Messages

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Mega Man Discussion / Re: Megaman Unlimited

« on: December 01, 2013, 09:46:18 AM »

At least most of the criticisms here are leveled more at its hardness than about its concept. I still found it weird when I read the review of one player who said that Unlimited's major flaw was its story execution. Considering that the Mega Man games were never known for having a deep and well-developed story, it seems like an odd complaint to me.

I never meant to say it was the one flaw or the one that singlehandedly killed my gaming experience.  However, the way I approach game design says that each aspect of the game is important to some extent, and if one aspect is bad, it can drag the entire thing down.  I might have been able to enjoy MMU a bit more if its storyline was better; because it was not, I did not.
I also figured it would be better to address the story because everyone else was already complaining their heads off about the gameplay.

D'OH! Sorry, man. I was trying to be discreet by not referring to you by name, and I failed. I feel bad about putting that last part in there. Sorry.  I can understand being unable to enjoy a game when the story has its flaws. I just didn't think MMU's story was really so glaring, and I attributed your criticism to over analytical frenzy. Most, or all, of the Mega Man games do have intentionally bad and predictable stories, but even if MMU's story was predictable or illogical (from your viewpoint, as I recall), I liked how it was crafted. I admit, I got it mainly from watching videos because I can't play the game with ease on my computer (I'm a wimp), but I found MMU's story and look to be on the right track on where Mega Man fan games should go. It just may be about time that Mega Man fans did create a fan game which would be for Mega Man what Link to the Past was for Legend of Zelda. As I wrote before, I'm curious as to how you would write your own Mega Man fan game, CHAOS_FRENZY... I mean! FANTAZY. I think the kind of Mega Man game you'd have in mind is not only one which has original and compelling boss fights, very fun yet challenging levels, and original textures, but would also have a story which defies the traditional simplistic plots of the MM series in favor of a story which blends Japanese-styled hard science-fiction with the twists and turns usually found in Hitchcock and Silver Age Marvel Comics. A MM fan game like that would kick ass.

I generally didn't have a huge problem with MMU's story other than its unrealistic goals.

The game tried to be a bridge between the Classic and X series, which physically is impossible when only one minuscule thread (which was the worst part of the whole game, might I add) connects the two. Regardless of how predictable it was or how similar it was to MM10 (which I don't blame it for - the story was probably done before MM10's announcement and refined since then), the fact that it tried to be something it's not just kinda shoots the story in the foot. Then again the only great story I've seen in a Mega Man game comes from the Zero series, so I can't ask for much.

I haven't played this game since I ranted about it a few pages back.

This was released about two months ago. No word of anything since then though.

I wouldn't say that MMU's goals were unrealistic. I actually liked that Mega Man was facing the prototype of Zero at the end, even though it was intentionally a fight you could never win. I think that one of the reasons why the creators made the game so hard was demonstrate how much more brutal the world would become once the Maverick Virus starts infecting more advanced robot models like the Reploids. It was a nice touch too when Dr. Light analyzes his data at the end and comments that it yield unlimited potential. I don't know of any better way to cleverly bridge the classic and X games the way they did.... Well, I'd want the game to be easier, of course, but I still think that the concept of MMU is still clever.

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Mega Man Discussion / Re: Megaman Unlimited

« on: November 27, 2013, 11:41:35 PM »

Admittedly, I find Mega Man Unlimited too hard for me. I did find some satisfaction in getting farther in easy mode on Nail Man's and Glue Man's stage, even though I still managed to screw up somehow. Maybe it's better to play it with an attached controller than with a keyboard. It's a shame that I might not want to play it, because I've gotten used to playing hard retro-games that try to capture the classic NES feel, like Cave Story and Poacher. Still, I love watching the video playthroughs of the game, including the developer's commentary playthrough of some of the levels. It still is excellent quality in its execution, despite its hardness. It's quite possible that the developers were aiming this game more towards their level of skill then for the player. It may not worked for many here, but there are some who braved it and seem to love it. I'd still study it as a template on what to do and what not to do for a fan game.

At least most of the criticisms here are leveled more at its hardness than about its concept. I still found it weird when I read the review of one player who said that Unlimited's major flaw was its story execution. Considering that the Mega Man games were never known for having a deep and well-developed story, it seems like an odd complaint to me.

