Front Mission: Online
Encyclopedia
is a massively multiplayer online
(MMO), third-person shooter
video game developed by and published by Square Enix Co., Ltd.
, and was released in Japan
on May 12, 2005 for the PlayStation 2
, and on December 8, 2005 for the PC
. Front Mission: Online is the third spin-off entry and the eighth entry overall in the Front Mission
series. The game was played using the online service of Square Enix Co., Ltd., PlayOnline
. A beta version of Front Mission: Online was released on November 2004. Like other Front Mission titles, Front Mission: Online is part of a serialized storyline that follows the stories of various characters and their struggles involving mecha known as wanzers.
Front Mission: Online ended its services and was discontinued on May 31, 2008.
entries of the numbered Front Mission titles. Rather than being played out on a grid-based map and using a turn-based structure, battles takes place in real-time on full 3D maps akin to Armored Core
. The player controls a mech known as the Wanderpanzer, or wanzer. Players in Online can play alone, or in groups of up to 20 players. The game has built-in support for VoIP, which can be used to communicate with other players.
Game progression in Online works differently from other Front Mission entries. As an MMO, players have complete control over how they want to play the game. When a player creates an account, they will be asked to choose a side to fight for - the Oceania Cooperative Union (O.C.U.) or the United States of the New Continent (U.S.N.). Next, the player must create a character to play as; character creation in Online works similarly to character creation methods found in other MMOs. Once a character has been created, the player can then begin playing the game. There are two modes of play - PvE
or PvP
. In PvE mode, players do battle against enemies controlled by AI
. In PvP mode, players do battle against other players of the game.
The PvE mode of Online is unique in that like the other Front Mission titles, there is a storyline that the player can play through. After the player completes a certain amount of missions, they can participate in military operations, which are a series of missions. These military operations progress the storyline. Furthermore, there are limited-time only operations which are open to all players. Unlike missions, military operations are one-time only events and cannot be replayed. The PvP mode of Online, on the other hand, does not have any story elements. Players pick a battle zone on Huffman Island and fight on it, with the winning side taking control of the zone. Battle zones affect the type of missions that a player can go through in PvE mode. For example, if a U.S.N. military base is captured by O.C.U. forces, U.S.N. players can take a mission to recapture it. Likewise, U.S.N. players can take a mission to defend the base if it was not captured. There are many types of missions, ranging from simple destruction requests to more complex reconnaissance ones.
When a player is not currently involved in a mission or military operation, they are stationed at military bases and supply camps on Huffman Island. In here, they can customize their wanzers, purchase battle gear for their pilots, form groups with other players, or fight other players in the Arena to earn extra money and parts. Players can also defect to the other side if their combat proficiency is at a certain level. Defecting players are demoted by one military rank and lose all of their items, except those that are equipped on their pilot and wanzer. Wanzer customization in Online works differently from other Front Mission titles in that the parts, auxiliary backpacks, and weapons the player can access is entirely dependent on their military ranking. Military rankings work in a progression-based fashion; players must complete missions and military operations to advance in rank. A player can also raise their rank by scoring kills on computer-controlled enemies or players fighting for the other side.
Missions aside, Online boasts other new features as well as returning ones, particularly from Front Mission: Gun Hazard
and Front Mission Alternative. The game introduces many new auxiliary backpacks and weapon types. A new kind of auxiliary backpack is the stealth backpack; this protects a wanzer from being detected on enemy radar and/or can render the invisible to the naked eye if an optical stealth backpack is used. The burst bazooka is a bazooka fires multiple bazooka rounds in quick succession; it has a high damage output, but is offset by its slow reload times. There are also hybrid shield/weapons that have both an offensive and a defensive feature. Returning features in Online include remodeling and Cockpit Mode. Once a player has reached a certain rank, they can add upgrades to their parts and weapons to make them more effective. Cockpit Mode, which allows players to control the action in a first-person view, has been expanded to allow for zooming in and zooming out of the battle camera. This allows for precision aiming and shooting, which is ideal for weapons such as sniper rifles and bazookas.
, created by volcanic activity south of Mexico's west coast in 1995. In 2002, the land mass was classified as an island, and was ceded to United Nations
control. However, in 2020, the United States of the New Continent (U.S.N.), a unification of North American and South American countries, made a bid for control of the island after withdrawing from the United Nations. The Oceania Cooperative Union (O.C.U.), a unification of Oriental Asian nations and Australia in 2025, disputed this claim when the two superpowers colonized the island in 2065. The tensions heated up and eventually led to the 1st Huffman Conflict in 2070, with Huffman Island being divided into two halves at the end of the war. An uneasy peace was maintained until the Huffman Crisis
in 2086, when a series of skirmishes across Huffman Island causes chaos on the island. Tensions flared up once again and eventually led to war when the O.C.U. is blamed for inciting the Larcus Incident
on June 3, 2090.
