Unpopular opinions

Remember in X/Y when wild baby Pokemon had 3 guaranteed perfect IVs because they were in the Undiscovered Egg group just like Legendaries? This was considered a bug since it didn't return in any game, which sucks since it gave you motivation to raise them.
AKA:

Tired: Using Korrina's gift Lucario.
Wired: Catching a Riolu on Route 22 with a possible perfect Speed IV and two others. 5% encounter so you have to put in the work, but I'd say it's well worth the effort.
 
Baby Pokémon would’ve worked much better with a different model for breeding. The cool thing about baby mons is that they give their evolved forms access to new moves, often in the form of interesting utility options or unique coverage, but because babies themselves can’t breed, they tend make the process of breeding take so much longer (applies less to the incense babies of course).
 
The cool thing about baby mons is that they give their evolved forms access to new moves, often in the form of interesting utility options or unique coverage).

That point is no longer as important, since as of Gen VIII an evolved Pokemon can learn all of it's pre-evolution exclusive moves via the move relearner, making incense babies have no purpose outside of pokedex filler.
 
Im tired of seeing the gen 4 battle revolution being used as the great examples of battle animation that gamefreak should take.

No offense to those who like the game, but the animations in that game are slow and look really ugly. The fact pokemon just walk towards the enemy really breaks any sense of immersion and makebelive that the games try to put and just says "yeah theyre actually standing like that and waiting each turn, no actual fight happening under the game mechanics of a turn base game, its just how it actually is" and it bothers me a lot.

The animations take so long for everything. It takes long to do a move, it takes long for a pkmn to recover from a move, it takes long for a pokémon to faint. It looks nice in the first 10 minutes and quickly turns into a snooze fest. It being online, with lots of wait probably give them leeway, but if those animations were used for a main pokémon game i'd never turn animations on again

The animations themselves are fine, the speed can be tweaked without new assets.

Not that I'm disagreeing with you, the speed really is too slow.

The combat flow could be like Fire Emblem Three Houses speed-wise. Speaking of which, a dodging animation for missed attacks is something I've been wanting since the N64 era.
 
The speed already is negatively tweaked for faint anims to be faster since XD, and many are cut off before they finish
Really the anims aren't lagging the flow when you realize, Gen 5 is equally as slow combat wise, especially for multihit moves, and Base Gen 4 for HP was MUCH worse, cuz the text prompts interrupting EVERY TIME is silly
I don't like how Genius Sonority got mistreated as "doing all good anims" when that was HAL. The only anims they did were Humans in Colo (which sucked), and Gen 4s and walking (which notably looked terrible compared to 1-3 anims)
And then they ended up merging with Creatures Inc anyway, so bad Gen 6 anims? On them
 
The combat flow could be like Fire Emblem Three Houses speed-wise. Speaking of which, a dodging animation for missed attacks is something I've been wanting since the N64 era.
what do you mean you dont like the opposing pokemon standing without any animation playing, mocking your choice of using focus miss /s

honestly before wanting new animations, i want the optimization of the battle animations and speed first. getting rid of useless box text, maybe using words in battle (like how you get a "miss!" or "super effective!" pop up in other jrpgs) instead of text boxes.
 
Im tired of seeing the gen 4 battle revolution being used as the great examples of battle animation that gamefreak should take.

No offense to those who like the game, but the animations in that game are slow and look really ugly. The fact pokemon just walk towards the enemy really breaks any sense of immersion and makebelive that the games try to put and just says "yeah theyre actually standing like that and waiting each turn, no actual fight happening under the game mechanics of a turn base game, its just how it actually is" and it bothers me a lot.

The animations take so long for everything. It takes long to do a move, it takes long for a pkmn to recover from a move, it takes long for a pokémon to faint. It looks nice in the first 10 minutes and quickly turns into a snooze fest. It being online, with lots of wait probably give them leeway, but if those animations were used for a main pokémon game i'd never turn animations on again
Well, DistantKingdom addresses your criticism of PBR's animations being too slow in the opening seconds, so I'd suggest watching this video. He provides very strong reasoning on how slowness and high animations are correlated to each other. You can have fast animations and still be high quality.

