6th Gen Water

*inspired by a past thread!*

How will water play out in X&Y? To delve more into this:

Water comes in various different settings in the Pokémon world from oceans, to ponds, and have various Trainer classes that correspond with that body of water. Different types of water house different kinds of Pokémon suggesting certain Pokémon prefer salt water over fresh water and vice versa.

Oceans are normally used as obstacles within the games to keep the player from progressing until obtaining the move Surf. They are commonly inhabited by Swimmers, Sailors, and certain types of Pokémon. Rivers and ponds are found on many different routes, and are usually accompanied by Fishermen and fresh water Pokémon. Ponds have also been found in some residential areas. Currents are forces of water that force the player to move in a single direction and are often used to create a puzzle the player must solve. They only appear in Generation III and Generation V.. Routes 132, 133, 134 are almost completely created from these ocean currents to stop the player from traveling to Pacifidlog Town too early in the game. Currents are also found in the Seafoam Islands to create a puzzle the player must solve in order to reach the legendary Pokémon residing in the cave. In Unova, currents are also found in Route 17, which lead up to Route 18.

Deep water only exists in Generations III and V. Deep water is the only location where Dive can be used in the overworld. Diving into this water takes the player underwater. Shallow water is not like most other variations of water, in that it cannot be surfed on or fished in.

There are also many mysteries and legends that surround water. Legendary pokemon such as Kyogre and Lugia involves water, since Kyogre possesses the ability to expand the oceans, and Lugia is said to be the "guardian of the seas".

So, following the discussion, how frequent should different types of bodies of water should you encounter in these games? Would you like the region of X&Y to be like Hoenn where there are loads of oceans, lakes, or rivers, where you can have more places to surf, or dive? What types of bodies of water would you like to see? Could there be conflicts of travel that you sometimes would have when surfing? For example, maybe you'd have to get past more whirlpools, and even fierce tidal waves? Would you like to have mysteries and more legends that involves bodies of water? Any other thoughts that has to do with water?

I feel like Hoenn had too much water, while Kanto had too little water (the only requirement for Surf was getting to Cinnabar, and that only needed to be the short stretch between Pallet Town and Cinnabar, the rest being optional). I think a happy balance between the two of those would be ideal personally. I like having the ocean as a place for finding water Pokémon that you wouldn't find in a pond or lake found in a town, but I don't want to feel like I'm spending a third of my game surfing like I did in Hoenn.

Dive is eh to me. It was an interesting concept in Gen 3, but it honestly wasn't extremely enjoyable to me. It'd be cool to include it, but not as an HM. Maybe as an optional side-quest sort of thing to find items hidden under the sea, but not as part of the story.

I agree with Jake in terms of the Dive mechanics. I think it's really cool and neat to have in the game, but to require it as an HM is just too much. Dive and Fly aren't particularly useful moves, even in game, and I hate to have them take up a permanent moveslot on one of m pokemon (it was even worse in Gen 3 when you needed both).

In terms of how much water I want, I really, honestly enjoyed Hoenn's amount of water. I don't expect them to do that much of it again though. And considering the game is going to be based on France (as far as I'm concerned) there shouldn't be TOO much water. I would, however, like to see more Waterfalls (or just more practical usage of waterfalls) in the new region if Waterfall is to stay an HM.

I'd like it if we had a bit of a different mechanic with water. I think the big issue people have with it is the fact that it's basically an enormous area for encountering wild Pokemon and is unchanging in scenery.

What if they change the mechanics and we get "dark" water that basically acts as "tall grass" while surfing? That way you don't need to but 99x Max Repels to travel?

Maybe add more sand bars and small islets as well to change up the scenery?

I really enjoyed Hoenn so I would happy if they brought back a large sea of water.

It makes the game more immersive if they're not obviously trying to hide water from you. I got that impression during the 5th gen.

Actually having more water would be a pretty good idea. Just like Hoenn did.
that's why Surf was very useful in Hoenn, unlike in Kanto. It had little water in it.
Though I'm curious. Will gen 6 lack water pokemon? If it does. The idea will probably be bad.

Hm... water in Pokémon X and Pokémon Y... something that surely would make the game somewhat interesting to a certain extent. I've gotta say, we haven't had a town that is an island since Generation III, that is if the Pokémon League from Generation IV doesn't count. So it would be interesting if Surf could be used to travel across to that island and if Dive makes a return... it could be used for certain requirements such as searching in a sunken ship or something.

PokémonShinySilver said:

Hm... water in Pokémon X and Pokémon Y... something that surely would make the game somewhat interesting to a certain extent. I've gotta say, we haven't had a town that is an island since Generation III, that is if the Pokémon League from Generation IV doesn't count. So it would be interesting if Surf could be used to travel across to that island and if Dive makes a return... it could be used for certain requirements such as searching in a sunken ship or something.

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Technically if all the houses weren't on stilts Humilau City would have been an island, considering how the PC and gym are at least.

