For anyone who'd like to see what the data looks like written down - I've done my best to organize everything below: All "Lock-Speed" tests were done with the "Ocellus FCS" and the "Wrecker" and "Nachtreiher" arms to get both ends of the extremes - All results are "Average Seconds": [[Difference Between Optimal/Off Range With Hard-Lock:]] (WORST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close Range FCS) + (OPTIMAL Range) + (HARD-Lock) = .58s (WORST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close Range FCS) + (OFF Range) + (HARD-Lock) = 3.58s [[Difference Between Optimal/Off Range With Soft-Lock:]] (WORST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close Range FCS) + (OPTIMAL Range) + (SOFT-Lock) = .33s (WORST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close Range FCS) + (OFF Range) + (SOFT-Lock) = 1.33s [[Difference Between Hard/Soft Lock In Optimal-Range:]] (WORST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close Range FCS) + (OPTIMAL Range) + (HARD-Lock) = .58s (WORST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close Range FCS) + (OPTIMAL Range) + (SOFT-Lock) = .33s [[Difference Between Hard/Soft Lock in Off-Range:]] (WORST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close Range FCS) + (OFF Range) + (HARD-Lock) = 3.58s (WORST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close Range FCS) + (OFF Range) + (SOFT-Lock) = 1.33s [[Difference Between Optimal/Off Range Comparisons "HardLock":]] (BEST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close Range FCS) + (OPTIMAL Range) + (HARD-Lock) = .28s (BEST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close Range FCS) + (OFF Range) + (HARD-Lock) = 1.52s [[Difference Between Optimal/Off Range Comparisons "SoftLock":]] (BEST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close Range FCS) + (OPTIMAL Range) + (SOFT-Lock) = .20s (BEST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close Range FCS) + (OFF Range) + (SOFT-Lock) = .66s [[Difference Between Hard/Soft Lock at Optimal-Range:]] (BEST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close Range FCS) + (OPTIMAL Range) + (HARD-Lock) = .28s (BEST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close Range FCS) + (OPTIMAL Range) + (SOFT-Lock) = .20s [[Difference Between Hard/Soft Lock at Off-Range:]] (BEST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close Range FCS) + (OFF Range) + (HARD-Lock) = 1.52s (BEST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close Range FCS) + (OFF Range) + (SOFT-Lock) = .66s [[Difference Between Optimal Softlock "Center Screen" vs Optimal Softlock "Un-Ceneter Screened":]] (WORST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close-Range FCS) + (OPTIMAL Range) + (SOFT-Lock "Uncentered") = .86s (WORST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close-Range FCS) + (OPTIMAL Range) + (SOFT-Lock"Centered") = .30s I hope this information helps you build your new ACs and have fun with the game :)
In your video when you test the difference in Firearm Specialization, you compare the times you got at 3:28 and 6:20 in order to demonstrate the difference between the arms with the best Firearm Specialization stat and arms with the worst. However the AC you use for each test is different. The second AC at 6:20 is clearly heavier than the AC at 3:28, and this would effect the thrust of the booster being used for the test. I know this seems nitpicky, but I run a double viento build with a pile bunker. I'm trying to find out if I should use the Basho arms or the VP-46D arms in this build but I need to know exactly how helpful the Firearm Specialization stat is since I Assault Boost circle enemies at the most extreme close range.
From should just patch this video into the game and pay this guy. This is a mandatory watch. I changed my whole AC build after seeing this and melted the CEL-240 boss
I beat it first try xD. I guess my FCS and arm setup are pretty darn good. It's from arquebus for anyone wondering. The triangular one that still has decent close range assist. I forgot the name.
Honestly, this. It's nice to actually see it broken down and in action. My buddy plays mouse lock, I think he's gonna wreck face with a mid-range build.
I love how this video plays like an actual retired vet who's had enough of the shit of new Mercs spontaneously combustimg the moment their AC fantasy shatters from contact with reality. Great content I'll put into practice for when I get back in the game. Stay safe you old bird.
Conclusion of the video: the best and most balanced FCS in the game has to be Talbot. It's very effective both up close and middle distance (the two most used ranges) and has an ok missile guidance. I personally use it on 90% of my 60 mechs and it never let me down.
Yeah bro I was using Talbot for 90% of things, besides the best long range one for some escort/rescue/defensive missions, but I recently started using the Research Institute FCS chip that has almost all 3 distance categories around 2/3 full (long range is the shortest of the three but it’s still pretty good imo). It’s the long skinny one with the slats running parallel to its design!
Like 70% of my mechs use the Talbot, and the rest use the VE. That one's because some of my mechs are exclusively mid to long-range mechs with stuff like railguns and shoulder lasers. Aside from them, Talbot is the way to go. It's kinda OP, to be honest.😅
played ac6 for 300 hrs now. still coming back to your fundamentals. it's not only what you explain, it is also how you explain things. one could think, you do something with visualisation ... 😀
@@akumakazenoryu if i understand your question right, you are asking for hard-lock .. ? yes he switches between soft- & hard-lock. when hard-lock is on the cam follows the target auto. when he uses soft-lock you can see that he is moving the camera manually.
