User:Seadoubleyoujay/sandbox

Sub-sandboxes: Star Citizen

Note: Revisit the original Armored Core (video game) and add a "sequel" section to include a short bit about Project Phantasma and Master of Arena. Debating whether Armored Core 2 should be included in that.

Note: Expand the plot of the first Armored Core.

Note: Check on possibility that Keiichiro Segawa was the composer of the first two AC games. Fan wiki has that as the case, but I'm not 100% sure.

Note: Add Ad-Hoc multiplayer from Formula Front/PSP Remakes to Armored Core Series Page

Add something about this to the plot of the original Armored Core when you expand it:

Additional Background

'''In the original Armored Core, the player was challenged by Nine-Ball in a seemingly endless level within the Raven's Nest. The mission title held the promise of clearing the nest of floating mines, rather the nest was full of forceful ACs and several ranking Ravens to be reckoned with. There is a haunting voice in this level of gameplay, "Turn back, it's not too late.". After defeating Nine-Ball the level goes on. If the player died within this level there is an animation saying that the death was planned, an assassination.'''

Note: Find new logo for Armored Core for franchise page

Note: after finishing all the articles, I should archive all the review sources that haven't been archived just in case.

Note: Look into using Silent Line review box for AC3 and Last Raven?

Note: Check Gamezilla source for Nine Breaker

Note: Rewrite Reception for Last Raven

Armored Core: Formula Front is a 2004 third-person shooter mecha video game developed by FromSoftware for the PlayStation Portable. It is the tenth entry in the Armored Core series and is a spin-off of the franchise.

It was a launch title for the PlayStation Portable in Japan.

Gameplay
'''The player assumes the role of an Architect. An Architect is a person who builds, programs and battles with a modified Armored Core known as a u/AC or an Unmanned Armored Core. u/ACs are AI controlled Armored Cores which compete exclusively in battling tournaments. u/ACs battle independent of the Architect's control, so the Architect must influence how the u/AC fights by customizing various part combinations and loading various program functions into the u/AC's AI. The North American version of the PSP game has since been modified to allow players the option of actually piloting their u/AC in battle instead of letting the AI fight. In the game, this is called a N-u/AC (N standing for Naked) and is supposedly notoriously hard to control.'''

'Armored Core: Formula Front'' allows the player to build their own robot using 480 different parts. These part come in several categories. These categories are head, core, arms, legs, generator, fire control system, booster, radiator, extension, inside, right arm weapon, left arm weapon, back left weapon, back right weapon, right hangar unit, left hangar unit, and optional parts. Several different part types can also be available. For instance, there are three types of cores (OB, EO, and Standard). Other types of customization include paint, AI tune, Parts Tune, Repository, Sortie Order, Name Entry, Sample Emblem, and Edit Emblem.'''

Setting
In the game's story, Formula Front is a worldwide competition in which unmanned, AI-controlled ACs [u-ACs] are pitted against one another in fiercely contested arena battles. The game takes place twenty-five years after Formula Front arena warfare was introduced. It is now the world's most popular form of entertainment. At the heart of Formula Front's success are the architects. These are the individuals responsible for assembling and programming the u-ACs entered into league matches.

Plot
As the player fights their way into the Regular League, they are confronted by a new team, BT Wyvern, and its architect, Linus. After two matches against BT Wyvern, Linus sends a message that he meet the player again. Rank after rank, the player again confronts a formidable opponent, Team Ogre, and its architect, Diablo. Though Ogre usually wins through harsh tactics, their battle against BT Wyvern was horrible. Fortunately, the player defeated Diablo. As the player gets nearer through the top ranks, they are again confronted by BT Wyvern with a new AC model, Force Wing X. Afterwards, Diablo confronts the player again with an AC similar to Linus' AC and has installed with a mysterious data in Diablo's AC. The player manages to defeat Diablo and Team Ogre was temporarily banned due to being accused of stealing the 'Master Data'.

After defeating the second rank Team Neonia and its architect, Raving, the player has the right to challenge Team Testarossa Artigiana ('Arti' for short) and FFA's top architect, Bren. After the player defeats Bren, they become the new top architect.

