Monday, July 14, 2014

Keiji Inafune Ponders "Mighty Legends"


It's no secret that Keiji Inafune adores Mega Man Legends. So much so, in fact, he once expressed interest in making another game just like it some day. Nearly a year has passed since that comment was made, and Inafune isn't backing down from it.

In a recent Q&A session at SGC 2014, Inafune voiced further interest in seeing the Mighty No. 9 series go in different directions. Speaking through his translator, he posed the following question to the audience: "If you guys saw a Mega-Man Legends-style 'Mighty' game come up on Kickstarter, would you consider backing it?" As one would expect, the fans erupted into a roaring cheer, with one fellow belting out "take my money."

Inafune's translator continued, "he's got nothing to announce today, but the fact is, he's heard all of you shout out like that, so hhe's definitely putting that in his pocket and taking it back with him."

Where do you stand on the prospect of a Mighty Legends?

47 comments:

  1. Inafune's pulling a Sega here, trying to spread Mighty No. 9 too thinly across too many things... The hype is far outweighing the actual product. It's going to fail, just like Duke Nukem Forever.

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    1. I guess that depends on your definition of failure. While I'm excited about this game, but my expectations are within check. As long as it's a solid platformer, I'll be happy. Now, will it make billions of dollars? Probably not. Will it please every Megaman fan? Most likely not. Will it please every Mighty No. 9 fan? Absolutely not, lol. I don't really think this game is comparable to DNF because that game had a legacy already and fans of that specific game. This game is brand new, albeit, heavily influenced by Megaman.

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    2. Good Jesus, you're a Negative Nancy, aren't ya? Always on here with the "BOO HOO, EVERYTHING IS AWFUL AND NOTHING WILL EVER BE GOOD AGAIN." Yer doin' me head in and I'm sick of it. What a moaner.

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    3. I honestly don't know if this is going to fail or not, but I do agree with the rest that you said. I hope it doesn't fail, but gee... we haven't even gotten the first product and already there is hype for more? I don't get people.

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    4. @K.Pilkington

      Oh my god, I read that in Karl's voice. Well done!

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  2. Eh, I don't know, they need to work on MN9, first.

    3D platforming these days is pretty much dead.

    Now do that in the form of an FPS? That might open more eyes. Sad as that might be to say, it's the truth.

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  3. Man, Legends fans are super annoying, it is almost unbearable. Actually MM fans in general.

    Also Keiji and supporters, let Mn9 breath, damn. It's like they are trying to reestablish MM's entire legacy and history in one shot. It doesn't work that way. Jee-zus key-riced

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    1. Well don't overreact or anything.

      It was a Q&A. They are supposed to ask questions. It was something that was on a lot of people's minds, but it's obviously just an idea. Something to consider for the future. Not necessarily right away, but actually thinking about the future is something the Mega Man series would have probably benefited from, so I for one am glad they are constantly tossing ideas around.

      Turn down the hate and don't look too much into things. Thoughts, ideas and questions are not bad things.

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  4. Don't put the cart before the horse Mr. Inafune. Comcept may be looking at a big hit here, but you don't want the IP to be squandered and driven into the ground like a certain blue robot you're familiar with. Especially before it gets a chance to even take off in the first place.

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  5. Yeah, why not Mighty Legends ? I will stick to side scroller instead of 3D.

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  6. I appreciate Inafune's passion for his project and wanting to spread and experiment with it into other mediums, but I can't help but feel that he's trying too hard to make Mighty No. 9 an immediate successor to Mega Man. The thing with Mega Man was that nobody at the time was thinking of turning it into a cartoon, nobody was thinking it would expand to other series, let alone one that took to the 3D era of gaming. Mega Man's growth was a slow and therefore natural one. Inafune is really jumping the gun here, his game isn't even that close to release and already it seems like he's got a million ideas for it, and most of them just seem like ideas intended to compete or copy what Mega Man has already done.

    Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't mind playing a game that is like Legends, especially as I liked its gameplay and concept. But Inafune really needs to slow, down, right, now. He should at least wait to see how much of a success Mighty No. 9 really is at the end of all this.

    Also Proto, have you caught wind of the new stuff they posted on the Kickstarter site? New videos and an in-depth look at Mighty No 2.

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    1. Yeah, that's a good point, too. Rebuilding a 1:1 replica of the Mega Man saga is too much, too fast, and even then the Mega Man legacy isn't a flawless template at all.

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  7. I'd rather see an original MML-style game that isn't related to Mighty No. 9 at all and just stands on its own merits. That was one of the biggest problems with Mega Man. Too many spinoffs led to too much in-fighting.

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    1. Nope only Legends and Network did that, mostly Legends tho.

      Unlike Legends, Network didn't try to impose on the main series' plot or connectivity. It was a separate entity within the MM franchise, that drew influence from what was established in it already, while adding variety to it. Everything is fine in that case, cause if the 2D platshooter fans wanted to avoid the Network series without missing out on the full experience of the 2D timeline/and or continuity, they have that option, unlike Legends.

      As for the 2D platshooter games, outside of a vocal, hardcore, fanboy, few who have nitpicky problems, most fans like like the 2D game series across the board. Mostly due to their very similar creative style, familiar core game design and sense of natural progression.

      Oh and

      "I'd rather see an original MML-style game that isn't related to Mighty No. 9"

      That exists! Two well known ones are The Legend of Zelda and Solatorobo. If you can accept magic and furries (I'm guessing you can cough:poke) these are two very good games that I'd recommended checking out. I personally like both more than Legends, but to each their own.

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    2. Actually, for the most part, Legends hold itself as a stand-alone. It is connected to classic but only to vaguest plot-threads (which were mostly made from Zero and ZX series). Fans general don't take to changes well and Legends changed everything from Classic and X.

      Network slips by relatively unharmed because it found it's own fan-based quickly(being part of the wave of monster-raising / battle-card stuff ) and used a lot of familiar elements, namely re-imaged Robot Masters.

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    3. Monster-raising? What the heck are you talking about?

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    4. Self explanatory: Monster raising. It's a genre. Digimon, Monster Rancher, Pokemon.

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    5. What does that have anything to do with MMBN? How bout MMBN being part of the wave of, tech fighter, action RPGs, S-RPGs, like Custom Robo, (some) Medabots, Gotcha Force, Bomberman, Virtual On, Rogue Galaxy, Final Fantasy 12, Kingdom Hearts, Disgaea. Some of these(even tho they aren't at all really like it IMO) have more in common with Pokemon and stuff than MMBN does.

      There is no more raising Mega Man or influences of that in the games, than there is raising your character avatar from a Yugioh game, or raising Cloud Strife. Even if you counted Cloud due to generic lvl up systems, Mega Man.EXE doesn't share that, in fact no playable Navi\character does.

      You must not know MMBN, do you? Let me let you in on something, outside of a small instance in the first game, players can only character build through customization (that you can revert from at any time) or story progression. The only thing players raise, build or grind for is currency. equipment and battle memory (which dictates what forms you get, depending on what tactics you've used most frequently in battles, which too was taken out in later games for story progression). THAT'S IT. no grinding for experience points to get randomized/or selectable stat upgrades, no steady natural growth in age or character states of any kind, through experiences the player chooses to go through, that you have to stick with at all. If you wanted and were skilled enough, you could beat the game without character building at all, through gameplay.

      So yeah I still don't know what you are talking about.

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    6. Look at the setting and theme of Battle Network. A urban fantasy world where everyone has a powerful creatures that follows their commands, usually having them fight hustle creatures for protection, or other peoples creatures for sport. Sounds familiar?

      Monster-raising isn't just about gameplay but the general theme. The navis are called PETs. You collect the powers of the viruses you defeat by beating them certain way/time. You trade them both in-game and real-life. For god-sakes, the first few games had a Pikachu cameo.

