Topic: A Mega Man NES style Fan Game

[fifthindependent]

Some friends and I have started a Mega Man fan game that is in NES style so much it even attempts to replicate the problems the NES had such as sprite flicker (although this can be turned off in the options) so I thought I'd share some info here and get some opinions.

This game features the ability to play as Mega Man or Bass, totally original robot masters and master weapons and an additional 8 secondary weapons that are unique for Mega Man and Bass, four upgrade items, a shop, unique things in each stage such as Pyre Man's stage having a cross hair chase after you and try to shoot you, and much more.

Almost four stages are completed, there is a demo of the game below, but keep in mind, none of the stages are 100% completed so everything is subject to change and things still need to be added.  Also the only robot master stages available right now are Ghost Man and Saw Man.  You can watch the intro, but it's also incomplete but it will give you the whole story anyway.  The game also maxes at 50 FPS, which I know, the standard is 60 but this was an unfortunate oversight that can't be changed at this point, but it's not like it's noticeable anyway... I think.

http://www.fifthindependent.com/programs/MMR.zip

So yeah, toss me thoughts, opinions, questions and the whole lot.  I need input from people at this stage before the game really takes off.

[Quickman]

Moved to Fan Games forum.

[Splash]

I like this game so far, but, how do I can change controls?

[fifthindependent]

Oh crap I over looked making the controls setup actually work.    I'll get on that and reupload the game.

Also I should give the default controls while I'm at it.  I was sort of in a hurry when I posted this because I had to go to town and forgot that part.

Move with the arrow keys, jump with shift, ctrl to fire and enter is menu/start.

Posted on: March 25, 2012, 08:16:49 AMOK I also forgot to reset the starting points in the stages where I'd been testing it so I did that and I also made all the options menu work except the SFX and BGM test which will have to wait until the game is done.  So yeah, download it again and everything should be all peachy keen this time.  To change the controls, press menu/start on the button you wish to change and then press the key you want to change it to.

http://www.fifthindependent.com/SECRETOMGLOL/MMR.zip

[Splash]

Well, you should speed up Mega Arm, because Mega usually gets himself defense-less when he is shooting Mega Arm.
Bass's shots are too slow, if you compare with original games.
You brought BurnerMan's spear to GhostMan level! Gladly, they are easy to avoid.
I think you should add dash button for Bass.
Is GhostMan's level a labyrinth, or it just has multiple routes?
When I reached GhostMan, he was looking at wall, not at Bass. Is it intentional?
Wow, when I reached GhostMan second time, game stuck on "Warning" sign.

[fifthindependent]

OK I paid special care to all the things you mentioned, I'll include notes below for each point.

Well, you should speed up Mega Arm, because Mega usually gets himself defense-less when he is shooting Mega Arm.

I nearly doubled its flying and returning speed.

Bass's shots are too slow, if you compare with original games.

I sped up his shots a lot while reducing the damage output to half for enemies so it stays balanced.

You brought BurnerMan's spear to GhostMan level! Gladly, they are easy to avoid.

lol I didn't even realize that, but yeah you're right, I unintentionally did.

I think you should add dash button for Bass.

Bass's dash was messed up, something to do with the code that makes him stop dashing after you jump and land on the ground conflicting with just dashing without jumping.  It should be much easier now to dash by double tapping but I also made his dash work by pressing down + jump just like Mega Man slides with that button combination.

Is GhostMan's level a labyrinth, or it just has multiple routes?

Ghost Man's level is a labyrinth of sorts, the path to his room is always randomly chosen out of three paths before the stage starts and after you get a game over.

When I reached GhostMan, he was looking at wall, not at Bass. Is it intentional?

There were other things messed up with this route regarding the boss battle itself, mainly because I overlooked programming the proper code for that path you got, I believe I fixed them all though.

Wow, when I reached GhostMan second time, game stuck on "Warning" sign.

Again, I believe I fixed this.  It had something to do with the game testing if an object that stops the boss when they fall down from the top of the screen was present on the screen after the warning sign was finished, but in the version you have for some reason it kept getting destroyed after you died.

