This game has deserved a long look back with an open mind for a while. PGI has been balancing by addition for far too long. I am extremely pumped to see them hopefully wipe the board clean and start over with a new balance that's simple, effective, and fair.
Things I'd like to see most of all:
1. Eliminate weapon-based quirks (how many times have I said this? Still true.) and make all quirks structure/performance-based.
Examples of good structure/performance-related quirks (besides those already implemented):
*Hill-climb ability
*Shock absorbance
*Gyro stability
*Critical hit % debuff/component health increase
*Jump jet fuel capacity
*Jump jet screen/crosshairs shake
*In addition there can stand to be a LOT more variation between mechs of similar weight regarding existing performance stats like torso twist angle/rate, turn rate, acc/dec, pitch angle/rate, reverse speed, etc.
2. Rather than having ECM hardpoint-restricted and BAP/TC/CC not restricted at all, make all electronics chassis-restricted (similar to MW4) making the ability to carry electronics another balancing feature between chassis.
3. Make jumpjets an all-or-nothing upgrade (with torso/leg dynamic slot use) rather than an equipment. It'll be so much easier for PGI to balance JJs if a certain mech's JJ performance is fixed instead of variable, and it will enable a great deal of performance-based balancing between chassis and even variants.
4. Regarding Clan vs. IS balance, make sure weapons are being balanced to weapons and mechs are being balanced to mechs, exclusively. Don't overnerf clan mechs because of clan weapons or vice versa. Compartmentalizing CvIS balance will make balancing future mechs/weapons/equipment a whole lot easier.
*For a weapons example, the CGauss and CERPPC are identical to their IS counterparts, yet lighter and/or smaller. There needs to be a nerf to those weapons, rather than a nerf to any mech that carries them (lower arm actuators, anybody?). A simple velocity nerf to CGauss and the addition of a small damage spread over range to CERPPC (kinda like an energy LBX) would even things out, and maybe even allow the CERPPC to go back to being 15 damage.
*On the mechs front, Clan XL engines can be balanced by weaker internal structures across the board, easy peasy. Smaller heatsinks can be balanced by reducing clan heatsink component health. Smaller Endo/FF can be balanced via general performance debuffs on those mechs that equip them (presuming the current system of fixed endo/FF endures).
*On the electronics front, lighter/smaller CECM can be balanced by removal of one of the ECM's abilities, like say counter mode. CAP can be balanced to BAP by a removal of the the target info-gathering buff (which is redundant with TC anyway).
Edited by NeoAres, 27 June 2015 - 04:55 AM.