Gold hack: Skeetendo Inc. Christmas Hack

[jwibagi]

I've been curious as to why you've decided to add Fakemon. I've never been a fan of Fakemon and I don't think I'll ever be.

Just a personal thought: isn't it better to insert more Ice Pokemon from future generations instead?

I do realize this comes off heavily biased. Your game is your game. I just wanted to input that however.

[Mateo]

It's fine, that's an honest question. I had thought about including some even earlier that Pyro and I had come up with for Sterling Silver, but I couldn't find the sprites (then he posted them when he showed up on Skeetendo randomly). The reason I chose these specifically was because I thought amvz08 had done a good job on creating them, and he took the time to come up with stats and learnsets and everything for them. Plus they made more sense to be included than Mudkip, Marshtomp, and Swampert did. You're right though, if he hadn't volunteered and they hadn't come out as nice as I thought they did, I most likely would have added more Ice Types from new gens (or kept Mudkip's line).

[CrystalMarina]

Originally Posted by Mateo

Your old save files would be buggy if you started over with them. You would miss a lot of events from where I've redone things earlier in the game, and the player's sprite would look wrong when walking and biking, among other things. Long story short, best idea to start a new game when I get the new one out. Sorry about that, though. But hey glad you're enjoying it so far!

Thanks for letting me know! That's no problem though. By the way, I think I found a bug. The couple before Ecruteak have text that acts funny when you battle them. I *think* they were like... Jack and Diane? Also, the "Mateo" trainer in Ecruteak had Pokemon that were leveled kinda weird. Like the first one was tough, but the last ones were really weak. Is that a bug too?

[Mateo]

Thanks for reminding me, I actually forgot about that trainer, so I'll need to fix that still. But my NPCs Pokémon are supposed to be leveled like that. It's because I'm bad about only raising a few Pokémon, and keeping some at stupid low levels that I just keep around for HMs and stuff.

[CrystalMarina]

Haha that makes sense now! Thanks for answering me

I'm still enjoying the game so far. Also btw, are there going to be more updates after this one or will it be finished after you release this one your working on now?

[Mateo]

My plan right now is to call this finished after I release the update I'm working on, and then I'll start focusing on other hacks.

[jwibagi]

Originally Posted by Mateo

My plan right now is to call this finished after I release the update I'm working on, and then I'll start focusing on other hacks.

For sure or for just a long-time until you finish your other endeavours?

The way I see things is: unless your hack has a central storyline and event that it is built upon, there's always more to add here and there. Evidence being how you are adding more features now. :-)

[Mateo]

You have a point, and knowing me I'll probably come back to it eventually. But I think after this one I'll mainly consider it done unless something new comes up later. So yeah, for a long time anyway this next update should be the "final" update.

[naczkens]

Originally Posted by Mateo

You have a point, and knowing me I'll probably come back to it eventually. But I think after this one I'll mainly consider it done unless something new comes up later. So yeah, for a long time anyway this next update should be the "final" update.

Oh, finally any of this two seasonal hacks (Halloween or Christmas) will be completed. Glad to read it :D

Anyway, I always check if there is some update on Skeetendo but I'm simply too lazy to register there. And when You will release the final version of this, I'm gonna play it right away and give some feedback.

[Mateo]

Originally Posted by naczkens

Oh, finally any of this two seasonal hacks (Halloween or Christmas) will be completed. Glad to read it :D

Anyway, I always check if there is some update on Skeetendo but I'm simply too lazy to register there. And when You will release the final version of this, I'm gonna play it right away and give some feedback.

Glad to see your enthusiasm! Hope you enjoy the final version when I get it complete!

[naczkens]

Originally Posted by Mateo

Glad to see your enthusiasm! Hope you enjoy the final version when I get it complete!

I enjoyed nearly every piece of changes You made to the game so far. Most of hacks doesn't have sense, because they have nothing new. Your idea of making another view on 2gen games is really refreshing.
I hope that You will continue hacking after You finish both Christmas and Halloween hacks, because i think You have a chance of making the best 2gen pokemon games ever

[Mateo]

Originally Posted by naczkens

I enjoyed nearly every piece of changes You made to the game so far. Most of hacks doesn't have sense, because they have nothing new. Your idea of making another view on 2gen games is really refreshing.
I hope that You will continue hacking after You finish both Christmas and Halloween hacks, because i think You have a chance of making the best 2gen pokemon games ever

Glad you think so. If you don't mind, since you said nearly everything, which things didn't you enjoy as much? I'm curious how they relate to the additions and changes I've been making in this coming update.

