Possible changes for the franchise?

[Gaia]

I've been thinking lately after what happened, so it's like this: What would you like to see changed in the Mega Man franchise? I'd like to know because sometimes it's fun to experiment with things to see if it works (Ride Chaser Sequence) or doesn't (X6's Nightmare System). Honestly I think change can be possible for this series, worked with Battle Network, did it? (it took a HUGE leap from traditional platformers and worked greatly)

I personally like to see how capcom would handle an SRPG series featuring various tidbits established in the Mega Man saga, that or a complete reboot of the series.

[Hiryu]

Yea, something GOOD needs to happen soon. Probably won't happen though with Inafune gone and the way Capcom is now.

[Acid]

At this point I'd consider a total reboot to be not all that off. And certainly not damaging (anymore).
I dunno, simply putting Mega Man into other genres will not help. I think he needs an overhaul or at the very least a very long break.

[Protoman Blues]

What they really need to do is make a new series with new gameplay. I'd love a ZOE2 style MM game. A strategy game or RPGish game or even a FPS or TPS would work. The idea is to make if new and not half ass it. They also need to remember the games that got them there. The new game has to come first though. As much as I'd love it, a MM11 game is NOT the answer right now.

What they have forgotten at Capcom is that while the franchise name is important, if the game is actually good people will play it.

[Ladd Spencer]

X6' Nightmare System IMO has helped X6 withstand the test of time without feeling stagnant. I hated it for the longest time, but these days it sure beats artificially giving life to X1 by making up no charging or dashing rules for myself. And it sure was a comprehensible step-up from X5's random item rewards.

[Flame]

They need to do what X7 failed at, a full 3D Mega Man on a current gen console. Not a handheld, a console.

It's what almost every other classic franchise from Megaman's time has accomplished, except for him.

Mario, LoZ, Metroid, Sonic, Castlevania... They've all done it successfully. Mega Man had Legends, which was great, but probably too far from the original formula and just didnt sell well apparently. Besides, what is needed IMO, is to bring CLASSIC Mega Man into the third dimension. Not X, not Zero. The original.

Hell, maybe a full on 3D action platformer reboot.

[The Great Gonzo]

Hell, maybe a full on 3D action platformer reboot.

Maybe I'm just naturally opposed to reboots, but...knowing current-Capcom? We'd end up with the MM equivalent of Bomberman: Act Zero or DmC.

[Protoman Blues]

They need to do what X7 failed at, a full 3D Mega Man on a current gen console. Not a handheld, a console.

It's what almost every other classic franchise from Megaman's time has accomplished, except for him.

Mario, LoZ, Metroid, Sonic, Castlevania... They've all done it successfully. Mega Man had Legends, which was great, but probably too far from the original formula and just didnt sell well apparently. Besides, what is needed IMO, is to bring CLASSIC Mega Man into the third dimension. Not X, not Zero. The original.

Hell, maybe a full on 3D action platformer reboot.

It does need to be on a console, yes. Hopefully all three. However, I think it needs to be a new series with little to no involvement with the classic series. Not that I'd complain about a 3D Classic series game, but I think they only way to bring in new fans is to create something new. Once you get the new fanbase in, then you throw the nostalgia at them and hope they catch on. I think they accomplished that with EXE.

I also think, like EXE, a cartoon to accompany it would be the way to go. Again I'd love for the creators of Avatar to handle a new MM cartoon.

[Treleus]

I envision a hardcore TPS/FPS total conversion/reboot of the X series in the vein of DMC and Vanquish. Basically what Mega Man X7 was, but better, faster, smarter, darker, and stronger.

It could have the same weapon-copy mechanic, but some changes should be made to better fit the 3D world and change in tone. The basic formula should be improved upon so that it's newer and fresh, distinguishing X more from Classic. I'll leave that thought open for speculation. Other things I'd want to see from X is CQC tactics that can be chainable with his buster combat/Maverick weapons. Barrett showed a decent example of injecting new CQC combat in a traditionally shooty gameplay style, but I'd envision this 3D X game to be more like the aforementioned DMC and Vanquish, and to a lesser extent, Metroid Other M.

[Ladd Spencer]

Some people would say Metroid's 3D jump missed the mark entirely, but some people like their action/adventure/exploring games as shooters. I don't. But then again, I never understood all the criticism Other M got. The controls were a but wonky, but hey, it sure beat scanning everything. Why did scanning need a loading bar? You'd think Chozo technology would be past that.

[Hypershell]

I personally would hope Mega Man DOESN'T see a new series, or more specifically, not another "rebooted" cast.  We've done that six times already and it's fragmenting the fanbase.  I believe Command Mission proved that, contrary to Inafune's beliefs, there is no real reason to lock a given set of characters into a single specific genre.  You can reboot the gameplay and keep the familiar faces, and quite frankly, I think Capcom NEEDS to keep the familiar faces.  In the last eight years Mega Man has been radically shifting aesthetics nearly every game, with only ZX Advent and MM10 providing anything close to consistency.  That needs to stop.  Part of the reason that all of three people mourn Mega Man Universe is that the art style was bat [parasitic bomb] crazy.  Sure, you can do that and create a HUGE deal with such a unique and defining look, but only if you know what the hell you're doing.  You're going to face skeptics and you have to nail your project in order to turn them (see Wind Waker).  Capcom isn't up to that.

[Treleus]

I'd consider my ideas for the X series less "reboots" and more "refinements", but that's just me. I know I'd do a few things that will divide people, like having Zero stay dead after X1 or downplaying/rewriting his emphasis over the whole series, except X4; he can have that one.

