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[Bakaneko]

Some pros and cons about this proposed skill tree:

Pros:
+ Removes three mech variant based skill system.
+ Good framework to start building working and rewarding skill tree.
+ Adds more upgrde possibilites, like armor and structure upgrades (those upgrades nicely increasing TTK).
+ No more searching lost modules from your mechs.

Cons:
- Really expensive to unlock.
- Encouraging sinle type weapon boating.
- Locks most desirable upgrades behind less useful or plainly useless upgrades.
- Respec cost is way too high
- decreasing survivability of new players by widening gap between mastered and baseline mechs.
- Highly increased grind propably causing negative impact on mech sales.
- All my different mechs with different loadouts uses allmost same skill tree loadouts.

So lets open up those points a bit:

The baseline is, that idea of removing three variant based upgrade tree is really good.
And framework of now proposed version is good, but content of it needs quite bit adjustment to be any different than current system on live server.
In current PTS version, to unlock all those upgrades that has most effect on mechs performance are distributed and routed so that you most likely do same upgrades to allmost all of the mechs, regardless of their loadout or role. So this current PTS vesion is not alloving any meaningful difference in upgrade layout variations, compared to current live server version. And it seems that in most cases all the defensive, mobility, mech operations and infotech upgrades plainly outweights any weapon upgrades, so it can also further reduce variation between different builds.

My thought is that all basic survivability upgrades (armor, structure, mobility and heat management +radar derp) should be moderately easily accesible, and after that you could choose to specialize your mech with highly progressive cost in c-bill and xp. This could also help new players, because those upgrades that has largest impact in mechs plain survivability in front of enemy mech, would not be hid behind long list of less necessary but costly upgrades. Those most costing highest tier upgrades could be something like, example lrm boat coud unlock ability to select different flight path types for missiles before firing, or something else in that manner. Only imagination or lack of it and stubbornes is limiting us in this matter.

Respecking any mech with current costs would be plainly stupid. At least if you have any intention to return original skill layout later. Because in that case you pay every node twice + respec fee (xp will be refunded, but c-bills not). It vould be in most cases cheaper to buy new copy of same variant (with c-bills of course), than respecing existing one.

I was also hopeful, that i wouldn't be forced to unlock arm movement upgradest to any of my mechs. In my opinion arm movement speed related to torso speed should be adjustable between full arm lock and maximum specs by mech, by percentage, in mechlab. That is because for me, many mechs have way too high arm to torso movement ratio, to efectively alter fire between torso and arm weapons, so mostly i leave arm weapons to mechlab.
And wtf are arm speed and movement upgrades doing in my HBK-IIC-A? So i could have faster reaction time when punching enemy Locust flying by?

With this skill tree upgrade, i also hope that PGI starts to sell single mechs for preorder, when they launch new ones. And price range should be around 3-15$ varying by mech and variant type. That propably would increase mech sales, because those low on money could still pick one for real money without going bankruptcy. Or if you are not that intested
of particular chassis, you could still try one for fun with low cost. This proposed skill tree can have negative impact on mech sales, because at least i don't want purchase new mechs when i have previously purchased, fun to play mechs to grind to mastery.

I hope that PGI wont be discouraged to further develope this new skill tree, because it is right way to go, but with current state it is not ready for live server.

And sorry about my bad engrish.