Armored Core

"The test is over. From this moment on, you are... a Raven."

Armored Core is a third-person mecha action game released for the Playstation in 1997. It's had twenty-three games and at least four distinct timelines between them, but it generally lacks serious plot that needs to be addressed. There are, however, thematic and technological elements inherent in the games that ought to be addressed for integration.

This file will cover the varying timelines, some of which are not integrated or awaiting audits for future phases.

Armored Core 1

• A Better Future, Underground: In our adaptation, the Layered cities, such as the prosperous Isaac City, were instead built in response to the conflict with the Zentradi and populated by the not-insignificant number of doomsayers who survived it. They were subsequently proven correct during the following decades, much to the chagrin of the people who hadn't moved in. Effectively, they're PLANTs but designed to be terrestrial, and, as they were privately-funded, designed to be corporatocracies.

• The Ravens' Nest: A mediation group designed to facilitate contracting mercenaries, be they individuals or full-on PMCs, with those with the capital to afford them. Mercenaries that use the Nest's services are often referred to as "Ravens," and, in return for a modest fee taken out of mediated contracts, are granted resupply and repair services in many places in the Earth Sphere where Nest-aligned mercantile and mechanical interests reside. Notably, the Nest itself does nothing to support a Raven that gets themselves into trouble with their employers or their targets... unless a substantial breach of contract has occurred that may jeopardize the Nest's continued existence.

• Chrome: A corporate conglomerate based out of one of the Layered settlements, Isaac City. Chrome was a leading player in pharmaceutical and medical development, and fantastically wealthy due to its firm control of a metropolitan center and its ruthless exploitation of numerous precious mineral deposits on Earth. Chrome is a monolith in the business world, and through excellent marketing and product placement, sees very few vocal pushbacks to its continual attempts to quietly claw power away from the Federation government. Chrome was part of Amalgam, an organization which likewise seeks to divide the world into smaller pieces to distribute its power.

• Murakumo Millennium: Chrome's chief rival. Murakumo is renowned for its industrial technologies and manufacturing capacity, with a technical prowess that is constantly pushing the bleeding edge of science and industry. While not as widespread and wealthy as Chrome, Murakumo Millennium nonetheless does its damnedest to hamper Chrome's expansionist tendencies -- because it wants the power instead, of course. Murakumo is known for its orbital developments, for its production of high-end mobile weapon electronics... and, quietly, for its development of the Human PLUS program, a Cyber-Newtype project of questionable efficacy with compulsory participation written into the fine print of its mercenary contracts' failure clauses.

Phase 2 Adjustments

As of phase 2, much of the first Armored Core generation has been resolved. In the wake of the political and industrial turmoil of late 0097 and early 0098, Murakumo Millennium was pushed out of the market by the rising star of the Benerit Group. Meanwhile, Chrome's complicity in Amalgam operations resulted in a joint task force infiltrating Isaac City - and the battle within resulted in crippling damages to the Layered shelter. Faced with financial ruin, Chrome has since sold Isaac City to the Benerit Group (who in turn have re-sold parcels of it to private developers), and restructured into Balena, largely re-locating to Mars. The Ravens' Nest remains in operation as a network used by mercenaries - and the rogue AI that titled itself 'Hustler One' remains at large.

Armored Core 2

• The Isaac Treaty: With the Benerit Group's increasing dominance in the Earth Sphere's industries, and the re-consolidation of the New United Nations Earth, many mid-sized manufacturers faced increasing market pressures. In an attempt to avoid a rivaling financial coalition from these companies, a treaty was established shortly after the fall of Isaac City. Any corporations that could fund their own expeditions to Mars, with the intent to develop and secure the long-struggling planet, would see relaxed legal restrictions from Cathedra's auditors. Essentially a classic 'frontier settlement' scheme, the Isaac Treaty is an attempt to offload settling the ongoing chaos on Mars to the hands of corporations that'd threaten the balance on Earth. Many companies have since launched expeditions to this end - with three primary leaders in the race.

