ManintheArmor

I will say this. UNACs are cute. Running around, hopping about like little bunnies, shooting things with no ill intent beyond a simple order of the L2 button, the way they move around is just so damn cute. No malicious plotting in their movements, no attempts to sneak by and stab you in the back (even if programed to do so), just a simple program. Okay, maybe I got shot in the back the other day by a stray sniper cannon bullet, as well as got rammed in the face while trying to kung-fu White Glint, but it's just so funny to me when they slip. Reminds me of when I'd occasionally shoot someone in the back with a Giga Cannon. At the same time, quite scary too. Sniper cannons, rockets, some of the things a normal pilot would have trouble with a UNAC will do with precision (UNAC will kill White Glint with Giga/Sniper Cannon). What can seem like a mess is just the UNAC being perfectly logical. Not the best at managing energy, formulating their own strategies, or learning on the go, but they're only as good as the programmer intends, and the tools available. When doing their business, they do it well. And adorably. I want to hug one. Aside from that, what are your thoughts on our robot overlords? Job stealers, pets, friendly companions, backstabbing thieves? Heck, take them as Pokemon, or family. Do you find the UNAC feature favorable, in need of improvement, or scraped altogether?

AC1 - Rather limited, but it was good to have a look at the very first game. Wanted to get a feel of H+ for myself. AC:PP - An interesting experience. A few OP parts, but excellent regardless. AC:MoA - Create your own opponent? Sounds good to me! Also, NINEBALL. Lots of arena too. AC2 - Memorable. Loved the martian themes. Phobos died, but hey. Lovely arena combat and replays. Oh, and SHIELDS! AC2:AA - No arena? Dangit. Hey, Nineball! And lots of missions too. Over 2000 sorties. Awesome music, great atmosphere. Last game to allow PLOW. AC3 - Dangit, hate going backwards and no longer having certain parts. Like the EO though, and the left arm weapons. Weapon arms with 2 modes? Excellent. ACSL - Getting better. Old parts return, from Finger to Samurai. Lots more left arm parts. Love my AI ally. Last game with OP-Intensify (so sad). ACNX - Dangit, another step backwards. Ooo, PS2 remakes of old missions! Linear rifles? Good. More left arm weapons? Good. Heat? TERRIBLE. Also, DUAL FINGERS. Music is amazingly nostalgic though, puts me in a trance. ACNB - Lots of arena but... ugh. This is why peace sucks. I'm a mercenary, not a cage fighter! Then again, NINEBALL. ACLR - So many parts, so many oldies! Heat sucks, but fair. Quite the challenge, but not impossible. Terrible music, not the best atmosphere. Love the replays, like going up against all those title ACs of the past. Also JACK O, the guy with a bucket for a face! Last game with that ever familiar operator voice. Miss her lots. Farewell Agetech, we've had a good run. AC4 - Dangit, didn't play it. I just watch vids on Youtube of it. Seems interesting. I'd like to fight against that Aretha-00, meet this Joshua O' Brien guy. Lovely music, gives you that feel that you've just acquired your wings... I'm soaring through the air with wings of angels. AC4A - A game of gods vs. titans, champions vs. giants. Love the parts, the speed. SPIRIT OF MOTHERWILL. And a clear story. Probably one of the other great AC games I hear. Did I forget to mention how much I love irradiating everything with Kojima weaponry? Lovely when all those green particles float up in the air, like bubbles in a sea. Too bad the whole world was one big desert. Killing Cradles also fun. I love you Old King. "I have so much more to teach you. Are you ready for your next lesson?" Please do. I'm ready for another whiping. Wait. You mean this isn't another one of our private sessions? o_____o Last AC game with the traditional 10 meter tall form we all love. To this day, still wondering how anyone can fit in that damn SOBRERO core. And why do I read it as, 'sombrero'? ACV - Gugh... great. Back to the ground. Everytime we have a sequel, we always start with a few parts. Also, these ACs are freakin' dwarves. A few nice levels though. Conquest was nice. Lots of missions, adventure, plenty to explore. Bosses were cool too, but too bad I can't take em on with servers having died. Hated online conquest... WAY too much drama. Everyone fighting over real estate. Chief was quite awesome swinging around his big weapons though. He's so crazy. ^___^ ACVD - Towers? Three Forces? Lots more parts? And how am I now fighting a Next? Love the AI, like the levels. The inclusion of these 3 forces has eliminated all that drama in the previous game. Wait... the heck? Where are all these robots coming from? Where are the mercenaries? And what's this about robots stealing our jobs? Currently progressing through the game. I want boss battles. Hardcore mode is nightmare fuel... the entire world is drowning in blood... the music is unsettling. Feels like Dark Souls. We're all gonna die. ;___; EVERGREEEEEN. Gonna go put a naked lady on my knee and then kick everyone in the face with it. Oh wait, I already did that in the previous game. And so ends this generation... what will From Software come up with next?

