Topic: Official Timeline

[Slash Man]

Anyone know where I can find an official timeline for the classic series? I've heard it exists somewhere, but basic searches only bring up wiki pages. Can anyone help?

[Zan]

Mega Man (200X) / Powered Up (20XX)
>
Mega Man 2 (200X)
>
World (200X+a)
>
Mega Man 3 (20XX)
>
World 2 (200X+a/20XX, several months after World)
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Mega Man 4 (20XX, 1 year after Mega Man 3)
>

Rockboard (20XX)
||
World 3  (200X+a/20XX, several months after World 2)

>
Mega Man 5 (20XX, 2 months after Mega Man 4)
>

Soccer (20XX, several months after Mega Man 4)
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World 4 (20XX, several months after World 3) > World 5 (20XX, several months after World 4) > Super Adventure (20XX, 3 years after the temple of the moon rose from the ground causing an earthquake, official investigations were ended after a year because science couldn't get close to it.)

>
Mega Man 6 (20XX, one year after the World Robot Union is established)
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Mega Man 7 (20XX)
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Mega Man The Power Battle (20XX, parallel world.)
>
Mega Man 8  (20XX)
>

Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters (20XX, parallel world, half a year after Mega Man 8.)
||
Battle and Chase (20XX) > Mega Man and Bass (20XX) > Rockman and Forte: Challenger from the future (200X, canonically questionable)

>
Mega Man 9  (20XX)
>
Mega Man 10 (20XX)

[Slash Man]

Alright, I'll take your word on that one, thanks. Though Rockman World 2 seems out of place, since isn't Dr. Wily expected to be dead at that time?

[Zan]

The ending to World 2 nicely sets up for that.

[Flame]

why are the power battles alternate worlds? (also, MMnB should go in there after 8 somewhere)

[Zan]

why are the power battles alternate worlds?

How did we come up with the ideas for “Ultimate Justice! Rockman 2 The Power Fighters”? We started with establishing that the arcade series of Rockman would be in a parallel world so to speak, so we could be free to make changes to the main characters, enemies, settings and so on that you normally see in the home consumer version of the series. (How all this actually appears to the fans, however, I’m not so sure.) This time we made a small connection with Rockman 8, but even so there are still some things, like with Rockman and Duo, that are at odds with the main series portrayal…

(also, MMnB should go in there after 8 somewhere)

It's there, both of them even.

Though Rockman World 2 seems out of place, since isn't Dr. Wily expected to be dead at that time?

To further explain the placement of the World series; they were often developed simultaneously with the next game in the timeline, but not including any assets of the new production. Mirroring the mainstream titles, this results in the introduction of the slide and charge in World 2 and World 3 respectively, with Rush appearing first in World3, Beat in World4, Blues lending a helping end from World 4 onward, and the bosses from each game coming from the two games that preceded it. The only exception to this is World 5, as the story for 7 did not allow it to take place after 6.

[Slash Man]

Couldn't the parallel word idea apply to the Rockman World games? The arcade games are still canon without being too connected to the main plot. Besides, we'd only be assuming if we went out of our way to tie them together. I guess the alternate world idea is that "they happened, but it doesn't really make sense." Which ironically, the arcade games WOULD fit in with the main series (for the most part).

[Zan]

Couldn't the parallel word idea apply to the Rockman World games? The arcade games are still canon without being too connected to the main plot. Besides, we'd only be assuming if we went out of our way to tie them together. I guess the alternate world idea is that "they happened, but it doesn't really make sense." Which ironically, the arcade games WOULD fit in with the main series (for the most part).

For the most part, I think that all games fit the timeline. This parallel world idea is just stating they were not held back by the mainstream portrayal of the characters when making the Arcade series, and this could cause contradictions with the mainstream games. A good example of this would be Duo's fighting style being at odds. The Rockman 8 portrayal would be the more correct one.

Something similar happens in the World series; they only acknowledge themselves. By World 4, for example, Wily had only been defeated four times, which is certainly not true. For the most part they're their own little thing and it isn't until Rockman and Forte (to a lesser degree Rockman 7) that these games, and Megaworld, are required to have happened somewhere alongside the mainstream games.

Which reminds me, Megaworld is excluded in the above list. This is because it has a simple yet complex plotline about time travel, which can begin anywhere in the timeline, before traveling back to reenact the fist three games and tacking Wily's Tower on at the end, negating Rockman3's ending and requiring World 2 to fix it before Rockman 4 happens. For the most part, I say it fits wherever it could have fit based on its release date.

