Proto:Mega Man Legends/Rockman Neo (Biohazard 2 Trial & CFC Demos)

This is a sub-page of Proto:Mega Man Legends.

This page sucks. If you could make it suck less, that would be awesome. Specifically: For a prototype page, there sure seems to be a lack of actual comparisons between the proto and final despite the many differences present (and no, the video alone is not enough).

To do: Gather and verify findings from here, compare to final version.

Rockman NEO is a pre-release demo of Mega Man Legends (Rockman DASH) that was included in the second disc of the Japanese version of Resident Evil: Director's Cut. A stand-alone disc of the same demo dated 22 days later with the updated DASH name, was later released under the Capcom Friendly Club brand with the same content and is also exclusive to Japan.

With a build date of August 5, 1997, the demo predates the final Japanese version by approximately four months and contains several significant graphical, audio and gameplay differences.

Controls

Mega Man Legends has always had a mixed reputation for it's controls, and Neo shows that, at this point in time, the developers were still experimenting ways to allow the player to control Mega Man more comfortably in a 3D space. As such, the following controls give this demo a considerably different feel than the final. The video on the right exhibits the behavior of the controls in action (starting at 2:55).

• The Lock-On functionality works the same. However, when homing, the camera zooms over to Mega Man's head. In the final, the camera just zooms over to his shoulders.
• The nature of centering the camera is quite interesting in this build as neither the following functions are in the final release:
  • The player can perform a 90° turn with L2 while simultaneously pressing Right or Left on the D-Pad. This can allow for quick turns but only while standing still. In the final version, the player must press the Circle button while moving to center the camera toward the direction Mega Man's facing.
  • While performing a dodge roll, the player can hold down either the L1 or R1 button to have the camera turn to the direction Mega Man's rolling to. Nothing like this is in the final.
• Mega Man cannot jump as high as he does in the final.
• The X-button escape roll, a maneuver that is used to automatically escape enemy fire after getting hit, does not work in this demo.

Dialogue

To do: But wait, there's more?

Within the XA directory, there are several unused dialogue pieces for Tron Bonne and the KTOX TV Reporter. Interestingly, not only are these files absent in the same directory inside the final Japanese version of DASH, but they were fully translated and dubbed into English, and are even also unused in Mega Man Legends (!).

Speaker	Audio	Transcript	Context
Tron		"H-hey! Don't come any closer! Go away!"	Tron shooing away Paprika (the dog). Presumably, the player could have triggered this by approaching to Tron while she's being harassed by Paprika.
KTOX TV Reporter		"Yes, he did it! In the end, the boy protected City Hall from the mysterious group! Amazing! He's truly a hero!"	KTOX TV Reporter praises Mega Man from saving the city and the mayor. Though without the "megaphone-like" filter, this most likely would have triggered just after defeating Bon Bonne at City Hall.
		"One way or another, it's finished. The enemy's attack seems to have cooled down. I hope Mayor Amelia is alright..."	Similar situation as above, but this clip, in which the same reporter somberly comments about the battle's end and Mayor Amelia's health, and the previous one implies that a branch was planned for if the player could secure the City Hall building by the mission's end.

(Source: OKeijiDragon, Heat Man (translation))

Paprika

The scene where Paprika chases Tron Bonne across the downtown area in the final does not occur in this demo. However, there are voice samples for the dog in the game's XA directory, which sound quite different from the final version.

Audio

Graphics

To do: Investigate the build for more textures and models that remain uncovered as seen in this video: [[1]].

Mega Man Neo Title

This rough graphic was found within the game's files. Back when the game was originally announced, it was known as Mega Man Neo outside of Japan. It can actually be seen in certain E3 1997 videos.

(Source: Metalman of Sprites INC)

Unused Servbot Tank Enemy

Found hidden within is a flat-shaded polygonal model of a small tank with a Servbot head attached. Concept art exists for this model in page 57 of the Rockman DASH Daibouken Guide.

Downtown

• 

  Dynamo Vending Machine.
  An alternate vending machine design not seen in the final game. Concept art of this design with its primary color can be seen in the Rockman DASH Daibouken Guide.

• 

  Ruined House Texture.
  Found within both the Rockman NEO and Capcom Friendly Club builds are these textures of ruined houses in their early designs in the Downtown area. Also embedded in them are two characters from Star Gladiator. The dialog exchanged can change based on context. June Lin Milliam is saying in a cutesy voice "Nukki, are you alright~?" and Franco Gerelt is saying "I feel a nosebleed coming on..."

• 

  Pecos Poster.
  "Pecos" map found in the Apple Market Bookstore. The final version of the game has "KTOX" instead of "Pecos".

• 

  North Door.
  Presumably a leftover from the E3 1997 demo of Rockman Neo. It is a large shutter with a card reader and a small doorway to the right.

• 

  Clothesline.
  Another presumed leftover from the E3 1997 demo of Rockman Neo. Found within the Downtown textures, this particular detail is seen in certain concept art pieces, suggesting more elaborate details as these were planned and to be carried out from the start.

• 

  Fine Foods Pantry Market.
  This also seems to be unused and could be found in the data of the Capcom Friendly Club demo disc. It shows the front of a food store.

(Source: Protodude, PixelButts, GlitterBerri (translation), TundraG3ckO)

Unused Nighttime Textures

Found within both the Rockman NEO and Capcom Friendly Club builds are an unused mode for nighttime. These can be found in ST51_DATA.BIN on the discs.

To do: Describe these in detail. Translate any that need translation. Add two more textures once they've been identified.

• 

  Shutter door

• 

  Residential Housing

• 

  More Residential Housing

• 

  Residential building with torn posters.

• 

  Stripe Burger

• 

  Library

• 

  Accessories in the city

• 

  More accessories in the city

• 

  Apple Market

• 

  More Apple Market

• 

  Rooftop

• 

  Grassy or Dirt walkways

• 

  Paved Roadways

(Source: PixelButts)

Unused City Hall Mission

To do: Need a lot of pictures showing this mission, and replace the one we have with a native-res .PNG one.

The City Hall Battle can be accessed through GameShark codes 300A47C6 0006 300A47C7 0003. The Horunisse have different colors and are much slower. After defeating all of the Maiberu Haagen & Horunisse, there is no way to finish the battle. The background bird noises are much different from the other areas, and haven't been used anywhere else. City Hall also seems to have an extra level of destruction if you let it go far enough.

A video detailing the battle can be found here (starting at 9:55).