I'd really like an idea like this implemented.

I think there needs to be a place to run even lower gear as well, though; some sort of buffer area using standard and below gear. Someplace between the Academy and the ADV playground you describe.

I'm not sure if this is a separate way to differentiate public contract battles, or maybe even another battle arena... but newbs will get wrecked and stomped almost as badly by vets in ADV gear with ADV weapons if there isn't another place.

(...)ALL of Dust University (who are really the biggest noobs in this game, ALL of them). (...) chances are better that a newish player will win a firefight against one of them, though a Dust University player will certainly NOT. (...)
Will Dust University ever be viable?
I'm sorry, no.

This idea won't work, for one simple reason. Complex damage mods are meta 4.

http://postimg.org/image/5uox4u9av/
http://postimg.org/image/gt06n0xw7/

Someone recently posted these pics of a severely mismatched game. Brutal, and we've all been there.

Now my question to you is, if both of these teams were forced to play with the same gear, do you think the result would have been any different?

The main difference between these two teams is experience. The team on the right, are good players to start with, are familiar with the game, and use teamwork as they are all in squads. The full proto gear is just the icing on the cake. But all of those things come with experience!

I would guess the average SP of the team on the right 15-25 Mill
SP of the team on the left <10 Mill

If Scotty tried to sort teams by SP that would hopefully have placed one of those super squads on the other team, in exchange for blueberries.

Limiting gear in pub matches will change nothing.

You dont need to limit meta levels. Just limit access to public matches by KDR. I enjoy using proto gear but Im far from a pub stomper. If you want to limit stomps, just limit by KDR

So what am I supposed to play? PC 24/7?

This is just silly.

Let's take two players:

A) Guy can run proto gear, and has the means to do so: Proficiency 5, etc.

B) Newer player that has the SP to run an advanced assault suit, and has a weapon to PRO but no proficiency

Scenario 1
Duvolle AR + DMG Mods and Tank in PRO suit guy attacks the 2nd Guy with a Gek in his STD suit (doesn't run the advanced suit for financial reasons)

Scenario 2
Exile AR + Whatever vs. Standard AR and whatever.

Does the vet have the advantage in both scenarios? Yes.

Does he have less of an advantage when he doesn't have skills + proto gear by default? ******* YES!!

Sure, experience and skill bonuses account for a huge chunk of the advantage of a veteran players, but to say gear does literally nothing is just asinine and ignorant.

The fact it makes for a slight set of differences as opposed to being a complete game-changer is one of the better cases for implementing it actually.