I understood about 3/4 of this before coming into this video, but your demonstrations helped me grasp the last 1/4 as well as finally recognizing some bad practices I’ve been using in my own playthrough so far. Thanks a ton for doing this video!
Big caveat on this - if you’re mixing in missiles or other lock-on weapons, be aware that Missile Lock Correction is also an important stat for your FCS - a MLC stat over 100 reduces lock-on time by up to 50%, while a lower MLC nerfs lock-on times.
I'm SO happy that someone's figured out the exact ranges for close, med. and long range, it clears things up a lot. I've been searching for those numbers since launch. Also, soft lock times being screen region dependent is _super_ interesting. Actually, I wonder if that's largely what causes the difference between lock styles? Because hard lock only turns the camera once someone's at the edge of the screen?
Responding to these comments: Those numbers aren't telling you the distance, they're stats telling you (somehow, in From's vague way) how accurate the FCS is within those range brackets. I don't really get how you watched this video, saw how the actual distance of those range brackets is fixed and still think otherwise.
There is a help button at the bottom of the screen, the following prompt has an option called contextual help that brings up an overlay. Contextual help allows you to hover any stat on the screen for more information. If you hover close range targeting, for example, it says helps with targeting up to (or within) 130m. The advice they gave you was correct. What you said is also true, the number on the close range stat tells you the speed that you'll pick up a target in that range. But there is also a way to see exactly what close, medium and long range means in meters, too. Contextual help, in most cases, can explain every stat in the game and what it means. Some things can still be confusing even with contextual help, but the target distances are very straight forward.
@@Lastyearsjacket I swear that ai checked this exactly when the game released amd the help text for those stats was way more vague. I think it got patched at some point.
You explained everything so well in this video, whether it was about the benefits of soft lock, the effects of firearm specialization, or even the way they all intertwine with each other as the player is in combat. Please keep making content; fresh content like this is always a needle in the TH-cam haystack.
Thank you for the detailed breakdown! Knowing what these stats actually does instead of relying on placebo gives me much more insight and confidence when build crafting! Definitely the best breakdown on this subject so far, especially hardlock vs softlock. I think the next skill gap for me will be utilizing both forms of locks in a fight.
AC6 brought me to this series this summer. I just platinum’d it today and stumbled upon this video. And I realized how little I know about this game, even after completing it. Thank you for this amazing video🔥
Thank you for your detailed explanation. Especially regarding pre lock and lock phase. This made me understand, these 2 things make my aim good. This also allows me to save ammo too. Previously I just shot blindly and was confused why almost 50% of my shots didn't hit the target 😂
Wow. This explains so much of why I sometimes have trouble hitting, and other times I hit lots of shots. The difference between hard and soft lock is crazy too. I've got more to consider in building ACs now.
I couldnt for the life of me figure out what exactly my friend was telling me when he was talking about how the aiming system works, this makes it way easier to understand. Thank you
Sorry this is my third comment and I finally just wanted to mirror what everyone else has been saying; this is by far the most helpful combat video I’ve ever seen on TH-cam.
Bro, what!?!? I was doing some Unreal stuff, and realized I've watched this before. Can't beleive you make Armored Core, and Unreal Engine content! You just got a sub.
My goodness what in awesome presentation? I had no idea thank you for the help. I'm at the last boss of the third play through. So I'm gonna need this, but I've got my little helper coming in second phase.
I think that it is also worth noting, that unlike Melee Specialization on the arms, the Firearms Specialization doesn't increase ranged weapon damage output, only the lock-on speed. But the closed-range assist of the FCS does not affect your melee damage output. Therefore, you will have to consider what arm to take, if you do plan on using melee weapons.
Wow this is a CLASS A professional video, thanks so much for this! I just got the game last night and was curious about the targeting system. Really good video man thanks
Killing it son! I love the metrics and math. Thank you! After the dodge video I changed my style. Then the update hit and the world got much better. Now, I need to update builds just a bit. Thanks again.
I'm pretty sure the secondary reticles were in For Answer and possibly 4 as well. I fondly remember somehow managing to get handheld grenade cannons on lightweight arms and then watching the reticle crawl across the screen like a snail. That was when I discovered the joys of manual aiming. Of course, being 10+ years older now, I don't have the coordination to pull off that shit anymore...
I mainly just wanted confirmation as to whether or not keeping the enemy in the middle of the screen actually provides any sort of targeting bonus, but all of the other info certainly helps as well, great video. 👍
I’ve been playing AC since AC2 and honestly I didn’t know this about lock. I did know about the dodge, but never the lock. Pretty damn awesome. Love how deep this games mechanics are.
