The Cyberworld (サイバーワールド / 電脳世界 Saibāwārudo / Dennōsekai, used in the Mega Man Battle Network and Star Force series, also written as Cyber World[1]), or Cyberspace (サイバースペース / サイバー空間 Saibāsupēsu / Saibākūkan, Mega Man X and Zero series), is an alternate dimension featured in the Mega Man franchise. As its name implies, it is a digital world created through the advanced technology of the series.
Characteristics
The characteristics of Cyberspace vary between series, but rather their difference is based in the relevance it has for each series. It is a digital space created via computers whose main purpose is to ease the life of people as well as for researching in laboratories, similar to the real-life Cyberspaces, however considering the timeline of the series it is to know that the Cyberworld is to be considered far more advanced and reliable, although not 100% safe, as it can also be attacked by bugs and viruses as any source of data. The major difference between the Cyberworld of the series and that of the real world is the ability to be able to literally travel to the Cyberworld, in other words to be able to be digitalized and become data to be in the Cyberworld itself. However this trait is mainly used when a network is attacked by dangerous viruses and/or bugs, thus digitalizing the most capable fighters to get rid of them as being deleted in the Cyberworld is by all means dangerous and can be fatal, thus hinting that only capable fighters are able to survive while digitalized. It is also possible for data to be materialized in the real world, but this requires incredible power and intellect.
History
Mega Man X series
Reploids can upload their minds into the Cyberworld to act within it as if it were the real world. Occasionally, Mavericks do crime within the Cyberworld, forcing Maverick Hunters to digitize to face them. Cyber Peacock is a Maverick who barricades a network within Cyber Space in Mega Man X4, and Snipe Anteator challenges the Hunters to face him in a Cyber Field in Mega Man X7.
Data can also be materialized from the Cyberspace into the real world, including viruses such as the Sigma Virus. In Mega Man X5, the Zero Virus is so powerful that it meshes Cyberspace into reality, creating an underground void called Zero Space where programs such as TriScan Gold can manifest.
Most of Mega Man Xtreme takes place in Cyberspace, as Techno hacks the Mother Computer, which forces X to be digitized into the computer itself to fight Maverick data. While there, X kills both Zain and Geemel, resulting in their digital minds being erased and their physical bodies being left inoperable. After defeating Sigma in the Mother Computer's core, X was able to locate Sigma's Hideout.
Mega Man Zero series
Cyberspace transition in Mega Man Zero 3
In the Mega Man Zero series, Cyberspace is a dimensional rift that exists parallel to the real world (also known as the "substance world"), where everything exists in parallel digital forms.[2][3] Cyber-elves are able to modify reality because their programs can modify Cyberspace, which in turn affects its substance world counterpart.[3] It appears in Mega Man Zero 3 due to the return of Omega, whose reality-defying existence and connection to the Dark Elf opened gateways from the real world to Cyberspace, and he is also explained as the creator of said dimension.[4][5][6][7] Cyberspace also serves as a limbo for the souls of Cyber-elves, deceased Reploids, and all data, such as Hidden Phantom, who was able to learn about the past of the Elf Wars there.[2][8]
As a gameplay mechanic, doors to Cyberspace can be found throughout the stages in Mega Man Zero 3 and optionally entered. Entering takes Zero to a green-tinted version of the stage (besides Zero, enemies, and items) and automatically activates all of Zero's "A" marked Cyber-elves. Also, Secret Disks cannot be obtained in Cyberspace, and Zero must exit Cyberspace before boss rooms. This use of Cyber-elves does not penalize the Mission score, but five Mission points are lost as penalty for entering Cyberspace. The exception is Sub Arcadia; if the player beats the secret Phantom boss fight to obtain the Ultima Foot Chip, the penalty is ignored.
If players trade data between Mega Man Zero 3 and Mega Man Battle Network 4 in Ciel's laboratory, most enemies encountered in Cyberspace will be replaced by viruses, aerial enemies becoming a Swordy, ground enemies a Beetank, and aquatic enemies a Puffy.
