Author Topic: Pokemon Sword and Shield (Read 49993 times)

commandercool · « **on:** February 28, 2019, 10:12:29 PM »

So generation eight has been revealed. It seems to be UK-themed, which seems like a reasonable but kind of uninspired choice. I was disappointed to see that the coolest parts of Let's Go (no random encounters, and follow Pokemon) both seem to have been scrapped which is understandable but unfortunate.

So which of the starters do you like the look of? I'm not thrilled by any of them from what we've seen so far and I haaaate the look of Scorbunny, although to be fair a lot of that has to do with the Talonflame-level bad name. The other two look fine, and any of them could end up being really cool pending evolution. They definitely don't look like they have the charm of the seventh generation starters, but anything could happen. If I had to pick one right now based on what we've seen so far it would probably be Sobble.

BT · « **Reply #1 on:** February 28, 2019, 10:32:25 PM »

Ha ha, ha... that's one more Scorbunny for ME.

I'm dying for more information. Sun and Moon have set a fantastic example for change in this franchise and I hope Gen 8 modifies the standard Poke-game formula even more.

Rei Scarlette · « **Reply #2 on:** February 28, 2019, 11:09:12 PM »

Bring back third versions

Give me Pokemon Gun

~~Real talk though I am definitely looking forward to seeing more news about these games, not totally feeling it on any of the starters yet but they could grow on me over time~~

Raikaria · « **Reply #3 on:** February 28, 2019, 11:21:04 PM »

Calling it now; we got Fire/Fighting again.

Also Football Rabbit. Scorbunny. Score. And it's described as 'A Rabbit Pok?mon that is always running about, bursting with energy.' So Sportsbunny.

Mеа · « **Reply #4 on:** March 01, 2019, 12:56:35 AM »

Thought Scorbunny looked really dumb at first, but it's growing on me. Still think Sobble looks the best though. I've never liked monkeys ever, but the design itself isn't a turnoff. I feel like grass starters have always had pretty consistently good designs.

I would be down for this being a pseudo-expansion of the Kalos story, if this is the region they were at war with, wouldn't that be interesting.

commandercool · « **Reply #5 on:** March 01, 2019, 04:09:48 AM »

Quote from: Raikaria on February 28, 2019, 11:21:04 PM

Calling it now; we got Fire/Fighting again.

Also Football Rabbit. Scorbunny. Score. And it's described as 'A Rabbit Pok?mon that is always running about, bursting with energy.' So Sportsbunny.

My best guess is that Scorbunny's final evolution will be Fire/Rock, and that it'll kick around a chunk of rock as a ball.

BT · « **Reply #6 on:** March 01, 2019, 12:11:18 PM »

Quote from: Raikaria on February 28, 2019, 11:21:04 PM

Calling it now; we got Fire/Fighting again.

Also Football Rabbit. Scorbunny. Score. And it's described as 'A Rabbit Pok?mon that is always running about, bursting with energy.' So Sportsbunny.

I thought it was an amalgamation of "scorch" and "bunny". :thinking:

Raikaria · « **Reply #7 on:** March 01, 2019, 02:36:37 PM »

Quote from: BT on March 01, 2019, 12:11:18 PM

I thought it was an amalgamation of "scorch" and "bunny". :thinking:

It's probobly both, but it's description on the Pokemon site and it's design [Sports tape around where he's nose is] and running around in the trailer clearly leans towards it being sporty.

Not to mention the whole football stadium thing.

Quote from: commandercool on March 01, 2019, 04:09:48 AM

My best guess is that Scorbunny's final evolution will be Fire/Rock, and that it'll kick around a chunk of rock as a ball.

Could be, although you don't usually associate Rock-types with speed.

That said it could become some sort of Fire-Rock Rugby bunny too.

Also considering they revealed the Fire starter first instead of the Grass starter [Who's first in the dex] you can wager Scorbunny's gonna be the starter with the bias from Gamefreak this gen; like Greninja.

