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[shykyoichi]

4) A bizarre and sudden obsession with golems and other earthen beasts, namely Nosepass, Claydol, and the Regis.

I think it has something to do with RSE's focus on the creation myth of Hoenn.

Mothim, Purugly, Kricketune, Bastiodon, Bronzong--again, we've just seen better designs in this very same vein before.

You're simply wrong.







Btw, I beaten Volkner with my Gyarados. :lol DD'd the 1st turn, outlived a charge beam from jolteon and then swept away the opponent's team.

 

[Sixfortyfive]

And the 8th badge is mine.

Torterra lv45
Staraptor lv45
Bibarel lv45
Kricketune lv45
Luxray lv45
Bronzong lv45

Volkner was sort of a joke. Never even had to bring out Torterra.

Now that I've got all 8 HMs in my possession, it's time to take a victory lap around Sinnoh accessing new areas before heading to Victory, uh, Road.

 

[larvi]

I beat my first frontier brain, factory head Thornton. The battle factory was one of the more frustrating events in emerald and is pretty much the same in platinum although you do get some scouting information about specific pokemon or moves that helps you decide which rental pokemon to choose.

I saved the video if anyone wants to view it the id is 17-11901-00487, nothing too exciting but you can get a feel of how the factory works. This was actually the second try beating him, the 1st time I thought I had it when I was down to my Starmie vs his Rapidash. Went to surf him into oblivion but the rapidash outsped me and ohko'd me with a megahorn. Whoever EV trained that starmie needs to be fired.

 

[mattso]

just beat the e4 and the champion

the team:
hitmonlee level 50
marowak level 51
venusaur level 53
blastoise level 53
electivire level 54
infernape level 56

man that was tough

time to get to and try out the battle factor and then transfer over some masterballs from my diamond and catch me some awesome natured legendaries.

Have to double check what I already have on my diamond. I know I have a modest heatran already so maybe this time I'll go timid..

 

[Crazymoogle]

As for Pokemon designs...

Well, to start, I think the quality has been improving. I'll defend Bronzong, too. Great bell pokemon, interesting type and setup, and Trick Room/Gyro Ball can be great moves. Beautifly works fine as a bug alt to me (although damn, bug is always lacking a lot of upper tier guys...where's some bug legends?) Nosepass is even neat, although Claydol seems pointless...

But my complaints for the designs are four:

1. The lack of a plan behind some of them (basically echoing Jiggy here). Stuff like Spinda doesn't bother me in design - a dizzy bear? Sure - but it lacks any sort of interest element. There's no interesting type/effect or signature move, and combined with not looking terribly unusual, it turns into a boring pokemon.

The game needs low tier, UU guys. Even the luvdiscs of the world. That's just how the walkthrough needs to work. But even they can have hooks. Zigzagoon and Bibarel have a lot more to them than Spinda, Teddiursa, and an assortment of the normal types.

2. Sort of related to #1, but at some point Nintendo just dropped the ball and gave up on even renaming some of the Pokemon. It was obvious from the first game that keeping names would be difficult, and the alternatives were really good. We have some of that tradition now as well (Togekiss, Magnezone, Skitty, etc) but then they randomly drop the ball entirely as well (Jirachi, arguably Darkrai, arguably Skorupi, Makuhita/Hariyama, maybe Kyogre/Groudon). It comes off as an unfinished translation even if they always intended to keep those names.

3. Pairing pokemon really need some individualization work. Game Freak tried really hard to push team battle, but at the end of the day team pokemon just don't work very well, which is bad news for Plusle/Minun or Volbeat/Illumise. I don't think it would hurt their future to have some single battle potential. Lunatone/Solrock sort of fit the same bill.

4. Maybe it's just me...but I always thought Yellow was on the right track by trying to merge the anime a bit more into the games. Never really understood why they try to keep it so seperate. (The pokemon voices, in particular...)

 

[Jiggy]

I'll defend Bronzong, too. Great bell pokemon, interesting type and setup, and Trick Room/Gyro Ball can be great moves.

I love Bronzong's typing and stats, used one in my playthrough of English Pearl, and will be training one for competitive matches after I move over my Bronzor. I only think it looks kind of ugly compared to something like Magneton and Magnezone, which are just as robotic but still charming to me.