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Mega Man Discussion / Re: Mega Man DOS 2: My Ideal Interquel for the MM PC Games

« on: November 19, 2013, 08:45:08 AM »

This was the first concept art I did to visualize most of the Robot Masters and player characters I had in mind for Mega Man DOS 2.



I don't think I'll do an Assassin Man as the old pic suggests.

Recently, I decided to do new rough sketches of my Robot Masters. They're as good looking without any color, so once I ink and marker them they may appear again.

These are my larger sketches of Daimyo Man, Kraken Man, Motorcycle Man, Computer Man, and Bookworm Man.



Don't let him get too close. He'll decapitate and disembowel Mega Man with one Vibrating Katana slice.



I'm rather proud of the design for Kraken Man. As you can see, his head is where the squid's beak should be, and his feeding tentacles are connected right into his canon arms. He was built long before Launch Octopus, but don't be fooled. His feeding tentacles can reach far in split seconds.



Motorcycle Man is actually the motorcycle itself. The man on it is just a bearded crash dummy that Motor Man likes to have sit on his back for amusement. His face is where the motorcycle's headlight should be, wearing a bandanna.



Computer Man wears the iconic IBN symbol with MM8BDM and Apogee classics like Secret Agent have on their computers, as a nod to the ominous IBM. He looks appropriately 80s in his monitor design.



Boomworm Man does not like it when students don't read their books before class. He's got a face on two worm-ends, so he scolds kids even when his back is turned.

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Mega Man Discussion / Re: Dissections of Mega Man X Series

« on: November 11, 2013, 07:05:10 PM »

anybody here thinks that: Serges = Dr.Wily?
i mean, Zero was destroyed in X1, and he reborn in X2 with a few of new features (Z-Saber!!!!) given by this "X-Hunter"...
Zero wasn't an enigma to everyone exept for Dr.wily?

Also, i think that Dr.Light make X because...some day Megaman will be converted in Quint

You're not the only one. At the Mega Man wiki, fans have speculated that Serges or Isoc are Dr. Wily in Reploid form. It's interesting that even though the X series always reverts back to Sigma as the main villain, the creators like the players to believe that they're going up against a different villain. Dr. Doppler seemed like he had potential to be his own villain, and X series' equivalent of Dr. Wily.

I was toying with the idea of a SNES-styled fan sequel where Wily is resurrected somehow, revives old Reploid foes to serve him, and even converts some old Robot Master designs into Reploid form. I'd also have Zero come across a hidden holographic pod, the only one Dr. Wily created while alive, which explains to him everything how he came to be and the whole history of his struggle against Classic Mega Man. It would need good writing, and the expertise of someone who know Mega Man lore thoroughly... but that's a discussion for another time.

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Mega Man Discussion / Re: Dissections of Mega Man X Series

« on: November 10, 2013, 08:25:04 PM »

No resemblance? Get those eyes checked, bro.

X was most likely created in response to Wily's creation of Zero, possibly even based upon Zero in keeping with the protoman dichotomy. And really, Dynamo is the closest analogue of Bass in the X series... pathetic as that is.

What's that? "Axel"? ...Sorry I don't know what you're talking about.

I meant psychological and emotional resemblance, not resemblance by appearance. All I was trying to say is that X is a completely different individual, even if he looks like classic Mega Man.

I don't get the "Axel" joke.  :? Sorry.

What makes you think he did all the work himself? Totally possible he found X, called up some robotic engineers he knew and got THEM to study and eventually replicate X's revolutionary features. It's not like Dr. Cain seems to have much of anything to do with the plot in general other than finding X in the first place, you know?

Of course he had help. I'm just not quite sure if his robotics team were the absolute best to be able to understand Dr. Light's designs. Besides, he is pretty much credited as being the father of the Reploids, and even founded the Maverick hunters. Even if he serves as being a diluted version of Dr. Light, his actions have everything to do with the story. He replicated X's design with quick cash, and the Reploids' weak immunity to the Maverick virus is all his fault.... Okay, maybe not ALL his fault, but one must admit that he is a hack.

