MegaMan Zero, then and now.

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Offline Thanatos-Zero

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Reply #50 on: October 19, 2009, 12:10:16 PM
In the X series it wasn´t that bad, since Dr. Wily kinda wanted to be unknown. He is already in the history books, as the scientist who was responsible for the Wily Incidents. He don´t need more infamy as he already has.
In the Zero Series, they don´t say "that virus", but Sigma Virus. Perroquiet (the little and smart reploid with the classes) makes a reference to Sigma in Zero 2, but he doesn´t say his name, though.
Ambiguousness can be nice, but in ZX it is just overused. It would have been enough to call Albert, "that man". Villians are allowed to that, to give the player a riddle for their amusement, but supporters have no need to be ambiguous to the player.
I just say, half knowledge is dangerous, as it is in real life.



Offline Keno

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Reply #51 on: October 19, 2009, 04:03:45 PM
Last time Zero had his Buster was in X6, & the first time his old body is seen with a gun is in Zero 3. That's a big time gap during which Zero or Omega could have picked a gun up. Nothing says he doesn't have the Buster still anyway. Perhaps Wily just stopped upgrading it & it was left in the dust as technology progressed.



Offline Align

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Reply #52 on: October 19, 2009, 07:09:59 PM
IMO they shouldn't care about all those clueless newbies. It is their own problem, not that of the developers.
Any problem of the clueless newbies' automatically becomes that of the developers. Sales and all that.
Not that it seemed to do them any good, looking at how discontinued it is...



Offline Thanatos-Zero

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Reply #53 on: October 19, 2009, 07:54:08 PM
Any problem of the clueless newbies' automatically becomes that of the developers. Sales and all that.
Not that it seemed to do them any good, looking at how discontinued it is...

So Align, you think to withhold information, would support the sales? I thought it would be the other way around.
In Vent's story, Dr.Vile is called "that man" and Zero "a hero". Wouldn't have been Praire so ambiguous, the new players would have become curious about Vile and Zero.
It might have even improved the sales of the older games.



Offline Align

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Reply #54 on: October 19, 2009, 08:50:26 PM
Nice way to spin my words into lies.

I'll spell it out for you:
If the story refers to other games, it's confusing to any who haven't played those other games. The expected consumer hasn't.
If the story is too confusing for the consumer, he leaves unsatisfied, and tells his friend not to buy the game.



Offline Thanatos-Zero

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Reply #55 on: October 19, 2009, 09:55:26 PM
Align, it wasn't my intention to descredit you.

Things won't get confusing, when the back- and story are explained clearly to the player.
However a 6 year old child don't care about the story, but more about the gameplay in the first place.



Offline Flame

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Reply #56 on: October 19, 2009, 11:11:16 PM
Actually, I can explain it a better way.
Vent and Aile really dont have a clue as to who Weil, Zero, X and the big 4 are.
so prairie explains that there was a madman, and 6 heroes rose to stop him. while showing us the player, scenes depicting Weil, and scenes depicting Zero and Ciel, since we the player, DO know who she's talking about.

...When Larry the reploid accountant goes maverick of his own accord, he's certainly formidable during tax season, but he isn't going to provide X the challenge needed to make him grow as a warrior and reach his potential.


Offline Keno

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Reply #57 on: October 20, 2009, 09:36:55 AM
Things won't get confusing, when the back- and story are explained clearly to the player.
You overestimate people's intelligence.



Offline Zan

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Reply #58 on: October 22, 2009, 06:25:28 PM
Still waiting for MarshmallowMan's belated answer to my previous wall of text.

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Who says that his Z-Buster in X7,X8 and CM malfunctioned?

He didn't say it malfunctioned, he simply said it was absent. Its absence means we have no way of knowing what happened to it between the X and ZERO series. Therefore, any explanation for its absence that will be given in due time, can be linked to giving Omega a near identical gun as Milan's. There's simply no reason to assume that the bustershot overwrites the Z-buster's existence in the matter you're proposing.

Though, it might just be the case that it really isn't usable anymore. Note that he's an especially poor match with Mach Jentra even in cutscenes, because Jentra is an aerial adversary and Zero is a melee fighter. Likewise, Zero vanishes from the cutscene when the Federation attacks them with flying mechaniloids.

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The fact remains that Omega and Zero use the same model of buster.  So if Omega's buster is the Z-Buster, then simple logic dictates that Milan is running around with the copy Z-Buster.  But this is not the case.

