In my infinite attempts at playing junior/novice game developer, I've been entertaining a concept for a new Megaman series for a while now and thought of making this tread both to hear from you what you think of it as well as what kind of ideas you all might have for something new. I figured this place could use a good shot of optimism or just a new conversational piece and from there the idea for this thread was born. (Also, I recently started watching the 2003 Astro Boy anime, so that might also be a catalyst for this idea.
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Concept: It's basically Megaman/Rockman Generations but as an alternate or "Ultimate" universe (for all the comic book fans out there). Instead of containing elements of the franchise in different "portions" as per the hook of the recent franchise history celebration that was Sonic Generations, everything is integrated into one world similar to how Rockman Online handles blending elements of the Classic and X series together or how the EXE series took references and homages both direct and indirect from the same two series. This is done to an even higher degree for this idea though, making it so that the world explicitly revolves around Dr. Light and Dr. Wily specifically (although other prominent Doctors will get screen time as well). Characters prominent in all the various Megaman games get new roles and a new Ariga like look that comes closer to looking like the classic characters do in his style, see the Megamixes.
Gameplay: 3D Platformer with the "linear" design seen in the Super Mario Galaxy games. This is done to replicate the feel of the level flow from all the Megaman games that have existed thus far (that aren't Zero1 or the ZX series). There's a heavy emphasis on kooky Robot Master weapons that is one part Ratchet & Clank (takes inspiration from the different applications of its zany weaponry and weapons combat) and one part Vanquish (elements of high speed robotics and high emphasis on maneuverability; third person shooting controls it pointer controls can't be the norm). The levels are sprawling multitiered affairs taking place in a grand 20XX metropolis similar to the main city in the Astro Boy 2003 anime. At times, the levels will shift into highly dynamic 2D sections (further inspired by Super Mario Galaxy) where things go straight jump 'n shoot man status. Of course, these contained elements have the most challenging twitch platforming attributes to themselves.
Stages have multiple paths, a mini boss that's either a straight up mini boss creation or battle with a quirky miniboss or two, and many different things to do/smaller challenges you can come back to and try after completing them. Also, taking from Megaman X (the first game), doing certain stages first alters things that happen in the remaining stages.
Intro stage -> 8 Robot Masters (selectable from the jump) -> 2 Event Stages at the end of each set of 4 Masters defeated -> Wily Fortress Stages 1 - 5
Megaman in this concept has X's maneuverability/flexibility (everything minus flight & air dashes, this is done via Rush Jet for awesome Sin & Punishment 2 like sections or high altitude levels) but without armors. This is done to play up the lighter side of things, character design included. Not to mention,
I'm a hopeless fan of Classic Rock'd design when Ariga's design is involved. 
Scenario: The game takes place in a contained continuity that takes the aspects of every Megaman series (characters mostly) and blends them into a world that is one part Astro Boy one part Rockman Megamix. The light hearted nature of the Classic series sets the tone of the game with Dr. Light and Dr. Wily being the big two roboticists of the 20XX world. Their rivalry angle still gets played up as it did in the classic series. All of the Robot Masters we've come to know and then some haven't come into major production [or perhaps this is a restart of sorts going from the first Rockman game in a different way to more original elements], although they will show up in hints for future installments. Wily, fed up with being in Light's shadow, decides to start up a "Robot War" with 8 new "Master" grade robots. Megaman is dispatched and you know how this part goes, so let's talk about how things are different below. In this scenario also, the robots (especially of the Master variety) are much closer to what reploids are in the main series as per X - Zero - ZX - Legends in that they think, feel, make decisions and grow on their own.
Art Direction/Character Design: Everything about this is much more subdued compared to the designs that happened from X onward. The idea is to hit a balance between cool and whimsical designs. Play up that the robots are robotic but at the same time, give the special ones room for flexibility with humanoid appearances and the like. On a more specific level, the art style has to look "modern Osamu Tezuka", something I feel has only been seen in the old school Legends artwork and of course the Rockman Megamixes, hence my constant love for Ariga's work on their designs. I see rivets and grooves everywhere, light armoring but overall robotic forms versus "human in disguise", and any number of wacky proportions for the different non humanoid Robot Masters. Cities look one part organic and one part Sanctuary Fortress (Metroid Prime 2). Humans have a similarly Ariga look but are much more casual in attire, as per depictions in the Classic series.
Music: Keep to the same style of bit tunes, no change to compositions, except add a lot more flair to them a la the Chiptune Rockman soundtrack.
Character Notes: Perhaps one of the biggest things about this idea from me, is the idea that I want to make one world/continuity where every Megaman character exists. It'd be a neat homage and the ideas I have play it up in a bit of a silly or whimsy like manner. The characters of the classic series, Megaman, Roll, Protoman, Bass, and their numerous robotic allies like Rush, Beat, Tango, Reggae, Treble, Eddie/Fliptop, would be the most prominent of the cast with roles true to themselves from the classic games. But then you'd have cool homages or alternate takes of other characters from the series after the classics.
