Figuring out where I last left off, I came across this:
Test Or Strength?
I do not believe its ever specifically been said that Gym Leaders use specific teams based on the number of Badges a trainer has. The ONLY instance of this concept in any canon is the anime special Pokemon Origins. (...)
Otherwise, it's never really said, only implied because as we get later and later it's the only explanation that makes sense.
(Goes through the gens explaining how the Gym Leader have shown they had stronger Pokemon yet still never outright said they use different teams based on number of Badges)
And in a few days Gen 9 will now be adding a new page to all this. They're letting us challenge the Gyms in any order. How is that going to work? Are we going to see different teams? Will it be the same team but they're composed in a way they fit no matter when you battel them (big DOUBT on this from what we know about one Gym Leader's team)? Will Levels change or there be additional rules which change how Levels work? Or will there be an implied order but, if you want, you can just skip over some (and then come back to completely sweep them later... somehow I don't think this will be the case). And, if there is some kind of team changes based on the order of when the player challenge them, will they finally say that Gym Leaders adjust their teams based on the # of Badges? 7 more days.
WELL! We now have some answers, including to the BIG ONE!
So, how did Gen 9 handle its Gym Leaders? There's still a set order, no level scaling, and you can perfectly skip over some and go back to steamroll (as I accidentally found out by challenging the 7th Gym Leader as my fourth!). Oh past, you were so naive to put so much trust into GF.
But back to the big question, well, like previous gens, there is a moment in Gen 9 when we go back to re-challenge the Gym Leaders. After becoming Champion, Nemona wants to hold a battle tournament for the school and wants Top Champion Geeta to be a part of it (as she's not only the chairwoman of the Pokemon League but also a Board Member of the Academy). Geeta of course is very busy, but Nemona says she'll handle the nitty-gritty of organizing the tournament while the player can take Geeta's most time demanding task: the annual Gym Leader Reassessment. The player goes around to all the Gym Leaders and battles them again, this time them using teams as strong as the Elite Four. And that's when it's FINALLY said, via the Pastry Baker & Bug-type Gym Leader Katy when you challenge her:
"How many Gyms had you been to when you first came here to mine? Was it your first? The Cortondo Gym is close to the academy, so many young Trainers just starting out like to come here first. With that in mind, La Primera asks me to go soft on Trainers–like a nice sponge cake. I feel sad for my sweet little bugs, though, since that means they quite often lose their battles. Hehe. But opportunities like this get me excited because I can finally show my true skill."
So, at least in Paldea but I imagine its the same for other region's Pokemon Leagues, Gym Leaders are requested to use weaker teams against trainers taking the Pokemon League challenge. Now, there doesn't seem to be a "set" scale of how weak/strong their Pokemon should be, Katy's team will always be Level 14-15 if you challenge her first or last. Same for all Paldea Gym Leaders, seems like some are more willing to use weaker teams than others, likely depending on the approximate distance when the Academy and their Gym (except for Tulip cause she's a b****).
Mystery solved... wait, this is the Annoyance thread not the Mystery/Conspiracy thread, um... Mystery solved BUT it's annoying how in Scarlet & Violet, games advertised to be open world and how you can challenge the Gym Leaders in any order, that there is infact a set order but you can skip around it if you feel inclined. Because they couldn't be bothered to make like 3 or 4 teams for each Gym Leader and have the Pokemon increase in Level depending on the # of League Badges...
I thought they'd finally do something unique with Dugtrio by making it a Water/Dragon or something, or even forgoing the trio concept altogether (maybe the Wiglett's that evolved from Diglett decided that it would be better to only have one head as their evolution, or maybe two, larger heads?). Aaaand then we get red reskin of Dugtrio that's attached to a rock instead of the ground.
Remember in-lore the Wiglett family has no relation to the Diglett family, which only makes them giving the Wiglett family the same stats and evo concept even more annoying. Regional Variants being similar? Fine, they're subspecies, makes sense they would share similar stats. But this is an example of convergent evolution, sure it starts out the "same" but notable differences should make it clear they are different from one another.