EDIT: And yes, I do plan to continue hacking after I finish those two hacks. I have a lot of ideas, but still too early to announce any new hacks yet.

[naczkens]

Originally Posted by Mateo

Glad you think so. If you don't mind, since you said nearly everything, which things didn't you enjoy as much? I'm curious how they relate to the additions and changes I've been making in this coming update.

EDIT: And yes, I do plan to continue hacking after I finish those two hacks. I have a lot of ideas, but still too early to announce any new hacks yet.

Since I love to be precise, I must play it this evening once again. Then I'll make a list of this less enjoyable things.

[Mateo]

Cool, thanks, that sounds like a plan.

[naczkens]

Most of all the things I didn't like that much was just a tiny design issues.
F.ex. :
- if the player uses headbutt the snow should fall down from the tree,
- when the player slide at ice, he should end up in water (or was it impossible because of surf?)

Next group of these things - because I wanted to see more references to the Christmas time.
F.ex. :
- no christmas tree, no Santa and not even one Snowman (or maybe even some events linked with it f.ex. present under the tree)
- no christmas melodies / carrols
- some pokemon sprites could have some small changes (like stantler - which of course is a reindeer)

Third group: other ideas, or minor bugs:
- There sure are some more 3rd, 4th and 5th gen pokemon that would suit better than f.ex. Leafeon. You know they can't be all that powerful, because of the stability of all the story. But, if You would add these: Cubchoo, Beartic, Snover, Abomasnow, and Spheal family in place of similar powerful Fire pokemon, it would be even better.
- I don't know if You have fixed this, but some movesets are not perfect (best example is Glaceon which can't learn Return). What's more - the original nintendo movesets also had some logical problems (not all pokemon with claws can learn Cut).

Whew. That's all I remember for now.
I will tell something more after completing playing the hack.

[Mateo]

Originally Posted by naczkens

Most of all the things I didn't like that much was just a tiny design issues.
F.ex. :
- if the player uses headbutt the snow should fall down from the tree,
- when the player slide at ice, he should end up in water (or was it impossible because of surf?)

Next group of these things - because I wanted to see more references to the Christmas time.
F.ex. :
- no christmas tree, no Santa and not even one Snowman (or maybe even some events linked with it f.ex. present under the tree)
- no christmas melodies / carrols
- some pokemon sprites could have some small changes (like stantler - which of course is a reindeer)

Third group: other ideas, or minor bugs:
- There sure are some more 3rd, 4th and 5th gen pokemon that would suit better than f.ex. Leafeon. You know they can't be all that powerful, because of the stability of all the story. But, if You would add these: Cubchoo, Beartic, Snover, Abomasnow, and Spheal family in place of similar powerful Fire pokemon, it would be even better.
- I don't know if You have fixed this, but some movesets are not perfect (best example is Glaceon which can't learn Return). What's more - the original nintendo movesets also had some logical problems (not all pokemon with claws can learn Cut).

Whew. That's all I remember for now.
I will tell something more after completing playing the hack.

With the headbutt and landing in water, I'm not sure how I could easily implement those, honestly. Although they do definitely make sense.

There are Christmas trees in most of the houses, although they don't really do anything. It could stand to have more Santa though, and Stantler could definitely use some changes (perhaps making his shiny form have a red nose like Rudolph).

I added Leafeon because it felt wrong to add one Eeveelution and not the other. Plus as someone pointed out on Skeetendo, in some parts of the world it is technically summer time at Christmas, which is why he appears on South Isle (where an NPC claims it is supposed to be summer, but Articuno has disrupted the weather). But I do agree that it could use more of the newer ice types. I'll look around and see who all I can replace.

I have already fixed Glaceon's moveset, but nice that you caught it and pointed it out. I may or may not add in the things like people learning CUT and whatnot that weren't in the original game, though. Obviously some of the movesets are a little off because of moves not existing, but in these cases, I've tried to either replace them with a similar move or take them out and adjust the levels they learn particular attacks so that the overall flow of leveling up and learning remains similar.

