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Hidetaka Miyazaki talks Armored Core 6 with IGN

Bartski

Gold Member



It’s easy to forget that FromSoftware president Hidetaka Miyazaki got his start working not on Dark Souls or Demon’s Souls, but Armored Core – the dense and gritty multiplayer mech series that defined the studio’s identity for almost a decade. Having decided to pursue a career as a game designer after playing Ico, Miyazaki’s first project was Armored Core: Last Raven, which was released in the heyday of the PS2 in 2004.



Looking back on Armored Core 4, which marked his directorial debut, Miyazaki muses in an exclusive new interview with IGN, “[It] was a time when I had to learn a lot in regard to both the technical aspect and the design aspect of game development. So you could really call it my starting point for game development.”

Since then, FromSoftware has established itself as the Soulsborne studio, reeling off hits like Bloodborne and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. It reached its apex with Elden Ring, which was released to rave reviews and went on to sell 17.5 million units. So how do you follow what is generally regarded as the best game of 2022…and possibly one of the best games of all time? For Miyazaki, it’s by rewinding the clock.

Announced during last week’s Game Awards, Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon is another fresh start for the series, this time setting its action on a remote planet called Rubicon 3 – a world where companies and organizations battle over a “mysterious new substance” that causes a planet-wide catastrophe. Miyazaki himself is largely taking a step back from this project (he jokes that he’s excited to play as a fan), instead providing the concept to Dark Souls veteran Masaru Yamamura, who previously served as Sekiro’s lead designer.

The essential direction of [Armored Core VI] was to go back and take a good look at the core concept of Armored Core and what made that series special


Like its predecessors, it will be a third-person action game with a heavy focus on customizing your mecha – from different weapons and leg types to generators that allow for greater boosts. It’s more focused on single-player than its predecessor, which was a bold attempt at large-scale multiplayer, but don’t expect a true open world like the one found in Elden Ring. Instead, Armored Core VI will retain the mission-based approach of its predecessors.

“The essential direction of [Armored Core VI] was to go back and take a good look at the core concept of Armored Core and what made that series special,” Miyazaki explains. “So we wanted to take the assembly aspect, assembling and customizing your own mech — your AC — and then being able to exact a high level of control over the assembled mech. So we wanted to take those two core concepts and reexamine those in our modern environment.”

For FromSoftware, a “modern environment” means not just incorporating a decade’s worth of experience in building hits – it means much greater development resources as well. Miyazaki himself admits that he’s “jealous” of the development firepower FromSoftware can bring to bear compared to when he developed Armored Core 4 on PS3. It also gives FromSoftware the chance to incorporate some of its signature elements, like its incredible boss battles.

“Boss battles are the highlight of the game in this title,” Yamamura said in a separate statement. “The essence of the battles, in which the player reads the enemy's moves and then plays games with them, is of course provided, as is typical of FromSoftware. In this title, both the enemy and your own machine are aggressive and violent in their attacks. We are developing the game so that players can enjoy the dynamic and intense boss battles that only mechas can offer, along with the unique aspects of AC, such as how to assemble the right parts to take on the strongest enemies.”

Speaking with IGN over the course of a lengthy interview, the pair delved deep into what to expect from Armored Core VI, including how it will handle multiplayer, whether it will once again feature an arena (it will), and what FromSoftware’s now-familiar action staples will look like in a mecha context. But even more important is how Armored Core VI fits into FromSoftware’s present – so different now compared to where the studio was even 10 years ago – what it might mean for the future.

IGN: Miyazaki-san, I understand that you're more of a concept creator for this game. Can you talk about how this project came to be and the direction that you want to take it in?

Hidetaka Miyazaki
: I think a more accurate way to put it would be that I was part of the initial game direction on the project, not necessarily a concept creator.

What that means is as initial game director or a part of that initial game direction team, I worked with several other people on those early stages of the project, including engineers, designers, and other people at the director level…production level, so that we could define the early concept of the game, the early designs.

More specifically, it involved myself and our line producer here, [Kenneth Chan]...he was working with me on the early stages of the project, as well as one other member from the team. And then eventually we passed over to Masaru Yamamura, who's joined us today as well, and he became the new director on the project.

IGN: Is it fair to say that Armored Core VI will be closer to the Soulsborne games than the series has been in the past?

Hidetaka Miyazaki:
No, we've not been making a conscious effort to try to direct it towards more Soulsborne type gameplay. First of all, let me just make that clear.