Scovillian is such a shit mon and concept. Instead they could hav given sunflora a cross evolution with was a grass/fire type on evolution but no
I like the Grass/Fire Chili Pepper idea... I just don't get the rest. Why a pseudo-dinosaur (before you point out Shroomish, it has an odd defense why it has a pseudo-dinosaur theme as in addition to being a mushroom is also resembles an egg in a nest)? Why a comedy/tragedy mask reference? Why even have two heads, referencing mild and spicy peppers, when you're just going to completely focus on the spicy?
Though, there's nothing saying Sunflora still can't get an evolution in the future now that they're doing cross evolutions again.
I remember someone saying something similar about the Gen 8 starters, how they look more like hyper-stylised individuals than species that could function in an ecosystem.
Sadly Meowscarada & Quaquaval aren't any better, though I think Skeledirge at least in its base design escapes this for the most part (not so much doing its Signature Move).
I think the only reason Toxel is a baby pokemon is because it is explicitly a baby by conceptual design. Like it crawls around and throws tantrums as animations and everything.
I don't know why they made it a baby-baby but it clearly tickled gamefreak enough.
And then we get Tinkatink who isn't considered a baby even though it's essentially using a rattle.
I mean, it (Toxtricity) should have been a shillmon (and unlike the likes of Lucario or Zoroark, it actually looks good...) but the amount of exposure it got through all different official media is a far cry from what one would call a shillmon. Not to mention it went completely unrevealed before release.
I think what
ScraftyIsTheBest meant that it has the hallmarks of a "shillmon", but for whatever reason GF either stepped back from doing the actual marketing/publicity of it. Curious if it maybe has to do with how Gen 8's marketing pulled back on the reveals which Gen 7 was hugely criticized for (which Gen 8 must have received positive comments from as Gen 9 followed the same formula; less reveals, some bits of viral promotion for one Pokemon).
Pokemon Colosseum being the only game in the series to have no way of obtaining extra Pokemon. I'm importing some Pokemon atm both to use in the Battle Mode and also as a method of safe storage (the GCN games are fortresses compared to ever-aging GBA carts) and the fact that you're limited to the 48 snagged mons and the four non-Shadow species is a complete headache. The only way to fill the remaining 38 box spaces (and 6 party slots) is to import dozens of Nincada, evolve them, and trade the resulting Ninjask and Shedinja back, which is time-consuming and extremely laborious.
Why not use the Box RS to store your Pokemon?
In all seriousness, while Scarlet and Violet might be in my opinion the best game in the series, the title screen is easily the worst in the series. And yes, I'm pretty sure I did beat the game before I realized the title screen had music.
... the title screen has music? *Checks game and, indeed, there is* I swear that wasn't there before, also I don't think there was ever a crowd cheer either.
*Checks Youtube*
IT'S A POST GAME REWARD?! Okay, so apparently, before beating the game, you only hear the
background noise of inside a classroom. Once you beat the game, that's when you get the
title music! But as
DrumstickGaming says, they still have the classroom noises playing. BUT THAT'S NOT TECHNICALLY TRUE! There is still classroom noises, BUT there is some additional noises on top of that such as a crowd cheering when the music starts up (I can't find any Youtube video of this).
And about the title screen itself. Yeah, as is, pretty bad. BUT I don't think just having the Version Legendary instead would improve things. Well, it would be better what we have now, but it would still be boring. What they should have done was having the Title Screen background & music be based on the location you last saved:
- Saved in the School, you get this background and the school music.
- Saved in a town/city, get an image of it and the music that plays there.
- If you're somewhere in the wild, the image will be based on where you are, meanwhile the music will just be the overworld music for that province.
- And they could maybe throw in some extra ones for fun: Pokemon Centers could have their own image & music, the Team Star bases each have their own image depending who's base you're at and the general Team Star encounter theme, and of course Area 0 (maybe have a few images based on if you're in the wilderness area, crystal caves, or the time machine).
THEN, as the post game reward, you can select to have a specific location's image & theme be static until you choose another (or have it be based on where you saved, or maybe throw in a random option).
I also think it's reasonable that the Pokedex would lack data on them because depending on the timespan between present and the Paradoxes' native eras (and they could even come from several different points therein), there probably isn't a lot to go on for non-speculative info besides the odd sighting like the Titan Donphan.
