Little things you like about Pokémon

Pikachu315111

Ranting & Raving!
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So, if you thought that it'll take some time for GF's to accommodate to their new offices and make it their own, THINK AGAIN. The new 30,000+ square foot office has been decorated with a Gen I motif. The most notable one is the lobby area looking like Viridian Forest!


Meanwhile, all the meeting rooms have been named after cities & towns, the color and theme of said town used to design the room's aesthetic. The Pallet/Masara Town room is a blank white room (looking like it came straight from Apple), following the idea that it's a "blank canvas".


If I were to guess the other rooms:
Only unaccounted Cities are Viridian/Tokiwa, Pewter/Nibi, and Indigo/Sekiei Plateau. However, even though they may not have a room, their colors at least show up somewhere in the office. It's a very colorful office space.

There also looks to be multiple break rooms. I think each are meant to look like the Safari Zone, though looks like they each also have some aesthetic of the Starters in what Pokemon's silhouette is on the door and the chair colors (Blastoise are blues & blacks, Charizard is reds & grays, and both Pikachu and Venusaur share the biggest break room with chair colors of green and yellow).

GF always loved Gen I, and now they're finally living in it.
 
Sudden realization that due to how level scaling works in Go -> Main Game transfers that after years and years the early level up movesets for most Legendary Pokemon can be used. In the current cases, this excludes some mythicals, pokemon not yet available in Go (ie: gen 6, 7, 8) and I imagine there's some Legends that are just always at a slightly higher CP so the early early moves will still get passed over but still. On the whole this opens up "early legends" a pretty considerable amount.

it was always a bit of a bummer to me that Legends had these full movesets, presumably made just in case for scenarios like this where they're "underleveled", but just never got used. Either the Pokemon was only availble at some minmum level (typically about 40-50) or they'd get released as an event but at a much higher level (remember those mythical events that were all level 100??). The chance to use those earlier moves was otherwise limited to a select few (off the top of my head the space-time trio through HGSS event, Platinum Regigigas, Victini, one of the Genesects, certain gen 1-3 giveaways of Mew, Celebi & Jirachi).

I just think its neat! And also, I guess, applied to the gen 1 legends in Let's Go since I think th level scaling is all the same.
 

Pikachu315111

Ranting & Raving!
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It was also nice, in general, that USUM got a new wild battle theme (& new trainer theme, I believe). I don't think they did it with any of the "third versions" prior, even BW2 just used the stnadard wild & trainer themes iirc.
BW2 did have a different Gym Leader theme though (which makes sense as they also gave each Gym a unique variation of the Gym Theme).

In addition, in USUM, the old Trainer Theme was reused as the theme which plays for Captains. Not sure if the old Wild Battle theme is played anywhere.
 
So it's already know that Greninja was the most popular Pokemon and Simisear was the least popular in the 2016 poll. What isn't as well know is the event distribution for both of them.
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Happy Hour makes sense on winner Greninja, while Work Up is not only a move Simisear lost from Gen 5, it's Japanese name is... Cheer Up
 
So it's already know that Greninja was the most popular Pokemon and Simisear was the least popular in the 2016 poll. What isn't as well know is the event distribution for both of them.
View attachment 294058
View attachment 294059
Happy Hour makes sense on winner Greninja, while Work Up is not only a move Simisear lost from Gen 5, it's Japanese name is... Cheer Up
It's also given a Balloon to make it feel better.
 
I will never forget that Simisear got an event with Greninja and had the balloon, but I did forget that its moveset was also entirely a joke
You focus on Work Up but look at the other 3, too. Hone Claws (Claw Sharpen) & Power Up Punch (Grow Punch) so that it can keep metaphorically (also literally) power up and make a big (GIGA, IF YOU WILL) impact.
 

Deleted User 465389

Banned deucer.
I will never forget that Simisear got an event with Greninja and had the balloon, but I did forget that its moveset was also entirely a joke
You focus on Work Up but look at the other 3, too. Hone Claws (Claw Sharpen) & Power Up Punch (Grow Punch) so that it can keep metaphorically (also literally) power up and make a big (GIGA, IF YOU WILL) impact.
granted it still starts as a level 5 simisear
At level 100 it has a chance with a focus sash, but if 2 friends test out their new event mons against each other..
+6 Lvl 5 252+ Atk Choice Band Simisear Helping Hand Power-Up Punch vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Greninja on a critical hit: 10-14 (3.5 - 4.9%) -- guaranteed 5HKO after Stealth Rock, 3 layers of Spikes, and Leech Seed damage
..it ain’t good
 
granted it still starts as a level 5 simisear
At level 100 it has a chance with a focus sash, but if 2 friends test out their new event mons against each other..
+6 Lvl 5 252+ Atk Choice Band Simisear Helping Hand Power-Up Punch vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Greninja on a critical hit: 10-14 (3.5 - 4.9%) -- guaranteed 5HKO after Stealth Rock, 3 layers of Spikes, and Leech Seed damage
..it ain’t good
well maintaining the growth theme, it has a long way to go
 