Anyway, here it is again, that should all be fixed now.
http://www.fifthindependent.com/SECRETOMGLOL/MMR.zip

[IQ-0]

The shift button is a poor choice for a button because some computers have that annoying pop up for when you press Shift 5 times consecutively.

[N-Mario]

Pretty interesting fan game so far.

Music doesn't seem NES-esque. Or maybe it's not, MegaMan esque. But something about the music feels off. :-/

If you keep charging before you die (or reset the stage?), It gets pretty weird. I managed to turn MegaMan red.

Any mid way points? When I die when I got far into the stage, I started right back at the beginning. :-/

I got through some of Sand Man's stage, but the mini boss just went off screen and did not return.


Maybe you should have completed designing these stages before making them playable, because I had to restart a lot of times due to this.

[Flame]

The shift button is a poor choice for a button because some computers have that annoying pop up for when you press Shift 5 times consecutively.

stickykeys? im pretty sure that can get turned off.

[VixyNyan]

stickykeys? im pretty sure that can get turned off.

Just bring up the menu with the 5-press thingy and from there, you can turn off every single one of them.

[fifthindependent]

Music doesn't seem NES-esque. Or maybe it's not, MegaMan esque. But something about the music feels off. :-/

Maybe because I made use of the DPCM channel that can play low quality WAV files and Mega Man games on the NES didn't use that?  I know that isn't accurate to the NES Mega Man formula because NES Mega Man games never used the DPCM channel but I wanted to do some thing different with the game to make it unique from the other NES Mega Man games.  In the music file however there are only five channels like the NES had and the instruments are recordings of actual NES waveforms so yeah I dunno, maybe I just didn't get the style right or something.  Maybe you could study it and try to elaborate on this point?

If you keep charging before you die (or reset the stage?), It gets pretty weird. I managed to turn MegaMan red.

That's a weird glitch.  Wow.  But I think I know why that is and I'm going to fix it right now.  Probably has to do with the color replace function getting interrupted mid-frame and I just did a color replace function to return Mega Man to his original colors when he dies and it seemingly fixed that problem.

Any mid way points? When I die when I got far into the stage, I started right back at the beginning. :-/

The stages generally take 5 minutes to complete.  I have a midway point but I was thinking I'd add a second midway point if someone brought this up.  I'll get on that after I post this message.

I got through some of Sand Man's stage, but the mini boss just went off screen and did not return.

Yeah, Sand Man's stage is one of the stages you can't complete because the stage itself and the miniboss are not done.  The miniboss in Sand Man's stage is supposed to be entirely different from Ghost Man's miniboss where it creates tornadoes or something, I dunno, I haven't thought out something for it yet.

Maybe you should have completed designing these stages before making them playable, because I had to restart a lot of times due to this.

lol :p  I just wanted to get some ideas and feedback before I keep going with designing the game.

The shift button is a poor choice for a button because some computers have that annoying pop up for when you press Shift 5 times consecutively.

I will change the default controls to S and A for jump and fire respectively.  I know shift is a poor choice but I sort of forgot because I always turn sticky keys off.  I gotta change the coding that loads the options.dat file anyway so it has default values in case the file is deleted because as it is, if you delete the file the game becomes totally messed up with every options.dat value equaling 0.  I changed fire to A and jump to S.

Anyway, I uploaded it again with all this fixed aside from the music, which I don't know yet what the issue was with it.

[IQ-0]

I played Pyre Man and Ghost Man and noticed some bugs.

Pyreman: The slide stops working after you lose a life. The stage is incomplete which you may know already.

Ghostman: When you take the low road the first time. There is a spider that when dead stays on screen and still attacks you. I also reached Ghostman himself and died. When I got back there the gate wouldn't appear. Also Rush Coil malfunctions underwater.

[fifthindependent]

I played Pyre Man and Ghost Man and noticed some bugs.

Pyreman: The slide stops working after you lose a life. The stage is incomplete which you may know already.

I couldn't replicate this issue, is there anything else you were doing at the time?  I'm still looking into it nonetheless and will report back with a new version when I fix this.  I'll also try to at least finish the maps on Sand Man and Pyre Man's stages before I upload again.

