Mighty No.9 - New Inafune title!

[Remy]

Except it's not Megaman.

 

To be honest I'm more disappointed in the character design than the fact the gameplay will be loosy based on Megaman. No. 9 seriously looks like Megaman, almost to a T if you excuse some minor details. Same goes for all the other concept art shown so far, including the obvious Roll and Rush knockoffs. If they had used anything else, ANYTHING ELSE, I might not be as apprehensive. But no, originality doesn't sell, only someone else's established IP.

Infafune is kind of the megaman guy though. it's not really using someone else so much is using your old ip that your boss never uses sneakily on the side.

[SuperStingray]

Doesn't excuse him from essentially taking tracing paper to his old design that he doesn't have legal claim to anymore. You can make a Megaman-style game without outright copying the character design.

That's like saying From shouldn't have made Dark Souls because Sony owns the rights to Demon's Souls.  Capcom may own the rights to Megaman, but that's ALL they can own.  The themes, art style and mechanics behind it belong to him as they damn well should.  Capcom can't own the rights to Inafune's brain because we don't live in a goddamn dystopia.  Now, do I think he should take advantage of the opportunity of making a new IP to use fresh character archetypes and diversify beyond the scope of the original Megaman?  Yes.  But only because it would make the game better, NOT because he has any moral obligation to avoid overstepping creative boundaries on a franchise HE created.

Edited September 1, 2013 by Stingray 64

[Sami]

Which would be unfortunate for Capcom. Doesn't change my own negative opinion about the project.

 

 

Cause I don't consider a rip off a "happy thing." A game designer that I respected and I know has the talent to make his own interesting ideas degrading himself by resorting to copying his old beaten ideas, of which aren't even his to use anymore? No not a happy thing.

 

I'll take something similar over nothing at all.

 

What you don't seem to grasp here is that this is the game that he wanted to make, programmed by people who like making these types of games.

 

This is their dream project, this is what they're ambitious about, and this is what they're going to do. The game they've been trying to make for years but never got the funding and approval to do. It's what Megaman may have been if not for Capcom breathing down their necks.

 

So yes, this is a good thing.

[Dejimon11]

236k reached how much money do people have?

[Yong]

@Yong: But what if the gameplay is really awesome? Would that help to dispel your ire remarks?

 

Most likely not. I still wouldn't ignore the fact they opted to copy the established IP rather than come up with their own style and designs, noteably because it's being presented to me as I play the game. "Fuck having pride and faith in my own creative ability. This game will sell only on the "power of Megaman.""

 

 

I'll take something similar over nothing at all.

 

What you don't seem to grasp here is that this is the game that he wanted to make, programmed by people who like making these types of games.

 

This is their dream project, this is what they're ambitious about, and this is what they're going to do. The game they've been trying to make for years but never got the funding and approval to do. It's what Megaman may have been if not for Capcom breathing down their necks.

 

So yes, this is a good thing.

 

There's things lots of people want to do. Doesn't mean they realistically can.

[Sean]

Way I see it, if Capcom is gonna do jack shit with the IP and would much rather let Mega Man rot in a ditch, then what's the big deal about the creator himself going ahead with the idea in every single way except for using the actual name and direct image?

Maybe if Mega Man wasn't out of commission, then we wouldn't have to rely on games with similar designs to get our fix. The fact that games like this and Shovel Knight are being made is one gigantic "fuck you" to Capcom that deserves to be heard and supported. People want a new Mega Man, and Capcom isn't going to make one, so somebody else has to.

[FourCartridge]

236k reached how much money do people have?

 A lot. There hasn't been a good Megaman game in years, and if some posts are any indication, a good deal of it is to spite Capcom/the traditional AAA model.

[Phantomime]

Should I have specified "Classic Megaman" then? The fact that Capcom has made several Megaman designs for the various spinoff series is irrelevant. The design of No. 9 is clearly based off classic Megaman.

 

 

How unfortunate for him, but that's life. Capcom owns the franchise so they can do as they see fit with it. It's not Inafune's place to decide "I'm going to take this project and do it elsewhere."

 

Exactly. Sort of. In a strangely wrong, backward kind of way, you are absolutely correct. 

 

That is exactly why he is doing this. This is not some kind of secret. He is not trying to pull the metaphorical wool over anyone's eyes.

 

He is making a new Megaman game, with some new designs and slight gameplay changes, with characters just slightly different enough to avoid legal issues. That is it. This is practically what it's being advertised as.