On another note, it's interesting that both Wily's Robot Masters and the Reploids were both borrowed from Dr. Light's designs. Wily based his designs on Protoman, Cain based his on X, and those robots were often less than perfect in comparison to their inspiration

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Mega Man Discussion / Dissections of Mega Man X Series

« on: November 10, 2013, 03:26:53 AM »

I discovered much of the Mega Man lore late in life. It was only until college that I learned more of the background story behind the games. When I finally learned the backstory for Mega Man X, I was surprised what the story actually was about. I thought that it was about the classic Mega Man waking up in a apocalyptic future where humanity was dying and advanced robot masters based off Wily's design reigned supreme, and that Zero was Mega Man from the deep future serving as his guide. Boy was I wrong. The plot was more complicated than that, yet at the same time kind of absurd.

Things about Mega Max X that intrigued me:

So X was a second prototype of Mega Man, who was a completely different robot than Classic Mega Man, with his own personality, and free-will. We never know what happened to the first Mega Man, or why Dr. Light wanted to make a completely different Mega Man who had no resemblance to the first.

The development of Reploids was the fault of Dr. Cain, an archaeologist who had no business building robots, least of all replicating the work of a robotics expert from the past. Why did he take it upon himself to replicate X when he was not qualified, especially when it seems like he was replicating X's design for quick cash?

All the Reploids and Mavericks, except for X who is not a Reploid, are all pretty much the younger offspring of X because they are replications of his design. Ironically, even though these Reploids are younger than X, the majority of them treat him like a naive kid. They do realize that they all owe their existence to his design, right?

Zero seems like a more advanced version of X, but it turns out that he was the ultimate creation of Dr. Wily. Not only that, but he was the source of the Maverick virus, and presumably still carries the virus even after losing his memories and Maverick thoughts. Zero seems to serve as both a Protoman and Bass figure in the X games. However, Dr. Wily never left any holographic pods like Dr. Light did to explain to Zero why he was created.

The Mavericks are anti-human, yet their reason for being was the result of a virus created by a human (as well as faulty wiring from replicating X). Makes me wonder how the Mavericks would think of Dr. Wily if he somehow miraculously came back to life and try to gain the Mavericks' allegiance.

Sigma is not a scientist. He is a former Maverick Hunter, yet through his contracting of the Maverick Virus he has emerged to become Dr. Wily's successor, though far more dangerous than Dr. Wily. The other MMX games came up with other Maverick villains who served as Reploid equivalents of Dr. Wily, like Serges or Dr. Doppler, but it always Sigma who is the main villain. Sigma does get destroyed multiple, but he always has a backup plan. It's interesting that Sigma usually is blown up at the end of the game yet still survives, while Dr. Wily only still survives because Mega Man was predictably merciful.

The plots of the MMX games usually involve misunderstandings with other Reploids and Sigma being revealed to be the true villain. The Maverick Hunters seems kind of slow to sense Sigma's influence behind the scenes just like Classic Mega Man and friends are slow to determining that Dr. Wily was behind it all.

The Maverick Robot Masters never have "Man" in their names. They're all either animal-based or humanoid-looking Reploids with pun-names. And their not the result of being built by the villain, but were mostly former good guys who have been corrupted. Interesting take on the Mega Man formula.

All in all: Mega Man X is Blade Runner/Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? meets Mega Man.


Anyway, those were things that came to mind when I learned more about MMX's story. What have other fans thought of the story and motifs in the MMX series?

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MM8BDM Discussion / Re: Some Issues with v3b

« on: November 06, 2013, 10:01:59 AM »

Update: I managed to turn off auto aim in the Player Options. I originally tried changing it in Gameplay Options, but it kept resetting itself whenever I started a new level. Gameplay options still reset when I tried to enable crouch. Here's another interesting thing: while the Gameplay Options didn't allow me to change crouch and autoaim during the deathmatch levels, it did allow me to change during the boss levels. Weird, huh? I feel more accurate without the autoaim which is nice (though it sucks when the little helmet guys which I ignore drain stampede me while I'm shooting at the second boss's headpiece).

I look forward to version 4. I just love playing 8-Bit Mega Man in 3-D.  