Anyway, dive and surf need to have a glorious return. I love Hoenn for the water routes, they were so damn liberating, I don't care if they were slow. I seriously would love it if we get something similar, but little island riddled all over the place with juicy secrets to uncover. Dive could also be used for the plot, perhaps even something funky like an underwater city.

I'd be okay with having Dive back if it was optional. I don't want another story arc with it involved, as the evil team will need some sort of submarine or something to get down there again, so I don't really want to rehash story elements like that again. As far as just general exploring goes on your own sure, knock yourself out. Just don't make it an HM again =P

RedWing said:

I'd like it if we had a bit of a different mechanic with water. I think the big issue people have with it is the fact that it's basically an enormous area for encountering wild Pokemon and is unchanging in scenery.

What if they change the mechanics and we get "dark" water that basically acts as "tall grass" while surfing? That way you don't need to but 99x Max Repels to travel?

Maybe add more sand bars and small islets as well to change up the scenery?

Click to expand...

Water routes are supposed to be an 'annoying' obstacle without repels(they are pretty cheap for what they do...) and should stay that way. Unlike land(which could be possible but it is much less likely), going through water...Pokemon can pretty much strike at any time from below.

However, I could see a small pond or something being a slightly lighter shade of blue than something like a lake/ocean due to the chances of being attacked being smaller. In that sense it could work out as a lighter shade meaning a lesser chance of an encounter. I'd like to be able to encounter water Pokemon all over the water-ways though, so the chance of an encounter period should stay in my book.

Elendil said:

Anyway, dive and surf need to have a glorious return. I love Hoenn for the water routes, they were so damn liberating, I don't care if they were slow. I seriously would love it if we get something similar, but little island riddled all over the place with juicy secrets to uncover. Dive could also be used for the plot, perhaps even something funky like an underwater city.

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This a freakin' million times.

Honestly, Hoenn had a perfect amount of water for what it was: a more tropical region. My only real complaints were the lack of variety in Pokemon and the secret dive islands not living up to their potential of housing true secrets(imagine finding some ancient ruins on an island hidden off with dive); They could have been a lot more useful.

I think Hoenn had too much water, which is alright for the Game, since they had this whole Nature, Earth, Water theme going on, but it wouldn't work as well for the new games imo.
I think all other regions had a pretty good Water route balance, i especially like the Kanto ones. I definitely think Dive should be implemented, and I'd love to explore some new underwater cave/ruin, like in Ruby and Sapphire :D

Zorogami said:

I think Hoenn had too much water, which is alright for the Game, since they had this whole Nature, Earth, Water theme going on, but it wouldn't work as well for the new games imo.
I think all other regions had a pretty good Water route balance, i especially like the Kanto ones. I definitely think Dive should be implemented, and I'd love to explore some new underwater cave/ruin, like in Ruby and Sapphire :D

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Agreed. Hoenn and B2W2 were really the places for water (in themes and design) and I think they should keep that how it is, and just have this region with a even spread of water/land :(

Also need more diving spotsss.

I do remember that the puddles in Unova Route 8 can sometimes be frozen over, depending on what season it is; but I'm just wondering, maybe in the new generation we can get a pokemon to freeze the water so that the trainer can cross the path (Maybe using Ice Beam or something like an Ice-type HM)? It is a crazy thought, and it might not see much if not any use, but it would probably do for an alternative if your Pokemon doesn't have Surf or if you want to get through without any wild Pokemon popping up to annoy you.

How about something like... oh i dounno, possibly LAVA!!!?!?!?!?!?!? A move like surf, but with fire types learning it and and behaving like surf?
But if its water, I personaly want MORE ocean to explore. The surf so far you end up a kanto far.
Just so if your bored and finished the afterstory.

I often found myself lost while surfing in areas that had large water routes like in Hoenn. Especially amongst the rocks. Although it did fit Hoenn's tropical atmosphere, I hope this region has a little less water than that, but still enough to the point where Surf / Waterfall / Dive can get in some proper use. I definitely would like to see more dive spots!

Boilurn said:

I do remember that the puddles in Unova Route 8 can sometimes be frozen over, depending on what season it is; but I'm just wondering, maybe in the new generation we can get a pokemon to freeze the water so that the trainer can cross the path (Maybe using Ice Beam or something like an Ice-type HM)? It is a crazy thought, and it might not see much if not any use, but it would probably do for an alternative if your Pokemon doesn't have Surf or if you want to get through without any wild Pokemon popping up to annoy you.

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Omgggg that sounds fun! Also the idea of Pokemon actually be frozen IN water! Like being able to jump on a certain water puddle long enough then a Pokemon becomes unfrozen. :3 But defs the freezing over water does sound good, especially if there's more ice moves~

I definitely want more water than Gen V had. It was kinda like, 'Okay, so I have Surf... When do I actually use it?' Maybe a water route that's around the length from Olivine to Cianwood would work. I wouldn't say we need quite as big as an ocean as we had in Hoenn, though.

I'd also like to see more extensive Surf-able inland water. Lakes, ponds, rivers, etc. Maybe even a nice little river route with slightly diverging paths that leads to a city spread out around a lake.