[PS2] Ace Combat Thread (a.k.a. We Do Not Have Air Superiority)

Originally Posted by Foshi

Yeah, a quick save option would be great. Play a mission for a bit then just save it and come back to the same place later on.

Double Post:
Btw, where did all of you get those awesome avatars and sigs? Where can I get me one?

It's part of AC0 Squadron week, and all the positions are filled, sorry.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Stealth

The Su-37 is one of the better planes in the game. There should be no complaining.

It's true.

HOWEVER, those F-15 S/MTDs that Sorceror squadron uses are so sexy it hurts. The vector canards on the front take some getting used to seeing, but that paint scheme is to die for.

I like how the FALKEN is still insane. The Gauntlet on Ace becomes the easiest thing ever with it. I shot Mobius One down twice, once instantly with the TLS and the other with regular missiles after about a minute or so of some insane dogfighting. His manuevers are so inhuman it hurts, sucks he's still no match for the power of the FALKEN.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Ok, so I'm finally getting to go through on the American release and redo all the stuff I did in the JP release in greater detail, and I love how EASY the missions are with the Morgan and the TLS/MPBM, even on Ace. It gives me time to destroy everything as it comes and then dick around in levels and see what I can find.

I laughed forever watching Ashley of Grabacr shoot down Pops and Bartlett in mission 10 (I want his paint scheme ;___; ). I've also noticed Pixy's dialogue about neutral targets changes in New Game depending on where your meter is.

It's just a lot of little things they did that make it so awesome to playthrough again and again. The compatibility with the FS2 was nice, as well.

Regarding Pixy and The Stage of the Apocolypse:

Did anybody catch onto the conversation with Wizard 1 and Pixy after the nuclear explosion? I didn't get what the hell it was until I turned on subtitles. I suppose it only confirms Pixy had his defection planned out ever since he first spoke with Wizard 1 back in Mayhem.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by seanne

Regarding Pixy and The Stage of the Apocolypse:

Did anybody catch onto the conversation with Wizard 1 and Pixy after the nuclear explosion? I didn't get what the hell it was until I turned on subtitles. I suppose it only confirms Pixy had his defection planned out ever since he first spoke with Wizard 1 back in Mayhem.

I don't even think it's possible to actually hear what they're saying there, it's just too garbled. It's an interesting tie-in though.

Yeah I know. Like I said, I didn't catch onto what was being said until I turned on subtitles. The conversation; for those of you who wish to know it:

What Traitors Discuss:

Wizard 1: Larry, do you read me? Your fairy godmother's here, Cinderella.
Pixy: How can you say that after all that's happened?!
Wizard 1: (laughing) Today's your lucky day, Larry. Like your birthday.
Pixy: And you're here to pull me off in some magical carriage...to hell I suppose...
...
Pixy: Buddy...I've finally found a reason to fight.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Rock

That didn't make a lot of sense, actually. After all, this dialogue isn't evidence for anything. Just some garbled philosophing that's supposed to sound creepy.

Well think about what they said in Mission 10 (Mayhem) earlier.

Prequel to the Madness:

Wizard 1: Larry, can you read me?
Pixy: Looks like you've still got the touch.
Wizard 1: It's happening exactly like you said it would. It's about time we got out of this dead end job.
Pixy: Not just yet.

This proves to us that the two were collaborating well before what happened on June 6th, and that Wizard 1 was apparently Pixy's guide into A World With No Boundaries. If he was in the area at the time the nukes dropped and Pixy followed him (as evidenced by their radio convo in that mission), well, what else could it have been?

This is all speculation of course, but it doesn't look like there's any other explanation.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

I think Belka themselves dropped the nukes to stop the advance of the allies. I agree with Stealth in that Wizard 1 and AWWNB wouldn't have gained anything from something like that.

Besides, although Wizard 1 was co-founder of AWWNB and all, wasn't Dr. Kupchenko (Gault 1) the one that got everyone started on that madness? I'm more interested in his role in what went down as opposed to Wizard 1.

