Armored core Lore: An Armored Core series timelines theory

[@armoredcorelore]

Some notes: Why call it a theory ACL? Because I believe in presenting what I have and letting people make their own choice. I have always said I am not here to correct people, if people do not want acv to be connected to ACFA. I say go ahead, all I am here to do is present what has been found and hope to make an enjoyable video. I did make mistakes in this video including J crafts name and calling the corporation, the foundation. Sources for all the information in this video can be found in the description. Special thanks: Anatolia Mercenary for showing me the acvd LINK and Saint Andrew on the ACL discord for our talk on the line 'the league gave their lynx saviours glowing eulogies.' While it is possible to give a eulogy to a person very much alive, this is so rare that I believe as they suggested that Wynne and stayed both where killed by the league. Along side the remaining orca members to save face. After all dead people tell no tales.

[@Azuchilimited]

I know this is a bad time but... *Butters a Crumpet* ARMORED CORE LORE. ☕🥐💂🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Who's up Buttering their crumpets rn, say I. 🗿

[@Azuchilimited]

Consider this. To support your overpopulation theory, and natural catastrophes being a cause of destruction and degradation of civilization, it makes alot of sense logically if you think about expansion and people setting up new places that are NOT ideal to live by, say... As an example, starting a town less than 50 miles from a volcano, or less. Overpopulation, perhaps the wars were started and lies were spread about catastrophes and resources causing a major draft across the population to participate in conflict to die intentionally, with no real goal of actually winning, to cut down on the numbers, and to clear establishments settled and lived upon? Imagine the effectiveness over asking nicely or choosing someone to pay out over it.

[@TKUltra971]

Man this was some of your best work yet! I'm actually impressed over here as a AC noobie. Love my dark futures, and mecha bots. Not to mention the jams, oh boy the music in these games.

[@armoredcorelore]

@@Azuchilimited Ha ha honestly i don't know what to say.

[@armoredcorelore]

@@Azuchilimited Well to be honest the theory comes from the pages of fact book of armored core 5. However it so very unclear that that i ended up having to try and put two and two together. By the way can i say your idea is very well written.

[@seihai-kun6726]

I like the idea that 4 and 4A are the start of the timeline, which then splits in two, with the closed plan ending leading to 1&2 eventually going to mars and the destruction/league endings resulting in a continued state of war through 5&5VD eventually leading to 3's timeline after the earth's surface becomes completely uninhabitable (the silent line satellites were part of the system that would have been destroyed by 4A's Orca route but remained operational in the other endings). Eventually the timelines reconverge and 6 takes place in the far future with echoes of past eras' tech still present (like the IBIS series).

[@armoredcorelore]

A fair idea to me.

[@biz117]

you know the vid is fire when you hear aaaaarmored core lore

[@armoredcorelore]

Ha ha you are too kind. I still have so much to learn i feel.

[@NileFive]

I always wished ac6 being connected to ac4/V wasn't completely shut down by From soft and instead left it to speculation. The ending of Ac4a opening to space travel and The Vascular Plant being basically a tower from acV fitted well with ac6, but I understand that these are mostly just reused ideas without any true lore connection.

[@CptJistuce]

AC2 having humanity travelling in space ALSO fits well with 6. I feel it is intentional that AC6 doesn't take place in the solar system. Even if it IS connected to another AC game, the large separation in both distance and years makes any preceding events irrelevant to the current setting.

[@armoredcorelore]

Well while they did, we can have fun putting it somewhere on a timeline. Again AC2AA is a fave for me but ac6 is years and years ahead of it.

