6 replies to this topic

[DeathlyEyes]

So omni mechs could actually have their Engines and other component swapped out. It just required a process that removed the mech's Omniness.

Quote

An OmniMech's structural components (its engine, internal structure, armor and any equipment installed on the base chassis of OmniMech) are "hard-wired" and cannot be modified outside of a total redesign of the 'Mech. While customization of these components is theoretically possible in the field, it is avoided as it hard-wires all the 'Mechs components and effectively transforms the OmniMech into a standard BattleMech.

So what if we had an option to convert an omni mech permanently to a standard mech. This means whatever pods that are on that mech are stuck on it forever. If PGI releases new omni pods you would not be able to add them without buying a new chassis. Perhaps a refit fee could be assessed to further discourage a player from making this change.

Edited by SLDF DeathlyEyes, 20 June 2014 - 03:28 AM.

[Quizzical Coconut]

Everyone and their dog would choose an optimal set of hardpoints to lock in, and then, with standard construction rules, decrease engine size and load a metric **** ton of clan weapons on their mech.

For reference, the Timber Wolf has 28.5 tons of pod space (after armor reductions). Now remove the hardmounted heatsinks and decrease the engine to a 300 and suddenly you have 44.5 tons of pod space (the ferro/endo crits wouldn't be hard locked either, allowing even greater build diversity).

Basically it would break the balance upon which the clans were based (forced inefficiencies).

[Thorn Hallis]

Quizzical Coconut, on 20 June 2014 - 12:09 PM, said:

Everyone and their dog would choose an optimal set of hardpoints to lock in, and then, with standard construction rules, decrease engine size and load a metric **** ton of clan weapons on their mech.

And one day the meta changes and the forum explodes with "Dafuq PGI, my 'Mech is worthless now, I want my omni back!" No, thanks no.

[Khobai]

What youre describing is basically a IIC mech. All the benefits of clan tech with none of the disadvantages of omnimechs.

[Lostdragon]

PGI could mitigate some of the balance implications by giving the Clan mechs a minimum and maximum engine rating if they chose to do this.

[Devil Fox]

I think it would be a solid idea... would also give purpose to having more then one Omni mech... because at the moment I can drop the same build onto any variant CT. If I could hard-lock one or two and keep the third I need to level as an omni then it might provide more longevity with Clan mechs.

It also opens up some of the more underwhelming clan mechs to new variations and might make the light's and blackhawk a more viable medium. Or the Thor, providing it the ability to free tonnage to compete with the Omni Mad Cat. Would need to be though out but could be interesting.

[Xarian]

Not a good idea right now. Maybe later on, but right now Clan tech is balanced around not being able to change that stuff.