If I were to make an AC game, I'd probably like to have a mix of current-gen and old-gen systems, maybe with something new added. I'd also recycle existing systems. A backstory would be provided to back it up, to maintain consistency (and provide a convenient excuse). Backstory Some years long after the fight over those damn Towers, old AC tech is discovered. Design standards, blueprints, all rediscovered. The ACs have changed little since 5th gen, but addition of 4th gen parts and better understanding of the technology behind Armored Cores further increases part combinations, as well as modularity. It eventually degrades into a 3-way against various AC generations, involving Normals, Nexts, and Dwarves. Might as well call it 'Dark Souls 40K'. Meanwhile, Motherwill shoots a Killdozer at you, Chief and Nineball teaming up and firing their cannons in the distance. Parts (Cores) New cores are available, capable of using back weapons. This design is reminiscent of the old AC aesthetic, but is adapted to using currently existing weapons. These cores eliminate the delay of switching between weapons by reallocating the bay hangers to the rear, with specialized firing mechanisms to eliminate the need to physically grab the weapon. Of course, because of the design, these weapons don't possess the same degree of maneuverability as their arm counterparts. There's the side benefit of being able to equip cannons too, but one must still maintain a ready-position to use them. To maintain competitiveness with these new style cores, the current generation of cores have been adapted to being able to use UWs without time limit, instead now having usage limits. ACs still overheat trying to access these weapons, but with this limitation overcome UWs are much more viable than before. The OB system is also reverse engineered, special cores designed to replace the glide-boost function with a proper Over Boost system. Parts (Arms) With further research into old AC designs and modifying current Weapon Arm technology, new arm designs incorporate features that further an AC's compatibility with weapons. One arm design, 'melee' arms, features reinforcement of the arm frame itself, allowing the AC to use elbow or punch attack motions without the need of a solid blade or pile driver. This is particularly useful for those ACs that have a weak boost-charge, or lack the generator capacity to use high-output boosters for a strong boost-charge. Stability and shoulder weapon performance is reduced, but these arms are solid. Another arm design, 'energy' arms, boosts the performance of energy weapons, much like energy amplifiers. Specifically designed for these kinds of weapons, they sacrifice stability (often less than 100%) for better compatibility. Finally, 'mobility' arms. These arms are equipped with a combination of modular capacitors and boosters that significantly raise the AP of the AC, allowing it to operate for prolonged combat. They serve as an extra pair of legs, using the boosters to lighten the load off an AC's legs and allow the AC to continue fighting. They tend to drain plenty of energy, and cannot be turned off in Scan Mode. Current generation arms, to keep up with these new designs, have seen an increase in stability and decreased energy drain. Parts (Legs) Previous leg designs for ACs tend to be much more symmetrical, with an aesthetic beauty to them, though practically have shins of glass. Despite this, they performed well, their turn and movement performance significantly better, able to dance across the battlefield with a kind of grace not found in current generation bipedal legs. These new, symmetrical bipedal legs don't have a good boost-charge, nor do they increase one's resistance to attack when kneeling. They make up for this with excellent mobility while keeping energy drain low. Recycled AMS An old system recycled from Next technology, of which allows one to tune their frame's performance without having to revisit the shop. Redubbed 'Energy Reallocation System', of which essentially repriorities energy output to modify AC performance. The greater your AC's energy drain, the more energy you're able to re-prioritize. For those who have low energy usage, they can increase energy drain to increase performance. Energy Weapons The bane of many EN weapons has been the fact that they require energy to be of any use (except railguns and plasma missiles). They are useful on missions because they don't use physical ammunition to cause damage, but when ammunition cost isn't a problem they're rarely considered for use. Consequently pilots would prioritize their ACs for solid ammunition defense, but this alone wouldn't make energy weapons any better, even if they'd prove a viable anti-armor weapon in these cases. To further attract buyers, EN weapons have received modifications that would allow someone to either recharge the weapon in-combat, or fire them (at a diminished capacity) after the primary capacitors has been expended. Certain EN weapons, instead of using energy, use AP or sacrifice stability. Energy weapons are still attractive regardless, thanks to their recoilless nature, useful for low-performance ACs that use little energy to begin with. Return of Primal Armor A recreation of the technology found in Nexts, attempts have been made to create a viable energy barrier without polluting the environment with Kojima Particles. Improvising, engineers created a device that projected a barrier of plasma in front of the AC, intended to heat incoming projectiles and soften their impact. Other means include creating a high-frequency alternating current or magnetic field in the air that did the same. Some means attempt to mimic the structure of an atom, polarizing the AC's structure to resemble an atomic nucleus, while the shield was a sort of electron cloud. Other means of reinforcing the structural integrity of the AC's frame have also been devised, intended to increase protection without adding more weight. This would burden the generator, but overall the AC benefitted. Lightweight ACs and tanks benefitted the most, lightweights mobile enough to allow the shield opportunity to recharge, while tanks had low enough energy usage to take on an onslaught of firepower. Refined Armor Systems Today's armored cores rely on very focused passive defenses to resist weaponry. However, in the past armor tended to be much more general, able to resist a variety of weapons without fail. Before Nexts, there was a kind of armor system that allowed an AC to operate for long periods, regardless of the location of attack. Apparently their were specialized capacitors throughout the AC's body that acted as a sort of electrical reactive armor, functioning similarly to Primal Armor. Of course, this same system would overheat if attacked too frequently, and this flaw may have eventually seen the system's abandonment. Attempts to reverse engineer the system have yielded high-AP AC parts, granting the AC general resistance to all weapons even when stability was compromised. This in mind, it is possible to survive blows that would otherwise destroy a defense-focused AC. Refined Booster Systems Previous ACs could fly, easily able to overcome tall obstacles. However, this tended to drain energy, the control systems at the time also rather clunky and finger-twisting... not to mention hard on the knees. Today's ACs no longer encounter that difficulty, a simple flick of the switch allowing the pilot to focus on maneuvering rather than constantly hopping about to conserve energy. In addition, the hover systems in boosters prevent one from descending too quickly, eliminating the need to constantly adjust thrust duration. Though the current system is advantageous in freeing up focus for other activities, the lack of actual flight limits today's AC's cababilities. Boost-charging is a crude method of acquring a similar feat, but not necessarily straight-forward. Now, after attempts to reverse engineer old booster systems, ACs can alter elevation by attempting to jump mid-air, using the same software program that enables boost-drive. Holding the (X) button allows one to ascend further, the energy drain about as high as that of boost-gliding. The return of flight-capability has also allowed better melee capabilities for the AC, the art of blading having returned. Radar Previous ACs had amazing situational awareness. While today's ACs can see through walls, previous ACs were aware of what was behind them. Sneaking up on an AC was no easy task. It's easier than ever to sneak up on someone, but still difficult. Equippable in the bay unit, radar adds another degree of awareness. Along with an ability to see through walls, noone can escape your sight. Unless, of course, someone had the proper countermeasures. Additional Generator Options Nexts used a special generator that produced Kojima Particles, granting them abilities that practically made them unassailable. Moving at sonic speeds, guarded by a regenerating shield, able to take on giants, KPs resulted in the creation of gods... as well as leading to the downfall of the rest of humanity. The KP was the Tower of Babel for those long ago. Reverse engineered and adjusted to fit with 5th generation frames, these generators did exactly what they did in the past. In addition, how much KP one holds is based on energy drain, the speed of production based on Conductivity. Of course, because of the use of KP, one is not allowed to fight with a team of normal ACs. For those prefering to fight in teams but in need of an alternative generator, one could opt for a pre-KP generator used by older ACs. This generator also fills gaps in defense, but constant bombardment results in overheating. They all come with built-in radiators to reduce heat build-up, but it's still best to simply get out of the line of fire. Considering these generator options, 5th-gen enthusiasts have created a limit-breaker shoulder part that allows one to use critical power on demand without need of a UW. Kojima Weapons Adapted, and in greater varieties, these energy weapons fire projectiles that eat through AP, the lingering fallout rotting away anything that stays in that area. Afterthoughts Basically, an ability to make all older parts compatible with 5th generation ACs, while still having the option of piloting these dwarf ACs. I like the idea of having a Normal vs. Next battle (despite possible obliteration in the process). Heck, throw a PLOW in there while you're at it. I'd write more, but I'll leave it at that.