For example, you'd have characters like the Guardians from the Zero series receiving a new softer Classic series look as they become a set of goofy sibling Robot Masters Light made (precedent is already here with Tornado Man & Splash Woman) after studying Rock for so long as Rock, Roll & Blues' younger bros and sister. In this idea, they'd generally be part of the "main" Light family and portrayed as much younger siblings to the first DLNs. Then you'd have a character like Zero who is portrayed massively different from his current canon incarnation. Basically, Wily builds awesome [tornado fang]ing robots, but something is
always wrong with them, usually in regards to their personality. In Bass' case, he's overly rebellious and competitive. In this Zero's case, he's either a timid guy with a berserk button or someone with a defining tic. (Don't ask me why when I did this, I thought of someone who was campily serious about "justice" referring to it as if it were some manly creed or something like that). Bass is always seen halfway between concerned for his "special" younger brother, and amazed at his "stupidity". As a full circle homage though, he finds himself being a bro/cool with Megaman (but of course the Robot Master Guardians are kinda wary of him). Characters like the navigators would be in public works as robots keeping things organized and running well. Signas would be like the Police Chief or something, Dr. Cain would be a lesser but valued member of the scientific community for designing robots that aren't on Light or Wily's level but still manage to contribute well to their society. Dr. Doppler would be famous for being the first robot member of this community and backed by his associate Gate.
Branching a little bit into fanon but just for the sake of keeping up this "what if", you could also introduce later characters like Axl in a different way too. The idea I was rolling with was that sometime down the road in this continuity, a third doctor had risen to prominence, Dr. Cossack (derp). He brings Axl, the Giga City Reploids turned Robot Masters in this idea (Marino, Cinnamon, Massimo & Spider) as well as his own numbers to the fray with Axl proclaiming himself in childish fashion to be Megaman's rival as Cossack's personal masterpiece much to Light's accomplishment with Rock. Further taking things full circle, maybe there's an instance where Megaman, Zero, and Axl of this continuity become good friends or assist in a pinch situation. Also in this "fanon" section would be a robot that comes before Zero but after Bass in the Wily family named Rhythm. She'd be the foil to Roll where Light initially created her to compliment their household and she came up nice (although with a strange fascination for street fighting/fighters) and willing to help around it, Wily explicitly created her to organize the place, to which she always objects and finds herself sneaking off. Basically, Roll was cool with it even though Light never gave her a designated "task" as a robot, while Wily's all "I need a housework bot" and Rhythm's all like "[sonic slicer], please."
Going towards ZX, or thinking of human characters from the series, they could be seen in this community as different famous people. One idea I had was that the different Masters of both Wily and Light decent enjoy living life and have different hobbies, the biggest of which is watching TV and of course, on TV are different shows, like Tokubetsu/Kamen Rider likes starring the ZX protagonists. Girouette is a director who is responsible for most of these programs and the like. He's also responsible for pioneering a "new" kind of show in that vein which oddly resembles the StarForce series.
Speaking of the EXE style of things, don't think they went under appreciated. I was thinking that the human characters from that would be prominent as well, though I haven't thought up much regarding that. Same for the Legends cast.
Extra Notes: Above all else, this series is all about humor. So, imagine things like in-jokes, gags involving dramatic robot explosions only for them to do a "talking head" routine Ruby Spears cartoon style, Wily as a bumbling villain who creates godlike stuff but not without their own particular "hitches", interactions between characters that make snarky jokes to events that happened in the "main" or current canon, and the like. There's also stuff in their society that would be references to Capcom as a whole, like hearing about how Megaman enjoys classic cartoons like "Captain Commando", "Breath of Fire" and "Power Stone" Bass enjoys the "Devil May Cry" comic series, Roll wants to go see the "World Warriors" spar sometime, and Halloween reruns include Darkstalkers: [insert subtitle which is actually the Japanese title here] movies.
Another one off funny situation I thought of was Zero meeting an Iris of this world and, being as awkward as he is, winds up doing various stupid things because he's crazy for her. This climaxes with her getting kinda wrecked during a Wily incident. She even gives him a "talking head" moment while her arm (totally detatched from herself) is rapping her fingers against the ground giving him a stern look for this one moment of stupid. She gets better though and hangs around the Wily side often, making everyone wonder why the hell she's there from time to time (because as the one nice robot among Wily's Numbers, something's definitely going to look out of place).
Of course, this isn't at all everything that could be, but it was a fun little side thought that I entertained and put some thought into. I'd love to see what you all would do for your own pet series if you had the chance, even if it might not be as elaborate as mine. So what say you RPM? What would your ideal series look like? Would it work into the current methods established with the Robot and Programming universes, be something like mine as a "in-between reboot"? Or would you do something else entirely? What genre would it be? Any hooks you'd want to push? Come on in and share your ideas!