Topic: Pokémon Winds and Waves

@UpsideDownRowlet that makes sense!

Like I've mentioned I haven't played a Pokemon game before. So, this might be a dumb question, but what exactly changes between versions? So far I like the outfits of Wind and the wind Pikachu more, but in theory I can change clothes so what else is different?

@Nep-Nep-Freak I sure hope that sticks, cause if the one bad thing about Gen 10 ends up being "I can't name my Gecqua 'F**kmaster'" then we could be looking at some truly impeccable games!

@CaleBoi25 Usually there will be a bit of difference in the story (not too much) because we will get different legendary mon. There usually is some pokemon specific to each of the games too.

@CaleBoi25 Fire/Water/Grass will never go away for the starters, mainly since each Pokemon game is meant to be a player's first Pokemon game. Those three types are a easy way to introduce kids to the typing triangle.

@CaleBoi25, the newer Pokémon games make it so you can change any Pokémon that you catch an unlimited amount of times from that Pokémon's summary menu, and any Pokémon from a different trainer or another game just once through its summary menu, unless it already has a nickname.

If my theoretical idea happens, then if your Pokémon has an offensive name and you want to use it in battles online, then you'd have to rename it at least temporarily to pass the name check. And also be careful what you name any Pokémon from other players if you intend on using them online.

I'm just saying that at least no filter for offline play usage would be something, since there are people who don't play the games online (even I just play them offline for the most part).

@VoidofLight yeah, that's fair. I guess I wasn't thinking of that angle

Version differences change a lot by title. The most surefire difference is that each version will have a handful of Pokemon that won't naturally spawn in the other version, and can only be obtained by trading. Since Gen 3, the legendaries on the box art have also been version exclusive.

Other version differences across various titles have included: locations, characters, the time of day being set 12 hours (just in Pokemon Moon), boss fights, ride Pokemon, outfits (in Scarlet and Violet you were locked into those outfits, hopefully its different for Winds and Waves), and UI (there could be more that just isn't coming to mind, but IDK).

For Winds and Waves, all we can be sure of so far from official information is that the starting clothing accessories will be version specific and that there will probably be some version exclusive Pokemon.

@Nep-Nep-Freak would it be nice? Yes. But at the same time, if I have the choice between a great game with a teesy bit of censorship and a totally uncensored game that's just as good, I'm literally not even factoring that aspect of it into the equation. At that point I'm looking at the price or the story or something. You do you, but calling that a con is kinda much imo

@UpsideDownRowlet copy, thanks for the info!

I wonder what gimmick will be introduced in Pokemon gen 10.
We got Mega Evolution from Gen 6.
We got Z- Moves from Gen 7.
We got Giant Pokemon from Gen 8.
We got Prehistoric and Robotic Pokemon (Paradox) from Gen 9.
What kind of idea to make special looking Pokemon?

Also, Gamefreak need to put Balinese theme song for Pokemon Gen 10, just like Super Mario Odyssey have Javanese vibe music from Forgotten Isle.

@Anti-Matter Paradox Pokemon weren't the gimmick of Gen 9 (they're just a special category of Pokemon, like the Ultra Beasts). Terastallization (type changing) was the gimmick of Gen 10.

As for the Gen 10 gimmick, we can assume the rainbow omega Poke ball symbol in the Japanese logo is related somehow, but I can't say anything immediately comes to mind for what it could entail.

I will say I'm almost suspicious by it. Like the turn around compared to past games is so obvious and dramatic that its very weird.

Like if this is what they can do now that they were given sufficient time and that was the entire problem, I'm gonna be so mad at whoever kept telling them to release games at the same pace they did in the 2000s. How stupid are you to think that was a good idea, unknown Pokemon executive?

Some Indonesian fauna I'd like to see get Pokemon versions in Winds and Waves:

• Babirusa
• Komodo Dragon
• Maleo (Since Browt seems to be just a general chick design, I could see it evolving into this)
• Slow loris
• Clouded leopard
• Dugong
• Binturong
• Tree Kangaroo
• Siamang
• Whale shark

(If any of these don't actually live in Indonesia, you can correct me. I just did a quick Google search.)

