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How to get BTA 3062 working on Steam Deck.

By Cutter

I really created this guide for documentation purposes, so I hope I get everything down. Sorry, but this is my first guide.

The guide is how to install and get BTA 3062 mod working with Steam Deck(Yes, the game runs on steam deck).

Note: Do everything in Desktop Mode until fully installed, and you can run the game in Game mode after that (even do updates).

Award

Created by

Cutter
Offline

Category: Modding or Configuration

Languages: English

Posted

Updated

8 Aug, 2022 @ 10:23am

16 Jan, 2023 @ 12:47pm

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Guide Index

Overview

Read first. -- Requirements

BT Advance Launcher settings

Based on setting, no need to use BTAdvancedLauncher.exe unless there is an update.

updated - 16 Jan 2023 by flashdim

Comments

Read first. -- Requirements

To get BTA3062 working on Steam Deck, you must do the following:

1. If you do not have an SD CARD, get one. I only did this using an SD card.
2. Have it the sd card accessible by both Game mode and desktop mode.

BATTLETECH LOCATION
3. In Steam, download BATTLETECH to the SD CARD.

BTA 3062
4. Go into desktop mode of the steam deck, download bta 3062 installer from https://www.bta3062.com/index.php/Installation_Guide (top link). Use any browser to do this, but take note of the path where the BTAdvancedLauncher.zip file is saved to.
5. Move or Copy BTAdvancedLauncher.zip from download path to the root of the SD CARD.

6. Extract BTAdvancedLauncher.zip to root of SD CARD, you should see the *.EXE file only.

BTAdvancedLauncher.exe setup to run in steam:
7. In desktop mode Steam, add Non-Steam program, and navigate to the root of SD Card. Add BTAdvancedLauncher.exe.

8. Update BTAdvancedLauncher.exe properties in steam to force Compatibility to the latest version of Proton.

Final part of the Install.

9. Launch BTAdvancedLauncher.exe in the desktop mode of Steam.

BT Advance Launcher settings

When BTA is running on Steam Deck, make sure you do the following:

1. Turn off banners, because steam deck screen size is difficult to display the banner plus dialog
2. In Preferences, only check Use Steam Launch and Close Launcher on BTA Launch.

The hardest part now is finding the PATHs for Install Target and Checkout workspace. Searching for both paths is the reason why you are using desktop mode. You might want to use a real mouse and keyboard for this.

In the Search Dialog, do the following:

1. Expand My Computer.
2. Expand Z: drive.
3. Expand run folder.
4. Expand media folder.
5. Expand the folder within the run folder (mine is called mmcblk0p1)

You will need a folder in there called BTACache (I made a type on mine, and called it BtalCache). This will be used for the Checkout workspace: value.

For the Install Target, Battletech will have to be installed on your SD Card. This will be the same steps for Checkout workspace, so contine with these steps:

6. Expand SteamLibrary folder.
7. Expand steamapps folder.
8. Expand common folder.
9. Click the BATTLETECH folder.

Once in the BATTLETECH folder, select Mods and click the run button.

Once everything has been setup, you can click the Update/Install BTA button. This will run for awhile, so you might want to leave your Steam Deck plugged in the charger.

Based on setting, no need to use BTAdvancedLauncher.exe unless there is an update.

Everything should be all set to run this from desktop mode or Game mode.

Have fun!!

updated - 16 Jan 2023 by flashdim

NOTE: IF YOU USE THE VIRTUAL KEYBOARD (steam+X)
DON'T USE STEAM BETA UNTIL VIRTUAL KEYBOARD ISSUE IS RESOLVED, IT IS A NIGHTMARE
https://github.com/ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux/issues/9099

(Do all this in Desktop Mode)

==============
GET BATTLETECH
==============
First: Install Battletech if you haven't, or copy your existing game folder.
If you copy your game folder, you can skip the "INSTALL MODPACK" step later.

=======================
INCREASE SWAP FILE SIZE
=======================
Dunno if this gets wiped out on a system update.
Done prevent modded game from crashing; by default the deck only has a 1GB swap file.
You'll need 16GB free on your built-in storage.
Source(s):
https://github.com/CryoByte33/steam-deck-utilities
=======================
Open a new terminal (App Launcher -> System -> Konsole).
Run:
git clone https://github.com/CryoByte33/steam-deck-utilities.git
cd steam-deck-utilities
chmod +x cryo_utilities.sh
./cryo_utilities.sh
When prompted increase the swap file to 16GB.
Set "swappiness" to 1.
No need to run TRIM when prompted.

====================
INSTALL PROTONTRICKS
====================
Install from the "Discover" app:
- Protontricks

==============================
SWITCH TO OLDER PROTON VERSION
==============================
This is just to support installing .NET 4.7.2. We'll revert it after.
==============================
Open Steam.
Right click Battletech->Properties->Compatibility and set to Proton 5.0-10.
Open Battletech to make sure any downloads Steam wants are done. Close the game if it opens.

