Okay i don't really like these types of threads all that much, i find it tends to influence opinions when the games come out and causing a focus on what isn't there instead of what is there. But i understand why these threads exist so might as well. And so far this is not as bad as I feared. Might be addressing previous lists a bit.
-the return of customization. I would prefer as many options as possible both in clothes and appearance, including age/size, would love a 17ish (don't think they would go much higher but i wouldn't mind if it did) option (with facial hair!) but i really don't expect that much. And not having it wouldn't be that much of a strike to me.
- dark gym would be great but i don't think it is completely necessary, and i feel dark gym should/will be at least gym leader 6 (going from previous region lineups, and higher slots giving more options to showcase the type) so i understand how that makes it a bit harder to fit in.
- a secondary type theme for the later gyms (including the gym trainers) and elite four i think would be great. Or at least more taking advantage of type expectations with dual type Pokemon/move choices. Though i would prefer different types. Not really volkner/flint levels though just 1 of a different type and maybe a dual type of both if possible for the leader. Though since it is somewhat breaking the theme and pretty difficult to do with the current trend of max 3 Pokemon i doubt this.
- not having 3 pokemon be the maximum for gym leaders.
- making more use of gym trainers would be nice, make a couple better than the others (maybe work it into the puzzle) or even 1 or 2 not even using the main type (maybe the secondary type i brought up or a type strong agasint the main type or the main types weaknesses)
- more trainers with items, and more than the standard oren/sitrus berry for leaders. Like giving items to the harder gymtrainers i mentioned, ect. And some flavour in item choices for the leaders.
-heck more flavour in general i would love, maybe have a gym with alot of crit moves and a scope lens on the leaders main. Batonpass and a bunch of switch items and stuff to exploit that. Priority move focus (and quick claw/prankster maybe) , more status focused ones. And so on. Hopefully matching personalities or occupations, which hopefully will also continue.
- a hard mode option would be great. though i find difficulty in this game is pretty difficult to judge overall, so raising the regular difficulty or even getting the higher difficulty level to actually be difficult for everybody to be a pretty heavy prospect but higher levels and adding pokemon/moveset changes would be fine. And honestly i think the recent difficulty isn't that bad though a small increase i would be fine with.
- a large post game would be a huge plus, either through post game only locations or a delta like episode, though both is preferable. Revisiting a region i'm neutral on though. More than one battle facility would be awesome, as would leader rematches. and maybe another world tournament.
- story wise while i would be fine with a more mature story, i think recent regions have had quite a few dark(maybe even deep) story elements. And i honestly don't think the overall tone should really change that much in a main series game. So i would say add more darker/deep (complex?) elements and maybe grey the tone a bit but not really that much. I don't really want the main challenge gyms/elite 4 champion thing to go anywhere and i feel that should remain at close to the same tone. (honestly i feel accusations of black and white morality are thrown around too much. Both here and elsewhere. Nothing wrong with good heroes and evil villains)
-For the villain team i think having the leader be female would be great. And alot of any dark/complex elements should definitely come from here. A wide variety of types and pokemon is always great for a villian team so i hope this one has that, double for the higher ups who hopefully have more than 2 Pokemon each. Again a fighting theme or at least items would be great for the admins/scientists/uniquely-modelled,recurring,higher-ranked people. Don't really mind if they're super evil though as long as it isn't TOO over the top though. Pretty neutral if it should be a different team per version, i'm fine either way.
-Though on villians i would like it if they had a secondary villian team if there isn't version teams. Not really being a big threat though, either a pettier smaller time one (thieves, breaking in places, being a jerk, ect. vs destroying/taking over a region/world) and/or being the remnants of a previous large group that got pushed out by the current team. (Maybe being the other group if they have version teams) I feel like it would give more story opportunities outside of gyms without having to drag the main villians in every time and might prevent too much over the topness. (maybe have the main guys control these guys secretly, maybe even to most of the group themselves.) might also allow the main villans to have higher levels overall if these guys take the early encounters which i think is good.
-new pokemon wise, i'm not that sure, not too many new ones, i think with the amount we have so far they shouldn't add that many per gen, maybe a bit more than X and Y but not too many,
-mega evolutions, as long as they aren't all popularity based and we get a good number i think i'll be good with whatever we get.
-setting wise i don't know really depends on what the inspiration is and i don't know yet, i think i would prefer a couple be more out there (fortree,stoopolis,ect.) ones instead of plain-old cities though.
-rivals i don't really care that strongly about, not even sure how many i prefer. though i guess i would prefer the main rival be stronger than previously and of course use items, but i think having a theme works better with more than one rival. Not that sure about personalities either. And as said i find difficulty is difficult to judge maybe more so with rivals as their team is mostly the same across multiple fights (and i would prefer they fight you frequently which just makes that problem larger) and they have a starter which changes type.
- a good amount of day and night stuff, yes please.
- definitely would prefer significant NPCs (gym leaders, elite 4,professors, rivals) are active in the plot, and maybe a couple unaffilated NPCs as well.
- maybe having a mandated loss ala final fantasy,ect (no money loss of course) earlier on would be good to have to make the Villian/Champion more threatening, i guess make it possible but extremely unlikely to win unless you use a cheap strategy, (have them have close to the same levels as the actual next fight i guess ) maybe have them give something nice if you win.
- i don't know just spitballing now, not really sure about moves/items, we get what we get not sure i want anything exactly.
Anyway don't really care that much if amything on this list is in the game, may add more later. Though i enjoyed this more than i thought.