• Zio Matrix: A division of Nergal Heavy Industries, which remained independent as ever and resisted potential absorption into the Benerit Group. A number of its leading figures have a personal investment in seeing Mars return to prosperity, so it came as little surprise to see Nergal become a signatory to the Isaac Treaty - especially since it would lighten Cathedra's scrutiny on their commonly used IFS systems.

• Balena: The remnants of Chrome after extensive negotiations with the Benerit Group. The vast majority of the company has sent its key personnel and salvaged assets to Mars as the best deal its directors could muster. While the smallest of the three expedition leaders, it has the least to lose as well - and there's suspicions they're after some of the secrets Mars hides...

• Emeraude: A member of the Benerit Group itself, one that risked losing rating within the company to the point of expulsion. While they don't intend to act in enforcement on the other companies, it was considered useful for the Group to have some hand on the scale of Mars's fate.

• Disorder Units: A name given to a number of relic machines, mostly inert, increasingly unearthed on Mars. While their origins and workings are unclear, they're largely believed to be remnants of the Prehistoric Martian Super-Civilization.

Armored Core 3

Much of Armored Core 3 serves as a soft reboot timeline of the first game, and its elements are broadly present and were incorporated into a 1st-generation centric integration - the existence of multiple 'Layered' cities, whose governing AIs are 'Controller'-class systems. We haven't planned around major plotlines involving specific events from 3rd-generation games - however, they are likely workable for players who want to submit them as plot requests.

Armored Core 4 and 5

The far more desolate, post-apocalyptic and ultra-dangerous technology of 4th and 5th generation is somewhat incompatible with SRTMOO's setting at base. We would be willing to review a post-hoc application covering these potentially for Phase 3 events, however.

Armored Core 6

Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon is planned for consideration in Phase 3 - its very recent release means we have not yet planned around where it may fit in the setting. Given that there's been interest, we're likely to work with potential players for a clearer plot pitch in the near future.

The Robots

• Armored Core: Modular mobile weapons standing between 9 and 12 meters in height. Produced with the MULS-P2 standardization agreement in mind, Armored Cores are typically deployed by private militaries and individual paramilitary contractors who need to do more with less. Technologically, the average Armored Core is the AK-47 of the combat mecha world: it won't win any prizes for sleek, cutting-edge style, but it's easy to operate, easy to repair, and can take a serious beating due to a robust internal construction. The further from a "standard" humanoid design a given AC diverges, the less this is true, with quadrupedal variants, treaded designs, and even ground-skimming hovercraft fielded by more veteran pilots.
  • Armored Cores use a multi-monitor display to mimic a panoramic cockpit, with a floating HUD overlaid via secondary panel in front of the pilot's field of vision.
  • Curiously, ACs eschew standard design considerations to use a dual-battery system supported by an AC's own internal generator: standard operational power is handled with one battery, while the other is rapidly depleted and charged by the AC's generator. This allows them to be tuned for bursts of exceptional mobility or even fitted with energy weapons, including their now-iconic short-burn, high-intensity "laser blades."

• General Purpose Armored Cores: Stock Armored Cores are separately referred to as "General Purpose ACs," with the default assumption of an AC's usage implying heavy customization by the pilot. GP-ACs are sold by several major military manufacturers, and are largely attempts to do what a terrestrial-use Mobile Suit does but with cheaper and easier refits available. Many personalized Armored Cores begin their life as a GP-AC, and are gradually converted into a true AC as superior components become available.
  • Examples:
    • https://armoredcore.fandom.com/wiki/Heat_Wave
    • https://armoredcore.fandom.com/wiki/Ariake
    • https://armoredcore.fandom.com/wiki/Shiranui
    • https://armoredcore.fandom.com/wiki/Sagiri

• Muscle Tracers: Several of the nigh-infinite variations on the Wanzer, the Muscle Tracer is nominally geared towards heavy industrial use and practically outfitted with whatever weaponry a security force can bolt onto it. Muscle Tracers are a step backwards in modularity, being instead favored for the speed at which they can be stored, deployed, and even repaired once they are inevitably overtaken by conventional mobile weapons. Muscle Tracers are notable for being the step in the technological evolutionary ladder preceding GP-ACs, not for their overall combat effectiveness.