The essential direction of [Armored Core VI] was to go back and take a good look at the core concept of Armored Core and what made that series special. So we wanted to take the assembly aspect, assembling and customizing your own mech — your AC — and then being able to exact a high level of control over the assembled mech. So we wanted to take those two core concepts and reexamine those in our modern environment.

And, of course, what that means is taking our know-how and experiences from game development in recent years, and applying that knowledge to the development of [Armored Core VI], and reexamining it together with those core concepts of Armored Core.

So the real impetus for this project, I think, or at least one of the real appeals for me comes from that aspect of assembly, and being able to really freely assemble and customize the mech, I think is what we really highly focus on in Armored Core. And having mechs or mecha as a theme, it's really about that high level of freedom that adjusting each individual part gives, and how that affects the gameplay and the properties of your mech actually in combat. We think it's a little bit more liberating than, say, just swapping out armor or equipment. There's actually a much higher degree of freedom here, and being able to see these effects both in game, and as part of the world building, and as part of your player choices, we feel like this is a very big part of what makes Armored Core special.

IGN: Yamamura san, you were the lead designer on Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Can you talk a little bit about the lessons you learned from that project and how you're applying them to Armored Core?

Masaru Yamamura:
There are no elements directly referring to Sekiro, but I feel both titles share the same essence of battle such as aggressive, speed change and action-oriented fighting. For this title, by continuing to attack even the strongest enemy, the force of impact can break the enemy's posture and inflict a large amount of damage – a critical hit. This is the starting point for the slow and fast speed change of the battle, and when combined with long-range firefighting and close-range melee combat, the enemy and his machine engage each other violently, creating a more aggressive and dynamic battle that only mechas can engage in.

IGN: So it sounds like you're incorporating some kind of counter mechanic to Armored Core VI, maybe similar to what was in Sekiro.

Masaru Yamamura:
Rather than calling it a counter mechanic, what we want to stress is this reason to continue attacking and to continue on the offensive. You want to create chances for yourself in combat and turn the battle to the player's advantage. So what we feel is this is going to create a really nice back and forth flow in battles in Armored Core VI, and create this nice mix of offensive and defensive play… but we want the player to feel like they're constantly able to pressure the enemy and that's why we incorporated some of these systems.

IGN: What does that look like in the context of Armored Core being more about guns and missiles than, for example, Sekiro, which was more about swords? Of course, Armored Core has melee weapons, but often they've only been one option versus the many different range options that you have with mechs in Armored Core.

Masaru Yamamura:
Yes, you're correct in saying that Armored Core is generally about the guns, and ordnance, and missiles, and so we want to cater to this aspect this time as well, of course. We have various weapons for various ranges and various encounters, both in the two hands and on the back as well for missiles and cannons and things like that. But we wanted to put an emphasis on melee as well, so if players are this way inclined, we do have some nice melee options if they want to dive in there and get into close-quarters combat as well.

IGN: Miyazaki san, Elden Ring's increased accessibility – for example, friendlier checkpoints and friendly summons, was credited in part with improving its sales. What was your takeaway?

Hidetaka Miyazaki:
Yes, one of our objectives when creating Elden Ring and creating this new open field style was offering more freedom in approaching accounts and more player freedom in general. This was a major concept that we had in mind when approaching that game, and we hoped that this would open it up to more people and more players. We didn't want to lower the level of challenge or dumb it down, so instead we wanted to increase the level of freedom. We wanted to introduce more people to that style of game and wanted more people to enjoy that. So I don't know personally if it was successful or if it had a hand in that, but that's what we set out to do.

IGN: And how did you apply those lessons to Armored Core VI?

Hidetaka Miyazaki:
So we didn't necessarily take the same approach with game design and with that core concept when developing Armored Core VI. When we set out to reboot the Armored Core series, we focused on those two concepts that we touched on earlier, that being the assemble aspect and the piloting aspect. So I feel like it was a very different approach right from the offset, but I think perhaps Yamamura can answer that a little bit more clearly.

IGN: You've both been at FromSoftware for more than 10 years. How has its approach to game development changed? Because I would say that FromSoftware when it was making Armored Core V… this was between Dark Souls and Dark Souls II. Armored Core V was a very experimental multiplayer game. And then when I look at Elden Ring, for example, it is a large-scale AAA open world game. So it seems to me that FromSoftware's approach to game development has changed a little bit. Basically, I'm just curious how the studio has evolved.

