Pokegirl Fan~
Liko>>>>>Ash
I want something completely new. Having gyms return would become boring again and I feel that trials are gen 7 exclusive.
In gen 1 and gen 2, the reason was because a professor told you "because the Pokemon League is where the strongest players face off" and that was a compelling enough reason. To be honest, I don't see why any Pokemon game should be any different. Even in gen 7, Kukui basically told you the same thing about the trials ("4 islands, 4 grand trials!") and that was all I needed to get pumped.It'll be up to the developers to present us with an interesting and compelling reason to complete the challenge.
In gen 1 and gen 2, the reason was because a professor told you "because the Pokemon League is where the strongest players face off" and that was a compelling enough reason. To be honest, I don't see why any Pokemon game should be any different. Even in gen 7, Kukui basically told you the same thing about the trials ("4 islands, 4 grand trials!") and that was all I needed to get pumped.
The problem isn't the reason. The problem is that the reason is normally at odds with the story that's being presented to you. We begin the journey under the impression that the point of the game is to challenge the gyms/trials and become the best Pokemon trainer, but as we go through the game, a story comes a long and pulls us away from those challenges. Players begin to feel like either a story is being artificially shoved into your experience, or that the story keeps getting interrupted by tedious formulaic battles that distract from the story.
BW did a good job of making your challenging the Pokemon League actually go hand-in-hand with the story so neither had to yield to the other, whereas gens 3, 4, 6, and 7 all ended up in an awkward situation where you had to pause your Pokemon League challenge to beat some baddies, or you had to pause beating some baddies to continue your Pokemon League Challenge.
Consider:
So, on to gen 7 and what GF could have done better:
- In gen 1, the Giovanni gym battle was pretty epic, at least in my head, because it wasn't about evil plans or saving people. In your previous battles, you may have had reasons to fight, but this time, there's nothing on the line.
- The final rival battle in gen 1 was also really epic for the opposite reason. Rival has been one step ahead of you the whole way, actually beating gyms before you, helping to kick Rocket's ass when
that's needed. He was an arrogant jerk the whole way, but that's because he's actually good at battling and actually fills his Pokedex. The showdown with him was earned because you know he definitely deserves to be the champion, but you also hate his guts.- In gen 2, Lance being the champion wasn't much of a surprise, but what was a surprise was the rival's role in the story. He's pretty much a copypasta of gen 1 rival but his arrogance isn't ever justified. That sounds like quite a story flaw right? But no, that's actually the character flaw. Even though he goes the whole game trash-talking people who are weak, he is weak himself. Even though he manages to reach the Elite Four, all he can really do is continue losing to you on your way to challenging them. He wasn't the champion because he didn't earn it.
- Contrary to gen 1 rival, Lance, or N, Diantha didn't ever earn that Champion's chair. She was just an actress. Yes the theme of the story was the old vs the young, aging, and mortality, and Diantha represented the positive side of aging and the optimism of the old embracing the young, but the execution of the story itself didn't make this apparent enough. By principle, obviously it had to be her, but they didn't build the hype leading up to this challenge. She kinda just existed. Gen 6 was my favorite gen but I can't in good conscience justify any part of how the gym challenge worked out in this gen. They were the least memorable, most tedious part of the game.
Kukui is constantly shown to be not much of a trainer, but secretly training in Battle Royal under an alias, so it was kind of a cool twist. But there was no reason why he had to be the default champion. He never proved himself. Furthermore, the Pokemon League challenge was already kind of awkward because in both games you already cleared the story and beat your biggest threat. The game already felt over before you even reached Victory Road.
How to fix this? I believe Kukui should have promised you a new trial and a new totem located at the Elite Four. Just like a trial, you have a couple preliminary battles, and right at the end, one last Totem Pokemon is waiting for you there. You got this far earning the trust of Totems in different areas of Alola, so why not a final Totem battle? This is the region's story gimmick.
As for which Pokemon to be the Champion Totem, the SM Necrozma was just kinda "that awkward other Legendary Pokemon" that existed and not much else, so that could have been a good option. In USUM, I think it would have been a fitting time to go up against Nebby. No character better fits this role in the story than Nebby in my opinion, but there are other options to consider. Tapu Koko (it gave you the Z Crystal, could be a final test now), Magearna (opportunity for worldbuilding, maybe like Magearna could have had some kind of role in the origin of Pokemon Leagues), Marshadow (just to show off an epic Pokemon so people can yearn for it), even a throwback to Mewtwo or something. In USUM, it would have made sense if it was actually an Ultra Beast, which would either prove that we can get along with beings from the other world and we shouldn't just be scared of them, or it could have been Naganadel so that the URS gets their satisfying closing role in the story (plus giving you seen data on the thing so you don't need the internet to tell you about it).
I want something completely new. Having gyms return would become boring again and I feel that trials are gen 7 exclusive.
Yeah if Gym do return I would definitely like to have a Dark Gym because the Dark-type is the only type that doesn't have any type specialists who are Gym Leaders.I personally want gyms to return. I get the allure to a lot of people, a change in the formula. But said change was one a few specific things about Gen 7 that really left me feeling disappointed. I want them to finally give a Dark type Gym.
I think Gyms returning are a given, but I really feel they need to change.
This mono-type stuff needs to go, its as simple as that. Its a sorry state of affairs that battling a Lass can result in you having to think more than battling a gym leader:
I've never really thought that having a type as a theme is a bad thing. I think the Gym Leaders should still use monotype teams, but also use secondary types to cover their weaknesses, along with TM, move tutor and egg moves. For example, a Water-type specialist may want to use, say, a Pelipper and a Lanturn with Volt Absorb, or a Qwilfish and a Ludicolo. A Ground-type specialist should use a Nidoking and a Quagsire with Water Absorb, or a Camerupt and a Gastrodon with Storm Drain, and so forth in that vein.I think Gyms returning are a given, but I really feel they need to change.
This mono-type stuff needs to go, its as simple as that. Its a sorry state of affairs that battling a Lass can result in you having to think more than battling a gym leader:
Battle vs Lass:
Bulbasaur defeated Lass's Meowth. Lass sent in Pidgeotto. Me: "Whoops! Better switch to Pikachu!"
Battle vs Gym Leader:
Gym Leader: "I like the sturdy Rock Type!"
Me: "Lol. I started with Bulbasaur sucka!" *spams Vine Whip*
Gym Leader: "How did you beat my Rocks?"
Look, having a "theme" to a gym is perfectly fine, but that theme needs to stop being a type. There are loads of themes you could do while still having a mixture of types:
I've never really thought that having a type as a theme is a bad thing. I think the Gym Leaders should still use monotype teams, but also use secondary types to cover their weaknesses, along with TM, move tutor and egg moves. For example, a Water-type specialist may want to use, say, a Pelipper and a Lanturn with Volt Absorb, or a Qwilfish and a Ludicolo. A Ground-type specialist should use a Nidoking and a Quagsire with Water Absorb, or a Camerupt and a Gastrodon with Storm Drain, and so forth in that vein.