Thankyou this is actually a very helpful video. One nice tip about high firearm spec arms, they often come with low arm-capacity which limits the types of weapons you can use with them, however with the help of the loading bay you can bypass this limit by equipping those weapons on your shoulder. This can let you enjoy your bullet hell dreams of double mininguns with maximum firearm spec. (perhaps not the best example, what you make up for lock time you might lose out on recoil. Definitely useful for the heavy laser rifle though)
I believe when you swap out the bay weapons to your arms during combat, the change is tracked live and your ac receives the overweight penalities whenever it goes over. I haven't tested this yet but this was something consistent across the older games and logically makes sense why the game allows this trick when compared to something like EN Overload not letting you sortie at all. The logical bypass solution would be to swap between the heaviest weapons you have and never use them at the same time to avoid receiving the penalty. I think the penalty itself was a severe downgrade of performance with your targeting.
I wish those ranges were color coded into the lock reticle, for example green would mean you’re in the most effective range for your FCS chip, yellow, then red (for example if you were far away and using a close range FCS). Something I wish the creators would pick up on, because sometimes it can be dicey knowing what the right range is. I’m sure it would become ingrained after a while though
I have almost 100 percented the game. Just need some S ranked missions. I have NEVER noticed the red reticle. Wtf. I love how there is a logical and fair difference in the way soft lock works between controller and M&K.
Explains why i've been able to manage dealing with even trickier enemies. I just by default always used the best firearm specialization arms with aim assist off using mouse and keyboard and I basically just let loose freely, interesting to see that I actually did make the correct choices there.
I'm pretty new to AC Series (I played the PS1 demo like 22 years ago) and i'm still trying to grasp how to play this with a controller. this tip is super useful, thank you.
I was struggling with the last boss until i realized(thanks to this video) that i was canceling my lock on the entire playthrough. Once i learned to leave the stick alone after im locked onto an enemy and be more patient with when to fire, it made this game so much more fun!( and easier)
The later part of the video when demonstrating the best firearm specialization arms, those arms I use almost in every build if I can because I always felt that stat was so good and turns out that feeling was true!
note: even when using soft lock if you have achieved 'lock' on your fcs and you fire your weapon (even if the enemy leaves your screen entirely) the weapon you fired will fire in the directly at the enemies predicted location this is only noticeable on weapons at the far end of big windup times (and will often save your bacon)
This video has greatly increased my understanding of how the targeting systems in this game work, and I am confident that I will be a better pilot for it. Thank you.
beaten the game fully, almost 100% aside from s ranking each mission, and i at no point actually understood fcs and optimal range, this alone gave so much more info than the game itself did
After learning to keep an eye on that retical more i save so much ammo and waste way less opportunities. I used to miss so many cause i was busy reloading from a mag dump that i missed 3/4 of the shots of
You can use an advanced technique by counter boosting in the opposite direction and still hit without a lock on. This is often used with AOE weapons. Also if you're facing the direction of your opponent but they are outside your reticle you can still use a melee and hit as though they're right in front. I'm not sure if the fcs or arms makes this possible but it cripples the fastest opponents.
For me, I like the big heavy explosives that fire one shot and have to reload. It completely negates the need for any recoil control, since the recoil recovers by the time these slow cannons reload. But their massive weight means I actually need to prioritise arms load limit instead. I should definitely scroll through the store again though, see if there's anything bulky enough to actually hold my big guns while also having decent firearm specialisation.
i use the melander c3 arms for a very balanced and versatile performance owO also has a nice add on shoulder shield where i can put my pinup decal for everyone to see Owo
Super useful info! I always thought that FCS was only for guided missile weapons, so I think I've been screwing myself over by leaving the default FCS on so many of my ACs!
I think this video changed the game for me. I'm starting to understand it all. Thank you. I hope I can take advantage of it not only in PVE, but also PVP.
This was exactly what i needed! Thank u! Im new to AC6 and had a lot of questions about tracking in this game but u literally answered all my questions! Thank u man
From Soft actually mastered cross controlls. Unlike many shooters where controller users have an unfair advantage over kbm users, from soft managed to give skilled kbm users a slight advantage.
Wow excellent video! I actually learned a lot from this (like why I have been doing so much better suddenly now that I switched back to controller and using more HL. Thanks for the upload!
As someone new to AC, this is a huge help, wish it would have been explained in the tutorial stages, but here it pretty clear, now i understand why i feel like i was always missing
I take (minor) issue with the claim the FCS hasn't changed. The FCS used to determine the size and shape of the box you had to get a target inside of for it to start tracking. Thats all out the window now. To be fair, that's because a BUNCH of stuff changed with regards to camera controls, turning speed, locking, etc... Either way, not a big deal because it still affects lock timing. I do like not having to move my reticule over every enemy to lock missiles on now. That confused me in the beginning of AC6 but I eventually learned to like it (it didn't help that I just finished another playthrough of AC3 the day AC6 came out and started playing it lol)
Thats actually a common misconception, you dont have to move your reticle over enemies to multilock, when you multilock it will automatically divide missiles evenly to all visible targets.
