Adridos, on 22 June 2013 - 09:51 AM, said:
Besides, when you have omnies, you really need just 4 (one for each weight class) and you're all set for playing any you want.
Then it would make sense to implement the full range of OmniMech restrictions (engine type & rating are locked, structure type & locations of criticals are locked, armor type & amount & locations of criticals are locked, heat sink type is locked, "hardwired" weapons/equipment (listed in the "base" configuration) cannot be moved or removed, etc), as that is what determines the tonnage and distribution of pod space and allows for even same-tonnage OmniMechs (e.g.
Fenris vs
Shadow Cat - both 45-ton Clan OmniMechs) to remain substantially different.
Fenris, base OmniMech - 9.5 tons of pod space, ~30 open criticals
HD: x1 Endo-Steel, no open slots
CT: x1 Endo-Steel, x1 open slot
LT: XL Engine (x2 criticals), x1 Endo-Steel, x2 Ferro-Fibrous, x7 open slots
RT: XL Engine (x2 criticals), x1 Endo-Steel, x2 Ferro-Fibrous, x7 open slots
LA: x1 Ferro-Fibrous, x8-9 open slots [hands and LAAs are OmniPods and might be removed per configuration]
RA: x1 Ferro-Fibrous, x7-9 open slots [hands and LAAs are OmniPods and might be removed per configuration]
LL: x2 Endo-Steel, no open slots
RL: x2 Endo-Steel, no open slots
Shadow Cat, base OmniMech - 17 tons of pod space, ~22 open criticals
HD: x1 Endo-Steel, no open slots
CT: MASC (x2 criticals), no open slots
LT: XL Engine (x2 criticals), x1 Jump Jet, x1 Endo-Steel, x3 Ferro-Fibrous, x5 open slots
RT: XL Engine (x2 criticals), x1 Jump Jet, x1 Endo-Steel, x4 Ferro-Fibrous, x4 open slots
LA: x2 Endo-Steel, x7-8 open slots [hands and LAAs are OmniPods and might be removed per configuration]
RA: x2 Endo-Steel, x6-8 open slots [hands and LAAs are OmniPods and might be removed per configuration]
LL: x2 Jump Jets, no open slots
RL: x2 Jump Jets, no open slot
With that, there would be loadouts on one OmniMech of a given weight thsat generally could not be duplicated easily or exactly (if at all) on another OmniMech of the same weight.
In exchange, each open slot could be an non-type-specific hardpoint or each configuration (that is, "variant") could be assigned a number of non-type-specific hardpoints (based on its initial loadout).
This would allow PGI to implement multiple OmniMechs of the same weight while also keeping them relatively unique (so that there is a reason to take OmniMech "X" over OmniMech "Y" beyond "best geometry/hitboxes").
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