Sudden realization that due to how level scaling works in Go -> Main Game transfers that after years and years the early level up movesets for most Legendary Pokemon can be used. In the current cases, this excludes some mythicals, pokemon not yet available in Go (ie: gen 6, 7, 8) and I imagine there's some Legends that are just always at a slightly higher CP so the early early moves will still get passed over but still. On the whole this opens up "early legends" a pretty considerable amount.

it was always a bit of a bummer to me that Legends had these full movesets, presumably made just in case for scenarios like this where they're "underleveled", but just never got used. Either the Pokemon was only availble at some minmum level (typically about 40-50) or they'd get released as an event but at a much higher level (remember those mythical events that were all level 100??). The chance to use those earlier moves was otherwise limited to a select few (off the top of my head the space-time trio through HGSS event, Platinum Regigigas, Victini, one of the Genesects, certain gen 1-3 giveaways of Mew, Celebi & Jirachi).
Don't forget about Dream Radar, which gave access to a bunch of legendaries at levels as low as 5! I have particularly fond memories of this feature since it was the foundation of one of the most enjoyable playthroughs I've ever done, a White 2 run with a Landorus and Giratina on my team.
 
Don't forget about Dream Radar, which gave access to a bunch of legendaries at levels as low as 5! I have particularly fond memories of this feature since it was the foundation of one of the most enjoyable playthroughs I've ever done, a White 2 run with a Landorus and Giratina on my team.
I love doing things ingame that aren't "supposed" to happen like this! I also did a playthrough of White2 using the Dream Radar legends, plus I traded over a HM slave Poliwag to give access to areas that normally wouldn't be available until much later...when party levels were expected to be much, MUCH higher:



IMG_1610.jpg
IMG_2960.jpg
 

Attachments

So it's already know that Greninja was the most popular Pokemon and Simisear was the least popular in the 2016 poll. What isn't as well know is the event distribution for both of them.
View attachment 294058
View attachment 294059
Happy Hour makes sense on winner Greninja, while Work Up is not only a move Simisear lost from Gen 5, it's Japanese name is... Cheer Up
Simisear is such a fun monky... Also who the fuck voted jynx over monky
 
I don't think they did it with any of the "third versions" prior, even BW2 just used the stnadard wild & trainer themes iirc.
Actually, B2/W2 had a different wild encounter theme compared to B/W.

If anyone wants to compare them, here are the links:



Also, the first video made me think of this: I like Lillipup! It is so cute! I don't like dogs but I like several dog Pokémon, Lillipup + evos are among them as they are awesome!

Back to the subject at hand. The trainer battles themes in B/W and B2/W2 also sound a bit different compared to each other now that I listen to them on Youtube, but I'm not sure if this is because of the videos or the music itself, it is hard to say. If they are different, they not quite as different the trainer battle themes in S/M and US/UM.

Speaking of which, one thing I really like about the trainer battle theme in US/UM is how it sort of "fools" you at first, since the first seconds are the same as the trainer battle theme from S/M, then it changes. I remember being very surprised by that when I first heard it in Ultra Moon and I loved it!

...

I should say something more while I'm here, in order to not make this too short. Since the topic is Gen 5, why not say something about it? I like Gen 5, and I have done so ever since I first played B/W in 2011. It is my favorite generation. B/W and B2/W2 are my favorite Pokémon games, and some of my all-time favorite video games. They gave me some of the most fun I have ever had with video games and Pokémon. Not sure if I have said that before in this thread, but now I have done so at least. I have thought about making a long post about everything I liked about Gen 5 similar to what I did for X/Y in the past, not sure when/if that will happen though.
 
Actually, B2/W2 had a different wild encounter theme compared to B/W.

If anyone wants to compare them, here are the links:



Also, the first video made me think of this: I like Lillipup! It is so cute! I don't like dogs but I like several dog Pokémon, Lillipup + evos are among them as they are awesome!
Oh! I forgot all about that, good to know
Back to the subject at hand. The trainer battles themes in B/W and B2/W2 also sound a bit different compared to each other now that I listen to them on Youtube, but I'm not sure if this is because of the videos or the music itself, it is hard to say. If they are different, they not quite as different the trainer battle themes in S/M and US/UM.
The above got me to look up the soundtracks for the two games and judging by the listings there does seem to have been a new mix.
But actually comparing the two songs it does sound the same? The BW2 OST only had songs that were new to BW2 (ie: the "rare" battle theme and legendary themes are absent because they're the same) so....???
 
This isn't a shot at the in-game tiers or anything (I attempted to contribute a while back and got burnt out), but you can really have fun with a lot of different Pokemon in game with different expectations. Pokemon like Venonat and Raticate really surprised me with how well they turned out in a recent Soul Silver run, a former all-Bug type run in Omega Ruby showed me that even Dustox and Beautifly can do good things and the Burmy run was fun too before I got burnt out by that.
 

Pikachu315111

Ranting & Raving!
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So, first post of this page is about GF's new offices and how they've decorated it to be all Pokemon motif with meeting rooms being based on Gen I towns. You'd think this is something they just did for these new offices... but apparently they did something similar with their old office!

