Mecha Tune-Up?

[macksting]

The Domino, the scavenged Fire Control system, and the Self Defense Net all seem to indicate to me that it's possible to accessorize mecha surprisingly well in the setting. While much of this will be supplied for in the mecha Computer system in GH2, I was wondering if tune-ups might be a part of this power creep as well.
I suppose, really, that sensor systems, targetting computers, and overchargers are really quite the same as mecha "cyberware." Perhaps these could be offered as a "one time thing," a reward for a quest?

"Say, thank you so much for saving my daughter! It looks to me like you've got a mighty fine machine there; I need to visit her in the hospital, but you bring that mech back later and I'll fix you up with something good."
"Ah, you're back! She's doin' fine, thanks. So I've got a few devices here, managed to cobble them together when I was building that robot. My robot building days are through, y'see, ever since you had to put Mickey down, but these left-over parts are perfect for mecha. I owe you one. What would you like?
a) More speed
b) Better self-defense
c) A Class 10 ECM
d) The biggest weapon you can install"

To sum up, I've put forth two ideas. Purchasable upgrades analogous to the Stealth System and Self Defense Net, and a reward-granting quest which installs something analogous, admittedly in Fallout style. Although I could hardly demand such things, I'd like them to be considered and would also enjoy a discussion of their feasibility in coding.

[Joseph Hewitt]

I think this would be a good idea for a quest reward.

In GH1, the "rewards" for the Thieves Guild promotion are quite often mecha upgrades, but they're the only faction which provides anything like that.

[Anticheese]

In GH1 its also quite confusing to find the dark side of the quest, In all the games I've played the only way to be evil is to ambush convoys or give the data catridge to the thief.

[draconuszero]

you can also you the steal skill on elisha kettel and get quite a bit of money, just so long as you don't get caught...  you also forgot to mention just shooting at people in town.

To Joseph:   I was always wondering about the thief guild quests of stealing items... Is the purpose of these quests to retrieve the items for the job offerer in oder to get promoted or do these just count as oppurtunities for you to get money?  Also, can you get promoted in the TG?

[macksting]

Tell me more about these mecha upgrades from the Thieve's Guild.

[Joseph Hewitt]

Quoting: draconuszero

To Joseph: I was always wondering about the thief guild quests of stealing items... Is the purpose of these quests to retrieve the items for the job offerer in oder to get promoted or do these just count as oppurtunities for you to get money? Also, can you get promoted in the TG?

The missions are pretty much just opportunities to steal things rather than missions done for a faction superior, but the more you impress the other members of the guild the higher you'll advance. In other words, both A and B.

[macksting]

*keeps waiting to hear about those upgrades*

[Joseph Hewitt]

Ah, yes. The items you can steal in the thief promotion events are:

- a Class-12 Gauss Rifle
- a Neutron Lash (energy weapon, extend, flail, overload)
- a nuclear missile
- a glass cannon (causes rust)
- the Anubis prototype (biotech mecha)

[dPB]

I was wondering if it would be possible to implement something like tweaking your mech, just as you can tweak your car to make it go faster or you overclock your computer, it would be cool if you could tweak your mech as well if you have say, enough mecha engineering. Maybe also use up some mech repair kits or something as well.

[macksting]

*chuckles*
Overclocking mecha might require the occasional Electronic Warfare skill check in order not to cause a breakdown or shutdown. It could even be a talent! Use the Mecha Engineering skill as the prerequisite and have it pump up all your bonuses by one or two, to represent increased performance by hardware tweaking... but have the Talent also state that tweaked hardware (which is all your hardware) requires the occasional EW roll.

Of course, you could do it the other way around; have the talent provide those bonuses only on a successful EW roll, with no risk of breakdown.

[draconuszero]

Quoting: macksting

Overclocking mecha might require the occasional Electronic Warfare skill check in order not to cause a breakdown or shutdown. It could even be a talent! Use the Mecha Engineering skill as the prerequisite and have it pump up all your bonuses by one or two, to represent increased performance by hardware tweaking... but have the Talent also state that tweaked hardware (which is all your hardware) requires the occasional EW roll.

Of course, you could do it the other way around; have the talent provide those bonuses only on a successful EW roll, with no risk of breakdown.

Wouldn't it be more of a mecha-engineering-based skill?  Mecha repair might help lower the damage done as a result of a failed roll i guess...

[Anticheese]

Large bonuses are coveted by all players, having +2 to all stats and only needing to make the occasional roll to keep them is just too easy, if the roll target is too high then the feature will just piss people off.

How about being able to slant the mechs abilities towards one area/component? I.E you might improve your mechs legs or pump a bit more juice than usual into your Gauss Cannon.

[Joseph Hewitt]

In terms of upgrading your mecha, I think it's better if the PC has to make difficult choices than if he can make one mecha good at everything.

[Anticheese]

Agreed.

At the moment however its just too easy to make an ubermech with a Mecha Engineering skill of about 10 and a decent craft stat, Currently my non cheating record for best mech is this:

Uses a Puma chassis, Standard limbs, 4 wings from a condor installed, 2 have laser cannons installed and all have C5 wing armour w/acid spore launcher installed. One tail, Best sensors, tarcomps and ECM in the game and class 6 armour equipped on everything else (except for the tail.). Each component has a class 7 arcjet installed alongside an overcharger.

Anyhow, This was done after finishing the game and after investing a few million dollars into Mecha Engineering, How can the engineering portion of the game be tweaked so that its more..fair?

[Joseph Hewitt]

I'm hoping that the no-overstuffing rule will go a long way in that regard. When you have limited space, you'll have to make choices about what stays and what goes. Also, targeting computers and advanced gyros will be replaced by computer systems, and computer systems will take up space as well.

I've also thought about making ECMs and Sensors take up a number of spaces proportional to their rating.

One more idea: On a less-than-ideal Mecha Engineering roll, the added part will gain mass. This represents the connective material and other support needed to get the part to fit/work in its new home.