Armored Core Megathread - Games

[B]This thread is for discussion of armored cores, old and new, and to introduce everyone to perhaps the best mecha building/simulation/3rd person shooter series ever.[/B] [img]http://shreddingskin.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/thumb.jpg[/img] [B]A tiny wiki-dump description[/B] [quote]Armored Core games are Mecha Simulation / third-person shooters, in which the player pilots a large mecha called an Armored Core, or AC for short. The name Core comes from the unlimited endurance Power-Generators Technology used recently among the different nations, in conjunction with a practically unlimited variety of Weapons, and Vehicle Propulsion-systems, manufactured by several different companies, Some of them the most opposed companies of all time, hailing from many different backgrounds of the Warfare Machinery Industry ( Robotics, Metallurgy, Ballistic, etc ). The player builds their AC from parts that can be bought from a shop, found in missions, or by fulfilling certain requirements. Money is earned by performing missions as a mercenary, giving the player some choice in which missions to engage in. Typically, in each game, up until Armored Core 4, the player is a 'Raven', a member of a mercenary organization, and is hired by corporations to do various missions, then after the mission, they are charged for repairs and ammunition, after which one can continue on with missions or customize their AC.[/quote] [B]Games in the series[/B] [B]PlayStation[/B] * Armored Core * Armored Core: Project Phantasma * Armored Core: Master of Arena [B]PlayStation 2[/B] * Armored Core 2 * Armored Core 2: Another Age * Armored Core 3 * Silent Line: Armored Core * Armored Core: Nexus * Armored Core: Nine Breaker * Armored Core: Last Raven [B] Playstation 3 / Xbox 360[/B] * Armored Core 4 * Armored Core for Answer [B]PlayStation Portable[/B] * Armored Core: Formula Front [B]The types of Robots[/B] [B]Armored Core / AC's[/B] Known as 'Normals' in the latest two installments of the series, these are the mechs you pilot and build through AC1 on the ps1 to Last Raven on the ps2. They generally move slowly but can boost for short periods of time. ACs can never normally really have permanent flight (it can be done, but your robot will be shit because of how you have to tune it. The total number of parts that make up an AC changes from game to game. They come in all shapes and sizes with quad/tank/biped/reverse joint legs with rockets/grenades/machine guns/rifles/pistols/sniper rifles/flamethrowers/missiles/laserswords or shields/mines and more. A fast AC may have about 6500 health whereas a tough one might have upwards of 13000 or 14000. 8 or 9 thousand is a good average to go for. In all the games except the most recent 2, you will end up fighting one as a kind of 'boss battle'. They generally will be as powerful as you, with the stats you'd expect, thus you could potentially at some point build the mechs your opponents are using (if you [I]reaally[/I] wanted to). To make an AC you need; Head, legs, Core, Arms, Gun for right hand, Laser sword or shield for left hand, 1 or 2 back units, extentions, radiator, generator, FCS, Booster (overbooster comes as part of the core), Inside unit, Optional parts. ([I]certain things like radiators and inside parts got phased in and out from game to game[/I]) [B]Muscle Tracers / MT's[/B] Don't be fooled by the name, these are basically just your normal enemy drones. They can prove quite a hassle in the games where you use an AC, but in the most recent 2 games they are merely fodder. These come in all shapes and sizes, from mobile to immobile, from turrets to rockets to machine guns to grenades to mines to flamethrowers to melee. They can be fast or slow with more or less the same variety as ACs. [B]Next's[/B] These are the fastest, most 'anime-like' incarnations that you get to build, in the series thus far. These are about an extra 30% bigger than your ACs (otherwise known as Normals). These bad boys have an ability known as quick boost which allows you to do a quick jerk in any direction as well as the ability to have sustained flight. They can also trade their Overboost for an explosion known as 'Assault Armor'. Next's also have a preliminary armor called Primal Armor, which acts as an energy shield to prevent damage being done straight to the frame. Nexts have between 25,000 and 50,000 health and all the normals you fight have the appropriate 9k-ish. These machines overall move with much more agility than Normals. [B]Changes to gameplay through the series[/B] In AC1, generally you chose between 2 or 3 missions to advance the story line, and most missions followed the structure of attacking a base/installation by yourself, defending a strucutre against an enemy corporation attack, escorting a unit (or taking the opposing mission and destroying it) or doing a test against a 'specially designed MT to destroy ACs'. [img]http://www.cheatcc.com/psx/pics/acmoa2.jpg[/img] There was never much of a story, 'you are mercenary, take jobs, improve robot, do better jobs (with some choice over what missions), you are the best now, end'. Not that it mattered because the rest of the game was outstanding. Project Phantasma tried to add a little bit of storyline but in doing so made it more linear. It is shorter than the first game. Master of arena came on two discs, one sortie disc and one arena disc. You could progress through the arena ladder defeating enemy ACs and winning parts or through the mission structure. This is the best PS1 armored core game. Armored Core 2 kept a lot of the features of Master of Arena but added loads of parts, updated the GFX for ps2 and just generally polished it to a shine. [img]http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/screenshots/ps2/ArmoredCore2/armoredcore2_790screen007.jpg[/img] Another Age added a co op mission mode that didn't make it to any subsequent games. Armored Core 3 added some new part types, just a straight up improvement over AC2. Silent Line added some controversial features, which basically added an individual health to every part of your mech. This meant that over time parts would permanently break and you'd have to buy replacements. Not good for one-off super secret parts you have to really work for. This feature was not carried over to Nexus. Armored core 4 brought the Next with it, making the game a lot more fast paced. This game is very linear but still very pretty. They took away optional parts but added FRS tuning, they also took away heat management but added stabilizers. The controls became more streamlined, moving to the analog sticks for movement and looking rather than dpad and shoulders. [img]http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/image/article/764/764915/armored-core-4-20070214081221478-000.jpg[/img] AC4A is just plain better than AC4. AC4 was good, this is such an improvement and if you must get one of the two, this is it. It has the branching story missions, the online portion you want and now you get to fight 1km tall war machines known as ARMS FORTS. [B]Now for some VIDEOS[/B]; [B]AC1 intro[/B] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naGAxXlG74Q[/media] [B]Demoplay of AC1[/B] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Df7DX4Uxh_g[/media] [B]AC2 intro[/B] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Rveg9MxCYw&feature=PlayList&p=6C5B83C7CF39D560&index=17[/media] [B] AC2 Gameplay[/B] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3FRHz1j4RY[/media] [B]AC3 intro[/B] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrZRoJxq3rI[/media] [B]AC4A intro[/B] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfLK-6ZjsBM[/media] [B]AC4A Gameplay[/B] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2ItwHWcUBs&feature=related[/media] [B]The games to get depending on console[/B] PS1 - AC Master of Arena PS2 - AC3 PS3/360 - AC4A PSP - AC3portable when it comes out, don't bother with Forumla Front, its wank. Emulate ps1 master of arena if you must, thats good. [editline]11:29PM[/editline] I also really hope they make an AC5 for ps3/360.