I think that covered everything you mentioned so far. I appreciate the feedback, and looking forward to seeing any other comments/critiques you have after your playthrough.

[Al3X]

This is great. I'm not gonna lie when I first saw this I thought it would be the exact same as gold, but with snow. Now that I've actually taken the time to look at it, it is awesome. Ariados was one of my favourites, I'm sad about him though.

[Mateo]

Haha, I think a lot of people have probably assumed that as well. Thanks for taking the time to actually read it and see what it was, and glad you like it so far.

Also, sorry about Ariados. The way I chose the Pokemon to remove was by trying to think of the ones that wouldn't be suited to the cold weather. In real life, plants and bugs die back in the winter, so it seemed like those should be the first choices of Pokemon to replace to add the new ice types.

[naczkens]

Originally Posted by Mateo

There are Christmas trees in most of the houses, although they don't really do anything. It could stand to have more Santa though, and Stantler could definitely use some changes (perhaps making his shiny form have a red nose like Rudolph).

To be precise, I thought about making one BIG christmas tree in Goldenrod City or New Bark Town. Just like in real world in New York.
And for Santa, I thought about making North Pole. I remember it was implemented in Pokemon anime. But I don't know if You can add another location or must edit existing one.
It all would look like in anime - Jynx's preparing presents, Stantler eating, and similar stuff. Then You could add something like "Christmas saving quest" (in anime Ash helped ill Stantler by curing it with a special berry) activated by that special big christmas tree after getting, let's say 7th badge, and an extra battle with Santa (in anime he had Jynx, Lapras, Stantler, and Delibird).
I know it's a lot of work, and sadly I don't know nothing about hacking, so that I could help.

[Mateo]

I think that could be fun if I can come up with a way to put it in that doesn't feel "forced" or "cheesey" or "trying to hard" ya know what I mean? But yeah since I already have you saving Christmas for Azalea Town by saving the Delibirds from Team Rocket, it could probably build off that, using it as a backstory or something. But we'll just have to see how it works out I guess haha.

[CrystalMarina]

Maybe when you help Santa you could have to deliver some presents to different people, the way you did at the start of the game, while you are looking for the berry to heal Stantler? Just an idea

Also I'm curious, what is the story with the guy in the cave that looks like a Secret Base that talks like he knows the player?

[Mateo]

Originally Posted by CrystalMarina

Maybe when you help Santa you could have to deliver some presents to different people, the way you did at the start of the game, while you are looking for the berry to heal Stantler? Just an idea :)

That might be doable, it would probably fit pretty well and be a believable thing Santa needed you to do. Not sure if I'll make him need a rare berry, or have him need a lot of normal berries the way the sick Miltank did in Gold or what I'll come up with. But I'll keep that in mind too!

Originally Posted by CrystalMarina

Also I'm curious, what is the story with the guy in the cave that looks like a Secret Base that talks like he knows the player?

He's the player from Spirits and Legends, but since that one isn't out yet, I'm not surprised that he confused some people. I've tried to introduce him a little better in the update I'm working on, and have him play a little more of a part in the story as well. (Plus I added his house to Cherrygrove for continuity, since Spirits and Legends is a prequel to this hack).

[CrystalMarina]

Oh ok! That makes sense now then why he knows the player. So I guess that means that Gold is going to be in Halloween too? And will Crystal be in it? Sorry I know those are off topic haha. But that's cool, and I think its neat how you are trying to make them go together like that.

[jwibagi]

So I've posted a sprite/spritework request in the Help Recruitment Thread under the Team Discussions subsection but I doubt I'll get any offers. If I do, though, I'm willing to share whatever sprites.

I know that someone else made you a sprite pack in Skeetendo but I'm interested in changing trainers into new classes.

[Mateo]

Cool, thanks for being willing to let me use whatever you guys come up with.

I'm also open to the idea of changing some of the trainer classes (I've already done that in a case or two, since I removed Firebreathers and added CueBalls, for example). So that might be cool.

I'm also thinking I'll make more use of the "Skier" and "Boarder" classes, since in Gold they were originally only found in Pryce's gym that I remember, so adding some new ones would be nice and would fit the theme pretty well.