Mega Man - We're Here Forever!

[Leet]

I know this game is kind of broken in ways that are reminding me of the later X games, but all I can think of is how much greater the production values are going from the WonderSwan game to this.

[Crow]

i'm going to miss megaman.exe's fabulous idle animation

[Kincyr]

there actually have been cases of computer viruses and worms that benefit their hosts.

one example was the Welchia worm, which first locates and removes the infamous Blaster worm (after gaining access to the system using the same exploit Blaster used), then it attempts to download and install official security patches to fix the exploit, then after a while, either after 120 days or when year 2004 rolled around, removes itself. the problem was that it was not always successful in applying the patches, it caused too much network traffic in attempting to get the patches, and it restarts the system without informing the user in order to apply the patch.

I remember reading about an Apple HyperCard virus, called Antibody, that simply went through HyperCard stacks and removed MerryXmas, an infamous HyperCard virus. I think this was even before anti-virus software had real-time protection.

[Sugar]

By the way, you may want to jack out on last life. If you do, any chips you have retrieved on a way will stay instead of forcing you to load a save.

Also, if you are running out of chips, enter the CUSTOM screen to get new chips. What you picked at beginning doesn't have to be the only chips you can use. Don't bother using buster, it's way too slow, and if you defeat enemies quickly you will get new chips.

[Ashan]

(Also try not to think too hard about the physics of digital computer viruses dropping physical data chips for Lan to slot into his PET to send to MegaMan.)

To be fair, the main line games just have the viruses drop data that is downloaded into Lan's chips. Them dropping actual chips in this game is almost certainly just abstract representation of that so that you can recognize them as battle chips instead of, y'know, random blobs of binary or something.

Or maybe the chip program data just has an icon of a battle chip. Thinking about it, that makes a solid amount of sense ( for a Battle Network game, anyway ) and works in-universe, too.

I recall from the small amount of the anime I tried watching a few years ago that the chips are like blank slates with a screen on them that show the chip data when you load it onto them. So it's not like you always have one chip that does the same thing.

This probably opens more questions than it answers so the better answer is "don't think about it too much"

[zantanzuken]

(Also try not to think too hard about the physics of digital computer viruses dropping physical data chips for Lan to slot into his PET to send to MegaMan.)

To be fair, the main line games just have the viruses drop data that is downloaded into Lan's chips. Them dropping actual chips in this game is almost certainly just abstract representation of that so that you can recognize them as battle chips instead of, y'know, random blobs of binary or something.

Or maybe the chip program data just has an icon of a battle chip. Thinking about it, that makes a solid amount of sense ( for a Battle Network game, anyway ) and works in-universe, too.

I recall from the small amount of the anime I tried watching a few years ago that the chips are like blank slates with a screen on them that show the chip data when you load it onto them. So it's not like you always have one chip that does the same thing.

This probably opens more questions than it answers so the better answer is "don't think about it too much"

this. LAN basically has empty re-writable disks that he slots into the pet in order to download/upload the data as needed... it was a way to market a toy based on the pet.
basically they looked like this!

[Stink Terios]

This game has an absolutely incredible soundtrack, X6-tier at least.

Only one Game Over for FireMan is really impressive! You could also slide through his legs and make him look like a fool. This is useful for many bosses.

raocow seems to be under the impression that chips get used up forever instead of returned upon a jack cycle. The WS game's terrible system is at fault for this.

[Ashan]

To be fair, the main line games just have the viruses drop data that is downloaded into Lan's chips. Them dropping actual chips in this game is almost certainly just abstract representation of that so that you can recognize them as battle chips instead of, y'know, random blobs of binary or something.

Or maybe the chip program data just has an icon of a battle chip. Thinking about it, that makes a solid amount of sense ( for a Battle Network game, anyway ) and works in-universe, too.

I recall from the small amount of the anime I tried watching a few years ago that the chips are like blank slates with a screen on them that show the chip data when you load it onto them. So it's not like you always have one chip that does the same thing.

This probably opens more questions than it answers so the better answer is "don't think about it too much"

this. LAN basically has empty re-writable disks that he slots into the pet in order to download/upload the data as needed... it was a way to market a toy based on the pet.
basically they looked like this!