When Pokemon actually does a punching move in PBR, they actually go up to the opponent and punch them. Unlike in Pokemon, where they just perform a basic animation and then a special effect just plays, like Dizzy Punch. It looks really bad. In most other games, the characters at the very least go up to the target before punching them. It just looks really outdated on a 3D console, especially since its a home console. Even for moves like Meteor Mash and Power Whip the Pokemon stays in place and performs a generic animation , the camera just quickly moves to the opposing Pokemon as they take the hit with Special Effects taking place

As someones who studies Animation at College level, I know how difficult it is to animate a series of kicks and punches. So that's probably why Creatures chose to address physical moves in such manner ( and the fact that the games have a strict deadline ). As for Special moves, they are significantly easier to animate than a physical move. For a move like Hyper Beam, all they have to do is use a generic animation and create a focal point in which the beam is shot out. Creating frames for an attack that does not require physical contact is significantly easier. Even the anime prefers to perform special attacks over physical attacks because its easier to do the frames for a beam than it is for punching. Look at Lucario in the anime: Which looks easier to draw frames for: A Blue Ball that travels in a continuous line with no altercations that eventually hits the opponent? Or a series a kicks, punches, and high stands that would require a much greater understanding of how people perform these motions in real life? Its not all perfect on Special animations however. Moves Max Flare performed by Dynamax Charizard and Magmortar do not come out of their mouth or cannon, rather the focal point is created at a certain angle and then the generic animation plays for the attack.

The people are calling out GF not because their animations or Pokemon Models are low quality, but rather they are keeping it in a style that is very reminiscent of 2D Pokemon games despite being in 3D. And not like GF doesn't have the resources to make these models, all existing Pokemon have walking snd running animations in SwSh, so a PBR style is definitely possible. But feels that the real reason why 3D Pokemon games don't look like Stadium is because GF wants everything to look like the 2D era- things like Pokemon facing their backs always can work on 2D, but does not translate well to 3D, where the Pokemon are modeled to scale probably due to the fact that if they were scaled, that camera angle would not work. Or how Pokemon are throwing "bites" and "kicks" at each other despite being in 3D and looking very strange to "throw" those marks. The main problem with how battles are animated in SwSh is the fact that looks identical to Red and Blue, games released more than 20 years ago, are completely inferior hardware.
 
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Stop being mean to Mr. Mime

image.jpg


Look at him. He's a nice fella. Wouldn't hurt a fly, he's just vibin
 
NGL, I do not like the current of making breeding so easy. Since Gen 6, EV training has gotten easier and easier, and now we're able to train their IVs and change their Nature? I mean, it's great that it's so easy to get battle-ready Pokémon, but this is really starting to trivialize the existance of IVs, Natures and EVs in the first place IMO.

Compare this to say, DPPt or HGSS (mostly DPPt) where the EV training process is still rather streamlined (easy to get vitamins, trainer battles and Counter app), but it's still "underground" and not shoved-in-your-face, which I love.
Unpopular opinion: EVs and IVs should play the same role as badge boosts in earlier games: a gradual, in-game way to boost party growth that has no bearing on competitive. I would also love Natures and Abilities to be freely toggleable with no cost; this both lets in-game play be more diverse and makes a more seamless transition from in-game to competitive.

E: yes evs already do that but id prefer they only do that
 
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NGL, I do not like the current of making breeding so easy. Since Gen 6, EV training has gotten easier and easier, and now we're able to train their IVs and change their Nature? I mean, it's great that it's so easy to get battle-ready Pokémon, but this is really starting to trivialize the existance of IVs, Natures and EVs in the first place IMO.

Compare this to say, DPPt or HGSS (mostly DPPt) where the EV training process is still rather streamlined (easy to get vitamins, trainer battles and Counter app), but it's still "underground" and not shoved-in-your-face, which I love.
I don't think EVs and Natures will ever be trivialized, barring a huge restructuring of the game's stat mechanics. They could be directly edited in a character creator style submenu and they still wouldn't be trivialized, because their strength is that they provide strategic depth. Fast? Strong? Bulky? You can't have it all.

IVs, on the other hand, are definitely becoming trivialized, but they were a stupid mechanic in the first place and should be cut.
 
Stop being mean to Mr. Mime

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Look at him. He's a nice fella. Wouldn't hurt a fly, he's just vibin
I don’t dislike Mr. Mime either. I kinda like how it’s idle animation from the 3D games has it pretend it’s in a wall. It’s so full of personality because it lives up to its name!

Speaking of trashing Pokémon, I never understood why Venusaur was so popular aside from ‘Fully evolved starter so it’s nostalgia’ thinking. I think it looks really ugly, especially in the Stadium games where it’s eyes turn blood red when attacked. I find that Vileplume and Victreebel a lot more interesting as Grass/Posion types, since in the 3D games the former has a hard time standing due to the weight of the petals, and the anime is hilarious due to it always eating James when it comes out. I find Tangela and Leafeon much more cuter, with the former being really a cool play on Medusa, it’s based on the head without directly being based on Medusa’s head. And I like Leafeon because I just find it super cute.
 
but I think they are slow AND ugly.
Wow, that IS an unpopular opinion. (Title Drop, woooo :psysly: )

What do you dislike about the actual animations though? Do you think the current ones are better? Just out of curiosity.