Hidetaka Miyazaki:
So actually during development of ACV, I think both myself and Yamamura were working on Dark Souls I. So it's a little bit of a different situation there. But in terms of how we've changed as a company, in terms of approach to game development, I think it's safe to say that the team members and the resources we can put towards a game are very different now. Our level of know-how and skill has obviously increased over the years of developing these different games. So these are the main aspects that have changed in terms of the company and our approach.

Our actual approach to the direction into the game development itself has not changed a great deal during that time. Like we said earlier, we wanted to take those original concepts of Armored Core, and we wanted to apply our modern day company and our modern day team members and know-how and expertise to those core concepts. And I feel we're able to capitalize more on that now, and able to really make the game that we wanted to make.

Actually, I was the director on Armored Core 4 and For Answer. And of course in those days, the level of resources and the cost and the time that we could dedicate to game development was just a completely different ballpark. So I'm extremely jealous of the team today who gets to make this new Armored Core. I wish we had that sort of leverage back in the day.

Of course, it does take time for studios to cultivate staff and to learn and to grow, and I feel like we've used that time well, and I feel like this is the game that we're able to create now with that accumulated knowledge and with this team that has grown. But it also takes that praise and that support from the players themselves. If we didn't have people playing and enjoying our games, then we wouldn't have come this far. I'm always extremely appreciative of that.

IGN: With so many more resources available to FromSoftware, what can you do with them for Armored Core VI that you couldn't do before?

Masaru Yamamura:
I'd say, to give some specific examples, obviously the visuals – the level of expression we're able to achieve with our current studio and our current resources really lets us convey the visuals we want. Obviously, the mecha theme of Armored Core VI means we are portraying these enormous hunks of steel, and we're supposed to imagine how these things would move and how they'd be put together, the various joints, how these all sort of move in conjunction with one another and how we make this look cool, in a gameplay sense as well. So this is something that we're able to apply resources to. Obviously, the metallic texturing of these things and the sound design as well. We're able to use foley to get some realistic sounds to apply to these mechs. There are a lot of areas that we're able to apply these resources and modern thinking as well.

IGN: Armored Core may not be trying to be a Soulsborne game, but does it have more of a Soulsborne essence than previous Armored Core games, and what does that mean for the series? When I think about a Soulsborne essence, for example, I think of heavy combat, an air of mystery, exploration, difficulty, of course, a sense of darkness to the game.

Naturally, Armored Core has always had an apocalyptic world, much like the Soulsborne games. But as FromSoftware has embraced games like Bloodborne and Sekiro and Elden Ring and has moved in that particular direction, it seems natural, for example, for Armored Core to move away from the mission-based structure of the original Armored Core games and more toward the open-ended exploration that we've come to expect from a Soulsborne game.

Hidetaka Miyazaki:
I think first of all, speaking to those aspects, you mentioned the heavy combat, the air of mystery, the exploration and sense of darkness. I think rather than being typically Soulsborne, these are just things that are typical of FromSoftware in general. These are things we've always sort of enjoyed and always prided ourselves on. We don't want to give away too much with the storytelling. We always want to apply a certain level of challenge to keep it rewarding for the players. These are sort of my general habits when it comes to game development, and these are just generally things that I think we take from FromSoftware history, going back as far as even King's Field. As for how younger developers and directors like Yamamura are taking these elements and rearranging them in [Armored Core VI], I think this is something that they can also answer separately as well.

Personally, what I'm looking forward to is seeing how these... I think it directly applies to the element of heavy combat I think you put it as, so how the player is able to apply themselves in combat and how the feel of the player movement in combat feels. I think this is going to be something very different when it comes to the mech themes, and controlling these enormous machines. So I think this is something that I'm looking forward to and something I hope players look forward to as well.

IGN: Why is FromSoftware so drawn to apocalyptic settings?

Hidetaka Miyazaki:
I would say there are two main reasons why we tend towards these apocalyptic settings. One is purely direct to taste, and the preferences of the game director and game developers. I think this is something that, again, has applied in FromSoftware history as well with our previous CEO, [Naotoshi Zin]. He directed the old King's Field and old-school Armored Core games as well. So I think that's where that may be stemmed from. My tastes happen to be similar, so I think that's why you see a lot of that in modern Soulsborne titles as well. So it does depend on the director's tastes and personal idiosyncrasies.

