Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl Speculation/Discussion Thread!

[Mr.Munchlax]

Definitely feel like series 12 needs the new Pokemon that will be available in BDSP and Arceus. Really miss using Breloom and Gliscor

Just got flashbacks of being swept by Poison Heal Breloom & Gliscor in WiFi battles @__@

 

[Bolt the Cat]

Personally, I always felt the gym puzzles were a way to provide variety without using any HMs (except the few Grass-type ones early on that needed Cut). Traditionally, the dungeons set in urban areas didn't need HMs either (most made use of teleportation pads and arrow pads, though some were simply mazes of office cubicles and hallways).

Rather, I suspect the dungeons were mostly excised from the more recent games because they're deemed low priority on things to be removed. I think they still want to make them though, considering that factory to the west of Motostoke in Sword and Shield that Sonia even introduces but you never go to because the path is blocked with a stanchion. Considering it was on the Galar map shown in February 2019, I have no doubt that this was originally going to be a dungeon of bad guys.

Nah, it definitely seems to be a casualization thing. From 5th gen onward, they both cut down on the HM usage and cut down on the complexity of the gym puzzles (there's definitely a handful of them still there, but much less than Gens 1-4). That change coincided with other decisions that have been unpopular with the hardcore fans online such as doubling down on the linearity, making the trainer battles shorter/easier, and constant tutorials and NPCs interrupting you to tell you where to go. The timing of them simplifying the puzzles right alongside other simplifications implies that it was a concerted effort to make the game easier.

I don't doubt that that factory was meant to be explorable but I doubt that it would've been to the level of complexity of say, Celadon Rocket Hideout or Silph Co. It probably would've been just as simple and linear as most of everything else in the games.

 

[janejane6178]

I like puzzles and thats one of the things that were missing in swsh for me are the bad group hideout. Team Yell was just a road block and nothing more

 

[treatyofversigh]

I’m not the biggest fan of puzzles but after replaying Platinum and starting a new Sword file, I definitely think that’s something I’m missing from the newer games. I don’t like being forced to use certain moves I can’t easily delete, but I do like the extra challenge HMs add to the overworld. I’m very glad HMs are returning in a modified form for BDSP because of that. I also miss having like... A true dedicated Victory Road and other dungeons. It’s not something I really realized I missed until recently. I don’t think it’s too much to ask to have some of the current QoL improvements but with field moves/dungeons

 

[janejane6178]

I’m not the biggest fan of puzzles but after replaying Platinum and starting a new Sword file, I definitely think that’s something I’m missing from the newer games. I don’t like being forced to use certain moves I can’t easily delete, but I do like the extra challenge HMs add to the overworld. I’m very glad HMs are returning in a modified form for BDSP because of that. I also miss having like... A true dedicated Victory Road and other dungeons. It’s not something I really realized I missed until recently. I don’t think it’s too much to ask to have some of the current QoL improvements but with field moves/dungeons

Galar region will always be my least fav one because of these reasons

 

[treatyofversigh]

Galar region will always be my least fav one because of these reasons

I like enough about Galar that it’s at least middling for me in terms of ranking the regions, but there were definitely a lot of things I wish they did more with. But at least we’ll be getting puzzles and stuff in BDSP! I can’t wait to see them in the fancy new graphics.

 

[Ophie]

Agreed. I get why Espeon and Umbreon weren’t obtainable in FRLG with no internal clock and HGSS had no areas that could evolve Eevee into Glaceon and Leafeon. Sylveon is easy to program into the game as it’s now just a Max Friendship evolution with the added condition that Eevee knows a Fairy type move.

They could also still do what they did with the friendship-based evolutions in Fire Red and Leaf Green where they just lock you out of them until you reach the postgame. Personally, it's better if they allow Sylveon, but it's their decision.

I like enough about Galar that it’s at least middling for me in terms of ranking the regions, but there were definitely a lot of things I wish they did more with. But at least we’ll be getting puzzles and stuff in BDSP! I can’t wait to see them in the fancy new graphics.

For me, my least favorite region is Johto. It's very dependent on Kanto to make it feel complete and is otherwise an incredibly small one (arguably smaller than Galar). I can only wonder how it would've turned out if Satoru Iwata hadn't helped compress the game so Kanto could be added in.

 

[janejane6178]

I already accepted the fact that we probably wont have gen 5-8 Pokemon, but having Sylveon is more pressing since an existing Pokemon (Eevve) can evolve into it.
I really hope they wont remove it from the game.
Having faithul remakes is one thing, but making the games isolated and forgetting an exiting Pokemon have an evolution is another thing

 

[Captain Jigglypuff]

I already accepted the fact that we probably wont have gen 5-8 Pokemon, but having Sylveon is more pressing since an existing Pokemon (Eevve) can evolve into it.
I really hope they wont remove it from the game.
Having faithul remakes is one thing, but making the games isolated and forgetting an exiting Pokemon have an evolution is another thing

Agreed. In FRLG it was unavoidable since those games had no internal clock and HGSS had no real locations that would work well for most of the specific location evolutions. Maybe the Power Plant for Magnezone and Probopass but where would the Icy Rock and Moss Rock go? Ice Cave is too small and not very much space that wasn’t covered in pure ice and the Seafoam Islands aren’t cold enough. And the Moss Rock had either Viridian Forest or Ilex Forest and neither seemed right as Viridian was drastically cut down in size and Ilex is too dark and Dex entires say that lots of sunlight is necessary for Leafeon.