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    7. What are you talking about? The PET stands for personal terminal, it was developed late in that universe's progression, as a means to aid the complex internet woven infrastructure of their society. Navis are avatars that represent their owners to better manage the internet space, over time it was integrated into various other uses. Some Navi's are so basic, they only come with a limited set of command functions (meaning can't do things like battle, cutting off their means of gathering cyber money and whatnot) and communication.

      Collecting items from enemies has nothing to do with Pokemon, traditional RPGs have been doing that since the beginning of time. Final Fantasy II "the enemy has dropped blablabla". Example, I beat a Swordy I get a sword, I beat a HardHead I chuck a cannon ball. It's the equivalent of an Ork dropping its weapon in an MMO and your character picking it up and using it, or a Deku Baba leaving behind sticks in Zelda or something. It's just such a common theme.

      Trading items in game that's what you link to Pokemon? REALLY??? if I named how many RPGs do this I'd be here for life. As for trading items outside of in-game, why not? Look, Pokemon came out with the emergence of the link cable for the most popular handheld, it popularized many of it's benefits, that's it. Just like Zelda popularized home console save states, does that mean everything that saves falls in the same category as The LoZ as a whole? Since the popularization of the link cable, most other traditional handheld RPGs utilize trading items outside of "in-game" stores etc. Come on now...

      They never EVER had a Pikachu cameo, you are really ignorant and desperate aren't you? What's wrong with you mainly not knowing MMBN? No shame in that. Also an actual series crossed with EXE by the name of Boktai, does that mean MMBN and Boktai are two very similar games? Facepalm SMH

      what you're saying about an urban fantasy world is such a stretch to try and link it to Pokemon, it's not even funny. You can compare BN's settings to modern day real life by that description. Smart phones are comparable to Personal Terminals, heck some people already make avatars of themselves to live out an extension of their personalities in THIS world. Some computers have A.Is so advanced, they communicate with and assist their owners already in the real word. Is the real world part of the wave of monster-raising (well they are because of Pokemon games being literally the fastest selling VG franchise of all time, but you get what I mean) stuff as well?

      Dude play the games or watch a quick runthrough, and see how ridiculous your statements seem.

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    8. Pikachu: https://twitter.com/Protodude/status/472218568847663105

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    9. Oh one last thing I forgot to mention, Personal Terminals are not even directly connected to internet Navigators and can be used without one. Navigators as far as I know by watching the anime, and playing through all of the main games and most of the side ones, are never referred to as a PET/pet/P-E-T by any character in the entire series.

      In fact that would seem disrespectful in some instances. Like if Netto/Lan ever called Mega Man.EXE/Rockman.EXE a pet you'd think he'd be offended, as he is Lan's older twin brother that died a tragic death as an infant, and was given second life through a scientific experiment to bridge DNA with Navi data (as convoluted as that may sound) and is generally considered the eldest son of the family.

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    10. http://fast1.onesite.com/capcom-unity.com/user/nettosgameroom/blog_photos/crossovers/3ca47b088636eebc19dfe0e411cdeef3.png?v=133196

      Actually one last thing, this is a reference (the only one) NOT a cameo, and a disrespectful one at that, may I add.

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  8. I would rather Inafune work out a deal with the ailing Capcom to make Legends 3 after Mighty No.9 is through. What would be wrong with that? It'd be beneficial for them both, and for the fans. If he needs extra money to do so, for any licensing fees or whatnot, then from that crowd reaction, another Kickstarter would be the way to go. This may sound a bit picky or greedy, but it wouldn't be Legends without the cast of Legends. Sure, a similar game may be fun, but Legends 3 is what everyone wants.

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    1. He tried. They turned him down.

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    2. That may be so, but that was then and this is now. The landscape for Capcom has changed and currently, they're in no position to deny any opportunity to redeem themselves in the eyes of the fans, AND investors. Perhaps their dire straights and Comcept's success with Mighty No.9 will show Capcom they're in capable hands. Didn't they say something like, "We have no need to do that." - Yeah, well. Now you do.

