Thoughts on the Upcoming Pokemon Switch Game?

[Bguy7]

Do you think we'll see the Pokemon in this game? They did say that LGPE would reveal a new Pokemon, right? Is it possible this is what they were talking about?

I think it's almost certain that this is what they were talking about. Let's Go and Go are two heavily linked games, it makes sense to tease the new Let's Go Pokémon in Go. If it weren't for the link between Let's Go and Go, I doubt that The Pokémon Company would ever allow Go to be source of an official Pokémon reveal. Not to mention, the timing is perfect. We're in the thick of Let's Go pre-release promotion. Putting this new guy in Go was a perfect example of cross-promotion. Besides, why would they be teasing a Pokémon we won't get until Gen VIII if they still have a (potential) Gen VII Pokémon to reveal? At this point, it's a bigger assumption to think this thing isn't the new Let's Go Pokémon than thinking it is.

Now, that being said, all they said about this Pokémon is that you could send it from Let's Go to Go, which makes it possible that you can't actually use it in Let's Go, and only in Go, meaning this would end up being a Gen VIII preview Pokémon. But, it's just as possible that this is a new Gen VII Pokémon, and will be fully usable in both Let's Go and Go.

 

[BCVM22]

The emphasis on the new Pokémon being built around the GO > LGP/E pipeline and vice versa leads me to believe it's not playable in LGP/E and its only value is as a gift to GO. Not unlike the original Manaphy egg.

Long way to go until we find out, though.

 

[PrinceOfFacade]

To change the subject, since we know for a fact that experience yields are better from catching pokemon, I'm wondering if anyone else is interested in that mechanic. Since they changed the level curves for most of the pokemon, I'm wondering more about how we grind in this game and how many pokemon we can carry at a time in the PC. For example how many pokemon could you catch to gain levels quicker? I assume bigger pokemon yields a bigger EXP yield which is fair. I wouldn't want a Caterpie to give me 1000 exp.

Even before Let's GO, I never liked to catch a lot of pokemon, so I plan to just stick it out through trainer battles alone.

It will make the game a lot harder, but that's fine. I love a good challenge.

 

[Sαpphire]

Regardless of whether it exists in Let's Go - and I'm personally betting it does to at least some extent - precedent suggests that it being a Gen VII 'mon (and here, I mean one that is fully usable within the seventh generation and isn't native to the Gen VIII region) is next to impossible, to the point where the possibility is negligible.

We don't really even know whether Game Freak, to whatever small extent they even recognize the concept of generations internally, considers LGPE to be within the scope of what the fans call Gen VII.

Without another "main series" seventh generation release on the way, it's likely going to serve a role roughly analogous to things like Munchlax and Zorua.

 

[Xuxuba]

Even before Let's GO, I never liked to catch a lot of pokemon, so I plan to just stick it out through trainer battles alone.

It will make the game a lot harder, but that's fine. I love a good challenge.

Well, the amount of trainers is kind of limited in yellow, so a rematch feature would come handy for your playthrough. Not because it would be too hard without this feature, as the games were never that hard even underleveled, but because it would be quite uneventful otherwise.

Definetly would do the same as you tho. After all, battling is just way more fun than throwing balls.

 

[Minedreigon]

Even before Let's GO, I never liked to catch a lot of pokemon, so I plan to just stick it out through trainer battles alone.

It will make the game a lot harder, but that's fine. I love a good challenge.

It doesn’t make the game harder. Skipping capturing Pokémon becuase that’s how you grind (lmao!) in this game at the worst case will probably simulate a fake difficulty that is not solved through actual clever thinking, practice and planning, but through tedious activities such as repeatedly capturing Pokémon. Why can I predict this? Becuase Pokémon as an RPG has always operated in this way. It is weird to suggest one will enjoy this game becuase it will be a challenge when it is so far convincing everyone it’ll be one of the least challenging instalments so far.

 

[Lucky3]

It doesn’t make the game harder. Skipping capturing Pokémon becuase that’s how you grind (lmao!) in this game at the worst case will probably simulate a fake difficulty that is not solved through actual clever thinking, practice and planning, but through tedious activities such as repeatedly capturing Pokémon. Why can I predict this? Becuase Pokémon as an RPG has always operated in this way. It is weird to suggest one will enjoy this game becuase it will be a challenge when it is so far convincing everyone it’ll be one of the least challenging instalments so far.

