Is using shiny methods unethical?

[The Red Thunder]

I was just thinking, the point of shinys is rare random encounters. With all the methods for finding more shinies, and those people who hatch thousands of eggs, have shinies become no big deal? Or is it like steroids vs. the guy who trained? The guy with steroids will win, but who really deserves the trophy (shiny).

Just looking for input. Post your opinion.

First off, hacking for shinies is cheating, now matter how you look at it. You're using an external device to alter the game's coding.

Second, RNGing isn't really cheating, technically. Unethical, maybe, if you're a stickler or a purist. There's no use of an external device with a direct impact on the game itself. Actions are simply taken en masse, and in the exact proper order to produce a desired outcome. It's not really the player's fault for being able to crack Game Freak's RNG design so easily.

Third, Masuda Method is NOT cheating nor is it unethical. It was specifically programmed into the game for the sole purpose of granting more shinies as a reward to people who trade internationally. If somebody wants to sit and hatch a thousand eggs just to get a shiny one, then that's their personal choice and nobody really has the right to get upset about them having more shinies.

Same applies to PokeRadar chained shinines. It was specifically programmed into the games, for the sole intent of rewarding players who complete a massively large chain. It's a legitimate in-game function.

Fourth, Trading for Shinies is NOT cheating nor is it unethical. However the means that the Shiny was created, it is not the recipients fault. Trading is an integral part of the Pokemon games, and to call it cheating or unethical is nothing less than blasphemy.

 

[draya the dark master]

i honestly find i get more attached to my MM and chained shinies... probally cuz i put in a heap of effort for thrm and it wasnt just purely luck

 

[Pyrax]

With all the methods for finding more shinies, and those people who hatch thousands of eggs

If you think about it, why would GameFreak program the Masuda Method if they didn't want players to breed for shinies?

Similar to what The Red Thunder said, think of chained and MM shinies as rewards.
RE shinies are just something found by sheer luck, a bonus if you will.

 

[Pokenoob3.14]

Thanks for all the posts, and i think i may have used the wrong word. What i meant by unethical is it against the spirit of the shiny? im not saying that they're bad people, just if it goes against the whole point: the excitement and rarity of an re.

 

[Ememew]

Thanks for all the posts, and i think i may have used the wrong word. What i meant by unethical is it against the spirit of the shiny? im not saying that they're bad people, just if it goes against the whole point: the excitement and rarity of an re.

Well, as I said, at least the Masuda Method (hatching with different language parents) was revealed to the public by Masuda, meaning the makers of the game intended it to be used. So no, I don't think that goes against the "spirit" of getting shiny Pokemon. Same for the PokeRadar.

 

[The Red Thunder]

Thanks for all the posts, and i think i may have used the wrong word. What i meant by unethical is it against the spirit of the shiny? im not saying that they're bad people, just if it goes against the whole point: the excitement and rarity of an re.

No it doesn't. Both chaining and Masuda Method were intentionally programmed into the game and made public by the creators for the sole purpose of finding shinies.

Random encounter shinies are in no way less valuable. The chances of finding one are still 1/8192. If people want to sit and grind for a shiny, then who are you to tell them that their shiny is less valuable because they went out of their way to hunt for it?

"Value" and "worth" are subjective anyway, whether it's a collective opinion or a singular one.

 

[thetifftiff]

I've never understood why some people think shinies are worth less now just because a lot of people have them by various means. I have used every method to get a shiny barring soft resetting and the Masuda Method - working on that one now - (though it's been years since I've hacked them, at least a decade at this point probably).

To me my random encounter shinies have been the most special because they are always a surprise. Only one of them was something I actually went hunting for and was lucky enough to find (on my birthday no less), the rest have all just jumped out at me.

Next would be the Pokeradar shinies. There was effort put into those and it took some skill but I knew I would get them eventually if I kept trying.

My RNG'd shinies are nice but they aren't really all that special to me, probably why I got bored of it. And of course my hacked shinies are all dead at this point thanks to the wonders of the dying Gold and Silver internal batteries.

What about event shinies? There have been quite a few of those in the last year or two (pikachu colored pichu, the legendary dogs, now the hydreigon and golurk). Does that make shinies less special? I don't see how it logically would. Pokemon have always only been as special as that one pokemon is to its owner.

 

[Mr. Reloaded]

no unless you don't wan't any shinies

 

[ChampionZ]

Shiny methods are not unethical... some take time and devotion, some take skill, and most take pure luck. Its not like they are handing out shinies or anything... unless you RNG correctly. But still, that takes skill. I think its legit.

 

[MoonStarRaven]

I for one don't understand why it would be considered unethical or cheating to use what ever method you want... As long as your not using it to cheat someone else. I work hard for my money and if I'm shelling out $40 some dollars that I worked for I have the right to play that game as I wish. If I want to play through the game with a team of all shiny legendary pokemon how exactly is that hurting anyone else or making their wild caught shiny pokemon any less special?

I don't battle against anyone else and I don't trade pokemon that have been hacked. If I save them for personal use and they enhance my enjoyment of the game how is that cheating, unethical or hurting anyone else? I'm a single parent working two jobs with precious little time to call my own let alone devote to something I enjoy like playing pokemon. I just don't have the luxury of time to spend hours and hours to do what a so called hack can do in a few minutes. I freely admit it, I have a favorite team that I like to play with and I use a AR to get them and yes two of them are shiny. Not because they are rare or special but because I genuinely prefer their colors. I feel that what you do with your own game is your business! The only time it becomes unethical is if you try to use them to trick someone else. If your trading them or using hacked shiny supper pokemon to beat other people in battle THEN yes it becomes very unethical and is majorly cheating!!!

 

[Serebii!]

No. I don't use any method to search for shinies but it is still ok if other people do. I only think it is unethical if they hack for it.

 

[RoySceptile]

Yeah hacking is crap.I like using MM method.

 

[abrar14]

yeah its only unethical if you hack. i sr, mm, re and rng. but still you dont see ash goig around looking for shinys

 

[[Kingdra]]

Ethics do not exist, you must do what is needed to succeed.

 

[Porgon-XYZ]

So far, I've caught 2 shinies in random encounter, and bred one shiny at random. I try doing MM and SR, but that hasn't worked for me.

 

[Aegon]

Oh, come on. It's not as if the other methods make it much easier to get shinies (aside from RNGing). REing is the lazy way to do it. The other methods require a lot more effort.

 

[thetifftiff]

Oh, come on. It's not as if the other methods make it much easier to get shinies (aside from RNGing). REing is the lazy way to do it. The other methods require a lot more effort.

I wouldn't say MM or breeding for a shiny in general takes more effort than RE. More patience maybe but it's mostly just riding your bike back and forth. How is that effort?

 

[Aegon]

I wouldn't say MM or breeding for a shiny in general takes more effort than RE. More patience maybe but it's mostly just riding your bike back and forth. How is that effort?

One must collect eggs, prepare parents, release Pokémon, etc. With REing, one just runs around repeatedly.

 

[Sabertooth1000000000]

The Poke Radar is certainly frustrating enough to justify getting shinies for it.

 

[hyperion33]

The game programmers made these things available in the games, so obviously they don't think they're unethical.