AC: How Do You Train?

[NiX]

So guys, what do you do to increase your skills in Armored Core? Who do you fight against?

Some people, like the folks from Raven's Haven, don't tune their frame parts.

Other folks equip crappy parts on purpose. Others, still, just keep playing over and over again.

Generally, I don't handicap my parts or my tuning (maybe I should start doing that though). All I do is play again and again like the addicted fool that I am. Hahaha! If I can't play against Maitreya, I usually just fight the AI.

To practice my aiming, using an ND lockbox, I play against Zinaida or Evangel, trying to keep my box on them all throughout. And then to practice some tactics, I fight against TR-Liger in 1-player versus mode. To practice missile-dodging and aiming at guys in the air I fight TR-Elk. To practice dodging GL (though it's really tough), I play against TR-Alligator. To practice my endurance, I play against two AIs at the same time.

[VeilSide]

keep fighting on kai against good people and listen when they give advice.

[Lord_Leperman]

Fight people really, thats the only real way to become better. However, when playing alone I don't tune my ACs and sometimes I don't equip option parts (results in a smaller lock box, less defense and cooling, slower turn rates, and slower missile lock-on).

I don't usualy substitute my frame parts or my internals for lower-end parts since I need to know how my AC handles in its baseline performance. To practice dodging, I fight an AI AC and try to dodge all of its bullets till it runs out of ammo (My favorite was the blue RJ with 2 sniper rifles, hi-act verts and other weapons).

IMO though, tactics can't be practiced on the AI since their strategy is a simple bum-rush and they do not seem to use cover that well. Take for example Twin-Skies' use (or abuse) of cover during PACT, where he would often bait people into his GL range by simply hiding behind huge obstacles and wait his opponents out (unless foced out of his hidding place by verts or orbits), thats a good example of utilization of terrain to one's advantage. It is good however, for practicing for basic targeting, movement, and energy management skills IMO.

[J.E_Magog]

AI is more like a basic training, human players is the real thing. i already experienced that in ACMOA, a friend of mine is giving me a hard time and he only played armored core for 1 hour. humans are harder targets than AIs.

[Serene]

Hellhound's my training partner...
Sometimes, I ask him to use his missile boat and fire at maximum lock...
I don't equip a kissyoh, so the training's quite useful...
In addition to that, a human is more unpredictable, and attacks at more angles...
Unfortunately, we haven't done that much lately...

[azuma-blade]

i always train at ninebreaker just to improve my dodging and accuracy

[beastkiller]

well me dati nakikipag laban sa mga friends ko dati nung naglalaro pa cla ngaun puro ai lang kalaban ko iba talaga pa tao kalaban mo kaysa computer kung may time lng me eh cyempre may work na

[Grim]

While we're on the subject of getting better at the game, I'd like to expand it a bit more. For me, Armored Core boils down to two things: designing and piloting.

Designing is easier to get better at IMO. It can be done through reading the proper material, and being influenced by the proper environment. From there, you can make informed choices as to what parts to use, and then your own original style can develop from that. After all, although some of us may have learned by simply just diving blindly into the game (which does have its benefits, lol), most learned from emulating something.

What's important is not to get caught in stasis. Tulad sa lahat ng bagay, merong vertical at horizontal growth. Kapag nagcoconcentrate at nagfofocus sa pagdedesign para sa isang leg set or weight class, lumalalim yung knowledge at experience nung player, vertically speaking. Pero importante din yung horizontal growth. Expanding your horizons, kumbaga. Gawa ng bipeds sa simula, sige. Pero sana pagkatapos nun merong sumunod na RJs, quads, tanks at hovers.

Piloting, mas mahirap madevelop, lalo na dahil yung AI na nilalagay ng From sa laro, hindi magaling magturo. Blind rushing lang ang alam nung karamihan, at sobra sobra pa yung nilagay nilang additional abilities. Ang nangyayari tuloy, hindi natututunan nung player kung pano maglaro tactically. Walang development ng use of cover, booster control, range control, etc. Dahil dun, tulad ng nasabi na, mas maganda talaga kapag kalaban mo tao.

Pero since minsan ko lang magawa yun...
...
...
...
Kalaban ko yung mga TR AIs mostly.

[NiX]

Well, in fairness to LR, LR has some of the best AIs to train against in any AC game ever.

[Serene]

Sometimes, games with underpowered characters, weapons and etc, give players the option of using psywar tactics...

Worked for a friend of mine in Bloody Roar2, BR3 and the rest have stronger characters making noobs button mash their way to victory...

It also worked for AC1 to MoA, low ammo reserves make everyone better at timing, and good at dodging/evasion maneuvers...
Not to mention that their Rebel Designs are pretty easy to swat off the sky...

NB and LR (I haven't really played Nexus yet) have really strong Plus DeFAC Strippers, which may irritate someone without the required skills. But the shock may give them a reason to impove more...

It's really good that they setup non-arena AI for practice in VS Mode. But still, I wish they have set up an AI maker similar to MoA so that everyone can have a chance to really focus on training in other fields... Like having 19 missiles chase you around...
You don't see that in normal AI.

[Grim]

Yeah, that AI feature in MOA and SL rocked to say the least. There, you get to fight yourself, who is your greatest enemy anyway. [/cheesy]

[Serene]

Darn...
I miss my original Principality...
It's actually the only AC I can't defeat in MoA in my personal arena...
8 Large Missiles, 100 Finger Shots, Armor with balanced defense, High AP, an LS-3303 laser blade...
You'll run out off ammo and try blade it if you can, but you can't...
Everyone who saw it here call it the Orange Demon, The Ultimate Training AC...
One more scary thing about it is, the design is possible without rebel...

[Moonlight_Raven]

since there's a little time playing with human (my last encounter was with my friend... and we played NB at his friend's dorm... last march)

I train w/ an AI most of the time... but with a twist, like... pinapahirapan ang sarili ko. and also, selecting AI and battle fields depending on what aspect of piloting I would like to test and train.


=^.^=

[beastkiller]

ei moonligth perhaps we can meet para may maka practice me sa paglalalaro ng ac to improve the skills heheeheehe telll me kng pwede u weekends

[Black Dragon]

Back then I tried handicapping myself, like blades-only. But now, I'd rather try to adapt with a new AC design regardless of the situation.

Most of the time I do missions with ACs on them, especially the last two rows of missions in LR, including the destroy the pulverizer (I admit I did lose to some of those missions )