"EVERGREEEEEEN!!!" Only a masochist would dare risk their sanity listening to such lyrics. Venide, I'd go for. Because it is red. And red is the color of blood. Because it is red, I shall paint myself accordingly. We will bathe in the sacred crimson fountain given to us by our war goddess, and share it with the rest of the world. Our scarlet bodies shall overflow the earth and seas, until this planet is a beautiful ruby pearl among the stars. Yes, it would be a great gift to our goddess of blood; blessings to all who shower themselves in her periodic offerings! LET THE RIVERS RUN RED IN HER HOLY SPILLINGS!!! *insert unfortunate interpretation* But yeah. Venide. Cool music.

Sounds like this'll get popular very soon.

They usually send me a code in a PM. Well, assuming I get VD. :[ I have this odd feeling ACVD gonna feel like WoW, plus a third party.

If I choose a faction, I will either choose the one with the most women or the most tanks. That, and wherever my homies from RR left to.

So basically my time soloing Red Exusia with a tank won't count? That sucks. I was hoping to spill some hot lead over his face once I got ACVD. EDIT: Why didn't they offer a fully rebuilt Spirit o' Motherwill? Lol. EDIT: More special bosses, apparently. Red Exusia has returned from ACV and better than ever.

Let me guess. You fired a big load of bullets in Black Glint's direction? Can Black Glint be Tanked (tank; to use a tank-leg AC)? Looking at the word 'farmed', I have a feeling the boss is easier than portrayed. Last two videos I saw involved someone either using gatling guns or rifles, and involved highly mobile ACs.

Apparently, you can remove the HUD too.

Suddenly, a fight between a 4th gen AC and a 5th gen. Very entertaining.

My greatest victory? Retaining my muscle, visual, and spacial memory of ACV despite having not played it in 9 months. Remembering the names of parts, missions, and characters? Not so much. But let us see just how much I've managed to retain. Memory has interesting ways of maintaining itself despite lack of exercise. Sometimes the rest only serves to strengthen it.

I'm guessing the guy must be new to this; no import. My head hurt the whole time. But at least we get a good idea of energy generation in this game, notice how quickly the capacitor fills despite the guy using junk parts. Someone put my helmet back on before I smash my face against something.

