Posted 08 November 2011 - 04:11 PM
I posted this in mechlab, and am reposting it here, as I think it applies.
I truly believe that, flawed though it might be, the limited retrofitting and modification that MW4M (mektek modified) was the best way to keep the mechs both honest to thier original roles and to prevent all mechs from simply mounting anything and everything. Consider this. there are a LOT of mechs in the universe. each mech was designed for a purpose, or role. A Raven has a powerful electronics package and a certain weapons load out, at 35 tons, is a light mech, has a specific engine, size, top speed, equipment, and so on. By the rules of CBT TT game's books, whats to keep someone from modifying any other 35 ton mech to perform in the same manner as that Raven? (not quite in the provided timeline of this game, maybe, but the example holds). by allowing complete refits, any mech can become any other mech, It kind of kills the reason for the Mech Variety. Two Examples: The Jenner and the Hollander. both 35 ton mechs. both have VERY different roles. without limited customization, that Jenner could become a Hollander, without the name, and Vice versa. The only exception to limited modification, and even this should be limited in some manners as well, is Omnimechs. Omnimechs were designed with quick change pod space (prepared weapon pods) that allow for any weapon system to be fixed in and quickly brought to speed far quicker than standard mech refits. A Catapult will not be mounting cannons on its arms, without a massive change in its arms (which I am aware there is a version that does exactly that, in which case the same would be true in reverse). Point is, without limited the amount of customization of a mech, you lose the purpose of having variety. all other considerations beside the point, IE price to change parts, and so on. This been said, I do think that Things like Jump jets, Engine changes, and even heat sink changes (from standard to double, or the reverse), should be allowed, within the normal TT rules.
On a side note here, there should also be a battlemech market for parts, weapons, electronics like ECM and BAP, so on. in fact, in another post, I suggested possibly 3 different shops, maybe with sub categories of shops within those main categories. a Main shop, where parts can be found for a price, availablilty depends on location and maybe even mech rank or skill level, or even which house area you are in, who carries parts that are in good working condition and are legitimate. Then the Black market, with the same considerations, though maybe with some slight differences, such as infamy level, or other factors, which carry parts of more exotic purpose, or tech level, of questionable quality and considerably higher prices. And last, the Refurbished/used market, where parts are sold, for cut rate prices, but more often than not, while able to function are likely damaged and require repair before the part can be mounted, and carries mainly more common parts that can be found.
Though not a completely thought idea, more of a brain storm, a mix of Mechwarrior 3 and Mechwarrior 4's mech bays and modification system might be the best compromise for everyone's tastes.
And before people start jumping on me for customization preferences, I want to site the technical readouts, almost all of them, that provide alternative loadouts for mechs, and sometimes go very drastic in thier changes, to the point of changing engine size and type, and also heat sinks type, and number, as well as the numerous mentions in those readouts about field modifications.
7
Elucid Ward, on 02 November 2011 - 12:12 AM, said:
using long range direct fire weapons in their stead.