I think Wizard 1 just capitalized on the Belkans plans to drop the nukes in order to fully set his plans in motion.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by Karasu

AC04's story was based from a kid's perspective of the war and how he was in it. Mobius One, in a way...wasn't the real main character. It was just a basic story though, like AC2's. A group forced out of Usea, trying to reclaim it so the continent can be peaceful once again. There ya go. Linear as can get.

This is why AC2 >>>>>>> AC4 any day.

I don't see what the deal over the story is, really. If you play through it all three times and actually listen and take in what you see and hear, then most questions are answered pretty easily.

I just with we could see what Gault 1 looked like. He was pretty awesome.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by tajisdurmin

Sorry, Ray, but you asked for it:

Where was Yuktobania involved in the Belkan War on any level, let alone enough of one to make the Belkans want to nuke Okchabursk 15 years later?

The Yukes didn't play an active role, but more of a behind-the-scenes role, supplying the allies with weapons and other assorted supplies. The Axe & Hammer briefing infrastucture you see before each mission? Guess who made it.

That's right, Yuktobania. It's a play on Sickle and Hammer (since Yuktobania is the AC0 world equivalent of Russia). It's also ironic since the Axe & Hammer aren't really precision instruments in any sense of the word.

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How and why did the Grey Men come to be, and exactly what connection do they have with Belka? Were they a factor in what we see during ACZ?

Most of the Grey Men were disgruntled ex-Belkans who worked their way into other countries over the years. Shoot down Ashley (GRABACR) in Mission 10M and read his Assault Record. It plainly states he joined the Osean Air Force shortly after the Belkan War ended. Also recall that Ashley was the one Pops talked to over the radio in Final Option from AC5 about the Belkan War. Ashley shot down Pops and Bartlett, got shot down by the GALM team, then joined the Osean Air Force after the war to get into the country.

Hamilton's story was explained in AC5. The other GRABACR/OFNIR guys just followed their flight leads into it. So how did the Grey Men come about eh? I wonder, maybe it has something to do with the whole "infiltration and revenge" thing Genette mentioned in AC5? Proof you don't pay attention to the story.

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Exactly when did the Rald Party take an active role in Belkan politics, and what if any influence did it have on the events of ACZ or AC5?

I'm going to go with my guts and say they took power during Belkas economic depression (wasn't this explained in the story) and that their effect is no more than what you see at face value.

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Just who were the Belkan bomber pilots in Stage of Apocalypse aligned with? Which faction of the Belkan government ordered them shot down? Were they merely decoys, or part of a larger strike plan? If the latter, why would they withdraw on the verge of success?

The radio chatter during that mission proved that a lot of the units were fighting amongst themselves over what was about to happen. The attack was most likely ordered by the right wing party in power and the dissention was caused by pilots who didn't agree with the order. Can't tell ya if they were decoys or not.

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Who built the Hresvelgr, and for what purpose? Its Sapin escort craft still leave this point unclear.

The Sapin escorts merely joined AWWNB and were assigned to escort it on that one mission. The craft itself is assumedly Belkan made, as a replacement (or possibly compliment to if it was being made earlier) for the Excalibur. Stolen later by AWWNB.

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What official involvement did the Kingdom of Sapin have, if any, with the coup?

Outside of the few Air Force units that defected, there is no knowledge of Sapin being majorly involved.

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What was the target of the V2 launched from Avalon?

The V2 was a MIRV weapon, and we can safely assume it's target were largely just many capital cites and or border zones, in accord with AWWNBs mission.

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That's a very quick-and-dirty list, none of which even begin to address your own questions regarding Kupchenko.

I wanna know what got Kupchenko into being head director for them, but I do know that he was a weapons developer and a genius before the war. Since his details are so shrouded in mystery, I'm naturally curious for more.

But honestly I don't have too many gripes or questions about what happened in Zero. Anything else you'd like to ask?

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Mobius One

Who were the 8492nd squadron durring the Belkan war?