Release
'Formula Front is the first Armored Core'' game to be released on multiple platforms, originally on the PlayStation Portable and later on the PlayStation 2. In Japan it was released simply as Armored Core: Formula Front. In North America, the game was modified and released on December 15, 2005 as Armored Core: Formula Front Extreme Battle, often mislabeled as Armored Core: Formula Front Special Edition; however, the PlayStation 2 version was not released in North America. The then-upcoming American version of the game was re-released on November 17, 2005 in Japan entitled Armored Core: Formula Front International (アーマード・コア フォーミュラフロント インターナショナル); this re-released edition is considered to be the ultimate edition as it also contains a large amount of additional battles not found in the American version of the game, and includes both Japanese and English text options (except for the tutorial videos which are only in Japanese).'''

Reception
The PSP version received "average" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. In Japan, Famitsu gave the game a score of 30 out of 40 (8/7/8/7) for the PSP version, and 28 out of 40 for the PlayStation 2 version.

========================================================================= == Armored Core: For Answer is a 2008 third-person shooter mecha video game developed by FromSoftware for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It is the thirteenth entry in the Armored Core series and a direct sequel to 2006's Armored Core 4.

Gameplay
'AC customization has been changed from the previous Armored Core title, with a new interface and many new parts not found in Armored Core 4''. Online mode returns with a new co-operative mode alongside the player versus mode. Gameplay enhancements included a power increase for both Quick Boost and Over Boost, as well as an auxiliary high-speed booster, which is known as the Vanguard Over Booster (VOB). Another new feature in the game is the Assault Armor attack that becomes available by equipping certain OB parts. This attack uses up all available Primal Armor that the AC has and generates a huge blast consisting of Kojima (highly reactive particles) that destroys or damages all objects surrounding the AC. However, this also leaves the AC vulnerable because not only will the AC lose its PA, it will also not regenerate for a few seconds. Laser blades are deadlier because of the revamped laser blade attack. Once the blade has acquired a lock-on, the AC will instantly rush to the target, traveling a great distance to use the laser blade. All parts carried over from the previous game have had their parameters altered, much like the transition between previous series installments Silent Line and Nexus. The on-screen HUD can now be changed to any of 20 colors. There are now 442 FRS tuning points available to unlock, which is an increase from the 300 (PS3) and 337 (Xbox 360) FRS points available in AC4. Maps are much larger and more detailed including environmental damage such as collapsing buildings. The game is also the second in the series (after Last Raven) to feature multiple endings, with three different possible plot branches available depending on your actions and decisions in the game.'''

Plot
A decade after the events of Armored Core 4, humanity has retreated to floating cities due to toxic pollution that has ravaged the planet. The remaining corporations from the Pax Economica have merged into the League of Corporations and now control the entire planet.

Release
Armored Core: For Answer was initially released in Japan for the Sony PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on March 19, 2008. (source) FromSoftware partnered with Ubisoft and released a North American version for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on September 16, 2008. (source) For European and Australian regions, FromSoftware and Ubisoft released the game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on November 27 and November 28, 2008, respectively. (Source)

Reception
Armored Core: For Answer received "mixed or average" reviews on both platforms according to the review aggregator website Metacritic. In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of 29 out of 40 for the PlayStation 3 version, and one nine and three sevens for the Xbox 360 version, while Famitsu Xbox 360 gave the latter console version 31 out of 40.

One of the most consistent complaints among reviewers seemed to be the lack of any sort of online community. Kevin Van Ord of GameSpot stated in his review that there were "fewer than a dozen [players on] Xbox Live" when he tried to playtest the game, and that similar attempts to find a game on PlayStation Network yielded "just a single opponent".

========================================================================== Armored Core Series Page ==

Add the following after the first paragraph of the lede on the series page

The series enjoyed positive reception in its earlier titles, but opinions on the series became more mixed as it went on. Praise was directed at its depth of gameplay and customization, which reviewers found to be surprisingly complex. Graphical design and visual fidelity was consistently praised when the series debuted, but following 2000's Armored Core 2, reviewers notes that the visuals of the series weren't advancing much with each subsequent title. The series' complex control scheme, barebones plot, and reliance on iterative releases became negative talking points for the series.

Future
In a 2016 interview with Kotaku's Brian Ashcraft, Hidetaka Miyazaki stated that "We are making a new Armored Core" but wouldn't comment beyond that, adding, "I can't talk about how early it is."

Other Media
Armored Core: Tower City Blade is a manga by Fujimi Shobo based on the game. It was serialized in Dragon Age Pure between March 14 and April 14, 2007. A project called Armored Core: Fort Tower Song was to consist of a book and an anime also released in 2007. The book was completed but the anime was not. FromSoftware announced in 2011 that the anime had been canceled due to View Works shutting down.