Topic: Pokemon Z

I took the original post as "skip to 7th gen" but now it makes a lot more sense.

Actually I wouldn't mind them making a new region, using the pokemon we have either.. like instead of kalos, we move on to another region and continue the story there, like team flare relocated to that region and all the new megas can be found there alongside zygarde. It would spice up the formula a bit, changing some major things like gyms, etc.

I'm starting to get that vibe too. They really seem to want to avoid giving any generic or underrated pokemon any attention. They figure kids will be happy if they get a giant dragon that kills everything, and that turns everybody else off who doesn't like that pokemon (I like mega rayquaza, sick design! but it, and primal groudon turned the PSS and TCG into cancer.)

They really need to stop slapping legends on every single merchandise cover.. it's fine for game boxart and of course movies, but it's literally everything nowadays.

@MegaBeedrill: Pokemon main games might just be a "kid's" game now. It's difficult for me to say that but maybe that's Gamefreak's main priority: "Entertain kids before veteran fans". Because their handling of these games are getting really weird.

@Blast: That's the whole point... If companies relied on older fans to sustain themselves, they wouldn't last long. The more people they can get introduced the better. Also, I don't see what's wrong with the games. Is it because they're more streamlined when it comes to difficulty rather than having insane difficulty spikes and poison constantly killing your Pokemon just for walking? Pokemon has always been catered towards children and there's nothing wrong with that. It's supposed to be a series that ANYONE can pick up and play. A lot of people who don't normally game that much get turned off by difficult games, which in Pokemon's case is a lot of girls (that of course don't normally game but love cute little creatures and adventure) since girls don't play games as much as males (most see it as a waste of time) and thus aren't likely to pick up a hard strategic RPG (which Pokemon has distanced itself from ever since it was first created as the original concept was about having cool pets that can battle OR be traded, but also go along with you on a journey). Pokemon is more about going on an adventure in a world filled with unique creatures than it is about being a serious RPG, but its always been like that.

I think for any third installment of a region that it shouldnt be a pick up and play game because thats what the first two installments are for.(Like X/Y should be easy games that can be played by anyone while Z or XY2 should be more story filled)

I didn't say anything about exclusivity.

What?! I disagree!!! Look at FromSoftware's highly praised and successful Souls games!!! Miyazaki, the director, has stayed loyal to the fans by keeping its crushing difficulty and style. He didn't change the series because people always complain about the difficulty! That series is highly appreciated and has many sales. If Gamefreak stays loyal to veterans instead of cater to kids... Then maybe Pokemon main games can actually flourish in content and story!!! Or at least create a spinoff that Pokemon veterans can go to!!! These Pokemon main games are taking a turn for the worse! We take one huge step forward like actual player customization in X/Y but we take 5 huge steps back with Gamefreak's obsession with Megaevoultion, bad stories like in X/Y, no Battle Frontier, and the list runs on! Who even cares about Zygarde?! The focus should be on creating good stories and great content.

@Blast Oh, and then what? They just alienate a majority of their fanbase for a niche group that wants those things? The majority of people that play Pokemon games don't even care, its only long term fans who dig deep into the series that care about lore, worldbuilding, and story driven experiences. That's just how the world works. I'd hardly call it fair comparing a game meant for hardcore gamers to a game meant for all ages to enjoy at their leisure.

Also, I like Mega Evolution as a mechanic and don't see anything wrong with it what-so-ever. The only games with a good story are the ones that came out in Gen V, which were humorously made for people like us anyway, except guess what? A lot of people bashed them for that which is why X and Y exist as they do. The Battle Frontier is usually only in third installment games. It didn't even exist until Emerald. It's not a core feature that's been around for that long so don't act like it is. I care about Zygarde. I find him to be mysterious and his movements look really cool.

This is what game freak should be doing

I personally dont they they turned for the worst but X/Y was one of my least liked pokemon games(ORAS was one of my favorites on the other hand). Mega evolutions has gotten bad because now they are just down right replacing regular evolution but otherwise i think they are fine...only 5 pokemon per generation should have a mega in my opinion. people only dont care about Zygarde because gamefreak refuses to gave backstories to mega until a "third installment" or a pokemon movie and I hate that. lastly the full focus shouldnt be on story as others said before but gamefreak does need a bigger focus on it or create a spin-off for people who wants lots of story like us.

@BlatantlyHeroic I thought gen 3 had potential to have a good story and I enjoyed the story in 4....gen 5 wasn't the only generation with a good story

@Blast: The main issue here is not that Pokemon is innately changing for better or worse, rather the players themselves are. In reality, Pokemon has always been focused on the Pokemon and the ability for players to adventure, battle, care for, and even trade their Pokemon with their friends; elements that each main series Pokemon game has focused on and improved. The story elements for Pokemon have always been more of a second focus, behind the actual gameplay and the Pokemon (since those are the main things that sell in the franchise).

The question is why would Gamefreak ever need to change the main series Pokemon games specifically for the "veterans", when they can just keep the same strategy and continue appealing to the younger demographic (like they always have) and still attract new people and sell just as much.

