Armored Core 2: Another Age In-depth AC Speed FAQ Version: 1.4 By: 'Collider' E Mail me at: ColliderMKII@Hotmail.com -Legal Junk- This is my work, and my work only. I worked hard on this information to help YOU. If you wish to use it on another web site ask me first. If you want to print this out for personal use, go ahead. But this FAQ is not to be reproduced in any way, shape, or form. It is for private use only. bla bla bla.... --Contents-- Opening: I: Booster info II: Speeds III: Speed Losses IV: Question & Answer V: Thanks and Credits VI: Version updates ******************** Opening ******************** I made this FAQ because I love lightweights. I wanted a better understanding about speed loss, and how it is measured out. Lots of people have helped me on this FAQ, and I couldn't have done it without them. This FAQ is almost done. Some irrelevant stuff is probably going to meet the cutting room floor, and the base information about speed is going to be finalized. This is coming to an end, so if you have any more questions, feel free to ask. When AC3 comes out, depending on how good it really is, I will probably begin on that speed FAQ, and perhaps even go way back to AC2 if I get bored enough. I have spent way to long on this one project. However, typically in a FAQ, the writer should do all he/she can to get the information. Well, I asked a number cruncher to see if they could find a speed loss equation. Vortexion tried, but seemed to make it more confusing then I wanted it to be. However, he did find a real interesting theory. He stated that the number of 4798 is the starting point of speed loss for the ZLN-EK1/SRRT, NOT the starting point for all leg parts. He stated something about dividing the legs weight by 1.25 to get the starting point of speed loss for a specific pair of legs. I have not been able to test this since I heard it as second hand information from some one else and have not been able to contact Vortexion. If you are a math genius, then take a look through the FAQ, and see if you can come up with an equation for speed loss. I would greatly appreciate it. ******************** I. Booster Info ******************** Legs and boosters are the two major decisive factors in your AC's over all speed. With heavy legs like the STVM, you probably will not be getting the max speed for the booster you have equipped. If you severely under load the AC, then it is a possibility. This design idea might leave you lacking in kill power or armor. Hopefully, this FAQ will give you enough information on speed loss to help you make the decision and build your AC in order to get the most speed, without sacrificing power and armor. Booster evaluation Boosters are self explanatory, they make your AC move, but some make an AC move faster. This time around they got the booster stats right. In Armored Core 2 there was a major flaw I pointed out. The ZBT-H4/T booster not only drained less and weighed less, but it boosted faster then the ZBT-GEX/3000 and the ZBT-Z1/ARTERE. This time, they have fixed the speeds and booster effectiveness. Here is a run down on the boosters. EBT-GE - The first boosters that the garage give you. They are junk, but they at least get the starter AC going. Max speed of 251 KPH (In the air). EBT-GE2100 - They are a step up from the EBT-GE, But are still junk. Their max speed is 273 (In the