Unpopular opinions

[Pikachu315111]

Never got that lucky.

At least that makes sense in a "second wind" kind of way. What about those physical screens that I can set by yelling that hard?

You are in a pocket dimension filled with energy that, one effect is, able to make Pokemon grow REALLY big. Who's to say Dyanamax energy in such high levels and concentration maybe doesn't allow humans to tap into some kind of ability, maybe going off what the cheering person is thinking at the time.

• "We need to get stronger" Raises stats.
• "We need stronger defenses" Sets up screens.
• "We have to shake off those ailments" Cures ailments.
• "We need to hold on longer" Full heal.
• "We have to break through that shield" Breaks shield.
• "Let's hurry guys I'm getting hungry" Does nothing (someone's not being a team player).

 

[pokemon4eva]

Hey, it's on par with cheering on raids putting up screens.

Not even stat boosts. Whole ass screens.

Or full healing everyone's Pokemon.

Which happens like only once when the planets are aligned

 

[Hex Poisonous]

Is it popular to hate on Lillie? I thought most people liked Lillie.

She's annoying on subsequent runs because she gets so much screentime, but that's really not an issue with Lillie as a character but more with the fact that we still can't skip cutscenes. I think she's a good character, though I do wish we would have seen more of her transformation. Like sure, she has a different outfit, but I would have liked to have her battle an NPC or something to show the player that she has changed.

Yeah I can understand that, it's mostly Cosmog evolving and going to you since that was her partner pokemon.

 

[Sonikku A]

Agree on the "LIKE ME OR YOU'RE EVIL" aspect of her, ESPECIALLY on USUM, where she steals Nebby away from her mother, who was trying to help Alola on this timeline, and no one calls her out because "oooh you saved the cute critter you go girl".

Anyways, the point is that I've never seen anyone call out Marnie for this illogical, ridiculous, overkill stat boost, but Lillie gets flak for healing you a couple times.



Alola's campaign is pretty much Lillie's journey, except we control a silent protagonist and watch her grow instead of being from first person perspective. That's the biggest wasted opportunity with this game imo.

If she were the main protagonist that decides to try out the Island Challenge, defeats Team Skull who has been targetting her, defeats the Foundation and her mother in battle (the scene where she confronts her in Ultra space is still good to see though), proves Gladion she can defend herself and becomes Alola's first champion after battling the man who has taken care of her since she ran away...all of this sounds more satisfying since nearly everything in the main story revolves around Lillie, so if she were the heroine, that could've been amazing.

Also not sure if this is unpopular but I'm glad Lillie didn't turn out to be a Nihilego posing as a human, her dressing like that because of Lusamine abusive and controlling behavior was more interesting.

And this is why all mainline games suffer story wise especially after BW
It's not YOUR story, it's "you are simply a witness to these events, while standing awkwardly to the side"
People act like silent protags in Nintendo are fine, but they really aren't used well at all nowadays
It's also why I vastly preferred Mystery Dungeon over every other Poke Spinoff's story. YOU emote! You can get hurt or do other actions in cutscenes! YOU are building the friendship with the partner! And in some cases YOU determine the action with events!
And heck, you're quiet 90% of the time. And you're still a character instead of progressing cardboard

 

[pokemon4eva]

And this is why all mainline games suffer story wise especially after BW
It's not YOUR story, it's "you are simply a witness to these events, while standing awkwardly to the side"
People act like silent protags in Nintendo are fine, but they really aren't used well at all nowadays
It's also why I vastly preferred Mystery Dungeon over every other Poke Spinoff's story. YOU emote! You can get hurt or do other actions in cutscenes! YOU are building the friendship with the partner! And in some cases YOU determine the action with events!
And heck, you're quiet 90% of the time. And you're still a character instead of progressing cardboard

Granted, the human character in all MD games is also a vanilla protagonist, not an interesting character itself but the stuff surrounding it is, and it's the partner who gets the more noticable growth, but it's nice to see its thoughts during the events of the story.