Surely the Paradox obsessed Professor would have written notes about their behaviors, especially if there goal was to have the Paradox Pokemon live in peace in modern times. Like, for one thing, it can be explained why they were given their codenames. What's so special about Scream Tail's scream you named it after it, also that "tail" looks more like a long sash of hair. It's pretty odd Slither Wing slithers around despite having wings, why does it have wings if it cannot fly? What about Sandy Shocks is "sandy"? Does Roaring Moon roar at the moon, is that really the trait which stands out about it? Oh all the things you could have called Iron Jugulis, it was named after its necks (I'd be more focused on the fanged maws on the necks personally, Iron Jaws)? Thorns is a pretty specific term, usually referring to plant thorns, and Iron Thorns isn't Grass-type, why not Iron Spikes if that's the big trait?
I could make up some descriptions. Heck, I already made up proper names and Categories (they're all categorized as Paradox Pokemon, really?) for them I plan on showing later when I look through all the new Pokemon after going through the game's story on the Scarlet & Violet thread.
The layout of the regions has been odd for a while and I'm kind of just now noticing it. Specifically, why did they start running you into an extremely large city right out the gate?
Mesagoza really could have done with a Cab Service like Lumiose City. The map doesn't show you elevation or where come places connect or don't, which means you can follow a path going to a specific shop and end up on a side of it which you can't access it so you have to fine another way around.
I personally really liked having a big place to explore, especially once I could ride my 'Raidon and jump to rooftops (I think I explored it fully though now that I have all the upgrades guess it doesn't hurt to check it all over again). But I can see how it can be overwhelming for either new players or players who just want to get a move on.
Well Toby Fox from what I read in at least one interview got along with the Game Freak people fine, so I don’t think it’s a royalty dispute.
To be clear I'm not saying GameFreak would necessarily have an issue with it nor would Toby Fox have an issue with it but, if this would ever be an issue, someone in the production process would probably go "BUT OUR MONEY!" at it.
I would feel Fox's work would have been commissioned, thus already paid for and fully owned by GF.
Like, maybe the Battle Tower music in SwSh might not be owned by GF, being its based on a previous song he made. But as said they could just exclude that song from the official soundtrack.
Any discussion about fixing Electivire probably should take into account how it was designed to parallel Magmortar
Still waiting for that Jynx evo.
On the subject of Dark types, all wild Dark types in gen II were nocturnal (Tyranitar is the only one that isn't nocturnal and has zero references to night), and the type was represented by a crescent moon in the TCG. (...)
So, going from 5/6 Dark types being nocturnal or otherwise connected to nighttime, Pokémon is currently at maybe 12-13 out of 83. So like, it's kinda weird for the type to utilize that motif as a common icon or defining feature. (...) The icon has been changed to...I think it's supposed to be an evil-looking eye, at least for the main series, which suits Dark type as a whole better than a crescent moon. But it does feel like a bit of a waste that more wasn't done with the motif when it so strongly defines the type's iconography.
While the main series moved to an "evil eye", the crescent moon is
still used occasionally like in Pokemon Masters & New Pokemon Snap.
Dark generally feels like a Type GF struggled to have some greater connecting themes. For example, look how Dark has been represented by some past Super Mechanics: the Z-Move was a black hole, the Max Move was two tendrils made of "dark" energy which wrapped around the target and exploded, and the Tera crown is a evil grimacing face with a twinkle in the eye(?).
I don't feel it was a waste that Dark no longer uses the crescent moon, especially Fairy having a connection to the moon now. Also, I say GF struggles for a theme, but that's suggesting they want one for Dark. Its probably a pain when it comes to the super mechanic, but Dark being so versatile is probably something GF likes. It allows them to slap it onto a Pokemon which has any hint of maliciousness, ferocity, darkness, negatively, rebelliousness, etc.. And that also includes "night", whether it means a Pokemon that's nocturnal, represents an aspect of night or the moon, or a future super mechanic needs something for Dark-types to be associated with. Not gone, just put on the side to be used when appropriate.
Jesus, that's downright horrific. How have I never heard of this before?
The actual name of the "practice" is
Tsujigiri. How often it happened is very questionable, not to mention was illegal. Anyone who did it, samurai or not (there's one case of a wealthy lord described on the Wikipedia page), was considered insane and put to death if caught. If I were to think of some equivalencies, what comes to mind would be the concept of Russian roulette or someone poisoning Halloween candy (or putting razor blades in them).
Stopping on Page 487 for now.