@@baval5 please read my post again carefully and realize you're telling me shit I already know ❤️ It worked differently in other games where you had to get the enemy inside your lockbox to target it with missiles and I had literally just come off another playthrough of AC3
Really need to use the same target for all tests in order to remain consistent. The hard lock vs soft lock demonstration is invalidated because the soft lock target was heavier and slower than the hard lock target. No worries though science is hard.
Oh boy, you might not like this. I just throw my builds together in a few seconds. I know just how in depth it can get. The way I play is just get in comfort zone, smash enemy.
at 5:00 might not be a good reference because one is a lighter AC while the other is heavier and slower and the change is speed also has an effect on lock time
I did test it against two different AC speeds, it doesn't really seem to make much of a difference with Hard-Lock when inside optimal range. I think it only makes a difference when you're using Soft-Lock, but that's actually only true because Soft-Lock is dependent upon your ability to keep the enemy in the middle of your screen. And, faster AC's are harder to keep in the middle. But, from what I've tested, assuming you keep everything in the middle perfectly, the speed of the enemy doesn't actually affect lock-speed significantly.
great video, the clarification of firearm spec and its effect is very helpful considering how there’s not a great ingame explanation. one thing id hope they’d change is how difficult it can be to keep track of target reticule and distance to target along with everything else, while you’re jetting around. The reticule doesn’t stand out enough in many scenarios and having to look at the distance in numbers then register if it’s within optimal distance takes a fair chunk of my focus
It would be cool if they made the numbers and/or the box around them change colors with range. Maybe it could be a gradual change too, going from red at close range, orange at 130, yellow at around 180, green at 230, and blue anywhere beyond that. Then you could also compare it to your weapons optimal range and say "ok, when the color is yellow-orange the enemy is in range".
Amazing video! For me in PvP it’s still very hard to pin down what is really better between hard lock and soft lock. I’ve seen many pvp streamers just go for hard lock since it’s still so effective despite being so much less work, also lets you focus more on movement in close quarters rather than your camera. Soft lock seems to be better for ranged players, which in the current meta is super overpowered with rats who can just run away from everything.
For anyone who'd like to see what the data looks like written down - I've done my best to organize everything below:
All "Lock-Speed" tests were done with the "Ocellus FCS" and the "Wrecker" and "Nachtreiher" arms to get both ends of the extremes - All results are "Average Seconds":
[[Difference Between Optimal/Off Range With Hard-Lock:]]
(WORST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close Range FCS) + (OPTIMAL Range) + (HARD-Lock) = .58s
(WORST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close Range FCS) + (OFF Range) + (HARD-Lock) = 3.58s
[[Difference Between Optimal/Off Range With Soft-Lock:]]
(WORST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close Range FCS) + (OPTIMAL Range) + (SOFT-Lock) = .33s
(WORST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close Range FCS) + (OFF Range) + (SOFT-Lock) = 1.33s
[[Difference Between Hard/Soft Lock In Optimal-Range:]]
(WORST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close Range FCS) + (OPTIMAL Range) + (HARD-Lock) = .58s
(WORST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close Range FCS) + (OPTIMAL Range) + (SOFT-Lock) = .33s
[[Difference Between Hard/Soft Lock in Off-Range:]]
(WORST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close Range FCS) + (OFF Range) + (HARD-Lock) = 3.58s
(WORST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close Range FCS) + (OFF Range) + (SOFT-Lock) = 1.33s
[[Difference Between Optimal/Off Range Comparisons "HardLock":]]
(BEST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close Range FCS) + (OPTIMAL Range) + (HARD-Lock) = .28s
(BEST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close Range FCS) + (OFF Range) + (HARD-Lock) = 1.52s
[[Difference Between Optimal/Off Range Comparisons "SoftLock":]]
(BEST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close Range FCS) + (OPTIMAL Range) + (SOFT-Lock) = .20s
(BEST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close Range FCS) + (OFF Range) + (SOFT-Lock) = .66s
[[Difference Between Hard/Soft Lock at Optimal-Range:]]
(BEST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close Range FCS) + (OPTIMAL Range) + (HARD-Lock) = .28s
(BEST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close Range FCS) + (OPTIMAL Range) + (SOFT-Lock) = .20s
[[Difference Between Hard/Soft Lock at Off-Range:]]
(BEST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close Range FCS) + (OFF Range) + (HARD-Lock) = 1.52s
(BEST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close Range FCS) + (OFF Range) + (SOFT-Lock) = .66s
[[Difference Between Optimal Softlock "Center Screen" vs Optimal Softlock "Un-Ceneter Screened":]]
(WORST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close-Range FCS) + (OPTIMAL Range) + (SOFT-Lock "Uncentered") = .86s
(WORST Firearm Specialization) + (BEST Close-Range FCS) + (OPTIMAL Range) + (SOFT-Lock"Centered") = .30s
I hope this information helps you build your new ACs and have fun with the game :)
Thanks a ton!! The way you explained everything with examples made this very clear for me.