air) so they are better then the starters, but not by much. ZBT-H4/T - The godly booster from AC2 is toned down. With a max air speed of 360, it's a large step up from the first 2 boosters. EBT-V55 - These boosters, once again, not that great. Better then nothing, but still junk. Their max air speed is 295. ZBT-Z1/ARTERE - These are the best boosters if your AC has low draining parts. These are the boosters that get the max air speed of 404. They weigh considerably more then all the others, and drain more, so they are best suggested for low draining AC's, Or AC's without an energy weapon as its only, Or back up weapon. ZBT-GEX/3000 - These are the second best boosters. They get a max air speed of 379, don't drain allot, and weigh less then the ZBT-Z1/ARTERE. EBT-GR4300 - Another pair of junk boosters. These are simply the slowest boosters made. Max air speed of 251, with low drain. That's the only thing good about them, Low drain. ********** B. Speeds ********** This section will cover air and ground speed. Here is the catch in making an AC as fast as possible, And special thanks to Gelgoog IX for pin pointing this number: As long as your AC IN TOTAL weighs equal to, Or less then 4798 WP, It will get the max air speed possible for the boosters equipped. Here is the AC used to get the 4798 weight limit: Creator: Gelgoog IX AC Name: Callista Head: ZHD-2000/SV Core: ECL-ONE Arms: ZAN-303/S Legs: ZLN-EK1/SRRT Booster: ZBT-Z1/ARTERE FCS: VERTEX-720/W Generator: GR-XR/15000 Radiator: RBG-CM6 Inside: -- Extension: BEX-AA00 Back R: -- Back L: EWM-S608 Arm R: -- Arm L: LS-MOONLIGHT --------------------------- Here are the top speeds for each booster, Ground and air. Booster: Ground Speed: Air Speed: EBT-GR4300 314.4 251.5 EBT-GE 314.4 251.5 EBT-GE2100 342.0 273.6 EBT-V55 369.5 295.6 ZBT-H4/T 450.7 360.6 ZBT-GEX/3000 474.3 379.4 ZBT-Z1/ARTERE 505.8 404.6 Legs with Built in boosters: ZLC-M2/PIKE ???.? ???.? ELC-MLK0303 ???.? ???.? ELC-DISI ???.? ???.? ELC-HTT0808 ???.? ???.? ELC-C04T/CYOR ???.? ???.? ZLR-K196/RJ 484.8 231.2 ZLR-EE/STOL 511.0 235.6 ZLR-MOC200/FG 524.1 226.3 ZLR-ZIO/MATRIX 524.1 249.1 ZLR-TI/BUD 550.3 263.3 ZLR-ARROW 576.5 275.8 A really good thanks goes to Gelgoog for covering the legs with built in boosters. Although tank legs were not possible to get since none of them, even with the lightest equipment, would not meet the 4799 WP limit for fastest speed. *************** C: Speed Losses *************** Thanks to over 2 hours of work with Nosferatu over AIM, I have found the speed loss pattern. I only did it with air speeds, so here is a summery: For every 3 WP over you will lose .2 KPH off your speed. The pattern is like this: 2 2 1 2 2 I bet you're still confused. I was too. Below is a list of AC's starting with the AC that gets the 4798 WP for 404.6. Follow the loss of speed with the WP gained. ********* TEST AC'S ********* AC Name: Callista AC Weight: 4798 AC Speed: 404.6 Creator: Gelgoog IX Head: ZHD-2000/SV Core: ECL-ONE Arms: ZAN-303/S Legs: ALN-EKI/SRRT Booster: ZBT-Z1/ARTERE FCS: VERTEX-750/W Generator: GR-XR/15000 Radiator: RGB-CM6 Inside: -- Extension: BEX-AA00 Back R: -- Back L: EWM-S608 Arm R: -- Arm L: LS-MOONLIGHT AC Name: Test 99 AC Weight: 4799 AC Speed: 404.5 Creator: Nosferatu Head: ZHD-2000/SV Core: ECL-ONE Arms: EAN-02-BG Legs: ZLN-EKI/SRRT Booster: ZBT-Z1/ARTERE FCS: VERTEX-750/W