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The Pokemon Series Could Still Learn From its Original Entries
- Thread starter Nocturnowl
- Start date
The more story-focused stuff tends to get sent to spin offs like the Mystery Dungeon series.
Black and White were a big change to a heavier story than usual. Hopefully Sun and Moon try something different as well, the second set of new games in a generation usually do with Gold and Silver and Black and White being pretty different than RBY and Pearl/Diamond.
Keep in mind that Black and White were also incredibly linear. That's one reason they could focus more on story because progression was linear.
I think what OP wants is to open up the world a bit more. My suggestions is focusing on the core basics with 4 HMs, making management easier which opens up the main part of the maps more to take things how you want to like in RBY. The extra attacks/field actions can further build upon that world by providing extra places to go.
I think what OP wants is to open up the world a bit more. My suggestions is focusing on the core basics with 4 HMs, making management easier which opens up the main part of the maps more to take things how you want to like in RBY. The extra attacks/field actions can further build upon that world by providing extra places to go.
Dark Orchid
Member
Honestly, keep some current HMs as TMs (Surf, Defog, and Waterfall), cut the rest, and give the former functions to hold items of some type that only certain Pokemon can use. This allows them to limit the use of the HMs like they used to but gets rid of the requirement of a move slot (and also can be swapped out for battles, in the event that someone actually uses hold items ingame).
I'll have to think about this next thing more, but I think merging EVs with Stat EXP might be better for the series in the future. Basically, keep the 252 limit for each stat, but allow every stat to reach that and keep the current methods for getting those points. Also allow the option for Natures to remove their stat-lowering downside for the trade-off of the raised stat only getting 5% instead of 10%.
The difference IVs will make with those kinds of stats will be almost worthless and allows more people (ones who aren't like some of us who spend 700+ hours hatching eggs or resetting in front of legendaries for days) to get into battling. Those who do breeding stuff will still have a slight edge, but those who don't will stand a chance.
Also, this would mean in-game team Pokemon actually stand a chance online, which I think was the original point of the series.
I'll have to think about this next thing more, but I think merging EVs with Stat EXP might be better for the series in the future. Basically, keep the 252 limit for each stat, but allow every stat to reach that and keep the current methods for getting those points. Also allow the option for Natures to remove their stat-lowering downside for the trade-off of the raised stat only getting 5% instead of 10%.
The difference IVs will make with those kinds of stats will be almost worthless and allows more people (ones who aren't like some of us who spend 700+ hours hatching eggs or resetting in front of legendaries for days) to get into battling. Those who do breeding stuff will still have a slight edge, but those who don't will stand a chance.
Also, this would mean in-game team Pokemon actually stand a chance online, which I think was the original point of the series.
I agree with a lot of your points OP. RBY are antiquated in many respects, yet the design of the game world is still impressive and unique to this day. There are many optional areas and you are teased constantly with new locals that you can only reach later in the game. Even a place like Diglett's Cave is completely optional. You can use it to get a ground Pokemon if you need it for Surge, and it leads back to Pewter City in an area you saw earlier in the game but could not access. And RBY basically becomes and open world game after your third badge. You can tackle the gyms, or just explore the cities, in a variety of ways.
The caves definitely do feel like real JRPG dungeons. They are a test of item management and endurance. When you get out, half your team is fainted, the other half have some status condition or are in the yellow... it really conveys a sense of tension and urgency. Not to mention the caves themselves are littered with optional paths and secret items.
I too love the Safari Zone as it's a unique way to catch Pokemon and it was the only place to see some of the more interesting and unique ones. Catching Pokemon is one of my favorite aspects of the game, so I like it when they introduce new ways to do so. It's a clever idea, you're basically given free reign to go ham on a nature reserve. The area is so huge and open that you definitely need more than one try to get all the Pokemon and items. Gen VI introduced a different version: the Friend Safari. Let's be honest here: Friend Safari is technically much better. You have access to tons of stunningly rare Pokemon like starters or fully evolve Pokemon you can't find in the wild, plus they are guaranteed to have at least two perfect IVs. If you want to make a competitive team, Friend Safari is the best place to start looking for mons. However, I do miss the sense of exploration and unique rules of the original zones.