A slight problem, in that I am uncertain of the diameter of this area or what is considered 'large'. However, I will do my best, considering the populace is around 25,000. Whether or not they're stacked high or sprawled out, I'll have to determine. Let's see what ideas I can throw out here. ~~~ As far as trade goes, the town would use two separate currencies. One currency will reflect how much 'time' someone owes to someone, the other currency will reflect resource scarcity. Do note, prices based on public agreement with regards to environmental factors. Time-Based Currency The Time-Based Currency would buy labor. The more time someone offers, the more currency they are given to allow them to purchase time from others. In cases of self-employment, cost of goods and services will be based on how much time was spent to offer such provisions. To make sure effort is measured as well, body mass will be taken into account. Yes, even the weight of urine and feces must be measured. Do note, Time-Based debt can be forgiven, since it is based on human biological factors. Simply making someone feel good can reduce the price of labor, with discomfort leading to extra cost. Having sex would be considered cheap or free if the server enjoyed their session. Cost of human labor will be based on health and labor supply, with expenses increasing with sickness, while decreasing with fitness and happiness. Calculating it might prove to be a challenge; biomass and time are just general guides. Resource-Based Currency (I'd say 'economy', but I'll do that later) The Resource-Based Currency measures the value of resources, and will be tied to Time-Based Currency. What resources you can buy depends upon what resources you have given. For example, if you provided sufficient amount of iron to someone, you might be able to earn something like gold, neodymium, or other valuables in return. They'd all follow some variation of the Gold Standard to keep prices based on availability. Do note, 'resource' doesn't just mean raw minerals, and can include complex machinery too. Cost of resources will vary based on population-to-resource ratio. A greater populace relative to resources will increase the price of resources, whereas a sparser populace relative to resources will decrease the price of resources. Recyclable or public resources can be considered free. ~~~ You might wonder, why did I separate the two currencies? I would find it easier to make price calculations when specializing the currencies. I would not advise such a system for larger entities, as this system is intended to be limited in scale. Plus, it's just a prototype. Throwing stuff around, see if we can build on something. ~~~ Taxation In cases where the public needs to pool resources, it will be based upon donation. Resources and labor are calculated separately, and the cost are presented to the public. Individual citizens then decide what the heck they can do to pay up. Excess donations are then redistributed. ~~~ Other Issues As time goes by, I'd focus my efforts in making sure distances between areas was small. More distance means more fuel spent, more time spent, more risk of encountering danger. Convenience and accessibility would be emphasized to eliminate expenses. A little space is needed of course; people like their privacy. They need rest and comfort, as it is needed for them to continue their services, and venture outward. I am in doubt as to the workability of this suggestion, as trying to come up with a system that is purposefully designed to eliminate its own usefulness and improve resource accountability is quite a challenge. Heck, the greatest challenge is just trying to get any currency to properly represent resource availability. The last thing you want is someone creating paper out of thin air to buy stuff for free. Other alternatives to be explored. Truthfully, I find the idea of using currency to be inherently problematic. Fascinating how primitive peoples managed to get around without money; adapting such a system to our high tech world is another topic of interest. ~~~

That's what I'd like to know. Can't buy it at the moment. D:

Issue 1: SQUARE-CUBE LAW. Solution 1: Better materials, usually a composite of high-strength and high-compression materials. But, due to possible resource scarcity, this might not be the best solution. Solution 2: Increase height without increasing weight by making the internal structure more hollow. This is one of the structural factors that allowed the dinosaurs to roam our planet a million or so years ago. Solution 3: Decrease density, use lifting gas. This won't decrease the mass mind you, this will only reduce the structure's density relative to the surroundings. This is what allows whales to grow to massive sizes, and allows us to use blimps. Helium is good, but due to scarcity it needs to be recycled. Hydrogen also good; lighter, more plentiful, easily recycled, but flammable. Sufficient lifting gas content, especially in the upper body, will prevent the AC from falling over. For the sake of resource efficiency, or ephemeralization, it would be a good idea to integrate the skeletal structure with the armor. Redundancies may be appreciated, especially in the legs, if you want to keep your AC moving. It is also important to keep the legs heavy and the torso squat to prevent the AC from tipping over. ~~~ Issue 2: Energy. Considering ACs might be between 20-50 tons (more so for tank ACs and models before 5th Gen), great amounts of energy would be required to run these machines. Fossil fuels will have become extremely scarce, so other means of power generation would be required. List of candidates below. Flammable chemicals - From natural gas, ammonia, and other such plentiful sources of hydrogen, these chemicals can be used to run the AC, especially the nimble 5th Generation models. However, due to low energy density, one would need a much more efficient combustion engine. As well, over 30% of the AC's weight would have to be fuel, not counting the numerous electrical capacitors throughout the AC's body. 50% if you wanted to go on longer, and 90% if you wanted to leave Earth's gravitational well (as in the case of space shuttles) Photovoltaic - Covering the AC in solar panels like Superman or Space Marine Power Armor. The AC would be granted a plentiful source of energy, be it from the sun or infrared radiation ( ). Might even be installed in the engine compartment. Of course, covering the outside of the AC would mean that every time you got hit, you'd lose power generation. As well, your AC would have to look something like a tree to increase surface area. Thorium - Uranium-235 reserves would likely have been depleted in the future, so other sources of nuclear power would be required. Thorium is plentiful, and provides great energy density. However, considering the stability of Thorium, you'd need to either transmute it into Uranium, or use faster neutrons. Other technical issues exist also. Fusion-Boosted Fission Reactor - This method involves using a small source of fast neutrons to assist in splitting the nuclei of heavy elements such as Thorium. This is basically the same method used to boost so-called 'Hydrogen Bombs'. Of course, every time you turned on the engine, you'd need to produce a fusion reaction (between Deuterium and Tritium or such) to get these neutrons. Fusion - Current technical viability questionable. Basically you're using a micro-fusion reactor (Iron Man, Spartan John-117) to create a sustainable source of energy. Aneutronic methods exist, but they require rare fuels such as Helium-3. Infinite Energy Matter - Note, fictitious; existence in doubt. This involves using matter that has an infinite amount of kinetic energy (regardless of velocity) relative to our universe, allowing for an unlimited source of power. However, this presumes that there is such a thing as unstoppable matter. Feasibility questionable, as such a matter would need some means of control. It would need some means of 'redirection' since its kinetic energy is infinite in our universe. Also, such a matter would need a finite energy in its own dimension, otherwise its unstobbability would prevent it from creating stable particles (because unaccelerable objects pass through one another; they can't create matter in the first place). Aside from just generating power, you'd also need a means to store excess energy as well for later use. The frame would need numerous capacitors throughout the body to allow the AC to sprint, jump, and other such feats that require a sudden burst of energy. Generating power alone would just expend the AC's fuel supply. You'd also need a means of energy management to save on fuel or increase mobility. Remember, you need to be careful with your resources. ~~~ Issue 3: Armor and Defense Weight-to-weight (compared to tanks), the human form isn't exactly armor efficient. Horizontal platforms such as tanks and aircraft have much less area to hit (in the front). Trying to armor a vertical platform would require additional weight and coverage. One would need to figure a way to keep it protected without making it so heavy. Might have better luck wearing a suit of . Structural Integration - The armor and frame are one and the same, in the form of an exoskeletal design . This saves on weight and provides more internal room for things like sensors and capacitors. Redundancies - Instead of trying to armor the AC, one would simply increase the number of redundancies in the AC, allowing it to function despite receiving damage. Extra bones, more