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[NimoStar]

So, in Battletech universe there are many quirks. About half of them are negative:
http://www.sarna.net...i/Design_Quirks
(Also most are way more interesting than the ones in use in the game)

We used to have negative quirks for some weapons/chassis here on MWO and people didn't like them, with reason.

But it was because all they did was to deincentivize you from some builds. They got removed because they were simply bad balance, not something that made 'mechs more unique, but something that reduced variety by making you not to run some guns.

My proposal is very different: Adapt some of the negative quirks present on the original game, if not in rules then in spirit.

It is important these quirks do not deincentivize any equipment or weapon build, but rather engage you to operate your 'mech in unique and personal ways.

For example: What about a mech that has an "ammo feed problem"? All weapons have a 5% chance of jamming when fired. BUT, this only gives you the chance of unique balancing; say, it also has -10% heat and +10% range overall. (http://www.sarna.net..._.5BBT.2C_AS.5D)

Or, say that a 'Mech has a small cramped cockpit. You have only half of the head structural integrity. This will incentivize enemies to attack you on the head. But you get better armor quirks on the rest of the body. Using this 'mech you choose to run and manage the risk. (http://www.sarna.net..._Armor_.5BBT.5D basically)

Let's say your 'Mech has a bad targeting system and is as such Inaccurate (http://www.sarna.net...2C_AS.2C_SBF.5D). Your reticle always shakes as if slightly thrusting JumpJets. But you get a -15% cooldown on all weapons and +10% heat dissipation. Quite an endearing challenge, eh? Attack significantly faster, but harder to aim or guarantee a hit...


You get my point. This can make 'mechs and variants feel truly unique. You not only fight to optimize your 'mech and exploit its strenghts, but also to master it's weaknesses and "quirky" behaviours, and need to effectively dominate them to fully utilize their strenght. As true pilots do with any vehicle they operate, in war or otherwise.

This both helps players to identify with their choice, it levels the field for some noobs which (for example) be completely inaccurate anyways, AND it ups the skill ceiling, which is always good for the competitive side and keep people on their edge about the potential of good enough players.

Do you like?
What are your ideas for negative quirks and their counterparts?

An additional thought: "Negative" traits embedded on optional skill tree variant. Like, you can choose the regular "all good" skill tree, or change it with a click for a pondered one (for example, instead of "+1,5% armor", have the point be "+2,8% armor, -1% max speed.", instead of +1% max speed, make it "+2% max speed, -1,5% armor", etc. --- so you can choose not only the strenghts of your 'mech, but also, as in engineering, design, and life, what to sacrifice to get those strenghts.)