Armored Core 3: Silent Line Parts' Serial Number Guide Tabel of Contents Legal Stuff 1.0 Update History 1.1 Introduction 2.0 First Letter Key 2.1 Second Letter Key 2.2 Third Letter Key 2.3 Inside Weapons Key 2.4 Arm Weapons Key 2.5 Weapon Arms Key 2.6 Back Weapons Key 2.7 Radiators Key 2.8 FCS Key 2.9 Acknowledgements 3.0 Email the Author 3.0 1.0 --Legal Stuff-- This FAQ is Copyright 2003 Tim Chi (yopiedisciple@yahoo.com) This FAQ may not be reproduced in part or whole except for private use. This FAQ may not be distributed via other websites, public forums, or any other means without the written permission of the author. To violate any of the above terms is illegal and an infringement of copyright laws. Armored Core 3: Silent Line is copyright 2003 From Software. Armored COre is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment America, Inc. The author is in no way affiliated with Sony, Inc., Sony Computer Entertainment of America, Inc., From Software, or Agetec, Inc., other than the fact that he plays their games. 1.1 --Update History-- -June 12, 2003: Version 1.0 Completed (Current) 2.0 --Introduction-- For those new to the Armored Core series, the mountains of technical jargon and strings upon strings of serial numbers of parts must seem a little bit intimidating, to say the least. But AC3, unlike the previous Ac games, decided to wisely make memorizing part names easier by actually adopting a rather organized system of naming parts. This FAQ will detail how the naming works for those of younew to the AC world (and maybe those who aren't new but didn't catch on anyway) Keep in mind that this is designed to primarily aid in the reading of parts' serial numbers online on forums and such and identifying those parts, as with a PS2 you can just press triangle for all the details. Really, deciphering this is mostly common sense, and this was just made to point people in the right direction. And because I have too much free time (It's Summmmeerrrrrrrr) This is the basic format for naming: *Each () represents a letter in the code (Company Name)(Part Type)(Weight Class/Extra Info)(Optional 4th letter)-Name Here's an example of how this works. Take these arms, for instance: MAM-RE/TIN M, for Mirage, then A for arm, M for midweight, and the name RE/TIN. This is the established system for naming frame parts. Some parts, like generators and heads, have a two-letter code after the manufacturer code. Weapons are a little different, and radiators and FCS's, for some whimsical reason, are completely different. As such, they will be covered individually later on. 2.1 --First Letter Key-- M: Mirage C: Crest K: Kisaragi 2.2 --Second Letter Key-- A: Arm BT: Booster (Primary) C: Core E: Extension ES: Energy Shield GP: Generator HD: Head L: Legs OR Left Arm Unit M: Ammo Pack RL: Back Radar (Mirage) RU: Back Radar (Crest) SS: Solid Shield W: Weapon WEM: Extension/Anti Missile WEL: Anti-Missile (Energy based) 2.3 --Third Letter Key-- A: ECM Assist B: Reverse Joint (Legs) OR Blade (Left or Right Arm) OR Back Boosters/Dual CNG BT: Booster (Extension) C: Catepillar Tread (Legs) OR Cannon-Type Back Unit EC: Emergency Radiator (Extension) EP: Energy Recovery F: Quadruped (Legs) G: Gun/Hand-Held Weapon GG: Gun/Arm-mounted Hand Weapon H: Heavyweight I: Inside L: Lightweight M: Midweight OR Missile (Back Unit) R: Hover (Legs) OR Rocket (Back Unit) W: Weapon Arms X: Dual-Slot Back Unit At this point, you can basically figure out frame parts, since what goes after the dash doesn't seem to have a whole lot of significance, and is only the name of the parts given by their respective companies. Some recurring letters however, such as MM, MX, and RE for Mirage do appear more than once. Weapons part codes however, do have significance after the dash. The first few letters will designate part type, and is usually followed up by its ammo count. THere are a few exceptions to this, such as the legendary KARASAWA or MOONLIGHT 2.4 --Inside Weapons-- BO: Bomb Dispenser DD: Decoys DM: Dummies EM: ECM Maker FM: Floating Mines GJ: Generator Jamming Rockets MD: Adhesive Mines NM: