MechWarrior Online Revealed

After hinting about it last month, Piranha Games has officially unveiled MechWarrior Online, a free-to-play and long overdue computerized entry to the popular BattleTech Universe. Unfortunately, between the brief summary, official FAQ, and initial developer blog, we're only able to get a slight idea of how significant the RPG side of things will be:
Q. Will I be able to fully customize my Mechs' load out, decals, paint job, and equipment?

A. You will be able to customize your load out, decals, paint job and equipment. But when it comes to armor, weapons and accessories please refer to the previous question and answer.

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Q. How loyal will MechWarrior® Onlineâ„¢ be to the tabletop rules (heat management, melee, armor penetration, etc.)?

A. We are adhering very closely to the BattleTech® tabletop rules. Some mechanics in the tabletop version of the game do not translate well into a videogame and we are coming up with our own rule sets that mitigate these differences in an intuitive and fun manner.

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Q. Will MechWarrior® Onlineâ„¢ have persistent character content such as leveling or upgrades?

A. Yes. One of the customizations in MechWarrior® Onineâ„¢ is to train your pilot to suit your play style. Pilots will bring their efficiencies to whatever BattleMech® they get in.