Mega Man RPG Prototype Community

The second one should probably be in Website Suggestions.

I'm afraid I don't understand your first suggestion. You mean like hitting Tab in-game would switch skins?

Bah, why so specific?! Already here, plus whatever, it's the same to me.


As you can see there, the tab there changes the appearance of that character based on different versions seen. I feel something similar can be implemented into the database so you could see different versions of the same character.

First, lemme start by saying that MMRPG is actually very well done and very promising, given that it's browser-based. I'm partway through Chapter 2 as of this post.

My only complaint--so far, anyway--is that the game is really, REALLY non-beginner-friendly. Note that I said 'beginner-friendly' and not 'easy'. There is a BIG difference.

I have 4 suggestions on how to fix this. Please keep in mind as you read this that these suggestions come from a *beginner* player who had to spend a good 15-20 minutes fight that stupid Flea and that crazy CutMan before finally realizing that the game has Types.

First, the game needs a tutorial. Forgive me, expert players, I know that this probably makes your skin crawl, but, as I've said, aside from that Met, the game's not beginner-friendly at all, and throws you RIGHT into the hard stuff immediately after the first stage, like the latter X series games [X5-X7] did. They weren't beginner-friendly, either.

Second, there should be difficulty settings for each chapter [or at least the beginning chapters], with less experience and less chance of item drops for lower diffs, and more experience, higher chances at items and easier character unlocks at higher diffs. This is to separate the first-timers from the hardcore experts; even at Level 2, CutMan's Rolling Cutter can hit up to 3x for what looks like up to 2/5ths of Mega's Level 1 health. Mind you, that's not taking Critical Hits into account, which--by the way--make each early fight extremely luck-based. A bad recipe for attracting beginners to keep playing onwards.

Third, make Chapter 1 longer. 1 Met does NOT give enough experience for the onslaught of skill, luck and knowledge needed for Chapter 2, especially since the game itself--not the boards, the game--doesn't have a tutorial of any kind. More fights, and maybe an optional fight with a more powerful enemy at the end of Chapter 1 [as a foreshadowing to the steep learning curve the game has] would suffice.

...and fourth, please eliminate [or at least, greatly minimize] the random-osity of the game [or, at least the early 2 chapters]. By this, I mean:

1) the random missing of attacks [granted, the enemies miss more than I do, but, still, that's just more unneeded luck],
2) the random damage numbers [which minimize the skill needed to push on and survive],
and 3) the random critical hits [which enemies score on me *WAY* more than I score on them]. They're completely luck based, and--for beginners, at least--they ruin the skill requirement of both *this* game, and for all traditional RPG's, in that matter. By 'traditional RPG's', I mean RPG-based turn games with attacks that do 25 damage the first time you use it, then, 28 the second time, then, 19, then, 42 [crit], then, 27, then, 20, then, 39 [crit], then, 26, etc., etc. There's less skill involved than luck with using random damage figures, especially if you're as woefully underpowered as the average beginner [again, expert players, 'beginner' is the key term, here] is at the start of the game.

The 6 main games in the Mega Man Battle Network series are prime examples of a non-traditional RPG--one where Skill DEFINITELY comes into play more than luck *ever* does. Sure, you can exploit weaknesses to do higher amounts of damage, and you can buff up attacks to make them stronger, but YOU can decide when to do so. Whether you love them or hate them [BN2 is my favorite, by the way--fights are so challenging in that one without using Program Advances], they're almost never random with attack patterns, and even *less* random with damage totals, calling forth your skill much more so than they call forth your luck.

So, yeah. That's all I have, so far. Forgive me if I come off as annoying or a whiny b***h [This is only my 3rd or 4th post on this forum, and I'm already complaining; sorry], but, this is where you post game based suggestions, no?

Feel free to scream at me about how wrong I am, now. x)

THIS IS WHY YOU'RE WRONG!

Nah, just kidding. Anyway, the game has a tutorial, check the strategy section, there's a guide. Anyway, the game is hard unless you train the copy cores. Up 10 levels and they get extreme power of Op status.

