocation
Windows HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\MicroProse\MechWarrior 3\1.0\

Save game data location

SystemLocation
Windows <path-to-game>\pilots[Note 2]

Video

In-game video/audio settings.

Graphics featureStateNotes
Widescreen resolution See Widescreen Patch.
Multi-monitor See Widescreen Patch.
Ultra-widescreen See Widescreen Patch.
4K Ultra HD See Widescreen Patch.
Field of view (FOV)
WindowedSee the glossary page for potential workarounds.
Borderless fullscreen windowedSee the glossary page for potential workarounds.
Anisotropic filtering (AF)See the glossary page for potential workarounds.
Anti-aliasing (AA)See the glossary page for potential workarounds.
High-fidelity upscalingSee the glossary page for potential workarounds.
Vertical sync (Vsync)See the glossary page for potential workarounds.
60 FPS FPS should be limited to 30, see issues fixed.
120+ FPS
High dynamic range display (HDR)

Input

In-game control settings.

Keyboard and mouseStateNotes
Remapping
Mouse acceleration
Mouse sensitivity
Mouse input in menus
Mouse Y-axis inversion
Controller
Controller support
Full controller support
Controller remapping
Controller sensitivity
Controller Y-axis inversion
Controller types
XInput-compatible controllers
PlayStation controllers
Generic/other controllers
Additional information
Controller hotplugging
Haptic feedback
Digital movement supported
Simultaneous controller+KB/M

Audio

Audio featureStateNotes
Separate volume controlsSpeech volume is tied with music.
Surround sound
Subtitles
Closed captions
Mute on focus lost
Royalty free audio

Localizations

LanguageUIAudioSubNotes
English
CzechFan - 1
French
GermanInfantry can not be crushed, as they vanish when a 'Mech aims at them or approaches them.

Network

Multiplayer types

TypeNativePlayersNotes
LAN play8
Online play8The official multiplayer service has been shut down.

Issues fixed

Installing under modern Windows

For many people, the version of Installshield which MechWarrior 3 uses refuses to start, and instead just hangs. This appears to be caused by conflicting programs running in the background. Singling out which program this is can be quite difficult. A simple workaround is to create a new account with administrative privileges, and install MechWarrior 3 under that.[citation needed]

Alternatively, open task manager, go to details tab, right click setup.exe, click "analyse wait chain", tick both boxes to end both processes. Repeat these steps until setup launches.

Fix bouncing APCs and dysfunctional AMS

Limit the game's framerate to 30 FPS and/or force v-sync through a third-party application[citation needed]

Variable game speed

Game speed may constantly shift between too fast and too slow when the computer uptime is high.
Install the Widescreen Fix[3]

Pirate's Moon 4th pirate mission crashes often

Caused by corruption of data used by the game's physics code.
The game physics may still glitch out and destroy the player's mech, but the chances of completing the mission normally remain higher than on an unpatched game.
Instructions
  1. Download the unofficial patch.
  2. Copy file to <path-to-game>.
  3. Run the patched .exe.
  4. Try to complete the mission.

Other information

API

Technical specsSupportedNotes
Direct3D6
Software renderer
Executable32-bit64-bitNotes
Windows

Middleware

MiddlewareNotes
MultiplayerMSN Gaming Zone

System requirements

Windows
MinimumRecommended
Operating system (OS)9598
Processor (CPU)Intel Pentium 166 MHzIntel Pentium 200 MHz
System memory (RAM)32 MB64 MB
Hard disk drive (HDD)240 MB390 MB
Video card (GPU) 2 MB of VRAM
DirectX 6.1 compatible		 8 MB of VRAM

Notes

  1. ↑ SafeDisc retail DRM does not work on Windows 10[1] or Windows 11 and is disabled by default on Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1 when the KB3086255 update is installed.[2]
  2. ↑ When running this game without elevated privileges (Run as administrator option), write operations against a location below %PROGRAMFILES%, %PROGRAMDATA%, or %WINDIR% might be redirected to %LOCALAPPDATA%\VirtualStore on Windows Vista and later (more details).

References

MechWarrior 3 - PCGamingWiki PCGW (2024)

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