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    3. Capcom is different than Comcept though. Capcom is also in a rut right now financially, though they mostly only have themselves to blame for that. Given Legends is a niche series, and how the DevRoom might have actually caused them more damage to their resources and reputation, I'm not even sure they would want to risk the prospect of a Kickstarter, let alone have interest in it.

      Also maybe it's just me, but I still suspect that Capcom might still be bitter at Inafune.

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  9. I like Legends, but I think trying to remake it without access to the original license is a bad idea. The game mechanics were nothing special. It's just your typical third-person exploration/shooter with equipment upgrades, and there are dozens and dozens of those around already. Legends was much more character and storyline driven than the other MM series, and they were what made it special. Doing Legends without the memorable characters just wouldn't be the same.

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    1. "Legends was much more character and storyline driven than the other MM series"

      You forgot "in my opinion" and even then that's not a good line.

      'I liked Legends much more due to its character and storyline, than the other MM series'

      A much better line. Some (believe it or not) liked Legends for its as you implied generic gameplay, and could care less abut the characters. Others could care less about the gameplay, others like both equally etc. You are not speaking for everyone, I've met many people that fit the categories I've listed.

      I personally like and is attached to the Zero, X, Classic, BN-SF ZX (in that order) series characters more than Legends. I also like the X(yes I like it better f off), Zero series and ZXA storylines better, and now thanks to Archie comics Classic is growing on me storyline-wise. Many may like the Megamix characters and story, I don't personally. Point is that, that Legends was much more character and story, is a load of sh**.

      The reason why people still want Megaman games despite Mn9 is because they loved the character. The reason why so many were upset about Blue Bombers not being in MvC3 in any form, and loved the inclusion of Zero and Tron is because they love its characters. People got hyped for Smash Wiiu/3DS' inclusion of MM and caused an uproar over him not having emotion or his traditional personality, because they liked the character etc. Point, other MM is just as character driven as Legends.

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    2. First of all, let me make one thing clear. You have jumped to the conclusion that I like Legends much more than the other series, which is absolutely WRONG. I like the original, X and Legends series about equally. BN is OK but not my thing. I have no opinion on Zero or ZXA since I haven't played them enough. If someone twisted my arm to pick an absolute favorite based on plot and characters, I'd probably go with the original.

      By "other MM series" what I specifically meant was was the two that MM9 is borrowing from (original and X). The games themselves have the plot more or less confined to cutscenes, and if you cut them out you would still get the full gameplay experience. For the record, I think trying to do a MM9-style copy of BN, Zero and any of the others is ALSO a bad idea. So yeah, I probably should have chosen my words more carefully.

      In the future I guess I'll have to put "in my opinion" in front of any statement that's OBVIOUSLY AN OPINION to avoid provoking easily offended anonymous people.

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    3. First of all, like you, let me make one thing clear. You have also jumped to the conclusion that I am offended, which is also absolutely WRONG. I couldn't care less about what you liked more<(figure of speech), I was just stating that the statement "Legends was much more character and storyline driven than the other MM series" was not opinion. I also gave an EXAMPLE of what A (not necessarily yours) proper opinion sounded like, whilst elaborating on the reasons I believed your statement to be false.

      Even if you didn't accept my response and came back with a 'no you are wrong MML is absolutely more story and character driven' type comment, I still wouldn't be offended. In fact I'm offended that you'd think I'd get offended off of something so petty (joke)

      Anyway I better understand what you mean now, there was no way I could have understood it before. Thank you for better explaining it. However, (I'm guessing by MM9 you meant Mn9) I have a question. Why do you think a Mn9 style BN, Zero or ZX game would be a bad Idea?

      In retrospect maybe the reason you thought I was offended was due to my(..)I guess brash personality, believe me when I say it takes everything I have from swearing and shouting every other word. It's a habit I have to break, but it's not indicative of my emotions, I'm always like that. I also love to discuss crap all the time, especially about MM.