I think the second reason would be, this is kind of a technical reason, but I'd say that a lively bright setting is a little bit beyond FromSoftware's capability or experiences as a developer. So it's easier for us to direct and apply our own resources on what we're good at, and what we're used to. And so it is easier for us to express ourselves within these kind of darker and drier and quieter apocalyptic settings than livelier and busy ones.

IGN: How much can you tell me about Armored Core VI's multiplayer?

Masaru Yamamura:
Yes, we do plan to have a versus mode, similar to previous Armored Core titles where you'll be able to customize your mech and take that fully customized mech into battle with others. But we will reveal more details about this at a later date. The main focus in AC6 – on the story mode at least – is having that story develop and play out. We've concentrated on single-player for the story mode. Please stay tuned for more multiplayer details at a later date.

IGN: The moment in the trailer where there's a mech looking out over in the horizons and it was wearing what looks like a backpack, does that confirm that this game will be an open-world exploration with mecha?

Masaru Yamamura:
To be clear, AC6 will feature a mission-based structure to the single-player. It's not fully open – it’s going to stick with that mission-based structure. In regards to that shot in the trailer in particular, there was this great disaster which was depicted in the trailer which brought with it enormous changes to the environment – similar to what you'd see with an ice age. This shot is just a straightforward representation of the world of AC6 and the mecha pilots who have to survive through such dramatic changes. So that's what we're trying to show with that shot.

IGN: Will it once again reset the story, or will it continue on from Armored Core V?

Masaru Yamamura:
Yes. We'd like to think of this as a completely fresh new story. There are no direct links with the previous games in terms of continuing story. This is a brand-new setting and a brand-new story for players to enjoy.

IGN: Miyazaki-san, you have a long history with Armored Core going back to Last Raven and Armored Core 4 as you already said. How has this series impacted you as a designer and a game developer over the years?

Hidetaka Miyazaki:
It's a difficult question. I haven't actually given it a lot of thought, but I was of course much more inexperienced back then when making Armored Core 4 and For Answer, I think on PS3. It was a time when I had to learn a lot in regard to both the technical aspect and the design aspect of game development. So you could really call it my starting point for game development. One thing that hasn't changed is that core competence of Armored Core. Those aspects we touched on earlier, the assembly and piloting that mech you've assembled, this is a core component that has carried through and that we're still very conscious of with these games, taking the significance of the themes of a particular title. So if it's Armored Core, it's going to be the mechs, and discovering what the key themes of each subsequent title was, whether that's Dark Souls or Bloodborne or Sekiro. This is something that we've been conscious of as we create these games. I think you'll see these themes and these key development concepts have influenced my games as a designer of the years.

IGN: What is Armored Core VI's approach to difficulty?

Masaru Yamamura:
Of course, with Armored Core VI, what we wanted to focus on was this really intense and tough mecha battles. We have generally tried to keep it on the challenging side, but it's not to say that it's a flat difficulty line throughout. We wanted to have some nice tempo changes and some nice balance to the difficulty and the level of challenge. It can vary depending on the mission type. It depends on the enemies you're coming up against in those missions. It depends on how you want to assemble your mech. But this is one approach we wanted to have, is to have the player decide how they wanted to assemble and how they wanted to approach each mission, and then to have this nice balance of level of challenge throughout the missions and throughout the campaign.

IGN: What were some of the lessons that you learned from your work as a designer on Sekiro and how are you applying them to the difficulty in Armored Core VI?

Masaru Yamamura:
I would say that while these severe and intense battles is still very much a focus of Armored Core VI and something that carries between our games, the approach to how we handle this and how we design difficulty is actually quite different. You mentioned Sekiro and the approach there was this very stoic, one-track approach to battle with just the one weapon and just your resolve as a player. I feel like with Armored Core VI, the approach is quite different mainly because of that “assemble” aspect that you have. So your battle really starts in the AC garage where you are deciding which weapon and you're deciding which layout, what performance you want your AC to have in battle and taking this forward to each encounter in each boss battle. So that's really part of the strategy this time and I think that affects the difficulty greatly.

IGN: Armored Core has had generators and radiators and many, many parts. Will Armored Core VI have even more parts or the same number of parts, and also, will it have RPG progression?

Masaru Yamamura:
Yes. In terms of the types of parts, you can switch around when assembling your mech. This is going to be what you're familiar with from past AC games. There'll be a wide variety of different parts that you can exchange on different parts of your mech. So that aspect is going to be fully intact in Armored Core VI.