You've gotta be kidding me. The first generation of Pokemon is bed entirely on the concept of 'take some animal / creature / item, add something'. To call out Spinda on being a 'teddy bear, add swirls' is to call out charmander on being a 'lizard, add fire', meowth for being a 'cat, add gold plate', or, hell, poliwag for being a 'tadpole, add swirls'.

Poliwag is definitely on my list for a poor design; in fact, Poliwrath was in the first draft of my post, but I cut it out because nobody would have read the thing if I kept it as long as it had been to begin with. (Poliwrath because I was only taking evolved forms into consideration. But if we're talking about unevolved Pokemon, then here we go.)


Anyway, while Charmander may be a lizard, and Meowth a cat, they don't look very close to real-world lizards and cats.

Meowth is not a cat with a coin tacked onto its head in the same way that the above is a cat with a tie tacked onto its neck. Its body proportions are nothing like a real cat, it has no nose, it has a different facial structure to begin with (all flat), its mouth and eyes are larger, whiskers stick out of the top and sides of its head instead of near the non-existent nose, and instead of four legs it has two arms and two legs. Most of these changes on their own wouldn't mean much of anything, but together they give Meowth some original touches even though it's based on a cat. Persian, though, not so much:

Aside from the whiskers, it's very plain, and I don't count a gem in its forehead for much. I still like Persian, but that's only because I like cats. As for Charmander, I see a pretty big difference here:

On the other hand, my examples:

Maybe if I liked teddy bears and hearts as much as I liked cats, I'd feel differently about these Pokemon, as I do for Persian. With Spinda they did shorten its limbs in favor of elongating its ears, and it has a flat face like Meowth, but that's basically the end of it. And Luvdisc... yeah.

 

[Crazymoogle]

I love Bronzong's typing and stats, used one in my playthrough of English Pearl, and will be training one for competitive matches after I move over my Bronzor. I only think it looks kind of ugly compared to something like Magneton and Magnezone, which are just as robotic but still charming to me.

Well, you have to admit Bronzong really is an ancient bell, not a machine like Magne-types. Some more animation would help get across the bell though.

Poliwrath was initially kind of interesting. He's definitely weird and not generic. But the branching evo into Polito'ed was sloppy, like a joke that went too far.

Persian is fine with me; Meowth is the tricksome young pokemon, while persian is the all-grown-up version. Of course, by the same token I think Skitty/Delcatty are fine whereas latest cats are a bit too much.

Luvdisc is terribly underpowered, but not really far-fetched at all by coral reef fish standards, so I give it some slack. The real Far-fetch'd, on the other hand...:lol

 

[Shiggie]

For all the Luvdisc hate it is based off a real animal.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discus_(fish)

 

[Sixfortyfive]

For all the Luvdisc hate it is based off a real animal.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discus_(fish)

And Bronzong is based off of some ancient bell.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dōtaku

 

[vhfive]

For all the Luvdisc hate it is based off a real animal.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discus_(fish)

doesn't change the fact that it looks like a heart on its side. i mean they could have at least but some stripes or something on it

 

[Wii Will Rock U]

3) Paint-by-numbers design. Spinda: take teddy bear, add swirls. Luvdisc: take heart, add eyes. Glalie: take floating head, add horns. Yawn.

4) A bizarre and sudden obsession with golems and other earthen beasts, namely Nosepass, Claydol, and the Regis.

While I agree with you about Nosepass, Glalie and Luvdisc, you are so wrong about the others.

Spinda is, to this day, one of my Top 10 all time favorite Pokemon, Claydol is a complete bad-ass and original looking Pokemon, and the Regis were, without a doubt, my favorite of the "trio" Pokemon. They actually looked freaking Legendary and not like Elementals Birds or warped dog-cat elemental things.

 

[Captain N]

I finally made it to the Pokemon League! W00t! w00t!

What's the best way to make money?

 

[mattso]

I finally made it to the Pokemon League! W00t! w00t!

What's the best way to make money?

theres a rich kid in the diner west of sunyshore you can battle everyday

man the battle factory is tough/fun. I'm about 15 battles deep after losing and restarting a ton.

I like the times I can go the full 7 battles without trading. Did it for battles 7-14 this time with a xatu, electabuzz and bayleef I picked.