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  10. It's not the continuation to the story I wanted... :(

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  11. Hold on, too fast. One game at a time. He's gotta prove the new IP before he goes out expanding it. The fact that we have a second kickstarter, a show, and talks of another game already before the first game's even out worries me. One shouldn't bite off more than they can chew.

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  12. Now here's a dilemma. I've always said I'd be glad to play any game that used choice mechanics from MML. But as much as I like how MN9's developing; it's made many a bold divergence to differentiate itself from just being a nonlicensed Classic/X/etc Mega Man game. I fear realistically the elements I don't see in every other adventure game might be on the chopping block in this theoretical future project.

    Though if the freedom to change buster/gun parts and all the other niceties that made me love the games returned I'd have absolutely no love lost if it in no way related to either MML's canon nor worked MN9 into its backstory.

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  13. If he want's to do a megaman legends sucesssor I'd prefer it to not relate to mighty no.9 at all to be honest =/

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  14. I wonder what these people are getting so happy for. A Mega Man Legends-esque game isn't going to solve the mystery of the cliffhanger from Mega Man Legends 2, which was the basis for the hype in Mega Man Legends 3. There's no point in doing this, in my opinion, especially when Mighty No. 9 itself is far from being released. And we still know very little about how well that game will be!(Basically, we know nothing.)

    I do wish all of this in-fighting between Mega Man fans would cease. It's funny that a quote from the first game says "Fight Mega Man! For everlasting peace!", yet with all that's happening now, it could be written as "Fight Mega Man Fans! For everlasting destruction!" The fanbase should be ashamed of itself, for all of this pointless fighting. Take a moment, and ask yourselves this:

    "What are you fighting for?"

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    1. Wait wait wait wait, don't change the writing to fit your means.

      You said funny how the first game said "Fight Mega Man! For everlasting peace!", yet when you transitioned that message you manipulated it. Why can't it be Fight Mega Man Fans! For everlasting peace! Huh? Phrase doesn't seem all that appealing in that context does it? Why is Mega Man Fighting? Answer, conflicting interests with Wily and his machines or machines he's corrupted. Why are Mega Man fans fighting? Answer, conflicting interests between many opinions.

      So to answer your question, MM fans are fighting for their individual ideal entertainment, and ways of going about producing that entertainment, so that they can find peace with that. Here's the catch, one man's peace may be another man's distress, and that my friend, is often the case.

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    2. What in-fighting? I see people saying this all the time. Who's fighting who?

      Just because we support Mighty No 9 doesn't mean we won't pick up new Megamans if Capcom ever pulls their collective heads out of their butts.

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    3. Ha! I see what you did there! =)

      To be honest I share a fear that megaman having so many spinoffs divided the fan base into different camps regarding favorite megaman series. Because of this there really can't be a megaman game that pleases alot of the fanbase because other megaman series go ignored. I think that one (one of many Im sure) of the reasons why capcom doesn't know what to do with the franchise.

      I really don't want that to happen with mighty no.9 as well. I feel like we're rushing to make spinoffs for that already. I hope that if he goes that route again that he keeps the spinoff series to a minimum.

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    4. You can't please all the people, all the time. The truth for every fanbase, even those without spinoffs and sub-series.
      Capcom's reasoning was most likely fearing the next MM wouldn't be a instant block-buster. Which is true because only a handful of individual titles ever become one of those. They has plans for Dragon Dogma to sell 10 million. If that was anymore unrealistic, they would of described it was the next WoW.

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  15. @Anonymous July 16, 2014 at 7:00 PM:

    Do you really think more fighting will solve problems? Just look at the Classic-X series. Was everlasting peace ever truly achieved? Nope. Things got INCREDIBLY worse, as time went on. Why do you think that X hates fighting in the first place? It's because he knows that, in the long run, mindless fighting back and forth will never be the solution. In a similar manner, fans are fighting so much for their pride, that they've built a horrible reputation for themselves in the future. Things never got better by fighting, only worse. If the fans want to keep fighting for something this simple, then there's nothing I can do to stop you...