Hidetaka Miyazaki: This is the general game cycle, so you could consider that a type of leveling up possibly.

Masaru Yamamura: The general game cycle is to clear missions and you earn money and use money to buy more expensive weapons and parts for your mech. And also within that, you are tuning these parts and you're tuning the weapons and tuning your mech to suit your play style, changing parameters, changing the performance of various parts to suit the way you want to approach each mission in each battle. I think you could call this the equivalent in Armored Core VI.

IGN: In terms of how the mechs actually move and fly, will it be similar to past Armored Core games or are you seeking to change that for Armored Core VI?

Masaru Yamamura:
Yes. I think you can imagine something similar to what we had with previous Armored Core games in terms of how you customize your mech parts in terms of mobility and how you're using that in the game as well. You can tune the generators or boosters to improve boosts or flight time or boost height or the explosiveness of the boost. These are all things that will apply in Armored Core VI as well.

IGN: When I listen to you talk about Armored Core, in so many ways, it feels like a traditional Armored Core game. It has mission-based gameplay. It's very focused on customization. I'm curious, how does Armored Core fit into the current library of FromSoftware games, the modern FromSoftware games, I should say, such as Sekiro and Elden Ring and Dark Souls in your mind? How does it fit into the future of FromSoftware in your viewpoint?

Hidetaka Miyazaki:
Yes. I think I see the nuance of the question. I think it's mostly concerned with how this mission-based structure fits into modern games and particularly modern FromSoftware games. To answer this, I think player mobility and player ability obviously plays a huge part in how we approach the design to these games, whether it's Elden Ring or Dark Souls or Armored Core. Obviously, the assembly aspect comes into that and it doesn't quite apply to that fully open world exploration approach. We had to choose from the outset of designing Armored Core VI which approach we wanted to go with and where we wanted to put the focus. This time, while there is an aspect of exploration in Armored Core VI, we wanted to put the focus on the breadth of variety and in assembly and customizing your own mech and really feeling as if you're piloting that mech that you've carefully put time into.

We felt that the mission-based structure was a benefit for this because it allows you to choose and customize before each sortie. The very least, the tempo, the pace at which the player is able to move across the world and traverse the map…this is a very big aspect in how you approach this design. I think one of the big appeal points of the previous AC games is having this freedom to choose how you're going to move across the map and how your choices are going to affect your mobility and your ability once you're actually in the level. This is the format we wanted to choose this time, and this is where we wanted to put our focus.

This interview has been edited for clarity.
 
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Well at least now everyone knows not to expect a Soulsborne-like experience from Armored Core VI.
He got two very specific questions about how it will actually play, and on both spent most of his answer discussing equipment customization instead. I don't think I have any idea how it truly will look from this interview. Will just be eager to see gameplay.
 

Naked Lunch

Member
For all the newwave fans of From Software games hoping this is going to be Dark Souls with Mechs - you're going to be disappointed.
This is 100% a mission based true Armored Core game, just with all their new resources and know-how.
AC has always been about custom building your solution to each mission.
Very happy to see them stay true to the roots of the series.

IGN: Is it fair to say that Armored Core VI will be closer to the Soulsborne games than the series has been in the past?

Hidetaka Miyazaki:
No, we've not been making a conscious effort to try to direct it towards more Soulsborne type gameplay. First of all, let me just make that clear.

The essential direction of [Armored Core VI] was to go back and take a good look at the core concept of Armored Core and what made that series special. So we wanted to take the assembly aspect, assembling and customizing your own mech — your AC — and then being able to exact a high level of control over the assembled mech. So we wanted to take those two core concepts and reexamine those in our modern environment.

And, of course, what that means is taking our know-how and experiences from game development in recent years, and applying that knowledge to the development of [Armored Core VI], and reexamining it together with those core concepts of Armored Core.

Im not liking that he mentions this is a brand new story. The old games at least had some references to the past entries. The PS2 games were all connected.
 
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Bartski

Gold Member
A pure action game as far away from souls as possible. AWESOME. Very curious about the mission structure, is this a linear sequence or you get to choose? I'd expect side missions you can attack in random order, testing out different load-outs and gearing up for the mains
 

Bartski

Gold Member
IGN: Yamamura san, you were the lead designer on Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Can you talk a little bit about the lessons you learned from that project and how you're applying them to Armored Core?

