I think we've gone past "mansplained" and gotten to "
sausage waving contest".
Getting this thread back on track, how about we talk about a certain location I mentioned above:
Lostlorn Forest.
So, when you first get there it's not a big area, some tall grass to catch Pokemon you've already seen, there's this odd trigger where a Hiker initially there which waxes philosophically (he says people value different things like he likes to travel but the woman in the camper prefers to lives a quiet life in this place), and there's a woman living in a camper who doesn't say anything to you when interacted with. Overall, it's nothing remarkable, even though there are trainers nearby which mention people somehow getting lost in here.
BUT, if you had sent over one of the Shiny Legendary Beasts given out during the Zoroark Movie (and it had to be with this Relocator feature for some reason) and brought it here, the woman attacks and reveals herself to be a Zoroark! You then can catch/defeat her (not sure if you can get her to respawn if you defeat her) and when you do the camper and trees around it vanish revealing a wider area! The Hiker comes up saying that Zoroark didn't like the Shiny Beasts suggesting a prior conflict & must have been using its illusion power to protect its home hence explaining how people got lost here.
So, we now have this bigger location which Zoroark was hiding, what secrets and goodies does it have?
NOTHING! Absolutely squat! It's now just bigger, that's all that happens. No other tall grass containing more interesting Pokemon. No stash of rare items. There's no more events which happen here, no new trainers show up. It's just opens up a bigger empty space.
GF, what was the point? Lore? Not really. Okay, Zoroark used its Illusion Ability to hide its home. Like, neat to see I guess? But you could have just as easily shown that by placing the Zoroark off in the corner in Pinwheel Forest or some other Route. Why make an entire location for it which opens up AFTER you catch it and have nothing to do?
Like, if the point was to show Zoroark was making people get lost in the woods with its Illusion power, instead of hiding the place make it a crowded maze of trees. Have the camper and woman in the middle (with maybe a few items also to entice the player more) but you're not able to get to her normally (and now have to navigate your way out, but there was a few random items to get so it's not a total loss). BUT, if you bring one of the Shiny Beasts, a part of the maze opens up finally allowing you to reach the camper (though now the items are gone). She'll then run out of the camper and attack revealing she's a Zoroark, and after catching/defeating her her camper will be gone. The maze will have simplified (letting you more easily get any items you missed) and where the camper was is now a dead tree stump with a batch of items which is something nice like the Evo Stones or maybe money fodder. There, you've shown off Zoroark using its Illusion power, gave more purpose to the Lostlorn Forest which matches stories you heard about it, and even gave players an additional award for "solving" the mystery. Sure after this there's no point in returning to the area, but then again isn't that true for most special areas once you've done the event there?
