Create a system in your development process in which interesting and experimental weapons (many suggested here) can be more easily introduced in limited quantities for the enjoyment of all.

Corvus is probably the most suitable faction.

Experimental weapons could be offered to players in small quantities (i.e. lifetime limit of 1-5 per account, per IP, or limiting the total release to the player base, or whatever) so that they are not stockpile-able. These could be released on a monthly basis as an enticement for people to log in and try out the latest "mystery" weapon.

You could even redact some of the stats so that we won't know what we are dealing with until we use it. Or make some of them faulty and cause self destruct.

Proper disclaimers should, of course, accompany any acquisition.

A lot of weapon suggestions merely re-define parameters of existing weapons. It would seem to me that such suggestions would be good candidates for this idea since no *new* functionality in the game needs to be developed.

Not only would this be an enticing thing to players, but it could fast track testing of possible new, permanent weapon additions.

+1

+1. I like this idea. But to keep pilots from saving a potentially op weapon, perhaps they should "disappear" after 48 hours or something, then pilots could go to the forums and give their two cents.

Adding a weapon to the game is not a simple matter and cannot be done on the fly. Graphics and collision detection alone takes a lot of dev time. It is not something that can be done on a whim unless you wish to pay the devs for thier time directly which would quickly add up to thousands of dollars.

While Im sure John would love someone to bankroll this and a lot of other work I havent won the state lotto yet.
If you have then shoot him an email. Until then perhaps you might try and find some other way to amuse yourself?

re read my suggestion , kettle. you missed a paragraph

And I guess you missed mine.

Allowing players to adjust weapon specs would be a complete disaster.
The first thing you would do is dial up the specs to some rediculous amount and limit the distribution to whatever group you currently favor.

This means the devs have to do the work of watching the overall game balance and constantly being asked to tweak the specs in some way(ever actually read this forum?). The added workload is far more then you believe it would be.

I'm sure the devs wouldn't distribute weapons without checking the specs themselves. These also don't have to be made available on the regular server.

This allows tons of add-on suggestions to not go to waste and makes it easier to add them to the game. So +1 I guess

all right, dont read my suggestion kettle. If you want to be a straight up dick to me why dont you do it in game and leave suggestions to those who take the time to read.

I'm pretty sure Kettle read your suggestion. I don't think you understand the scope of what you are asking for. The rewriting of the Engine/Expansion is still not complete and you want to bother them new sparkly toys to amuse yourself. INC has already stated in multiple posts there will be new things in the expansion. There is no real game value in this suggestion other than "oh look shiny new toy to play with".

Barktooth is on the right track. I think a time-based approach would work better than a quantity-based one. Allow unlimited purchase, but just have them all evaporate after the testing period is over, like with the Goliath test. Otherwise people will be too cautious about using the super rare equipment.

Treat it as a recurring event, e.g. a three-day Weapon Testing Bonanaza spanning the first weekend of every month.

1) the devs would decide what to add, not the players and

2) A lot of weapon suggestions merely re-define parameters of existing weapons. It would seem to me that such suggestions would be good candidates for this idea since no *new* functionality in the game needs to be developed.

in otherwords you are exaggerating the scope of my suggestion (purposefully no doubt)

evaporative properties is a good idea

Maybe this is something that could be done on the test server? I know I'd be willing to help test experimental weapons.

Aye. The pcc could use this on the test server side