Yay, dynamic conditions!
That's exciting, but I did immediately see a problem: not all graphics settings are created equal.
As a competitive player, I'm VERY familiar with the pros of playing the game with some settings (environment in particular) on super-low. I really prefer playing the pretty-game when just levelling 'mechs or playing FW, however the benefits are unavoidable when things get serious.
So, how do you make weather "matter" to comp try-hards or people playing the game on potatoes who won't ever see the rain streaked cockpit glass, driven snow/sand, or the flashes of lightening as a storm rolls in?
Weather becomes relevant to everyone at the point where it actually impacts mech/weapon performance, and dare I say, game balance 0_0.
The main thing I've seen mentioned already when i searched this topic:
- Rain/Snow increasing the cooling capacity of a 'mech
But what about:
- extremely high winds:
- enough to cause need for compensation with projectiles, and shorten/lengthen missile ranges (they'd spend extra fuel to fight into the wind or against a cross-wind, or far less fuel with the wind, but at the sacrifice of accuracy)
- enough to effect 'mech speed with/against the wind
- UAVs could have issue, or be blown off-station
- enough to cause need for compensation with projectiles, and shorten/lengthen missile ranges (they'd spend extra fuel to fight into the wind or against a cross-wind, or far less fuel with the wind, but at the sacrifice of accuracy)
- super-thick fog/torrential rain:
- enough to cause lasers to refract/lessen their effect at range
- magnetic storms:
- impact to sensor range/effectiveness
- thermal effect to day/night cycle