Armored Core in d20? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Armored Core in d20?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
firaeki
Mar 13, 2008 11:43:40 Now, I'm sorry if this has been done earlier on, but I couldn't locate it personally.

Looking at the current d20F Mecha system, I wondered if anyone knows a way to simulate the sort of mecha development in Armored Core with d20.

I'm not looking to specifically add AC parts, but to do something along the lines of having individual head, core (torso), arm and leg sets, throwing in things like the Boosters and FCS systems, then giving them 6 weapon slots: 2 Hand (Primary Weapons), 2 Shoulder (Extension), and 2 Back (Back Weapons).
#2
ben_fox
Mar 16, 2008 6:52:36 This is all off the cuff, but seeing as I just got done playing Last Raven and came up and saw this, I thought I'd give it a shot.

The best way to probably get started would be with a Huge mecha, since I seem to recall reading in one of the manuals that ACs stand between 20 and 30 feet tall. If you're looking to emulate the design system in terms of each part contributing AP and defensive stats, I would say take the bonus hit points a Huge mecha provides its operator and break them up proportionally across the 4 frame part categories, something like 50% of the bonus hit points provided by the core, 30% by the legs, 15% for the arms and 5% for the head or some such. For defensive stats, break up the hardness of your superstructure choice and and Defense bonus for armor the same way. So if you decide that a middleweight biped AC corresponds to a Huge mecha with Vanadium superstructure and Duralloy armor, the core would contribute 100 hit points, 10 hardness and 4 Defense to the AC's total. The core would also contribute a -4 armor penalty to the AC's total, as well. Likewise, a heavyweight biped might be equivalent to a mecha with a Neutronite superstructure and Megatanium armor with 2 slots used for structural enhancement; that core would provide 150 hit points, 12 hardness, 6 defense and a -5 armor penalty. Simply rinse and repeat for the different arms/leg styles, adjusting the mecha's base movement speed of 40 feet up or down depending on leg type (heavyweight biped and tank legs being slower, lightweight biped, quad and hover legs being faster). Then you pick a part from each set, total up the stats each part contributes, and you have an AC.

You could package a sensor system in with your head part to simulate the head functions provided in the game, perhaps emulating VS ECM performance by adding an equipment bonus to Computer Use checks made to break through jamming or operate sensors in high interference areas.

For boosters, I would say just use the Future book's Thruster Boots, only providing Good manueverability and a maximum flight duration of 3-5 rounds (since even the most flight-specced ACs without Human Plus/OP-INTENSIFY can manage only a few seconds of flight at a time in the game). To emulate the game, hover and tank legs cannot equip a booster, nor can they use the Jump skill.

FCS can kind of be emulated with the Oracle targetting system; perhaps lock window styles could be used as bases for certain feats the FCS grants; like an ND lock-type FCS providing Far Shot or a WS-type FCS providing Point Blank Shot.

Also, unless its changed in 4, extensions operate in pairs, so would only be one slot, but the 6th weapon slot could correspond to the Inside weapon category.

Of course, none of this simulates the weight/energy requirement balance you have to strike in the game, but I'll leave that as an exercise for the reader. It's off the cuff completely, but going along these lines should give you mecha that are roughly equivalent to what you'd get using the standard Future design specs but with the Armored Core design methodology.
#3
firaeki
Mar 16, 2008 17:50:52 Ben, that's some pretty good advice, thanks. I'll be using this information while I develop things. :3
#4
wolf_bladegx
Mar 27, 2008 2:33:43 Armored Core is a bit more difficult to pull off then some other games. Being an AC junkie I have been trying to keep that level of detail and veriety Armored Core presents. With the D20 system it's a bit hard to depict alot of stat veriety, it becomes "RP" veriety... so I took a leap of faith and made a "D100" conversion system for that particular game. easy to convert 20 to 100, and it allows a lot more detailed AC parts. Now instead of just having +1 to +10 FCS att bonus or whatever, you have +1 to +50 or up. still working on the system however, and I don't get to use it much (I'm the only AC fanboy in my group).
#5
ben_fox
Mar 28, 2008 18:28:36 I wanna see what both of you come up with. This has got me thinking about how to pull it off, as well, but I don't have anything really solid beyond the stuff I sketched out previously.
#6
Kira_Howler
Apr 02, 2008 21:53:09 The first thing we see with armor core is the parts are all modular. meaning that i can swap ur genrater with mine. the biggest problem especally with the newest armor core is the Primal armor, or Kojima barrier, that surrounds the unit, i have no clue how to incorperate that into a game. but the exchangible parts is easy make them cost alittle more then set a repar dc to change them out as well as a resail valiue as for the cores arms and legs all the modifers are in the D20 future and future tech books just have your pcs put together the limbs ahead of time.

or atleast this is what i think if you want my help:embarrass
#7
xaton
Jan 14, 2009 17:26:48 hmms well on the En damage stuff could seperate it to where energy weapons affect the new en shields in AC4 and if mechs dont have shields then it auto hits main hp. sort of like the halos over shield.

and mods that reduce damage in energy affect energy damage but not ballistic and missles. [mechwarrior fan ^^
#8
AnimeSniper
Jan 14, 2009 19:17:07 I have a couple PDF's and word docs from the AlternityRPG net resources page that deall with Mecha... it is in a different RPG setup but if you want to look at them then PM me with your e-mail and I'll send them your way!