Ghostman: When you take the low road the first time. There is a spider that when dead stays on screen and still attacks you. I also reached Ghostman himself and died. When I got back there the gate wouldn't appear. Also Rush Coil malfunctions underwater.

OK I fixed the spider, it stays on screen after dying because it refused to generate a spider web line to the ceiling which the thing checks for to destroy it when it dies, but there wasn't one present so it got stuck in a loop.  This happened because the game was only checking for the first spider in priority at the time of creating two of them at the same time.  The gate also didn't appear because I messed up in programming the checkpoints after adding another checkpoint because N-Mario thought there were none.  You had reached the last checkpoint but the game thought you were supposed to start back at the second checkpoint, but you were supposed to restart in the boss gate hallway.  This should be fixed now.  Also I fixed the Rush Coil, that was an oversight on my part.

Thanks guys, you're really helping with finding bugs I missed in game because I haven't had time to play test it much.  If you have any ideas for the game as well, just toss them out, I'm open to ideas.  Also Storm Man and Blast Man still need designed, if anyone wants to design them that would be awesome.  Also if you have any ideas for modding the weapons or enemies or anything, toss it out by all means and I'll try to do it if it's feasible and cool.

[Splash]

Playing as Bass:
If you push down+jump in mid-air you will be pushed forward.
In some occiasions I could dash backwards. I think this happening when you dash forward, turn around (but don't move), and then dash again (pressing down+jump).
Playing as Megaman:
I reached mini-boss on GhostMan's level. I was beating him, when I SUDDENLY turned red! Is it intentional? I was using only charge shots, if that helps. After death he's still red.

I can't harm that spider after I killed first one.
When Mega is red, life energy, weapon energy and bolts are black.

The End. Temporary?

Lost all lives, "Continue", and then this.
When I lost to GhostMan, I was put in the second checkpoint, not in the hallway before boss.

After charging a lot.
Minor detail:
Skull Joe can't harm you in MM4, when his bones are scattered on floor. In this game they can.

This jump is hard for Megaman.

[fifthindependent]

If you push down+jump in mid-air you will be pushed forward.

I overlooked where it checks if Bass is standing on the floor or not when you try to initiate a dash.  This is now fixed.

In some occiasions I could dash backwards. I think this happening when you dash forward, turn around (but don't move), and then dash again (pressing down+jump).

I couldn't replicate this yet, but I'm keeping it in mind.  Try to figure out the exact conditions required for it to happen if you would please.

I reached mini-boss on GhostMan's level. I was beating him, when I SUDDENLY turned red! Is it intentional? I was using only charge shots, if that helps. After death he's still red.

OK I finally took a look at each frame of color swapping quite carefully, and I think I weeded this problem out finally.

I can't harm that spider after I killed first one.

I fixed this.

When Mega is red, life energy, weapon energy and bolts are black.

I believe this is fixed as well.

The End. Temporary?

The room where you fight Ghost Man is always randomly placed on one of three paths.  You got one of the dud paths.

Lost all lives, "Continue", and then this.
When I lost to GhostMan, I was put in the second checkpoint, not in the hallway before boss.

I fixed this.  Overlooked some things.

Skull Joe can't harm you in MM4, when his bones are scattered on floor. In this game they can.

I changed this, thanks for pointing it out.

This jump is hard for Megaman.

I uploaded it again just for good measure as I'm about to go to bed.  Hopefully most of that stuff is fixed, I couldn't figure out how to replicate where Mega Man couldn't slide after dying in Pyre Man's stage or how Bass dashes backwards but I'm keeping it in mind.  Maybe you guys can figure out Bass's problem before me.  I made the unfinished stages hidden on the stage select.
http://www.fifthindependent.com/SECRETOMGLOL/MMR.zip

[N-Mario]

Why is it that Mega Man only shoots after you release fire button? You're supposed to shoot when you press it, not release it. Even if you start holding fire button, you're still supposed to shoot at least 1 bullet.

When I killed a skull joe when he threw its weapon, the weapon just stood there in place. X_X

Before screen transition, megamans animation stops. During scrteen transition, MegaMan's animation plays. This is normal ala MM2. However, after screen transitions in your game, MegaMan's animation still plays before control is restored. in MM2, MegaMan's animation stopped after the screen transition until control was restored.

