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Category: attachment mods: Basically, this just allows choosing of some attachments (like UWS of the einhandler and drones of others) from some prepared alternatives. Possibly including removing the attachments completely in a design in exchange for some other system bonuses. Einhandler with melee or shield drones? now you can
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Category: system tweak mods: These usually adds bonus and corresponding penalty on the mech in small ways (less than existing mods costing OP with similar effects)
Also, each upgrade/downgrade can have a few grades with different "magnitude" instead of just one type, but there should only be at most one type equippable in each sub-category.
e.g.
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engine/booster tweaks:
-- upgrade: +topspeed, -maneuverability, -flux
-- downgrade: -topspeed, +maneuverability, +flux
-- prototypes: ++topspeed but may other special penalties in addition to the usual ones above
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generator tweaks: this one is hard. on one hand, I think it should allow more powerful weapons to be installed (+OP) and to be able to use weapons longer (+flux), it SHOULD generate more heat as a result (-flux). Maybe a more correct model is to view flux capacity as an inversed "battery" (battery is full when flux is at 0) while flux dissipation rate is really "energy generation" rate. But generator require "fuel", which is not actually used in-game, so I think it may be modeled by CR%.
-- upgrade (power hungry, runs out of juice faster): +OP, +flux dissipation (energy generation), -PPT with increased CR% decay rate afterwards, +supply usage, -CR% recovery
-- downgrade (efficient, lasts longer): -OP, -flux dissipation (energy generation), +PPT with reduced CR% decay rate afterwards, -supply usage, +CR% recovery
-- prototypes: ++ OP, ++flux dissipation etc but have chance of special malfunctions?
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armor tweak:
-- upgrade (increase mass): -topspeed. -maneuverability, + supply usage, -CR% recovery
-- downgrade (decrease mass): +topspeed. +maneuverability, - supply usage, +CR% recovery
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power diversion (re-distribute power without changing production, i.e. flux)
-- power to weapons: +OP, -shield efficiency/arc/speed, -phase stuff (not familiar with this)
-- power to shields/phase: -OP, +shield efficiency/arc/speed, +phase stuff
-- power to systems: -OP, -shield/phase, +system CD/effects/range
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flux(energy) tweaks : trade off between capacity and efficiency
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shield/phase tweaks : trade off between shield/phase duration/efficiency vs flux capacity/rate
- others?
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Category: pilot mods: These usually enhances the capabilities of the mech, at the expense of greater demands on the pilot. Unlike trade-off mods above, these will usually either provide only bonus if IF conditions are met, or provide only penalties if not (with possibly some special cases having in-between grades based on multiple levels of conditions). They may not seem "balanced" in the overall campaign. But isn't that the intent? These are aces, heroes, legends, and the kind of MC you see in mecha films/animes
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general pilot mods - which adds some small bonus as long as the ship is captained but penalties otherwise. It is sort of balanced at campaign level by the actual number (and limit) of captains hired and salary paid. Adding them to every ship is not good as those without captains will actually perform worse. But the bonus should be minimal in magnitude (esp since pilots already comes with skills)
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specialized pilot (skill) mods - In addition to just being piloted, these mods requires that the captain has a special skill (differentiate between normal and elite, with those requiring elite skills having greater bonus/penalties). iow, bonus if the pilot has the skill, penalty if not. The bonus provided by this mod should match the skill required, and usually change the mech enough that its role on the battlefield becomes completely different. The total number of this category of mods on a single mech at the same time should be limited though, to differentiate them from the next sub-category.
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legendary pilot mods - Not in legendary as a rarity/uniqueness qualifier, but rather (in my pursue of immersion), the mod was originally (pseudo lore-wise) built for a specific legendary ace pilot. In addition to possibly require a specific hull-type or ship equipment/stats, it will have multiple skill requirements (some elite) such that only a pilot that satisfy all requirements will be able to utilize the full power provided by the mod (bonus should be greater than any similar combinations of specialized pilot mods in prev category), in effect making such cases rare enough to be called unique (usually).
if ship conditions are not met, it cannot even be installed.
If pilot skill requirements are not net, there may be severe penalties that makes adding the mod much worse than not doing so
There can be multiple "lesser" levels of conditions where a pilot partially fulfilling the full requirements will get a mixed of bonus/penalties.
While the original mod(mech) is designed and built around a single legendary pilot, people who want to utilize this mod in "present day" may have to raise/train a pilot specifically to meet the strict requirements (unless a pilot can be found that naturally meets all requirement, in which case it is destiny).
Of course, only one of such mod can be installed in a mech at one time.
Just for fun lore-wise, every legendary mod can be named after the callsign/mech/name of the ace pilot it was supposedly built for (+ stories/accounts of famous accomplishments in the modified mech) which highlights the ability of the mod. If there are ever plans to implement this idea, we can even set up a brainstorming session for people to submit their designs along with back story and pick the most interesting ones.