In this post, I'll put together some general information about what the game is like, in case the
gameplay trailer wasn't enough.
Gameplay:
Even though it is being programmed from the scratch, the engine is very similar to the NES Mega Man games, and gameplay is faithful to the original series. Like in Mega Man 1 and 2, you can't charge your shot or slide. Enemies, bosses and special weapons will be based on the Negima universe, so you can expect a few mechanics that are new to the Mega Man series.
Story:
In his way to the Gravekeeper's Palace, Negi accidentally loses all his pactio cards. Theodora manages to contact him via telepathy and, learning of his situation, reactivates Mile Vincula so he can have a chance against Fate. The problem is, Mile Vincula is useless if he doesn't have any cards, so Negi decides to look for each of his partners and make contracts again. But getting the cards back won't be an easy task, since the girls are not very happy about having to go through the ceremony all over again.
Features:
-8 normal stages, each with a 3-A member as a boss. Clearing the stage gives you that bosses' artifact as an alternative weapon.
-4 Gravekeeper's Palace stages, which are equivalent to Wily's Castle stages in the Mega Man Series.
-1 Last Boss stage.
-Sub-bosses.
-Sagita Magica as your normal shot.
-A couple of extra weapons that aren't acquired by defeating bosses.
-100% original spritework. This means that besides the in-game typeface, nothing will be taken from Megaman games, including terrain and animation tiles.
-Original music.
-Secrets.
FAQ:
Q: When will the game be released?
A: There is still no release date. It was supposed to be released at the same time as the final chapter of the manga, but I couldn't work on it as much as I thought I would.
Q: For how long have you been developing it?
A:
The development started on December, 2010, and I'd say that I'm still halfway through it. I usually work on many projects at the same time, and unfortunately NEGIMAN is not my top priority, but I always try to write some code or create some new sprites whenever I have some free time. I've been doing this for over an year and still haven't lost motivation, even after the manga ended, so I'm quite certain the project won't be abandoned. If you are curious about other games I've worked on, you should also check the website of Catavento, the indie group I'm part of.
Q: Will you release a demo?
A: Certainly, but that will also take a while, since none of the stages is 100% complete at the moment. Removing features from the current version of the game in order to adapt it into an 1-level demo would also take some time.
Q: What programming language are you using?
Q: Are you doing everything all by yourself?
A: I'm doing all spritework and programming, but eventually I would like to find a chiptune musician to make a good Megaman-style soundtrack. The songs featured in the trailer were made by me, though.
Q: Will the game be difficult?
A: A bit. But like in Mega Man games, you can choose the order in which you will play the levels, and by trying them in different orders you'll eventually find a strategy that makes the game easier for you.
Q: The story sucks!
A: That was not a question. Anyway, you shouldn't care about the story, it's intended to be silly.
Q: Is that video a mock-up animation or is that real gameplay?
A: The trailer features 100% real gameplay, recorded from my computer screen while I played it.