Well this is largely due to the resources kids had in the 90s and less with how they design the game. The newer gens have plenty of mysteries. Just look at Gen VI. There are a ton of mysterious gameplay elements and story points that we still don't know about years later.
The caves definitely do feel like real JRPG dungeons. They are a test of item management and endurance. When you get out, half your team is fainted, the other half have some status condition or are in the yellow... it really conveys a sense of tension and urgency. Not to mention the caves themselves are littered with optional paths and secret items.
I too love the Safari Zone as it's a unique way to catch Pokemon and it was the only place to see some of the more interesting and unique ones. Catching Pokemon is one of my favorite aspects of the game, so I like it when they introduce new ways to do so. It's a clever idea, you're basically given free reign to go ham on a nature reserve. The area is so huge and open that you definitely need more than one try to get all the Pokemon and items. Gen VI introduced a different version: the Friend Safari. Let's be honest here: Friend Safari is technically much better. You have access to tons of stunningly rare Pokemon like starters or fully evolve Pokemon you can't find in the wild, plus they are guaranteed to have at least two perfect IVs. If you want to make a competitive team, Friend Safari is the best place to start looking for mons. However, I do miss the sense of exploration and unique rules of the original zones.
Well this is largely due to the resources kids had in the 90s and less with how they design the game. The newer gens have plenty of mysteries. Just look at Gen VI. There are a ton of mysterious gameplay elements and story points that we still don't know about years later.
anotherVegan
Member
I think there should be an official Nuzlocke mode. I enjoyed the Challenge mode in B2/W2.
Just have that and my lead Pokemon follow behind me, I'll be happy.
Just have that and my lead Pokemon follow behind me, I'll be happy.
Lunarwhale
Member
Pokemon's been moving further and further from offering a decent adventure and more towards catering to the crowd that wants instant gratification and the crowd that would rather there not be a main plotline at all so that they could hop right into competitive battling. To me it's pretty unfortunate, but its shift from offering a solid single player RPG adventure seems fairly intentional.
I don't really get why either. As a kid what I liked most was being able to just ignore a part that I was getting hung up on in Kanto and go wander around elsewhere. I can't see the intense linearity being enjoyable for anyone who actually wants to play a game like this.
I don't really get why either. As a kid what I liked most was being able to just ignore a part that I was getting hung up on in Kanto and go wander around elsewhere. I can't see the intense linearity being enjoyable for anyone who actually wants to play a game like this.
Thank you to OP because I've just realized how the first three generations of Pokemon have rather good map compared to the more recent ones. What I mean by being good, is that they have many places where it loop back to early area. Such level is what actually that rewards exploration because they don't have to fear of backtracking while subsequently feel an accomplishment for having visited and area that are not accessible before.
Now I'll just be frank, GameFreak and Nintendo fears of their audience especially children being lost in their game is misguided and only serve to hurt them in the process. Exploration is one aspect that universally loved by people, especially children. This is why I said their fear being misguided because being lost is part of exploration. When you're getting you'll be searching for a way to get into the right track by looking for help from your friend or clues from the NPC.
So I found it to be kinda ironic and saddening for a series that have two separate versions on every new instalment to encourage player to player interaction becoming ever more self contained. You no longer share your tale of getting through a cave with no repel whith only 1 Pokemon left because exploration no longer worth sharing. There's no value to be gained or given from exploration that made easy. Now all you do is just trading and battling other people, because that's what you only do in Pokemon right?
In the end, it's surprising that they haven't make the game just straight up Pokemon Coliseum because judging from many post here, people no longer craves for exploration. So why are we not cut the middle, annoying crap of raising and go for the main thing that battles and more battles?
Now I'll just be frank, GameFreak and Nintendo fears of their audience especially children being lost in their game is misguided and only serve to hurt them in the process. Exploration is one aspect that universally loved by people, especially children. This is why I said their fear being misguided because being lost is part of exploration. When you're getting you'll be searching for a way to get into the right track by looking for help from your friend or clues from the NPC.