actuators (in the form of artificial muscles), more circuits. These multiple components might also increase performance, but at the cost of energy. Decrease Vertical Profile - 5th Gen AC are one example. Their profile is lower compared to older generations, allowing armor to be much more concentrated. This also allows for the use of those distinctive 'knee shields'. Decrease Horizontal Profile - For taller ACs, you'd have to make them less wide and more angular. Armor would be concentrated in the front, much like in 4th Gen ACs. Armor them anyways - Despite certain inefficiencies in the humanoid form, one cannot deny the amount of additional defense provided by limbs. Still, it is important to keep vitals such as legs and core armored. Mobility is about as important as keeping the pilot safe. ~~~ Other Issues Stability - Good thing ACs have multiple leg types. But for those sticking to the humanoid form, one must take into account the inherent instability from frontal forces (thus why in ACV they're portrayed as having a low firing rate). Hip joints are directed forward, and are most stable against forces from the rear. One would need a powerful gyroscopic sensor to compensate, or the upper body must be naturally buoyant. Firearm Recoil - Considering the size of AC firearms, they'd have to have some serious recoil. Either the bullets are miniature rockets, or the arms have excellent ability to process forces against the arm. Not that the firearm isn't equally massive, and one must take into account the weight of the arm as well. Firearms might have some form of recoil-cancellers to assist in recoil management as well. Piloting - Considering ACs aren't strictly humanoid in form, most likely the the interface would need to accommodate multiple forms beyond the humanoid one. Chances are that much of the processing is done by the machine rather than the human. Also, you'd need some way to dampen inertia or brace the pilot for lighter ACs. EMP Protection - The AC uses some very advanced technology, possibly involving micro electronics. For it to function would require that its outer shell serve as a Faraday Cage, while the important components are guarded by non-conductive materials. That means one cannot remote control an AC, and the AC would need to be controlled from the inside. RESOURCES - The greatest obstacle to producing ACs, considering they might weigh well within 100 tons (less than 50 for smaller models), is resources. Producing them would require knowledge in numerous fields, as well as reallocating existing resources into their production (thus why mundane vehicles suck compared to ACs). Money - A single quality AC would probably cost about as much as current powered exoskeleton prototypes, times 2000 (estimation based on price x weight). Tank ACs might likely be cheaper due to design simplicity. You'd have to throw the traditional monetary system out the window if you want to produce these things in greater numbers, with limitations now based on time, energy, and resources. Which makes me think, what the heck kind of currency do they use in the future? Other issues to be discussed later. ~~~ Stages of Production The definition of AC is much looser compared to mecha such as Gundam, therefore production of the first prototype would be much easier. First line of ACs will likely be Tanks, since they'd require little modification from existing armaments. Drive system would require significant modification to accommodate a single pilot. Second line of ACs would be Quads as balancing systems advance. Evolution would be slow, starting from simply skating across the ground to actual walking. This would also be an opportunity to develop other technologies. As balancing systems improve, ACs will take on a bipedal form. Then comes the development of boosters and nuclear reactors, which would be the final step in making what would be defined as a proper AC. Do also note, as a byproduct of AC development there would be to advancements in other technologies, such as propulsion, energy, electronics, structural engineering, etc. A single AC requires hefty education in numerous fields. By the time you produced a single AC, you'd have demonstrated and advanced our understanding of reality. The AC alone is a technological marvel. ~~~ Feasibility and Utility Long story short (and to save text), the human body can do many fancy things. Now scale that form up to 5 or 10 meters, give it the ability to fly, and imagine what one can do. Such a form would be useful in applications where height is needed, along with multi-functionality, durability, toughness, and endurance. Considering the AC is not restricted to a single form, it is useful in a variety of applications, while being able to specialize when necessary. The whole purpose of the AC is modularity and adaptability. At the same time, it utilizes a standardized template, allowing for mass production. Remember, it is an armored CORE. The humanoid form is simply the one we are most comfortable with due in part to human vanity. It's kinda like how Furries tend to make most of their fursona's humanoid, even though they're adding animal components. Of course, I'm pretty sure everyone is still curious about what it'd be like to scale the human form. Becoming like giants (of steel and ceramite) has been a persistent dream of people. I'd like FROM's details on AC design. They've never been clear with the blueprints.