Scobble is shy and blends into water to hide so I'd wager Ghost for a secondary typing there [Oh hey that also beats Fighting] although it having the same gimmick as Vaporeon is kinda... ugh.

Grooky could be anything really. It's a Chimp with a Stick that beats it on rocks to make noise? Not a lot of evidence for any secondary type there tbh.

Reddyne · « **Reply #8 on:** March 01, 2019, 03:59:23 PM »

I'm all in for Grookey, but that may only be the case because I used a fire and water starter each of the last two gens. Also, Scorbunny invited you to the party but forgot you even showed up, Sobble is your clueless younger sibling who has no desire to be at said party, and Grookey is your wingman for the entire night who also brought a ton of good snacks. At least this is my headcannon.

The only devil's advocate argument I can come up with in support of random battles is that non-random ones have a passive, static approach to them. You reach a new area and squat, waiting for a list of mons to show up. It's always only a matter of time and maybe weaving around other pokeys before you reach a target. There's a lack of tension and surprise, plus you don't have any input on when/where that rare pokey shows up. Then again, that goes with random battles too. I'm OK with random battles because it's what I've come to expect after 20+ years with these games, but there should be some kind of modifiers so that it's easier to hunt down the rarer ones, especially once you've caught/fought enough common pokeys. Or just give the player some modicum of control over which pokemon show up. Bait, sneaking, grass density, something.

Jq1790 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 01, 2019, 04:12:43 PM »

Grookey looks like a Furby.

It's kind of creepy, but also slightly cute somehow.

I'm not super thrilled with any of the designs myself, but I guess Scorbunny's ok, as long as it doesn't go back to the Fire/Fighting standard that used to plague us.

Raikaria · « **Reply #10 on:** March 01, 2019, 04:43:29 PM »

Quote from: Reddyne on March 01, 2019, 03:59:23 PM

The only devil's advocate argument I can come up with in support of random battles is that non-random ones have a passive, static approach to them. You reach a new area and squat, waiting for a list of mons to show up. It's always only a matter of time and maybe weaving around other pokeys before you reach a target. There's a lack of tension and surprise, plus you don't have any input on when/where that rare pokey shows up. Then again, that goes with random battles too. I'm OK with random battles because it's what I've come to expect after 20+ years with these games, but there should be some kind of modifiers so that it's easier to hunt down the rarer ones, especially once you've caught/fought enough common pokeys. Or just give the player some modicum of control over which pokemon show up. Bait, sneaking, grass density, something.

Meanwhile I'm happy about random encounters because:

1: It's a hallmark of the genre

2: I do Nuzlocke challenges and those kiiinda don't work when you can pick and choose what you run into.

3: You can turn them off. It's called Repels.

Jq1790 · « **Reply #11 on:** March 01, 2019, 10:11:30 PM »

Counterpoint to the third there: You still dont get the VISIBLE encounters though.

I think it would be cool to have it be a toggleable option so people who like one can do it that way, while people who don't can do it the other and then everyone's happy.

I might be making it sound simpler than it is to do that though and there are probably problems I'm not thinking of with such a thing but hey. It's all moot anyway since it's gonna be what it's gonna be regardless, I suppose.

Raikaria · « **Reply #12 on:** March 01, 2019, 10:53:25 PM »

Quote from: Jq1790 on March 01, 2019, 10:11:30 PM

I think it would be cool to have it be a toggleable option so people who like one can do it that way, while people who don't can do it the other and then everyone's happy.

I would not object to the 'Bravely Default' style either.

Especially if you can turn encounter rate UP for when you want to grind ect.

Specifically I'm not against more control and options. What I don't like is changing things that have been staples for 20 years and forceing that upon everyone. Zubats pestering you in caves are simply iconic to Pokemon, ya'know? Everyone should experience that, even new players.

