Mega Man Star Force

Mega Man Star Force Pegasus/Leo/Dragon
Also known as: Ryuusei no Rockman Pegasus/Leo/Dragon (JP) Developer: Capcom Publisher: Capcom Platform: Nintendo DS Released in JP: December 14, 2006 Released in US: August 7, 2007 Released in EU: November 23, 2007 Released in AU: November 7, 2007 This game has unused animations. This game has hidden development-related text. This game has unused graphics. This game has unused models. This game has debugging material. This game has regional differences. This game has a prerelease article

This game/console's online features are no longer supported. While this game/console's online features were once accessible, they are (as of May 20, 2014) no longer officially supported and online-exclusive features may be documented as now-unseen content.

Mega Man Star Force is the first game in the Star Force sub-series, available in three versions with various elements from the Battle Network series. Unused elements suggest the game would have been darker, have maps fully-rendered in 3D, and feature customization options not present in the final game.

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Prerelease Info

Unused Text

Removed Chat Mode

In the game's 10th message file in the local folder, there is the text used in the Wireless Network mode. The dialog mentions a chat mode. Apparently, the game had a feature where you could chat with other players locally. This feature is not present in the final version of the game. However, checking the font table for the game, characters that appear to represent smileys are in the table. This is the only evidence of this chat mode since menu selections and graphics don't appear for this mode. This feature was probably removed since they figured out that local-only chat was really, really, unnecessary.

The following characters are not used, but related to chat: Geo face, Mega Man face, Fire symbol, Aqua symbol, Elec symbol, Wood symbol, VS, trade symbol, Pegasus, Leo, Dragon, Standard Library symbol, Mega Library symbol, Giga Library symbol, mail symbol. These symbols were probably used for players to talk about game-related subjects much faster.

Full Weapon Name List

In the game's local 101th message file is a list of equipable weapons. However, this list is different from the list the game actually uses for the weapons. All the weapon names are spelled out much more completely and there are no real descriptions. It's possible that names in the game would have been able to fit more characters than the 11 allowed in the game.

Pointed Fangs
Slashing Claws
PorcuNeedles
Bear Ring
Cobra Fangs
Blinding Eye
Thief's Armband
Power Ring
Demon's Eye
Rapid-Fire Claw
Paralyzer
Steel Fist
Hammer Glove
Zenny Finder
Card Finder
Sweet Mirage
Kaiser Knuckle
Magic Breath
FM Bracelet
StarForce Power
B.Net Blaster

All the weapons have the generic description of "(Weapon name written in the game's shortened version) Desc."

Leveled-Up Navi Cards

Inside the Navi Card dialog file, the Navi's name appears after their messages. PropellerMan, PitcherMan, KeyMan, ThermoMan, and ShovelerMan all have the numbers 2, 3, 4 after their names. This might suggest that the player would upgrade the Navi Card to have the Navi do different things. However, all the Navi Cards are used very rarely so this concept was probably not necessary.

Debug Text

Like Battle Network, Star Force has a list of debug commands used by the developers. There are similar commands on the list and not all of them have been tested. It is interesting to see dev talk on the Andromeda debug. It mentions how simply getting it isn't the same as getting it through wireless.

See Bros. Ranks
Delete My Record
Del Friend's Rec
What do you want to do with ____'s record?
Begin HelpSignal
End
Don't End
Connect
CodeConnect & update data? Or correct code?
Connect
CodeConnect & update data? Or correct code?
Equip
Change name
Erase
Choose action...
Equip
Change name
Erase
Choose action...
Start Note game
Bro. face test
Line test
Line test
Line test
Line test
Line test
Line test
Line test
Line test
Line test
Line test
Line test
Line test
Got ____
Got 10000Zennys!
Set 0 Zennys
EncounterON
TripAroundWorld
Got 10 HP Mems
Got 20 HP Mems
BeginB.ComboRcog
OK! But,wait... You didn't equip a B.Combo.
OK! But,wait... you've got 10 LegendaryForces.
6 Bros. reg OK
Got Andromeda for mod check use!! Still ???? because didn't get via wireless
Got folder 2!!
Got extra folder
Got Star Force!!
Got Star Force!!
Got Star Force!!
Bros. w/Sonia!!
Bros. w/Bud!!
Bros. w/Zack!!
Bros. w/Luna!!