 

[Chozo]

I finally made it to the Pokemon League! W00t! w00t!

What's the best way to make money?

1. Go to the route south of Hearthome (212 IIRC)

2. Go to the elderly couple standing to the west of the mansion

3. Use Vs. Seeker and amulet coin, get phat lewts

Each has one Pokemon (and those Pokemon top out at ~43 on my cart at the moment) and they give at least 14000 every time you beat them.

 

[Reich]

I wish i could have a low lvl Ryhorn ! Anyone willing ? Let me know.

 

[mattso]

I wish i could have a low lvl Ryhorn ! Anyone willing ? Let me know.

they are pretty common on route 214 if you want to catch your own

mines one of my hm slaves

 

[Reich]

they are pretty common on route 214 if you want to catch your own

mines one of my hm slaves

Need one in trade for better exp! x)

 

[mattso]

Need one in trade for better exp! x)

I'm busy in the battle factory now but I guess if no one else has one I can go catch you one soon

 

[Forkball]

I think it has something to do with RSE's focus on the creation myth of Hoenn.

That reminds me, I think it's interesting how the Pokemon mythology has grown throughout the generations. It has a lot of different inspirations and it's interesting to see how they use them. In R/B/Y, there was some hints that Pokemon (at least some of them) may be from space and have some common ancestor (Mew). In G/S/C, there's a lot of Shinto-inspired story elements like the emphasis on guardians of nature (the legendary dogs, Ho-Oh, Lugia, Celebi etc). They seem to be heavily inspired by kami, the objects of worship/respect/adulation in Shinto. In R/S/E, the creation myth is introduced with the idea of a major battle between Pokemon (Kyogre, Groudon, Rayquaza) creating the land and seas. The Regis are also relics that represent this legend. And in D/P/Pt, the mythology expands on a bigger scale with the introduction of Pokemon that alter time and space, culminating into the introduction of Arceus, the god of all Pokemon. If you think about it, it's pretty amazing how they developed the history and mythology of the Pokemon world. Not sure where they go from here though. Once you introduce the god of all Pokemon it's hard to top that.

 

[Wii Will Rock U]

Guys, I think I have a major problem.

My game cart has already registered 70:01 on it. :lol

Yeah, I got the game import in February and have been playing it since but STILL that is a ridiculous amount of hours.

P.S.: Just evolved the Beldam I caught on Route 228 into a Metang and then evolved Metang into a Metagross. My idea for a team may finally happen!

 

[Teknoman]

Beldam's are wild now?

 

[shykyoichi]

That reminds me, I think it's interesting how the Pokemon mythology has grown throughout the generations. It has a lot of different inspirations and it's interesting to see how they use them. In R/B/Y, there was some hints that Pokemon (at least some of them) may be from space and have some common ancestor (Mew). In G/S/C, there's a lot of Shinto-inspired story elements like the emphasis on guardians of nature (the legendary dogs, Ho-Oh, Lugia, Celebi etc). They seem to be heavily inspired by kami, the objects of worship/respect/adulation in Shinto. In R/S/E, the creation myth is introduced with the idea of a major battle between Pokemon (Kyogre, Groudon, Rayquaza) creating the land and seas. The Regis are also relics that represent this legend. And in D/P/Pt, the mythology expands on a bigger scale with the introduction of Pokemon that alter time and space, culminating into the introduction of Arceus, the god of all Pokemon. If you think about it, it's pretty amazing how they developed the history and mythology of the Pokemon world. Not sure where they go from here though. Once you introduce the god of all Pokemon it's hard to top that.

You introduce another god.

 

[Teknoman]

You introduce another god.

Either that or more stuff from outer space/ another dimension / universe.

 

[mattso]

and my current battle factory run is destroyed by a shadow clawing furret and a really bad mismagius switch in on my part

time to start anew.

I guess I'll just keep editing this post with my progress:
first 7 down. beat them with an aipom and spoink I had from the start and and a growlithe I traded for after the 2nd battle. Fake out and u-turn are so useful.

2nd seven down. scyther, electabuzz and sudowoodo this time. All three from the beginning.

anddddddd taken down by a cloyster. my team of swellow, gible, and gligar couldn't handle aurora beam + confuse ray

 

[Sixfortyfive]

Huh. Charged head-first into the Elite Four at lv47 expecting to get owned fairly quickly but actually made it to Flint without too much trouble. I just gave up because I knew I didn't stock enough healing items to get much further.

