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Do you Prefer Smogon or Serebii?
- Thread starter Chinchou
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Serebii is better in every way tbh.
This is the ultimate perfect forum imo
I only really use Serebii for new information but other than that I prefer Smogon because I've never signed up for the forums :P.
They do different things. Yes SPPf has increased their Competitive focus but Serebii has always been more focused on news - anime/manga/games/Corocoro leaks, etc. The forums also have discussion for a lot more facets of Pokémon than Smogon's do. The #spp-wifi channel has always been bigger and easier to find trades on. However, for battling and competitive prowess, Smogon will always be better, as well as the ease of trading for perfect EV/IV/moveset mons specifically for battling.
Smogon is heavily moderated, and thank the heavens for that. It is strict on the enthusiastic newbies who want to discuss their favourite aspects of Pokémon, and make wishlists and game ideas to their hearts' content. One liner posts are discouraged. In places, you have to ask the moderators to be allowed to make threads at all. It's not a very easy place to make yourself familiar with forum etiquette, you have to know the rules upon arrival, or you're thrown out.
Yes, moderating can be a killjoy, but the orderly structure of Smogon also allows for more intelligent discussion. The "elitist" attitude might discourage the glowing, enthusiastic, know-nothing-fans, but the ones who stay make pretty awesome discussions. Smogon is a place for serious discussion (apart from A Forum, which is in-jokes piled on in-jokes until only the mods know what is going on. Taking the threads at face value - like I try here - is futile most of the time. I don't even know why I post here, I should really know better). Even though the subject matter is quite childish on the surface, it's not (allowed to be) treated as such. We discuss the mechanics, not the interface, so to speak. Pokémon is a kids' game, that much is true, but it's also a pretty complex game when you look beyond the monsters themselves. We don't focus that much on the Pokémon the way you see them when playing the games or watching the anime, but the game they reside in and the ways to use them. The grown-up part, so to speak. Pokémon fans become fans because of the bells and whistles, but they come to Smogon to discuss the gears and pistons making up the battling aspect. Serebii embraces the "surface" a lot more, and thus draws in the crowd of "casual" Pokémon players. We do have a subforum for that as well, but you still have to follow the same standards that apply to the competitive parts.
My visits to the Serebii forums have been very brief, but it appears as if they are a lot more loosely moderated, making a more child-friendly atmosphere. In that sense, Smogon and Serebii fulfill different roles. Serebii introducing fans to Pokémon discussions, Smogon taking them to the next level. I'm glad both exist, and I'd be sad to see either of them go.
Yes, moderating can be a killjoy, but the orderly structure of Smogon also allows for more intelligent discussion. The "elitist" attitude might discourage the glowing, enthusiastic, know-nothing-fans, but the ones who stay make pretty awesome discussions. Smogon is a place for serious discussion (apart from A Forum, which is in-jokes piled on in-jokes until only the mods know what is going on. Taking the threads at face value - like I try here - is futile most of the time. I don't even know why I post here, I should really know better). Even though the subject matter is quite childish on the surface, it's not (allowed to be) treated as such. We discuss the mechanics, not the interface, so to speak. Pokémon is a kids' game, that much is true, but it's also a pretty complex game when you look beyond the monsters themselves. We don't focus that much on the Pokémon the way you see them when playing the games or watching the anime, but the game they reside in and the ways to use them. The grown-up part, so to speak. Pokémon fans become fans because of the bells and whistles, but they come to Smogon to discuss the gears and pistons making up the battling aspect. Serebii embraces the "surface" a lot more, and thus draws in the crowd of "casual" Pokémon players. We do have a subforum for that as well, but you still have to follow the same standards that apply to the competitive parts.
My visits to the Serebii forums have been very brief, but it appears as if they are a lot more loosely moderated, making a more child-friendly atmosphere. In that sense, Smogon and Serebii fulfill different roles. Serebii introducing fans to Pokémon discussions, Smogon taking them to the next level. I'm glad both exist, and I'd be sad to see either of them go.
blitzlefan
shake it off!
Yeah personally I think serebii forums look ugly and I like how stuff in Smogon is more moderated.
Most of smogons' mods are great users and friendly to talk with, it's just sometimes you want to challenge a moderation on the forum and there is no clear way to do so and no Terms of Service to refer to even if you want to, and privileges not based on user contribution is given very arbitrarily to the point one mod can give you VOPs and the other takes it away immediately simply for not liking you.
With that out of the bag, smogon is easily the best place for competitive discussion, pokemon socializing and as a reference for standard sets and does encourage a player to be better in everyway. Serebii is better for the news and anime reviews I suppose, but the site layout and format is an eyesore and I don't find myself ever going there to either get or give advice.
I pretty much view the pokemon sphere on the internet as follows:
Bulbapedia: The pokemon wiki, general encylopedia
Smogon: Competitive pokemon and socializing
Serebii: News and anime reviews, sometimes they have great stat lists
Nuggetbridge: VGC Central
Pokebeach/Jungle: For leaks and and everything new before it officially happens, call it TMZ if you want
Edit: ...and lol Aldaron.
Edit2: Molk stop changing my posts and insulting me, take it to the PMs.
With that out of the bag, smogon is easily the best place for competitive discussion, pokemon socializing and as a reference for standard sets and does encourage a player to be better in everyway. Serebii is better for the news and anime reviews I suppose, but the site layout and format is an eyesore and I don't find myself ever going there to either get or give advice.
I pretty much view the pokemon sphere on the internet as follows:
Bulbapedia: The pokemon wiki, general encylopedia
Smogon: Competitive pokemon and socializing
Serebii: News and anime reviews, sometimes they have great stat lists
Nuggetbridge: VGC Central
Pokebeach/Jungle: For leaks and and everything new before it officially happens, call it TMZ if you want
Edit: ...and lol Aldaron.
Edit2: Molk stop changing my posts and insulting me, take it to the PMs.
Last edited:
I mean absolutely no offense, but some forums are full of simpletons and in my experience I'm not very motivated to post in those. It seemed like Serebii was like that when I joined smogon but maybe that has changed, I don't know.
Their home page can be useful though.
Their home page can be useful though.
ban x5dragon because he cant do anything about it:rolleyes:
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