Masaru Yamamura:
There are no elements directly referring to Sekiro, but I feel both titles share the same essence of battle such as aggressive, speed change and action-oriented fighting. For this title, by continuing to attack even the strongest enemy, the force of impact can break the enemy's posture and inflict a large amount of damage – a critical hit. This is the starting point for the slow and fast speed change of the battle, and when combined with long-range firefighting and close-range melee combat, the enemy and his machine engage each other violently, creating a more aggressive and dynamic battle that only mechas can engage in.
IGN: So it sounds like you're incorporating some kind of counter mechanic to Armored Core VI, maybe similar to what was in Sekiro.

Masaru Yamamura:
Rather than calling it a counter mechanic, what we want to stress is this reason to continue attacking and to continue on the offensive. You want to create chances for yourself in combat and turn the battle to the player's advantage. So what we feel is this is going to create a really nice back and forth flow in battles in Armored Core VI, and create this nice mix of offensive and defensive play… but we want the player to feel like they're constantly able to pressure the enemy and that's why we incorporated some of these systems.

Season 3 Thank You GIF by The Office
 

RoadHazard

Gold Member
I love the Soulsborne games, but I've gotta say I have zero interest in this. Just not a mech guy I guess. But I know many do like this series, so have fun!
 

Raven77

Member
For all the newwave fans of From Software games hoping this is going to be Dark Souls with Mechs - you're going to be disappointed.
This is 100% a mission based true Armored Core game, just with all their new resources and know-how.
AC has always been about custom building your solution to each mission.
Very happy to see them stay true to the roots of the series.

I wouldn't get your hopes up. Check the steam page description, it says that it's going to be more like their newer games, like Elden Ring.

From Steam -

Dynamic, Fast-Paced Mech Action
Based on the knowledge gained during joint development of their recent titles.
 
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Amazing how far the company that ran on Kings Field games on the PS1 (and Armored Core 1) has grown and changed into such a big studio with Elden Ring with 17 million copies sold.
 

Raven77

Member
check the interview

Miyazaki hasn't been involved with Armored Cores conception or development for years. He was involved initially, and then the person who produced Sekiro took over.

Be careful taking too much of what he says in this interview to heart.
 

Naked Lunch

Member
I wouldn't get your hopes up. Check the steam page description, it says that it's going to be more like their newer games, like Elden Ring.

From Steam -

Dynamic, Fast-Paced Mech Action
Based on the knowledge gained during joint development of their recent titles.
Huh? Its all in the article.
The interviewer asks like 5 times if AC VI is going to be like Elden Ring or Souls and is told over and over - its mission based and set up like the old AC games.

Brought home right here:
IGN: When I listen to you talk about Armored Core, in so many ways, it feels like a traditional Armored Core game. It has mission-based gameplay. It's very focused on customization. I'm curious, how does Armored Core fit into the current library of FromSoftware games, the modern FromSoftware games, I should say, such as Sekiro and Elden Ring and Dark Souls in your mind? How does it fit into the future of FromSoftware in your viewpoint?

Hidetaka Miyazaki:
Yes. I think I see the nuance of the question. I think it's mostly concerned with how this mission-based structure fits into modern games and particularly modern FromSoftware games. To answer this, I think player mobility and player ability obviously plays a huge part in how we approach the design to these games, whether it's Elden Ring or Dark Souls or Armored Core. Obviously, the assembly aspect comes into that and it doesn't quite apply to that fully open world exploration approach. We had to choose from the outset of designing Armored Core VI which approach we wanted to go with and where we wanted to put the focus. This time, while there is an aspect of exploration in Armored Core VI, we wanted to put the focus on the breadth of variety and in assembly and customizing your own mech and really feeling as if you're piloting that mech that you've carefully put time into.

We felt that the mission-based structure was a benefit for this because it allows you to choose and customize before each sortie. The very least, the tempo, the pace at which the player is able to move across the world and traverse the map…this is a very big aspect in how you approach this design. I think one of the big appeal points of the previous AC games is having this freedom to choose how you're going to move across the map and how your choices are going to affect your mobility and your ability once you're actually in the level. This is the format we wanted to choose this time, and this is where we wanted to put our focus.
 
Huh? Its all in the article.
The interviewer asks like 5 times if AC VI is going to be like Elden Ring or Souls and is told over and over - its mission based and set up like the old AC games.