=====================================
ADD PROTONTRICKS COMMAND LINE SUPPORT
=====================================
I did this instead of using Protontricks GUI, because using the GUI had a buttload of message popups.
You can quiet the GUI by adding "-q" in the Application Editor and install that way, if you'd rather.
Source(s):
https://github.com/Matoking/protontricks
=====================================
In a terminal (App Launcher->System->Konsole):
Run:
echo "alias protontricks='flatpak run com.github.Matoking.protontricks'" >> ~/.bashrc
echo "alias protontricks-launch='flatpak run --command=protontricks-launch com.github.Matoking.protontricks'" >> ~/.bashrc
Close and reopen the terminal so the above takes effect.

===========================
INSTALL .NET TO GAME PREFIX
===========================
This is to support the Modtek installation.
You might see a lot of errors flying by in the console in the background. Just ignore those.
This is painfully slow. :) Set aside 30 minutes minimum, be plugged in, grab a drink, etc.
Source(s):
https://www.bta3062.com/index.php/Linux_Installation_Guide
===========================
Open a new terminal (App Launcher -> System -> Konsole).
Run:
protontricks 637090 -q --force dotnet472

===============
INSTALL MODPACK
===============
We're running the installer using the prefix we just installed the .NET into.
Source(s):
https://www.bta3062.com/index.php/Linux_Installation_Guide
===============
Download the file from https://www.bta3062.com/files/BTAdvancedLauncher.php
Unzip to a fresh folder (i.e. /home/deck/Downloads/BTAInstaller).
Double-click/open the installer.
When Protontricks opens, select Battletech and click OK.
On the top menu, select "Banners -> No-Banner" so you can see the whole interface on the deck screen.
Follow steps 2.1 thru 2.4 here: https://www.bta3062.com/index.php/Linux_Installation_Guide

=======================
ENABLE MOD DLL OVERRIDE
=======================
This is needed to support ModTek 3.
If you can open Battletech but no mods load, this is probably not set.
Source(s):
https://github.com/BattletechModders/ModTek/blob/master/INSTALL.md
=======================
Open Protontricks GUI (App Launcher -> Utilities -> Protontricks).
Select Battletech and click OK.
Select "Select the default wineprefix" and click OK.
Select "Run winecfg" and click OK.
Under the "Libraries" tab, under "New override for library:", click the dropdown and find "winhttp".
Click "add", then OK.
Click "Cancel" on the remaining windows to close Protontricks.

==============================
SWITCH TO NEWER PROTON VERSION
==============================
Open Steam.
Right click Battletech->Properties->Compatibility and set to a Proton 7 version. I tested this on 7.0-6.
Open Battletech.
Pray.

https://pastebin.com/ZFHDpNxM

34 Comments

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flashdim 20 Sep, 2023 @ 8:37am

@SPECTRUM43 The "ENABLE MOD DLL OVERRIDE" section is essentially step 2.5, just spelled out, since most folks won't know what this means:
"Using Proton or Wine is also supported, make sure the winhttp.dll from UnityDoorstop is loaded by setting the override to native, builtin."

Cutter [author] 19 Sep, 2023 @ 5:01pm

The installs are using proton (not Linux).

SPECTRUM43 19 Sep, 2023 @ 11:20am

The guide says to do step 2.1-2.4 from the Linux installation guide... but I couldn't get it to work until I did step 2.5

depapier 13 Mar, 2023 @ 6:12am

How can you not have a compatdata folder? Do you mean the one with Battletech or in general? If the latter, then have you launched any games with proton on the deck at all? Perhaps your hidden files are not displayed?

Apropos performance on Steam Deck wrt BTA at least (havent had time to test on Roguetech), the performance can be improved by a lot using the BTA guide (https://www.bta3062.com/index.php/Performance_Tips) and especially adding the following launch command in steam:
mesa_glthread=true %command%

Destro 12 Mar, 2023 @ 12:01pm

i dont even appear to have a compatdata folder.... anyone else having this problem?

Cutter [author] 10 Mar, 2023 @ 8:45pm

depapier - Thanks for adding an additional workaround. I really need to reinstall the mod on my steamdeck, and try these new steps.

depapier 10 Mar, 2023 @ 4:41pm

Ok, so holy shit it worked! For some reason Protontricks didn't want to add the override dll through winecfg of the Battletech prefix. This isn't the first time it has issues, but there's a way around it certainly. Idk about adding command line arguments - which may be easier. But what I did:
- find the Battletech wine prefix in Steam/steamapps/compatdata/ - since I just installed Battletech, it was the last modified one.
- open the user.cfg
- find the section [Software\Wine\DllOverrides]
- copy one of the lines and add it at the end of the section, but change the name of the variable to "winhttp"
- save
- launch
- pray

depapier 10 Mar, 2023 @ 4:21pm

For some reason the winecfg for the Battletech instance is never saved for me. Adding the "new override for library" works but if I load the cfg again its not there anymore. And the Battletech itself starts, but the mods don't load. Does anyone know a fix for that? Perhaps there's a command line way to add this? Protontricks isn't the most reliable tool I think. Even though I've used flatseal to give it all sorts of rights.

nebanks1 14 Feb, 2023 @ 2:28pm

Thank you.

flashdim 13 Feb, 2023 @ 3:01pm

Thx Cutter - I have to remember not everyone works in IT 😅

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