Going to buy about $100000 worth of goods and then try again.

 

[Jiggy]

and my current battle factory run is destroyed by a shadow clawing furret and a really bad mismagius switch in on my part

Battle Factory can be maddening, yet also amazing. Last night I had just picked a team of Dragonite, Scizor, and Machamp only to be met with a Glaceon and a Substitute-using Nidoking who countered Scizor totally and then used Machamp's No Guard as an opportunity to Horn Drill.


It's still where I spend most of my time.

 

[overthehill99]

Its amazing how well written Looker is. Very funny. :lol

 

[mattso]

Battle Factory can be maddening, yet also amazing. Last night I had just picked a team of Dragonite, Scizor, and Machamp only to be met with a Glaceon and a Substitute-using Nidoking who countered Scizor totally and then used Machamp's No Guard as an opportunity to Horn Drill.


It's still where I spend most of my time.

I've yet to get past the 3rd round of 7. I think I start to get cocky when I see a pokemon like gabite and pick it when there were better options for my team.

I can see myself playing it a ton though. Probably won't even touch the others for quite some time.

 

[Sixfortyfive]

Hall of Fame, bitches!

Torterra lv49
Staraptor lv50
Bibarel lv49
Luxray lv49
Kricketune lv48
Bronzong lv48

The only member who really never had a chance to shine on the E4 was Kricketune, as the Psychic user was just too high up in level to be able to get a hit in. I also ended up using all of my Max Revives on Cynthia. Stupid Garchomp.

Now to complete that Sinnoh Pokedex.

Its amazing how well written Looker is. Very funny. :lol

Man, I completely forgot about that guy. What a pointless character.

 

[TheGrayGhost]

I'll FINALLY be playing this game tomorrow. Since I like to use unconventional Pokemon, I'm not always a successful battler, but I'm looking forward to battling, trading, and socializing with all of you.

 

[Teknoman]

I'll FINALLY be playing this game tomorrow. Since I like to use unconventional Pokemon, I'm not always a successful battler, but I'm looking forward to battling, trading, and socializing with all of you.

Same here. But I still say just go with what you like. You'll have more fun that way, and who knows...with a decent moveset/plan you might get lucky.

 

[TheGrayGhost]

Same here. But I still say just go with what you like. You'll have more fun that way, and who knows...with a decent moveset/plan you might get lucky.

That's what I mean, the Pokemon I like happen to be unconventional. Sure, I'll raise a Salamence, Snorlax, etc. but I like using Pokemon like Miltank, Grumpig, etc.

 

[grandjedi6]

I'll FINALLY be playing this game tomorrow. Since I like to use unconventional Pokemon, I'm not always a successful battler, but I'm looking forward to battling, trading, and socializing with all of you.

Wait, didn't you get the game weeks ago?

 

[TheGrayGhost]

Wait, didn't you get the game weeks ago?

Mmmhmm. But I've been waiting to play it on my DSi.

 

[Captain N]

Same here. But I still say just go with what you like. You'll have more fun that way, and who knows...with a decent moveset/plan you might get lucky.

Let me know if you need any Pokemon and I'll send em your way tomorrow.

 

[Firestorm]

I'm not gonna lie, the reason I didn't get the GBA games was because I couldn't capture any of the old Pokemon like pokeymanz #004. Eventually picked up Fire Red but still haven't played Ruby, Sapphire, or Emerald.

I only know the names of the first 251 and after that all I know are the names of the good fully evolved ones.

Also, props on using charmander on your list of good Pokemon Jiggy. You have escaped my wrath. The rest of you are fucking dead though.

 

[Teknoman]

Let me know if you need any Pokemon and I'll send em your way tomorrow.

Got it. Hopefully by the time everyone reaches near endgame stuff, Nintendo will have released some transfer wiiware/DSware.