Options is how you make everyone happy.

commandercool · « **Reply #13 on:** March 02, 2019, 04:57:53 AM »

Overworld encounters in Let's Go were, as much as this sounds like an exaggeration, fucking magical. Not being constantly bothered by Zubats was nice, but the real reason it was so good was just how alive it made the world feel. I've been imagining what a real Mt Moon would look like since I played Pokemon Blue, and Let's Go sort of gave me a plausible version of that. It's so much more fun to walk through a cave that feels like an ecosystem and not an RPG dungeon. And man, the fact that the overworld models showed up shiny if the Pokemon is shiny is so cool. The effect wasn't perfect of course, it was a little crowded and arguably made for passive gameplay sometimes, but I still loved it and am bummed to go back to the old way.

If the reasoning behind getting rid of it is that it just isn't practical to have walkaround models animated for so many Pokemon then fine, but if it's just for nostaaaaalgiaaaa and to cater to the piss kids who review bombed Let's Go then that's pretty disappointing.

Raikaria · « **Reply #14 on:** March 02, 2019, 10:36:54 AM »

Quote from: commandercool on March 02, 2019, 04:57:53 AM

but if it's just for nostaaaaalgiaaaa

On the topic of that...

Can we please not do what Gen 6/7 did and literally shove Kanto down our throats and have blatant Kanto favoritism [More Megas from Kanto than anywhere else, Alolan Formes being Kanto only...]? We just had our second Gen 1 remakes.

Frankly; Genwunners are a small part of the fanbase that spans 20 years. Appeasing just the idiots who can't see past 151 and bash everything else while ignoring the exact same problems with Gen 1 [EG: Bashing Gen 5 for 'inanimates r stoopid' or Trubbish when Gen 1 has Magnemite; Voltorb Muk; ect, and lazy designs like 'It's just Three Digletts'], which is a small amount of the people from the first 2 years of the franchise, is a little silly.

I mean, not saying 'Have no Kanto stuff'. Just give it fair representation and don't shaft the other 6 Generations [Or even Gen 8!] just to give it more limelight.

commandercool · « **Reply #15 on:** March 02, 2019, 01:58:09 PM »

I mostly agree with you, but if there's going to be "legacy support" for older generations, which there doesn't have to be but it might be fun given how well Gen 7 turned out, I think Gamefreak painted themselves into a bit of a corner. The next logical step would be to do a bunch of support of Gen 2, but Gen 2 is really bland and inflexible compared to most of the others. I know it has its supporters, but it's not popular overall and just doesn't provide them a ton of interesting tools to work with.

So I think there's a few ways they could go with that if they wanted to do "Galarian forms" or something. They could double down on interesting high-quality designs and try to make Gen 2 look good retroactively with brute force, or they could skip it and focus on Kalos Pokemon given the geographic connection. Or they could spread the support around and not necessarily focus on one region. And of course there's always the option to just not do any throwbacks, but I don't know, I think regional forms is a fun idea with a ton of potential. Maybe just doing a few and not making it a big focus would be best, but I'd like to see some.

This is kind of an issue Pokemon Go ran into as well in my opinion. Adding new Pokemon chronologically means they have to slog through the relatively weak second, third, and fourth waves to get to the point where I would say Pokemon starts to get consistently good again in Unova and onward. That's definitely a matter of taste and I'm sure there are plenty of people who would disagree with that assessment which is fair enough, but that's the way I see it.

Raikaria · « **Reply #16 on:** March 02, 2019, 03:35:16 PM »

Every gen has it's stinkers and it's winners.

And Gen 4 remakes would be up next chronologically. Although dear god can we have a Platinum remake instead of D/P? Or at least have the Platinum regional dex?

I'm not counting on regional formes. Megas were dropped after Gen 6. Regionals didn't even continue into US/UM. [Likewise don't expect Z-Moves as anything but a postgame thing; although the core of Z-moves isn't something that would need an update anyway]

Mеа · « **Reply #17 on:** March 02, 2019, 07:14:12 PM »

Quote from: commandercool on March 02, 2019, 01:58:09 PM

The next logical step would be to do a bunch of support of Gen 2, but Gen 2 is really bland and inflexible compared to most of the others. I know it has its supporters, but it's not popular overall and just doesn't provide them a ton of interesting tools to work with.

