The Obvious:
Battlefield Map Generator
Current maps become repetitive and predictable after a while, and suspension of disbelief suffers.
Dynamic Weather
Rain, fog, blizzard, nearby volcanic eruption (okay that's not technically weather, but you get the idea)
Dynamic and Open Region of Space
Fluctuating economies, diplomacy, border skirmishes, truces and peace treaties, trade agreements and embargoes, etc.
Features I would want if I was the developer (and time, money, and manpower weren't an issue)
Minor Factions
Other mercenary bands, special interest groups, refugees, rebels, etc. Minor factions would be one of the most dynamic aspects of the game. They would have their own goals and ideologies, which could change with time (and possibly with some help from the player). They could simply die out or be destroyed, and new ones would form frequently. A minor faction's power, territory, prosperity, and relationships (towards everyone, not just the player) could change. The player could actively help, hinder, or remain neutral towards them, which could have consequences (good and bad).
'Periphery Mode'
Description: "Life is harsh in the Periphery. Money, luck, and working technology are harder to come by compared to the Inner Sphere. Fortunately for you, human life is also much cheaper." You are stuck with the Leopard, and will never get the Argo. Money, resources, battlemechs, and components are harder to come by, but mechwarriors are a dime-a-dozen.
Interstellar Smuggling/Trading/Transportation Opportunities
Added for the sake of realism, and provided other ways for the player to earn money besides through combat (the payoff would be much lower though). Most useful in 'Periphery Mode' when players found themselves with less than a Lance of battlemechs/mechwarriors to field.
Dynamic Missions (because nothing is cut and dry on the battlefield)
Occasionally, objectives or circumstances would change during a mission for various reasons, for better or worse:
Betrayal: (ex: one of your less loyal mechwarriors is convinced to leave or switch sides)
New Intel: [ex1: base defenders were stronger than reported, forcing player to either request reinforcements from their employer, cancel the contract for half-pay and no loss in reputation, or continue the mission in return for a massive increase in money/salvage/reputation. ex2: one of the player's mechwarriors discovers a hidden path that could allow them to outflank the enemy. ex3: player learns that their employer is lying about their identity/allegiance, or why they have been contracted to carry out the mission. ex4: player can complete their objective faster or gain a tactical advantage by moving through a certain area, but the employer does not want them to disturb it (area could be a monument, nature reserve for an endangered species, place of historical or cultural significance, an important government center, etc.) and the player will have to pay for any damages they make to the site]
Bad Intel: [ex1: convoy was a ahead of schedule which gave the player time to set up an ambush, or was ahead of schedule forcing the Lance to hurry to catch up with it. ex2: enemies use a hidden route unknown to the player to get a tactical advantage, proving to the employer that it exists (provided the player manages to discover it themselves) could reward the player with a guilt-payment from the employer. ex3: the rescue/assassination target was in the more lightly defended base, not the heavily defended one that just cost the player half their Lance to take.]
Unexpected: Aid or hinderance from locals, another mercenary unit, a Lance from another faction conducting a mission in the player's region, etc.
...and many more (I'm sure of this)
More (and riskier) Mission Types
Low-Tonnage Rush: Use a small dropship from your employer to covertly place your Lance right under the nose of an entire company of enemy battlemechs. Complete your objective (could be anything), and reach extraction before the enemy discovers and overwhelms you. Due to the dropship's small size, and the mission's time sensitive nature, only low-tonnage mechs can be used during this mission.
Low-Tonnage Scouting Covert Ops: "The poor visibility and high concentration of metals in this valley make it difficult to detect low-tonnage mechs. I want one, and only one, of your mechwarriors to scout [insert locations] and extract without detection. If they are discovered, then this mission is a failure."
Tournaments: Self-Explanatory
Duel: "One of our competitors has already laid claim to all the contracts on this planet. We can either leave now to find a safer pasture, or challenge their claim on the field of battle. I should remind you that conflicts of this type are not supported by the Mercenary Review Board or any faction in the Periphery. As a result, we will not receive a monetary or reputation reward, assuming we win. However, since it would be in the best interest of the loser to get out of dodge for <insert some plausible reason(s) that I can't think of right now>, the winner would be able to take their mechs and all of their salvage. Heck, depending on their reputation they might leave some of their mechwarriors behind, and blacklist them for sullying their pride. This is very good for us, for just a small short-term hit to our reputation for hiring a blacklisted mercenary, we will earn their undying loyalty and can employ them for a lot less money than our other mechwarrior (it would be a minor miracle if another mercenary group took them on).
...and many more (I'm also sure of this)
Tactical Caveats (i.e. things the player will have to follow if they want to complete the mission, for some reason or another)
Can't use jumpjets (would give away position in a covert ops mission, though that's only one example)
Can only use low-tonnage mechs
Can only use 1, 2, or 3 mechs
Can only use ammo-based weapons
Can only use energy weapons
Do not kill anyone except the assassination target
Do not destroy any buildings (even from indirect fire)
...and many more (once more, I am sure of this)
Battlefield Map Generator
Current maps become repetitive and predictable after a while, and suspension of disbelief suffers.
