SPOILERS! Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon News & Discussion

[Kiga]

Frankly, it feels like it would have made more sense to say that if they're not going to differentiate by region of birth, then at least, Cubone should evolve into Alolan Marowak at night, but Kantonian Marowak during the day; the night provides the 'mysticism' for its spirituality, and Shiinotic and Mandibuzz are at least believable as nocturnal hunters. Take the opposite route for Exeggcute and Exeggutor. The lore already states that Alolan Exeggutor gain more energy from the access it has to the sun in Alola, so it only makes sense that it wouldn't become as powerful at night.

Then just say that Pikachu evolves into Alolan Raichu when it's Amie happiness is maxed out, like Eevee into Sylveon, or when it's full of beans. If they can merely indicate pancakes as an excuse for a branched evolution, then I think that they can get away with the explanation that these three only need to be in Alola to achieve these forms under these conditions. I'm not sure how they'll handle this in the future as it is without introducing some new item or mechanic, or just locking these forms to Alola exclusively.

 

[TenshouYoku]

Frankly, it feels like it would have made more sense to say that if they're not going to differentiate by region of birth, then at least, Cubone should evolve into Alolan Marowak at night, but Kantonian Marowak during the day; the night provides the 'mysticism' for its spirituality, and Shiinotic and Mandibuzz are at least believable as nocturnal hunters. Take the opposite route for Exeggcute and Exeggutor. The lore already states that Alolan Exeggutor gain more energy from the access it has to the sun in Alola, so it only makes sense that it wouldn't become as powerful at night.

Then just say that Pikachu evolves into Alolan Raichu when it's Amie happiness is maxed out, like Eevee into Sylveon, or when it's full of beans. If they can merely indicate pancakes as an excuse for a branched evolution, then I think that they can get away with the explanation that these three only need to be in Alola to achieve these forms under these conditions. I'm not sure how they'll handle this in the future as it is without introducing some new item or mechanic or just locking these forms to Alola exclusively.

The old versions basically sucked so much that GF decided to say "fuck you because reasons" and decided that they just evolve into the new form rather than having an option to evolve into either form lol.
True that the ideal way to solve this problem in further generations/packs (unless GF suddenely find this a bad idea and tossed it) is probably conditional evolutions, incenses which add probably an indicator to indicate if it has alolan parents or not, or even something like certain items which will force-evolve it into Alolan forms as they met evolution requirements (say equipping the pancakes will cause Pikachu to evolve into Alolan Raichu when a thunder stone is used) are put onto them. Judging from how it is performed in Sun Moon however, either specific alolan forms will be 1. get rid of just like how they are gotten rid of like the Kanto forms during new implementations of the franchise, or 2. became only a certain kind of pokemon's privilege (such as Alolan Ninetales which are vastly different from their Kanto counterparts) and can be passed onto other generations either by default or by everstone like how it is performed now.

Seriously though, why does FIRE type Kantonian Vulpixes/Ninetales, even with perfectly identical parents, will give birth to ICE type Alolan Vulpixes? This really bugged me over.

 

[Pikachu315111]

Let's not complicate issues. Indeed, while probably for the next gen paired games they can keep a regional form generation exclusive, there will eventually need to come up with a way to get these Pokemon outside of that generation (either for the next gen's third version or the second gen after their introduction). But instead of giving each one their own item or changing how the base evolves, how about just introducing an "Alolan Stone". When being held, when a Pokemon with an Alolan Form evolves (if you want you could have the evolution be the way it evolved in SM) it becomes the Alolan Form of that Pokemon. There, simple.

Seriously though, why does FIRE type Kantonian Vulpixes/Ninetales, even with perfectly identical parents, will give birth to ICE type Alolan Vulpixes? This really bugged me over.

Because Pokemon genetics are like Lego bricks: the Pokemon itself are the instruction/blue prints however for some its the region that decides what color set of bricks you have to use.

 

[Siggu]

Let's not complicate issues. Indeed, while probably for the next gen paired games they can keep a regional form generation exclusive, there will eventually need to come up with a way to get these Pokemon outside of that generation (either for the next gen's third version or the second gen after their introduction). But instead of giving each one their own item or changing how the base evolves, how about just introducing an "Alolan Stone". When being held, when a Pokemon with an Alolan Form evolves (if you want you could have the evolution be the way it evolved in SM) it becomes the Alolan Form of that Pokemon. There, simple.

I can see it happening this way.

Similarly towards breeding pokemon like Alolan Sandshrew. Much like in Alola you need an Everstone so that non-Alolan Pokemon can have non-Alolan offspring, they could do it the other way around for other regions (giving the Everstone to the Alolan parent to get Alolan offspring)

 

[Pikachu315111]

I can see it happening this way.

Similarly towards breeding pokemon like Alolan Sandshrew. Much like in Alola you need an Everstone so that non-Alolan Pokemon can have non-Alolan offspring, they could do it the other way around for other regions (giving the Everstone to the Alolan parent to get Alolan offspring)

Oh, I didn't know that, that's neat!