But feels that the real reason why 3D Pokemon games don't look like Stadium is because GF wants everything to look like the 2D era- things like Pokemon facing their backs always can work on 2D, but does not translate well to 3D, where the Pokemon are modeled to scale probably due to the fact that if they were scaled, that camera angle would not work.

Pretty much.

The scaling is probably related to either the LGPE team being smarter or Dynamax tho, but the whole point about wack camera angles is exactly it.
 
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What do you dislike about the actual animations though? Do you think the current ones are better? Just out of curiosity.
I think the current ones are... Passable? Idk theres a lot of moves and some take too long for my taste (mainly ends up being legendary exclusive moves). The special effects are very good overall. but camera and the position of certain moves is weird. Some moves look pretty bad though, like double kick and tail whip.
My main issue with current battle is mainly that theres so many text boxes, the weird angles and stops and the models. Basially. Its more how the animations flow with everything else than the actual animations themselves, if it makes sense? But at the same time I feel like it could be so much better that I can't help but go >:|

Other than the slow pace, i find pbr special effects very ugly. I hate how the special moves look, the fire looks very bad, the same with the "aura" effects (as in moves that show some glowing/effects but arent elemental, like some fighting moves). The water moves do look decent though, i dont have an issue with those.

The physical moves with the whole walk look stupid to me, but I already said that. I think physical moves look wonky because when you have two pokemon and one of them makes contact, some "take damage" animations look really wonky. I also really dont like how stat buffs and debuffs look.

Theres more but honestly it slowly becomes very petty lol. I really dont mind if people like the animations, its just not my taste overall
 
Stop being mean to Mr. Mime

Look at him. He's a nice fella. Wouldn't hurt a fly, he's just vibin

Screen_Shot_2019_05_09_at_3.37.48_PM.0.png

He's just thinking of all the ways he can trap you in an invisible box and place in you hazard situations. And when you perish, so does the invisible walls, leaving no evidence pointing back at him.

NGL, I do not like the current of making breeding so easy. Since Gen 6, EV training has gotten easier and easier, and now we're able to train their IVs and change their Nature? I mean, it's great that it's so easy to get battle-ready Pokémon, but this is really starting to trivialize the existance of IVs, Natures and EVs in the first place IMO.

Don't forget being able to "tutor" a move onto a Pokemon by placing two Pokemon of the same species in the Day Care! And we have Ability Capsules and now the Ability Patch to get the Ability we want!

As for trivializing breeding, think of it this way: I think Breeding is still generally "quicker" as you don't have to hop around so many hoops. However, if you hatch a Pokemon that would be perfect if it wasn't for an IV that was a few points off or a bad Nature, well instead of tossing it now you can correct that small imperfection!

Unpopular opinion: EVs and IVs should play the same role as badge boosts in earlier games: a gradual, in-game way to boost party growth that has no bearing on competitive. I would also love Natures and Abilities to be freely toggleable with no cost; this both lets in-game play be more diverse and makes a more seamless transition from in-game to competitive.

Well EVs are already supposed to be doing that.

As for IVs, I do think in addition to the IVs they naturally have a Pokemon should have an IV for each level they are. You can then spend these bonus IV points any way you like via going to the Pokemon's status screen (maybe also have something that helpfully points at the best stat to apply the IVs to).

I agree with being able to toggle Natures off (making it feel like the Pokemon has a neutral Nature) but I don't agree with toggling off Abilities. Unlike IVs and Natures, Abilities aren't just invisible numbers which are unknowingly affecting your Pokemon, Abilities are front and center and you know what they do. It makes the Pokemon feel more unique compared to another Pokemon of its Type (as long as they have different Abilities).
 
NGL, I do not like the current of making breeding so easy. Since Gen 6, EV training has gotten easier and easier, and now we're able to train their IVs and change their Nature? I mean, it's great that it's so easy to get battle-ready Pokémon, but this is really starting to trivialize the existance of IVs, Natures and EVs in the first place IMO.

