Why are Ravens so scarce outside Japan?

[NiX]

So guys, bakit ang konti natin? What's wrong with AC? >_<

[Grim]

Armored Core is not pick up and play.

Sure you can play around with something you just "slapped together real quick," but even that requires some foreknowledge or it'll end up being an affair with all the subtlety of a gorilla trying fine dining.

Even when you finally know what all the stats mean, you have to play through an arguably mediocre-at-best single player experience (i.e., missions), just to get more parts to play with. And those are usually the better ones, the ones that you'll actually use.

It's been encapsulated well by Kuroi Kenshin when he said that AC forces people to jump through hoops just to be able to play with it.

[J.E_Magog]

Di rin naman gaanong marami ang japanese ravens kung ikokompara mo sila sa bilang ng mga fanboys ng condomseed.
At yung mga hapon, mahihilig kasi sila sa mga tinker games. At hindi rin well publicized ang AC outside japan.

[Lord_Leperman]

There are a number of reasons why Armored Core does not get the same amount of players as say Tekken, or Those arcade racing games (Initial D, Wangan Midnight Maximum Tune).

"Armored Core is a competitive, combat oriented, complex mech combat game built for the console market."

Think about what I just said and look at the specific key words that immediately narrow down the amount of people that will actually play the game. Competitive, Combat oriented, and the game's complexity.

Poor Single Player campaign

Armored Core has been predominantly a competitive gaming title with diminishing emphasis on its single player aspect, when it is this particular element of the game that gave rise to its popularity. Single player missions have taken a back seat in favor of its PvP game modes when people outside the established AC community would only see this feature as a secondary reason to get into the game.

Single player missions such as The massive MT mission in the first game was "You're the best boss fight ever!!!". But when you repeat the formula of AC over and over again, which is simply "destroy all enemies" more than anything else, it becomes pretty repetitive. Repetition of the same formula drove the franchise down as missions in later games seem all too familiar to previous games, showing the lack of innovation of the franchise per title while only adding incremental improvements to game physics (For instance, we've been seeing the same part sets for ACs from AC3-LR... 5 different games all using the same models and textres with the additional of half a dozen new parts per title). Other complaints include short missions which often take as little as a few seconds or as long as 3 minutes tops and seemingly mediocre story and mission presentation which makes the whole game feel a bit bland.

In connection to the blandness of the story is the seemingly shallow characters, which I feel should be the cornerstone of a good plot for a game. You have only faceless opponents throughout the whole franchise even when their descriptions (at least for plot characters appearing in the in-game arena) do slightly flesh out their personalities (Royal Myst in particular from AC3 had some nice though shallow personality buildup through the Email exchange in the game), they still pale in comparison to iconic game characters like Solid Snake from the Metal Gear series. The only exception to this would probably be Nineball (the AC itself, not even the pilot Hustler One) which has become the only iconic character in the whole series which people can easily identify with Armored Core.

In any case, the poor single player game is what prevents the franchise from accepting in new players into the community.

I actually have more gripes to write about, but I'll save them for later as I have a new freaking idea for an AC game which involves the story of Nineball as the central character for the game and I'm automatically compelled to think of a particular mission route for the storyline.

[NiX]

Wow, just a bit more and I can piece together a really good write-up for our front page. I'll take in all the points mentioned here and maybe add some more.

[Serene]

Let me see what I could add...

From my experiences, The older games are as to what I feel are much better than the new ones when it comes to missions because some MT's could really become threats. With simple not-as-complex physics and simple concepts for the designs which makes most of them usable, fights are just enjoyable, simple, but more regulated and balanced in a way.

I know that everyone know I took a big jump from 1st Gen to 3rd Gen AC Games, but still, comparing the edges on that gap tells almost everything about the game's evolution. AC has taken a huge step to a huge mud puddle, has been dirtied, and should be cleaned.

AC's Major Drawback in the Phillipines: Complexity, comparing the common from it's complimentary partner
All in all, Armored Core's main feature and market which is mech customization is also it's biggest weakness due to the fact that most common filipinos are idolistic. Proven by their love for NBA, WWE and other such games. They look for the coolness or 'Angas' already present in real-life or fictional game characters. AC's on the other hand are products of the player's creativity and complex thinking, very opposite of what I mentioned before. Most games which capture the common filipino's eyes are violent and are complete no-brainers [excempting some fighting games and rpg series]. Unlike AC which has complex calculations and smooth competition. AC is a game played by individualistic complex creative critical thinkers, traits not all found in the common filipino player.

Kaso nga lang kinain na ang majority ng players na yun ng Online Games. Salot yun! Salot!

[Grim]

AC's Major Drawback in the Phillipines: Complexity

All in all, Armored Core's main feature and market which is mech customization is also it's biggest weakness

Most games which capture the common filipino's eyes are violent and are complete no-brainers. Unlike AC which has complex calculations and smooth competition. AC is a game played by individualistic complex creative critical thinkers, traits not all found in the common filipino player.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

I remember we all talked about AC almost being like a lady once. You have to get close to her and truly know her ins and outs first before you have any chance of advancing further. And, barring that, she becomes this overcomplex, naggy and annoying presence at the back of your mind. )

[NiX]

A lady's ins and outs?!? Innuendo?

(sorry. I'll post something more useful next time. >_<)

[J.E_Magog]

welcome to the sad realization of armored core.

[Moonlight_Raven]

my quick response to this topic (but not my final)...

most players tend to play games that are "easy to play"...

my family has a PC shop... as I observe the players, I've been thinking that most online games had this "click then kill". press F1 up to F8 whatever, left click then right click... they enjoy it. maybe you know what kind of games are those.

AC is not simple game... in order to play it, you must "think... intellectually and wisely"

remember this quote in AC3, raven test mission "welcome to the ranks of the elite few, Ravens" (I hope my memory's right). so meaning we are indeed few in numbers (because we are the chosen ones, hehehe)


=^.^=

[Serene]

Ehehe... Chosen Ones.
IMO, No Brainer Games are good only for your mind a rest from too much thinking.
No offense intended.

[clonezero]

click and kill yeah I have to agree ... most people go for speed as a quote says enjoy the voyage as much as you should enjoy the destination (I know this isn't the exact quote but this is how I remembered it ~_~)

This I partially blame to two things Koreans (no offence to any reading this) and Counter Strike and everyones desire to rake in big kill counts *artic ehem* yes I believe speed is great but as a strategist speed is not the only aspect ... as ADM William F "Bull" Halsey said "hit hard, hit fast, hit often".

sorry for a short reply as I have never been the person to post very long stuff... >_<

[R.Leonhardt]

In this city,many tried the game. sadly they started at LR,which is bound to be hard.they played for a while then after a day or so,they quieted because it was too hard -_- others managed to get use to the game but I don't think they know this forum....that's why they're not here......

[NiX]

Then tell them about it. -_-

[R.Leonhardt]

I do,but I think that the adress,"cjb.net" is the part they forget. They might have heard only Ravenrepublic and assumes that the next is ".com" which is the mistake... Or some just didn't bother.