Brought home right here:
I just thought it was an odd interview. He kept asking because he wasn't getting a real answer. The quote you highlight doesn't address it either. Nioh is mission based as well, but plays a lot like a souls game. He explains in detail repeatedly that you can pick gear to affect your loadout, and then go on a mission. And you can pick different missions from across a world map.

None of it really explains bluntly what the actual action gameplay is going to be like. I can't imagine a mech will feel that much like a souls game, but nothing in the interview is very transparent about the moment to moment gameplay. Have to wait and see video of it because he was purposefully super vague about it.
 
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Naked Lunch

Member
I just thought it was an odd interview. He kept asking because he wasn't getting a real answer. The quote you highlight doesn't address it either. Nioh is mission based as well, but plays a lot like a souls game. He explains in detail repeatedly that you can pick gear to affect your loadout, and then go on a mission. And you can pick different missions from across a world map.

None of it really explains bluntly what the actual action gameplay is going to be like. I can't imagine a mech will feel that much like a souls game, but nothing in the interview is very transparent about the moment to moment gameplay. Have to wait and see video of it because he was purposefully super vague about it.
I kinda took it the other way - it seems like the interviewer wants to it be Soulslike - and its not. The interviewer asking over and over to an annoying degree.
"but youve made dark souls and elden ring since all those old armored cores - how is this new ac going to be like your newest games?"
Im not sure how much more they could have explained that its not like Souls.
But yeah we wont know for sure until we see it.

Maybe this new entry with From's newfound fame will get new players into the franchise but I can see alot of players expecting souls to be disappointed.
Personally, as an Armored Core fan - I could care less.
 
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Bartski

Gold Member
I just thought it was an odd interview. He kept asking because he wasn't getting a real answer. The quote you highlight doesn't address it either. Nioh is mission based as well, but plays a lot like a souls game. He explains in detail repeatedly that you can pick gear to affect your loadout, and then go on a mission. And you can pick different missions from across a world map.

None of it really explains bluntly what the actual action gameplay is going to be like. I can't imagine a mech will feel that much like a souls game, but nothing in the interview is very transparent about the moment to moment gameplay. Have to wait and see video of it because he was purposefully super vague about it.
That's a bit like when they were trying to explain what Sekiro is after reveal - vague AF and nobody really knew what was coming. "Souls-inspired action game", what?
At least now they're clear about focusing on building the game based on the DNA of the mecha shooter, and expanding on it with stuff like some variant of posture.
 

Raven77

Member
Nothing in the interview, and none of what he says contradicts my quote from the steam page or my point. It is not going to be like the old AC games and he makes that very clear in the interview as well.

My posts were responses to people thinking it's going to play just like the old games. It clearly won't.

I'm not saying it's going to be an open world adventure exactly like Elden Ring but I think it will be closer to Elden Ring than the old AC games. This interview basically confirms that.
 

Bartski

Gold Member
Miyazaki is not working on the game...
right, he's just the president of the studio so I'm sure he has the wrong idea about the direction of a project he is managing.

Hidetaka Miyazaki: No, we've not been making a conscious effort to try to direct it towards more Soulsborne type gameplay. First of all, let me just make that clear.

The essential direction of [Armored Core VI] was to go back and take a good look at the core concept of Armored Core and what made that series special. So we wanted to take the assembly aspect, assembling and customizing your own mech — your AC — and then being able to exact a high level of control over the assembled mech. So we wanted to take those two core concepts and reexamine those in our modern environment.

are you saying Yamamura sitting next to him in this interview is making it into a souls-like in secret?
 
are you saying Yamamura sitting next to him in this interview is making it into a souls-like in secret?
I have enjoyed almost every FROM game from their recent run, but I've been pretty open about the fact that I think it's getting a bit too formulaic. Elden Ring in particular is almost indistinguishable from Dark Souls 3 graphically, and reuses a ton of assets, animations, bosses, etc.

My assumption is that a lot of this game will be based around souls style action to atleast SOME extent, because they put out games so frequently and quickly, and because it's been so successful for them. It's a lot more difficult to build something from scratch than to reuse existing code and tweak it substantially. After they completed the giant game Elden Ring, they have another game being promoted less than a year later. It's not magic. That's only possible for a reason.