Haven't watched yet because im at work but that looks scary
Scary good or scary bad? @@RX-93-2
@@Gome.o looks like alot
In your video when you test the difference in Firearm Specialization, you compare the times you got at 3:28 and 6:20 in order to demonstrate the difference between the arms with the best Firearm Specialization stat and arms with the worst. However the AC you use for each test is different. The second AC at 6:20 is clearly heavier than the AC at 3:28, and this would effect the thrust of the booster being used for the test. I know this seems nitpicky, but I run a double viento build with a pile bunker. I'm trying to find out if I should use the Basho arms or the VP-46D arms in this build but I need to know exactly how helpful the Firearm Specialization stat is since I Assault Boost circle enemies at the most extreme close range.
From should just patch this video into the game and pay this guy. This is a mandatory watch. I changed my whole AC build after seeing this and melted the CEL-240 boss
This is the best most accurate comment possible. Well done.
I beat it first try xD. I guess my FCS and arm setup are pretty darn good. It's from arquebus for anyone wondering. The triangular one that still has decent close range assist. I forgot the name.
@@Iperus The VE-21A? Honestly that FCS carried me so hard.
@@Lone_Wandering0 yea think so the singular plate holy dorito chip
This is the best visual demonstration of the lock on system I have seen. Awesome work!
Even for experienced players this is so helpful because we make assumptions but I've never researched it like this what an amazing video.
Honestly, this. It's nice to actually see it broken down and in action. My buddy plays mouse lock, I think he's gonna wreck face with a mid-range build.
Can't wait for somebody with an actual brain to debunk this whole video, it's offensively misinformed.
I love how this video plays like an actual retired vet who's had enough of the shit of new Mercs spontaneously combustimg the moment their AC fantasy shatters from contact with reality.
Great content I'll put into practice for when I get back in the game. Stay safe you old bird.
watching this made me appreciate how advanced this games combat system really is
Conclusion of the video: the best and most balanced FCS in the game has to be Talbot. It's very effective both up close and middle distance (the two most used ranges) and has an ok missile guidance. I personally use it on 90% of my 60 mechs and it never let me down.
Yeah bro I was using Talbot for 90% of things, besides the best long range one for some escort/rescue/defensive missions, but I recently started using the Research Institute FCS chip that has almost all 3 distance categories around 2/3 full (long range is the shortest of the three but it’s still pretty good imo). It’s the long skinny one with the slats running parallel to its design!
Yeah I basically swap between the Talbot, Abbot, and one of the Furlong FCS's for when I'm doing a missile heavy build.
Like 70% of my mechs use the Talbot, and the rest use the VE. That one's because some of my mechs are exclusively mid to long-range mechs with stuff like railguns and shoulder lasers. Aside from them, Talbot is the way to go. It's kinda OP, to be honest.😅
All you people talking about having multiple mechs... you mean on separate save files right? You can't have multiple mechs in one campaign right ?
@@forwardmoving8252 Ehhh... Bad news for you. You can. And almost all people do. On 1 play through.
played ac6 for 300 hrs now.
still coming back to your fundamentals.
it's not only what you explain, it is also how you explain things.
one could think, you do something with visualisation ... 😀
how does he manages to make the camera to stay on target like that? is he using autoaim?
@@akumakazenoryu if i understand your question right, you are asking for hard-lock .. ?
yes he switches between soft- & hard-lock. when hard-lock is on the cam follows the target auto. when he uses soft-lock you can see that he is moving the camera manually.
I understood about 3/4 of this before coming into this video, but your demonstrations helped me grasp the last 1/4 as well as finally recognizing some bad practices I’ve been using in my own playthrough so far.
Thanks a ton for doing this video!
Big caveat on this - if you’re mixing in missiles or other lock-on weapons, be aware that Missile Lock Correction is also an important stat for your FCS - a MLC stat over 100 reduces lock-on time by up to 50%, while a lower MLC nerfs lock-on times.
Excellent analysis & effort.
Wow, thank you so much, and I'm so happy you enjoyed the info. You have an absolutely wonderful and Fantastic Day-!!
Glad to see I came to conclusions that fit the bill for best practice. I appreciate you taking the time to explain the targeting system!
I'm SO happy that someone's figured out the exact ranges for close, med. and long range, it clears things up a lot. I've been searching for those numbers since launch. Also, soft lock times being screen region dependent is _super_ interesting. Actually, I wonder if that's largely what causes the difference between lock styles? Because hard lock only turns the camera once someone's at the edge of the screen?
The range numbers are in the stats page on FCSs. If you activate the context helper (in the pause menu in the Stat screen) you can find what you need.
What do you mean by that? There’s nothing to figure out. The numbers are literally in the game.
Responding to these comments: Those numbers aren't telling you the distance, they're stats telling you (somehow, in From's vague way) how accurate the FCS is within those range brackets. I don't really get how you watched this video, saw how the actual distance of those range brackets is fixed and still think otherwise.
