Topic: The MMX Offical Complete works is out.

[Jetfire]

the book actually says that 22XX, the year of CM is actually the same year of the Zero series, hence the change in art style.

This means that the Zero series actually begins in this century and not 23XX as belived by some who interpreted it 100 years after the X series to mean after CM.

[Mega Greasy Houdini Tek 54321]

No the Zero series is hundreds of years after the X series, including X command mission.

[Jetfire]

not according to this book.

[Hypershell]

That is not in the least canonical fact.  It is a personal statement by Ryuji Higurashi in regards to why he chose to redesign X for Command Mission.  And, incidentally, it's also old news, since that quote was already spotted in the japanese version of R20.

Capcom supervised, but did not make, MegaMan Zero; Inticreates did that.  Higurashi is involved in Classic, X, and Battle Network, not in Zero.  Zero-series was initially said to take place 100 years after X, or 22XX.  HOWEVER, Inticreates themselves expanded the series gap during the development of Zero-series sequels in order to accommodate the origins of the Dark Elf, creating the Elf Wars which is in itself 100 years prior to Zero-series, and mandating that Zero has to drop out of action for a long time before Elf Wars in addition to being sealed afterwards.  For this reason it is exceedingly unlikely for MMZ to take place 100 years after anything X-series related unless the X-series were to touch on Elf Wars, which Command Mission gave no indication of doing.

On the surface, this seemingly necessitates a 200-year gap between X series and Zero series, although there is some debate on the matter of whether or not Zero's first seal lasted as long as was originally intended, due to MMZOCW referencing only a half-century of Sigma Virus experiments on Zero.  Whether or not Zero was subject to such experiments during the entire length of his seal, and at what point if any Weil obtaining Zero's body cut off the intended procedures of his first seal (which was initially estimated at 102 years) is a whole other batch of speculation.  Nevertheless, 150 years, bare minimum (200+ still being likely), following Zero's first seal, which there is no reference of in Command Mission.  That's when Zero-series takes place.

Zero-series in 22XX is ridiculously outdated information; no way is it true of the completed series without one hell of a forced and convoluted explanation.  Command Mission was released in 2004, Z2 in 2003, so Inticreates' reshaping of the series gap had already begun.  Higurashi was simply out of the loop on that, because the Zero-series isn't his bag.  But that misunderstanding yielded a cool design, so all was good.

[Rin]

For now U.S. Amazon looks like the only reasonable option for Poland. In one of our e-shops prices are ridiculous, and the other one orders from Amazon and takes additional 25%. And then, there's another one with free importing and shipping, but they don't have those 2 books yet.
*sigh...*

Wait what? Free importing and shipping? WHERE?!

Also, I was talking about krainaksiazek.pl

[Karai]

Empik. If you order not to home but to their store, you pay nothing extra. For example, on the page of this new and shiny Megaman Zero Official Complete Works, there this big 0zł.
Just don't get fooled with that '15 days', my copy will arrive in February >_>

Krainaksiazek is amazon + 25%.

[Rin]

Empik. If you order not to home but to their store, you pay nothing extra. For example, on the page of this new and shiny Megaman Zero Official Complete Works, there this big 0zł.
Just don't get fooled with that '15 days', my copy will arrive in February >_>

Krainaksiazek is amazon + 25%.

Oh, I see.
Okay, thanks. I knew about Empik, but never thought about using it.
I might do so now.

[Zan]

That is not in the least canonical fact.  It is a personal statement by Ryuji Higurashi in regards to why he chose to redesign X for Command Mission

Another thing to note is that, his statement is limited solely to combat model Reploids because the notion of civilian Reploids as indistinguishable from humans certainly isn't true by a long shot. It's only X's armor and some others in the game that reflect the ZERO-series' combat Reploid designs.

Also, wasn't he just talking about it being in the same "timeframe"? It's very much true that XCM is indeed the game closest to the ZERO-series in terms of timeframe, even when ZERO isn't in 22XX. After all, it's a reference to design and technology; the ZERO-series' combat Reploid designs have remained unchanged in the 100 years following Elf Wars, and especially in the 200 years following Ragnarok. All in all, it simply means the design elements we see in the ZERO-series are starting to emerge in 22XX, starting with things like X's new armor. Meaning at best that the Elf Wars could be in 22XX.

[Hypershell]

The problem with the "technology" rationale is that the MMZ art direction is a style change and not a canonical armor change, for Zero anyway (that Reploids are growing more human-looking over time certainly seems logical, although Iris can raise a few eyebrows considerably earlier in the timeline on that issue).  That aspect of Zero's design is fact unless something emerges to expand/retcon X6, since that is the first seal, therefore the body we see in that sneak-peek is the one that Weil uses to create Omega.  And thin limbs in combat Reploids has been a reality ever since X1; see Boomer Kuwanger.

Inti made it clear in MMZOCW that they redesigned Zero with the intent of being able to tell their series apart at a glance, purposefully trying to avoid looking similar to the X-series version, rather going as different as Inafune would allow.  With Omega, they had the opportunity to confirm an in-story design change, and chose not to.  Hell, they refused to even give Omega the true Z-Buster, despite the fact that they re-sprited the Buster Shot anyway.