 

[Sonikku A]

Granted, the human character in all MD games is also a vanilla protagonist, not an interesting character itself but the stuff surrounding it is, and it's the partner who gets the more noticable growth, but it's nice to see its thoughts during the events of the story.

It's like how even though Link has always been a silent protag, WW-Skyward Sword he actually emotes or has relation directly to what's going on
Unlike BoTW where he really is flat as cardboard

 

[Volt-Ikazuchi]

It's like how even though Link has always been a silent protag, WW-Skyward Sword he actually emotes or has relation directly to what's going on
Unlike BoTW where he really is flat as cardboard

Look at this person. Doesn't even eat rocks, and yet they out here dissing the biggest bro in the Zelda franchise.

Couldn't be me, no sir.

 

[pokemon4eva]

they out here dissing the biggest bro in the Zelda franchise.

I don't see any Groose slander here.

 

[King Feraligatr]

I've only real experience with BotW and AoC when it comes to Zelda, so I don't see any Sidon slander. Best bro not insulted.

Anyways, I've a kind of relevant response to the Lillie thing. I don't hate her character. She's fine. Though I can see why people would dislike her. Especially in USUM. Which leads me into what I actually want to say: we helped Lillie's character out more in our UM hack. For starters, her tag team teams are better (both Battle Tree and in the Multi Battle with Faba. She's 4 Mons during the latter fight.). Also, she's more confident during the Rainbow Rocket arc and doesn't say that she's a bad Trainer, just not good enough yet. Sure, this is only postgame help for her, but it's something. And it's character development reinforced by gameplay. Do I wish I could've had her battle you (with a full, competent team)? Yes. But such are the limitations of my tools. I did what I could.

To be honest, the only reason I dropped these spoilers are becuase I'm taking a comically long time to update my hack's forum run and it'd be a decade+ at this rate for anyone to see these changes. Might as well drop it now and say my peace.

 

[Pikachu315111]

Anyways, I've a kind of relevant response to the Lillie thing. I don't hate her character. She's fine. Though I can see why people would dislike her. Especially in USUM. Which leads me into what I actually want to say: we helped Lillie's character out more in our UM hack. For starters, her tag team teams are better (both Battle Tree and in the Multi Battle with Faba. She's 4 Mons during the latter fight.). Also, she's more confident during the Rainbow Rocket arc and doesn't say that she's a bad Trainer, just not good enough yet. Sure, this is only postgame help for her, but it's something. And it's character development reinforced by gameplay. Do I wish I could've had her battle you (with a full, competent team)? Yes. But such are the limitations of my tools. I did what I could.

You know, reading this, it makes me wonder whether they should have made Lillie a trainer. Yes, part of her character arc is understanding that good trainers like the player, Hau, and everyone part of the Island Challenge aren't hurting their Pokemon. Rather, battling is a way Pokemon express themselves because they aren't badly wounded from it and its a way to grow stronger for them. However, this understanding is what's used to justify her deciding to become a trainer... when I think it would have been fine if she understood this but still decided she doesn't want to force Pokemon to battle and instead help them live better lives through other recreational means. This would I think actually keep better with her character as well as add another subtle connection between her and her mother (wanting Pokemon to live happily and safely) but show how Lillie is thinking in a much more rational way (aka not freezing them in a block of ice forever). It could also maybe add more significance to her "Z-Powered Form", instead of it also representing Lillie becoming a trainer it would instead solely represent Lillie deciding to no longer follow in her mother's footprints. Yes, she's still going to be protecting and healing Pokemon, but she's also going to listen to the Pokemon's feelings instead of just believing she knows what's right.