Of course, as far as specifics... ACMoA (first game) - Began with a preference towards heavy armor. Weaponry varied, but settled for multi-missiles and WA-FINGER. Many AC designs were very fat. Heavy armor and lots of bullets were my solution at the time. Then again, I was more worried about aesthetics than actually building an AC. Never knew of H+ at the time. AC2AA (second) - Still going for heavy armor, still wanted dual missiles and a heavy blade. Ended up having to use other weapons since WA-FINGER was gone. And, as was usual, firepower and armor above all else. AC2 - Heavy armor, firepower. Adapted accordingly, but many designs leaned toward heavy. AC3 - Heavy again, now without multimissles. Still, I liked firing lots of missiles. Orbit weapons were fun to use too. Ended up settling with machine guns and missiles and heavy armor. Loved using the heavy EO core. S rank. ACSL - Still going heavy, but now started using lots more firepower. Would use solid EO cores in arena to fire more bullets. Oh, and now we got WA-FINGER again! The use of solid shields really gave me an edge. S rank. AC1 and ACPP - Started exploring armored core's past games. Very fun, learned the origin of some parts. Bought these games so I could start using MoA with H+ abilities. Still liked heavy though. ACNX - Slight degradation in choice of weaponry, with a significantly nerfed FINGER. But, as usual, heavy armor and firepower. Never go through a mission without a heavy EO core. Micromissiles were a fun addition, as was the use of hangars and tuning. S ranked lotta missions, but failed to get a certain cluster missile part. ACNB - The game that had me change the way I approached AC. But, even then, I kept everything nice and heavy. I'd have a much deeper exploration of other designs thanks to the arena in this game, but I'd still lean towards having firepower. Almost beat every mission, except the one where to had to keep track of your target. Ended up ignoring that. ACLR - Relatively unchanged. Still using heavy armor and firepower much of the time, but went on to explore medium options. Zanida had me filling her face with my dakka. Completed with S rank. AC4A - I CAN DODGE!!! Began using lighter designs since ACs had changed significantly. Had to do some serious relearning. Still going heavy, but there are times want to just fill the skies with lots of bullets and missiles. This was also the first game that I'd go online, so I also explored the use of anti-blader, heavy armor builds. To this day, still exploring anti-speed heavy armor builds. This is probably the first game I know that had competent A.I., so it was quite difficult. ACV - Now you can kick your opponent in the face? WONDERFUL. But damn the current choice of weaponry and the new limitations. Ended up with a new found fondness for tanks though. Traveling the world was slow initially, but I had a good opportunity to explore the scenery. Not that I didn't explore other designs. ACVD (not yet played) - Most likely, I'll go for a heavily shielded build and start kicking more faces.

