Topic: Mega Man Maps

[Revned]

I'm dumping my Wii's memory as I write this, but I won't be able to do any actual mapping until next week. My last weeks of school (ever) have been the busiest (ever)  :-(

[marioman]

Will is continuing to work through BN6 and has submitted a few more maps.  I assume that this means that you found a walk through walls code?  I haven't had any luck in finding one, but if you haven't found one yet I suggest placing a request on a cheat website such as GSCentral or The GSHI.  Hopefully they will be able to get you a working code.

Also, Revned has ripped the last two Special Stages for Mega Man 10.  This completes all of the "normal" stages and only leaves Endless Attack and Challenge Mode.  It is worth noting that MM10's Endless Attack has many more references to previous Mega Man games than MM9's Endless Attack did, so it will be interesting to see the complete set of maps if/when Revned decides to map that mode.  So far I have noticed areas from Mega Man, Mega Man 2, Mega Man 3, Mega Man 4, Mega Man 5, Mega Man 6, and Mega Man 9 in the MM10 Endless Attack mode.  I am still looking for references to other games, but all of the 8-bit games are represented here.

Excellent work to you both.

[Will]

I don't actually have a walk through wall code, I'm just forced to make do without one until I procure one. Still you get good maps though. If I have to map without the code through the entire game, it's an ultimate challenge.

[marioman]

List updated.

Will has started mapping the Japanese-only areas of BN5.  There are a lot more of those areas than I thought.  Good work Will.

Also, RMMH is continuing to submit their ZX maps.  This week they gave us a full set of maps for Area F.  (Area F has very nice backgrounds BTW.)  Thanks very much to them.

[Will]

The new Battle Network 6 maps this week (especially the Academy Security Network System maps) demonstrates I am not inactive without the walk through wall code, although there are a few maps I have left out and didn't submit because I could fully map them, since I cannot view the out of reach areas. I shall continue as best I can. I am currently playing both the Japanese and US/EU versions of the game so that I can get the in-game internet maps to combine with the fully ripped ones. I am surprised all the other Battle Network games never had in-game maps, but that has changed for the first two since Operate Shooting Star's existence.

[marioman]

List updated.  RMMH also submitted maps for ZX's Area C.  Thanks to the people at RMMH.

...I am not inactive without the walk through wall code, although there are a few maps I have left out and didn't submit because I could fully map them...
...I am currently playing both the Japanese and US/EU versions of the game...

Have you tried any of the previously posted walk through walls codes with the other versions of the game?  (At one point you seemed to indicate that you were only trying the codes on the EU version.)  This guide has an AR code for the US version.  There was also that Codebreaker code that I found on the Asian site.  (82012114 0001)  It may work on the JP version.

[Will]

Thanks for that code. It really worked. Now I shall be able to skim through the areas without a problem. Soon I shall begin a map list to conveniently arrange what I've done so far. Currently I'm in the aquarium and any time soon shall meet Circusman.

[marioman]

List updated.

Will, I am glad to hear that you got one of the BN6 walk through walls codes working.  Which one was it?  I will update the broken code on the first post with the working one once I figure out which one it is that works.  The maps are looking really good.  Hopefully I will soon be able to calculate a completion percentage for the main post. 

Also, RMMH posted maps for Mega Man ZX's Area G, and four(!) maps for Mega Man X6.  I have recalculated the number of maps for Mega Man X6 in order to match RMMH's mapping method, and there are only 8 maps remaining.  Excellent job.

[Will]

The code that worked was for the Japaneses version. With that I can easily access the things that don't appear in the English versions. The very next submission I send will contain the map list I have already started working on.

[marioman]

List updated.  It looks like you are working on Chapter 3 of BN6, so I will assume you are about 20% of the way through.  I also updated the BN6 walk through walls on the first post.  Thanks.