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MM8BDM Discussion / Some Issues with v3b

« on: November 04, 2013, 05:38:53 AM »

I've been playing MM8BDM a lot lately, and I think it's one of the most brilliant freeware games I ever played. You really succeeded in making Mega Man FPS when Capcom couldn't. Not only that, but you succeeded in rendering NES Mega Man's 8-bit graphics into a retro-3D environment from the first person, in the DOOM II engine. Many of the weapons from the old MM games work very well in this transfer. The Slash Claw, Flame Sword, Bass Buster, and Proto Buster and Shield are among my favorite weapons in MM8BDM. What's also cool is to see the moving mouths from the MM NES games from a first person perspective in the DOOM engine: it's a quality that makes me thing of Half-Life 1, and it just makes me wonder why other FPS developers in the 90s couldn't make their NPCs move their mouths while talking to you while MM NES did it so simply. And the boss fights are brilliant as well. Gamma is pretty difficult, but I think that he is by far the largest boss ever programmed for a DOOM engine game. Having the EVIL Energy Robot from MM8 be the boss in the last expansion, considering that he didn't get to be a boss in the original MM8, was a great touch.

Those are just a few of my praises for this game. I will now get into some complaints, but they are very few. They persist a lot, so I was wondering if you could fill me in on them.

1) Autoaim is always on: I find it very strange why this feature is always on, and always resets to autoaim even when I try to change it. It's annoying, because it shoots at things I didn't want to shoot at, like those raven robots in the Shade Man level. I'm not firing at them, but it still hits them, and they fire back. It happens to when while fighting some of the bosses, the mega buster fires at the small damn helmet things when I really just want to fire at the end boss. Whenever I try to change it, the menu won't allow me, because it says that I can't change in-game. Even if I am in Dr. Light's compound, it still says I can't change. I changed it while in intro cutscene before starting the game, but it always reverses back to autaim. Why must you have autoaim always on? Granted, I did manage to change autoaim other features once while in game mode, but the game was probably too distracted to care, and that resulted in a crash afterwards I think. The same applies to the crouch mode: game wouldn't let me alter it, except once. I can understand that the "can't change while in game" is important so that online players don't have an unfair advantage, but why must it be the same for singleplayer?

2) Can't change gameplay features in menu: As I stated above, it's something you may want to look into.

3) Enemy Bots too Accurate: Most of the time, the enemies seem too accurate. It's not that big a complaint, so it's more likely that I'm a wuss. However, I hate it when they're more accurate than I am, because of my confused autoaim.

4) A Slide function should be implemented: It might cause problems, but I think if you could swap the crouch function with a slide function, it would add a new element to the gameplay.

5) Some weapons don't work: Plant man's weapon doesn't do anything, and when I fight plant man at the end of the Mega Man 6 section, he just reverts to Mega Buster. Check it out.

7) Other MM Weapons Should Be Featured: Like the Magnet Beam. Just a small suggestion.

You can dismiss the other critiques, but I would recommend you fixing some of the gameplay configuration issues.

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Mega Man Discussion / Re: Mega Man DOS 2: My Ideal Interquel for the MM PC Games

« on: November 01, 2013, 03:36:05 AM »

That's cool and all
Especially the Squid Grappling Hook,

But how are you going to do this?
Some of the members are working on v4 of MM8BDM or mods and I believe NemZ and Colonel are already set to make their own fan games.

So unless another one of us can code,
Then your awesome idea will never happen.

Thanks for thinking it's cool, ZeStopper.

How am I going to do this? As I wrote before, I need to find the write kind of programming tool or game designer to get that classic DOS platformer feel which I like. I know that Game Maker can pull off a lot of retro-games, but I want to find a way to duplicate almost exactly the look and feel of many of the DOS platformers I grew up with. I think I might want to do it by myself, though I like the idea of receiving help from the modding gods (even though I haven't done anything to earn such a privilege).

Not that you mentioned it, I think that MM8BDM should have a mod expansion where Dr. Wily messed with a time warp, resulting in Mega Man and friends living in the nightmare of living in the 16-bit DOS Mega Man universe. Everyone moves in awkward speeds, there's no music, and all notable characters from the NES installments are either absent or horrendously mutated. I think they should also do a mod where Wily messes with the time stream even further, and the universe turns into the American Mega Man cartoon.  Yes... I see much potential in this direction....

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Mega Man Discussion / Re: Mega Man DOS 2: My Ideal Interquel for the MM PC Games

« on: October 30, 2013, 06:31:12 AM »

What say you, Robot Masters?