Oh trust me, I know!

[Tenlade]

By the way, you may want to jack out on last life. If you do, any chips you have retrieved on a way will stay instead of forcing you to load a save.

Also, if you are running out of chips, enter the CUSTOM screen to get new chips. What you picked at beginning doesn't have to be the only chips you can use. Don't bother using buster, it's way too slow, and if you defeat enemies quickly you will get new chips.

by the way if you get buster upgrades, put them in attack and charge, and once you get both maxed out you can get some real powerful charge shots.

On an unrelated note.last year i worked on a project to help someone replace the textures in this game, and in the process both dumped every texture in this game, and learned how to replace them. I might make something raocow themed this month with that knowledge, for fun.

[Ashan]

A Network Transmission Thing

[Heavy Sigh]

NETNAVI FACTS! GUTSMAN.EXE "Yeaahh! GutsMan in here!"

GutsMan.EXE is a NetNavi operated by Dex Oyama. While not very bright, he is a super strong Navi that favors brute force, making him perfect for the role of 'useless big guy'. He likes Roll.EXE and is MegaMan.EXE's (comedic) rival. For Dex, a "strong" Navi means they have super strength, and nothing else matters. GutsMan is a loyal friend and fights side by side with his allies.

Being a carbon copy of his operator's personality, GutsMan tends to move and react slowly (though he and Dex feature a very "Gung-ho" attitude of doing things), but can act quite decisively if sufficiently provoked or if a given situation calls for it (in the case of a friend being in danger). Naturally, direct physical attacks earn an immediate reaction. When finally roused, an angry GutsMan's strength can be a terrifying sight to behold. In the Japanese version, GutsMan ends the majority of his sentences with "-de gatsu" ("guts").

In the anime, GutsMan's dedication to his friends is best displayed while he and his allies are searching for MegaMan's new body in the wake of PharaohMan's awakening. Finding themselves trapped in a collapsing cavern, the Navi valiantly saves Roll from falling debris, then allows everyone to escape by holding up the structure on his own until it collapses on him. He does, however, recover following the incident, and remains helpful.

Anime History

Alongside his operator, GutsMan used to be a bully of sorts, picking on the Navis of weak children. When Lan Hikari received MegaMan.EXE, however, he was defeated, and the two realized the error of their ways, though they still remained rivals to the bitter end. GutsMan, in particular, has feelings for Roll, and therefore gets very angry when she spends time with MegaMan.

[Grounder]

please stop using short range attacks rao

they work well enough in the rpgs but they really shouldnt be in this game

you can probably remove them from your chip folder

[Arctangent]

The thing about the deck system is that one of the major ways of progression in the RPGs is just constructing a folder that is more and more synergistic and less and less inconsistent. This is especially true because chips of the same type can have a different letter code, too, and unlike in this game, you can only select five chips period per "turn" - you don't get your entire stock of Cannon when you select it, for example - all of which either must be of the same exact type or share a letter code. Starting out, your folder is pretty much always a mess of letter codes, but as you acquire more and more chips, you can end up with a nicely streamlined folder where each custom gauge will reliably give you a full set of five chips, and that feels really powerful compared to the alphabet jambalaya you have to deal with in the early game because, well, you have far more options that are far more versatile.

I don't think this is too different from how this game will end up working out, either - as you get more chips and chip types, you'll eventually be able to always draw a selection that fits your playstyle and won't run dry after a few enemies. It's less elegant than the progression from a folder that helps you learn the alphabet to one that's satisfyingly clean and uncluttered, but it's still an attempt at capturing the whole "start out stumbling, slowly refine into something powerful" progression signature to the series.

[Chirei]

Already touched on above, but you pretty much do just have to scoop up a ton of chips until you can cobble together something that you generally like to use. I feel like both the random deck draw, """"""MP""""""", and limited chip uses all kind of come together for this clunky experience. So I guess nothing you can do about it but just keep beating dudes up and powering up the buster.

Though, I haven't played this game, just the actual Battle Networks where the deck draw system makes sense, but between my thousands of hours in Battle Network and the X games separately, this just seems like some really clunky medium of both, especially with the insane damage and actual harsh game over penalty.