mechwarrior>armored core HAHA no AC is good i played AC3 it was good but i sucked at it and failed all the missions

Anyways, I've always been a huge fan on the armored core series. I personally find it fun as hell.

I played it on my xbox 360 and i thought it was one of the worst games i had ever seen. The graphics were extremely unimpressive, the story was bland and just "kill people from point A to B". Multiplayer was just boring as hell. Apart from giant mech battles it was bad.

[QUOTE=Slippers;16990170]I played it on my xbox 360 and i thought it was one of the worst games i had ever seen. The graphics were extremely unimpressive, the story was bland and just "kill people from point A to B". Multiplayer was just boring as hell. Apart from giant mech battles it was bad.[/QUOTE] Armored core graphics have [I]never[/I] been top notch. The game concept itself is entirely niche. Also no AC game has really ever had a story to it but [I]thats the point[/I]. Your just some guy in a robot fighting lots of other guys in robots with extreme building and tuning precision and thats what makes it cool. If it truly was a shit game concept then you would never have seen 12 sequels of the original. The only reason I find multiplayer slightly less fun than i'd like in AC4A atm, is because you can't beat a japanese player. Not...physically...possible... the singleplayer is good though, completed all missions on hard (yes, including the 5v1 mission :D )

[QUOTE=Slippers;16990170]I played it on my xbox 360 and i thought it was one of the worst games i had ever seen. The graphics were extremely unimpressive, the story was bland and just "kill people from point A to B". Multiplayer was just boring as hell. Apart from giant mech battles it was bad.[/QUOTE] Though I must point out, Gameplay over Graphics. Maybe you haven't actually took the time to figure out of the controls?.. Therefor failing the first mission twice?.. I would know. Because thats what happened to me.

Armored Core 4 was [b][i]FUCKING HARD[/i][/b]. [quote]"The train is coming! Intercept it immediately!" --two seconds pass-- "The train has escaped! Mission failed!"[/quote] What the fuck is this shit

I've always been a big fan of Armored Core, but I really wish the guys from Chromehound would come out with a newer, better version of their own game. I like Armored Core, but I like how Chromehound "Westernized" the concept of mechs, going for functionality rather than aesthetics. Still, Armored Core will always remain a great series.

[QUOTE=Dabu;16994240]Armored Core 4 was [b][i]FUCKING HARD[/i][/b]. What the fuck is this shit[/QUOTE] Yeaaah...it was, wasn't it? *remembers his time with AC4 with glossy eyes* [QUOTE=lil_n00blett;16994253]I've always been a big fan of Armored Core, but I really wish the guys from Chromehound would come out with a newer, better version of their own game. I like Armored Core, but I like how Chromehound "Westernized" the concept of mechs, going for functionality rather than aesthetics.[/QUOTE] I'm in a family that has only ever bought sony consoles. Chromehounds almost made me get a 360, just for [I]it[/I] but the fail of requiring a live! subscription (and then maybe a subscription to play the online component again) and now the servers have shut down, have made me realise how lucky I didn't jump in on it. I would like to see a chromehounds 2 that [I]I actually get to play[/I] though. Theres room on this earth for more mech sim's than there are, thats for sure.