"So we would never see Lillie battle?" OR "But Lusamine is a strong trainer"

Never said she wouldn't battle. Infact for the Rainbow Rocket episode I would say if they had done what I suggested above for Lillie than everything she did during the RR episode would make more sense. She's not a battler so of course she'd only have a Clefairy. Intead of Lillie saying "she's not a very good trainer" instead she'd lament not training her Pokemon to be stronger and having the player need to rescue the Aether Foundation and her mother. And after the RR episode this could be the reason she appears at the Battle Tree with a better team, not wanting to feel hopeless and unprepared again she's now training her team against other strong trainers. She's a battling trainer only our of necessity, much like her mother, though even then you could show her true self by her choice of Pokemon and battling (while Lusamine's theme was "beautiful but dangerous", Lillie's Pokemon could be high defense & useful supporters).

 

[King Feraligatr]

You know, reading this, it makes me wonder whether they should have made Lillie a trainer. Yes, part of her character arc is understanding that good trainers like the player, Hau, and everyone part of the Island Challenge aren't hurting their Pokemon. Rather, battling is a way Pokemon express themselves because they aren't badly wounded from it and its a way to grow stronger for them. However, this understanding is what's used to justify her deciding to become a trainer... when I think it would have been fine if she understood this but still decided she doesn't want to force Pokemon to battle and instead help them live better lives through other recreational means. This would I think actually keep better with her character as well as add another subtle connection between her and her mother (wanting Pokemon to live happily and safely) but show how Lillie is thinking in a much more rational way (aka not freezing them in a block of ice forever). It could also maybe add more significance to her "Z-Powered Form", instead of it also representing Lillie becoming a trainer it would instead solely represent Lillie deciding to no longer follow in her mother's footprints. Yes, she's still going to be protecting and healing Pokemon, but she's also going to listen to the Pokemon's feelings instead of just believing she knows what's right.

"So we would never see Lillie battle?" OR "But Lusamine is a strong trainer"

Never said she wouldn't battle. Infact for the Rainbow Rocket episode I would say if they had done what I suggested above for Lillie than everything she did during the RR episode would make more sense. She's not a battler so of course she'd only have a Clefairy. Intead of Lillie saying "she's not a very good trainer" instead she'd lament not training her Pokemon to be stronger and having the player need to rescue the Aether Foundation and her mother. And after the RR episode this could be the reason she appears at the Battle Tree with a better team, not wanting to feel hopeless and unprepared again she's now training her team against other strong trainers. She's a battling trainer only our of necessity, much like her mother, though even then you could show her true self by her choice of Pokemon and battling (while Lusamine's theme was "beautiful but dangerous", Lillie's Pokemon could be high defense & useful supporters).

I'm not saying you're wrong man. I'm just working with the game and more of its original intentions (while making it slightly better written and executed). And this is a hard mode hack (with TRR Grunts all having a degree of competency). If she wasn't an up and coming ass kicker, it'd be out of place for what the events are showing you. And it'd make the Faba fight even more hell. Maybe I could've taken your angle if I wasn't just doing polishing touches/bugfixes on the hack now, but that's too late now.

 

[Pikachu315111]

(with TRR Grunts all having a degree of competency)

Does... not... compute...

TR Grunts being incompetent at battling is just like Star Wars Stormtroopers being unable to aim.

 

[King Feraligatr]

Does... not... compute...

TR Grunts being incompetent at battling is just like Star Wars Stormtroopers being unable to aim.

We'll go over them when we get to that point, won't we >:) ? Let's just say I like making villainous team Grunts (barring Skull's) more competent at battling. Hell, I like making villainous teams more threatening in general. Helps make their encounters and music (which is generally some of the best in a given game) stand out more.

(If you're impatient and want to hear more, PM me. Clogging this thread up too much with my own stuff.)

 

[Ailura]

Gooey is actually a good, competively viable ability and assault vest gooey goodra should be a thing in randbats.

 

[ZB7]

New around here, though I have been looking at others posts, when I didn’t have an account. You all seem quite pleasant so I think I’ll post around Orange Islands for a while.

Anyway, three unpopular (at least judging from what I’ve seen) opinions:

First is that I actively don’t care for story in pokemon games, while it does make good filler in the games I’ve played so far (BW2, Platinum, UM, SwSh) I just want to get to the fights. I’m not opposed to it, but for this reason I’m not as big on the “story” entries, and thus, I haven’t played them (SM, BW).