So I found it to be kinda ironic and saddening for a series that have two separate versions on every new instalment to encourage player to player interaction becoming ever more self contained. You no longer share your tale of getting through a cave with no repel whith only 1 Pokemon left because exploration no longer worth sharing. There's no value to be gained or given from exploration that made easy. Now all you do is just trading and battling other people, because that's what you only do in Pokemon right?
In the end, it's surprising that they haven't make the game just straight up Pokemon Coliseum because judging from many post here, people no longer craves for exploration. So why are we not cut the middle, annoying crap of raising and go for the main thing that battles and more battles?
I don't know why they take streamlining means game being easier and havingless option. A game could be more streamlined while offering the same array,if not more, of options with fine tuning the (optional) challenge and additional content.
As much as Team Plasma have well explained motivation, it become tiring that after 4 generations, the story of Pokemon always revolved arouns bunch of badguys want to fuck up the world with legendaries. Why couldn't ve the stories is just about the trainer, their rival(s), their pokemon, and their journey? I get it that they want legendaries for movie materials but Mewtwo can do just fine with being an optional boss. Making the legendaries mandatory have them less exciting than it was before.
So I'm talking with my friend and he's proposing an idea on HM field action management. You'd start with a simple baseline of 3 HMs, Strength, Surf, and Fly, land, sea, and air. The TMs like Waterfall, Dive, and Whirlpool are branches of Surf. To ease HM management, he's suggesting branching methods by having a map or attack option. You can learn only 4 attacks as usual, but new option is 1 map move and re-writable.
So for example, Surf is our baseline. You taught your Blastoise Surf but don't want to teach it Waterfall and sacrifice a better attack move. Because it knows Surf, you could boot up TM Waterfall and teach it as a map move instead for field actions specifically. Of course you can also still teach it as an attack move and it would still function like your typical HM.
Strength > Cut > Rock Smash > Rock Climb
Surf > Waterfall > Dive > Whirlpool
Fly > Defog
The only way for the Pokemon to learn it specifically as a map move is for the Pokemon to already know the baseline HM. And again, it would be re-writable since all these branches are now TMs with only Strength, Surf, and Fly as the only HMs of the game.
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It's an interesting idea to go about HM management, but what I've read from him, it does look like it would work out well. It solves the management issue, and TMs can be gotten through story and side stuff. It would also focus on the basic 3 mechanics which in turn could open up the main map more for exploration much like when you finally got Cut in RBY.
So for example, Surf is our baseline. You taught your Blastoise Surf but don't want to teach it Waterfall and sacrifice a better attack move. Because it knows Surf, you could boot up TM Waterfall and teach it as a map move instead for field actions specifically. Of course you can also still teach it as an attack move and it would still function like your typical HM.
Strength > Cut > Rock Smash > Rock Climb
Surf > Waterfall > Dive > Whirlpool
Fly > Defog
The only way for the Pokemon to learn it specifically as a map move is for the Pokemon to already know the baseline HM. And again, it would be re-writable since all these branches are now TMs with only Strength, Surf, and Fly as the only HMs of the game.
--
It's an interesting idea to go about HM management, but what I've read from him, it does look like it would work out well. It solves the management issue, and TMs can be gotten through story and side stuff. It would also focus on the basic 3 mechanics which in turn could open up the main map more for exploration much like when you finally got Cut in RBY.
Yes, Pokemon numbers are always limited to the regional dex up until the post game. That way I think Safari-zone like could still work if GameFreak didn't ever try to pull XY again with too many pokemons on its regional dex (possibly to cover up the lacking number of the new pokemon themselves). National dex are always post-game content and it was never designed to be completed by one game.
Anyway, I'm still baffled by GameFreak's decision to just throwaway their attempt at soft reboot with BW. In generation V, we're not just having a new region but actually a new country. They could easily make generation 6 take place in another part of expy-America and mix it up with their impressive numbers of new pokemon they've made from the previous version. But somehow they move to France and somehow shoved every Pokemon that shouldn't been there because of time constraints.