There is a help button at the bottom of the screen, the following prompt has an option called contextual help that brings up an overlay. Contextual help allows you to hover any stat on the screen for more information. If you hover close range targeting, for example, it says helps with targeting up to (or within) 130m. The advice they gave you was correct. What you said is also true, the number on the close range stat tells you the speed that you'll pick up a target in that range. But there is also a way to see exactly what close, medium and long range means in meters, too.
Contextual help, in most cases, can explain every stat in the game and what it means. Some things can still be confusing even with contextual help, but the target distances are very straight forward.
@@Lastyearsjacket I swear that ai checked this exactly when the game released amd the help text for those stats was way more vague. I think it got patched at some point.
As a fellow AC Veteran, I appreciate this expression to the new gens.
You explained everything so well in this video, whether it was about the benefits of soft lock, the effects of firearm specialization, or even the way they all intertwine with each other as the player is in combat. Please keep making content; fresh content like this is always a needle in the TH-cam haystack.
chatgpt wrote this 👀
@@cheetman1 Stop the cap. 🧢
Signed,
ChatGPT
Thank you for the detailed breakdown! Knowing what these stats actually does instead of relying on placebo gives me much more insight and confidence when build crafting! Definitely the best breakdown on this subject so far, especially hardlock vs softlock. I think the next skill gap for me will be utilizing both forms of locks in a fight.
Its so weird seeing a channel I usually go to for 3d modeling help, teaching me how to aim better in AC6 lmao
Everywhere I go, I see your recognizable voice, Blender, Unity, Unreal and now.... Armored core 6
AC6 brought me to this series this summer. I just platinum’d it today and stumbled upon this video.
And I realized how little I know about this game, even after completing it.
Thank you for this amazing video🔥
Thank you for your detailed explanation. Especially regarding pre lock and lock phase. This made me understand, these 2 things make my aim good. This also allows me to save ammo too. Previously I just shot blindly and was confused why almost 50% of my shots didn't hit the target 😂
I have seen more than one video attempting to explain the targeting system in AC6 and this is by far the clearest and most informative one. Thank you!
Wow. This explains so much of why I sometimes have trouble hitting, and other times I hit lots of shots.
The difference between hard and soft lock is crazy too.
I've got more to consider in building ACs now.
Bro I thought the chips were for rockets only. Thanks for the clarification
You’re very welcome, and thank you so much for the super chat, I’ll do my best to keep it up :)
Dude thank you so much for this. Actually seeing each range distance was a godsend. I was having a hell of a hard time hitting things.
I couldnt for the life of me figure out what exactly my friend was telling me when he was talking about how the aiming system works, this makes it way easier to understand. Thank you
Thank you very much for this content!
I had no clue the arms made a difference and had no idea what the chips were changing. Thank you!
Sorry this is my third comment and I finally just wanted to mirror what everyone else has been saying; this is by far the most helpful combat video I’ve ever seen on TH-cam.
Bro, what!?!? I was doing some Unreal stuff, and realized I've watched this before. Can't beleive you make Armored Core, and Unreal Engine content!
You just got a sub.
Didn't realize your aim mattered so much in soft lock, very helpful
This game is like "what if we took dark souls combat, but calculus?"
My goodness what in awesome presentation? I had no idea thank you for the help. I'm at the last boss of the third play through. So I'm gonna need this, but I've got my little helper coming in second phase.
Gatling users: I'ma pretend I didn't see that
Brrrr,brrrrr,brrrr,brrrr ..dead
I think that it is also worth noting, that unlike Melee Specialization on the arms, the Firearms Specialization doesn't increase ranged weapon damage output, only the lock-on speed. But the closed-range assist of the FCS does not affect your melee damage output.
Therefore, you will have to consider what arm to take, if you do plan on using melee weapons.
Exhaustive targeting breakdown, an eye opener. Thanks!
This. This is exactly what I've been needing. Thank you for the info. Couldn't be taught better.
Wow this is a CLASS A professional video, thanks so much for this! I just got the game last night and was curious about the targeting system. Really good video man thanks
This really helped me a lot on understanding the game mechanics. Explains a lot on the certain ac build I choose. Will keep this in mind from now😎
Killing it son! I love the metrics and math. Thank you! After the dodge video I changed my style. Then the update hit and the world got much better. Now, I need to update builds just a bit. Thanks again.
I'm pretty sure the secondary reticles were in For Answer and possibly 4 as well. I fondly remember somehow managing to get handheld grenade cannons on lightweight arms and then watching the reticle crawl across the screen like a snail. That was when I discovered the joys of manual aiming.
Of course, being 10+ years older now, I don't have the coordination to pull off that shit anymore...
Yeah AC4 has it. I'm blind and didn't realize AC6 had this.
Unfortunately I failed Math, so I don't think I can qualify as an AC Pilot 🤤
😂
Yeah I had a dream as a kid to be a fighter pilot. But I suck at math 😂 I would have never made it.
Just whack on the biggest bazooka's and blast away lol
That's what the implants are for
Can I interest you in our totally ethical, not indentured servitude, Human PLUS program?