Second is that I think the XY anime isn’t great, it feels like something they slapped together and called it a day (I’ll admit Team Flare, or I suppose Lysandre is pretty cool, but I haven’t played XY yet so I can’t compare but that seems to be a shining positive that people agree on). I’m not gonna say that it was lazy or anything, because it’s a pretty well drawn and surprisingly well acted series, but I much prefer Sun and Moon, even if there are a lot of flaws it has (Ash being the main character disrupting the Lusamine arc, Ultra Necrozma being anticlimactic as heck, and the pace being absolutely ridiculous).

Lastly, I’m not exactly pessimistic about the future of pokemon. I don’t have much hope either, but after the year GameFreak has had, with no one who is a representative of GameFreak being able to catch a break about the latest entries, something tells me that they may get down and try and have some effort next time. However, this is probably unlikely, because GameFreak’s quality has declined very steeply, from USUM to SwSh, and if they can rake in the amount of sales SwSh has had with it being a bad game, something tells me that unless a mad boycott happens to the next series games, they will keep continuing what they’re doing, and like I said, I’m not exactly pessimistic about it - Pokemon has a great formula, meaning if you just upped the graphic department and the gameplay department even the tiniest bit, many would still have fun with it, like me, which is sad and at the same time kind of relieving, though I suppose that’s mostly sad.

Anyway, feel free to critique these opinions of this post and I’m looking forward to posting here more :)

 

[Volt-Ikazuchi]

New around here, though I have been looking at others posts, when I didn’t have an account. You all seem quite pleasant so I think I’ll post around Orange Islands for a while.

Welcome!

Lastly, I’m not exactly pessimistic about the future of pokemon. I don’t have much hope either, but after the year GameFreak has had, with no one who is a representative of GameFreak being able to catch a break about the latest entries, something tells me that they may get down and try and have some effort next time. However, this is probably unlikely, because GameFreak’s quality has declined very steeply, from USUM to SwSh, and if they can rake in the amount of sales SwSh has had with it being a bad game, something tells me that unless a mad boycott happens to the next series games, they will keep continuing what they’re doing, and like I said, I’m not exactly pessimistic about it - Pokemon has a great formula, meaning if you just upped the graphic department and the gameplay department even the tiniest bit, many would still have fun with it, like me, which is sad and at the same time kind of relieving, though I suppose that’s mostly sad.

I was in full "doom and gloom" mode about the franchise before the Anime change and the SwSh DLC, but since the DLC had so much better map design than the base game and the Anime doesn't pressure the games anymore now that it isn't based on the games' story arcs, there's some legit breathing room for GF to develop things and there's still some talent there.

The next game could be pivotal for the franchise or the confirmation that it's a sinking ship quality wise. (Pokémon sells so well that you can literally make chocolate-filled cupcakes shaped after Pikachu's butt and legit sell them by the dozens.)

I wish I was joking about the cupcakes, look it up.

 

[ScraftyIsTheBest]

I feel Sword and Shield's issues compared to USUM are more issues that stem from difficulties of Game Freak moving to a new platform. It's been alluded to in the past but Game Freak has always been known for having a rather rough start when it comes to making their first mainline game on a new platform, and jumping from the dedicated portable 3DS to a full blown console in the Switch (and getting ready for HD development, no less) likely hampered the game's development a lot. As Volt-Ikazuchi above said, the SwSh DLC imho was a huge step up in terms of map design and overall quality, and overall was a step in the right direction and an improvement from the base SwSh (and makes the overall experience of the game soo much better imo, I actually really like the game after both IoA and CT). So honestly, I have confidence that whatever comes next for Gen 8 after SwSh (whether it be DP remakes, another Johto game, or maybe even both or whatnot), and Gen 9 will be a step up from Sword and Shield and that I think they've become more comfortable with the Switch as a platform and will be capable of delivering better, more solid Pokemon games for the Switch later as time goes on.