[@alif6070]

i do have theory of ninebreaker is canon in gen 3 timeline here some of theory i have -the ninebreaker story is a training ground created by mysterious group that barerly mention who they are, but they did created a huge training ground to train a raven. -LR raven is only show up in last raven(new protagonist) but able to win a biggest climax war in that era in 24hr, a newcomer just show up and become a mvp in biggest conflict on that time only be explain by strong potential or already trained. -there might be indication people know a huge conflict will erupt from tension since silent line, and thus try to create strongest joker card to break the conflict at climax so it can end the conflict once and for all -these people use training raven as disguise from corporation to avoid suspicion of their main goal, as making that huge training facility will 100% drawn attention of those huge corporation, and the corporation also send their people to do this training as well example zinaida -when the LR raven win against zinaida she did say she train hard but, also doesn't reconize LR protagonist this can be answer there might be more than 1 secret training facility -the training facility might already built in nexus with evangel as the first training subject, a new comer with big achivement of skill are either from potential or from training, he did indicate some clue that he still a trainee or something on his dialogue in nexus when talking with nexus raven -and thus i think ninebreaker raven and LR raven is same person created to end the conflit with years long tension since armored core 3 if you disagree or have other opinion feel free to reply, i actually enjoy it and it might a be new information for me

[@armoredcorelore]

Funny enough i have heard this theory and many others like it from others too. Between the 50 year gap between ACSL and nexus. Its suggested this unknow person could have been another Layrad ai who knew about unknown weapon and was training a raven to one day overthrow the rouge ai. Another one is that Jack-o and a few other ravens where behind the events of armored core Ninebreaker using the money they made as mercenaries to fund the training. But i would agree personally it could fit into the 50 year gap which would explain why the unknown sender was worried that ravens would grow weak from not battling. Generations of pilots could pass on and unless someone is training new ones, the corps might have an easy time making the world theirs. Another theory i do like this the training is a secret government project. This way they could keep an eye on the corporations, but also see what fire power they could hire.

[@alif6070]

@armoredcorelore now that you mention goverment this might be reason how the goverment take control on gen 3 timeline, if fan theory about gen 1 and gen 3 are set in the same timeline but different part of Earth. Also as LR set time maybe at same time of gen 2 because gen 2 parts being available on LR and LR psp, maybe the Earth goverment let Alliance be independent to deal against drone attack while also supply parts of gen 1 and gen 2 under the Alliance as distributor also the ninebreaker program can be on how the goverment give a leash on Alliance as Corporation always try to not under other power. This might be make senses on gen 6, if Lesser company like baws just one of their Factory are Miles/kilometer Wide on the level we meet allmind bots, then balam and arquebuss will be huge and powerfull, and pca must have Trump card to hold those two Corporation on their place, an elite super Soldier with hundreds of years more perfect from ninebreaker program will definitely able to put those Corporation on spot.

[@corvus9359]

Taking into account the ending monologues of the ACFA endings and the information we get from 5th Gen media, it really does seem clear that the ORCA ending is the canon ending of ACFA that leads to the 5th Gen games. In the League ending it was said that the Cradles kept flying and the people living in them forgot about the threat to the Cradles, meaning nobody restarted the Closed Plan and Kojima contamination continued to worsen as before, which means death for humanity. In the Destruction ending, it was said that Strayed destroyed the Cradles, which would mean there would be no one left to restart the Closed Plan, not to mention the most powerful Lynxes who could've stopped him were all killed at Arteria Carpals. The fallen cradle in Verdict Day was likely shot down when Old King attacked Cradle 03, which he said he was going to do with or without Strayed. The ORCA ending is the only path that has the path to space opened and the 4th Gen corporations leave the Earth.

[@armoredcorelore]

I'll be honest this is more my personal opinion then cold hard lore facts. I just don't think the league or the corporations would give up, not matter how down they might be. Its again just a feeling i get after my time with the corps, i could be wrong and i hope one day from will come out either and say we did not have a cannon ending or gives us one. But i think the time may have passed for that ha ha.

[@Nomadic_Gaming]

the ac 2 and 3 era of games were something really special all the stuff they experimented w between silent line and last raven were decent to hit and miss but post last raven and 4th gen the games really changed hard from the older style to 4th gen then again in 5th gen now w 6th we have a great rounded mix of the prior gens id honestly throw money at the screen to see the old games remade in the 6 engine and setup and bringing those old games back in what can be argued to be the best overall ac game engine and design gameplay wise

[@armoredcorelore]

I agree i think it be neat for newer players to be able to experience to the older games.