    "Do what you want then!"

    @Cyberguy64:

    The in-fighting that I'm mentioning is not between Mighty No. 9 fans and Mega Man fans(most MN9 fans are Mega Man fans, anyway). No, it's between Mega Man, X, Legends, EXE and Star Force fans, with most of the fighting being with X and Legends. A good number of times, people will attack another fellow Mega Man fan for solely liking a series that they don't care for. It's down-right babyish, to put it nicely, and I'm sick of it all. Mega Man fans weren't ever this bad before.

    pgonzalezii, I agree. Things are being blown out of proportion with Mighty No. 9. It needs to grow gradually. Spin-offs this soon, will only destroy what they're trying to build(and it hasn't even been completely built yet).

    @Anonymous July 17, 2014 at 12:54 AM:

    I also get what you're saying, and it's a sad truth to every fanbase. I just thought Mega Man fans would band together during this slump, but the exact opposite is happening. Did I have unrealistic expectations? Yes? No?

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    1. I can definitely attest to an embarrassingly rampant vein of hostility between Mega Man fans. I'm trying to grow up about it myself, but generally we've got a long way to go. I mean, now it's evolved from "You don't like this series so you suck" into "Capcom, please change this other Mega Man series so that it's more like the one I like the most," which is just as exasperating. I've seen a lot of people bashing on people who only like one series, claiming more or less that not loving all of them is a disservice to the IP. I've seen people afraid to post things because they're worried about getting slammed for liking something that isn't X or Classic or Legends. Hell, the comments section here sometimes reads like an episode of Jerry Springer.

      I'm confused as to why people think that if Mighty No. 9 followed the same template and split seven different ways, keeping the same general themes, those fans are going to go, "People have different tastes? That's fantastic! Let's see each series for what it is and appreciate that people like it instead of ripping each other's throats out because it's different or turn it into something it isn't!" I'd say just take the Nintendo route and build four or five separate things. If they're good IPs and he's lucky, then there would be less fighting. I've never seen Mario fans beating up Zelda fans (or vice versa) like that. I'd bet the ones that do fight over it are a small minority.

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    2. I personally enjoy all the platformer Megamen, barring Zero, which was too punishing for my tastes, some of Battle Network, and Legends.

      If you liked Starforce, I can't say I join you in that fandom, and I also can't say I'd be happy if they made a new Starforce while I'm starving for a new Classic, X, ZX, or Legends game. But I don't see why people need to attack each other over their fandom preferences. Debate the value and quality of the preferences? Sure! That's how people learn and grow. But there's no need to get nasty about it.

      (Before someone goes and digs up an example of me being nasty to someone, yeah, I mess up. That doesn't change the fact that this is the ideal, and it's what I strive to be.)

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  16. Yeah... uhh... Do you think you could build a franchise BEFORE you decide to spin it off?
    I got nothing against Comcept making another Legends-style game (anything to get the Legends fans to stop acting like the biggest victims since the Holocaust) but you'd be asking for trouble creating another divide by splitting the Mighty No.9 fanbase (which still sounds odd because I don't figure how you can be a fan of something that's not even out yet).

    I say make it it's own series. It's the best way to help Comcept expand. I mean, where would Nintendo be today if everything they made was based on Super Mario Bros.?
    Or what if everything SEGA made revolved around Sonic... okay, bad example.

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  17. My more generous half hopes he's trying to jibe Capcom into restarting Legends. The rest of me is saying this a disgusting cash-in. Characters and setting are what made that series; why would you want an off-brand version?

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  18. Characters and the world they inhabited are why fans love the Legends series. You can't just try to mimic that and expect there to be the equivalent magic. Inafune should simply focus on Mighty No. 9 the game.

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