I mean, if you don't want to grind and end up underleveled, you have to use clever thinking and strategy to get through (unless it's just very easy). That applies to pretty much any RPG.

 

[Akashin]

It doesn’t make the game harder. Skipping capturing Pokémon becuase that’s how you grind (lmao!) in this game at the worst case will probably simulate a fake difficulty that is not solved through actual clever thinking, practice and planning, but through tedious activities such as repeatedly capturing Pokémon. Why can I predict this? Becuase Pokémon as an RPG has always operated in this way. It is weird to suggest one will enjoy this game becuase it will be a challenge when it is so far convincing everyone it’ll be one of the least challenging instalments so far.

I... don't get what your point is. Skipping capturing wild Pokemon is absolutely no different than skipping battling them, insofar as difficulty is concerned, by your own admission. Almost any form of challenge people use with Pokemon are fake in one form or another for that matter, seeing as they're self-imposed; this is nothing new.

Difficulty is difficulty, fake or otherwise. Playing a certain way will make the game harder, and if that method of playing suits a given person's preferred way of playing and is enjoyable to them, that's it. The only weird thing here is that you're so bothered by the idea of somebody enjoying a self-imposed challenge with this game, when self-imposed challenges are the only way this series as a whole have been challenging for many people for a long time anyway. The degree to which a given game requires you to impose your own challenges to raise the difficulty is irrelevant.

 

[Ducolamia]

I... don't get what your point is. Skipping capturing wild Pokemon is absolutely no different than skipping battling them, insofar as difficulty is concerned, by your own admission. Almost any form of challenge people use with Pokemon are fake in one form or another for that matter, seeing as they're self-imposed; this is nothing new.

Difficulty is difficulty, fake or otherwise. Playing a certain way will make the game harder, and if that method of playing suits a given person's preferred way of playing and is enjoyable to them, that's it. The only weird thing here is that you're so bothered by the idea of somebody enjoying a self-imposed challenge with this game, when self-imposed challenges are the only way this series as a whole have been challenging for many people for a long time anyway. The degree to which a given game requires you to impose your own challenges to raise the difficulty is irrelevant.

I agree to an extent. The people who do Nuzlockes and monotype challenges and anything else to make the game harder are doing it for themselves and that's clearly something they decided to choose. Think of any other action game in which you use the weakest weapon of the game. Obviously you're not suppose to, but people do it anyways because they're either curious or want more of a challenge they can't get normally. Look on YT and see how many people have done a "makicarp only run" or a "weak Pokemon team run." It's always been a thing. If people are given the chance, they will limit themselves out of curiosity.

On the other hand, GF is responsible for making game enjoyable. Steamrolling through a game is not fun. Unless you're playing an action game in which that's the point of making you feel powerful than yeah. But in pokemon the main focus has always been about the journey along the way. It's one of the reasons why I can't stand gen 6. The games were purposely made to allow the player to steamroll through it. And to me, at least, that's not fun. So while I can blame people for limiting themselves, I do wish GF added more challenging battles to their games.

The best example honestly is Pokemon US/UM. The game is legitimately difficult if you are not prepared. (And I'm not just talking about the shining one) Trainers AI are pretty on point and at the beginning of the game you face a trainer with the starter that's good against yours. The last time I saw that type of bs was in a rom hack funnily enough. There are more examples of this obviously but I think this is the first time since black and white that I actually struggled.

So that's my thoughts.

 

[PrinceOfFacade]

I agree to an extent. The people who do Nuzlockes and monotype challenges and anything else to make the game harder are doing it for themselves and that's clearly something they decided to choose. Think of any other action game in which you use the weakest weapon of the game. Obviously you're not suppose to, but people do it anyways because they're either curious or want more of a challenge they can't get normally. Look on YT and see how many people have done a "makicarp only run" or a "weak Pokemon team run." It's always been a thing. Of people are given the chance. They will limit themselves out of curiosity.

On the other hand, GF is responsible for making game enjoyable. Steamrolling through a game is not fun. Unless you're playing an action game in which that's the point of making you feel powerful than yeah. But in pokemon the main focus has always been about the journey along the way. It's one of the reasons why I can't stand gen 6. The games were purposely made to allow the player to steamroll through it. And to me, at least. That's not fun. So while I can blame people for limiting themselves, I do wish GF added more challenging battles to their games.