The game does have difficulty options, it's Dr. Light, Wily, and Cossack stories. Each one is harder.

That other stuff isn't random, it actually has a mathematical program that calculates criticals and damage.

While I'm here, why not have a pratice room in which you decide both attacks from each side. It wouldn't count for Exp or Bp, just a pratice room.

I can see that being a good idea. Maybe make each Robot Master preceded by a few gradually increasing waves of Fleas or whatever. That way you can get more Experience before actually fighting the Robot Master.

Also BN5 is more fun I think.

@MegaBossMan : "The game does have difficulty options, it's Dr. Light, Wily, and Cossack stories. Each one is harder."

I'm not entirely sure I've unlocked Wily and Cossack, but, that's not what I meant, anyway, good sir. I meant that CutMan should have an Easy diff, where Cutter-type attacks on his stage do 1.5x damage, a Medium diff where they do 2x damage, and a Hard diff where they do 2.5x damage, and an Expert diff where they do 3x damage.

Alter the attribute bonuses to be harder or weaker for each stage based on what diffifculty the player wants. Higher difficulties should naturally result in bigger rewards--more exp, better items, easier character unlocks. You can also, obviously, increase his stats as well on higher diffs--higher defense higher speed, giving him items, new attacks on the higher diffs, etc.

@Mikey76500 : I know what you meant, but it's basically the same. Metal Man is basically a harder Cut Man, with a harder field bonus. The game is actually quite easy if you have your copy-cores up to level 10, and Chapter 3 will give you so much EXP that it's a joke. The game does require some grinding, but after that, it's smooth sailing.

@MegaBossMan : I know you have lots of experience at this, but, try to put yourself in the mindset of a player with less then 1/10,000,000th the BP total you have.

Cut Man can hit you 3x in one turn, making damage add up REALLY quick [and will wreck Bomb Man and Elec Man],
Guts Man has high attack and defense and is constantly forcing you to change [and will wreck Cut Man],
Ice Man can make it so that switching out is impossible [and will wreck Roll, Fire Man, and Oil Man],
Bomb Man can damage EVERYONE on your team at once [and will wreck Guts Man],
Fire Man can increase his defense at WILL [and will wreck Cut Man and Oil Man],
and Elec Man has absurd attack power [and will wreck Mega Man and Time Man].

Now, I haven't tried Time Man or Oil Man, yet, but, anyone who's played the original Mega Man will likely choose one of the original 6 RM's first.

No matter which one they choose, they'll be--please excuse my portuguese--f***ed. Their Mega Man will be at Level 2, and their Roll at Level 1, both woefully underpowered, losing fight after fight after fight due to either absurdly powerful side effects of the RMs' attacks, the pure offensive powers of the RM's concerning the elemental bonuses each stage has, or just due to simply not knowing enough to protect themselves and to make battles last.

Now, I know that some of this can be blamed on the beginner for not snooping around the game's menus and gathering information, first. That's a given in any RPG, for the most part. However, you have to admit, Boss, there's a lot of this game that considers luck into it [and yes, a formulae that you cannot trigger at will that randomly decides what is and isn't a Critical Hit doesn't have skill involved in it at all, and that makes it luck-based] MUCH more so than your own skill.

Again, keep a beginner's mindset, here, pleaseandthankyou; Until you level up your team--which will likely be stuck at MM and Roll for AT LEAST the entire first chapter, by the by--the Met in Chapter 0 is supposed to do the grinding, for the most part. I have to grind the first enemy in the game over and over and over again just to become strong enough to beat ONE boss?

You have to admit, Boss, even the Zero series was more friendly to newcomers and beginners than this.

Edit [43 minutes later]: Time Man can decrease your Speed pretty much at will [and wreck Guts Man]. Makes perfect sense, I have to concede, but, still, that's not easy on beginners at all--he already does enough offensive damage.

