Unlimited Customization belongs in Solaris, not the Battlefields of the Inner Sphere
PGI faces the law of diminishing returns with every new ‘mech it releases. Since our mechs are totally customizable machines limited only by tonnage, engine caps and hardpoints, new ‘mechs offer little new gameplay or reason to purchase. The health of the game would be best served if customization was limited in some way.
(Case in point: "The Rifleman is just a lighter Jagermech" ... "why do I need a Warhammer when I have a Cataphract/Black Knight?")
There are a number of gameplay advantages to limiting customization.- Omnimechs would actually have greater flexibility (instead of less) – as they were intended to have.
- Every ‘mech would have a role and unique flavor, not just a very slightly different set of hardpoints and quirks.
- Stock or Superstock ‘mechs would be easier to balance, allowing for quirk reductions.
- C-Bill participation costs for new players would be vastly reduced.
- PGI could continue to count on future income from new ‘mech releases.
There are a number of different ways in which customization could be limited, offering various levels of restrictiveness. Each have their strengths and weaknesses.
Stock Mode: No customization. This is the toughest mode of the game, because design decisions made by PGI have relegated single heat sinks to the trash heap, nerfed double heat sinks, and crippled some stock designs through other faults not present in canon. While Tech 1, unquirked battles work quite well in MWO, the imbalance between Tech 2, Clantech, and crippled stock values of some systems makes a pure Stock Mode extremely challenging to implement. It could be done, if a commitment was made to make Stock ‘mechs workable. However, this would require a tremendous commitment from PGI that is unlikely to occur.
Superstock Mode: Very limited customization. Quite close to pure stock, Superstock would allow sharply limited modification or upgrading of Stock designs to allow them to function in the MWO environment. A limited menu of customization options would allow the upgrading components to advanced technology – SHS to DHS, PPC to ERPPC, AC to UAC, etc. Tearing the ‘mech down to the skeleton, swapping engines, or other radical overhauls would not be possible. (Note that Omnimechs would be quite flexible and powerful under this system)
In Stock or Superstock mode, this 'mechs load out is a known quantity
Field Refit Mode: Limited customization, including all ‘Superstock’ options, and allowing small changes akin to those permitted under Battletech ‘field refit’ style rules. A ‘mech could make modest changes, possibly removing 1-2 tons of one system in exchange for armor or heat sinks, but radical refits are not permitted. Field refit mode could be ‘graded’ to remain fairly restrictive or relatively liberal, depending on the amount of leeway PGI wanted to grant Quick Play and/or Faction Play mechwarriors.
Degraded Performance Mode: A middle ground which still allows heavy or unlimited customization, but imposes stronger and stronger negative quirks the more radical the rebuild. Minor changes – 1-2 tons, or straight tech upgrades – impose only small global penalties to agility or twist speed. The greater the changes, the more negative quirks, and the more areas they apply to. This allows players to drive anything they want, but the more the ‘mech had to be altered from factory, the less effective it is; incentivizing Stock or Superstock ‘mechs without making full customization impossible.
Specific Quirk Mode: Much less restrictive than those options listed above, Specific Quirk mode only influences customization. Major changes to the ‘mech can still be made, but weapon quirks, agility quirks, etc; would be tied to specific hardpoints or engines (the ‘mech is designed for PPCs in the arms, and a 300 engine, for example, and loses quirks if those elements are changed). This encourages Stock or Superstock builds but it less punitive than a global performance hit, only removing advantages instead of imposing penalties.
Financial Penalty Mode: The least restrictive, allowing unlimited customization but imposing an increasing financial penalty for using heavily customized ‘mechs. Stock or superstock would be the most profitable builds to run (benefitting newer, poorer players) while extreme custom ‘mechs would struggle to earn C-Bills due to enormous repair bills. This would fit best with a true R&R system, should such a thing ever be intelligently implemented in modes like Faction Play.
(IMHO, the best thing for the game would be something akin to the field refit mode; gaining most of the benefits of limiting customization without locking down the Mechlab entirely)
But I like customizing my ‘mechs!
Me too. Players enjoy their mechlab, and rightly so. Battletech has great construction rules and it has been a staple of every Mechwarrior game to allow the player to customize their ride(s). We could retain the freedom of the full, unfettered ‘mechlab in
Solaris – where unlimited customization belongs.
Customize your arena dueling ‘mech as much as you wish; but for the battlefields of the Inner Sphere (and PGI’s long term financial health) the game should encourage Battlemechs that resemble factory designs.
But we've had full customization for three years!
Yep. And when there were only six or eight 'mechs that was fine, but now it will slowly eat away at PGI's bottom line. Add them in first to Community Warfare/Faction Play, and then populate them out to the Quick Play queue if they work. Naturally, it's not fair to people who love the Mechlab best to take it away entirely, so it we be fairest not to implement any restrictions until after a Solaris mode has gone live.
TL:DR summary: The game would be better served if unlimited customization was confined to Solaris mode, and one of several possible limited customization solutions applied to quick play/faction play. 
3