You referenced the Souls franchise and how it has remained loyal to it's core, but even that franchise has also changed over time. It's gameplay has been changed and polished over time, and has even tried to appeal to a greater audience than it normally did before (Bloodborne being a good example of this). Pokemon has changed slightly over time as it has to find new ways to appeal to others, but in general, it is still the same game it has always been.

@Sleepingmudkip All of the stories are the same. A kid goes out on an adventure, stops a nefarious team, becomes Champion, then goes off to do random things to his or her heart's content. Gen V is the only one that had any depth, it wanted you to think and was extremely philosophical in a lot of the questions that it asked you as you played. You normally don't debate philosophical morality in a kids game, much less make it the main theme of the game.

@BlatantlyHeroic: You can have a good story without moving away from that formula. When I played sapphire I was fighting the usual bad guys but the bad guys actually felt like they had some sort of depth and not only that, at that time I felt that if I didnt stop team aqua/magma then the world would end because of the legendaries, That wasnt a feeling I felt from gen 1 or 2. Gen 4 expanded that feeling even more especially in platinum. I am not saying the next pokemon game has to be like a persona or chrono trigger level stories(I would like a pokemon game like that though) but I want that adventure to feel like a big insane adventure. Gen 5 took that basic formula and expanded on that so much and I loved it(but gen 5 wasnt my favorite generation for other reasons) and then X/Y went back to a basic feeling.....ORAS did bring back the old feelings when I was playing Gen 3/4 which is why its one of my favorite pokemon games.

@Sleepingmudkip: At what point did I suggest moving away from the current formula? I was just stating that almost all stories were the same with no real thinking depth until generation V.

ahem

#FavLegend

^ This, particularly the showdown audience.. in all honest, the veterans of pokemon spend a lot of their time on a free simulator over the actual cartirage anyway. Yeah, we need a better storyline and game.. but with all the hardcore competitive "it's our way or no way" playerbase like smogon, pokemon became exceptionally boring and less fun with experimenting with your own mons.. and if it wasn't a smogonite that bashed everybody for using your favorite mons cause they're bad or not allowed.. it's a little kid with a mega rayquaza and primal groudon..

Pokemon communities took a turn into a CoD, MLG fanbase rather than anybody who actually reads the text anymore.

I'm just saying the Pokemon main games are in a vicious and ugly cycle. You know what's gonna happen after the next Pokemon main game if Gamefreak keeps... this charade going??? "Guys, we got another Legendary for you!!! She's shaped like a planet!!! And she has a Megaevoultion!!! C'mon kids!!! Get hyped!!!". Just gimme a freaking spinoff that caters to Pokemon veterans!!!

@Blast: A mega evolution that makes her stronger and therefore a much more fulfilling boss battle than say any normal legendary. Seriously, I feel like this complaining is just going on just for the sake of complaining. Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre had to be one of, if not THE most challenging legendary battle ever. Stopping future games from having legendary Pokemon and Mega Evolutions is like taking the boss battles out of a game. It's horrendous and illogical. I hope you never get a job as a game designer.

Ummm... Wow. I've said earlier that Megaevoultion are fine and has potential as long as its not abused. I literally said earlier in this thread how I would like options on poses of doing the Megaevoultion activating scenes. That would be really cool. What's with the chilidish "I hope you never become a game designer!!!" statement from you. Did you feel cool for saying that? "We disagree on something!!! I hope you never become a game designer!!! Waaahhh!!!" That's literally how you sounded.

I think you're taking this way too personally and your response is very unprofessional. What you said in later posts and what you said before contradicted each other and so I decided to give my thoughts on your more "negative" outlook. You mention mega evolution as a negative thing in its entirety without any sort of different outlook in most of your posts. You didn't elaborate so any logical human being would infer that you didn't like the concept itself.

Also, no harm comes from challenging another person's thoughts and feelings on matters such as this. It's a natural occurrence and will always come to pass regardless.

@BlatantlyHeroic: I didnt say you were stating that they should change the formula, I was just stating that so you wouldn't think I was suggesting that they change the formula and then I proceeded to say how I thought gen 3 and 4 were good stories. I apologize for the confusion.

Wouldn't some sort of real hard mode fix this issue with the games feeling too easy for veterans or what not? Not the Black and White esque 'couple of levels higher' type, the Mario & Luigi Dream Team style 'everything will obliterate you near instantly' type hard mode.

Just have a hard mode and have it give all the trainers better teams and AI. And change up the wild Pokemon placements and levels along with it.

Introducing difficulty levels in Pokemon Black Version 2 and White Version 2 was a step in the right direction, however, I think they handled it poorly by locking them until after the game has been completed, and even then, you need a second console and game to make use of it. I played through Black 2 and then played White 2 on Hard Mode, but I would have preferred to have played both in Hard Mode from the start.

It was silly that they did not include difficulty modes at all in the 3DS Pokemon games. With the changes applied to EXP. Share, I would have appreciated a better challenge.