Edit [70 minutes after that]: Oil Man can attack any member of your party at will [and wreck Elec Man]. His speed--combined with the random-osity of critical hits--means that this is almost completely luck all by itself.

I've played the game from the start multiple times after each update, and I think you're just having terrible luck. The strategy here is that you find another boss to fight after losing one battle, in a cycle. A great strategy that I've used is to use your weaker characters to fight the mecha and damage the boss, repeating until the weak guys you have are all dead, use Mega Man and Mega Buster them to death. Really, I don't know why you're having so much trouble from this, I rarely ever get criticals. I think your luck is really messing you up.

@Acting Mod Reisrat : BN5 would've been great if it weren't for those blasted 3-Turn time limits on the Liberation Missions. That kills all the fun in the whole game for me, really, especially as Lib Missions are the main course in BN5.

@MegaBossMan : "I've played the game from the start multiple times after each update, and I think you're just having terrible luck."

Exactly, Boss. While I do agree that maybe luck could play a secondary part in the completion of an RPG, it should NOT be the main course; luck isn't a viable substitute for skill sets and actual strategy, you know?

@TailsMK4 : You seem to be under the impression that this game is easy for *beginners*, Tails.

20 elemental types to keep track of, elemental bonuses for each boss, making them unneededly tough [yes, even Oil Man, what with his high Speed], chance critical hits and chance negative statuses plaguing the beginner through Light Chapters 1 and 2, and a lack of zenny in the game overall, save from selling items and screws [both of which are also chance rewards, by the by] makes this game extremely dependent on luck. For the *beginner*.

When a game is as dependent on the starting player having good fortune as this game does, it's not easy.

Maybe MMRPG will have it's skill-required moments in the chapters and bosses ahead; I'll keep on keeping on to find that out, but, for the beginner that's used to the pure strategy of the Battle Network games [i.e., me], RPG is a big-time diversion from that, with all of its random missing, random negative statuses, and random multi-hitting. Some simpler difficulty setting in Chapter 2 may help get to grips with the game.

Either that or decrease the elemental bonuses of the stages in Chapter 2; Ice Man's and Fire Man's stage in particular. Ugh.

Edit [35 minutes later]: Look at all the times that I've said 'chance' and 'luck' in just this post alone. If I weren't so stubborn, It'd be really depressing. x)

Eh, I didn't have many problems with it, the game's really good at giving you several different ways to clear the field at once.

I'd say some lower difficulties with crippled stats would be good, with higher ones available as well. Something like
Very Easy: 50% stats
Easy: 75% stats
Normal: 100% stats
Hard: 150% stats
Very Hard: 200% stats

Maybe some with higher percents, and maybe with fun names like DooM or Heretic have.

So, I just had a bunch of my robots hit Level 100 [or Level 100* according to the in-battle status ticker.

I naturally think, "Oh. Great. Now, they can't get any stronger" only to find out that I'm wrong, and that they CAN grow stronger.

This, folks, SOUNDS great on paper, and likely looks great, too, but, there's a hugantic glaring issue with it; It makes every Robot virtually the same. Evert Robot has an absolute maximum HP of 595 [Save for Roll and likely, Disco and Rhythm; don't have them, yet.], an absolute maximum Attack of 9,999, an absolute maximum Defense of 9,999, and an absolute maximum Speed of 9,999. None are TRULY different, stats wise, from the others, save for their elements, Weaknesses, Resistances, Affinities and Immunities.

You could make the argument that diversity already exists between the Robots if I'd just look at the Database. I have. Many times. None of them mention the fact that every single Robot has the EXACT. SAME. ABSOLUTE. MAXIMUM [9,999] for all non-HP stats.

There HAS to be an absolute maximum Level if there will truly be true diversity. If there will truly be robots with superior Speed over others and Superior Attack over others, then, each Robot Master's Level cap should limit. You could give items or Zenny instead of Experience.

As for what I believe the Maximum Level should be, I think Level 250 would be excellent. Level 99/100 caps are for REGULAR RPGs, this is better than that. x)