Really? I feel like I see Gen 2 for the most often lauded as best gen. Wish I could rate it on my own terms, it's the only generation that I haven't beat. Couldn't beat E4 when I was a kid, so I didn't even know the Kanto side was a thing and I bought Heart Gold used way after release and haven't touched it.

As much as I think gen 5 was one of the best in the series, even I thought it had some of the most weird designs across the entirety of its lineup (then again it does have some of my favorites...). They must have used some different design philosophy for it.

Raikaria · « **Reply #18 on:** March 02, 2019, 09:59:48 PM »

Quote from: Mеа on March 02, 2019, 07:14:12 PM

Really? I feel like I see Gen 2 for the most often lauded as best gen. Wish I could rate it on my own terms, it's the only generation that I haven't beat. Couldn't beat E4 when I was a kid, so I didn't even know the Kanto side was a thing and I bought Heart Gold used way after release and haven't touched it.

As much as I think gen 5 was one of the best in the series, even I thought it had some of the most weird designs across the entirety of its lineup (then again it does have some of my favorites...). They must have used some different design philosophy for it.

Thing is... Gen 2 was... well... shafted.

It has one of the smaller rosters at 100 pokemon, and quite of lot of them are connected to Kanto lines in the first place and are semi-pointless Baby pokemon. Cool for lore; pointless gameplay addittions. We know a lot of pokemon were outright canceled despite being far enough to make it to a public demo.

Jhoto as a region is... well a backwater. It dosen't have it's own Team, it's own Leauge, it's landscape is wholly uninteresting and there's not really much *there*. Not to mention the level curve.

Most of this is due to the GB limitations and Kanto being included. Which is also probobly why such a feature won't happen again. Jhoto as a region really suffered for it however. I'd easily call Jhoto my least favorite region, although I'd also say the Jhoto dex isn't bad.

commandercool · « **Reply #19 on:** March 03, 2019, 02:14:43 AM »

Quote from: Mеа on March 02, 2019, 07:14:12 PM

Really? I feel like I see Gen 2 for the most often lauded as best gen. Wish I could rate it on my own terms, it's the only generation that I haven't beat. Couldn't beat E4 when I was a kid, so I didn't even know the Kanto side was a thing and I bought Heart Gold used way after release and haven't touched it.

I've seen a lot of people call the Gen 2 games the best games, which is arguably true if we're talking about the wonderful remakes. But calling the set of Pokemon that goes with them the best is uncommon, or at least I think it is.

My understanding of Gen 2 is that it was made in a hurry out of Gen 1 castoffs in large part, which left it feeling pretty underwhelming in my opinion. It's small, there's a ton of chaff (the babies are pretty weak, especially compared to the much more interesting unused baby designs that got leaked, give me Meowsy!). I'm honestly not sure what my favorite Gen 2 Pokemon even is, but whatever it is I don't think it would even be in my top 50 favorites. Maybe not even my top 100.

Quote from: Mеа on March 02, 2019, 07:14:12 PM

As much as I think gen 5 was one of the best in the series, even I thought it had some of the most weird designs across the entirety of its lineup (then again it does have some of my favorites...). They must have used some different design philosophy for it.

I like weird. I love the Pokemon based on inanimate objects. They're weird but very bold and that's great. Give me more Klinks, Trubbishes, Vanilishes, and Yamasks! But yeah, the design philosophy for Gen 5 definitely feels a little different. I wonder if maybe they tried to go for "American designs" somehow. If there's a design document out there somewhere then I'd like to see it.

Jq1790 · « **Reply #20 on:** March 03, 2019, 03:48:28 AM »

Quote from: commandercool on March 03, 2019, 02:14:43 AM

I wonder if maybe they tried to go for "American designs" somehow.

Considering Braviary exists, I wouldn't doubt it, honestly. Pretty much screams "USA the Pokemon" to me whenever I think of it.

862ian · « **Reply #21 on:** March 14, 2019, 01:23:37 PM »

Quote from: Raikaria on March 02, 2019, 03:35:16 PM

Every gen has it's stinkers and it's winners.