No need to get all complicated with 1 map move and certain moves being baselines and stuff like that. Just make everything TMs and give every pokemon two separate movesets. One for battle, one for field actions. If a TM has field action properties, but is good for battle as well, put it in the battle moveset and you can use it for battle and field actions. If a TM has field action properties but sucks, just throw it in the field action moveset and then it's not a burden. Each moveset is limited to 4, and pokemon can learn certain moves but not others just like always. This allows the game to still section off secret or higher level areas by game progression, but gets rid of all the annoyance of HM slaves and forcing bad moves on your pokemon. Bingo, all the good things about HMs with none of the bad. Also, you can put any move into the field action slot, not just surf, strength, etc. Don't forget that lots of moves have field actions that aren't HMs. Moves like headbutt to knock pokemon out of trees, or sweet scent to immediately summon hordes. They could even make it so you could use weather moves as field actions this way. With this in mind we should be able to create our perfect pokemon team in single player without all the compromises we've had before, while still having access to all these various, very useful field actions.
I always confused why they keep HMs when they already make TMs permanent and reusable.
I always assumed its because they want it to feel like your Pokemon are interacting with the world and are helping you travel.
I still hate them very, very much, though.
But there are TMs that do that as well. And thanks to the introduction of the move deleter and reusable TMs, HMs and TMs are now basically the same thing. So why bother making them HMs? Cut out the middle man and just make them TMs with properties like the other TMs with properties.
HawthorneKitty
Sgt. 2nd Class in the Creep Battalion, Waifu Wars
If they were TMs, you could potentially trap your character and force you to restart your game.
Then don't allow the player to sell or toss TMs. It's not like we need the extra space in our bags anymore. We can afford to keep all of them, and there's no reason not to.
HawthorneKitty
Sgt. 2nd Class in the Creep Battalion, Waifu Wars
It's because you can trade Pokemon anywhere now. Surf to a island piece of land, trade off all your Pokemon that can Surf. You dead unless you get one that can; it won't work with TM.
Wait, why is that? The only situation I can think of offhand is if you could throw away the TM and then overwrite the move? If you can even still throw away TMs? But then they could just remove the ability to throw them away, right?
EDIT: Nevermind, you just answered this... but wait, how is that unique to TMs? Is there something about trading HM Pokemon that I'm forgetting?
EDIT: Ohhhhhh they made it so you can't reade Pokemon with HMs? Weird... If it was up to me I'd keep trading limited to Pokemon Centers rather than overcomplicate HMs, but I get why they want to keep connectivity features like that available at all times, so it's fine I guess...
Personally I wish they'd replace HMs with tools your character got, like an axe to replace cut, or a surfboard or rock climbing gear, but I guess that's not very thematic so they probably won't ever do it...
Ah. Valuable point. Sort of. They could just not let you trade pokemon that know the move while still making it a TM. But the semantics of it all doesn't really matter to me. All I really want is for them to make it so I don't have to go to a move deleter anymore. Make it so if only one pokemon knows it, I can't delete or trade that pokemon it until teaching it to another pokemon, but don't make me go to a move deleter. And then do everything else I said in that other post about battle and field moves. Would solve all the problems.
I remember my impression from playing XY was that its dungeon design (and overworld as well) was streamlined to a point of them being just a series of straight lines, absolutely impossible to get lost in and requiring zero mental effort.
"Dumb kid must be able to beat this" is an awful design philosophy.
"Dumb kid must be able to beat this" is an awful design philosophy.
MikeBreezy92
Member
Kanto is to Pokemon as The Spenser Mansion is to RE1/REmake.
Oh and give me the Item PC back. I really don't like EVERY item being in my pack.
Oh and give me the Item PC back. I really don't like EVERY item being in my pack.
Pokemaniac
Member
Only if they put a lot more work into making the level curve work than they did in Gen II. It really didn't work out so well in those game, especially once you reach Kanto.
I don't think the issues are as large as you think.
You say people don't get lost anymore? What about Mt. Coronet? Or Terminus Cave. Or Clay Tunnel
Terminus Cave is an option place by the way. As is Pokémon Village. These things you list still exist in the game. Caves are also more gruelling.
I think Fantastapotamus hit the nail on the head a little, too. A lot of it was due to how much information we could get back in the day. We couldn't just easily jump online, go to a site's location database and see these things. That's why it felt like a challenge. While some areas are linear now, the optional ones are not.
That's simple.