Another thing that discounts Thanatos' notion is we have to factor in the use of the Z-saber as the bustershot's magazine to allow for charging. The Z-saber isn't part of Zero until X2, yet his Z-buster has noticeable charge capabilities even back then. Likewise, the Z-saber upgrade that allows for charging has not yet appeared in the X-series and the bustershot in question seems designed to work with it.

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It would be okay, only if she have mentioned her name in the first place. I hate it to be kept dumb and I would have asked after her name, when I was Aile or Vent. It is first unpolite and second not helpful, if that person went missing. You understand?

What's so odd about calling your "sister", your "sister"? Given the situation, her name was the least important thing for them to know. Even if they asked for her name, to them, Ciel will always be Prairie's sister, because they don't know Ciel personally, thus they would refer to her as such.

Likewise, there was no need for her to identify the Livemetals by their former names, as everyone now knows them by their current names.

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Things won't get confusing, when the back- and story are explained clearly to the player.

The problem with explaining everything is that it doubles the amount of text and slows down the game to boring levels. The ZX-series explains everything needed to understand it, everything else is needless info to the situation at hand.



Offline Align

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Reply #59 on: October 22, 2009, 07:51:41 PM
Well, doubles.
"It was from my sis, Ciel..."



Offline Flame

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Reply #60 on: October 22, 2009, 07:56:00 PM

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Likewise, there was no need for her to identify the Livemetals by their former names, as everyone now knows them by their current names.
Plus no one really knows who they are anymore. No one knows who X or any of them are. They have been out of action for at least 200 years. (I think that was the timeframe between then and the Zero series, no?)
just like Ciel's name, it would be irrelevant, as it wouldnt mean anything to them. "Oh he's named Zero? Oh. Ok."

...When Larry the reploid accountant goes maverick of his own accord, he's certainly formidable during tax season, but he isn't going to provide X the challenge needed to make him grow as a warrior and reach his potential.


Offline Keno

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Reply #61 on: October 22, 2009, 08:16:30 PM
Another thing that discounts Thanatos' notion is we have to factor in the use of the Z-saber as the bustershot's magazine to allow for charging. The Z-saber isn't part of Zero until X2, yet his Z-buster has noticeable charge capabilities even back then. Likewise, the Z-saber upgrade that allows for charging has not yet appeared in the X-series and the bustershot in question seems designed to work with it.
What? When was it ever stated that the Z-Saber is the gun's magazine? I figured he charged it with energy through his arm in the same manner he made a pipe super powerful with his energy & other such instances.



Offline Zan

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Reply #62 on: October 22, 2009, 08:27:57 PM
http://www.inti.co.jp/cd/zero1/index.htm

Get equipped with the ability to read moonspeak, watch the pretty pictures and pay attention to the game mechanics; Zero can not charge the bustershot until he gets the Z-saber.



Offline Flame

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Reply #63 on: October 22, 2009, 08:31:20 PM
Doesnt it mention it in the manuals?

I think ZOCW also says something in regards to it.

...When Larry the reploid accountant goes maverick of his own accord, he's certainly formidable during tax season, but he isn't going to provide X the challenge needed to make him grow as a warrior and reach his potential.


Offline Keno

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Reply #64 on: October 22, 2009, 09:09:12 PM
How explicitly does that page say it?

I figure that the reintroduction of Zero to his Z-Saber hastened his getting over Hibernation Sickness/made him remember something inside. I mean, haven't you ever been groggy?



Offline marshmallow man

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Reply #65 on: October 22, 2009, 09:56:24 PM
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Still waiting for MarshmallowMan's belated answer to my previous wall of text.

Sorry! My bad.

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We know for a fact the facility in question was built to house him. How much time was needed to build this facility?

In a universe where fortresses spring up in weeks and whole cities in months, giving this construction a year to complete already seems generous.

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Likewise, we could wonder if the idea of studying Zero's Sigma Virus came about immediately. Zero's initial purpose was to remove something from himself. Perhaps they spent a good portion of that time removing the thing in question?

If that thing and their experiments are both concerned with the virus' relationship with Zero which is not completely understood, then said testing is likely a necessary step in the very task Zero asked them to perform.

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Perhaps Zero was put in quarantine for a considerable time in the hopes that his absence would stop the spreading of the Sigma Virus?

That would be an experiment, noting the effects of quarantine. Not that it makes sense for them to think Zero can contribute to the virus spreading while in cold sleep. The virus still spreads and survives to threaten the peace by other means while Zero is asleep, or we wouldn't need Mother Elf.

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Perhaps for the longest time they ignored Zero under assumption that the samples of Zero's Sigma Virus were no different than the regular Sigma Virus?