I'm not trying to be an evil wraith guy that feeds off of your crushed hopes and dreams...but I don't really like the sound of this.  Defend yourself.

Choice of robot enemies: mainly insects, dogs, spiders, bats, and aquatic critters. Mundane critters without any anime style to them.

Kindly explain what makes this ever-iconic mainstream MM enemy over-the-top and anime-like.

Original though slow moving robot master designs: At least in the first Mega Man DOS. I know that 3 ripped designs off the NES games, and all fought the same way.

Why would those sluggish moves ever be considered a good thing?  Those bosses were so easy to mow down, it was laughable.

Since I do have a fondness for the old title and for Apogee/id DOS platformers, and since there was only a DOS 1 and 3, why not a Mega Man DOS 2? It would be perfect, because I could parody the style, look, and gameplay of Mega Man DOS, but at least make it more fun to play than the originals. I would try to make MM DOS 2 be to the MM DOS games what Mega Man 2 was to the Mega Man games.

So, combining MM2's objective overratedness and mediocre music with MMDOS's clunky physics, ugly look, and relative lack of difficulty?  No, thanks.

The Robot Masters he faces are deliberately meant to be mundane and dull

Tell me you didn't just say "let's be boring on purpose..."

Robot Masters:
Globe Man:   Spinning Globe Projectiles
Daimyo Man:    Vibrating Katana Slash
Oven Man:    Environmental Broil
TV Man:    Static Interference Wave
Kraken Man:  Feeding Tentacle Grapple
Vitamin Man:   Pill Bomb
Computer Man:   Error Screen Attack
Motorcycle Man:  Gas Blower
Pool Man:   Chlorine Grenade
Radioactive Man:   Mini-Atom Bomb Blaster
Lawnmower Man:    Mower Blade Projectile and Grass Thrower
Bookworm Man:    Re-educator Annelids

...and with concepts like this?  I've never heard of half the ideas in here being done by anyone, really.  These Robot Masters deserve better than the DOS treatment; they deserve less generic looks, more engaging boss battles, weapons that are actually interesting!  The DOS style has proven to have none of those, and making a game to be "like DOS" simply won't hold up.

At one moment in the game, Mega Man is kidnapped, and Roll must rescue him by becoming MEGA WOMAN, for at least two levels and then she's back to being Roll.

Why even bother?  If "Mega Woman" doesn't have any unique gameplay attributes, then there's no point—aside from removing weapons from the player for a few rounds, which could be handled in other ways (See also:  Shadow Rockman, Rockman 4 MI).  If she does, then you're limiting the player's ability to have fun playing as her.  What if I'd rather keep being Mega Woman?

In conclusion:
Basically, "ew, Mega Man DOS style."  It has often been said that Mega Man should find a way forward in its fangames and stop banking on the same art style every time (Though admittedly I'm too lazy to learn a new style), but DOS sounds like two steps back.  The existing DOS games have proven to be visually unappealing in all aspects; to have physics that are awkward clunky and certainly not what we're used to; and to simply be not as engaging or as fun as the real deal.  They were hastily built to bank on the real Mega Man's popularity, and it shows.  I cannot realistically see myself wanting to play a game like it.

Yeesss... CHAOS_FANTAZY, I do recall reading you're rather weird and reactionary rant on the Mega Man Unlimited forum about MMU's story and ending. I sensed that I might cross swords with you at some point once I posted my idiosyncratic fan game ideas here once I saw that you are a member here, so I'll try defend a few of my points as best I can.

When I said mundane, I didn't mean "boring." I meant anchored in recognizable settings that are slightly futuristic. I just got that vibe from the DOS version. I know I'm not making sense, so never mind.

I agree that Mega Man deserves more interesting, unique boss battles, with interesting weapons. I like you passion, and I would very much like to play a Mega Man fan game created by you if you ever develop it. I know that you are all about Mega Man games with awesome gameplay, bosses, writing, and story, and I hope you pull it off. And I want my intentionally generic named Robot Masters to also be unique and awesome too.... Okay, I want to make them slow as in Mega Man DOS, but I don't want to have them fight and move around the same way as DOS 1 and 3 did. As for the attacks for my basic RMs being uninteresting, what's so uninteresting about heating the entire level room to kill all enemies, or using giant squid feeding tentacles out of the Mega Buster to throw enemies behind you or grapple ceiling hooks, or using miniature atom bombs a la MDK 1 on selected targets or reinforced walls, or using a hand-held power katana to split robots in half (with a robot-splitting animation before they explode), or using rapid robot worms to force enemy robots to fight for you, and laying vitamin mines which once ingested by enemy robots cause them to expand and gibbing into useful power-ups? Well, of course I didn't specify how each of the attacks worked, so that was my fault.  