If you hold jump button when attempting to climb up, you can't climb a ladder. Is this intentional?

If memory serves, the mega arm still attacked enemies after it is shot while it is coming back toward Mega Man in MMV. Though I could be wrong. In your game, it doesn't hit them when it's coming back.

There's still a color swapping glitch. It happened to me when I released charge while sliding, and he didn't fire until he stopped sliding.

I don't recall any of the E, M, W tanks, or the lives changing color with MegaMan in the weapons menu screen. In your game, they do.

After losing a life to the mini boss in ghost man stage, the mini boss does not return and I can advance to the next screen. Intentional?

Not sure how this gitch happened, but after beating ghost man, and going to saw man stage, megaman started moon walking when you move left.

At the moving saw area of saw man stage, there is not enough time to dodge the saws even with sliding. Either move some of the saws up a bit, or make it so during sliding, you can immediately jump up. I lost a life because I was confused, and stopped sliding after you hit jump.

You can keep pressing start button on the robot master intro screen, the menu/confirm sound plays.

Playing with Bass. If you defeat a robot master, and go to another stage, the glitch happens where you can walk backwards. He can't shoot in multiple directions, only strait. There seems to be a glitch here where you can't even begin to start walking forwards, but tip-toeing. Though you can still jump, and then start walking after landing from a jump.

[Splash]

Before screen transition, megamans animation stops. During scrteen transition, MegaMan's animation plays. This is normal ala MM2. However, after screen transitions in your game, MegaMan's animation still plays before control is restored. in MM2, MegaMan's animation stopped after the screen transition until control was restored.

You mean like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbotQMKSGmA ?

Posted on: March 26, 2012, 07:03:50 PM

At the moving saw area of saw man stage, there is not enough time to dodge the saws even with sliding. Either move some of the saws up a bit, or make it so during sliding, you can immediately jump up. I lost a life because I was confused, and stopped sliding after you hit jump.

If you standing on low floor, you can stand between saws and don't be hit by them.

Posted on: March 26, 2012, 07:15:27 PMAlso, found the cause of backward dashing.
If you dash (but don't release "down" button), then turn back (still holding "down" button) and push jump - you will dash backwards.

[N-Mario]

You mean like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbotQMKSGmA ?

Except that I believe he is going more for a MM2 esque style engine. Taking it he's using the old NES graphic tile handing on the left side. Animation pausing is not true in MM9 or MM10, but animation did stop in MM1 and MM2 before control was restored after screen transitions.

[Splash]

At the moving saw area of saw man stage, there is not enough time to dodge the saws even with sliding. Either move some of the saws up a bit, or make it so during sliding, you can immediately jump up. I lost a life because I was confused, and stopped sliding after you hit jump.

This area is possible with Bass (at least), but you have to be FAST!
Also, after that you'll have to deal with bunch of conveyor belts and MOLES. 

[N-Mario]

This area is possible with Bass (at least), but you have to be FAST!
Also, after that you'll have to deal with bunch of conveyor belts and MOLES. 

Yea, I know its possible with Bass. I just finished the stage with him. But if he's going to make a game with character select, at least make it fair for the other characters too. Saw Man's stage is a little harder to pass using Mega Man due to stopping a slide by pressing jump button. Maybe I was more comfortable of his slide ability in MM3-MM5. Though I think this guy was going for the slide movement in MM6.

[OBJECTION MAN]

At the moving saw area of saw man stage, there is not enough time to dodge the saws even with sliding.

Not true. I made it through with Megaman and the slide fine. I didn't have to use the gaps between saws or anything. In fact, I didn't realize that was possible.

I do agree to get rid of MM6's sliding though. Needs that jump cancel.

[fifthindependent]

Why is it that Mega Man only shoots after you release fire button? You're supposed to shoot when you press it, not release it. Even if you start holding fire button, you're still supposed to shoot at least 1 bullet.

I thought maybe it was better the other way but I now put the way you mentioned in the game.

When I killed a skull joe when he threw its weapon, the weapon just stood there in place. X_X

I don't know why this would happen, the creation of the bone and the setting of its velocity and such are in the same line of code so it's not like it could be interrupted after being created.  I tried putting a condition that checks if the flag is off for when the Skeleton Joe is dead before it can throw a bone so hopefully that is fixed now.