And Gen 4 remakes would be up next chronologically. Although dear god can we have a Platinum remake instead of D/P? Or at least have the Platinum regional dex?

I'm not counting on regional formes. Megas were dropped after Gen 6. Regionals didn't even continue into US/UM. [Likewise don't expect Z-Moves as anything but a postgame thing; although the core of Z-moves isn't something that would need an update anyway]

If there is remakes they will go with the D/P games (since the other remakes have taken the third game and tossed it aside while taking the best parts of it.) Also can i say that i'm not a giant fan of the fact the 3ds isn't likely to get Pokemon Sword/Shield and plus their isn't anything i want on the switch to make buying it for simply one or two games worth the initial investment i mean i just don't like how the switch controllers feel (likely a result of them being really tiny).

Plus at least for me it's really hard to even be interested in a system that doesn't have much in the way of games i want. It's not like i need sword and shield in my life. Legend of Zelda is kinda meh in my opinion, Pokemon has lost it's interest for me mostly with SM/USUM, Plus i just can get most of the games i'm interested in via the playstation or a computer so *shrugs*

Raikaria · « **Reply #22 on:** March 15, 2019, 07:36:08 PM »

Quote from: 862ian on March 14, 2019, 01:23:37 PM

If there is remakes they will go with the D/P games (since the other remakes have taken the third game and tossed it aside while taking the best parts of it.) Also can i say that i'm not a giant fan of the fact the 3ds isn't likely to get Pokemon Sword/Shield and plus their isn't anything i want on the switch to make buying it for simply one or two games worth the initial investment i mean i just don't like how the switch controllers feel (likely a result of them being really tiny).

Plus at least for me it's really hard to even be interested in a system that doesn't have much in the way of games i want. It's not like i need sword and shield in my life. Legend of Zelda is kinda meh in my opinion, Pokemon has lost it's interest for me mostly with SM/USUM, Plus i just can get most of the games i'm interested in via the playstation or a computer so *shrugs*

None of the first three gens had their first release be such a flawed mess as D/P were compared to Platinum however.

Also Let's Go is a Yellow remake, and technically Gen 1 re-remakes were due.

Quote from: Jq1790 on March 03, 2019, 03:48:28 AM

Considering Braviary exists, I wouldn't doubt it, honestly. Pretty much screams "USA the Pokemon" to me whenever I think of it.

Who wants to take bets on a Bulldog pokemon?

Jq1790 · « **Reply #23 on:** March 16, 2019, 11:49:33 AM »

Quote from: Raikaria on March 15, 2019, 07:36:08 PM

None of the first three gens had their first release be such a flawed mess as D/P were compared to Platinum however.

Also Let's Go is a Yellow remake, and technically Gen 1 re-remakes were due.

Who wants to take bets on a Bulldog pokemon?

Snubbull and Granbull say hi.

Raikaria · « **Reply #24 on:** March 18, 2019, 11:09:42 AM »

Quote from: Jq1790 on March 16, 2019, 11:49:33 AM

Snubbull and Granbull say hi.

Last I checked they were the 'Fairy Pokemon'.

I mean actually classified as 'Bulldog pokemon'.

[Also Granbull/Snubbull are probobly Cu Siths, because that is literally Celtic for Dog Fairy, who, according to legend, are the size of a bull; and look like a dog; hence their appearance... so actually with their origin being British I think it's a fair bet to say Snubbull will be in the regional dex?]

Besides; it's not like we have pokemon based on the same animal already.

Also; what do you guys think the Regional Bird and Regional mammal will be based of? They're inevitable additions after all. I'd say Pidgeon or Swan, but Unova took those birds. Maybe a Goose? As for mammal, maybe something like a Mouse?

Jq1790 · « **Reply #25 on:** March 18, 2019, 01:55:16 PM »

Ahh, I misinterpreted. I also did not know of that extra background so that makes a bit more sense.