[@andrewrogers3067]

While it is cool to theorize, Armored Core 10 complete works guide confirms they’re seperate timelines, and Miyazaki said 6 had no ties to prior games.

[@randomanon8408]

Can you post a link with an accurate source? I really don't want to go on a scavenger hunt to confirm your comment, potentially spending hours to confirm something you wrote in a minute.

[@HeyPachuco]

define separate timelines, as in, different eras or completely different universes with the same name?

[@andrewrogers3067]

@@HeyPachucoDifferent universes

[@andrewrogers3067]

@@randomanon8408Check the English translations for “Armored Core 10 complete works guide Timeline” on the wiki. As for Miyazaki, the infamous “Armored Core 6 will not be like souls” also includes a quote from him

[@HeyPachuco]

@@andrewrogers3067 was making sure because if im correct i argued (if not defending the argument) that All armored core games don't share the same timeline, as is instead that they recall certain aspects of the previous games like nostalgia, such as memories of Nineball scattered across the Universes, the use of the title "Raven" and many more referencial traits. i was hoping this was the case because of those general traits that they all shared, and how vague the stories were isolated from the previous eras. like I get theres visual evidence of relics of the past like Verdict days crashed cradles, arms forts, and the NWG9 Mech fought in verdict being a testament of White glints existence. it still feels like they weren't really connected.

[@MrWaifuTaker]

I imagine Strayed going out like an evil version of Noble Six regardless of what ending there is in ACFA.

[@Godzilla2000X]

There is actually an in-game character that connects 4 to 5. The final boss of Verdict Day is a rebuilt White Glint AC and its powered by probably the last kojima reactor.

[@armoredcorelore]

I feel like i may have mentioned him our black white glint.

[@Ikcatcher]

It's so funny how humanity in timeline 2 spend 187 years underground after the apocalypse, only to cause the apocalypse again 50 years later

[@armoredcorelore]

AC humanity does seem to like apocalypse.

[@dhoffnun]

From loves their cycles

[@armoredcorelore]

@@dhoffnun Oh they do.

[@crimeman621]

13:52 Day after Day one might say

[@armoredcorelore]

Points to you, i like it.

[@huycan9518]

I'm pretty sure that the first two timeline got their ends, while the 3rd timeline, war keeps going on, even those who got left behind still have to move on within nearly... a millennium

[@armoredcorelore]

They certain do which made the theory part of this video more the third timeline then anything else =)

[@SilverGlint]

Aaaarmoored Core looooreee. I think the AC3 timeline is still my favourite, at least when it comes to the setting

[@armoredcorelore]

Glint! Hope things are well with you and it is a good timeline you picked there. The epic end of last raven what a way to finish a timeline.

[@foxhoundms9051]

The first timeline is the best imo. I first entered that world in 1998 at 8 years old and never left.

[@armoredcorelore]

A raven who never left the nest. Nice.

[@celebrityashlynx]

I love this channel. You're pretty good.

[@armoredcorelore]

Thank you for the kind praise. I will try to keep it up.

[@TKUltra971]

OH man oh man a TIMELINE video? Dude you spoil your viewers! Thanks 😎!

[@armoredcorelore]

I did promise it and many other video before i went on break so i better start batting them out.

[@Plus_Escapee]

For all we know, augmentation surgery may have been precisely what led to Human Plus in the very, very first game, or it was conducted on Rubicon 3 to avoid government oversight in a universe that was already well acquainted with it's horrors and the super-pilots responsible for countless disasters. Who knows? Maybe coral's life extending properties have synergy with enhancement surgeries that also extend life (if you survive the procedure and subsequent battles). Combine those factors with suspended animation (possibly cryo-storage) and you could build a stock of pilots to store away that have an extremely long shelf life. Considering all of that, perhaps there exists hidden people who have survived the entire timeline, with the passing centuries or even millennia meaning little to them.

[@armoredcorelore]

And that's the sentence of the day who knows? From certainly left the door open.