Unused Graphics

Early Menus

Inside the game's subscreen archive are these two menu sprites. They contain graphics for an unused menu probably scrapped late in development. The graphics seem to depict a multiplayer interaction menu. The menu graphics also don't match any of the in-game menu graphics and Japanese text is present even in localized versions. These menu graphics haven't been seen in any trailers or early screenshots so their function remains unknown.

Early Geo Portrait

In a prototype of the game, Geo Stelar had a different, dorkier-looking portrait. The portrait was quickly redone and the game no longer uses it. However, the game had a special connection with Lunar Knights: Lunar Knights featured a Mega Man Star Force cameo where Geo appeared after connecting with the Mega Man Star Force game. A very similar portrait appeared in Lunar Knights, clearly based on the Geo's early portrait. There is also a Mega Man portrait in Lunar Knights, but it's based more on the final portrait than the early one.

Mega Man and Geo Portrait

Also in the game's subscreen archive is this graphic of Mega Man. This graphic is unusual because not only is it unused, it seems incomplete. It looks like a sketched out placeholder graphic for Mega Man, probably on some status screen because it's screen-sized. The format is also different from the other graphics. All other illustrations in the game are 8bpp with a simple tilemap to arrange it. This graphic is 4bpp and uses a tilemap to use slightly more colors. There also isn't any black outline. The format suggest the image is really old, probably related to the parts customization feature for which there isn't any graphical connection to. There is also an image of Geo in a similar style (screen sized and low-quality) but the tilemap data is corrupted and the palette is incomplete, making it impossible to rip.

Spacesuit Portraits

Each spacesuit from the SpaceSim has a dialogue portrait. They were likely scrapped to allow the player to know who was inside each suit.

Generic Comp 2

Also similar to Battle Network is the "requirement" of having a generic comp with 2 warps used to chain consecutive maps. This makes another feature Star Force lacked since this map is never used in the game. Either the harsh, offensive use of pink and purple caused this to be removed, or there wasn't enough time to implement a series of consecutive maps in the game.

Gemini Spark's Texture

Gemini Spark have a + and - symbol in their face textures, but it cannot be seen in-game because their helmets cover it.

Unused 3D Objects/Animations

Turning Cannons

To do: Find another video of the trailer.

In some early trailers for the game, the Cannon enemies were shown to have the ability to tilt from left-to-right potentially firing at angles. In the final version, the enemy becomes completely stationary, probably because it was deemed too difficult having it attack from anywhere. This behavior can still be restored through a hack, though it doesn't function properly.

Green Mystery Wave

Among the various 3D models is this object. A 3D Green Mystery Wave suggests that this game would have had these in battle similar to Mega Man Battle Network 4-6. There are no other alternate colors to this model. There is also no known method to get these to appear in battle. Perhaps this was a late feature since Mega Man Star Force 2 would then include a similar take on the concept of protecting an object during battle for a reward.

Mega Man Battle Network 5 Models

To do: Compile a full list of the models with details on them as well as images. Animated images of the animations would be useful, too.

This needs some investigation. Discuss ideas and findings on the talk page. Specifically: Are the glitches due to the model viewer used?

The blue tip on his hair is from bad texture.

Inside the game's ROM, there are contents seemingly "leftover" from Battle Network, which include 3D models of MegaMan.EXE, Lan Hikari (Netto in Japan), a boy, and a generic NetNavi. They also include animations.

When they were first discovered in 2010, they were glitchy due to the software they were being viewed in. However, by opening them through a third-party Mario Kart DS editor "MKDS Course Modifier," we can see the models and their animations work (mostly). Animations include running, walking, shooting (the models also include a MegaBuster for MegaMan as well as a boot, which strangely enough would seem to fit Star Force MegaMan's proportions...) and flinching (albeit glitchy) from getting hit.

