Fist of Mars-Frequently Asked Question

Q: What are some frequently used abbreviations?
A: Here ya go.

ZoE-Zone of the Enders. Refers to anything in the universe in general, but I mainly use it to refer to the first game.
FoM-This game, the Fist of Mars. Called 2173 Testament in Japan.
ZoE2-My shortcut way of saying Zone of the Enders: 2nd Runner. Also called Anubis: Zone of the Enders.
IAS-Interactive Action System. The battle system in FoM.
LEV-Laborious Extraorbital Vehicle. Your basic, run-of-the-mill mech. Commonly used in construction and riot control.
OF-Orbital Frame. Incredibly powerful variation of the LEV, with full flight capability and more powerful weapons. Controlled by the pilot bonding with the frame, which by brings out his or her inner strength and emotions. Primarily manufactured by NUT, and heavily used by BAHRAM.
BIS-Anti-Terrestrial League Born in Space. The heroes of FoM. Better funded than most independance groups due to the support of the Robin Foundation, they have developed their own Orbital Frames. Each member was handpicked by its founder, Deckson Geyse, who look up to him as a father figure.
UCM-United Colonies of Mars. Each of the 16 counties on Mars was founded by a different country from Earth, and the UCM acts as a governing board. Has an army, the Peacekeeping Force (also called "Security Keeping Force" in the game), but it is forced to report to the UNSF.
UNSF-United Nations Space Force. Earth-based army representing the members of the Security Council; highly prejudiced against Enders. Often use anti-earth activity to respond with excessive force, in an attempt to keep Enders in their place. (They're bad in a "Thanks to the cooperation of the United Nations, all your bases are in our possession." kind of way.)
NUT-Nereidum Universal Technology. Largest manufacturer of LEVs, and one of the few companies producing Orbital Frames. Being based on Mars, they have a stake in Ender independence movements, and secretly support BAHRAM and other military organizations. For example, they helped BAHRAM stage the Antillia raid to regain their OF R&D center the colony (where it moved after the Deimos incident), since it had been taken over by the UNSF months earlier.
BAHRAM-How should I know what it stands for? But it is the largest group fighting for martian independence. Tested the first Orbital Frame. Represents the boiled over anger and hatred towards earthlings, they often act with little regard for human life when trying to reach their goals. Their actions led to the near destruction of Demios Station, the Antillia colony, Earth, and even the entire solar system.
Phil-Short for Philbright Westriverside Warehouserock XXVI. <_< >_>Ok, I'm running out of ideas for abreviations.

Q: What is this game about? What is the gameplay like?
A: ZoE: FoM is a strategy game with giant anime mechs, created by the same people who made the Super Robot Wars series. However, this game has a unique feature: an Interactive Action System (IAS). When you attack an enemy, you get a chance to aim at the cockpit for a critical hit. And when you are attacked by an enemy, you get a chance to dodge the attack. This makes the game lean a little to the easy side, but it can be turned off. There's also great music, good graphics, great story, great dialogue, and multiple paths. So buy it, okay?

Q: What's the difference between the 24 and 25 scene paths?
A: The story is pretty much the same, but you'll face Amante and Jimmer in the 25 scene path, and Bolozof and Zephyers on the 24 scene path. The major plot points still remain more or less the same, but you'll learn a little more about Myona's past in the 25 scene path, and a little more about Jimmer's past in the 24 scene path. Also, you'll face some unique frames in the 24 scene path.

Q: How do choose between the two paths?
A: The Handy PC, a key piece of evidence, is neccesary if you want the 25 scene path If you don't save the hostages in scene 10, you won't get the Handy PC in scene 12. If you do save the hostages, scene 12 acts as a tiebreaker. Beat 7 or more enemies and you'll get the Handy PC. Otherwise, you won't get it. There is an exception to the rule, which I'll discuss next.

Q: How do I get Nadia to join in the 24 scene path? In the 25 scene path?
A: In scene 20-24, "Island of Destiny", move Deckson's frame next to Nadia's frame. Her frame must be at 20~30 percent HP to trigger a cutscene. Then, finish the scene as normal and she will join. (For the record, you can either attack Nadia with a melee attack or just wait next to her to trigger it. You can also hit her with a projectile attack, but it cannot destroy her frame). As for the 25 scene path, do not destroy Nadia's Bizac in scene 9. She will join later, in scene 16. Note that the 25N path overrides the 24 scene path; you don't need to save the hostages in scene 10 in order to get the Handy PC in scene 12.

In conclusion:

Save the hostages in scene 10, then defeat at least seven enemies in scene 12 for the normal 25 scene path.
Don't save the hostages, and let the bombs go off in scene 10. You will get the 24 scene path no matter what.
Don't destroy Nadia's Bizac in scene 9, then defeat at least seven enemies in scene 12 for the 25N path. Nadia will join during scene 16. (Note that you will get the 25N path even if the bombs going off in scene 10.)
Defeating less than seven enemies in scene 12 will net you the 24 scene path no matter what.

Q: How does recruiting Nadia affect the story?
A: There is little difference on the 25 scene path. She makes a couple remarks on the 25 path. (That doesn't mean it's not worth getting; she's an excellent pilot, there is a line Frazer says during scene 10 that fills in a plothole regarding the Handy PC, and it fills yet another plothole by showing Twede commendeering an LEV he uses in scenes 16 and 17.) On the 24 scene path, there are a number of additional scenes with her and the other characters. Both endings are more or less the same as the normal ones, with a Nadia sneaking in a few lines. The 25N and 24N paths are also almost identical, the difference being that Frazer talks in the 24N ending and doesn't in the 25N ending.