I mainly just wanted confirmation as to whether or not keeping the enemy in the middle of the screen actually provides any sort of targeting bonus, but all of the other info certainly helps as well, great video. 👍
I’ve been playing AC since AC2 and honestly I didn’t know this about lock. I did know about the dodge, but never the lock. Pretty damn awesome. Love how deep this games mechanics are.
This is nice....solid, clean, tested data. Allmind would be pleased
Thankyou this is actually a very helpful video. One nice tip about high firearm spec arms, they often come with low arm-capacity which limits the types of weapons you can use with them, however with the help of the loading bay you can bypass this limit by equipping those weapons on your shoulder. This can let you enjoy your bullet hell dreams of double mininguns with maximum firearm spec. (perhaps not the best example, what you make up for lock time you might lose out on recoil. Definitely useful for the heavy laser rifle though)
I believe when you swap out the bay weapons to your arms during combat, the change is tracked live and your ac receives the overweight penalities whenever it goes over. I haven't tested this yet but this was something consistent across the older games and logically makes sense why the game allows this trick when compared to something like EN Overload not letting you sortie at all.
The logical bypass solution would be to swap between the heaviest weapons you have and never use them at the same time to avoid receiving the penalty. I think the penalty itself was a severe downgrade of performance with your targeting.
I wish those ranges were color coded into the lock reticle, for example green would mean you’re in the most effective range for your FCS chip, yellow, then red (for example if you were far away and using a close range FCS). Something I wish the creators would pick up on, because sometimes it can be dicey knowing what the right range is. I’m sure it would become ingrained after a while though
Thanks for explaining this with footage and numbers, this is the perfect video for this topic
this is a better presentation than most "detailed guide to" videos ive ever seen. NICE JOB >w
Me watching this video having already platinumed this game: Hmmm. Yes, interesting.
I have almost 100 percented the game. Just need some S ranked missions. I have NEVER noticed the red reticle. Wtf.
I love how there is a logical and fair difference in the way soft lock works between controller and M&K.
Explains why i've been able to manage dealing with even trickier enemies. I just by default always used the best firearm specialization arms with aim assist off using mouse and keyboard and I basically just let loose freely, interesting to see that I actually did make the correct choices there.
This is why i love this channel. Helping me with understanding 3d animation, game development and learning how to git gud in ac. Hell yeah
As someone who's planning on getting AC6 soon, this is really interesting stuff, and I must say thanks for this info i'd never figure out lol
I'm pretty new to AC Series (I played the PS1 demo like 22 years ago) and i'm still trying to grasp how to play this with a controller. this tip is super useful, thank you.
Damn, thanks for this man! Very detailed, very useful!
This actually makes a lot of sense to me thank you for this
I was struggling with the last boss until i realized(thanks to this video) that i was canceling my lock on the entire playthrough. Once i learned to leave the stick alone after im locked onto an enemy and be more patient with when to fire, it made this game so much more fun!( and easier)
Your explanation is so detailed. Been playing since Gen1.
Seriously well done
The later part of the video when demonstrating the best firearm specialization arms, those arms I use almost in every build if I can because I always felt that stat was so good and turns out that feeling was true!
Remember when people were up in arms about Hard Lock? I remember
note: even when using soft lock if you have achieved 'lock' on your fcs and you fire your weapon (even if the enemy leaves your screen entirely) the weapon you fired will fire in the directly at the enemies predicted location
this is only noticeable on weapons at the far end of big windup times (and will often save your bacon)
Dude such a helpful video thank you 👍❤
This video has greatly increased my understanding of how the targeting systems in this game work, and I am confident that I will be a better pilot for it. Thank you.
beaten the game fully, almost 100% aside from s ranking each mission, and i at no point actually understood fcs and optimal range, this alone gave so much more info than the game itself did
Nice work
listening to you explain mechanics feels like im getting bootcamp training from rusty
This is like the most informative gameplay tutorial I've ever seen. Can you teach my Chemistry courses?
After learning to keep an eye on that retical more i save so much ammo and waste way less opportunities. I used to miss so many cause i was busy reloading from a mag dump that i missed 3/4 of the shots of
A lot of people needed this I tried getting other ac veterans to make a aiming video
4 month old, still helping new AC pilots to get their sh1t done.
Thank you, great explaination.
You can use an advanced technique by counter boosting in the opposite direction and still hit without a lock on. This is often used with AOE weapons. Also if you're facing the direction of your opponent but they are outside your reticle you can still use a melee and hit as though they're right in front. I'm not sure if the fcs or arms makes this possible but it cripples the fastest opponents.
For me, I like the big heavy explosives that fire one shot and have to reload. It completely negates the need for any recoil control, since the recoil recovers by the time these slow cannons reload. But their massive weight means I actually need to prioritise arms load limit instead. I should definitely scroll through the store again though, see if there's anything bulky enough to actually hold my big guns while also having decent firearm specialisation.
U have many options tbh
Consider putting a melee weapon in your left hand and bypass the arm weight limit by putting the heavier weapon on your left shoulder.
