MUGEN is an incredibly fun fighting game engine that more players need to check out. There are tons of different characters that other MUGEN players have created that can easily be slotted into a user's copy of the game, creating a dream fighting game experience. Players can even create their own characters and stages if they don't want to use existing characters and creating their own fighting game that's even crazier than Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
MUGEN is absolutely easy to customize, but it can be a fairly difficult system to get started with. There are tons of different MUGEN versions that players can install that determine what characters they can use. Characters can also be difficult to find if players don't know where to look.
To start, players should know the differences between the three existing versions of MUGEN: WinMUGEN, MUGEN 1.0 and MUGEN 1.1. WinMUGEN is the oldest version of the game that's generally considered outdated and not worth downloading. MUGEN 1.0 tends to be more stable but lacks some extra features of MUGEN 1.1 that will limit the characters players can pick. For new MUGEN players who want to get into the game, they should check out MUGEN 1.1 first.
After downloading MUGEN, players may notice that the menus seem fairly basic compared to other versions, with only a few slots for characters. To get more spots for characters, players will need to find and download a screen pack. A screen pack usually replaces menus, the character select screen, and the music to change the game's general presentation. The most important part of a screen pack is that it lets players have more characters appear on their selection screen.
Screen packs can generally be found with a Google search, though there are some good resources, such as The MUGEN Archive, MUGEN Database and The Mugen Multiverse. These websites host a decent selection of screen packs that range from being stylish and flashy to including slots for thousands of characters. Screen packs will also usually include instructions on installing them, as some screen packs can require unique steps. Fans can find screen packs that recreate the flashy menus from games like Guilty Gear and Street Fighter.
Characters are what make MUGEN an incredibly customizable game. Fans can set up their own arcade dream matches, such as seeing who'd win between Mortal Kombat's Scorpion and Street Fighter's Ryu. However, finding characters can be a difficult task and installing them can be even harder. It's a fairly easy process that takes a little bit of explaining for new players to get the hang of.
The previously mentioned MUGEN Archive and MUGEN Database are fantastic websites to find characters to download. The MUGEN Archive has a detailed by-series search set-up that organizes the content hosted on their website, though there is a download limit on users who don't pay to register their accounts. The MUGEN Database is set up more like a wiki, providing detailed breakdowns on multiple versions of the characters documented there.
Installing characters is just as easy as editing a .txt file. First, users should navigate to their MUGEN install folder in the folder titled data and open select.def with a plaintext editor like Notepad. From there, players should type in the name of their character's .def file. There should be more detailed instructions on this included with a player's chosen screen pack since screen packs different in how they handle characters. Stages can also be added in the same file.
MUGEN can seem like a lot to set up, but the truth is that it's incredibly easy once new users get the hang of the process. Some final tips for new players include making sure that their character is compatible with their chosen MUGEN version and making sure that they don't need to provide any extra files to make a character work with their screen pack. Once players understand the basics, they can start adding unique icons and character art to the characters they download and maybe even start making their own.
0 Comments