, the game's plot covers both the minor and major events that occur during the war, such as the war-ending Operation Eagle Tears (coincidentally, this was also the final military operation, taking place from May 27 to May 31, 2008). Online revolves around four military units that play a major role in the war: the Chasm Owls (O.C.U.), Iron Hearts (O.C.U.), Proud Eagles (U.S.N.), and the 17th Mobile Company (U.S.N.). These four military units influence how the war turns out, from the early stages when the U.S.N. military was winning the war, to the later stages when the O.C.U. military begins using mercenary outfits. Throughout the game's service, players could fight alongside or against characters and groups from Front Mission. Additionally, characters from the other Front Mission entries made appearances in several missions or military operations as either allies or enemies.
Massively multiplayer online game
A massively multiplayer online game is a multiplayer video game which is capable of supporting hundreds or thousands of players simultaneously. By necessity, they are played on the Internet, and usually feature at least one persistent world. They are, however, not necessarily games played on...
(MMO), third-person shooter
Third-person shooter
Third-person shooter is a genre of 3D action games in which the player character is visible on-screen, and the gameplay consists primarily of shooting.-Definition:...
video game developed by and published by Square Enix Co., Ltd.
Square Enix
is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its console role-playing game franchises, which include the Final Fantasy series, the Dragon Quest series, and the action-RPG Kingdom Hearts series...
, and was released in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
on May 12, 2005 for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, and on December 8, 2005 for the PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
. Front Mission: Online is the third spin-off entry and the eighth entry overall in the Front Mission
Front Mission
is a collection of video games and related media produced by Square, now Square Enix. The series was created by Toshiro Tsuchida and developed by G-Craft, a studio that was later absorbed by Square and is now with Square Enix as Product Development Division-6...
series. The game was played using the online service of Square Enix Co., Ltd., PlayOnline
PlayOnline
PlayOnline is an online gaming service created by Square Co. , and is used as a hub for many of the online PC, PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 games the company publishes. Currently, the only game supported by the service is Final Fantasy XI...
. A beta version of Front Mission: Online was released on November 2004. Like other Front Mission titles, Front Mission: Online is part of a serialized storyline that follows the stories of various characters and their struggles involving mecha known as wanzers.
Front Mission: Online ended its services and was discontinued on May 31, 2008.
Gameplay
As a massively multiplayer online (MMO), third-person shooter spin-off, the gameplay of Front Mission: Online differs from the tactical role-playing gameTactical role-playing game
A tactical role-playing game is a type of video game which incorporates elements of traditional role-playing video games and strategy games. In Japan these games are known as , a designation which might seem peculiar to native English speakers...
entries of the numbered Front Mission titles. Rather than being played out on a grid-based map and using a turn-based structure, battles takes place in real-time on full 3D maps akin to Armored Core
Armored Core
Armored Core is a mecha-based video game series developed by From Software for the PlayStation Portable, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Mobile Phone platforms. Armored Core games are Mecha Simulation/third-person shooters, in which the player pilots a large mecha called an...
. The player controls a mech known as the Wanderpanzer, or wanzer. Players in Online can play alone, or in groups of up to 20 players. The game has built-in support for VoIP, which can be used to communicate with other players.
Game progression in Online works differently from other Front Mission entries. As an MMO, players have complete control over how they want to play the game. When a player creates an account, they will be asked to choose a side to fight for - the Oceania Cooperative Union (O.C.U.) or the United States of the New Continent (U.S.N.). Next, the player must create a character to play as; character creation in Online works similarly to character creation methods found in other MMOs. Once a character has been created, the player can then begin playing the game. There are two modes of play - PvE
Player versus environment
Player versus environment, or PvE , is a term used in online games, particularly MMORPGs, CORPGs, MUDs, and other online role-playing video games, to refer to fighting computer-controlled enemies—in contrast to PvP .Usually a PvE mode can be played either alone, with human...
or PvP
Player versus player
Player versus player, or PvP, is a type of multiplayer interactive conflict within a game between two or more live participants. This is in contrast to games where players compete against computer controlled opponents, which is correspondingly referred to as player versus environment...
. In PvE mode, players do battle against enemies controlled by AI
Ai
AI, A.I., Ai, or ai may refer to:- Computers :* Artificial intelligence, a branch of computer science* Ad impression, in online advertising* .ai, the ISO Internet 2-letter country code for Anguilla...
. In PvP mode, players do battle against other players of the game.
The PvE mode of Online is unique in that like the other Front Mission titles, there is a storyline that the player can play through. After the player completes a certain amount of missions, they can participate in military operations, which are a series of missions. These military operations progress the storyline. Furthermore, there are limited-time only operations which are open to all players. Unlike missions, military operations are one-time only events and cannot be replayed. The PvP mode of Online, on the other hand, does not have any story elements. Players pick a battle zone on Huffman Island and fight on it, with the winning side taking control of the zone. Battle zones affect the type of missions that a player can go through in PvE mode. For example, if a U.S.N. military base is captured by O.C.U. forces, U.S.N. players can take a mission to recapture it. Likewise, U.S.N. players can take a mission to defend the base if it was not captured. There are many types of missions, ranging from simple destruction requests to more complex reconnaissance ones.