In other words, they stuck him out on the back burner. The first scientist in X6 seemed apprehensive to even take Zero out of commission in the first place, much less waste time when he's already being handed an overwhelming work load.

There isn't a very easy explanation for what letting him sit and doing nothing accomplishes. Everything points toward a high priority project. Downtime between experiments could also fall under the same umbrella of the half century span either way.

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We would also have to consider the trouble in properly avoiding the negative effects of Zero's Sigma Virus on the research in question. Studying the Sigma Virus under safe conditions is no small feat.

Proper precautions which the scientists needed to be taking into account during their experiments, so this doesn't add time.

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The opposite proposition is considering the effectiveness of Mother Elf. With the completion of Mother Elf, Zero is purified from the Virus and his study comes to an end.

Maybe, maybe not. We can't be sure the Mother Elf cured Zero, his original body at least. If portions of Wily's programming did remain in it. For whatever reason Zero is immune to Dark Elf's control, he may be resistant to Mother Elf's purging. Perhaps only separation from that body into a new one was the solution. Grey area stuff.

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But what about the rest of the world? Was her effect an instantaneous deus ex machina or did it take nearly half a century to turn all the Mavericks to normalcy? How long does it take to eliminate the Virus once and for all? Certainly "reversal" is incomparable to "immunity", conflicts will still arise and those irregulars will have to be stopped in order to cure them.

We can't really be sure that the virus was eradicated from the entire populace, only that the fighting quickly ended. Leading to a brief time of recorded peace where X ideally isn't fighting so much but might have been too brief for X to consider any kind of end to the fighting in retrospect. Followed by the 4 year down and dirty tragic Elf Wars.

But the entire time up through Omega's birth and copy Zero's emergence in the Elf Wars could also fall under the half century of experimentation from a conservative viewpoint. Omega's creation itself can be looked upon as a form of experiment that Zero was quite involved with.

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To simplify the above even more, X did say "nearly" one hundred years. We can thus shorten the timespan that needs to be covered to considerably less.

I guess 51 years would be enough if he only rounded to the nearest 100, but I don't think that's what he meant. I guess I'd settle for 80-ish, but I don't really even see that many years being accounted for before Zero was woken up again.

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It feels quite wrong to think of the utopia as never having truly known the peace Zero sealed himself away for...

It may be a lesson that giving in to the fearful humans and in effect running away from his problems wasn't really the best idea. Same situation for X sealing himself, he ducks out of the picture and things get a whole lot worse. Similar to X's lesson in X7, can't protect the world by giving up the fight, but long cycles of history are all about repeating themselves whether we want them to or not. X was square against Zero's final seal, and it seems to have even been done behind X's back to some extent. Not exactly a cool thing to do to your best friend. If copy Zero was still spreading the virus that would be one thing, but it doesn't appear to have been the case.

Having only some idea of why they both did what they did, it still doesn't mean that was necessarily the best solution. Model Z's discussion of the challenge of facing one's destiny and carving it, sounds better than ignoring or hiding from it. If from the beginning of Neo Arcadia they had tackled their problems head-on, together, the way they always used to, things may never have gotten to the dark place they were in the Zero series. It was only them coming together and relying on each other once again that pulled the world back from disaster.

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Big 4

Maybe they were around for the Elf Wars, maybe they weren't, I don't have much to add at the moment.

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From reading the Data Files of the three Mechaniloids (Eagle Area M, Hydra and Leon Area I) in Rockman ZX, started to malfunction after they were infected by some kind of virus. Either Inti Creates plans to involve the Sigma Virus in the the next ZX games or this was nothing but a little footnote for speculations and theories.

Viruses still exist in the Zero series, Cocapetri used some advanced virus he got from Weil to spread chaos in Z4. Dark Elf's curse and powers may be virus related as well. Sigma virus isn't necessarily the only virus in their universe. Some variant of viruses and diseases will probably always exist for robotkind (outside of Elysium).as it does in nature. Viruses like the ones mentioned in ZX, and the various body altering and mind control powers of Model V, might be a distant form of Sigma virus evolution, or may be unrelated phenomena.

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Shining Arms speculation

The other day I entertained a brief notion that maybe all the Shining Arms made appearances in Z1, as a result of the early notion of Inti not expecting a sequel. I came up with:

Necromancess' staff - The power to bring back the dead is pretty cool.
Hanumachine's pole - Already based on a legendary weapon itself.
Asura Bazura's swords/shield - Not sure what specifically should be counted, but she's got unique handlheld weapons at least.

