SKY PIRATE ARCADE

Create Your Own MML Fan Games

Sky Pirate Arcade is all about expanding the Mega Man Legends fan game scene. Not only do we work to create new games for everyone to enjoy, but we encourage fans everywhere to take up their own projects. This page is here to help creators jump-start their games, with tips on where to begin, downloadable MML resources, and veteran advice.


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Getting Started

Unless you possess the skills to program your own game from scratch, the place to start is with the right game engine. Unity, Unreal, Godot, and Game Maker are all viable choices with different specialties. Explore their workflows, consider your game's specific needs, and choose the one that sounds right for you.

For creating your game's visual assets, we recommend Blender for 3D modeling, and for textures or 2D sprite work, there's The GIMP.

Unreal      Godot      Game Maker      Unity*      Blender      The GIMP

All of these programs are free or have free versions, and all have plenty of tutorials and examples around the web.
* As of September 2023, Unity has announced changes to its business model that should make any developer think twice before using them.



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Legends Resources

You've got an idea, you've got the tools, now you need some Legends assets to make your game a Legends game. We have a modest but growing collection of resources available that can help get your project moving, even if you intend to eventually make your own assets.

3D Models      Sprites & Textures      Music & Sound Effects

If you have your own Legends game assets you'd like to share with the community, do get in touch with us!



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Veteran Dev Tips

Making a game can be difficult, but it's remarkable how many fan game projects fail before they start because they ignore these basic, common sense concepts.

HAVE A REALISTIC VISION
The bigger your idea, the harder it will be and the longer it will take to complete. Small games on the other hand, can be loads of fun, and still require a surprising amount of work to see through. Unrealistic goals (like deciding to make Legends 3 since Capcom won't) are a shortcut to failure. This community has seen it time and time again.

KNOW YOUR OWN CAPABILITIES
An idea, no matter how fantastic, doesn't count for much. Game development takes serious effort, and it's important to know that YOU are the one who's going to be putting in most if not all of that effort. It's embarrassing when people post about their big idea and assume that programmers and artists should flock to them and do their work for them while they themselves only oversee and guide progress. If you lack and aren't willing to learn the abilities needed to make a game on your own (or at least enough of one to convince others that you have something worth helping out on), you may want to reconsider. Remember, YOU make YOUR project happen.

WORK FIRST, SHOW LATER
Sharing your work can be exciting, and good feeback can seriously improve your game. Just be sure you have something to show first. Sharing plans and ideas before much/any work has been done often results in skepticism, or being ignored entirely. The more your effort shows when your project goes public, the more confidence it will inspire. People will believe you're serious about your project, they'll be more likely to leave encouraging and useful feedback, and you may even find people willing to help you out.


When you have completed a full game or substantial demo, send it in to Sky Pirate Arcade through our submissions page!