Having played FF from its beginning, I have had some thoughts on improvements along the way, but never voiced them. Here goes.
On Building a Battlesuit
Instead of having specific classes and abilities tied to those classes, make a "Design your own" system.
Core stats would be things like HP and Energy, Regen HP/Energy, Mobility/Weight Carry, Ability Support (explained later).
Battleframe parts, Weapons, and Abilities have a quality factor (color), and core stats for each are random within a range for that quality level. eg [Arm Part] +100 to +150 HP, +10 to 15kg carry weight, +5 to 10 to an ability type support.
Players can build own parts and more time invested should result in better chance of getting stats they select. Parts don't degrade, but cannot be transferred to other players after being used.
Abilities are programs inserted into the frames operating system, which can only hold a set amount (4 most likely). Abilities would be tiered, with basic abilities only requiring a small amount of ability support to equip, and more advanced abilities requiring a larger amount of support (meaning more frame parts have to be compatible leading to specialization builds, no max hp battlesuits using high mobility abilities). Maybe even have abilities dual stat.
Weapons can have a min carry weight requirement, and scale on ability support types, so weapons can be balanced with frame type and equipped abilities.
It all sounds complex, but I think it would allow for some interesting half-half builds.
Things to do in a Battlesuit
I loved thumping. I was so excited about BP, cause it had the potential to be a great PVP experience. I pictured clans getting together, randomly dropping into a large map as a squad, scan hammering to lock down a peak, calling down a thumper. The thumper starts spawning all kind of nasty left right and center, and to top it off, another squad has caught whiff of the good stuff. You put up a fight, taking a few out, only to have them drop back in on a timer. You try to run to the thumper to tell it to return to base, but get stopped short by an enemy. He jumps over your dead body and proceeds to hack your thumper while you wait to drop back in. Your hopes and dreams of riches flies off with the thumper.
Some procedural gen maps could make the difference here, especially if you could just pick coords on a map, and drop in.
On Building a Battlesuit
Instead of having specific classes and abilities tied to those classes, make a "Design your own" system.
Core stats would be things like HP and Energy, Regen HP/Energy, Mobility/Weight Carry, Ability Support (explained later).
Battleframe parts, Weapons, and Abilities have a quality factor (color), and core stats for each are random within a range for that quality level. eg [Arm Part] +100 to +150 HP, +10 to 15kg carry weight, +5 to 10 to an ability type support.
Players can build own parts and more time invested should result in better chance of getting stats they select. Parts don't degrade, but cannot be transferred to other players after being used.
Abilities are programs inserted into the frames operating system, which can only hold a set amount (4 most likely). Abilities would be tiered, with basic abilities only requiring a small amount of ability support to equip, and more advanced abilities requiring a larger amount of support (meaning more frame parts have to be compatible leading to specialization builds, no max hp battlesuits using high mobility abilities). Maybe even have abilities dual stat.
Weapons can have a min carry weight requirement, and scale on ability support types, so weapons can be balanced with frame type and equipped abilities.
It all sounds complex, but I think it would allow for some interesting half-half builds.
Things to do in a Battlesuit
I loved thumping. I was so excited about BP, cause it had the potential to be a great PVP experience. I pictured clans getting together, randomly dropping into a large map as a squad, scan hammering to lock down a peak, calling down a thumper. The thumper starts spawning all kind of nasty left right and center, and to top it off, another squad has caught whiff of the good stuff. You put up a fight, taking a few out, only to have them drop back in on a timer. You try to run to the thumper to tell it to return to base, but get stopped short by an enemy. He jumps over your dead body and proceeds to hack your thumper while you wait to drop back in. Your hopes and dreams of riches flies off with the thumper.
Some procedural gen maps could make the difference here, especially if you could just pick coords on a map, and drop in.
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