You have anything related source material for Power Armor since that is what I am trying to work out a Construction method for them... so far I have them listed as an Oversized Medium or Large single man vehicle except for the two man version type from Blue Gender...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 firaeki Mar 13, 2008 11:43:40	Now, I'm sorry if this has been done earlier on, but I couldn't locate it personally. Looking at the current d20F Mecha system, I wondered if anyone knows a way to simulate the sort of mecha development in Armored Core with d20. I'm not looking to specifically add AC parts, but to do something along the lines of having individual head, core (torso), arm and leg sets, throwing in things like the Boosters and FCS systems, then giving them 6 weapon slots: 2 Hand (Primary Weapons), 2 Shoulder (Extension), and 2 Back (Back Weapons).
#2 ben_fox Mar 16, 2008 6:52:36	This is all off the cuff, but seeing as I just got done playing Last Raven and came up and saw this, I thought I'd give it a shot. The best way to probably get started would be with a Huge mecha, since I seem to recall reading in one of the manuals that ACs stand between 20 and 30 feet tall. If you're looking to emulate the design system in terms of each part contributing AP and defensive stats, I would say take the bonus hit points a Huge mecha provides its operator and break them up proportionally across the 4 frame part categories, something like 50% of the bonus hit points provided by the core, 30% by the legs, 15% for the arms and 5% for the head or some such. For defensive stats, break up the hardness of your superstructure choice and and Defense bonus for armor the same way. So if you decide that a middleweight biped AC corresponds to a Huge mecha with Vanadium superstructure and Duralloy armor, the core would contribute 100 hit points, 10 hardness and 4 Defense to the AC's total. The core would also contribute a -4 armor penalty to the AC's total, as well. Likewise, a heavyweight biped might be equivalent to a mecha with a Neutronite superstructure and Megatanium armor with 2 slots used for structural enhancement; that core would provide 150 hit points, 12 hardness, 6 defense and a -5 armor penalty. Simply rinse and repeat for the different arms/leg styles, adjusting the mecha's base movement speed of 40 feet up or down depending on leg type (heavyweight biped and tank legs being slower, lightweight biped, quad and hover legs being faster). Then you pick a part from each set, total up the stats each part contributes, and you have an AC. You could package a sensor system in with your head part to simulate the head functions provided in the game, perhaps emulating VS ECM performance by adding an equipment bonus to Computer Use checks made to break through jamming or operate sensors in high interference areas. For boosters, I would say just use the Future book's Thruster Boots, only providing Good manueverability and a maximum flight duration of 3-5 rounds (since even the most flight-specced ACs without Human Plus/OP-INTENSIFY can manage only a few seconds of flight at a time in the game). To emulate the game, hover and tank legs cannot equip a booster, nor can they use the Jump skill. FCS can kind of be emulated with the Oracle targetting system; perhaps lock window styles could be used as bases for certain feats the FCS grants; like an ND lock-type FCS providing Far Shot or a WS-type FCS providing Point Blank Shot. Also, unless its changed in 4, extensions operate in pairs, so would only be one slot, but the 6th weapon slot could correspond to the Inside weapon category. Of course, none of this simulates the weight/energy requirement balance you have to strike in the game, but I'll leave that as an exercise for the reader. It's off the cuff completely, but going along these lines should give you mecha that are roughly equivalent to what you'd get using the standard Future design specs but with the Armored Core design methodology.
#3 firaeki Mar 16, 2008 17:50:52	Ben, that's some pretty good advice, thanks. I'll be using this information while I develop things. :3
#4 wolf_bladegx Mar 27, 2008 2:33:43	Armored Core is a bit more difficult to pull off then some other games. Being an AC junkie I have been trying to keep that level of detail and veriety Armored Core presents. With the D20 system it's a bit hard to depict alot of stat veriety, it becomes "RP" veriety... so I took a leap of faith and made a "D100" conversion system for that particular game. easy to convert 20 to 100, and it allows a lot more detailed AC parts. Now instead of just having +1 to +10 FCS att bonus or whatever, you have +1 to +50 or up. still working on the system however, and I don't get to use it much (I'm the only AC fanboy in my group).
#5 ben_fox Mar 28, 2008 18:28:36	I wanna see what both of you come up with. This has got me thinking about how to pull it off, as well, but I don't have anything really solid beyond the stuff I sketched out previously.
#6 Kira_Howler Apr 02, 2008 21:53:09	The first thing we see with armor core is the parts are all modular. meaning that i can swap ur genrater with mine. the biggest problem especally with the newest armor core is the Primal armor, or Kojima barrier, that surrounds the unit, i have no clue how to incorperate that into a game. but the exchangible parts is easy make them cost alittle more then set a repar dc to change them out as well as a resail valiue as for the cores arms and legs all the modifers are in the D20 future and future tech books just have your pcs put together the limbs ahead of time. or atleast this is what i think if you want my help:embarrass
#7 xaton Jan 14, 2009 17:26:48	hmms well on the En damage stuff could seperate it to where energy weapons affect the new en shields in AC4 and if mechs dont have shields then it auto hits main hp. sort of like the halos over shield. and mods that reduce damage in energy affect energy damage but not ballistic and missles. [mechwarrior fan ^^
#8 AnimeSniper Jan 14, 2009 19:17:07	I have a couple PDF's and word docs from the AlternityRPG net resources page that deall with Mecha... it is in a different RPG setup but if you want to look at them then PM me with your e-mail and I'll send them your way! You have anything related source material for Power Armor since that is what I am trying to work out a Construction method for them... so far I have them listed as an Oversized Medium or Large single man vehicle except for the two man version type from Blue Gender...