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I want to dakka more on my atlas too!
And it hit me like lightning. Customizable Hardpoints (with obvious deeper tweaking to be done).
Let's sit down comfortably and imagine that we are living in utopia/paradise/dreamworld where Devs are actually taking risks that might add more fun to the game and more options to players to build their mechs the way they want to play the game.
Imagine you can tweak around your mech even further.
Imagine you can switch your current hardpoints for a different ones.
Let's take an Atlas-D to show what I mean.
Currently it has :
LA : 1 energy + 1 AMS
RA : 1 energy
RT : 2 ballistic
LT : 2 missle
CT : 2 energy
What if (and that would have to be thought out but I have a quick solution to that) depending on a class of a mech you can switch up to 4 hardpoints to something different.
1 hardpoint change for lights,
2 for mediums,
3 heavy,
4 assaults.
With varying ammount of hardpoints depending on a tonnage range. So bigger Lights can switch 2, but smaller mediums could only go with 1. With 100 tonners having option to switch up to 4 hardpoints.
Obviously this would cost in C-Bills.
For example you can switch LT 2 missle hardpoints on above mentioned atlas to 2 ballistic hardpoints, and both 1E in both arms to 1 ballistics as well. So you would have something like :
LA : 1 B + 1 AMS
RA : 1 B
RT : 2 B
LT : 2 B
CT : 2 E
This change could be tied to more sophisticated mech building to the point :
Removing all quirks as a default from all mechs, but keeping in mind that structure quirks should be injected straight into the mech (like CT/RT/LT structure bonuses should be just translated to bigger hp number for a specific part of a specific mech).
Introducing Quirk Points that are available for each mech depending on tonnage/class.
And I'm on a crossroads here because those would/should be tied either to tonnage/class or even somehow affected by player experience with the mech and/or player pilot skill.;
And breaking them down to (with examples of what I have on mind) :
Offensive Quirks :
- SpecificWeapon Range/velocity/heat gen (up to 20%, 30% if its a smaller weapon like AC2, MG, Srm 2/4)
- Specific UAC 2/5/10/15 Jam chance reduction (5%/10%/15%)
- Laser Range (general quirk so up to 20% max)
- Laser Heat gen (general quirk so up to 20% max)
- Missle velocity (general quirk so up to 20% max)
- Missle range (general quirk so up to 20% max)
- Ballistic cooldown (general quirk so up to 20% max)
- Ballistic range (general quirk so up to 20% max)
- Ballistic velocity (general quirk so up to 20% max)
- Tag range
- Tag target decay (tagged target stays tagged for few seconds after you stop tagging it)
Defensive/utility Quirks
- Further Structure Buff to CT/RT/LT/RA/LA/RL/LL
- Armor Buffs CT/RT/LT/RA/LA/RL/LL
- AMS range/ROF
- Engine acceleration/decelration
- Sensor range
- Sensor info gathering time
- Torso twist
- Tougher legs/actuators/springs (
) - falling down damage reduced- Increased heat efficency
- Crit Chance Receiving
Each quirk having 1/2/3/4/5 levels of power that cost more quirk points with each step.
With quirks varying in cost some costing 2/4/6/etc.
This way you could for example build a very tanky medium mech with additional stucture/armor quirks if you feel that maybe your arms or side torsos need some additional HP but this way you would spend your limited ammount of quirk points on defense having none (or nearly none) in offensive departament.
It would require some balancing as of Bigger weapon quirks would have to cost more quirk points and giving less bonus per quirk than a smaller weapon quirk.
But then you ask but what about omnipods?
Well that's a topic to adress at later stage but for sake of argument lets say omnipods would have to be able to loose those JJ, Heatsinks that are currently set there without us being able to take 'em out.
To balance it even further my idea would be :
If you build your mech, choose what hardpoints are to be put where, and after adding quirks your custom quirks. It's set in stone. If you want to change it... you have to buy new mech (if you did something wrong).
Man I would own so many atlases this way.
A tanky one with additional structure/armor (above what already is available), crit chance reduction (bigger than it currently is), torso twisting and engine speed buff bonuses to lead the charge.
A fast and less defensive dakka atlas with 6 Ballistics and quirks for UAC5 but without additional armor/torso twisting and speed buffs.
A long range heavy mech with engine, sensor, tag and specific weapon bonuses.
Imagine the possibilities.
Building your OWN mech would be pushed to another level.
One can always dream.
Your thoughts?