[Slash Man]

Isn't that just what the Game Boy series is? It was based on what was given far, but didn't quite intertwine with the main series. Essentially, they're both in their own continuity. The only one that really fits is Dr. Wily's Revenge. For obvious reasons.

[Zan]

When additional resources say things like Slash Man is based on Pluto, then you have no choice but to intertwine the two.

[Slash Man]

That puts it in a general timeframe, but that's it. It never said exactly when Mega Man V took place; with the Mega Arm, Tango, and P-Chips, your guess is as good as mine. Again, I'll just take Capcom's word that it's canon and leave it at that. I don't think we were meant to try to fill in the blanks.

[Zan]

World 4>World 5 is after Rockman 5, before Rockman 6. There is no other place that it can be, that is set undeniably in stone. The only really questionable entry there is Power Fighters in relation to the other games preceding Rockman 9, which is noted with || instead of >.

If you want, I could write down all the exact reasons why what goes where.

[Slash Man]

I believe you in that department, using logic, you may very well be able to find a place for all of them. But my point is that Capcom can technically put it where they want. Using the Power Fighters logic, it could just as well take place after 6 (plots of main series games are ignored).

[Zan]

For World 5 specifically, with Beat's presence and knowledge of Slash Man being based on Pluto, its only placement is occurring after Rockman 5 while preceding Rockman 6.

[Slash Man]

Fair enough, but I don't think the games' placements are truly set in stone. Each one has a logical spot due to the advancements (like you mentioned), but plot-wise, it doesn't work.

Before this gets too confusing, I'll just say that they're in their own continuities, but a part of the same canon. If that makes any sense. Until a main series game comes out and directly references these happenings, I still consider them different entities (for the most part). There are some that fit in without any disagreements, but with a whole mini-series it's all or nothing.

[Zan]

In my opinion they fit just fine, you just have to take statements like "Wily's been defeated four times" with a grain of salt. It's quite similar to how X3 disagrees with XC.

[Slash Man]

It seems like it was originally made to go with the main series, but took on a life of its own.

Though you're right, they can fit in, I guess that's the best way to go about it. I still do have problems with World 2, though.

[Zan]

The problem with Rockman 3 leading into Rockman 4 directly is that Mega World with its Wily Tower is always going to retcon it by time travel. You need some title like World 2 to patch it up. With how that game's ending plays out, I can easily see why Wily would be presumed dead.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1mee1lBqio[/youtube]

[Slash Man]

In that sense, it might work. Not really an error, but funny that it's Mega Man who supposedly kills Wily.

Though speaking of World 2, that was the first time Dr. Wily used time travel (not being able to go into the past yet). Could that be related to the Wily Wars time travel plot?

[Zan]

It's hard to say which came first, but the time machines in both games are different. Mega World features one of Wily's own design, capable of altering the past and thus repeating the first three games. World 2 features one stolen from an unnamed time institute, which can only travel back and forth to a certain unspecified future date.

[Flame]

if Power Battle and Fighters are "alternate worlds" then what does that mean for the foreshadowing of Wily Building Zero? showing Bass the blueprints and saying his "other project is complete"? (whatever that was)

[Slash Man]

I'm assuming it's all canon. The alternate worlds thing was just an excuse for any inconsistancies it would have with the console releases, which was fairly minimal.

It's hard to say which came first, but the time machines in both games are different. Mega World features one of Wily's own design, capable of altering the past and thus repeating the first three games. World 2 features one stolen from an unnamed time institute, which can only travel back and forth to a certain unspecified future date.

World 2 must've come first, seeing as the technology was new. Once he experimented, he must've been able to make one on his own. I remember a description where the World 2 one was only able to go in the future, so that's why I think the Wily Wars plot is an answer to that.

[johnboy3434]

I never knew there were statements placing the arcade games in a separate timeline. Are there any such statements for other side-games, or were those the only ones?

[Ubukung]

I love world 5

[Zan]

World 2 must've come first, seeing as the technology was new. Once he experimented, he must've been able to make one on his own. I remember a description where the World 2 one was only able to go in the future, so that's why I think the Wily Wars plot is an answer to that.

I really wouldn't consider that definite. Since both time machines have very different functions. When it comes down to it, though, I think the entire time travel plotline of Mega World is largely irrelevant. From any point in the timeline, Wily could decide to jump back and redo the first three mainstream games with a few additional bosses.

I never knew there were statements placing the arcade games in a separate timeline.

It's not so much that they exist in a separate timeline. Power Fighters is still 6 months after Rockman 8, as stated. It's just that the game itself has several details that are at odds with the mainstream games. Leaving those in, the games we were presented exist parallel to some imaginary version of the same story in which these inconsistencies do not exist.