Every "first mainline game" on every Nintendo platform GF has make Pokemon games for so far has always been rather rough and had issues. Look at Diamond and Pearl, for instance, the first DS Pokemon game. That game was loaded with issues and was an incredibly flawed game, but then subsequent DS games got even better after that. Platinum of course was immediately after DP and was significantly more polished and refined. BW2 at the end of the DS era was astronomically better and more polished than the original DP, and overall much better than Gen 4 as a whole. Same with say, USUM compared to X and Y for the 3DS. Moving to a new platform can be very difficult in terms of game development and Game Freak has always had a history of having a not-so-smooth start when they transition to a new platform, but upping their game the longer they spend on said platform. Of course, we'll have to wait and see how the next Pokemon games turn out, but after the SwSh Expansion Pass and how great it was, I'm more hopeful that the next Gen 8 Pokemon games (and Gen 9, assuming that's on Switch too) will be an step up from Sword and Shield.

 

[Sonikku A]

It's been alluded to in the past but Game Freak has always been known for having a rather rough start when it comes to making their first mainline game on a new platform

Facts cuz:
Gen 1 they had massive compression issues, along with rushing in the last stages
Gen 2 the implementation of colored palletes meant flatter shading than 1s
Gen 3 the battle mechanics programmically are a mess that affects all later gens, and suddenly there's a lack of a dynamic pallete system, so no night mode AND a proper way to handle objects of multiple palletes exceeding 16 palletes
Gen 4 the 3D tiles are mediocre, and started to hamper tile types. Shading overall in sprites got way worse
5 is similar to 4 for tiles. Tweened anims are extremely hit miss

 

[Celever]

I hate to be that guy, but the problem with SwSh is that Game Freak already trial ran the new console’s hardware with Let’s Go!. In that sense, SwSh were the second games on the new console, the HGSS to DP, and the step up in programming quality was much less than in that instance.

Honestly I don’t mind the poor hardware optimisation on SwSh that much, it just never irked me during the playthrough. SwSh’s issues arise from fundamental gameplay direction that would have been the same on any console.

 

[Volt-Ikazuchi]

I hate to be that guy, but the problem with SwSh is that Game Freak already trial ran the new console’s hardware with Let’s Go!. In that sense, SwSh were the second games on the new console, the HGSS to DP, and the step up in programming quality was much less than in that instance.

Honestly I don’t mind the poor hardware optimisation on SwSh that much, it just never irked me during the playthrough. SwSh’s issues arise from fundamental gameplay direction that would have been the same on any console.

Yeah, I can chalk up the Wild Area lag and the abysmal draw distance to GF's typical rough transition.

The OoT64 Textures are pushing it and the horrible corridor syndrome and NPC blockades are really just bad design. No gentle way to put it.

 

[Siggu]

I hate to be that guy, but the problem with SwSh is that Game Freak already trial ran the new console’s hardware with Let’s Go!. In that sense, SwSh were the second games on the new console, the HGSS to DP, and the step up in programming quality was much less than in that instance.

Until you realize Let's Go and SwSh were practically running in parallel at some point. You compare SwSh and LGPE to HGSS and DP, but HGSS was released thrice the time after DP than SwSh after LGPE.

We know that Sword and Shield started development after Sun and Moon were finished. They've said as such in the interview.

Which means that, at some period of time between 2016 and 2019, Game Freak was working on FOUR games at the same time:
- Sword and Shield
- Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee
- Ultra Sun and Moon (which we know it was handled by the younger Game Freak personnel, as it was mentioned in an interview as well)
- Little Town (that non-Pokémon game they were working on)

Game Freak might have a history of not handling console debut games very well, but the real problem was awful planning. The debut traditional Pokémon game on the Switch might as well have had only a quarter of the potential workforce dedicated to it at some point. Too many cooks spoil the soup, they say.

