Examples:
1. When considering the resistance pack I noticed the missile slot on the Grasshopper. It looks cool and gives the mech character, but it's virtually useless. My first thought was to put a narc there... but that takes 2 slots. What is left? SSRM2, SRM2, SRM4, and LRM5. All of these are weak weapons by themselves -- only useful when combined with more of the same.
2. CTF-4X -- same useless head missile hardpoint.
3. The panther (as well as the founder's jenner) have 2 missile hardpts in the CT. These are slightly less useless but still unnecessarily limited...
4. Most importantly as I look through sarna.net I see many mechs that appear to have large weapons mounted from the center torso. Most notable is the Marauder with an AC5 or UAC5 mounted on the CT, and similar is the Verfolger with a CT PPC, and the Shugenja with CT MRM30.
Mechs like these simply can't be in the game in their current form due to the limited space of CT's and heads. You'd have to alter the form of the mech and change the iconic profile to something less recognizable and classic. This would also have the effect of making mechs more visually formulaic -- always large arm and side torso weapons, never large central or top weapons. Honestly, 'looking cool' has always been a big part of BT's appeal, and weapon placement is part of the characteristic look of the mech.
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SUGGESTIONS: the simplest solutions I could think of were in the form of upgrades which effect the base components in the CT and Head. I suggest some drawbacks too.
1. movable components
Upgrade: Modular Sensor Suite. This would split the sensors into 4 separate modules of 1 slot each, which can be moved anywhere. Damage should create bad effect on sensors.
Upgrade: Modular Life Support. This would do the same as the above; 2 modules of 2 slots each, and if both are destroyed, pilot dies.
2. components fixed across torsos instead of one location.
Upgrade: Side Mounted Sensors. Similar to an XL engine, 1 slot of sensors are fixed into each side torso, as well as 1 slot in the cockpit. That is 3 slots total.
Upgrade: Center Torso Sensors: same as above except moved to CT with 1 slot in Head. 3 total.
Upgrades: Side Mounted/CT life support. etc.
Upgrade: Side Mounted Gyro. Instead of 4 slots in CT, Gyro is fixed to both side torsos. 3 slots in each side torso. If either Gyro is sufficiently damaged, should effect movement.
Upgrade: Expanded Gyro. 2 Fixed slots in side torsos, 1 fixed slot in center torso. No penalty for just one Gyro damaged, but maybe this Gyro suffers from reduction in acceleration, maneuverability, any movements involving gyro.
3. Other tweaks/alternatives
Upgrade: Compact Autocannons. Reduces by 1 the slots taken by AC5, 10, and 20. If critted, should explode like a gauss, and perhaps increases heat generation.
Upgrade: Compact Standard Engine. Reduces by 1 or 2 the slots taken by the standard engine. Perhaps increases heat generation a bit. Reduce anything that requires engine power
Consider reducing the slots taken by the XL engines in the Center Torso by at least 1. When combined with Expanded Gyro, this could provide 7 slots, enough for an AC10. Or reduce Center XL by 2 slots, and put 1 fixed Expanded Gyro slot in the CT, for 7 slots total of Gyro and 7 empty slots
Consider just reducing the slots that ballistics take up, or introducing some intermediate weapons.
Consider simply reducing the size of gyros/other components as a feature of certain chassis. You could add drawbacks in the quirks -- say a mech has special 3 slot gyro, you can add negative quirks to show less efficient gyro function.
Side notes:
My measure for making CT and Head weapons effective is to be able to mount 3 slot missiles/energy weps in heads, 5 slot ballistics in heads, and 7 slot ballistic in CTs... When those are the only ballistic or missile hardpoint, that is often what is required to make it an effective weapon by itself.
Drawbacks for damaged components should discourage players from putting movable parts in weird places. For damaged sensors there could be effects like reduced radar range, increased time on target info/locks, and flickering targets/hud. For Lifesupport the drawback could be pilot death if all slots destroyed... or ejection, if that were ever implemented =]. For Gyro it could be a slowed mech which cannot climb grades higher than 15 degrees and constantly oscillates between stopping and going or top speed oscillates, so it feels like it's 'struggling' or 'stumbling'
***NOTE*** Something which could prevent a metagame shift or abuse of these features; instead of making them upgrades, make them chassis-specific features, like jumpjets. However the chassis' requires them to function and gives a warning sign w/out them, similar to 'no engine mounted'.
So, for example, have the Grasshopper come equipped with 'Side Mounted Sensors' and it can run an LRM10, SRM6, or NARC in its head slot. Give it 'Modular Sensor Suite' and it could conceivably run LRM15 or SRM6+Artemis.
Center Torso example: Have the Marauder come with 'Expanded Gyro' and it can mount a UAC5 on its CT. Have one of its variants come with 'Side Mounted Gyro' and it can mount LBX10... or upgrade to 'Compact Engine' or 'Compact Autocannons' and it can mount an AC10 on its CT.
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The long and short of it is, certain mechs need more space for their CT and Head weapons.
These suggestions provide a way to feel you are truly customizing your mech as a whole, not just seeing where weapons fit. And, if these are built-in chassis features instead of upgrades, they may also provide an additional way to flavor mechs, similar to the quirk system. There won't be so much 'such and such mech is worthless because this other mech can mount more of x weapons'...
And I think we can all agree, an empty head weapon slot does not increase the cool factor of a mech.
Edited by AeusDeif, 28 November 2014 - 01:43 AM.