Likewise, going off my idea, if you want breed a regional variant from a normal Pokemon you'll need to give the mother that region's stone (so if you want an Alolan Vulpix in the next gen, you'll need to give a female normal Ninetales/Vulpix an Alolan Stone than breed it).

 

[Codraroll]

Likewise, going off my idea, if you want breed a regional variant from a normal Pokemon you'll need to give the mother that region's stone (so if you want an Alolan Vulpix in the next gen, you'll need to give a female normal Ninetales/Vulpix an Alolan Stone than breed it).

Now we're getting dangerously close to wishlisting. Tone it down a little from now on, please.

 

[Johta]

Oooor, wild Alola-forms will be locked to gen 7 but breedable in later gens (following the same formula as in SM). There's a precedent for that in Deerling & its different forms.
IMO this is honestly the only non-contrived way to do this.

 

[Worldie]

There's a issue with alolan forms only available in gen 7 "and simply rebreedable" though, and that is that with gen 8 being on Switch, people that buy the game later and don't even own a 3DS might essentially be completely cut off those forms (that aren't simply cosmetic like deerling or basculin to mention a couple), which would not be good for the game health. Remember that with ORAS they specifically made more or less every poke catchable in gen 6 in order to avoid that issue with older games.

It is legitimate to expect that there'll be a way to obtain alolan forms in later gens.

How, well that's up to GF, an Alolan Stone or that sort of mechanic that "forces" a poke to breed its alolan version, or creative evolution ways (the couple mentioned, like have Pikachu hold a item or evolve Cubone at night / in a graveyard) would be perfectly fine in my book and overally consistent with lore and design.

Plus, Regional forms differently from Mega Evolutions don't have the same stupidly high amount of power creep, and allow to "revamp" a old pokemon without making it stupidly good (or a meme like Audino), and it's not to be excluded that future generations also feature Regional forms of their own.

 

[Deleted User 400951]

There's a issue with alolan forms only available in gen 7 "and simply rebreedable" though, and that is that with gen 8 being on Switch, people that buy the game later and don't even own a 3DS might essentially be completely cut off those forms (that aren't simply cosmetic like deerling or basculin to mention a couple), which would not be good for the game health. Remember that with ORAS they specifically made more or less every poke catchable in gen 6 in order to avoid that issue with older games.

It is legitimate to expect that there'll be a way to obtain alolan forms in later gens.

How, well that's up to GF, an Alolan Stone or that sort of mechanic that "forces" a poke to breed its alolan version, or creative evolution ways (the couple mentioned, like have Pikachu hold a item or evolve Cubone at night / in a graveyard) would be perfectly fine in my book and overally consistent with lore and design.

Plus, Regional forms differently from Mega Evolutions don't have the same stupidly high amount of power creep, and allow to "revamp" a old pokemon without making it stupidly good (or a meme like Audino), and it's not to be excluded that future generations also feature Regional forms of their own.

Well, the forms were made as adaptations to environments. There's no saying that they couldn't happen in other regions, even with a lack of continuity.

 

[Yveltal]

It just hit me that the inclusion of waves in the USUM Alola map between Ula'ula and Akala was supposed to be our hint toward Mantine Surfing. Pre-release screenshots don't exactly give away on what shoreline you get access to Mantine, though.

 

[Worldie]

Obviously, but I mean, it's less likely that the just make new Mega evolutions, since in the end they add a pretty big powercreep on a game that's already hurt a lot by the powercreep.

Regional forms on the other hand allow to change typing/abilities/movesets of pokemon that have "good idea, but lackluster", think of Ninetales or Muk who basically have same stats as their Kanto version, yet are several tiers above due to said combination.

 

[R_N]

Oooor, wild Alola-forms will be locked to gen 7 but breedable in later gens (following the same formula as in SM). There's a precedent for that in Deerling & its different forms.
IMO this is honestly the only non-contrived way to do this.

Deerling forms are purely cosmetic so I wouldn't really call that precedent when Alolan forms are (preference for "what if the pokemon was a darker color and, also, a jerk?" aside) basically their own pokemon. A closer example would probably be the Spiky Eared Pichu or Cosplay Pikachu and even then the comparison doesn't really work.

I think if anything from gen 7 doesn't make it forward beyond transfers it's probably going to be Ash-Greninja: event only ability, can't breed, ties to the anime (tho that could be worked around, since the ash connection is kind of subtle outside the name). At least Lycanroc Dusk can easily just be added to the normal evolution pool.

Oh and the cap pikachu, I guess, but those are 20th anniversary event tie ins and are literally just Pikachu In A Hat. But even those will probably be dragged out every 5 or so years I have to imagine.

Honestly even if they don't want to mess with items (please lord no more items.........) the easiest thing would just have an area with imported pokemon. Like the safari zone, but not.