The models are quite distorted and disproportionate. For example, MegaMan has square rings for the cuffs of his gloves and boots, an enlarged emblem, and no backpack. Also, it is not based off his model from Battle Network 5: Double Team, which came with a far more accurate model that's used throughout the entire game, as well as some complete animations which were never used.

Lan's model has a disproportionate head, plus his torso is rather small, which results in his arms flailing around during his run cycle. Also, he runs! He has no roller skates like in every other game he has appeared in.

The boy has quite complicated textures. Whoever worked on these models took the head model for Lan and placed the texture from the sprite of the boy character onto the model, which results in him having poor-quality eye textures.

The generic Net Navi character is so generic that there is nothing to say about him. He has the exact same animations as the other characters which is what makes him so generic.

Also found were models for a couple of stages, including full models for ACDC Town, Lan's room (complete with a closet, which has boxes of battle chips similar to those from Higsby's Chip Shop), a Net Area, and finally a Battle Stage. ACDC Town is pretty complete. Interestingly, it has 2 relics from long-lost sponsorship deals with Honda and 7/11. Strangely, everything visible is connected to the center of the map, except the Honda letters, which are connected to boxes directly in front of them.

Lan's Room has nothing special except that there's an object obscuring the view to his computer monitor, as well as the door to the closet being far too small, which brings us to something later discussed. Net Area is a very accurate rendition from one in the first game.

Since the proportions of the areas and the models aren't quite right, this seems to have merely been a test by Capcom to try out the hardware capabilities of the Nintendo DS.

Unused Enemies

Test Enemies

The video on the right shows two test enemies present in the game's data. The first one (called "Mettenna" during battle) does not appear on the field until the battle begins, after which it will appear as a 1HP Dragon Sky which can neither harm nor be harmed by Mega Man (expect with the DrknesHole Giga Card) and just stays in place. Oddly enough, while the TestVirus can be "deleted" with the DrknesHole card, only the HP number underneath it disappears and the battle doesn't end. The second one (called "TaurusFire" during battle) appears as a 500HP Fire Leo Mega Man, most likely used to test boss fights, which does nothing but continuously uses AntiSword. Unlike the first virus however, this one can be damaged and can damage Mega Man if a sword-type Battle Card is used against it. The Test Mega Man always gives a GrndWave card upon defeat.

Unused Versions

Every boss has six slots, but only three of them are used (Except Gemini Spark, who uses all six slots for Gemini Spark White and Black). The rest of the slots contain placeholders labeled with numbers (For example, Taurus Fire's fourth slot is labeled TaurusFire4) that have the same stats as the SP version of the boss. Andromeda, the final boss, has four unused slots, with Andromeda Infinity being used in the third slot. Andromeda2 has the same stats as Andromeda, while Andromeda4-6 have the same stats as Andromeda Infinity.

Regional Differences

To do: Add title screen differences from every region. The Wave Scanner accessory was only available in Japan, check for leftovers.

Boktai DS Items

Because the Crossover feature in this game was removed for the localized release, these items go unused. They are still translated and can be obtained through cheats, but won't ever do anything.

PMegaHd
DMegaBod
LMegaLeg
LEmblem
HPRecov
PwrDrnk
StarFrag
Alloy

Censored Word Change

Gl***** of Mystery...

The PAL version changes the swear filtered word "ass" to a case sensitive "Ass". This fixes an oversight in the NTSC-U version that rendered the Cipher Mail for LibraSclsSP (which required inputting "Visualizer: Glasses of Mystery") unusable.

(Source: @yami_translator, @Protodude (Twitter))

Anti-Cheat

This needs some investigation. Discuss ideas and findings on the talk page. Specifically: How exactly does this check work?

If the game detects that cheats have been used, the save confirmation message changes slightly to subtly mark the game file as having used cheats. In Japanese this check adds a comma at the end of the first line, while in English this removes "the game" from "Do you want to save the game?"

(Source: https://twitter.com/RockmanEXEZone/status/1359646732242583558)