 

 

Inafune may not own Megaman, but Capcom does not own Mighty No. 9. 

 

Yes. The design, and everything about it is a Megaman rip-off. A rip-off made by the people who made the real deal, who want to make a Megaman game their way, without Capcom's shit, so they're making one. It's legally okay, and apparently, the thing that's keeping this from being "legitimate" is the name of the company on the box.

 

This is a Megaman Game in everything except the name and publisher.

 

If that's what's bothering you, I don't really know what I can say.

[SuperStingray]

Mighty No. 9 doesn't really look any more like Megaman than Megaman looks like Astro Boy.

[Sami]

There's things lots of people want to do. Doesn't mean they realistically can.

I'm glad we agree, then. Judging from the rate at which that Kickstarter backing counter is going, I'd say they most certainly "realistically can".

[Dejimon11]

Mighty No. 9 doesn't really look any more like Megaman than Megaman looks like Astro Boy.

Which is who mega man is based off of

[Yong]

Exactly. Sort of. In a strangely wrong, backward kind of way, you are absolutely correct. 

 

That is exactly why he is doing this. This is not some kind of secret. He is not trying to pull the metaphorical wool over anyone's eyes.

 

He is making a new Megaman game, with some new designs and slight gameplay changes, with characters just slightly different enough to avoid legal issues. That is it. This is practically what it's being advertised as.

 

 

Inafune may not own Megaman, but Capcom does not own Mighty No. 9. 

 

Yes. The design, and everything about it is a Megaman rip-off. A rip-off made by the people who made the real deal, who want to make a Megaman game their way, without Capcom's shit, so they're making one. It's legally okay, and apparently, the thing that's keeping this from being "legitimate" is the name of the company on the box.

 

This is a Megaman Game in everything except the name and publisher.

 

If that's what's bothering you, I don't really know what I can say.

 

The company name, and the fact that they're not using the actual Megaman characters, story, and universe. As a fan I'm as much invested in those as I am in the gameplay, as I know many other fans are. In my view it's disrespectful to that original source material to just copy and paste it with slight alterations, all because you're not allowed to use them and are incapable of designing something original to take its place. Inafune is copying Megaman all for the sake of "selling this as a Megaman game" in both gameplay and design. If there was any worth in this project it would be for its own merits, not because "it's EXACTLY like that old game you liked."

 

 

I'm glad we agree, then. Judging from the rate at which that Kickstarter backing counter is going, I'd say they most certainly "realistically can".

 

I was refering to the case where something was against the law or just not morally right in general. I didn't want to make a comparison to Hitler's dream though. I probably should've worded my response differently though to include cases where someone "shouldn't" do something. Mighty No. 9 may be "legal" but it's still in "poor taste" in my view.

Edited September 1, 2013 by Yong

[SuperStingray]

Know who else is being disrespectful to the source material?  Capcom.

[Yong]

Know who else is being disrespectful to the source material?  Capcom.

 

Because no series has gone 3 years without a "proper" entry, right? Nevermind the recent cameo in an extremely popular crossover fighting game.

[Candescence]

Capcom of Japan cancelled three separate Mega Man titles in a short time span, including Legends 3, which had a paid demo ready for release to gauge consumer interest, and it still was cancelled for absolutely no reason. And for his 25th anniversary? A shitty iOS title that has as much gameplay depth as a puddle that a fan could easily recreate in about five minutes. Capcom of America had to go out of their way to endorse a fan-game of all things so they could have something for the Blue Bomber's 25th. Can you blame anyone for being surprised about Mega Man showing up in Smash Bros?

 

I'm sorry, but Capcom of Japan doesn't give two shits about Mega Man, the writing is on the damn wall. As long as they don't have to put any effort into anything related to the franchise, they won't bother, as far as anyone can tell.

Edited September 1, 2013 by Shirou Emiya

[FourCartridge]

According to NeoGAF Archie's Mega Man comic artist did fan art:

 

Edited September 1, 2013 by FourCartridge

[Yong]

Capcom of Japan cancelled three separate Mega Man titles in a short time span, including Legends 3, which had a paid demo ready for release to gauge consumer interest, and it still was cancelled for absolutely no reason. And for his 25th anniversary? A shitty iOS title that has as much gameplay depth as a puddle. Capcom of America had to go out of their way to endorse a fan-game of all things so they could have something for the Blue Bomber's 25th. Can you blame anyone for being surprised about Mega Man showing up in Smash Bros?