A little far from the topic, but related and useful. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36HquPzdxf4 Also related.

Praise Darth Vader's wife.

YES. But I hope dual shielding is just as viable as before. You can never have enough defense.

.Method of offense. I will adapt accordingly, but I prefer keeping my battles wet and messy. No breathing room. Put them in a sticky situation. Keep em gagging.

Lol. I believe it's more of a reference to ACV's story. Supposedly, The Corporation must've been some alien/ancient entity that tried to save Mankind through the establishment of 'Father'. Thus, the experiment a century ago. However, those damnable rebels didn't like the gift offered to them, and screwed everything up. 'God' was left confused. "MANKIND. Y U NO ACCEPT GIFT!?" Now, 'God' is attempting once more to reach out to Man, through these mysterious ships that contain valuable resources. Or, perhaps these ships have been around for a while, and we're only just seeing them now that humanity left its concentration camp. After seeing some teaser footage, where we see some familiar structures such as Motherwill and the Cradles, I have a feeling there MIGHT be some connection to AC4A. Perhaps, after Thermidor's revolution back in AC4A, those Anti-Satellite Batteries managed to clear the way... at the cost of the Cradle's flight. Mankind had to seek refuge in a small area of the world, where outside entities kept their watchful eye over the remnants of humanity. Perhaps, there was a good reason for those Anti-Satellite Batteries. But this is just speculation, since From likes to be a tease.