Hm...Well, if we find something common to Scotland (which is what I hear a lot of people saying the region is based on), maybe there'll be a clue in there?

hyorinryu · « **Reply #26 on:** March 26, 2019, 02:18:06 AM »

Quote from: Raikaria on March 15, 2019, 07:36:08 PM

None of the first three gens had their first release be such a flawed mess as D/P were compared to Platinum however.

Also Let's Go is a Yellow remake, and technically Gen 1 re-remakes were due.

Who wants to take bets on a Bulldog pokemon?

I wouldn't count the Let's Go series a remake, at least not in the way the other remakes were. The Let's Go series wasn't really meant for the veterans of the franchise, it was meant for the people who keep bringing Blisseys and Aggrons to every raid. I haven't played the remakes of other games, but I was under the impression that they were there to give an older region all the mechanics/pokemon up to the newest gen. Let's go being Kanto-based was a given since it has the most recognition. I'd be down for a sequel Let's go though. Especially if it had more content, because that was my biggest issue with LG (that, and how they handled hazards.)

I'm not sure what to go on for the Galad region.

Quote from: Raikaria on March 18, 2019, 11:09:42 AM

Last I checked they were the 'Fairy Pokemon'.

I mean actually classified as 'Bulldog pokemon'.

[Also Granbull/Snubbull are probobly Cu Siths, because that is literally Celtic for Dog Fairy, who, according to legend, are the size of a bull; and look like a dog; hence their appearance... so actually with their origin being British I think it's a fair bet to say Snubbull will be in the regional dex?]

Besides; it's not like we have pokemon based on the same animal already.

Also; what do you guys think the Regional Bird and Regional mammal will be based of? They're inevitable additions after all. I'd say Pidgeon or Swan, but Unova took those birds. Maybe a Goose? As for mammal, maybe something like a Mouse?

Maybe a heron or an egret if those aren't taken? Shrews or moles for the mammal? I googled birds and Great Britain and took what popped up a lot.

Ranko · « **Reply #27 on:** April 11, 2019, 07:12:37 AM »

Seems a bit dumb of me to say again, but this doesn't at all strike anything with me like how Platinum or HG/SS did. Just seems like milking a cow.

Raikaria · « **Reply #28 on:** April 13, 2019, 05:27:00 PM »

Quote from: Ranko on April 11, 2019, 07:12:37 AM

Seems a bit dumb of me to say again, but this doesn't at all strike anything with me like how Platinum or HG/SS did. Just seems like milking a cow.

Pokemon is a 23 year old franchise at this point.

At that point, it's not really going to stand out that much. It's like Core Mario games are going to involve a slightly pudgy plumber jumping around, or Core LoZ games will have a blonde-haired elf-like kid swinging a sword and shield around with loads of side items used for progression.

Besides; Pokemon really isn't the most milked franchise. There aren't games every single year like things such as CoD, and Pokemon also doesn't start whacking your wallet for more with tons of DLC, and while you can call the remakes cash grabs, there's also *demand* for them. [Remember Hoenn Confirmed memes?]. It's a blurr between giving people what they want and the $$$.

Sure Nintendo is perfectly happy to rehash the same winning formulea again with some tweaks, but frankly, it works. And Nintendo is also far from the scummiest company in gaming.

And frankly; it's stable, realiable cash cow franchises like Pokemon, Mario and LoZ which let Nintendo push the boat out on new franchises, and take risks with their console design [Some that work; like the Wii, and others like the Wii U that flop; but Nintendo has that stable cushion to flop onto instead of a hard floor]

Drake · « **Reply #29 on:** April 13, 2019, 11:11:40 PM »

Plus I can all but guarantee a large part of that sentiment depends on age group. I for one think HGSS is around the top of the series and I played Diamond for ages but I have to acknowledge part of that is because Silver was my first game and HGSS was the point where I was the most into Pokemon while still being very impressionable. Not at all to say that all Pokemon games are created equal of course, but I think the feeling in people that Pokemon is getting stale or being ultra hype etc is largely age and how invested they already are. Being interested in new entries is almost like anti-nostalgia, which is why there are so many appeals to nostalgia alongside it.