Generator: HOY-B1000 Radiator: RGB-CM6 Inside:-- Extension:-- Back R:-- Back L: EWM-S608 Arm R:-- Arm L:ELS-7880 AC Name: Unit Zero AC Weight: 4800 AC Speed:404.5 Creator: Collider Head: EHD-WACS Core: ECL-ONE Arms: ZAN-303/S Legs: ALN-EKI/SRRT Booster: ZBT-Z1/ARTERE FCS: VERTEX-750/W Generator: HOY-B999 Radiator: RGB-CM6 Inside: -- Extension: -- Back R: -- Back L: EWM-S608 Arm R: -- Arm L: LS-MOONLIGHT AC Name: Unit 01 AC Weight: 4801 AC Speed: 404.4 Creator: Collider Head: EGD-WACS Core: ECL-ONE Arms: ZAN-303/S Legs: LZN-EKI/SRRT Booster: ZBT-Z1/ARTERE FCS: LODD-BLAZER Generator: HOY-B999 Radiator: RGB-CM6 Inside: INW-DEC-D0A Extension: ZEX-RS/HOUND Back R:-- Back L:-- Arm R:-- Arm L: LS-MOONLIGHT AC Name: Unit 02 AC Weight: 4802 AC Speed: 404.3 Creator: Collider Head: ZHD-GE/OHR Core: ECL-ONE Arms: EAN-02-BG Legs: ZLN-EKI/SRRT Booster: ZBT-Z1/ARTERE FCS: LODD-8 Generator: HOY-B1000 Radiator: RRX-COT-1550 Inside:-- Extension:-- Back R:-- Back L:-- Arm R:-- Arm L: LS-MOONLIGHT AC Name: Unit 03 AC Weight: 4803 AC Speed: 404.3 Creator: Collider Head: ZHD-2000/SV Core: ECL-ONE Arms: ZAN-303/S Legs: ZLN-EKI/SRRT Booster: ZBT-Z1/ARTERE FCS: LODD-8 Generator: HOY-B999 Radiator: RGB-CM6 Inside: INW-DEC-D0A Extension:-- Back R:-- Back L: EWM-S612 Arm R: EWG-HG-ART Arm L: ELS-3443 AC Name: Unit 04 AC Weight: 4804 AC Speed: 404.2 Creator: Collider Head: EHD-NIGHTEYE Core: ECL-ONE Arms: ZAN-303/S Legs: ZLN-EKI/SRRT Booster: ZBT-Z1/ARTERE FCS: LODD-8 Generator: HOY-B1000 Radiator: RGB-CM6 Inside:-- Extension: BES-AA00 Back R:-- Back L: EWM-S612 Arm R:-- Arm L: ELS-3443 AC Name: Unit 05 AC Weight: 4805 AC Speed: 404.1 Creator: Nosferatu Head: ZHD-2000/SV Core: ECL-ONE Arms: EAN-02-BG Legs: ZLN-EKI/SRRT Booster: ZBT-Z1/ARTERE FCS: DOX-125 Generator: HOY-B1000 Radiator: RGB-CM6 Inside:-- Extension:-- Back R:-- Back L: EWM-S612 Arm R:-- Arm L: ELS-3443 AC Name: Unit 06 AC Weight: 4806 AC Speed: 404.1 Creator: Collider Head: EHD-NIGHTEYE Core: ECL-ONE Arms: ZAN-303/S Legs: ZLN-EKI/SRRT Booster: ZBT-Z1/ARTERE FCS: DOX-ALM Generator: HOY-B1000 Radiator: RGB-CM6 Inside:-- Extension: BES-AA00 Back R:-- Back L: EWM-S612 Arm R:-- Arm L: ELS-3443 AC Name: Unit 07 AC Weight: 4807 AC Speed: 404.0 Creator: Nosferatu Head: ZHD-GE/OHR Core: ZCL-XA/2 Arms: ZAN-303/S Legs: ZLN-EKI/SRRT Booster: ZBT-Z1/ARTERE FCS: LODD-8 Generator: HOY-B1000 Radiator: RGB-CM6 Inside:-- Extension:-- Back R:-- Back L: EWM-NAP-02 Arm R:-- Arm L: ELS-7880 AC Name: Unit 08 AC Weight: 4808 AC Speed: 403.9 Creator: Nosferatu Head: ZHD-2000/SV Core: ECL-ONE Arms: EAN-02-BG Legs: ZLN-EKI/SRRT Booster: ZBT-Z1/ARTERE FCS: DOX-PG2 Generator: HOY-B999 Radiator: RPS-MER/SA Inside:-- Extension:-- Back R:-- Back L: EWM-NAP-02 Arm R:-- Arm L: ELS-7880 AC Name: Unit 09 AC Weight: 4809 AC Speed: 403.8 Creator: Nosferatu Head: ZHD-GE/OHR Core: ZCL-XA/2 Arms: ZAN-303/S Legs: ZLN-EKI/SRRT Booster: ZBT-Z1/ARTERE FCS: DOX-ALM Generator: HOY-B1000 Radiator: RGB-CM6 Inside:-- Extension:-- Back R:-- Back L: EWM-NAP-02 Arm R:-- Arm L: ELS-7880 AC Name: Unit 10 AC Weight: 4810 AC Speed: 403.8 Creator: Collider Head: ZHD-AG/TURRET Core: ECL-ONE Arms: EAN-02-BG Legs: ZLN-EKI/SRRT Booster: ZBT-Z1/ARTERE FCS: VERTEX-124/EE Generator: HOY-B1000 Radiator: RGB-CM6 Inside:-- Extension:-- Back R:-- Back L: EWM-NAP-02 Arm R:-- Arm L: ZLS-400/SL If you follow the pattern, you might notice the ONE