The best example honestly is Pokemon US/UM. The game is legitimately difficult if you are not prepared. (And I'm not just talking about the shining one) Trainers AI are pretty on point and at the beginning of the game you face a trainer with the starter that's good against yours. The last time I saw that type of bs was in a rom hack funnily enough. There are more examples of this obviously but I think this is the first time since black and white that I actually struggled.

So that's my thoughts.

This is very well put, I must say.

Implementing your own rules is indeed rather bittersweet. It's always fun to come up with your own ideas, and it's great that a game is able to offer such creativity. Conversely, the majority of the time this is done, it's because the game has nothing left to offer. If I had to choose, I would rather the game itself be difficult, instead of making it difficult myself.

Indeed, as much as I hated USUM in the end, its difficulty was one of the best things about it. I struggled against many of the Totem Pokémon, Lurantis especially. I enjoyed the struggle and it made me go back and work harder to take them down. This is something I'm aware will not be present in Let's GO, but I am willing to play the game nonetheless for the sake of the experience. For me, there are more pros than cons for this game, so I'm down.

 

[Ducolamia]

This is very well put, I must say.

Implementing your own rules is indeed rather bittersweet. It's always fun to come up with your own ideas, and it's great that a game is able to offer such creativity. Conversely, the majority of the time this is done, it's because the game has nothing left to offer. If I had to choose, I would rather the game itself be difficult, instead of making it difficult myself.

Indeed, as much as I hated USUM in the end, its difficulty was one of the best things about it. I struggled against many of the Totem Pokémon, Lurantis especially. I enjoyed the struggle and it made me go back and work harder to take them down. This is something I'm aware will be present in Let's GO, but I am willing to play the game nonetheless for the sake of the experience. For me, there are more pros than cons for this game, so I'm down.

Thank you! I feel the same in a way.

To be honest, I would say I am critical about these games a lot and that there are things that I just don't completely understand why they would do and while I can justify some of it, I'm still iffy about it. And I completely don't blame people for skipping out on them if they choose to. It's obvoius to me that this game is made on pure nostalgia taking away things that don't need to be changed, but instead, just need to be refined. (At least to me)

HOWEVER....I do understand the appeal and why they did it. I have a soft spot for Pikachu so of course the inner pokenerd inside of me wants this game so badly just to play dress up. I guess I'm not being subtle there. And I assume there are other younger Pokemon fans that could enjoy the games as well (such as my brother). So honesty, the more the merrier.

That being said. I know fire red/ leaf green had the VS seeker. But I assume in toning down these games they may not have that. If so, I'm just gonna catch Pokemon to make up for it. I think they are scaling the levels a bit so hopefully it's not like Heart Gold and Soul Silver in which you still have a god-awful level curve.

Thay being said, depending on how these games go, what's everyone's plan? I might actually complete the Pokedex for the first time so I might as well try it here. Anyone doing a mono-run?

 

[Minedreigon]

I mean, if you don't want to grind and end up underleveled, you have to use clever thinking and strategy to get through (unless it's just very easy). That applies to pretty much any RPG.

But that’s not really a good way of creating a stable difficulty curve, is it? Increasingly smarter AI, more variety in opponent type, etc, are much better ways of building the difficulty in an RPG rather than relying on lack of / heavy grinding. I just think in general the way Pokémon builds “difficulty” is lazy and it’s not really difficult when it’s circumvented by tedious grinding and not clever use of Pokémon which doesn’t particularly exist in the main game because it’s a particularly easy RPG and this game is dumbed down.

 

[Creyk]

Well, the amount of trainers is kind of limited in yellow, so a rematch feature would come handy for your playthrough. Not because it would be too hard without this feature, as the games were never that hard even underleveled, but because it would be quite uneventful otherwise.

Definetly would do the same as you tho. After all, battling is just way more fun than throwing balls.

Maybe I am misremembering. Wasn't it already confirmed that we can do a lot of trainer rematches in this game and that their pokemon grow stronger?

 

[WhiteBlair]

Maybe I am misremembering. Wasn't it already confirmed that we can do a lot of trainer rematches in this game and that their pokemon grow stronger?

No. But, unlike in Yellow, you seem to battle with more(?) and stronger trainers across Kanto which might be the indicator of re-match system, VS. Seeker or a post-game story.