I thought those attacks were at least unique. Maybe I should just change Globe Man's ability to a means of random teleportation, so that Mega Man would end up in a random secret area when he uses it during each level (like the teleporter gun from Half-Life: Opposing Force). Or at least summon a squad of geographer robots who fight like Captain Planet's team? Naw, just joking about that one.

I like that you like the idea of playing a Mega Woman. There could be an option where Mega Woman could be used to play the entire game. I was just thinking of intentionally making it a small level as a teaser for an actual Mega Woman fan game, because I think it's about damn time there was one. A whole game where Roll matures to Robot-Womanhood, battles a horde of Robot Mistresses, and deals with the female equivalent of Dr. Wily.... It's something to definitely consider.

And you think that MM2 is overrated and has mediocre music? Whoa, man, those are fighting words. I was thinking more in terms of adding more intensity to MM DOS like MM2 did for MM1. I'd like to know which MM game you like the most, and which MM style music you think is best. I could use your opinions for reference. I am surprised that you think that even Wily stage music of MM2 counts as mediocre. You didn't have a personal falling out with MM2 at some point, did you?

OK, and I admit that I liked MM DOS for its lack of NES level of difficulty. I am a heretic. Execute me on the altar of Guts Man if that will make you happy (or to whatever Robot Master you think is superior to Guts Man). I haven't learned to be adept at playing Mega Man NES just yet, I definitely should. And I don't want my MMDOS2 to be a repeat of the difficulty of MMDOS1, nor to confusing level design of MMDOS3. I do want it to be difficult, have easier controls, original textures, at least imaginative and fun level design, and some additions for the NES MM games. I do like the slow gameplay, though I do recall that the speed could be regulated to be either super slow or super fast in the DOS versions. I could put in a more manageable version of that feature in.

And I didn't say that the creatures from MM NES were over-the-top. I don't know why you don't see that the MM NES and others are done in anime-style, because they do. And I like minimal anime style in those games. I just find it interesting that the MM DOS games chose to go against that style, and mainly used critters that just look like average animals without any expressive faces (except for those little helmet guys which have a short cameo at the end of DOS 1). I still can't get over that MM 3 had nautilus and shell-squid robot enemies in the Shark Man stage, or had Mega Man swim endlessly throughout a dark oceanic level with confusing design.

All in all, even if you can't see yourself playing such a game, rest assured: you're not my target audience. You don't have to play it even if I could pull it off. I don't want to make the same mistakes as the MM DOS creators when it came to design and texturing. I agree with you that they were hastily made. Capcom should have commissioned id Software to make a successful port. At least id put effort into making a smooth-scrolling platforming experience, and they even pulled it off with by trying to port Super Mario 3 to PC, and asked Nintendo if they were interested (the port resulted in the demo Dangerous Dave in Copyright Infringement). I discovered from a video playthrough of MM DOS that it started off as a fan game that Capcom endorsed, which means that id could have easily had more success with Capcom than Nintendo. Apogee would've at least made a better MM DOS game (sigh).

Anyway, I don't want to reuse the old textures from MM DOS or NES games. I want to make my own. And of course, I'd want the Robot Masters to have better animations than those in the DOS series. First, I'd need to find a game designer that would enable me to replicate pixel and gameplay style of my favorite DOS platformers, such as Duke Nukem 1 and Secret Agent, and those of the inferior games like MM DOS. Game Maker might do, but I'm wondering if there is some other kind of game designer that would make my ideal retro-platformers really retro as I know them. Overall, this is a combination of DOS and NES games I might use for inspiration for the game's look and feel.