Ok let's be fair here. Gamefreak was limited by the hardware. That's not the same as other major developers, as proven by the games. Likely it would run worse but otherwise you could make this game on Switch 1 if given enough time and resources and the best developers. It would just take longer.

@UpsideDownRowlet
If there are new Shark and Crocodile Pokemon in Winds / Waves, it will be representation of my hometown Surabaya (Sura = Shark, Baya = Crocodile)

Other Indonesian Fauna that can be in Pokemon.

• Kasawari
• Bekantan (Big nosed monkey)
• Hanuman (White monkey from Kecak Dance)
• Javanese eagle
• Sumatran tiger
• Jalak Bali
• Cendrawasih (Bird of Paradise, not the flower)

@kkslider5552000 I do think it was moreso the move to Switch 2 allowing them more power without having to be as good at optimizing their games- while also being scarred after how Scarlet and Violet turned out in terms of reception and brand image. They had every reason to move away from their 2-3 year dev cycles.

Ironically putting out a 3D game that looks this good only makes me more confident they should do an HD-2D approach to their other games, if simply for the reason of keeping up some degree of quantity. Even doing a good enough, not quite like the actual HD-2D style update for B/W would likely be really appealing and I have to imagine would be dramatically quicker to be able to release than anything remotely on the level of gen 10. Quite frankly, best case scenario. Almost hopeful that that's relevant to the FR/LG release, as its inevitable success would be good proof people will still buy 2D Pokemon.

And it makes me think its more likely, they didn't see the gen 9 sales and think "well that's it for us regularly putting out Pokemon RPGs".

I was listening to the game's main theme again and I thought of how it sounds sort of like the songs that accompanied the opening movies of the 3DS games. On Switch, all the games' title screens have just been still images and I've always wished they would go back to the style of title screens of the DS and 3DS days (which peaked in USUM, IMO), which would usually present dramatic looks at the legendaries and previews of the adventure to come. This theme makes me think we are getting that style of title screen back. I'd see the title screen movie going in the following phases in accordance to the song:

1) Calm prelude - Shows a few establishing shots of the open world.

2) Intense buildup - Shows the legendaries in action. The particular style the song is going for gives me the feel that the legendaries this Gen will be going for is that of powerful and ruthless incarnations of nature.

3) Pokemon Main Theme - Shows video of protagonists running through the open world (similar to much of the shots seen in the reveal trailer).

I think it's a combination of several things...

1) Better hardware makes the biggest difference. Switch 2 is, at least according to Nvidia, 10x the power of the Switch. Even if in some respects it's only 6x that's still massive, not to mention DLSS helping it punch ever further above it's weight. As mentioned, even Zelda games struggled with framerate on Switch, as did Xenoblade Chronicles.

2) The learning curve of HD development was something Nintendo went through in the Wii U era, but not Gamefreak. They didn't cut their teeth until Switch. This was certainly one contributing factor, at the very least.

3) Scarlet and Violet was their first open world game, and they were not ready to take on such a task, particularly with Switch hardware. A lot of their team had been developing handheld titles their entire career and was not experienced with the needed techniques and required skills.

4) Development cycles were brutal. The machine they created had its deadlines and Pokemon was going to release every couple years, regardless of quality. Winds and Waves will have had a full 5 year development cycle, which is closer to what we expect for big open world games nowadays. It's being given enough time to properly cook.

5) From what we've heard, Nintendo was not happy with Scarlet and Violet, and we know for a fact gamers weren't. Just look how quickly it got a free Switch 2 update to address its performance. The damage that game did to the brand was massive. Gamefreak will have been more than eager to repair that reputational damage with their next mainline entry.

They've now gotten past their learning curve, they've become experienced with HD and open world development, they're motivated to create something impressive, they're being given enough time to do the game justice, and it's on a platform with sufficient power to accomodate their vision.