UP and You: The Various Uses of Upgrade Points

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Upgrade Points (UPs for short) are like the currency of the Simulation Chamber (Post Credits, or PCs), except these are used for something different, and more related to the pilot than just buying mecha and whatnot. This section will dissect Upgrade Points, and discuss how to earn and use UPs.

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Earning UPs is like earning PCs: Participate in battles! Keep in mind that although you CAN earn UPs, don't expect droves of them like you do with PCs: You can earn UPs ONLY through a battle. That means that nobody can give you UPs for being a goofball and whatnot. Not that that's bad or anything... think of UPs as experience points.

The amount of UPs given in a SC the battle is determined by dividing the PC prize by 10. This UP total is given to both sides, regardless of win or lose. However, there IS a perk in winning: The winning side gets 20% more UPs than the losing side.

Say, for example, you have a 200 PC prize limit. This means that both players get a base 20 UPs, win or lose. However, the winning side gets an extra 4 UPs (20%) added to the UP total for emerging victorious. Yeah, the "win or lose" statement may mean otherwise, but what it DOES mean is that you get a guaranteed amount of UPs.

For a PA battle, however, the UPs given is 10% of the PC limit, and is given to all participants, win or lose. No bonus for victory here.

Sure, gaining UPs is slow and tedious... almost like earning PCs through straight battle. But there's a reason for this, after all, which is stated below.

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Now that we got through earning these glorious gems of experience, it's time we learn how to use them. First, the most obvious way: Learning new Seishin. This is accomplished in the old-fashioned way of purchasing a mecha: Get a bunch of UPs, then blow it all on a seishin of choice. It's that simple.

Now, the less obvious way: Boosting your maximum SP.

You know how in Super Robot Wars games, your characters' SP reserves increase by 2 every time you level up? Same thing here, except we do things a little differently:

For every 10 UPs you spend, you can boost your maximum SP up by 1.

This also explains the Maximum SP Cap that all pilot classes have. No matter how much SPs you spend, you just can't go beyond that cap.

Now that that's covered, we'll move on to tallying UPs.

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Unlike PCs, which are kept tallied in the PC Depot, UPs are more related to the pilot's well-being. Unless you just HAVE to have every mecha available, to sate your mechanic desires. But that's another thing entirely.

Anyway, as stated before, UPs are more related to the pilot's well being than his bank account. Thus, your UP amount should be kept updated in your Axial Mainframe account. Yes, it's hard to believe that you actually use your AM account for something other than holding mecha and items. But nonetheless, all UPs should be tallied in your AM accounts.

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Okay, let's recap things here.

How do I earn UPs?
- Easy: Through battles. However, the amount of UPs you earn is different depending on weither it's a SC or PA battle.
- For a SC battle, it's 10% of the fight's PC prize. Keep in mind that winning gives you a 20% UP bonus, as well.
- For a PA battle, it's 10% of the PC limit. No bonus for victory.

However, there WILL be fights that offer a set amount of UP as a prize for the winning side. As for the losers... dunno. Keep in mind that these are only for the BIG fights.

What about if I have an ability that gives more UPs?
Abilities that grant bonus UPs (Tensai, Great Effort, etc) apply their effects one after the other. So if you had 2 effects that doubled UPs, you would gain the base, times 2, then times 2 again, for an effective times 4 gain.

Okay, so how do I use them?
Two ways: Learning new Seishin and increasing your maximum SP reserves.

And how do I keep track of all this?
Note it in your AM, like you do with PCs. That simple.

And when do we start earning UPs?
Easy: Everything starts July 25th, 2003. All fights started on this date and there on will earn UPs. Fights in progress past this date do not apply.

Can I give away UPs?
HELL no. UPs are like experience: You learn, then apply. In this case, you earn UPs, then you spend them on increasing SP count OR learning new seishin. You can't "give" experience to anyone else. And anyone who says otherwise should be drawn and quartered... or shot with a pair of aircraft carrier-mounted chainguns.

Do you want fries with that?
No.