@@w1mark275his arms will just get overloaded when he switches to that weapon.
@@aaftiyoDkcdicurak ?? How does that work? I've played the game with overloaded arms using this trick and I didn't see any drop in performance
i use the melander c3 arms for a very balanced and versatile performance owO
also has a nice add on shoulder shield where i can put my pinup decal for everyone to see Owo
Super useful info! I always thought that FCS was only for guided missile weapons, so I think I've been screwing myself over by leaving the default FCS on so many of my ACs!
Man..fantastic demos here I learned alot. Thank you!!
this video was very helpful, thanks!
I love these videos I haven’t played the game yet but I love supporting your content
I think this video changed the game for me. I'm starting to understand it all. Thank you. I hope I can take advantage of it not only in PVE, but also PVP.
I would like to add something very important. The effective range on some weapons are not accurate. Check your weapons in test mode.
This was exactly what i needed! Thank u! Im new to AC6 and had a lot of questions about tracking in this game but u literally answered all my questions! Thank u man
Nice video, great info
Awesome video thank you for this
Ahhhhhhh that’s why I can keep a lock. I figured there was something to it and now it makes sense. Thank you!🙏🏽
I now want a mod that makes a visual change in the reticle when in the locked phase.
From Soft actually mastered cross controlls. Unlike many shooters where controller users have an unfair advantage over kbm users, from soft managed to give skilled kbm users a slight advantage.
I learned very much today
Wow excellent video! I actually learned a lot from this (like why I have been doing so much better suddenly now that I switched back to controller and using more HL. Thanks for the upload!
As someone new to AC, this is a huge help, wish it would have been explained in the tutorial stages, but here it pretty clear, now i understand why i feel like i was always missing
I take (minor) issue with the claim the FCS hasn't changed. The FCS used to determine the size and shape of the box you had to get a target inside of for it to start tracking. Thats all out the window now. To be fair, that's because a BUNCH of stuff changed with regards to camera controls, turning speed, locking, etc... Either way, not a big deal because it still affects lock timing.
I do like not having to move my reticule over every enemy to lock missiles on now. That confused me in the beginning of AC6 but I eventually learned to like it (it didn't help that I just finished another playthrough of AC3 the day AC6 came out and started playing it lol)
Thats actually a common misconception, you dont have to move your reticle over enemies to multilock, when you multilock it will automatically divide missiles evenly to all visible targets.
@@baval5 please read my post again carefully and realize you're telling me shit I already know ❤️
It worked differently in other games where you had to get the enemy inside your lockbox to target it with missiles and I had literally just come off another playthrough of AC3
Amazing video! Really helped explain targeting! Just wish we could change the color of the red target for those who don’t have the best vision
Really need to use the same target for all tests in order to remain consistent. The hard lock vs soft lock demonstration is invalidated because the soft lock target was heavier and slower than the hard lock target. No worries though science is hard.
Oh boy, you might not like this. I just throw my builds together in a few seconds. I know just how in depth it can get. The way I play is just get in comfort zone, smash enemy.
Hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it
at 5:00 might not be a good reference because one is a lighter AC while the other is heavier and slower and the change is speed also has an effect on lock time
I did test it against two different AC speeds, it doesn't really seem to make much of a difference with Hard-Lock when inside optimal range. I think it only makes a difference when you're using Soft-Lock, but that's actually only true because Soft-Lock is dependent upon your ability to keep the enemy in the middle of your screen. And, faster AC's are harder to keep in the middle. But, from what I've tested, assuming you keep everything in the middle perfectly, the speed of the enemy doesn't actually affect lock-speed significantly.
@@TheRoyalSkies Nvm just realized my fcs got nerfed. Guess im switching to ocellus
great video, the clarification of firearm spec and its effect is very helpful considering how there’s not a great ingame explanation. one thing id hope they’d change is how difficult it can be to keep track of target reticule and distance to target along with everything else, while you’re jetting around. The reticule doesn’t stand out enough in many scenarios and having to look at the distance in numbers then register if it’s within optimal distance takes a fair chunk of my focus
It would be cool if they made the numbers and/or the box around them change colors with range. Maybe it could be a gradual change too, going from red at close range, orange at 130, yellow at around 180, green at 230, and blue anywhere beyond that. Then you could also compare it to your weapons optimal range and say "ok, when the color is yellow-orange the enemy is in range".
Thank you for the information, I took your advice and it has made a big difference!😎
Amazing video! For me in PvP it’s still very hard to pin down what is really better between hard lock and soft lock. I’ve seen many pvp streamers just go for hard lock since it’s still so effective despite being so much less work, also lets you focus more on movement in close quarters rather than your camera. Soft lock seems to be better for ranged players, which in the current meta is super overpowered with rats who can just run away from everything.
Learning this after beating the game three times already
Damn, what a good video dude, thanks for the tips, I would finish the game without knowing nothing about that
This was a really well done video. Bravo.
I am 34 hours into this game and i just learned these
Thank you