 

[painey]

Pokemon is a game that would be so brilliant with achievements. The one thing that Pokemon has always struggled with is incentive, you are always encouraged to find the strongest team rather than collect all Pokemon or carry lesser Pokemon. For example in Gold/Silver, carrying the Egg and hatching Togepi was awesome, but he was a useless Pokemon so after you had hatched him he was right in the PC and bring back a Geodude or Kadabra. I would love the next version to have some kind of online record or MMO type gameplay where you could display your stats on a webpage and it didnt include Pokemon who were hacked on dodgy copies. On Diamond I legitimately got Manaphy but aside from posting the pic on GAF there was no kudos or even a way to show him off.

 

[Ravidrath]

Anyone successfully registered their Wii Code with the GTS?

I tried it earlier today, but still haven't gotten my registration confirmation e-mail on the Wii.

 

[larvi]

Battle Factory can be maddening, yet also amazing. Last night I had just picked a team of Dragonite, Scizor, and Machamp only to be met with a Glaceon and a Substitute-using Nidoking who countered Scizor totally and then used Machamp's No Guard as an opportunity to Horn Drill.


It's still where I spend most of my time.

Hax are still alive and well, lost to a sheer cold Lapras that hit 3 of 3 times and a quick claw Usuring who activated the QC 3 times. Very frustrating for sure.

 

[Ravidrath]

Anyone interested a Spore / False Swipe Swipe Shroomish?

I'm looking for Turtwigs, one male and one female to fill out my Pokedex.

 

[Hatchet Man]

Can someone help me evolve my Dusclops and Scyther?

 

[ShinoguTakeruKoeru]

I'm looking for Turtwigs, one male and one female to fill out my Pokedex.

I thought starters don't have any dimorphism between genders.

 

[colinp]

Can someone help me evolve my Dusclops and Scyther?

Ooh, wait I think I will! :lol Sorry lemme double check my scyther and whether I want to evolve him right now.

 

[colinp]

Can someone help me evolve my Dusclops and Scyther?

Sorry, I don't have a metal coat yet. Also am about to skype someone so I wouldn't be able to help for a few hours... My apologies!

 

[Jiggy]

I've yet to get past the 3rd round of 7. I think I start to get cocky when I see a pokemon like gabite and pick it when there were better options for my team.

I can see myself playing it a ton though. Probably won't even touch the others for quite some time.

It's a good thing you mentioned Gabite since I have to say, Level 50 Battle Factory is really where it's at. Because of the 3-on-3 setting and the raw power that so many level 100s are packing, you can barely risk a switch into anything from anything unless you've got immunity or a 4x resistance. Level 50 is much safer, though it too has its powerhouses--Swalot and Rotom have swept teams on a regular basis for me in a level 50 setting.

I do wish there was a 6-on-6 Battle Factory, though, even if it wasn't the main incarnation. That would be so amazing.

Since I like to use unconventional Pokemon, I'm not always a successful battler, but I'm looking forward to battling, trading, and socializing with all of you.

I like using Pokemon like Miltank, Grumpig, etc.

At least they're good unconventional Pokemon. Although, granted, Miltank wishes this was still G/S/C where she could pump both defensive stats and that great Speed.

Pokemon is a game that would be so brilliant with achievements. The one thing that Pokemon has always struggled with is incentive, you are always encouraged to find the strongest team rather than collect all Pokemon or carry lesser Pokemon.

Agree. The series took very tiny steps toward something like it, though--it does have the trainer card color changes, and trainer scores (even if the score is theoretically infinite and can be completely broken by hatching a flood of Magikarp eggs for 7 points each).

That and the promise of customizable sprites/models suggested by various game elements this gen (Pokemon contest outfits, the trainer creation in Pokemon Battle Revolution, the ability to switch between one of four sprites in the Oreburgh Pokemon Center) are two areas that I definitely hope the fifth generation runs with.

 

[Captain N]

I made it to Pokemon League and had thought I already saved. So after turning off the system and back on..that's when I noticed I didn't save for a few hours..yet again!

 

[Ravidrath]

I thought starters don't have any dimorphism between genders.

They don't, but I like to have a mating pair of every chain.

 

[Zilch]

Anywhere other than Victory Road to level your group at the end of the game (before E4)?

 

[Sixfortyfive]

Anywhere other than Victory Road to level your group at the end of the game (before E4)?

I don't think so.

FYI, using the Vs Seeker is usually a better way of getting EXP than fighting wild Pokemon. Trained Pokemon give 1.5x the experience of equivalent wild ones.