I don't think we need a new series with new characters, but at the same time, I'm kinda hungering for something, well ... new. Not new like Mega Man going RTS or card games or some [parasitic bomb] like that. Something like a steampunk or fantasy take on Mega Man. In that case, I'd welcome a new face or two followed by familiar reiterations (and deeper development) of familiar ones. Failing that, I wouldn't mind seeing a spectacular ZX sequel that goes full-on Super Metroid and drops the traditional Mega Man staples (like 8 stages, 8 bosses) holding it back.

I'm also [chameleon sting]ing hungry for Legends 3, but that goes without saying.

What do you think of my gameplay reboot for the X series?

[Flame]

From what i've seen of Vanquish, (on my to play list) It could sorta work for X. Same for Other M.

But I agree with Hyper, we really dont need another series. Thats what X series was, thats what Zero series was, thats what ZX was, etc etc.

What we need is just to like he said, keep the familiar faces. And I think creating a brand new series wont help. What needs to be done if any kind of survival of the main franchise as a WHOLE is to be achieved, is to concentrate on the roots. And I dont mean going 8 bit, because that didn't work either as we've seen. From the ground up, Classic, and then maybe X, need to be restarted, redone, in fresh ways. I think Treleus is onto something there with his ideas, although shafting Zero definitely isnt one of them. He just needs to be less the spotlight stealer, and X needs to get equal focus. And with a brand new story, that is achievable too.

I know Reboot isnt exactly what Hyper had in mind, but, I think it would work if done right, and by that I mean keeping a similar story tone and idea as the original. EXE was a reboot, though It definitely went really far from classic aside from Name drops and character re imaginings. I dunno. I just feel that we need to start from M. (not 0, he can come later)

Or just, yknow, 1, good really good, modern Mega Man game to bring the Blue Bomber back to relevance, without the need for reboots.

[Treleus]

I agree. But we could always make it look like he's been shafted, and then just have him come back much later instead of immediately in the sequel.

[Protoman Blues]

Actually going back to 8-Bit for classic Mega Man did work because it was cheap. Cheap and classic. They just cannot do that again right now, nor should it be a reboot. Reboots can rub people the wrong way. Look no further than the movies for examples of why it can.

As for X-Zero-ZX, it was almost essentially the same style of gameplay (2D Platformer). Command Mission, SARockman, and Mega Man Soccer are the only real exceptions. Legends and EXE were the only two series that changed the formula up for a bit. While one was more of a cult favorite, the other was a decent success.

Maybe it doesn't need to be a new series, but it has to be a new genre. I think it cannot be a 2D platformer, and I LOVE 2D platformers.

[Flame]

It definitely cannot stay 2D platformer. Not right now, anyway.

[Mirby]

Actually going back to 8-Bit for classic Mega Man did work because it was cheap. Cheap and classic. They just cannot do that again right now, nor should it be a reboot. Reboots can rub people the wrong way. Look no further than the movies for examples of why it can.

As for X-Zero-ZX, it was almost essentially the same style of gameplay (2D Platformer). Command Mission, SARockman, and Mega Man Soccer are the only real exceptions. Legends and EXE were the only two series that changed the formula up for a bit. While one was more of a cult favorite, the other was a decent success.

Maybe it doesn't need to be a new series, but it has to be a new genre. I think it cannot be a 2D platformer, and I LOVE 2D platformers.

Strategy RPG a la Fire Emblem or Advance Wars.

[Sakura Leic]

Strategy RPG a la Fire Emblem or Advance Wars.

I'm not sure how a tactics game would work for Megaman. 

I kinda like Command Mission's formula, I just wished that it had more customization, the ability to buy potions, and more animation so that the facial expressions would be more than shock, anger, and dull surprise.  I also wished that Central Tower wasn't so big I'm okay with a big hub area but not one spread in 2 parts and in a tower.

[Da Dood]

I'd like to see a reboot in the style of Metroid Prime. It doesn't have to be first person or anything, I mean mainly an ambitious 3D side series with a new story and concepts. Something to shake things up, like RE4 did for Resident Evil, but still keeping the Mega Man roots.

Although to be honest, I'm happy with the 2D games, even 8-bit games only.

[Flame]

Actually going back to 8-Bit for classic Mega Man did work because it was cheap. Cheap and classic.

Im assuming it didnt work because we dont have Mega Man 11 or 12.For how cheap it is, you would think they would milk the oldschool fans for all they are worth.

[Protoman Blues]

Im assuming it didnt work because we dont have Mega Man 11 or 12.For how cheap it is, you would think they would milk the oldschool fans for all they are worth.

It can only work for so long. Right now, it probably cannot work.

[Ladd Spencer]

It's all my fault, guys. I still haven't bought Mega Man 10. It came out at a time when I had no access to it. Sorry.

[Gaia]

Actually going back to 8-Bit for classic Mega Man did work because it was cheap. Cheap and classic. They just cannot do that again right now, nor should it be a reboot. Reboots can rub people the wrong way. Look no further than the movies for examples of why it can.

That is indeed true, same goes for prequels.. oy.

I also want to add that while Command Mission was GOOD, it could've been polished up a bit more. Like, sort of a sub-series of a sub-series (weird huh?). Maybe that way we can kill two birds in one stone, as cleaning up some of the plotholes made by past games in the meanwhile giving the X series a fresh new look. It's basically Sonic and the Secret Rings. (It's weird. When I played Sonic Colors for the first time, I felt like they perfected the Storybook Engine, which Secret Rings was it's starting gun. In a sense, Secret Rings SAVED Sonic because of the gameplay.)

[Treleus]

^Which is ironic because Secret Rings is the most wretched gameplay I've ever experienced. It's worse than Unleashed's dichotomous gameplay.

[Flame]

Unleashed's gameplay wasn't even bad. Dont get why people hate it. The concept and gimmick was stupid, but the gameplay was just fine.