In Mega Man Zero 4, an area resembling Cyberspace appears as the Teleporter Circuit stage. Zero is transferred as program data into Ragnarok's circuit to destroy the security systems, allowing him to teleport inside Ragnarok. While inside, it superimposes visuals on the circuits so Zero can tell what's going on, allowing him to navigate from the Teleporter Base to Ragnarok Core. The boss of the stage is the security program itself, Cyball. However, this area is not the same as Cyberspace in Mega Man Zero 3, but an "electronic space" (電脳空間) similar to the Mega Man Battle Network series,[9] with Cerveau noting that Cyber-elves don't automatically activate in the Teleporter Circuit.
Mega Man Battle Network series
Cyberworld in Mega Man Battle Network 4
The Cyberworld in the Mega Man Battle Network series is the basis for the day-to-day life as the whole society is run by computer networks, mainly the internet, thus being extremely important for every system in the world to be able to function properly. Programs and NetNavis are the main "population" of the Cyberworld, artificial intelligences that maintain the world and makes electronics functional. NetNavis also serve as AI programs which emotions and their own intelligence however most of them serving humans preferring co-operation (similar to how Reploids are in the main series).
As shown throughout the series, the Cyberworld has a literal visual representation of its inner workings, much akin to a video game or the interpretation of a literal virtual world. Interfacing with the Cyberworld has two apparent means; one is through the use of NetNavis and programs to restructure and interact with data by the Cyberworld's virtual manifestations, while the other is through literally coding by hand or using more toolbox based programs traditionally to construct and create webzones, areas, and programs, including NetNavis and viruses. Depictions vary on its manifestation; the Gameboy Advance games portray the internet as a street and maze like overworld representative of connected systems with colorful and futuristic patterns, the installment Network Transmission uses a mix of traditional Mega Man platforming and a landscape of backdrops akin to the setups of traditional websites, while the anime details a greater sense of space and minute features as its own literal world, with landscapes, buildings, and environments dependent overall throughout the series on the network and computer.
Drawing upon real world internet workings and terminology, the Cyberworld as portrayed in Battle Network does not merely exist within its own workings of a virtual cyberworld, going as far to include parallels of older forms of social networking, such as webrings, forums and BBS, and messenger chat through Netnavis, hardware and software interfacing, applied functions and terminology, and even hacking and the hijacking of network systems. Some examples include how processors can affect inworld physics, the use of compression programs to traverse bandwidth restricted pathways, a need for security certificates and passwords to access various parts of the net, and behaviors evident in Mr. Progs that mimic advanced computing features.
As the entire world of Battle Network focuses on a technological direction towards integrating applied computers and the internet into everyday society, the Cyberworld in this case doesn't just include all internet compliant appliances and electronics, but also extends to private and offline networks that can only be reached by human means. These range from entire constructs like vehicles, facilities, and infrastructure like airplanes, government headquarters, waterworks management systems and recreation site based networks, to easter egg and hidden mini computers and networks found in objects and places like statues, TVs, thermostats, and toys.
The network though very stable is never fully rid of viruses, thus NetNavis are each in some point made for combat of viruses though this applies for "weak" viruses. For maintenance, a person can jack in stronger NetNavis to a computer (電脳 dennō, short for 電子頭脳, lit. "electronic brain" or "computer", also translated as "cyber" and shortened as "comp") and use Battle Chips to support the Navi. Battle Chips contain programs that both a Navi and virus can use alike to materialize (in the Cyberworld) blades, guns, flamethrowers or any kind of weapon and phenomena alike.
Differently from the main timeline's Cyberworld, in this one there are two kinds of deletion. The one is the basically fatal-like deletion in which any deleted Navi or virus is to fully cease to exist and the other deletion is the "deletion" through "friendly combat" in which NetNavis fight each other as some sort of sport, in this case deletion never causes a Navi to be destroyed but rather be exhausted and unable to fight until being restored. When deleted, a Navi can be restored with backups, and powerful Navis leave behind junk data that resembles a ghost.
The Cyberworld is featured in every game as the main plot of the games involve the players getting themselves in the "need" to check the source of problems when a virus, bug, Hijacks an specified network thus wreaking havoc (normally being lead by a Navi operated by a hacker or any kind of Cyber criminal). In this Cyberworld bugs are almost never shown as enemies but rather as energy/money sources the player can use for more powerful accessories. All battles take place in the Cyberworld, in a field with eighteen Panels.