Compare this to say, DPPt or HGSS (mostly DPPt) where the EV training process is still rather streamlined (easy to get vitamins, trainer battles and Counter app), but it's still "underground" and not shoved-in-your-face, which I love.
hyper training for IVs is locked to level 100 pokemon and requires an item that, at least in gen7, is pretty hard to come across. gen6 EV training involves a minigame which requires Attention or horde battling, gen7 is time-based unless you SOS chain, gen8's only special EV training method is also time-based

IVs and EVs are fine but the way natures can be "changed" at will kinda sucks. i DO like how the IV/nature changing methods only apply to the pokemon and can't be passed down (like if you have a pokemon with a speed IV of 14, which is then super trainer and bred, the resulting child would have a speed IV of 14; or if you have a brave natured pokemon and you mint it to +atk -spa then breed with everstone, the child would be brave and not adamant)
 
Quick thing bc its not unpopular but i dont really mind these changes because, while you could do every single one of them to turn any pokemon you catch into a competitive ready battler, its still extremly time consuming to do so.

Its still faster to just breed HA 6iv pokemon. Nature is probably the only one thats better to get a mint than to breed for, but you still need to grind bp for just one, and it really piles up if you rely on them instead of breeding good natures. Bottle capping is really grindy as even with exp candies and rare candies, you still have to grind for those, and ya still need money to all those vitamins. I know because im turning all my 40 shinies into competitive ready mons, and let me tell you its been such a hassle

On paper, it looks like it replaces breeding, but when you realize the requirements for each one, they work way better as complements to breeding than replacing it, giving you leeway for a couple imperfections
 
That point is no longer as important, since as of Gen VIII an evolved Pokemon can learn all of it's pre-evolution exclusive moves via the move relearner, making incense babies have no purpose outside of pokedex filler.

I meant that the existence of the baby mon grants access to these moves to the evolved form as a species. Like, without the baby existing, the original species probably wouldn’t have been given access to Fake Tears or w/e. But yeah, on an individual basis that’s a very good point and another dumb thing about baby Pokémon.

Also, the more I look into incense babies the more I find that they either gave nothing significant to their evolutions or literally gave nothing at all to them (e.g. Mantyke in Gen 4)

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Re: IVs, I’ve always thought that, while it definitely wouldn’t solve all the problems, it’d at least feel less like eugenics if every Pokémon had the same total IVs, but just distributed differently. So like, instead of it being 0-31 for each stat independently, every Pokémon would have a random assignment of enough ‘points’ to maximise, say, three IVs. Under this system, trying to get a better IV in one stat would necessarily sacrifice a point in another. So, one Pokémon might have an IV spread of 7/12/19/4/24/27 and another 31/0/31/0/31/0, but the total would always be (in this example) 93.

Of course, there’d still be good spreads and bad spreads for each Pokémon, especially since most Pokémon have at least one obvious dump stat, but it’d at least create some situations where a less minmaxed set of IVs might be preferable, instead of the same ~4 IV spreads being the indisputable best option 99% of the time. It’d also have the added benefit of retaining the in-game randomness, which was the original point of IVs/DVs without necessarily feeling like your in-game team was going to be completely useless in competitive/battle facilities. Plus, it wouldn’t punish casual players nearly as much for getting unlucky with a mechanic they don’t even know exists (not that that’s ever been much of an issue really).

There are problems with this though, of course, like how it hurts mixed attackers, who are already kinda shafted by the current mechanics. It would also benefit stall a lot unless it came with other rebalancing changes.

Obviously this is way too big a change to ever actually happen lmao. It would affect so many other things that it’d probably require a substantial rebuild of stat and damage calculation. It’d just make me less uncomfortable about breeding for ‘perfection’ if I knew that the rejects had relative strengths and weaknesses instead of being strictly statistically inferior.

EDIT 2: I’ve just gotten to the end of this and realised I’m basically saying ‘make IVs like EVs’ lmao. I guess in some ways I feel like they should swap, with EVs going back to a stat exp kind of model.
 
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EDIT 2: I’ve just gotten to the end of this and realised I’m basically saying ‘make IVs like EVs’ lmao. I guess in some ways I feel like they should swap, with EVs going back to a stat exp kind of model.
Or... just only have one of them. EVs are sufficent as stat customizations.
IVs as they are now are basically extra EVs that you just want either maxed or 0 in all cases.
(Except the one fringe case that is Stakataka)
 
I guess I’m overly attached to the idea of Pokémon being unique even when you first obtain them. EVs on their own with customisable natures make each individual Pokémon of a given species completely interchangeable at the point of capture/hatching (barring gender, ability, and shininess I guess). Having said that, it’s weird of me to worry so much about the numerical individuality of randomly generated fictional animals.
 
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