I didn't have a fouth handheld weapon though, so the last one would have to be attached to someone, breaking the pattern again, Maybe Falcon's wings or Anchortus' pincers or something. Ganeshariff's... Oh well, nevermind.

I wonder if Inti will ever touch on it again. That and the great Guardian mysteries, of which we know what, only one of..?

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Ambiguousness can be nice, but in ZX it is just overused.

Probably, but it serves the hype and the mood.

We have the Guardians, a secretive vigilante group bordering on the fringe of what is legal or the social norm, and are likely to be guilty of circumventing the life span equality laws. They generally use codenames for each other, presumably not just because it's cool but for their own protection as well. For them a certain level of vagueness in identity may be a virtue.

Then we've got these kids, Vent and Aile. They're 14, orphaned at age 4, don't seem to know their history especially well, don't know what Cyber Elves are, spending their youth working (did they go to school?) with their legal guardian Giro, a man with many secrets he keeps to himself. During the game, they're getting a rushed sort of crash course on the past from people used to keeping secrets and talking in codes, inbetween and on top of accomplishing difficult missions of general urgency.

I'd like to think our hero(es) took some time after Serpent's demise and caught up on some of the missing details during the 4+ years between ZX and ZXA, off-screen of course. At least getting to know a bit about the personal histories of their biometal partners.

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Doesnt it mention it in the manuals?

I think the English manuals just said something non-specific about the Z-saber powering the buster up.

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How explicitly does that page say it?

【BUSTERSHOT】
レジスタンスが携帯する旧式ウェポン。
ゼットセイバーの柄をマガジンにすることで
強力なエネルギーブレットを射出することが
可能になった。

Bustershot
An old style weapon carried by the rResistance. Applying the Z-saber's handle into the magazine, it becomes possible to fire stronger energy bullets.

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I figure that the reintroduction of Zero to his Z-Saber hastened his getting over Hibernation Sickness/made him remember something inside. I mean, haven't you ever been groggy?

Maybe he did remember something, seeing as he thought to put the saber into the gun's magazine in the first place. He still had a lot of skill remembering/relearning to do after that, though.

It just occurred to me that in a topic about the revisions the Z series undertook, we haven't discussed the change from the cross-like Heaven to the domed Neo Arcadia. Not that I can think of much to add about it, just seems funny we didn't mention it.



Offline Flame

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Reply #66 on: October 22, 2009, 10:22:24 PM
I think that the English manuals state using the Z saber as the Buster's magazine.
Im not sure. The only manual I have is Z4's, since my Z1 and 3 were used.

I like to think that Vent and Aile caught up on things in between ZX and ZXA. at least, they seem that way. dunno, but they give off that sort of air about them. plus theya re now Guardians as well, so it wouldnt surprise me that they got filled in on all this "Secret code gibberish" you mentioned. after all, ZXA takes 4 or so years, like you said... thats plenty of time to study up on the Zero series history the initially only got a summary of, from prairie.

One thing though, that id like to know, is when exactly the reploid/human equality laws were passed. how long after Legions founding? I mean, Prairie seems to have undergone the reploid procedure, but yet, she's still around, period. She should be like 200 years old. And I dont think that she simply has lived a fruitful long life. im sort of wondering in that area. when were the laws passed? depending on when, she may have avoided them.

...When Larry the reploid accountant goes maverick of his own accord, he's certainly formidable during tax season, but he isn't going to provide X the challenge needed to make him grow as a warrior and reach his potential.


Offline Zan

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Reply #67 on: October 22, 2009, 11:27:15 PM
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We can't really be sure that the virus was eradicated from the entire populace, only that the fighting quickly ended. Leading to a brief time of recorded peace where X ideally isn't fighting so much but might have been too brief for X to consider any kind of end to the fighting in retrospect. Followed by the 4 year down and dirty tragic Elf Wars.

Thing is, we're talking about a conflict that spanned centuries, how do you define "quickly" in regards to something like that?

I think for the first sealing, this time period where Mother Elf and X are taking of the irregulars, is the only logical one for Zero not to be used in Virus experiments, even though the fighting is still going on.

What might be interesting to consider here, is that Dr.Vile was said to create Omega to end the irregular wars.. if this extended time period of fighting and use of Mother Elf existed, was Vile perhaps then granted the use of Zero's body as another measure to end the war? It would certainly add to him being unhappy about the peace that came about by Mother Elf, and continuing to work on his Omega project as the world was destroyed by his behind the scenes actions.