[@camera_man115]

Ah a nice start to the year extra details with the timeless which is always lovely to see like which of the first 2 ravens we play is was the phantasma raven what the time gaps are meant to be and even ac5 wiki that you mentioned amazing work as always ACL Got a question with the extra media how long does it take you to translate them

[@armoredcorelore]

Thank you and happy to answer. I don't translate them myself and instead seek out translators to do the work for me, which is where most of the money this channel makes goes too. Usually depending on the text this takes around 3 to 5 days or more.

[@ThatMetalheadMan]

I have head canon of 6 being in the original gen 1 and 2 timeline, with augmentation being literally just Human Plus and it having undergone several generations and no longer being something secret and to a select few but basically done as a rule.

[@NotMadJoe]

Well augmented Human is just the more accurately translated name for Human Plus. In JP there is no distinction between augmented Human and Human+

[@ThatMetalheadMan]

@@NotMadJoe Which makes my head canon stronger lol

[@armoredcorelore]

Go with it! Sometimes head cannons are more fun then what we have =)

[@MrWaifuTaker]

Pre-watch thoughts: I have the mental image of Dark Raven and Strayed picking a fight with one another over who is being talked about in ACVD by Maggie lmao

[@armoredcorelore]

Ha ha in a dark corner of space.

[@georgemam4804]

Thanks for this!!! I've seen a few timeline theories before, and I still had a lot of questions.

[@armoredcorelore]

No problem, as i said this is all i have on hand at the moment. So hopefully it answered so questions you had.

[@georgemam4804]

@armoredcorelore some of them. And created new ones. Now I just have to pray... For Answer...

[@armoredcorelore]

@ Ha ha, well i hope you'll find your answer. I'm always happy to share anything else i find.

[@Azuchilimited]

If I get ahold of my Armored core collection again and find a method of recording from PS2, I may actually have some videos available anywhere in the foreseeable future, I've got lots of time to catch up based on the timelines logic.

[@armoredcorelore]

Emulation i say is fair game now. And i say that because people are getting so greedy with thier prices for ac games like games are meant to be played people.

[@danierick100]

Armored core 6 has to be connected with Armored core 5 somehow with the space garage scene DLC in Armored Core: Verdict Day and the armored cores destroyed parts(AC 5 core part appears as being destroyed) in the first reveal trailer of Armored core 6 showed in the game awards.

[@pancholopez8829]

Until that happens, it is its own timeline. So pray for AC6.5 or 7 to be the case.

[@jrockoclock7088]

This isn't that solid of a connection but I'm pretty sure "overed" terms all come from the IV-VI games. The helicopters and some MTs match the designs from IV and V. And obviously the mechs have some form of kojima particle technology/primal armor. It also logically flows from the Orca ending and could take place almost any time after that

[@huycan9518]

The timeline of 6 already issued that has no connection to previous timeline. Armored Core in 6th is being called a relic lol.

[@armoredcorelore]

Well while we do have the director of the game saying its it own thing. I like to think its years and years into future of ac2.

[@jrockoclock7088]

@armoredcorelore That's a fair point, I had sort of thought that was up to interpretation like V being its own thing compared to IV but they're still connected. I also oscillate between thinking it's a continuation and thinking its a reboot of essentially 2, 3 and 4 jammed together

[@johnprice6271]

I have a hard time accepting that AC6 isn't connected to any timeline. Besides being so far in the future that ANY timeline would make sense, it just feels like a diservice to all the previous games to leave them abandoned as opposed to letting us theorize about if and how we got from 2AA/LR/VD to 6. VD especially, since the rebirth of a god damned NEXT would re-ignite the need for more advanced ACs (without the use of Kojima) post 10 year war and as humanity got to space.

[@armoredcorelore]

Which is fair, while on paper and the director of the game saying there is no connection. Like you say i think the far off future is very possible to connect it. My honest thought i would say the end of the first timeline with ac2aa being a good spot.

[@ACFoxeye]

If we get any direct continuation to 6, I have a feeling the Liberator route will be canonized.

[@armoredcorelore]

You know what i think there going to go with fire of Rubicon ending that or we will get a and it was all lost to time so nobody knew what happened.