They do that so HM moves are different and you can't inadvertently trap yourself in an area. Imagine you're in Pacifidlog Town and you have no Fishing Rod, but you just levelled up your Lapras, which is your only one that knows Surf. You replace Surf with the new move. Bam, you're stuck in Pacifidlog forever. Trapped.
They do not want that sort of thing to happen.
You say people don't get lost anymore? What about Mt. Coronet? Or Terminus Cave. Or Clay Tunnel
Terminus Cave is an option place by the way. As is Pokémon Village. These things you list still exist in the game. Caves are also more gruelling.
I think Fantastapotamus hit the nail on the head a little, too. A lot of it was due to how much information we could get back in the day. We couldn't just easily jump online, go to a site's location database and see these things. That's why it felt like a challenge. While some areas are linear now, the optional ones are not.
That's simple.
They do that so HM moves are different and you can't inadvertently trap yourself in an area. Imagine you're in Pacifidlog Town and you have no Fishing Rod, but you just levelled up your Lapras, which is your only one that knows Surf. You replace Surf with the new move. Bam, you're stuck in Pacifidlog forever. Trapped.
They do not want that sort of thing to happen.
Neoleo2143
Member
I want more individually designed encounters, enemy trainer pokemon switching and removal of shift battles. Give Gym trainers more pokemon. They can do this with all the variety they can afford throughout the game for pokemon catchers. Also give us two types of EXP shares. More TMs too.
The overworld mazes would be appreciated, more optional areas would be nice for the main game, a more labyrinthine structure would be neat. Especially if they keep the huge pokemon counts, because having unique areas for cool or decently strong pokemon would sway me to go get them.
More stuff like pokestar studios would be cool, I really liked Pokestar for the weird encounters that could never happen in the main game.
Also have a fun character or more that developed like N, Bianca and Cheren did.
The overworld mazes would be appreciated, more optional areas would be nice for the main game, a more labyrinthine structure would be neat. Especially if they keep the huge pokemon counts, because having unique areas for cool or decently strong pokemon would sway me to go get them.
More stuff like pokestar studios would be cool, I really liked Pokestar for the weird encounters that could never happen in the main game.
Also have a fun character or more that developed like N, Bianca and Cheren did.
Some trainers do switch. You can turn Shift Battles off. Why remove it when you have an option right there? I agree about Gym Pokémon though. As for more TMs, there's already 100. That's a TM for a just under a fifth of the moves. I don't think more are needed.
Neoleo2143
Member
I know the option is cool, but Set battle is just a straight up improvement in my opinion. If we're giving the enemies more options give the trainers more options. And TMs are really convenient and I love that convenience too much.
They do switch but not often enough.
But the option is there so why advocate the removal of it to just be one way? Options are best.
Someone had suggested a remake of FireRed/LeafGreen. Yes, a remake of a remake. I had never wanted to punch a wall more than I did when I read that comment.
I'm glad Nintendo decided to release the original games on virtual console instead of investing more time in releasing yet another iteration of that generation.
I'm glad Nintendo decided to release the original games on virtual console instead of investing more time in releasing yet another iteration of that generation.
For me, RBY coming to VC was far more unlikely than RBY being remade again. Before the Sun/Moon announcement, I thought a RBY remake or a full blown RBY2 was a real possibility. I wouldn't be surprised if we get a RBY remake or RBY2 one day. We still don't know a lot about SuMo, so it could have some major tie in with Kanto.
Dark Ninja
Member
I would take a remake if it was on a home console. A sequel to the Kanto region would be better though.
Cipher Peon
Banned
What if I only bring a Finneon (with Surf) to Route 226 and trade it for the German Magikarp and have no fishing rods or rare candies on my person and then save? What then, NERD????
You know what would fix all HM issues forever?
Change them to key items like the Bicycle. Surf is now a raft, Cut is now a hatchet, Rock Smash is now a drill/hammer, etc.
Of course you could still do it with Pokemon if you wanted, but only if you had the equivalent key item. Boom, no more requiring Pokemon to have crappy moves just to progress through in-game areas. No more division of HMs and TMs.
Change them to key items like the Bicycle. Surf is now a raft, Cut is now a hatchet, Rock Smash is now a drill/hammer, etc.