 

[Pikachu315111]

Honestly even if they don't want to mess with items (please lord no more items.........) the easiest thing would just have an area with imported pokemon. Like the safari zone, but not.

Like Mr. Backlot's Trophy Garden?

 

[R_N]

Like Mr. Backlot's Trophy Garden?

Yeah that works too

 

[TenshouYoku]

Oh, I didn't know that, that's neat!

Likewise, going off my idea, if you want breed a regional variant from a normal Pokemon you'll need to give the mother that region's stone (so if you want an Alolan Vulpix in the next gen, you'll need to give a female normal Ninetales/Vulpix an Alolan Stone than breed it).

I don't really see the reason for making it as a breed item instead of being an add-on to force evolve pokes that doesn't have differentiated non-evolved forms. This makes breeding a more usable poke significantly more difficult, assuming that you will need this "region stone" which doesn't do anything else other than force-breeding Alolan/other specific region pokes whatever as you will either miss out Everstone or Destiny knot which GF intentionally heavily buffed the latter for breeding purpose. Plus the fact that you have Everstone which works the same with the added benefit of inheriting natures as well.

I'll stick to Siggu's hypothesis of using Everstone as that is the practice for current non-alolans, so it might function identically but in a reversed order if we are playing in an non-alolan region. Maybe, there will be something like "Alolan simulation area" or whatever it's called which simulates the environment of Alolan (lore-wise) which will cause pokes to evolve into, and only evolve into, their Alolan forms that cannot be evolved elsewhere, to keep it more in line with the lore and settings.

Obviously, but I mean, it's less likely that the just make new Mega evolutions, since in the end they add a pretty big powercreep on a game that's already hurt a lot by the powercreep.

Regional forms on the other hand allow to change typing/abilities/movesets of pokemon that have "good idea, but lackluster", think of Ninetales or Muk who basically have same stats as their Kanto version, yet are several tiers above due to said combination.

Alolan Ninetales have more speed (109, with 9 extracted from attack) than their Kanto sisters which is one of the big reasons it's better, other than it's incredible matchup with its movepool.
I heavily doubt about Mega being completely bad to the game. Sure regional variants give bad pokes a chance of redemption, but so does Megas. It's bad, because some monstrously strong ones like Mega Gengar and Mega Kang showed up which wrecked the metagame (Mega Ray excluded because it's a lore legendary which is supposed to be powerful). It's just some of them are way too juiced up and received Megas when nothing warrants them so (such as Mega Garchomp, seriously why this guy needed a Mega, and received an arguably worse Mega?), while some of them would love a Mega redemption but they didn't.

 

[Worldie]

Oh don't get me wrong, I didn't mean that "Megas are bad for the game". I simply said that adding a Mega Evolution has usually a significantly bigger power creep effect to a pokemon line than adding a regional form.

 

[Kanburi]

The Japanese TV program "Ohast" will be visiting the Pokemon Company in tomorrow's episode (0705 to 0730 JST), during which they will be showing new exclusive footage of USM that "is so amazing that will give you goosebumps" (their words, not mine).

I'll be able to catch it before work and will try to update you guys here while it's on.

 

[Yveltal]

The Japanese TV program "Ohast" will be visiting the Pokemon Company in tomorrow's episode (0705 to 0730 JST), during which they will be showing new exclusive footage of USM that "is so amazing that will give you goosebumps" (their words, not mine).

I'll be able to catch it before work and will try to update you guys here while it's on.

It's being marketed as a global premier, and will air at 5pm CST. If anybody can post a link to an online live cast, that would be amazing.

 

[Worldie]

I know the italian main fansite will spectate them live on their YT channel, but I was not able to find a direct link.

For what matters, I'll be watching live myself as well.

 

[Pikachu315111]

BTW here's a Channel that's broadcasting the show:

Don't forget to swing by Discord!

 

[Kanburi]

Here we go:
- New dialog from Kukui, something about Alola being in the darkness a long time ago until humans and Pokemon defeated the darkness with light (Lightbringer!)
- Shionira (salted leeks lmao) is shown to be the name of the person of the mysterious figure in costume when speaking
- Guzma returns
- The trailer specifically says that this is not the Alola we know (though they probably mean the storyline more than the physical landscape)

Not much else from what I can tell.

 

[Prof. Almeida]

That trailer was awesome afu

 

[Kanburi]

Throwing some screen shots in here.

Hide

"The light-controlling Necrozma took Alola's light!"

"Leave..."

"That thing... is a monster!"
Note: 化け物 is a little tough to translate. It literally means "shape-shifter", and is usually used as such in Japanese tales, but also has the meaning "monster" or "ghost".

"If even mom disappears..."

Run away, old man.

Here's the trailer, will re-watch it at work to see if I missed out on anything of interest:

 

[Usernamesarestupid]

The trailer was just released.

 

[DHR-107]

HQ Trailer