Dynamic Weather
Rain, fog, blizzard, nearby volcanic eruption (okay that's not technically weather, but you get the idea)
Dynamic and Open Region of Space
Fluctuating economies, diplomacy, border skirmishes, truces and peace treaties, trade agreements and embargoes, etc.
Features I would want if I was the developer (and time, money, and manpower weren't an issue)
Minor Factions
Other mercenary bands, special interest groups, refugees, rebels, etc. Minor factions would be one of the most dynamic aspects of the game. They would have their own goals and ideologies, which could change with time (and possibly with some help from the player). They could simply die out or be destroyed, and new ones would form frequently. A minor faction's power, territory, prosperity, and relationships (towards everyone, not just the player) could change. The player could actively help, hinder, or remain neutral towards them, which could have consequences (good and bad).
'Periphery Mode'
Description: "Life is harsh in the Periphery. Money, luck, and working technology are harder to come by compared to the Inner Sphere. Fortunately for you, human life is also much cheaper." You are stuck with the Leopard, and will never get the Argo. Money, resources, battlemechs, and components are harder to come by, but mechwarriors are a dime-a-dozen.
Interstellar Smuggling/Trading/Transportation Opportunities
Added for the sake of realism, and provided other ways for the player to earn money besides through combat (the payoff would be much lower though). Most useful in 'Periphery Mode' when players found themselves with less than a Lance of battlemechs/mechwarriors to field.
Dynamic Missions (because nothing is cut and dry on the battlefield)
Occasionally, objectives or circumstances would change during a mission for various reasons, for better or worse:
Betrayal: (ex: one of your less loyal mechwarriors is convinced to leave or switch sides)
New Intel: [ex1: base defenders were stronger than reported, forcing player to either request reinforcements from their employer, cancel the contract for half-pay and no loss in reputation, or continue the mission in return for a massive increase in money/salvage/reputation. ex2: one of the player's mechwarriors discovers a hidden path that could allow them to outflank the enemy. ex3: player learns that their employer is lying about their identity/allegiance, or why they have been contracted to carry out the mission. ex4: player can complete their objective faster or gain a tactical advantage by moving through a certain area, but the employer does not want them to disturb it (area could be a monument, nature reserve for an endangered species, place of historical or cultural significance, an important government center, etc.) and the player will have to pay for any damages they make to the site]
Bad Intel: [ex1: convoy was a ahead of schedule which gave the player time to set up an ambush, or was ahead of schedule forcing the Lance to hurry to catch up with it. ex2: enemies use a hidden route unknown to the player to get a tactical advantage, proving to the employer that it exists (provided the player manages to discover it themselves) could reward the player with a guilt-payment from the employer. ex3: the rescue/assassination target was in the more lightly defended base, not the heavily defended one that just cost the player half their Lance to take.]
Unexpected: Aid or hinderance from locals, another mercenary unit, a Lance from another faction conducting a mission in the player's region, etc.
...and many more (I'm sure of this)
More (and riskier) Mission Types
Low-Tonnage Rush: Use a small dropship from your employer to covertly place your Lance right under the nose of an entire company of enemy battlemechs. Complete your objective (could be anything), and reach extraction before the enemy discovers and overwhelms you. Due to the dropship's small size, and the mission's time sensitive nature, only low-tonnage mechs can be used during this mission.
Low-Tonnage Scouting Covert Ops: "The poor visibility and high concentration of metals in this valley make it difficult to detect low-tonnage mechs. I want one, and only one, of your mechwarriors to scout [insert locations] and extract without detection. If they are discovered, then this mission is a failure."
Tournaments: Self-Explanatory
Duel: "One of our competitors has already laid claim to all the contracts on this planet. We can either leave now to find a safer pasture, or challenge their claim on the field of battle. I should remind you that conflicts of this type are not supported by the Mercenary Review Board or any faction in the Periphery. As a result, we will not receive a monetary or reputation reward, assuming we win. However, since it would be in the best interest of the loser to get out of dodge for <insert some plausible reason(s) that I can't think of right now>, the winner would be able to take their mechs and all of their salvage. Heck, depending on their reputation they might leave some of their mechwarriors behind, and blacklist them for sullying their pride. This is very good for us, for just a small short-term hit to our reputation for hiring a blacklisted mercenary, we will earn their undying loyalty and can employ them for a lot less money than our other mechwarrior (it would be a minor miracle if another mercenary group took them on).
...and many more (I'm also sure of this)
Tactical Caveats (i.e. things the player will have to follow if they want to complete the mission, for some reason or another)
Can't use jumpjets (would give away position in a covert ops mission, though that's only one example)
Can only use low-tonnage mechs
Can only use 1, 2, or 3 mechs
Can only use ammo-based weapons
Can only use energy weapons
Do not kill anyone except the assassination target
Do not destroy any buildings (even from indirect fire)
...and many more (once more, I am sure of this)
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