 

[Nokocchi]

Which means that, at some period of time between 2016 and 2019, Game Freak was working on FOUR games at the same time:
- Sword and Shield
- Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee
- Ultra Sun and Moon (which we know it was handled by the younger Game Freak personnel, as it was mentioned in an interview as well)
- Little Town (that non-Pokémon game they were working on)

Don't forget they also did an enhanced console release of Giga Wrecker around that time, too. While it is mostly unchanged from the Steam version, it does add various new things and they made it for all three current gen consoles of that time.

 

[DreamPrince]

Until you realize Let's Go and SwSh were practically running in parallel at some point. You compare SwSh and LGPE to HGSS and DP, but HGSS was released thrice the time after DP than SwSh after LGPE.

We know that Sword and Shield started development after Sun and Moon were finished. They've said as such in the interview.

Which means that, at some period of time between 2016 and 2019, Game Freak was working on FOUR games at the same time:
- Sword and Shield
- Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee
- Ultra Sun and Moon (which we know it was handled by the younger Game Freak personnel, as it was mentioned in an interview as well)
- Little Town (that non-Pokémon game they were working on)

Game Freak might have a history of not handling console debut games very well, but the real problem was awful planning. The debut traditional Pokémon game on the Switch might as well have had only a quarter of the potential workforce dedicated to it at some point. Too many cooks spoil the soup, they say.

I hate to be that guy, but the problem with SwSh is that Game Freak already trial ran the new console’s hardware with Let’s Go!. In that sense, SwSh were the second games on the new console, the HGSS to DP, and the step up in programming quality was much less than in that instance.

Honestly I don’t mind the poor hardware optimisation on SwSh that much, it just never irked me during the playthrough. SwSh’s issues arise from fundamental gameplay direction that would have been the same on any console.

Adding on to these posts, a remake takes considerably less time to design than a brand new region. In the case of Let’s Go, Kanto was already designed with all the towns, routes, dungeons, in the game. They just have to update the already created character designs and sprites and create some new 2D artwork for promotion and Pokémon and then they are done. The topic of Pokémon creation is especially notable, since Let’s Go only introduces two new Pokémon which means significantly less time dedicated to designing Pokémon, something newer games have to spend a lot more time on. The cost and time is significantly cheaper than a brand new game.

As for SwSh, they have to dedicate time into designing the map, region, new Pokémon, characters, moves, etc. from scratch. Already you can see that this will take considerably longer amount of time than Let’s Go, and it’s very noticeable in the end that SwSh definitely was rushed. I still wonder if Dexit was the result of not having enough time to implement all the models perhaps because of an error and the DLC was an attempt to salvage as much as possible.

If GF insists working on Pokémon in these cycles, the very least they could do is get help from another studio. Nintendo and Intelligent Systems got help from Monolith Soft and Koei Techmo when developing Breath of the Wild and Three Houses because the studios knew that they did not have the experience to handle and create a games in those sizes. Sadly, Masuda has mentioned that he dislikes working on large groups because its ‘messy’ and its hard to communicate, which is probably a major reason why GF has not tried getting a bigger team to work on the games despite needing more man power.

 

[LordThemberchaud]

I liked SWSH.

 

[Pikachu315111]

The next game could be pivotal for the franchise or the confirmation that it's a sinking ship quality wise. (Pokémon sells so well that you can literally make chocolate-filled cupcakes shaped after Pikachu's butt and legit sell them by the dozens.)

I wish I was joking about the cupcakes, look it up.

For those wondering, Kotaku has a few helpful articles.

• First, the cupcakes I couldn't find, only fanmade ones, but there was a "Pikachu Cafe" for a short while (a promotion for the first XY movie) that sold Pikachu-based food and at least one of these products was a curry bun that, you guessed it, was shaped as Pikachu's b...ackside. I mean, we can make a joke about them having bun shaped liked Pikachu's buns, but it's more Pikachu's back than its butt. Now wouldn't be surprised if the cafe sold a food item more shaped as Pikachu's butt, but note that just as often as people say "Pikachu's butt" they sort of are also including merch depicting Pikachu's backside or lower body.