There was no 8492 that early. The 8492 is the cover name used by the GRABACR Squadron, who were still active in the Belkain Air Force during AC0. It's only after the events of the Belkan War did they infiltrate the Osean Air Force and become the 8492.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by tajisdurmin

I did notice the Yuke colors in the interface, both in-game and outside it...it's a nice touch, but with AC5 on record as telling us that "Osea and Yuktobania were allies in the war," I was really expecting to see them come in and save the Oseans during a botched op like Cannibal, or a t the very least contribute a few units in one of the later missions. As the story stands now, we're apparently supposed to believe that Belkan vengeance entails nuking not only you, but the guys who sold you a pirated copy of Powerpoint.

Well we can assume the Yukes gave the allies enough military resources and support to help the allies drive back the Belkans first sweeping offense that caught everyone off gaurd. That alone would be reason enough to seek revenge. And besides, Belka has always been for gaining as much land, power, and influence (along with starting as many wars) as possible. Why not take the opportunity if it lies in front of them?

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It's obvious that there's a heavy Belkan influence to the Grey Men, but the head of North Osea Grunder's involvement suggested a broader scope of members in the military-industrial complex, what Valeris so eloquently describes in Star Trek VI when she identifies the leaders of that film's conspiracy as "everyone who stands to lose from peace." The Grey Men were a golden narrative opportunity, easily the most fascinating plot hook to come out of AC5, and Namco simply ignored them as completely as Yuktobania.

I think the Grey Men weren't as interesting a storypiece as the main war itself. The underlying tones of why each individual joined I guess, but then you'd be trying to stretch the game across too many storylines and make Ace Combat something it isn't.

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Now that was uncalled for. If I didn't pay attention to the story, I wouldn't give a damn about the various plot holes, omissions and non sequiturs that it reveals on closer examination; I'd be over on ACskies, surrounded by people whose deepest discussions of the plot are complaints about how they can't see the mushroom cloud in Stage of Apocalypse.

My apologies.

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That said, I do give ACZ credit for hinting at many of the answers, what you and I both suspect happened behind the scenes. It's just frustrating to know that so many good questions will likely go unanswered, their screen time given to Hell Bound and PJ and the Hresvelgr. ACZ raises far more questions than it answers, and unless it's the middle chapter of a trilogy we've been left with a plateful of loose ends.

I would love to take this as an opportunity to give the Aces team a third and final chance to wrap up the story. If that's the direction they take then I'm all for it.

What Zero did portray well enough was an overall picture of Belkas past aggressions, showed us the role several players from AC5 played during their pasts, and in general attempted to show us the truth behind what pissed the Belkans off so bad that they'd seek revenge fifteen years later, and if you look at it that way than Zero accomplished everything it set out to do.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

I'll have my soundtrack the moment the post office opens in the morning (they tried to deliver Saturday but I was at work, fucking work). Someone point me in the direction of a FLAC codec or something so I can rip in it lossless and it's all yours.

Double Post:
OK guys, torrent is up on the GF Tracker. Download Link?

For those of you not registered on the GFTracker, there's an APE RIP up on Tokyo Toshokan.

That is all.

Most amazing jew boots

And I also tagged mine correctly.

I give only the best for Ace Combat.

As for the Soundtrack itself, I like how they diteched the Arcade tracks (which are already on the AC5 OST for crying out loud) in favor of adding a few more tracks from the actual game. The Prologue is definetly one of my favorite Post-Rocks Gamerip tracks.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Aside from Gladisant and Merlon, that's the speed I remember them all being. Especially Contact. I like it this way.

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by Eleo

Well if you didn't want it perfect you should have just downloaded the #gamemp3s release; it's going to sound the same when you listen to it. But to hell with logic; I'm all for the suffrage of grapes.

I like how nobody gives a shit. Get out of this thread you fucking poser. I read that guide of yours and it was the most anal ridiculous shit in the world. Look, I ripped the soundtrack and it sounds awesome. Go back to salivating over old white men or something, god damn.

As an aside, I completely agree with the theory about the Grey Men attacking the Yukes just to fuck things up even more.

Oh, and can someone tell me why The Round Table sounds even better with a proper intro. Amazing.

FELIPE NO