Q: What is an 'Ender'?
A: Basically, someone llving in the colonies in outer space. Mainly, they live on Mars in terraformed domes (as well as some older buildings with seprate life support systems) and on the Antillia space station orbiting Jupiter.

Q: Who are 'Ridley', 'Mathers', and the 'outsider' Amante mentions in the ending? And why does she mention Leo from the first ZoE game?
A: 'Ridley' is Ridley Hardiman--though you probably know him best as Nohman. 'Mathers' hasn't been mentioned in anything I've seen so far, but he seems to be Ridley's chief rival. The 'outsider' comment is the most puzzling... Some say it's Dingo, who was ex-BAHRAM and was second only to Nohman. But Dingo left BAHRAM before Anubis and Jehuty was even built and he was keeping a low profile out on Antillia in 2173, so he wouldn't be the guy instrumnetal for BAHRAM's takeover plot. Perhaps there will be another episode to explain it... And, as for Leo, he hid Jehuty on Callisto when BAHRAM ambushed the Atlantis at a catapult as they were transporting it to Mars. He wanted to stop ADA from completing its suicide mission or falling back into BAHRAM hands. Amante wanted to go after Leo, but Nohman stopped her because he only needed Anubis to start the Aumaan project.

Q: What is the difference between an LEV and an OF?
A: Basically, an LEV has an arkjet engine, and an OF has an antiproton reactor. That may sound like a bunch of technobabble, but basically Metatron is used to shield the frame, energize weapons, and reduce fuel consumption. This lightens up the frame because it doesn't need heavy armor or as much fuel, thus allowing it to fly (LEVs can hover using boosters, but it's nothing compared to an OF). OFs have tend to have no feet because they are designed to fly most of the time, unlike LEVs that are groundbased. (There are some exceptions, such as Testament and Iblis.) OFs have a visible line of Metatron running down their body. There are some LEVs like the Bizac which use Metatron, and Leo's transforming Vic Viper is nearly up to par to an OF. But this question leads me to...

Q: What do all the OF names mean in ZoE: FoM?
I found a rather intellegent post on the matter from Datana on GameFAQs:

Iblis is an alternate name for the Devil, Shaitan, most often associated with the Arabic versions of Old Testament stories. This is why all of the descriptions of Iblis in-game describe it as "evoking images of the Devil."

"Nerokerubina" and "HarutMarut" were both renamed due to a 12-letter limit in names in 2173 Testament's engine; the original Japanese names were "Nerocherubina" and "Harut wa Marut." Nerocherubina is apparently simply "black cherub," which may indicate a fallen angel. Harut and Marut are two angels who were sent to teach mankind the difference between true miracles and Devil's trickery, though in some versions of the tale they fell for a human woman and later apostasy despite boasting that they couldn't on either case.

The Malebranche (as in the "Marlblanke" Project) are the "evil claws" (a sort of black demon with venomous claws) of Dante's Inferno. One of the Malebranche is Graffiacane ("Dog-scratcher"), which is a name that should be familiar. Other Malebranche (but not all of them, not by a longshot) are Calcabrina ("Brine-walker"), Cagnazzo ("Big dog"), Barbariccia ("Bearded one"), and Rabicante ("Furious one"; also sometimes written "Rubicante"), which should be names familiar to players of Final Fantasy IV (as Calbrina, Kanazzo, Valvalicia, and Rubicant due to imprecise conversion to Japanese and back). These translations are from memory, so might not match up precisely; I don't know Italian. Another demon found with the Malebranche is Scarmiglione, the name of another Frame. The "Marlblanke Effect" might be a reference to the philosopher Nicholas Malebranche, who proposed the entire concept of mental and physical parity (though later, his work turned towards the denial of true human self-determination, saying that all actions come ultimately of God, who causes actions after a human "decides" on it). I'm still not sure on what "Marlblanke Dite" is supposed to be, though.

Ravana is the nemesis of Rama in the epic Ramayana. It was a demon which couldn't be killed, and just kept on returning for more despite injuries. Appropriate given that Ned is its main pilot ("I am immortal!!!!!!").

An Ifrit (a type of OF that appears on the "bad" story path of Testament) is a type of djinn with flames for blood and are collectors of arcane knowledge.

Saoshyant (the name of BIS's base ship) is the Zorastranian word for "Savior," in the Christian sense -- the one who would redeem mankind.

Q: Is the Harut Marut an OF or an LEV?
A: To be frank, I have no idea. On one hand, Zephyrs calls it "a Metatron fueled riot-control LEV", and it says that it is a large LEV on the reference screen. On the other, it is based off the design of an OF, the Tempest, operates like an OF, and Robin calls it an OF after scene 23. So you tell me.

Q: Is Philbright Westriverside Warehouserock XXVI a girl?
A: No. He's a guy. The instructions are wrong. If you read the terminology, or the dialogue for more than two minutes you would have saw it. As Cage says, "Huh? He's a he? I'd better start paying attention."

Q: Why do you type out 'Philbright Westriverside Warehouserock XXVI' and 'Scarmiglione' so much?
A: Because it's fun. :P

Q: Does Ken really take off her flight suit in the 2nd runner? Do you see anything?
A: Yes, she does. And no, you don't, you sicko. If you stray too close to the power core while carrying Ardjet, she'll be in a tanktop when she jumps into Jehuty. It's a magic flight suit. She takes it off when she's hot, puts it on when she talks to Dingo (at least in the US version), takes it off to get in Jehuty, and puts it back on while sitting on Dingo's lap in Jehuty's cockpit while on the way to Lloyd's place.

Q: Seriously, what is up with Ken's flight suit?
A: Magic. Wait, that won't work. Ok, two words: Vector Trap. :)