Meanwhile, for trying to move closer to MMZ, it seems odd to leave Zero untouched.  The only aspect of his design that changed in XCM was adding the double-collar.

Also, wasn't he just talking about it being in the same "timeframe"?

Udon's translation is as follows:

*X image with his scarf taking up half the picture, you know the one*
MARKETING ILLUSTRATION
"When I heard the timeframe was set in the year 22XX, I realized it was the same as the Zero series.  That's why I added a few touches to give it a bit of a Zero flavor.  Initially, I had some reservations about X's design changes, but I think it suits him quite well." (Higurashi)

(and for any late-comers to this thread, I hereby attach the disclaimer to read my previous post on the matter before jumping to conclusions)

[Align]

Hell, they refused to even give Omega the true Z-Buster, despite the fact that they re-sprited the Buster Shot anyway.

I could almost believe they made that small change just to clarify the change being 100% an art change.

[Hypershell]

To be fair, not counting TvC, the Z-Buster pretty much dropped off the face of the Earth after X6 (and its absence during a certain XCM cutscene is especially conspicuous).  Still, since Omega is using Double Charge Wave, which is an X2 attack, the thought should have occurred to them.

[AquaTeamV3]

To be fair, not counting TvC, the Z-Buster pretty much dropped off the face of the Earth after X6 (and its absence during a certain XCM cutscene is especially conspicuous).

Just curious, which cutscene exactly are you referring to?

[Hypershell]

The shoot-out at the beginning of Chapter 10, after Chief R gets gunned down.  When the mechaniloids attack, X and Axl return fire.  Massimo, Marino, and Cinnamon run for cover.  Zero, despite being front and center with the other two Hunters earlier, is not seen AT ALL once the shooting starts.  I presume this to be because as a melee fighter he is incapable of shooting back while it is not good for his character to be seen ducking behind boxes.

Whether he is sniping them with the never-seen Z-Buster, pulling the Jedi-reflect-saber move, or taking out the transport ship in X3 Spycopter style, we'll never know.

[AquaTeamV3]

I presume this to be because as a melee fighter he is incapable of shooting back while it is not good for his character to be seen ducking behind boxes.

Whether he is sniping them with the never-seen Z-Buster, pulling the Jedi-reflect-saber move, or taking out the transport ship in X3 Spycopter style, we'll never know.

Thinking about it now, I really can't picture Zero hiding behind a box; it just wouldn't look right.  It would've been smarter for Capcom to have him use that nifty reflect ability he had in X7, or have him do something more productive than simply hiding offscreen (the B. Fan would've worked wonders in that situation).

[Saber]

It would've been smarter for Capcom to have him use that nifty reflect ability he had in X7, or have him do something more productive than simply hiding offscreen (the B. Fan would've worked wonders in that situation).

You can't really provide Zero with an ability in a cutscene that isn't available in the actual game. Players would probably go "WTF, why can't he deflect bullets during battle then?!" if they saw that.

Likewise, you can't have Zero shoot at enemies in a cutscene, but have him incapable of doing so in the actual game. It would hurt continuity, not that it wasn't already hurt by omitting the thing altogether. I guess there's some generally unknown statement floating around that Zero had his Z-Buster removed sometime after X6 to focus entirely on melee combat.

And I don't think taking cover from a heavy barrage would be against Zero's style. It's more important to survive and win than just being cool, right?

EDIT: Oh by the way, Marino ALSO vanishes once the shootout begins. When the camera cuts back to the guys hiding behind the boxes, it's just Nana, Cinnamon and Massimo. So, I guess Zero and Marino thought it would be the best time for some quality alone time, eh?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0lRaGG-IMQ[/youtube]

[Flame]

So, I guess Zero and Marino thought it would be the best time for some quality alone time, eh?

Relevant.

[Hypershell]

Knew that was coming, but nevertheless excellent use of a dead-yet-awesome comic.

Likewise, you can't have Zero shoot at enemies in a cutscene, but have him incapable of doing so in the actual game.

Well, that's almost an excuse.  But there is no reason, whatsoever, that the Z-Buster couldn't have been featured as part of Command Arts.  Especially since it already includes an anti-air move anyway.

not that it wasn't already hurt by omitting the thing altogether.

Trouble is, that was already done before, both in X4 and in Xtreme2.  Inti oddly threw a curve-ball into the scenario by giving Zero a handheld Buster Shot ripped off of a Resistance Soldier, thus mandating that the Z-Buster is at some point canned for good.  Because dropping it for no reason has been done before, at what point the Z-Buster is no longer to return is really a matter of when nobody's looking back, and nothing more.

EDIT: Oh by the way, Marino ALSO vanishes once the shootout begins.

Not quite.  Marino is at least seen running when the shoot-out begins.  Massimo simply has the girl-guarding job.

[Saber]

Not quite.  Marino is at least seen running when the shoot-out begins.  Massimo simply has the girl-guarding job.

Yeah, she's running for cover. And then she's GONE. Nowhere to be seen, like Zero.

[Hypershell]

Zero is not seen running for cover.  So he has a leg up over her.