• Second, for why there is food shaped like Pikachu's butt, it's actually a general fasciation with Pikachu's butt. For you see, Pikachu could be argued to be based on a hamster (or have a body shape similar enough to one), and apparently Japan has considered the shape a how a hamster's lower backside forms "cute" (so still technically not just the butt, but just say it's the butt is more catchy than "lower backside"). Thus, Pikachu Butt merch cause if Pokemon has a way to shove their mascot in people's face they'll do it even if it's behind first.
  
  
  
  (Why, yes, this is a wallet plush of Pikachu's butt)

We know that Sword and Shield started development after Sun and Moon were finished. They've said as such in the interview.

Which means that, at some period of time between 2016 and 2019, Game Freak was working on FOUR games at the same time:
- Sword and Shield
- Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee
- Ultra Sun and Moon (which we know it was handled by the younger Game Freak personnel, as it was mentioned in an interview as well)
- Little Town (that non-Pokémon game they were working on)

Game Freak might have a history of not handling console debut games very well, but the real problem was awful planning. The debut traditional Pokémon game on the Switch might as well have had only a quarter of the potential workforce dedicated to it at some point. Too many cooks spoil the soup, they say.

But remember games go through several stages of development and each stage generally has its own department working on it until it gets approval to move onto the next stage where the staff then starts working on the next game down the pipeline. So I imagine the above four games were in the following phases during Sun & Moon's release:

• Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon either skipped ahead or spent very little time in the conceptual departments that it would not have taken much of any development time away from the other games mentioned. Unlike BW2 it went back to be a glorified expansion of a game you already played but a few additional features (and, for the first time, Pokemon species via the Ultra Beasts) here and there.
• Let's Go was likely the next biggest game in the development oven. Now they decided not to really revamp the maps so that saved them time, but there was quite a number of changes it had to Yellow version so would need time for create the new models, script the new story elements, and work in the GO mechanics. So I can see it having a normal development time as a traditional core series game.
• Sword & Shield were likely still in the conceptual stage. Galar and its characters existed in concept art only and the story was likely just a list of ideas & events. Let's Go also skipped the concept stage that probably takes a long time to do, creating new Pokemon, which Sword & Shield would have spent many months in.
• Little Town Hero, if I understand things right, essentially started out as a side project that those interested in the project would work on when they had done their likely Pokemon duty (aka waiting for approvals). I could see this giving it a long conceptual stage as it worked bits at a time. It just so happened to have finished the concept stage during Sword & Shield's development... and yeah I imagine people who would have worked on Sword & Shield normally may have wanted to work on Little Town Hero instead so they were sharing resources. Now not saying had those people worked on Sword & Shield may have given us a better game, though I could see us maybe having a more polished experience with things like graphics textures and animations (or at least have better animated cutscenes). Not to mention the GF higher-ups felt like they were more excited to do Little Town Hero than Pokemon, which is fine and understandable... but Little Town Hero also had some rather notable flaws (re-used NPC models, a story that goes nowhere; the battle system is fine once you get used to it and feels like GF just threw together a game to use it) that shows GF probably should have done one game at a time (I say work on Little Town Hero first which gives Sword & Shield some more time in the oven).

If GF insists working on Pokémon in these cycles, the very least they could do is get help from another studio. Nintendo and Intelligent Systems got help from Monolith Soft and Koei Techmo when developing Breath of the Wild and Three Houses because the studios knew that they did not have the experience to handle and create a games in those sizes. Sadly, Masuda has mentioned that he dislikes working on large groups because its ‘messy’ and its hard to communicate, which is probably a major reason why GF has not tried getting a bigger team to work on the games despite needing more man power.

Yeah... BUT there may be hope now. Masuda and GF higher-ups are gonna need to learn to work with bigger groups (or, being they were more interested in Little Town Hero, maybe focus on GF's side games and leave Pokemon alone) as they're now right next to daddy Nintendo to both give them easier access to resources and I imagine keep an eye on them to make sure they're making games worthy of Nintendo's seal of approval which Sword & Shield merely got from just having the franchise name.