Of course you could still do it with Pokemon if you wanted, but only if you had the equivalent key item. Boom, no more requiring Pokemon to have crappy moves just to progress through in-game areas. No more division of HMs and TMs.
But we had a sequel to Kanto... That's Johto, and it has everyone aged up a couple of years. Unless you all mean a new protag in that region again and meet Red and Gold atop a mountain with everyone aged up even further. Ya'll are going to make Misty and Erika old woman. Blaine will probably be really short and feeble if he's still around.
Prof. Oak might even be dead and Blue takes over.
Prof. Oak might even be dead and Blue takes over.
This!! FFS!
But I would separate Flash, Strength, Cut, Fly etc into natural moves (like any other) and then make the traditional field functions of those moves into key Items (Flash a Torch, Cut into Garden Clippers etc)
frozenmeatpopsicle
Neo Member
My suggestion to assuage HM's, would be to remove the need to delete moves at all.
I'd suggest that each Pokemon has a "Attack Pool" and and a "Battle Set". All attacks learned(HM's, TM's and Tutors included) go into the "Attack Pool" as they're learned. In that pool you select the 4 you want to use in battles, ie. the "Battle Set". When you learn a new attack, instead of asking if you wish to delete a move, it asks if you want to set it as one of the 4 battle attack, otherwise it just goes into the pool.
HM's(and some TM's), would be usable whether they are in the set or pool. This way, you could teach your chosen water-type Surf, Waterfall, and Dive, but you can choose to only use the ones you want in battle, rather than wasting a slot in the battle set.
This would also kinda mean that the Move Relearner would be as redundant as the Move Deleter, except for the case of Lv. 1 moves, but there's probably a way to rework that too. Hell, maybe they automatically get added to the pool on evolution, but no auto-prompt to add to the set?
I'd suggest that each Pokemon has a "Attack Pool" and and a "Battle Set". All attacks learned(HM's, TM's and Tutors included) go into the "Attack Pool" as they're learned. In that pool you select the 4 you want to use in battles, ie. the "Battle Set". When you learn a new attack, instead of asking if you wish to delete a move, it asks if you want to set it as one of the 4 battle attack, otherwise it just goes into the pool.
HM's(and some TM's), would be usable whether they are in the set or pool. This way, you could teach your chosen water-type Surf, Waterfall, and Dive, but you can choose to only use the ones you want in battle, rather than wasting a slot in the battle set.
This would also kinda mean that the Move Relearner would be as redundant as the Move Deleter, except for the case of Lv. 1 moves, but there's probably a way to rework that too. Hell, maybe they automatically get added to the pool on evolution, but no auto-prompt to add to the set?
There's probably better terms for the "pool" and "set", but my point is the functionality, not the names.
The Xtortionist
Member
This would be a fantastic quality of life feature.
The games are in such a weird middle spot. Everything feels like bandages. Like those EV mini games. They're a better solution for EV training than battle-grinding EVs... but who the fuck actually wants to play them? Have EVs and put them on sliders or don't have EVs at all.
Likewise moves. Between fat TM stacks, move relearner, and move deleter, Pokemon already have access to a huge set of moves, and can trivially swap out their whole set... by why do I have to fly around to different cities to make it happen?
I wanna see the games commit to either being battle-optimized or being adventure-optimized. The idea of exploring a world, cooperating with your team is cool. But HMs don't build that emotional investment anymore, people just carry HM slaves. So drastically expand HM (or other out-of-battle moves) or else remove them entirely and compensate by rethinking the battles, so you don't have room on a team for a slave.
Unfortunately, Pokemon carries too much weight now. They can't risk a drastic upheaval. I wish someone would make a Pokemon competitor. Rethink the Pokemon assumptions from the fundamentals. The current games don't have a thesis statement, they feel bloated.
Likewise moves. Between fat TM stacks, move relearner, and move deleter, Pokemon already have access to a huge set of moves, and can trivially swap out their whole set... by why do I have to fly around to different cities to make it happen?
I wanna see the games commit to either being battle-optimized or being adventure-optimized. The idea of exploring a world, cooperating with your team is cool. But HMs don't build that emotional investment anymore, people just carry HM slaves. So drastically expand HM (or other out-of-battle moves) or else remove them entirely and compensate by rethinking the battles, so you don't have room on a team for a slave.