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The other day I entertained a brief notion that maybe all the Shining Arms made appearances in Z1

I wonder, in RTRZ, how exactly did they describe the Shining Arms? If they were already described as the weapons used by the top-class irregular hunters of the irregular wars, then we probably have to look elsewhere than the Mythos Repliroids.

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We have the Guardians, a secretive vigilante group bordering on the fringe of what is legal or the social norm, and are likely to be guilty of circumventing the life span equality laws. They generally use codenames for each other, presumably not just because it's cool but for their own protection as well. For them a certain level of vagueness in identity may be a virtue.

Vigilante? Given the lack of organized irregular hunters amongst Legions, I always got the impression they were more official than that. At least, the english ZX site referred to them as a secret government organization.

Anything to add that might clear this up?

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【BUSTERSHOT】
レジスタンスが携帯する旧式ウェポン。
ゼットセイバーの柄をマガジンにすることで
強力なエネルギーブレットを射出することが
可能になった。

Bustershot
An old style weapon carried by the Resistance. Applying the Z-saber's handle into the magazine, it becomes possible to fire stronger energy bullets.

We're so going to have to force you to translate the rest of that site, or the whole booklet for that matter. You just watch, someday!



Offline Flame

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Reply #68 on: October 23, 2009, 02:24:47 AM
Hmm... Another question to add to my previous inquiry, how the hell is it that they let Weil use Zero's body? I mean, it would be just as easy, if not more, to just wake up the damn bastard rather than going behind his back and donating his body while his brain is still sleeping.
Unless, and its an idea that I just thought of, they were already planning to give him a new body? Maybe as part of Zero's initial reason for sealing himself?

Though then Weil probably would not have gotten the body if that was the reason...

anything?

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Vigilante? Given the lack of organized irregular hunters amongst Legions, I always got the impression they were more official than that. At least, the english ZX site referred to them as a secret government organization.

Yknow, call me a GiTS fanatic, but sound slike it could work very much like Public security section 9.
I mean, they do things that seem to be outside of official channels sometimes, just going off on their own. Though we don't know if Prairie actually does do the "paperwork" behind the scenes.

...When Larry the reploid accountant goes maverick of his own accord, he's certainly formidable during tax season, but he isn't going to provide X the challenge needed to make him grow as a warrior and reach his potential.


Offline Keno

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Reply #69 on: October 23, 2009, 07:37:15 AM
Whoa whoa whoa. Zero actually takes the Saber in & out of the Shot every time he switches how he's using it? That sounds tedious. Can't he just find another Saber? They can't be that rare.



Offline Flame

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Reply #70 on: October 23, 2009, 07:48:41 AM
Oh sure. He can just go to weapons R-Us, which juuust so happens to be in a city that considers you not only an urban legend, but an extremist and a maverick.

Plus you really cannot match the Z saber. Specially since it is a shining arm, which means it is sure as hell special.

...When Larry the reploid accountant goes maverick of his own accord, he's certainly formidable during tax season, but he isn't going to provide X the challenge needed to make him grow as a warrior and reach his potential.


Offline Keno

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Reply #71 on: October 23, 2009, 07:53:03 AM
Well Sigma managed to have one, & Zero got given at least 2 by Wily. Harpuia has 2. There have to be more examples I'm forgetting off the top of my head. It's not like the technology for beam sabers is new by then. Or were records lost all over the [tornado fang]ing place during one of the catastrophes after X & Zero starting [tornado fang]ing the world up royal, directly & indirectly?



Offline Keno

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Reply #72 on: October 23, 2009, 08:22:58 AM
So... Where'd the second one come from? X only gave him 1 in-game.



Offline Flame

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Reply #73 on: October 23, 2009, 09:36:48 AM
Cerveau maybe. who knows. I mean, he DOES have two saber holsters... one on each leg.

Well Sigma managed to have one,
X series
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& Zero got given at least 2 by Wily.
X series,
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Harpuia has 2.
And he works for the Neo Arcadian Government, so he can get as many as he wants. Plus, he's had them just as long as Zero has had his own Shining arm. Since the Nittoryu are part of the shining arms.

...When Larry the reploid accountant goes maverick of his own accord, he's certainly formidable during tax season, but he isn't going to provide X the challenge needed to make him grow as a warrior and reach his potential.


Offline Acid

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Reply #74 on: October 23, 2009, 09:42:34 AM
Remember that Zero's sprite gets mirrored when facing in another direction. Two holster made for symmetry.

Or you can say HE USES SABRE 1 WHEN FACING RIGHT, AND SABRE 2 WHEN FACING LEFT