PokeTwitter Aleph (El_Aleph87) took a tour of GF's old offices and revealed some of the neat things they did with it. The most interesting part of this tour is that they also themed their meeting rooms on something: Gustav Holst's "The Planets". Yup, they based it on movements of a late 1800/early 1900 English composer's famous musical suite... though also made their own additions.

From Holst's we have:
  • Mars, Bringer of War (room is a Martian motif with weapons sprawl about)
  • Venus, Bringer of Peace (room was designed by female staff members to be like a little girl's room and "returning to childhood (if you were a girl)")
  • Jupiter, Bringer of Jollity (largest conference room, its also filled with merch and video games that GF has made)
  • Saturn, Bringer of Wisdom (the table is a ring with a large monitor in the middle of it; also don't think we didn't notice you switching to "Wisdom" from "Old Age", GF)
And this is where GF comes up with some of their own:
  • Gaia, Bringer of Creation (designed with the image of Mother Earth in mind, has a large aquarium, decorated with plants, and all furniture is made of wood to encourage a creative environment)
  • Sun, Bringer of Power (a break room with a sun-shaped lamp, to give the idea of "power")
  • Moon (this was a new room they had made just before the move with the thought it would be based on the moon, thus probably why it doesn't have a title (and now never will))
  • Comet, Bringer of Evolution (a wide open & relaxing space with shelves of books, analog games, and Pokemon merch)
  • Himawari, Bringer of Insight (named after a series of Japanese satellites, this is where the Gear Project is worked on with all walls covered by whiteboard to come up with ideas)
  • Rosetta, Bringer of Curiosity (named after a space probe (named after the Rosetta Stone), it's also a newer room with the concept of "unusual" and does so by having large furniture)
Kind of sad they didn't do the other Holst's planets, curious what they would have done with Mercury (Winged Messenger), Uranus (The Magician), and Neptune (The Mystic). I guess they really like "The Bringer" titles (not that they didn't change Saturn's title).
 
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Pikachu315111

Ranting & Raving!
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To compliment the post I just made in the annoyances thread, here are some of the things I've liked about Let's Go Pikachu

I do like that catching pokemon gives you experience & rewards for sending to the professor, and sharing that across all members greatly reduces the grind of having a larger team (also makes catching low-level pokemon later in the game not as big of an issue). The buffed Exp Share was made for a game like this. Coming off of playing Leafgreen recently, this definitely feels less grind-y (amazing what about a decade and a half of QoL can change) which means I can enjoy using all the pokemon my heart desires without setting my emulator to 500% speed.

I also like the more widespread availability of pokemon so far in the game. There being grass-types to catch in Viridian forest is nice (why weren't there any before?), and Psyduck not being a rare Super Rod encounter has made finding it much less of a heartache. On that same note, I did not realize how cool it would be to see wild pokemon running around the overworld; it makes the routes/caves feel a lot more alive.

Saving the best for last, pokemon following you around is just too cute (the way Clefairy runs melts my heart every time I see it), they took one of my favorite HGSS things and made it even better. Speaking of which I would sink too many hours into a Let's Go Johto (I even came up with a name for it that rhymes).
 

Codraroll

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Late to the conversation, but it's an interesting conversation so let's revive it anyway.

I'm guessing those criticisms are why we never had a giant city like Lumiose despite it being very possible on the Switch. Its kind of a shame though, because the only issue I found was that of the camera angle. I still stand that Lumiose is one of the most unique and interesting places in the Pokemon world to explore.
I think it also was for technical reasons. Not because the Switch can't handle it, but because a big city takes a lot of time to make. Famously, time was not a resource in abundance when SwSh were being developed.

But I agree, big cities in games can be awesomely fun if done right. Lumiose is one of my favourite Pokémon locations too, there's just so much to do there. I've been playing The Witcher 3 a lot lately, and oh my did they do big cities right. In certain ways, that game has surpassed Breath of the Wild as my main "if this can be on the Switch, Pokémon sure has a lot of future potential!" game. The biggest city in The Witcher 3 is a maze of streets easily as big as all of Galar, inhabited by literally thousands of NPCs. There are many hours' worth of quests taking place entirely within the city walls. Not that Pokémon would ever need a city that big (or that it would necessarily be good for the game), but it shows what the technical capabilities of the Switch are. If the developers feel like creating a big city, they can have one helluva big city.

What held Lumiose back for me was its technical implementation. Firstly, having a fixed camera makes it hard to orient oneself. Secondly, it was rather samey, with every street being a near-identical "spoke" between the central hub and the outer ring road. There were some landmarks, but they were difficult to use for navigation. Even if you knew how the city looked, it was hard to navigate because you still had to remember where everything is located. When everywhere looks the same, it takes a while to learn what lies where. Castelia has a similar issue with its "fan spokes" layout.

I hope a future Pokémon game will be a little more bold with its cities. Make them places to explore, with a somewhat complicated layout, but with landmarks you can orient yourself with. Even something the size of Delfino Plaza from Super Mario Sunshine would have been great, I think. It's big enough to feel full of content and to get a little lost in, but small and varied enough that you can quickly learn your way around.
 

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