Skull Man lvl 1

[Toasterman]

I've played and enjoyed all the classic Mega Man games (as well as the X series and so on) and so have wanted to make a Mega Man style game for some time.
A while ago I posted a rough attempt to emulate the original games (pretty awful compared to this one), but this game is focusing on an original character and story.

After working with a friend of mine by the name of Leinglo, who supplied the new character and plot (as well as handled a lot of the sprite work, music, etc.) this is the end result.
Skull Man is a new robot built somewhere in between the classic and X series. Yes, his design is heavily based on the original Skull Man from Megaman 4, so technically this one would be a mk. 2, but his personality is unique.
Anyway, Skull Man's creator, Dr. Von, has ambitions of global conquest. He built Skull Man using research he'd done on Wily, Light, and Cossack, and is meant to be the ultimate combat robot. With most of the original characters gone by now, there really isn’t anyone to dispute the claim either. Von’s smart, though, he isn’t going to make his move until he’s ready. So while Von prepares, he’s sent Skull Man ahead, both to test his abilities and pave the way. Skull Man’s first target is a communications tower in central Europe, which is where the game picks up.
Leinglo’s working on the rest of the story, it gets pretty intricate and he apparently has plans for a trilogy of sorts, with this being the first level of the first episode. I don’t know about that, we’ll see how well this goes first.

So anyway, this game is my first "completed" game, with an end boss, title screen, and so on.
I'm pretty happy with it – please let me know what you think or point me if you like it.

Controls:
A and D move you right and left (W and S navigate ladders)
Space jumps
Right Ctrl shoots
W gets on ladders; Space gets off
A and D navigates the menu, space selects

Note: There are checkpoints set at several parts in the level, when you die just quit and restart the game, it autosaves. However there is only one file and pressing "New Game" resets your progress.

CREDITS:

Capcom of course.
Leinglo, for the custom sprite work and plot.

[NightOfHorror]

good job

[Toasterman]

Thanks
On a side note, what's everybody think about the difficulty?- I've dev-tested the game about 15,789 and a half times, so I can fly through the level unscathed
Just curious what everybody else thought. There were two jumps and the second boss that made me wonder if that wasn't a little unfair...

[Game A Gogo]

Great game!
except that it's pretty hard... I couldn't go much far because of those guy that shoots those green bullets, theres like no way to evade! jumping will just make you hit the last bullet they shoot.
They seem like ennemies that'd go on a last level or something

[Toasterman]

... I didnt think it was that hard- just dont jump too early
-their AI works by firing at you every now and then, and if you shoot them they fire back (they are only vunerable while attacking)
Also, you're missing about 4/5 of the level- there are two bosses and several enemies you havent seen!
maybe I'll reduce the difficulty, or increase your health based on a difficulty setting or something...

[Camper1995]

Oh my God, this is awesome! Congratulations Toasterman! +1

I love this game! ^^
Great job!

[Lacotemale]

Aww man this game is good! So frikken hard though!

+1 from me too!

[Toasterman]

Thanks!
I appreciate it!
I plan to make more levels and stuff- one at the bottom of the ocean (during a naval battle), an air level (floating wind generators?), etc. etc.
so in the next few weeks I hope to release another level or chapter or something

[DST]

Hey, good game, it feels very 'solid'.

But waayy too hard.

They seem like ennemies that'd go on a last level or something

That is exactly the kind of enemy i'd expect to see on a final level.

[Toasterman]

I'm getting a pretty consistent vibe that perhaps my game is a wee bit hard
Sorry about that! After playing through every piece of the game many dozens of time building AI and backgrounds and testing various things,
the game gets pretty easy (and I know exactly how all the enemies work and the best way to beat em too).

Did anyone actually get as far as the first boss? or the second?
If not, maybe I'll re-release it easier or something so people can see the entirety of the level
It took forever to make the darn thing, I'd feel bad if unfairly hard enemies kept anybody from seeing it...

[Game A Gogo]

I wouldn't mind an easier version!

[Lacotemale]

I dunno... because its hard it makes me want to play it again and beat it... which IMO is a good thing!

No.. so far I haven't reached any bosses!

[Kodo]

Very nice game m8, I love the style, but like other I find it very, very hard

[Lacotemale]

EDIT: OMG I got to the first boss!

...but died! LOL Is he invincible??

[Toasterman]

Firstly, I've made an easy version that I think is quite a lot easier, but still challenging

The differences:
-2X as much health
-enemies weaker (less HP and shoot less)
-1st boss easier -less HP, shoots less bullets, slower
-turrets weaker + shoot less
-several spikes in hard places removed

I'm going to try and get it posted tommorow

Lacotemale: The first checkpoint is just before the 1st boss, so you can continue right there and not go through the whole thing again
Also, shoot it in the back when it moves to beat it- the high pitched "ting" sorta noise is a deflection
-the lower pitched noise is a hit