[@cryogenicstardust9245]

During discussions of 'canon' fA endings, I have a difficult time accepting the Orca ending as canon and not the Destruction ending. Only because the Closed Plan is funded by Omer Science. And, personally, it just sucks hard that Strayed just goes along with the corporate ending.

[@HeyPachuco]

i don't think my comment will show here because its either too long or it detected an "insensitive word" so ill cut it short, to be fair: all endings are not canon (IMO) it makes sense that way because no matter which ending you pick. the league lives, and they seize the space frontier, no matter what the FA protagonist picks.

[@cryogenicstardust9245]

@HeyPachuco Agreed

[@AnatoliasAce3341]

But the League canonically went to space. So the ORCA ending must be canon.

[@cryogenicstardust9245]

@@AnatoliasAce3341 I liked to believe the Closed Plan would lead into something similar to AC2 with the massive push to move humanity into space, but 5/VD exists.

[@AnatoliasAce3341]

@@cryogenicstardust9245 It mentions how the League was afraid of endless war, so they built the Towers and ran to space, and never returned to earth.

[@RX782GP03]

"Big robot go brrrr!!!" -cheering from the grand stands of the formula league.

[@armoredcorelore]

Sadly FF is so out there it does not fit in the timelines official. But there is room in that 50 year gap between silent line and nexus.

[@RX782GP03]

small hypothesis. because of FF, there are tons of AC parts around which gives way for warlords to arm up and then counter point. FF would mean way too many AC's for the great destruction to even happen.

[@armoredcorelore]

@@RX782GP03 From give me a FF timeline! ha ha. I want a happy one!

[@RX782GP03]

@armoredcorelore it's the only ACVerse that any of us want to be transported to

[@armoredcorelore]

@@RX782GP03 True, True indeed.

[@exterminatus_now]

I actually prefer the disconnect in timelines for each Gen, or the that they are possible alternative reality continuations like from 4/4A to 5 where there are connections but too many inconsistencies.

[@armoredcorelore]

Which is fair, i like to think from has started to lean towards being more open with thier lore as to allow players to make their own choices.

[@exterminatus_now]

@armoredcorelore I wish they'd actually lean more into player-driven storytelling with Faction reputation/alignment. I loved in 4A that it let you pick contracts based on Employer and specifically stated at New Game that your first AC was sponsored by one of the big Corps.

[@armoredcorelore]

@ Honestly that would be fab. I'd love an ac game even if it was short where you could be a corporate ac and do only crest like run and etc.

[@blagojpejov4155]

Nice video of the timelines of the best mech game

[@armoredcorelore]

Thank you.

[@unknownas9705]

we need see all hangars (specially of gen 5)

[@armoredcorelore]

A garage video. Might put one on the other channel like i did with chromehounds.

[@lore9828]

I think Armored Core 6 could fit in either the first or second timeline, just far in the future, as it doesn't happen on earth, and it's technology is more advanced than the one seen in those two timeliness, I know it is confirmed that it's a separate time line but still, it wouldn't be that far fetched

[@armoredcorelore]

You know personally i would agree. It could fit into the first timeline after ac2aa with humanity already being in space and like acfa till acv it takes place hundreds of years into the future.

[@shepardren8006]

Personally. I do think they are connected. To a point. I think Development wise that behind the scenes it’s easier to explain away certain aspects and details if every generation is separate to an extent. But again. FromSoft is the only Development Studio that doesn’t add in Easter eggs or past enemies just because. There’s a purpose. They’ve always done things with purpose. I have two timeline theories of my own. 1 Every game that has a 9-Ball featured is a continuation of a certain history. Then. It separates at Generation 3.5 or Gen 4 and onwards. Theory 2 Everything is connected through and through. It’s not completely unreasonable to think that Humanity within the AC universe would never learn its lessons from the end of Gen 1. And just keep bombing themselves underground or even into outer space over and over. Each Generation picking up where Humanity and/or a Raven reaches a fixed crossroads and chooses an outcome. But because humans never retain the lessons it learns…we are back at square one again by the beginning of the next generation. I think AC6 is not just another retelling. I think the Earth has become so bombed out and stripped of resources we have traveled our solar system and carried our failures with us.