[Ashan]

For Dex, a "strong" Navi means they have super strength, and nothing else matters.

This is basically my Dark Souls strategy

[Paragraph]

Fire Man and Guts Man are such nonsensically hard first bosses, it's kinda amazing. After this, there's more nonsense stuff with high numbers stacked against you to come, but it's not every boss. What I'm saying is that the difficulty curve is QUITE uneven.

It's a good idea to experiment with various chips, because what seems useless might be super good in the correct circumstance. I actually didn't know or realize that chips refill after jacking out and in again, I was just super conservative and upgraded stacks regularly to better versions. So experimenting is even more encouraged. I do remember that Minibombs are surprisingly good, especially compared to how trash they are in the RPGs; their explosion lingers, so everything without mercy invincibility (like big minibosses, which also are easy to hit) is toast. Try it on stuff like the fire dogs!

[Stink Terios]

Minibomb s probably the best chip in the game, if you discount stuff like PopUp + Fully powered up buster.

[Grounder]

why wasnt this guy the first boss?

i know tradition is a thing and all but if you have two tutorial stages they may as well have the easiest bosses first

[Arctangent]

today rao forgets that megaman games have a stage before charged shots that don't actually have more power

( yeah sure usually those have slightly bigger projectiles but that's honestly more confusing because they only deal more damage than basic shots in like one game, so looking more powerful is kinda nonsense )

[Crow]

rao, you can go to higsby's shop from the overworld map (and probably should? like sometime?)

[xnamkcor]

In the main EXE series, the Guard chip puts up a shield for about 1-3 seconds, negates 1 attack, and returns a shockwave attack. Always my default chip.

[Leet]

today rao forgets that megaman games have a stage before charged shots that don't actually have more power

( yeah sure usually those have slightly bigger projectiles but that's honestly more confusing because they only deal more damage than basic shots in like one game, so looking more powerful is kinda nonsense )

There is no tradition that could prepare me to guess that "this upgrade adds the charge ability but only to the point before it actually has any function" would be a thing

[Bean]

Looking it up, the order to select your chips for that special sword upgrade is Sword > WideSword > LongSword. That would give you a sword that does 200 HP damage for one slice. There are also apparently 14 Program Advance things like that in this game.

Glad you chose one of the easier stages because I remember one of these first four giving me a lot of trouble. And finally, one of the reasons the option to refight bosses is there is so you can earn their special boss chip. Think you have to do a pretty dang good fight where you don't get hit much and take them down quickly enough, so that's really only meant for later in the game.

[Arctangent]

today rao forgets that megaman games have a stage before charged shots that don't actually have more power

( yeah sure usually those have slightly bigger projectiles but that's honestly more confusing because they only deal more damage than basic shots in like one game, so looking more powerful is kinda nonsense )

There is no tradition that could prepare me to guess that "this upgrade adds the charge ability but only to the point before it actually has any function" would be a thing

no as in


this is mega man


this is mega man, charging but without actually yet getting more damage


this is mega man, fully charged after holding down the button for long enough and doing x3 damage

as you can see, these are all visually distinct state, and while the method of portraying them differs from pure palette swaps to a mix of palette swapping and sprite overlay to just a sprite overlay, there isn't a mega man game with a chargeable buster ( or anything, in the case of zero ) that doesn't have them

rao forgot about this three-stage system and thought that since there was the charging effect, his buster was fully charged

( granted i can't blame him too much, it looks like this mimics the rpgs' charge shot of initially taking five years to fully charge until you get more upgrades into it, but still i dunno how he's played this many mega men in a row and didn't catch on to "oh i have a charge sfx but it hasn't changed, guess i haven't fully charged my gun yet" after trying it several times and seeing it not do anything the first few times )

[Chirei]

(but still i dunno how he's played this many mega men in a row and didn't catch on to "oh i have a charge sfx but it hasn't changed, guess i haven't fully charged my gun yet" after trying it several times and seeing it not do anything the first few times )

Like you mentioned, none of the charged busters in any megaman game have such an abominably long charge time before any actual visual change. They realized this was stupid going forward in later BN games, so they did change the base level buster to actually have a reasonable charge time, despite only having one visual change for most of them.