When a player is not currently involved in a mission or military operation, they are stationed at military bases and supply camps on Huffman Island. In here, they can customize their wanzers, purchase battle gear for their pilots, form groups with other players, or fight other players in the Arena to earn extra money and parts. Players can also defect to the other side if their combat proficiency is at a certain level. Defecting players are demoted by one military rank and lose all of their items, except those that are equipped on their pilot and wanzer. Wanzer customization in Online works differently from other Front Mission titles in that the parts, auxiliary backpacks, and weapons the player can access is entirely dependent on their military ranking. Military rankings work in a progression-based fashion; players must complete missions and military operations to advance in rank. A player can also raise their rank by scoring kills on computer-controlled enemies or players fighting for the other side.
Missions aside, Online boasts other new features as well as returning ones, particularly from Front Mission: Gun Hazard
Front Mission: Gun Hazard
is a side-scrolling shooter video game developed by Omiya Soft and published by Square Co., Ltd., and was released in Japan on February 23, 1996 for the Nintendo Super Famicom game console. Front Mission: Gun Hazard is the first spin-off entry and the second entry overall in the Front Mission series...
and Front Mission Alternative. The game introduces many new auxiliary backpacks and weapon types. A new kind of auxiliary backpack is the stealth backpack; this protects a wanzer from being detected on enemy radar and/or can render the invisible to the naked eye if an optical stealth backpack is used. The burst bazooka is a bazooka fires multiple bazooka rounds in quick succession; it has a high damage output, but is offset by its slow reload times. There are also hybrid shield/weapons that have both an offensive and a defensive feature. Returning features in Online include remodeling and Cockpit Mode. Once a player has reached a certain rank, they can add upgrades to their parts and weapons to make them more effective. Cockpit Mode, which allows players to control the action in a first-person view, has been expanded to allow for zooming in and zooming out of the battle camera. This allows for precision aiming and shooting, which is ideal for weapons such as sniper rifles and bazookas.
Story
Set in 2090, the story of Front Mission: Online takes place on Huffman Island, a fictional Pacific Ocean island roughly the size of OahuOahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
, created by volcanic activity south of Mexico's west coast in 1995. In 2002, the land mass was classified as an island, and was ceded to United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
control. However, in 2020, the United States of the New Continent (U.S.N.), a unification of North American and South American countries, made a bid for control of the island after withdrawing from the United Nations. The Oceania Cooperative Union (O.C.U.), a unification of Oriental Asian nations and Australia in 2025, disputed this claim when the two superpowers colonized the island in 2065. The tensions heated up and eventually led to the 1st Huffman Conflict in 2070, with Huffman Island being divided into two halves at the end of the war. An uneasy peace was maintained until the Huffman Crisis
Front Mission 2089
is a tactical role-playing game developed by Square Enix Co., Ltd., MSF, and Winds, and was published and released in Japan by Square Enix Co., Ltd. in 2005 and 2008 for the mobile phones. The game was released on March 7, 2005 , October 27, 2005 , and June 18, 2008...
in 2086, when a series of skirmishes across Huffman Island causes chaos on the island. Tensions flared up once again and eventually led to war when the O.C.U. is blamed for inciting the Larcus Incident
Front Mission 2089-II
is a tactical role-playing game developed by Square Enix Co., Ltd., MSF, and Winds, and was published and released in Japan by Square Enix Co., Ltd. in 2006 and 2008 for the mobile phones. The game was released on September 15, 2006 and February 21, 2008...
on June 3, 2090.
Plot
The plot of Front Mission: Online takes players from the beginning of the 2nd Huffman Conflict to its end in 2091. Unlike Front MissionFront Mission (video game)
is a tactical role-playing game developed by G-Craft and published by Square Co., Ltd., and was released in Japan on February 24, 1995 for the Super Famicom. Front Mission is the first main entry and the first entry overall in the Front Mission series...
, the game's plot covers both the minor and major events that occur during the war, such as the war-ending Operation Eagle Tears (coincidentally, this was also the final military operation, taking place from May 27 to May 31, 2008). Online revolves around four military units that play a major role in the war: the Chasm Owls (O.C.U.), Iron Hearts (O.C.U.), Proud Eagles (U.S.N.), and the 17th Mobile Company (U.S.N.). These four military units influence how the war turns out, from the early stages when the U.S.N. military was winning the war, to the later stages when the O.C.U. military begins using mercenary outfits. Throughout the game's service, players could fight alongside or against characters and groups from Front Mission. Additionally, characters from the other Front Mission entries made appearances in several missions or military operations as either allies or enemies.
External links
- Front Mission official website at Square-Enix.com
- Ten-Mou / Worldwide Network System