[@armoredcorelore]

Which is grand! I think there is lot more fun to be had with timelines if there is wiggle room. Its these different ideas that create conversations and i think makes the games more enjoyable for some people.

[@Dynamatt172]

Mabey the real timeline is the friends we made along the way.

[@armoredcorelore]

Ah the power of friendship.

[@Commandocat]

If the timelines were connected imagine how old chrome and murakuma are at the time of ac6 basically corporate relics from thousands of years ago

[@armoredcorelore]

I like to think if they where Chrome and Murakuma would basically have shifted into being members of the earth government and have this hatred for new corporations as they thought being in charge of the government would be profitable.

[@Commandocat]

@armoredcorelore id honestly love to see a remake of ac1 with all its game mechanics left in place

[@armoredcorelore]

Oh it be fun. Dam tank legs and that last level ha ha

[@lazysylph3312]

To think, by ac6, the OG Kurosawa (And even kojima weapons) are just… semistandard AC equipment. Crazy.

[@sadriposting]

i always heard that PP was a prequel of AC1 and MOA was a sequel of AC1. In my opinion MOA is more like a mini reboot of AC1.

[@armoredcorelore]

I have heard this too. However the timeline found in the book i mentioned armored core 10 the complete works place the event happening right in the middle of the years of AC1 which is why i suggest that the raven of ac1 does this as a side job before coming back to finish nineball.

[@Tokumastu1]

Watching this makes me wish they'd re-release gens 1, 2 & 3 on more digital platforms.

[@armoredcorelore]

It would be be nice, just to be able to let new raven get a feel of the old piloting days.

[@Barry3819]

i really wish the armored core series was all just one timeline

[@armoredcorelore]

Would make it easier, but sometimes we do like complex things.

[@danprentice7073]

I do hope the next game is in the same continuity as Six, but I can't decide if it would be a sequel, prequel or so far in the future from the last game it is not affected by the previous games the different endings.

[@armoredcorelore]

Honestly i think I'd like a game about the Jupiter war which ends with ravens leak.

[@SA-mo3hq]

My head canon; AC4 - FA - 5/VD - AC + MoA + 3 + SL- Phantasma - 2 - AA ------- 6 I reckon Gen 1 and Gen 3 are contemporaneous, representing different subterranean complexes

[@armoredcorelore]

We know there was other underground cites, so why not i say.

[@TrazioneIntegraleAWD]

damn i thought we were geting Amoredcorelore lore

[@armoredcorelore]

Ha ha oh my lore is far, far boring when compared to that of armored core itself.

[@savagediamonds1120]

So is strayed the name of the character you play as in for answer or someone else

[@armoredcorelore]

First one. Strayed is the cannon name given to the player character in Armored core for answer.

[@awman3966]

He cooked again🔥

[@armoredcorelore]

You are too kind. I think there is still much to learn.

[@notimportant768]

wait armored core 3 takes place over 10 years?

[@armoredcorelore]

So the armored core 10 complete works book suggests.

[@Luka72200]

Ye something interesting

[@armoredcorelore]

Thanks ha ha.

[@turretbarrage2707]

AH MER KOER LOWER

[@armoredcorelore]

Hmm well that is a new one.

[@astrea555]

finally

[@armoredcorelore]

I'd get there ha ha.

[@StoneCBears]

Keanu Reeves piloting his Shrieker AC and said nobody is better than him. Casually destroyed a cybernetic facility and other ACs defending it in cold blood. No one is better than Keanu Reeves.

[@armoredcorelore]

Oh yes him and his core ha ha.

[@sillyman357]

7 minutes ago :)

[@armoredcorelore]

?

[@sillyman357]

@armoredcorelore sorry I forgot to specify, I posted the comment when I first saw the video, and the video had been released 7 minutes prior to the comment

[@armoredcorelore]

@ Ah got ya now. Sorry i was going back to seven minutes in the video going what did i do wrong ha ha!

[@armoredcoreexile]

I'm watching Anime, or I'd watch this immediately. Give a minute. I'll figure this iut.

[@armoredcorelore]

Go watch anime, this will still be here ha ha.