I just find the vagueness of his answers really odd, and it reminds me of previous interviews he's done. They haven't shown gameplay, and he's not answering pretty direct questions. I'm assuming it's because he wants to sell the game to souls fans and AC fans alike. I'm all in if it looks cool. I just don't really trust anything he says. Some of his answers on the Elden Ring interview tour were also vague to the point of useless.

Even the way he words that part you quoted is odd. He doesn't just say it's not like souls. He says they're not intentionally making it like souls. So what is it like? It's a mystery. Then he talks about customization which is not the moment to moment gameplay; again. And says he wants the customization aspect included in their "modern gaming environment."
 
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Naked Lunch

Member
I'm assuming it's because he wants to sell the game to souls fans and AC fans alike.
I think your above line nails it. He's dancing around the answer because of that.

I honestly think a vast majority of folks who became fans of From Software because of the Souls series and especially Elden Ring would HATE Armored Core. It is certainly an acquired taste. Armored Core is a big part of the studio's history - and perhaps From's recent success allowed them to revisit an internal studio favorite.

BTW wasnt there major leaks of beta tests of the new Armored Core about a year ago? Screen shots and all. Or did that turn out to be bunk?
 
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BTW wasnt there major leaks of beta tests of the new Armored Core about a year ago? Screen shots and all. Or did that turn out to be bunk?
Good question. I don't know honestly.

But even if the game is sci-fi souls with lots of new stuff added, I'm in if it looks cool. I just want to see gameplay!
 

Naked Lunch

Member
Good question. I don't know honestly.

But even if the game is sci-fi souls with lots of new stuff added, I'm in if it looks cool. I just want to see gameplay!
Guess I answered my own question - the related GAF thread is right at the bottom of these new Armored Core posts. Jan 2022 it dropped.


Funny, I spotted at least one of the ultra playstation gafers clamoring for PS5 exclusivity in there. Thankfully that didnt happen.
 
Guess I answered my own question - the related GAF thread is right at the bottom of these new Armored Core posts. Jan 2022 it dropped.

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Funny, I spotted at least one of the ultra playstation gafers clamoring for PS5 exclusivity in there. Thankfully that didnt happen.
I may have missed this thread. I guess take any leaks with a grain of salt, but they're saying it's very souls-like in that leak. 🤷‍♂️
 

YukiOnna

Member
IGN again with the weird questions, they answer several times what AC is focused on and still try to spin it to want to be similar to their RPG's.

Nothing Yamamura and Miyazaki say deviates from the PR released. It's Armored Core and it isn't changing into something wildly different, it'll be expanding on that and the boss battle design, so I think it's pretty clear. I'm just happy to hear the crazy customization and intense mecha duels are all there but refined.
 

Saber

Gold Member
Happy that they won the award to keep doing that. I believe they never had any intention of making this game like Elden Ring(and was never meant to be). Its a different take entirelly.

As for the Souls question, why would people want it as a Dark Souls if it was never a souls game in the first place?
I think his is a terrible side-effect of stupid people regurgitating the term "souls" here and there. The acessibilty question is dumb as well.
 
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A new first person King’s Field could rival or even surpass Elder Scrolls. I hope they do it.
Miyazaki already said that they don't feel confident enough to resurrect King's Field without Zin, the series original creator.
Starting a brand new first person RPG series would be more comfortable and less creatively restraining for them so I think they should do just that.
 

Alexios

Banned
Should have made Frame Gride 2 or new IP instead, give it that mechs but fantasy-esque knight lore and atmosphere that it had even though it was so minimalistic (and there wasn't all that much game to it either, it was like a story mode in Virtual On, but they could fix that with a new game).


Also no clue how this guy plays this game so well, I wish I could like it & git gud but despite loving old school console mech games like Virtual On, Gungriffon, Gundam Side Story SS/DC, etc., it's too clunky for me. He's probably one of those guys that can finish Souls games with dance mats.


Edit: just saw his twitter compilation footage is from some early demo playthrough, apparently mechs had more agility and flyability compared to the final game resembling Armored Core a little bit more. So it's not just me needing to git gud to reach that level of playing, yay. Weird & cool.
 
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Kurimao

Member
Only FromSoftware can make this " Armored Souls" kind of games, not easy to knockoff copy like Soulsborne games.
 
Loving what im reading. OG AC, honoring the roots.

Cometh my fellow Raven brothers and sisters. Have faith in thy' rocket lock stun, find glory in the precision of your blade waves. Leave no energy left unspeant, for thy kneeling is not in submission, but ravenous AOE purging.
 
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