SINGLE THING, which has me, baffled and has the speed equation at a stand still. It appears to skip on the .0's. Should the .0 be the speed point repeated, it will NOT repeat two times as it should. It will skip a point. Some time if I am VERY VERY bored, I will continue the pattern of building AC's with a 1 WP increase. Maybe that will answer some questions. ******** D: Q & A ******** When I first made this FAQ and had it posted, there were some questions that people had. Here, I will post question, and the answer as best as I can. Whackamole asks: Q: Is loss linear with gained WPs (once you are over the minimum)? e.g. your speed drops Y for adding X WP to your current total, no matter what. Start at 4800 or 8800, add the same X, and slow down by the same Y. A: While I have not pinpointed how much KPH You lose for each WP, I'm pretty sure that it is a constant. Like just for example, say that you go 5 WP over 4798, you might lose 2 KPH. If you go 10 over you will lose 4, Then 6, 8, 10, 12 and so on. But until i find an AC combo that gains just one WP Over 4798, And 2, 3, 4, and 5 WP over 4798, I wont be able to test this. But i will keep searching. Q: Is loss constant across all boosters (maybe to some absolute minimum)? e.g. The craptastic GE3400 boosters slow down (lol) by Y when X weight is added to the test AC. So do the Artere and H4/T and all other boosters. A: All the boosters have a set speed, and they will all lose the same speed from the same WP added. Higher grade boosters do not lose more speed then lower class boosters. Mechwarrior15 asks: Q: do boosters affect OBs or not. I am pretty sure its just the core but not 100%? A: I have narrowed down the starting point of OB speed loss between 7300 WP total, And 7400 WP total. Somewhere in between the loss in speed will begin. This is as exact of an answer as i can give on that subject of OB speeds. Each core has a max speed, and that speed starts to drop between a total of 7300 and 7400 WP. The booster has no effect on the OB. ********************* : Thanks and Credits ********************* Special thanks: To the people at the AC2:AA that helped me out with leg run downs (I'm afraid that the information you provided was lost in a HD reformatting, or was left on the cutting room floor. Thanks any way). Special thanks to Gelgoog, Because he could have done this faq long before I could have, And he provided me with vital information that changed the way I was going on this. Thanks again man. Sid, AKA Nosferatu, you saved me from about 4 hours of AC construction. Thanks a lot. ******************* : Version Updates: ******************* This FAQ will be finished in a later version: Update will include finalized leg run down, and tank/internal booster testing. (1/25/02)Version 1.0: Basic faq. First draft (1/27/02)Version 1.1: After being posted, I noticed typos galore. I Fixed those. (3/2/02)Version 1.2: Figured out exact KPH losses for each WP, and listed that AC's that the data was figured out with. (9/1/01)Version 1.4: Skipped 1.3, such a minimal change. I cut a bunch of stuff, and tried to make it look like it was close to being finished because it is. Only a few more bits and pieces of information are left to be added. The most recent version of this FAQ will always be found at Gamefaqs.com. This FAQ is also posted at: www.PSXcodez.com www.neoseeker.com