Shift Posting

Chapter 3: Shift Posting Make a Good Mega Man Level: Episode Zero

That cowboy's got a shifty look to him...

Overview Creator(s): CWU01P Composer(s): Kouji Murata, Capcom (original music) Matrix, WINED (covers) Statistics Rank: Chapter 3 Collectables: 097: SRARA Shield Attacker Enemies: Colton Cyorown Returning Sniper Joe Gimmicks: Conveyor (MM10) Dustman Block Key Barrier Reflect Block Shift Spring Tackle Fire Dispenser Sub-Bosses: Stompy

Theme Music Mega Man Forever - Wily Stages 3, 5, 6 CD Room: Rockman 2 Gray Zone - Air Man Stage Order

Shift Posting is a level in Chapter 3 of Make a Good Mega Man Level: Episode Zero. A strange factory-like area somewhere inside Tier X, Zero encounters multiple crushers and moving objects, all of which move via the Shift object (hence the name). One of the more prominent shifting objects are Tackle Fire Dispensers, whose Tackle Fires move in complex patterns to account for their constantly-moving destinations.

Strategy

The level starts with a drop into a small corridor, where a crusher quickly pushes Zero into the next screen to face Tackle Fire Dispensers and a purple Colton (unlike normal Coltons, these fire shots at a steady rate, instead of waiting for their last shot to disappear). Not long after, a single Returning Sniper Joe stands in Zero's way, but is quickly killed by a spiked crusher above. Past it is the first checkpoint and a hallway filled with ceiling crushers. Each crusher is colour-coded to indicate how dangerous it is to stand beneath them; green ones won't descend far enough to kill Zero, while orange ones will. Dustman Blocks standing between the crushers are quickly cleared with the Z-Burst, while a set of Conveyors at the end can get Zero safely to the next checkpoint before he gets crushed.

Moving Tackle Fire Dispensers continue to bedevil Zero in the next few screens, with spikes or pits often nearby for him to fall into. One free-scrolling area requires waiting on ladders to avoid hitting a Tackle Fire while climbing; if the Double Jump has been unlocked, this area can be cleared much quicker (with one ladder becoming skippable). Though invisible, an E-Tank rests on a block above the lowest ladder. Care must be taken climbing into the next area, as purple Coltons on either side will try to shoot Zero off the ladder; the Icicle Chip's Blank Drive can protect against these, and ladder-jumping can get Zero through the room before they fire again. Two Cyorowns on moving blocks guard the way to the next checkpoint, and another crusher room; this time the crushers are on the bottom, and rise into the ceiling.

Yet another colour-coded crusher room follows, only now there are crushers on both the top and bottom of the screen, and a series of soft borders act as mini-transitions between parts of the hallway. With some enemies attacking from the ceiling, the Zap Chip's Blank Drive can be useful in taking them out from a distance. Before the last challenge of the stage, an optional teleporter can take Zero to an extra room with translucent shifting tiles, alongside some stationary spikes. These tiles slowly descend before quickly rising back up, and as such it's recommended to move only while they're falling. Like the previous hallways, safe areas are coloured green in contrast to the orange of dangerous areas. At the end of the room, a CD can be collected along with an E-Tank and a W-Tank.

The last challenge of the level is a vertical hallway with deadly spikes lining either side, while the terrain slowly shifts from left to right into the spikes. It is necessary to keep moving to avoid being carried into certain death. At one point, a Key Barrier on the bottom blocks the way, and the only way to unlock it is to take the pathway above it, obtain a Key from a ? Can, and wait for the terrain to shift backwards. At the very bottom, a Stompy is battled on a row of green crushers that shift up and down at different rates, creating an uneven floor. Notably, the rocks dropped by this Stompy dissipate faster than normal. Once defeated, it drops the Energy Element.

Z-Phone Dialogue

	Contact	Transcript
	Dr. Wily	Dr. Wily: Shift Posting? What did you say? Are you messing with me? I still can't track your coordinates properly. Zero: No, I think that is actually what it is called. Dr. Wily: Wherever you are, they need to hire a better namer. Add some alliteration, or call it a factory for no reason.
	Agent Krantz	Krantz: Shift Posting? I've never been there... what does it look like? Zero: There are many crushers... all moving in tandem with each other. Krantz: Hmm...if they follow regulations, then they should be color coded. If they're green, the area shouldn't be able to crush you. If they're orange though, then they will crush you.
	Galaxy Man	Towards the end of the factory place zone, you gotta take that teleporter marked with the CD icon! And from there, good luck! You gotta conquer a big challenge to snag this one!
	Yamato Man	Yamato Man: Stompy? Didn't you get the memo? I'm not here to help you with weak goons! Zero: I apologize, but this foe is greatly intimidating to me. Yamato Man: Really? Looks kinda cute to me. Just keep your distance from him and you'll be fine. As he jumps across the room, he'll only make debris fall near him. Then he'll make it fall all over when he does a high jump near the edges, but just stand in-between the gaps. Zero: Thank you for your advice against this most terrifying enemy. Yamato Man: I genuinely cannot tell if you're being sarcastic. Or if you're even capable of being sarcastic.
	Knives	Knives: Whaat? That's a weird factory you're running around in. Stuff movin' everywhere!! I bet that's one of those crazy McWily's pancake factories. Not safe for a date, I say! Can't have you being FLATTENED. After then, you won't be the same person. Zero: How does that change you? Knives: I'm speaking from experience. You see things that eyes aren't meant to see. Indescribable horrors!

Trivia

• Shift Posting is one of only two levels where Zero receives a unique Z-Phone call from Yamato Man against a devkit miniboss (the other being against Lavaproof Response Cannon in Null and Void).
• Because of the complexity of the Shift object and its extensive use throughout the stage, Shift Posting frequently suffers from long loading times and/or slowdown on less-powerful computers.
• Early development versions of Shift Posting included red and blue conveyors whose colours and directions could be changed with switches. The gimmick was abandoned because Zero's dash always outpaced the conveyors, and the colours were reverted to the default green to avoid players confusing them with Space Jam's Speed Conveyors.
• The CD room (also known as the "EMB Mk 2") was originally a mandatory part of the level, before quickly being changed to an optional challenge.
• CWU01P would have renamed the stage "McWily's Pancake Assembly Line" if the name "Shift Posting" had been deemed inappropriate. This alternate name is alluded to in Knives's call for the level.
• This level, along with Refurbished Pyramid and BlocBunker, are the only levels in Episode Zero to have a midboss enemy drop an Energy Element.

External Links

• CWU01P's developer commentary - YouTube