Unfortunately, Pokemon carries too much weight now. They can't risk a drastic upheaval. I wish someone would make a Pokemon competitor. Rethink the Pokemon assumptions from the fundamentals. The current games don't have a thesis statement, they feel bloated.
Theanine3D
Member
I'm honestly glad they've made the games easier. Anything to get me through that godawful recycled story faster is fine by me. The EXP Share changes in XY were very welcome.
I don't expect them to ever add a competent story to the main games. They're targeted to little kids who wouldn't understand anything complex.
I don't expect them to ever add a competent story to the main games. They're targeted to little kids who wouldn't understand anything complex.
Neoleo2143
Member
All they really need is pokemon Black levels of story, a relatively simple conflict with characters that also develop into their own and an ending that leaves you with some nice food for thought.
One reason why I love Unova so much is how exploring has been handled.
Overall the map structure is very linear, Wich allows to go trough the story quite fast.
However, if you decide to spend more time on the routes, you'll notice how many of them are actually quite large, with lots of stuff you can find.
The map structure in Black/White hit the perfect balance of being linear while still allowing to explore a lot. X/Y Kinda regressed on that a bit by making the areas a bit more linear. There are still a few areas that encourage exploration though.
Overall the map structure is very linear, Wich allows to go trough the story quite fast.
However, if you decide to spend more time on the routes, you'll notice how many of them are actually quite large, with lots of stuff you can find.
The map structure in Black/White hit the perfect balance of being linear while still allowing to explore a lot. X/Y Kinda regressed on that a bit by making the areas a bit more linear. There are still a few areas that encourage exploration though.
Yellowflashdude
Member
If theres one aspect of pokemon that I would like improvements on, it would be the story. They don't even have to stray from the gym/elite four formula, just look at digimon world 3.
Exterminieren
Banned
I honestly like how Black and White's routes were handled. Yeah, the region is a circle, and the routes are short from point A to B, but pretty much every single one has a substantial optional component to explore, with items, trainers and even optional standalone Pokémon to discover. Yeah, you can run around the region in ten minutes if you fancy it, but the sheer density of the content off the beaten track is enormous, and there are many hours of fun to be had exploring the little branches of the routes, going up waterfalls and finding legendary or unique Pokémon. I'd probably argue that no Pokémon game has as much optional content and sights to see as Black and White.
Starwolf_UK
Member
I can't help but feel a Gen I made in the style of a modern game would put strong currents to prevent you from surfing south from Palette Town to reach Cinnabar.
That reminds me somewhat of the potential twitch plays Pokemon loss state of having no trainers to fight, no items to sell, no payday and not enough money to enter the Safari Zone (I heard there was a free entry but it gave you a lot less balls). I guess the fresh water is a similar problem.
Now having to play the super training mini-games for certain evolution stones *shudder*...
Like how the link trading and accessing the GTS NPCs died perhaps the name rater, move deleter, move reminder etc will also go away one day.
I don't think grinding is going anywhere as gamefreak has this idea of making it like sports where you put effort in to get results.
I would say you would have to trade your party away with another player but then I remembered it's Gen IV so you still have to go to the special place to do those. Assuming PSS is present that should never happen again provided you can find someone who wants a German Magikarp.
That reminds me somewhat of the potential twitch plays Pokemon loss state of having no trainers to fight, no items to sell, no payday and not enough money to enter the Safari Zone (I heard there was a free entry but it gave you a lot less balls). I guess the fresh water is a similar problem.
The really hilarious thing about this is for the first few days people were "tihs a breakthrough, I can fully EV train something in 45 minutes" only for a few days later it was "guys you can use hordes for EV training, stack with power items, pokerus and use the godawful abomination that is the EXP share and you can fully EV train up to 6 Pokemon in 12 minutes".
Now having to play the super training mini-games for certain evolution stones *shudder*...
Like how the link trading and accessing the GTS NPCs died perhaps the name rater, move deleter, move reminder etc will also go away one day.
I don't think grinding is going anywhere as gamefreak has this idea of making it like sports where you put effort in to get results.