Napalm Rockets RC: ECM Rockets RJ: Radar Jam Rockets 2.5 --Arm Weapons-- ARF: Assault Rifle (Burst) BZ: Bazooka DKP: Dual Pulse Rifle FTL: Flamethrower GR: Grenade Rifle GRS: Smalle Grenade Rifle GS: Shotgun (Solid/Energy) HG: Handguns HGB: Burst Handguns HLR: Large Hand Rocket HM: Hand Missile HR: Hand Rockets HZL: Howitzer KP: Pulse Rifle MG: Machinegun RF: Rifle SBR: Parrying Blade SBZ: Spread Bazooka SRF: Sniper Rifle SRFE: Energy Sniper Rifle XCD: Dual Laser Rifle XCG: Plasma Rifle XC(Any Letter): Laser Rifle Left Arm weapons are usually completely identical in coding to their Right arm counterparts, except for the addition of the letter L at the end of the weapon code, such as SRF to SRFL. There are a few exceptions, like HZL and FTL, and a few L Arm weapons which do not have R Arm counterparts: ES: Energy Shield HNRL: Hand Napalm Rocket LS: Laser Blade NHZL: Napalm Howitzer SS: Solid Shield TLS: Throwable Laser Blade (SOL) There are also a few additional letters that are tacked onto the end of a serial number. The only one that seems to have consistent meaning is H, which stands for the heat damage version of a weapon, such as MG/700H, or RF/220H. All other letters, like R or LE only seem to indicate that the weapon is a different weapon than another weapon in its class which already has the same ammo count, such as GS/72 and GS/72LE, or SRF-80 and SRF-80R 2.6 --Weapon Arms-- DBZ: Bazooka DC: Grenade Launcher DHM: Heat Missile DHZ: Howitzer DLC: Laser Cannon DMG: Machine Gun DS: Small Missile DSL: Spread Laser DVG: Ground/Vertical Missile LIC: Linear Cannon OC: Orbit Cannon SDBZ: Spread Bazooka SDC: Small Grenade Launcher Interestingly enough, all the weapon arms from AC3 have the prefix D before the actual weapon type, whereas the habit is dropped from SL weapon arms. 2.7 --Back Weapons-- AD: Ammo Back AR: Assault Rockets (Burst) BM: Burst Missiles CNG: Chaingun DC: Dual Chaingun DM: Dual Missiles GM: Ground Torpedos GND: Dual Grenade Launcher GNL: Large Grenade Launcher GNS: Small Grenade Launcher HA: Hi-ACT Missiles HAVM: Hi-ACT Vertical Missiles HZ: Howitzer IR.: Plasma Cannon LIC: Linear Cannon (Solid or Energy) LQ: Laser Cannon M: Medium Grade (For missiles or rockets) MDM: Dual Multimissiles MM: Multimissile MX: Miscellaneous? OC: Orbit Cannon SLU: Slug Guns SM: Stealth Missiles TM: Triple Rockets TR: Triple Missiles (No, those two are not mistakes) VM: Vertical Missiles XP: Pulse Cannons Again, the MX prefix baffles me. 2.8 --Radiators-- For some reason, From decided to give a totally different coding system to the radiators. Luckily, only the first three really matter, as the rest of the letters don't really tell much about the actual radiator. RMR: Mirage RIX: Crest RGI: Kisaragi 2.9 --FCS-- The FCS works sort of the same way, except there is more relevant information following the first three. The second two will usually, except for Kisaragi's FCS's and the ANA, tell the sight type and lock number VREX: Crest AOX: Mirage PLS: Kisaragi ST: Standard Sight WS: Wide and Shallow Sight ND: Narrow and Deep sight 3.0 --Acknowledgements-- Thanks goes out to: -From Software, obviously, for making one of the best games. EVER. -Agetec, Inc., for distributing it outside of Japan. -Sony Computer Entertainment of America, Inc., because they're the big guys. -JinX and his website www.ac-x.net, which I used as the primary resource for matching up the parts. It made this FAQ go a lot faster than having to run back and forth between my PS2 and my computer. -CJayC, for running GameFAQs and hosing all the guides. -And finally, the obligatory "You the reader, for reading this". 3.1 --Email the Author-- SaruShirei, or Tim Chi, whichever you prefer, can be reached at yopiedisicple@yahoo.com with questions, comments, suggestions, contributions, death threats, or drunken rantings. All are welcome. Those who contribute will be given due credit. And if you don't feel like emailing me, feel free to get my attention on the Gamefaqs Armored Core 3: Silent Line message boards. Armored Core 3: Silent Line Parts' Serial Number Guide Copyright 2003 Tim Chi