 

[janejane6178]

Agreed. In FRLG it was unavoidable since those games had no internal clock and HGSS had no real locations that would work well for most of the specific location evolutions. Maybe the Power Plant for Magnezone and Probopass but where would the Icy Rock and Moss Rock go? Ice Cave is too small and not very much space that wasn’t covered in pure ice and the Seafoam Islands aren’t cold enough. And the Moss Rock had either Viridian Forest or Ilex Forest and neither seemed right as Viridian was drastically cut down in size and Ilex is too dark and Dex entires say that lots of sunlight is necessary for Leafeon.

I also wonder if we will have Galarain forms.
Even LGPE had Alolan forms in the games, and these were the most isolated main Pokemon games we had....

 

[Wulava]

I also wonder if we will have Galarain forms.
Even LGPE had Alolan forms in the games, and these were the most isolated main Pokemon games we had....

They can easily provide the other regional forms through an in-game NPC trade or a gift.

 

[Captain Jigglypuff]

They can easily provide the other regional forms through an in-game NPC trade or a gift.

I’m predicting the Foreign Magikarp trade will be replaced with either Alolan Raichu or Galatians Mr Mime.

 

[Genos]

Also love how fast the HP bar goes down!

Which is ironic considering the HP bar going down in the original games were slooooooow.

 

[masdog]

Which is ironic considering the HP bar going down in the original games were slooooooow.

Well…that settles it. It’s clearly not a faithful remake like Game Freak promised. /sarcasm

 

[Locormus]

Galar region will always be my least fav one because of these reasons

Honestly, it won't ever be my favorite region, but I really like the aesthetic it has going. I mean the cities might not be the biggest, but they look like towns and cities I visited in England/Wales.. Like if only those caves were more like Mt.Moon or DarkCave-like instead of being even more linear Rusturf Tunnel's.. It would've changed my peeception quite a bit. I've only recently started the IoA-DLC, but I like that the caves actually feel like caves and the Forest of Focus is the highlight of that DLC in my eyes..

For me, my least favorite region is Johto. It's very dependent on Kanto to make it feel complete and is otherwise an incredibly small one (arguably smaller than Galar).

That's imo a weird take to me. In my eyes, Johto feels so removed from Kanto in terms of feel, lore, history.. I just don't see it as dependent at all - just different.

The only way it feels 'dependent' is the Pokémon roster.. The Pokémon roster is certainly not ideal with just 100 new Pokémon and so many of them being either babies or evolutions of Kanto Pokémon - and even some not being available until Kanto.. And some of the gymleaders not even using the Johto Pokémon they should've had is a nasty result of that.. Falkner is just offensive, Bugsy and Heracross, Chuck and Hitmontop, Jasmine should've had at least either Forretress and/or Skarmory.. instead of two Magnemite.. Pryce having a Seel when Sneasel is a thing.. But that's not really relevant to this discussion I think (which in my eyes is more geographical/cultural?).

Agreed. In FRLG it was unavoidable since those games had no internal clock and HGSS had no real locations that would work well for most of the specific location evolutions. Maybe the Power Plant for Magnezone and Probopass but where would the Icy Rock and Moss Rock go? Ice Cave is too small and not very much space that wasn’t covered in pure ice and the Seafoam Islands aren’t cold enough. And the Moss Rock had either Viridian Forest or Ilex Forest and neither seemed right as Viridian was drastically cut down in size and Ilex is too dark and Dex entires say that lots of sunlight is necessary for Leafeon.

HGSS had enough freedom to create entirely new routes, a new SafariZone, a tower for you to catch Rayquaza (iirc) and the Sinjoh ruins.. I think they could've managed creating an extra room in Ice Path and something like Virizion's clearing in Pinwheel Forest in Ilex Forest..

I’m predicting the Foreign Magikarp trade will be replaced with either Alolan Raichu or Galatians Mr Mime.

Or just that 'my region'-NPC from IoA, but reversed for Galar Forms and maybe another for Alolan forms? Doubt it though.

 

[Ophie]

That's imo a weird take to me. In my eyes, Johto feels so removed from Kanto in terms of feel, lore, history.. I just don't see it as dependent at all - just different.

The only way it feels 'dependent' is the Pokémon roster.. The Pokémon roster is certainly not ideal with just 100 new Pokémon and so many of them being either babies or evolutions of Kanto Pokémon - and even some not being available until Kanto.. And some of the gymleaders not even using the Johto Pokémon they should've had is a nasty result of that.. Falkner is just offensive, Bugsy and Heracross, Chuck and Hitmontop, Jasmine should've had at least either Forretress and/or Skarmory.. instead of two Magnemite.. Pryce having a Seel when Sneasel is a thing.. But that's not really relevant to this discussion I think (which in my eyes is more geographical/cultural?).

The relatively small size of Johto and the amount of time it takes to get to the end makes it feel incomplete for me. It has the lowest-leveled endgame trainers of any generation because of the short time it takes for you to get there, and you essentially jump from town to town, which are never really that far from each other. As a result, it doesn't feel quite as fleshed out as any of the other regions.

In other words, it didn't really feel like I was playing a whole game by the time I went through the Elite Four and Champion, but rather, a game with a lot of parts missing, even more so than Sword and Shield.

 

[Mr.Munchlax]

For me, my least favorite region is Johto. It's very dependent on Kanto to make it feel complete and is otherwise an incredibly small one (arguably smaller than Galar). I can only wonder how it would've turned out if Satoru Iwata hadn't helped compress the game so Kanto could be added in.

I personally have a three-way tie for my favorite region, all for different reasons:

• Johto because of the region & content (the latter more so for HGSS than the originals now).
• Unova because the story
• Galar because of the pokémon roster, characters, & theming

 

[Espeonite]

Can't wait to play the distortion world with switch graphics psyched.

 

[janejane6178]

Can't wait to play the distortion world with switch graphics psyched.

If it will be in the games... =[

 

[RileyXY1]

If it will be in the games... =[

I think that it will be there, but in Legends Arceus.