Mega Man 1 (NES)
Mega Man 2 (NES)
Commander Keen 1-3
Duke Nukem 1
Super Solvers: Challenge of Ancient Empires
Mega Man DOS (just for basic aesthetics)
Mega Man DOS (to a very small extent. maybe remake the levels for Oil Man, Shark Man, and Torch Man)
Mega Man X (for secret level)
(EDIT: I might even use Mega Man 4 and 6 for inspiration)

Plus, I'd want to incorporate some laid-back exploratory levels. Like, you can go back to Dr. Light's base and explore in inside and outside, search for secret areas, and interact with other characters without fighting. Dr. Light would have a training room, lounge room, various bedrooms and bathrooms, a shop, the basement where Protoman is living in for rent while finding a place of his own, and a nice hiking park outside. Players could put RM fighting on hold just to hang around the place.

As I said, I'd like to find the right kind of game designing tool to get the kind of retro fangame that I'm after.

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Mega Man Discussion / Mega Man DOS 2: My Ideal Interquel for the MM PC Games

« on: October 29, 2013, 03:15:56 AM »

I am id Man! Robot Master with all the technology and weapons of id Software's gaming titles! Fear my Pogo Stick Chaingun BFG!

OK, now to the topic.

I must admit that my first Mega Man game was the DOS version. It was the only Mega Man game I could play and beat at the time, sadly (I never could afford a Nintendo back then). Through visits to my Godbrother, I got exposed the classic cool Mega Man, as well as Mega Man X. I only recently watched the longplays of most of the Mega Man games, and gained more and more appreciation of them. Strangely enough, I discovered on YT that there was a sequel to the DOS Mega Man, except it wasn't called 2 but 3. It made me wonder why they made it 3 instead of 2, and I thought perhaps that were hoping to make a 2 once they got better at designing Mega Man for PC?

The reason why I am fascinated with Mega Man DOS is because
1) It was for me my childhood, however pathetic that sounds,
2) Duke Nukem 1, my other favorite childhood platformer, borrowed a bunch of textures from Mega Man DOS, so it has that almost-Apogee feel to it.
3) The mundane setting: it may be less futuristic than the console Mega Man games, but I still liked how they made the levels that way.
4) Choice of robot enemies: mainly insects, dogs, spiders, bats, and aquatic critters. Mundane critters without any anime style to them.
5) Original though slow moving robot master designs: At least in the first Mega Man DOS. I know that 3 ripped designs off the NES games, and all fought the same way.
6) Mega Man DOS was very atypical for a Mega Man game.

Since I do have a fondness for the old title and for Apogee/id DOS platformers, and since there was only a DOS 1 and 3, why not a Mega Man DOS 2? It would be perfect, because I could parody the style, look, and gameplay of Mega Man DOS, but at least make it more fun to play than the originals. I would try to make MM DOS 2 be to the MM DOS games what Mega Man 2 was to the Mega Man games.

Here's the concept: Dr. Wily has infiltrated major areas of commerce and administration with his latest robot masters and taken them hostage. Mega Man must fight all robot masters in order to determine the new location of Dr. Wily's super underground Skull City. The Robot Masters he faces are deliberately meant to be mundane and dull, but at least each have unique fight patterns and attacks.

Robot Masters:
Globe Man:   Spinning Globe Projectiles
Daimyo Man:    Vibrating Katana Slash
Oven Man:    Environmental Broil
TV Man:    Static Interference Wave
Kraken Man:  Feeding Tentacle Grapple
Vitamin Man:   Pill Bomb
Computer Man:   Error Screen Attack
Motorcycle Man:  Gas Blower
Pool Man:   Chlorine Grenade
Radioactive Man:   Mini-Atom Bomb Blaster
Lawnmower Man:    Mower Blade Projectile and Grass Thrower
Bookworm Man:    Re-educator Annelids

At one moment in the game, Mega Man is kidnapped, and Roll must rescue him by becoming MEGA WOMAN, for at least two levels and then she's back to being Roll.

For a secret level, you play as a 8-bit DOS version of X, and you have to fight Bile (Vile's weaker cousin), and Sigma, who fights rather like Dr. Wily from Mega Man DOS. And you get the same anti-climactic ending after beating him!

For the Wily boss, I'd want to do something different from the mechwarrior Wily pilots in both 1 and 3. Something more interesting. For the ending, I'd like to do something akin to the ending to Mega Man 2 NES's ending.

What say you, Robot Masters?