The ability to materialize data into the real world is shown only in the last game in which a Navi can use a CopyBot and appear in the real world. Humans can also materialize in the Cyberworld via Pulse Transmission.
Mega Man Star Force series
An ACCESS signal in Mega Man Star Force 3.
- "The central-most part of an electronic device. Normally, EM bodies can enter Cyber Cores, but some Cyber Cores are access-restricted because of maintenance, etc."
- —Mega Man Star Force 3 description
The Cyberworld is replaced by the Wave World, a world made of EM Waves. The ability to materialize into the real world is never shown at all, but it is rather that people can "see the EM waves" than an EM body being in the real world itself. The EM world has almost no differences with the Mega Man Battle Network series Cyberworld, and has the same functions and importance.
Although its role was reduced due to the replacement of the internet, the cyberworld from electronic devices are still present in the series, being named Comp Space in the first two games, Cyber Core (generally abbreviated as CC) in Mega Man Star Force 3, and dennō (電脳) in Japan. EM bodies can Trans In to access a Cyber Core from the Wave Road.
Other appearances
- See also: Cyber Space (Mega Man X4)
The Cyberworld from the Mega Man Battle Network series appeared in Rockman Xover, TEPPEN, and Dragon Poker.
Other media
In the MegaMan NT Warrior anime, habitants from the Cyberworld appearing in the real world is exploited far more often, such as when Nebula uses Dimensional Areas to materialize their Darkloids. Rush, Duo's Asteroid Navis, and Cache's Phantom Navis do not require a Dimensional Area to materialize.
In the MegaMan NT Warrior manga, the Dark Power caused the boundary between the real space and cyberspace to drop, causing NetNavis to materialize in the real world. The boundary returned to normal after Alpha's defeat.
The Cyberworld also appeared in Battle Story MegaMan NT Warrior.
Gallery
Trivia
- One of the names from Sheep Man's stage is Cyberspace Stage. However, it is also known as Board Factory Stage (基板工場ステージ), so this stage may actually be in the real world.
See also
External links
References
- ↑ Rockman.EXE Axess episode Soul Unison!
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "A dimensional rift that was created by Omega's appearance. Doors leading to this dimension can be found throughout the world. In Cyberspace, Cyber-elves' abilities are automatically activated. Cyberspace also acts as a sort of limbo for souls of the dead, and the soul of Phantom, the Guardian that self-destructed in Zero 1, can be found here." Cyberspace, Idiom Dictionary, Mega Man Zero Official Complete Works.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Cyber-Space is the world where all the phenomena that constitute the substance world exist in the form of a program. Cyber-Elf is the program life object which can interfere in the program of this Cyber-Space, and can operate all the phenomena in the substance world by rewriting a program (of Cyber-Space)." Elf Genealogy, Remastered Tracks Rockman Zero - Telos
- ↑ "Leviathan: That's Omega. His mere existence defies reality..." Mega Man Zero 3.
- ↑ "Phantom: I never thought I'd meet you again in a place like this. If Omega opened the door to Cyberspace, then fate is truly an ironic thing." Mega Man Zero 3, translated from japanese original.
- ↑ Hirondelle: "I've been told that the appearance of Omega, who has the same power as the Dark Elf,created a distortion on this world. It's called Cyberspace. It's connected to the real world through a mysterious doorway." Mega Man Zero 3, translated from japanese original
- ↑ "A distortion of space created by the appearance of Omega. There are doors everywhere that connect to the real world, and inside is a mysterious space where the abilities of Cyber Elves are automatically displayed. The souls of the dead are also floating around, and the soul of the Hidden Leader Phantom, one of the Four Heavenly Kings who blew himself up in "Zero", is also here." Mega Man Zero Official Complete Works, fan-translated from japanese original
- ↑ "Phantom: This is a shadow world, where both Reploid souls and Cyber-elves live. After you defeated me, I became a mere soul, and somehow drifted back to Cyberspace. This space, where all data flows to in the end... And there I learned all truths. About Omega... The Dark Elf... And you, Zero... That's right. Everything." Mega Man Zero 3.
- ↑ Remastered Tracks Rockman Zero Physis booklet, disc 2 track 6 notes