 

I'm sorry, but Capcom of Japan doesn't give two shits about Mega Man, the writing is on the damn wall. As long as they don't have to put any effort into anything related to the franchise, they won't bother, as far as anyone can tell.

 

They canceled projects they deemed "too risky." That's not "proof" that they've abandoned the series forever. The fact that they even bothered with a "shitty iOS game" at all is proof enough that he's not dead in their view. They just don't see any profit potential to be made on a "major" Megaman project at the current moment. Is it the right plan? Maybe not, but I understand where they're coming from. Has Capcom made dumb decisions recently? In my opinion absolutely. Does that give everyone else the right to take what's their's and use as they see fit? No it doesn't.

[SuperStingray]

Because no series has gone 3 years without a "proper" entry, right? Nevermind the recent cameo in an extremely popular crossover fighting game.

I would be willing to hold my breath if they didn't CANCEL every "proper entry" they've announced.  And even if they do make a new Megaman game, this doesn't give me hope for its future.  Also, "The recent cameo in an extremely popular crossover fighting game" can be used to describe any Capcom character ever made.

[PSI Wind]

Inafune abandoned Mega Man Legends 3 and was fine with the FPS . If anything, he was more disrespectful towards Mega Man.

[Sean]

Inafune and his team have every legal right to make this project so debating about the ethics is honestly going nowhere. Derivative works happen all the time, and this isn't even anywhere near the worst of cases.

[SuperStingray]

Inafune abandoned Mega Man Legends 3 and was fine with the FPS . If anything, he was more disrespectful towards Mega Man.

He only left because he was tired of Capcom's shit.

[PSI Wind]

He only left because he was tired of Capcom's shit.

If it was his dream project, he should've stayed with it until the very end, no matter how much he didn't like CoJ's practices.

[Yong]

I would be willing to hold my breath if they didn't CANCEL every "proper entry" they've announced. And even if they do make a new Megaman game, this doesn't give me hope for its future. Also, "The recent cameo in an extremely popular crossover fighting game" can be used to describe any Capcom character ever made.

 

3 years of canceled projects is still just 3 years. Again, many other franchises have gone absent longer than that without even a single mention of anything being worked on them.

[Sami]

They canceled projects they deemed "too risky." That's not "proof" that they've abandoned the series forever. The fact that they even bothered with a "shitty iOS game" at all is proof enough that he's not dead in their view. They just don't see any profit potential to be made on a "major" Megaman project at the current moment. Is it the right plan? Maybe not, but I understand where they're coming from. Has Capcom made dumb decisions recently? In my opinion absolutely. Does that give everyone else the right to take what's their's and use as they see fit? No it doesn't.

Heaven forbid Keiji Inafune take inspiration from his own game. "Morally wrong"? This is a multi-million dollar international corporation. The only thing Capcom is losing as a result of this game is the money that could have been made had they not brought thsi situation upon themselves. Keiji Inafune is an artist with ideas, and as long as he is not breaking the law or plagiarizing someone's work (... which would be breaking the law), he is free to do as he pleases. I have to admit, I find it mildly unsettling that making a game is "morally wrong" in your eyes merely because a massive corporation owns the IP to its inspiration. Capcom didn't make Megaman; Inafune and his team did. There are no "morals" in law and business politics - what he's doing is legal, and as such there is no reason for him to be criticized.

If it was his dream project, he should've stayed with it until the very end, no matter how much he didn't like CoJ's practices.

When corporate suits are breathing down your neck and meddling with your project, at some point it stops being your dream.

[Yong]

Heaven forbid Keiji Inafune take inspiration from his own game. "Morally wrong"? This is a multi-million dollar international corporation. The only thing Capcom is losing as a result of this game is the money that could have been made had they not brought thsi situation upon themselves. Keiji Inafune is an artist with ideas, and as long as he is not breaking the law or plagiarizing someone's work (... which would be breaking the law), he is free to do as he pleases. I have to admit, I find it mildly unsettling that making a game is "morally wrong" in your eyes merely because a massive corporation owns the IP to its inspiration. Capcom didn't make Megaman; Inafune and his team did. There are no "morals" in law and business politics - what he's doing is legal, and as such there is no reason for him to be criticized.

 

 

Taking inspiration is one thing. Outright copying the artistic design is another. I think it's fair to criticize Inafune on his decision to base the character designs so closely to Megaman, rather than trust his own creative ability and design something completely new for a "new IP" and have it sell on its own merits, not because "it looks like Megaman." But that's just my opinion.