EDIT: I changed the method by which the bones' velocity and throw height are thrown, so hopefully that corrects it.

Before screen transition, megamans animation stops. During scrteen transition, MegaMan's animation plays. This is normal ala MM2. However, after screen transitions in your game, MegaMan's animation still plays before control is restored. in MM2, MegaMan's animation stopped after the screen transition until control was restored.

You're right, and I changed this.

If you hold jump button when attempting to climb up, you can't climb a ladder. Is this intentional?

It was intentional but I took it out.  I haven't had time to test it however so hopefully there's nothing screwed up with me removing it.

If memory serves, the mega arm still attacked enemies after it is shot while it is coming back toward Mega Man in MMV. Though I could be wrong. In your game, it doesn't hit them when it's coming back.

I uploaded a new version without checking this, I will check it a bit later in MMV to see if it is true.

EDIT: I checked MMV and Mega Man's fist does not harm enemies when it's returning.

There's still a color swapping glitch. It happened to me when I released charge while sliding, and he didn't fire until he stopped sliding.

I think this is fixed now as well.

I don't recall any of the E, M, W tanks, or the lives changing color with MegaMan in the weapons menu screen. In your game, they do.

I was going to fix this but hadn't gotten around to it yet but it should be fixed now.

After losing a life to the mini boss in ghost man stage, the mini boss does not return and I can advance to the next screen. Intentional?

I don't know yet why this is but I've put it on my list of things that need fixed.

EDIT: Apparently I forgot to set a variable that determines whether or not you're at a midway point past the blocker that keeps you from leaving the screen of the midboss.  I set this and tested it so it shouldn't be doing this anymore.

Not sure how this gitch happened, but after beating ghost man, and going to saw man stage, megaman started moon walking when you move left.

I think this is due to the fact I didn't clear out some data from the previous stage, but I've done that now, so it should be kosher.

At the moving saw area of saw man stage, there is not enough time to dodge the saws even with sliding. Either move some of the saws up a bit, or make it so during sliding, you can immediately jump up. I lost a life because I was confused, and stopped sliding after you hit jump.

I can do this with Mega Man but I could make it a bit easier if it's flat out impossible for you.  Just give me a screenshot if you can of the location you're having difficulty with.

You can keep pressing start button on the robot master intro screen, the menu/confirm sound plays.

I fixed this I think.  I didn't set a flag to disable the button press itself when you press it there.

Playing with Bass. If you defeat a robot master, and go to another stage, the glitch happens where you can walk backwards. He can't shoot in multiple directions, only strait. There seems to be a glitch here where you can't even begin to start walking forwards, but tip-toeing. Though you can still jump, and then start walking after landing from a jump.

Again, this is where I didn't clear out data from the previous stage, but it should be fixed now.

I do agree to get rid of MM6's sliding though. Needs that jump cancel.

I did this, you can now jump from a slide.

Here is a new version with hopefully most of those things fixed.
http://www.fifthindependent.com/SECRETOMGLOL/MMR.zip

[N-Mario]

Thanks for the update. The slide jump cancel does help with the moving saw part.
Maybe you should remove the last saw at the very end right before the screen transition. While possible, it is almost nearly impossible even by dashing forwards rapidly. Just a thought.

During screen transitions, shouldn't items be invisible until you gain control back? It might be different in MM9 or MM10, but you're going for a MM2-mm3 esque NES engine correct?

Did you move Ghost Man's door? When I reached the end where it was before, it is just a wall now.
Also, when I shot a bullet here, sometimes the bullet got placed above MegMan's head. I don't know how it's being produced. :-/


It seems to be due to a Hotspot position error? Because I shot the bullet like this facing the other way while running against a wall.

[Splash]

Did you move Ghost Man's door? When I reached the end where it was before, it is just a wall now.

The End. Temporary?

The room where you fight Ghost Man is always randomly placed on one of three paths.  You got one of the dud paths.

[OBJECTION MAN]

EDIT: I checked MMV and Mega Man's fist does not harm enemies when it's returning.

It most certainly does. I confirmed it myself just now.