[QUOTE=Almighty;16998770]I'm in a family that has only ever bought sony consoles. Chromehounds almost made me get a 360, just for [I]it[/I] but the fail of requiring a live! subscription (and then maybe a subscription to play the online component again) and now the servers have shut down, have made me realise how lucky I didn't jump in on it. I would like to see a chromehounds 2 that [I]I actually get to play[/I] though. Theres room on this earth for more mech sim's than there are, thats for sure.[/QUOTE] Chromehounds was a lot of fun, and the customization was pretty good. I just remember playing online one time and I was a four-wheeled mech with machinegun attachments, and there were these two Mexican guys yelling Spanish over the mic, one was running around me, shooting me, and his mech looked ridiculous, it was like a totem pole made out of guns with legs, and the other was way up on a hill shooting artillery at me. I couldn't do shit against them.

Great series, bought every one

I love the series. Just that I find the story confusing to follow maybe not for others (maybe that's the way it's suppose to be?) And yes the game's hard, but that's what's great about it, you won't get annoying 12 year olds going all out.

[QUOTE=kevaughan;17014664]I love the series. Just that I find the story confusing to follow maybe not for others (maybe that's the way it's suppose to be?) And yes the game's hard, but that's what's great about it, you won't get annoying 12 year olds going all out.[/QUOTE] I dont think anyone understands the story line

[QUOTE=elitestrider;17016489]I dont think anyone understands the story line[/QUOTE] That's the thing about this game, from the small snippets you get, it sounds like there's a pretty in-depth story going on. But you never really hear that much about it, you're just a mercenary. You don't care about the corporations' problems, you're just getting paid.

Damn... sooooooo many hours spent playing Armored Core on the PS1. Awesome game, nice thread.

I fucking love armored core. Was one of my first games for my PS1 back when I was just a wee lad. I've bought every one of them since.

don't forget the awesomeness of the AC For Answer start screen theme [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qf6-uOP3pa0[/media]

[QUOTE=Free-lancer;17017732]That's the thing about this game, from the small snippets you get, it sounds like there's a pretty in-depth story going on. But you never really hear that much about it, you're just a mercenary. You don't care about the corporations' problems, you're just getting paid.[/QUOTE] Thats an interesting spin to put on it, it makes From Software sound all that more sophisticated.

Was tempted for AC4:FA, but didn't cause I really hate the mecha consept.

[QUOTE=3v3ryb0dy;17020857]Was tempted for AC4:FA, but didn't cause I really hate the mecha consept.[/QUOTE] I'm curious, then in what way were you interested?

I watched the intro for AC4A and was all like, :buddy:. Then I watched the gameplay. :smith:.

I don't see why people hate the mechs... I think it's fucking epic to be flying around at like 400km/h

I really liked AC 2 and 3, however I really found AC for Answer boring, it just felt like a complete downgrade (besides the graphics).

[QUOTE=Almighty;17021012]I'm curious, then in what way were you interested?[/QUOTE] Making a mech, but then I realised that everyone else is behind their weeaboo piece of shit, squinting their eyes and yelling 'KAWWAAIIII DESU!'

I want to get 4 or For Answer but no stores around me have it. Nearest one is an hour and a half drive.

[QUOTE=kevaughan;17022159]I don't see why people hate the mechs... I think it's fucking epic to be flying around at like 400km/h[/QUOTE] Mechs: [IMG]http://members.toast.net/tgreer/gallery/madcat.jpg[/IMG] FUCK YEAH, ROCKET SHOOTING-PPC SPITTING BADASSERY, STOMPS YOUR CUNT ASS TO THE GROUND, SHIT YEAH! Mechas: [IMG]http://fc02.deviantart.com/fs19/f/2007/272/d/b/Spear_Mecha_by_JokerTrick.jpg[/IMG] Hey! Let's spend billions upon billions on researching and constructing a flying bipedal humanoid big robot thingy with extremely impractical non-deflecting armor, instead of built in weapons for easy and cheap and reliable firing, give it fingers to further up the weapon and mecha's development cost! Oh and let's make it fly. Oh and know what would be more practical? Let's arm it with a [B]sword![/B] That'll teach those commies! Oh and here's my 4 year old son. Let him be in charge of painting the damn thing!

Mechas>Mechs anyhow, they're all faster and more powerful than that slowass lumbering shit from Mechwarrior.

That "slowass lumbering shit" from Mechwarrior has more of an impact on the morale, than a flying chrismas tree decoration with a sword.

[QUOTE=3v3ryb0dy;17022623]That "slowass lumbering shit" from Mechwarrior has more of an impact on the morale, than a flying chrismas tree decoration with a sword.[/QUOTE] Yeah it looks really scary, might aswell destroy the world with it. :downs:

[QUOTE=LeonS;17022559]Mechas>Mechs anyhow, they're all faster and more powerful than that slowass lumbering shit from Mechwarrior.[/QUOTE] But Mechs would work in reality (albeit with some difficulties), Mechas wouldn't (at least not in ths day and age).