What if Smogon made OFFICAL pokemon games?

[Blaesiken]

I'm hoping I put this thead in the right place...

Anyways, if the higher-ups of Smogon were to be hired by Nintendo & start helping with the games, I could see the games being SO much better for it...

But this would depend on what Nintendo allowed/don't allow them to do or if the leaders here don't want to actually make the games...

But it doesn't have to be the leaders themselves:

Any member of Smogon could try to get a career in making video games & hopefully they'll be hired by Nintendo & use what they learn here to get in improvments...

Probaly won't be as much improvment as we'd like, but improvments nonetheless.

I'm wanting to get a career in making video games, not just for Pokemon, but maybe one day, I'll be able to get Smogon-inpired improvments into the actual games...

What are your guys thought on all this?

 

[MixedCalibur]

What exactly do you think Smogon members would change about the games? I really hope you're not thinking "zomg built in IV checker and gym leaders with Ev trained pokes!!1" because that, in my opinion, would be lame.

 

[cantab]

The only thing Smogon could really help with would be playtesting for competitive balance. Snag is, Game Freak is Japanese.

So, for someone from Smogon to have a hope of getting hired by Game Freak as a playtester, they'd need to be fluent in Japanese, and have plenty of experience in video game testing. At that point, Smogon doesn't count for much.

 

[Firestorm]

The majority of Smogon doesn't have the slightest inkling on how to design a game. As cantab pointed out, the only role Smogon players would be fit for would be as consultants for the battle system. Of course, as far as Game Freak and The Pokemon Company International are concerned, we aren't a huge factor in their competitive metagame. So even if Game Freak was as open as Capcom and other leading companies are, they'd look at the Japanese userbase which does play their metagame primarily for help instead. I doubt they'd bother having to get a translator for players like Huy and BlueCookies when they have talent at home.

Edit: Man I'm a pessimist. Also, the video games industry is a hellhole. Read up on it before pursuing it.

 

[Blaesiken]

@ MixedCalibur: No, that wasn't what I was thinking...
I was thinking of improvements like Flareon having Flare Blitz, Wargle's Encorage ability blocking the effects of Brave Bird & Superpower while boosting their power, etc.

@ Cantab: That's what I had in mind...

@ Firestorm: Good point...
But I have a different idea now:
I can learn Japanese, go over to Japan, (my cousin would LOVE it if I brought him with!) learn how pokemon is played there & figure out how I can make a Japanse version of Smogon.
This'll be HARD to do & take a LONG time, but when it come to something I REALLY want to do, I won't quit easily.

 

[Chomper The Sharptooth]

learn how pokemon is played there & figure out how I can make a Japanse version of Smogon.

Sadly, I don't see that happening. Smogonites have proven themselves capable with CAP and I'm sure there are plenty who could at least contribute something meaningful if we did make our own Pokemon. That being said none of us are game designers. Some of us may have (like me) worked on our own RPG type battle systems, but the fact of the matter is many of us probably overestimate how much we understand about proper game design. I know I did.

 

[Firestorm]

The format they care about is VGC which you can play with our players here as well. I don't mean to crush your hopes, but the Japanese games industry isn't a very welcoming environment for foreigners. I wouldn't recommend going that path. I know of very few people who have successfully integrated themselves into the Japanese game development cycle =P

Learning Japanese is quite an asset though and can open doors to localization jobs if you want to get into the industry.

Convincing The Pokemon Company International to take impressions from Smogon players to the right people in Japan is probably the most feasible route, but we aren't exactly their favourite website I don't think!

 

[Chou Toshio]

I wrote up the cover letter! Should I send it????

株式会社ゲームフリーク
杉森　健様

私は張利男と申します。
御社が創作してくださった「ポケモンシリーズ」のファンの一員であり、ポケモンネットコミュニティー　「スモガン」の一員であります。
私達は長年御社のゲームを楽しみ、大変お世話になっております。
スモガンは長年ポケモン競争の戦術などタクティクスを研究し、欧米ネットコミュニティーのネット競争の中心でもなっております。
ネット競争の文化を広がり、今になったら、ゲームのルールを決め、ポケモン競争界を支配しております。

ですので、我々は慎重にポケモンの開発を観察させております。
ゲーム発売される度に、作品の素晴らしさを驚き、興奮を覚えます。
しかし、恐れながら、御社のデザインは非常に優れていると思いながら、やはり競争ゲームとして改善できるところもあると思います。

私達は長年の深いポケモン知識を持ち、このゲームをよりよくする志もあります。
ポケモンの競争世界を広がり、よりよく素晴らしい競争ゲームになって見届きたいです。
なぜと言えば、ポケモンんが大好きだからです。
御社がよろしければ、是非とも、我々を協力させてください。

これからポケモン達とも、御社とも、歩いて行きたいです。

どうぞ宜しく御願いいたします。

ポケモンん競争　ネットコミュニティー　スモガン
イラスト部　張　利男


Since I wrote it in standard Japanese "business formal" e-mail format, I'd appreciate if someone could figure out what Sugimori's official title and department are. Then I can add that to the header. If anyone sees any spelling or grammatical errors, feel free to point them out!

 

[Arch]

Getting into the industry is ridiculous. I strongly agree with Firestorm, few smogoners are well practiced in computer programs or a broad range of art. Game Design in general!

The best a common smogoner would get into would be a playtester. I also HIGHLY doubt you'll get to put a gigantic input into the games (per say, mechanic changes / pokemon editing / storyline / etc.) unless you're someone hired for concepts, direction, designing, or production related to the general game.

The CAP project is a good example of what we could do, but the whole CAP forum won't get hired. There are multiple people dedicated to multiple stages of pokemon creation, all are dedicated experts on the subjects. This is definitely one of the harder areas to even get considered for. Concept designers are a dime a dozen.

"Convincing The Pokemon Company International to take impressions from Smogon players to the right people in Japan is probably the most feasible route, but we aren't exactly their favourite website I don't think!"

This

Japan is a cruel, cruel place for outsiders.

 

[Not Scicky]

Step 1. See a thread
Step 2. Read that thread
Step 3. Shit on OP's dreams

Come on guys. We all know it's far-fetched, but I think what the OP is getting at is what would you do if you could make changes to the world of pokemon.

 

[Chomper The Sharptooth]

Due to not knowing Japanese I had to use google translate to read the letter, and despite it naturally coming out Engrishy for me it sounds great. Unfortunately, I have nothing else to add. :/

 

[Nails]

Some of the ideas from CAP have been used (Zuruzukin is a Fighting typed bulk up user whose second Stab gets near perfect coverage and can use shed skin and rest as a healing move), even if unintentional.

 

[BKC]

It'd be cool if it could happen, but as Firestorm said, we probably aren't the pokemon company's favorite website :P