We can do the basic idea of the power cores, not quite exactly, but close enough, without actually adding them to the game. I'm just going to lay down the steps because I am tired of making spreadsheets.

#1 remove advanced and prototype dropsuits from the game both as items and models.

#2 add cpu/pg bonus to each dropsuit skill so that when the skill is level 5 your basic dropsuit has the same cpu/pg as the old prototype version of the suit had.

#3 take the price differences of the suits (protype price minus basic price, and advanced price minus basic price) and calculate an average price increace for all advanced and prototype weapons, equipment, and modules.


what will this accomplish? what problems might there be? whats the goal?

#1 it removes 2/3 of the dropsuit models from the game memory

#2 it is (in my mind) easier to impliment than power cores

#3 power cores were supposed to represent the cost/risk that having to buy the prototype/advanced dropsuit used to imply, my idea does remove the extra cost of the power cores, and so replaces the cost by increasing the cost of modules

#4 increasing the cost of modules at the advanced/prototype tier should average out the cost to be about the same in these three scenarios

1) a basic suit with all basic equipment is used as the base line, its cost would not be effected
2) an advanced suit with all advanced gear would now would have a similar cost to a basic suit with all advanced gear and buffed cpu/pg
3) a proto suit now with all proto gear right now would cost about the same as a basic suit with proto level cpu/pg and all proto equipment under the new system.

#5 basic level BPO suits kind of throw a wrench in this a little, sure the suit wouldnt be much price to begin with, but it would now have buffed up cpu/pg, but i hope that the increased cost of equipping the suit itself would act as a deterrent.

#6 with this set up APEX suits are kind of in a limbo land, CCP could find some way to re-work them to being more competative, or remove their ability to get the cpu/pg bonus from the dropsuit skill associated with each suit and just keep it between basic and advanced levels.

Wouldnt this force you to run a protosuit all the time?
If the costs are scaling as skilled levels increase -every level would risk more isk per battle than the level previous.
Idk about yall but I dislike running protosuits when the risk is too high.

Im just not that good.

Your idea would set the suit price high permanently. So rather than allow the flexibility of a variey of expeditures in the loadout, the suit itself would be a permanent and inescapable cost.
In context:
-Someone skills to 5 and buys one suit.
-Then gets scammed and reduced to zero isk.
-Then dies in combat.
How would one recover after such an incident within your scenario (without outside intervention?)
Edit: missed the gist of the averaging point but still maintain that it would fix cost and remove the starter fit/ bpo fit safety net.