In other news, RMMH has started mapping Mega Man X7!  Their maps are available in their Extra Hall.  Traditional maps are available in the Stagemap section of the site, but you will note that there is also a 3D Stagemap section where they have uploaded 3D models of the stages.  These models can be easily viewed using a plug-in for Quicktime.  (See the README in the 3D Maps section for instructions on how to install the plug-in.) 

The addition of these 3D maps brings up a few interesting points regarding the mapping of 3D games.  One of the obvious barriers to capturing 3D environments is having readily accessible way to create/store/view them.  I think that RMMH is dumping their maps with 3D Ripper DX so creating he models probably isn't that hard.  The .FBX format that RMMH is using seems to work well, but the file size tends to large.  (About 100 MB for one stage.)  Also, while you can pan the camera through the maps, it can be sort of hard to move it through enclosed areas such as tunnels.  Any comments on how this method of "mapping" could be used for other 3D games?

[/ramble]  Anyway, RMMH also seems to show interest in mapping Mega Man X8 so I have added X7 and X8 to the list.  Very nice work.

[Peardian]

I dunno. Having to download huge model files and a plugin to view them with QuickTime of all things seems like too much of a burden on the viewers. Until browsers get better/any reasonable 3D support, there won't be any easy way to handle them.


(On a side note, anyone with C4D can view those models, though the alpha channels on textures seem to be missing.)

[JonLeung]

Anyone seen Press The Button's "Capcom Turnaround" article?

It makes use of the several Mega Man maps from VGMaps, of course.

Probably a bigger deal than it is, this "turnaround" is a logical way to not "waste" screen space, when the map goes down only one screen height and then continues to the right.

When you fall from above, you're usually going to go to the far right of that previous screen, but when you come down, it'll be a waste of the left side of the screen if you just went right immediately from there.  Similarly, you could come down earlier, more to the left, but that would be a waste of the right side of the previous screen.  You could fall straight down the middle, but it's still as wasteful, not to mention boring.

You could have a map where the above screen loops back to the left before dropping down to the next screen.  But it seems more "natural" to go back then forward (within the same screen), instead of forward then back, even if the net effect of a crude "Z" shape is still the result.

Even so, I guess it's a neat article, in that VGMaps.com provides a look at something that may otherwise have been harder to spot.

[Will]

Today a lot of new Battle Network 6 maps appear. My next destination will be Sky Town and there's a navi I have not encountered for the past five games: Elec Man.

The "Turnaround" article was a pretty interesting observation and I've seen it in games other than Capcom's, especially in the Ninja Gaiden trilogy. I wonder why they didn't indicate the images came from this site. Since our maps have a unique style, there can be no mistake about it.

[Rew]

Wow, those MMX7 maps really are HUGE. But it's still really impressive they're mapping that game--I didn't think it was possible. I wonder if they're going to be fool enough to map Command Mission too? =P

Also, I feel really retarded, but I only just now realized something. Guess what year it is?

MMX.

[marioman]

List updated.

Anyone seen Press The Button's "Capcom Turnaround" article?

Yeah I saw it a while back - it's a really good read.  The recurrence of this design element makes wonder if it serves a purpose other than just being a level design element.  I heard somewhere (I wish that I could remember where) that the double doors before the Robot Masters were originally added to the games in order to give the NES a chance to clear its RAM before the boss fight.  Wonder if the turnaround was added so the NES would have enough time to load the next part of the level...

Another interesting thing about this article is that it has spawned two more useless but interesting articles on the Mega Man Network: The Great Mega Man Finger Phenomenon and The Mystery of Wily Castle’s Pipe.

Today a lot of new Battle Network 6 maps appear. My next destination will be Sky Town and there's a navi I have not encountered for the past five games: Elec Man.

Shame on you for ignoring Elec Man.    You have 54 maps up now, so I'm guessing you are at about 30%.  Nice job.

RMMH also got the Intro Stage up for Mega Man X7.  They have all but 4 of the X7 stages mapped on their site, so I would think that those maps will make their way here eventually.  Also added this weekend was Area G for Mega Man ZX.  It looks like ZX is about 1/3 of the way done now.  Thanks RMMH.