I agree that to a certain extent that could work, but since it already does, maybe you mean a basic paint scheme style armour changing, because honestly the way the armour works in that game is simple, and has always been simple, if you want to wear a suit of armour that looks truly unique in a post apocalyptic setting may I suggest playinf fallen earth, it's free to play now, if you haven't played it you may want to give it a shot.
Thing is, being a single player game I have very strong doubts that they would put so much effort as to incorporate something that made changes on a very superficial level such as having the same class of armour be "meldable" and even then where does the melding start and stop, do you just want certain servos and lights swapped? or a few plates, because if you get down to that level, it starts to get ridiculously overcomplicated and unnecessary.
Now I admit describing it as akin to rape is not the most optimal use of our language for anything other than attention stealing hyperbole, but I have seen worse, someone once desccribed the poor ending of mass effect 3 as akin to the holocaust, and deliberately attempting to commit an act of genocide resulting in millions of innocent people being murdered enmasse in the least respectable way possible, herded onto trains and herded into ovens and gas chambers then burried in unmarked mass graves, not even identified by family names, seen only as cattle to be destroyed rather than as people... you get the idea, sometimes we humans use our language skills innapropriately or in the heat of the moment.
I'm tired, and sleep will not come to me, sadly that is how things are, fortunately even in my worst state I'm more controlled than most people I know, so there is that...
Anyhow, sorry to ramble, still, when it comes down to it, it all comes down to if it is implemented to be respectful of lore and established canon, or don't bother wasting the huge added budget to crowbar a merely visual wardrobe emprettyment device into the game.
And with the shields, you'd have to limit the size to say a manhole or something similiar, and have heavy recoil if hit by say a shotgun or high calibre rifle so that a shot can be made to the center mass, otherwise it would be imbalanced and fun damaging, but it could be implemented, I just personally don't see the need, in a ruined city, or in most natural habitats there's more than enough cover, and the way they've layed out damage thresholds and whatnot I've never had a problem making a melee character viable outside of 3, because I swear in that game everyone but you gets a 10X damage boost to melee, and a huge buff to armour against, new vegas corrected that sufficiently, and it became much much more workable, you just had to be smart enough to dodge behind shit and not run straight at enemies with guns/rocket launchers.