 

[PrinceOfFacade]

Thay being said, depending on how these games go, what's everyone's plan? I might actually complete the Pokedex for the first time so I might as well try it here. Anyone doing a mono-run?

I haven't done multiple runs for a single game since Gen 6, so I see myself doing that.

- My first run I've already decided will involve assembling Lorelei's team, which will provide quite a challenge in battles, especially after Misty.
- My second run will likely be an all-Ghost team, as I am a Ghost trainer. For that run, I'll likely keep Eevee on my team.
- For my third run, I might do a general run and just catch whatever pokemon appeal to me, like in the good ol' days.
- For my forth (and possibly final) run, I want to try to see if I can beat the game with Eevee alone. Highly unlikely, but that's the point of trying.

 

[Ignition]

Thank you! I feel the same in a way.

To be honest, I would say I am critical about these games a lot and that there are things that I just don't completely understand why they would do and while I can justify some of it, I'm still iffy about it. And I completely don't blame people for skipping out on them if they choose to. It's obvoius to me that this game is made on pure nostalgia taking away things that don't need to be changed, but instead, just need to be refined. (At least to me)

HOWEVER....I do understand the appeal and why they did it. I have a soft spot for Pikachu so of course the inner pokenerd inside of me wants this game so badly just to play dress up. I guess I'm not being subtle there. And I assume there are other younger Pokemon fans that could enjoy the games as well (such as my brother). So honesty, the more the merrier.

That being said. I know fire red/ leaf green had the VS seeker. But I assume in toning down these games they may not have that. If so, I'm just gonna catch Pokemon to make up for it. I think they are scaling the levels a bit so hopefully it's not like Heart Gold and Soul Silver in which you still have a god-awful level curve.

Thay being said, depending on how these games go, what's everyone's plan? I might actually complete the Pokedex for the first time so I might as well try it here. Anyone doing a mono-run?

Since these are Yellow remakes, which are games based off the anime, I'm going to go with Ash's original Kanto team with my nephew since he's currently watching the Kanto anime and loving it

I'm doing a mono Fire type run against my friend who's doing Electric or Water (he hasn't decided).

 

[Xuxuba]

No. But, unlike in Yellow, you seem to battle with more(?) and stronger trainers across Kanto which might be the indicator of re-match system, VS. Seeker or a post-game story.

I think they probably just fixed Yellow's weird level scaling.

Like, at least three gym leaders had pokemon around the same level in the original games, what's up with that?

Besides, the way you obtain exp here is quite different from the originals', so it's bound to have some differences regarding the npcs' lvl.

 

[WhiteBlair]

I think they probably just fixed Yellow's weird level scaling.

Like, at least three gym leaders had pokemon around the same level in the original games, what's up with that?

Besides, the way you obtain exp here is quite different from the originals', so it's bound to have some differences regarding the npcs' lvl.

The levels are one of the elements that are different in trainers' rosters. But, they use different Pokemon as well such as Erika using Vileplume and some trainers have been seen with high-leveled Wartortle and Gloom that didn't appear in originals.

Constant catching would bore people at certain point to grind EXP, especially if you're training a new member. There must be an additional way to train instead of ping-ponging Indigo Plateau.

 

[PrinceOfFacade]

Constant catching would bore people at certain point to grind EXP, especially if you're training a new member. There must be an additional way to train instead of ping-ponging Indigo Plateau.

Well, you gotta remember this game is being marketed towards those who enjoy constantly catching pokemon (i.e. GO players), so not only would those players not mind, they probably won't even notice.

For the rest of us, we'll have to make do with what we got. Given I've enjoyed my stint with Pokémon GO, and I have a tendency to catch a pokemon on impulse, it's likely I could get caught up in the moment every so often. Still, I know battling will have to be my go-to for training, as it usually is, and unless rematches exist prior to post-game, grinding is out of the question.

 

[WhiteBlair]

Well, you gotta remember this game is being marketed towards those who enjoy constantly catching pokemon (i.e. GO players), so not only would those players not mind, they probably won't even notice.

That is irrelevant with the marketing strategy. GO players use touch-screen to catch a Pokemon, while LGPE players must constantly throw their Ball Plus or Joy-Con to do the same process. Not that the constant repetition of this process will be weary, but it will be too much handholding for grinding alone.