The In-Game PokéDex

[Forever]

So while the Pokedex Pro thread discusses what they could do with the app, and whether it'll integrate into the games or not, this one goes a little deeper and actually discusses the functionality of the normal Pokedex, assuming that it's found in-game like always. Plus everyone's discussing the cost/whether it'll be necessary in the other thread, and this wouldn't really fit in there.

So! How would you feel if you got the pokedex at a different point after getting the starters (if so, what'd be a good reasoning? -- keep in mind that the how you get the starters thread discusses how you'll get the starters so discussing that fits there), do you think they'll update the pokedex and include other information such as sync with wifi and record how many times you've faced or traded that species? Do you think they will still have pokedex skins? Would you rather them be unlocked in-game and selected-from in-game, rather than through Global Link? Is there anything else they could possibly add or improve searching functions? Also, on a similar note and because it fits in, what kind of PokeDex entries do you think there will be for the Pokemon revealed thus far? What if they don't have Pokedex entries - would you mind if they didn't? Discusss~~

[Twilight Sky]

Boy, do I have quite a response for this.

B/W2 -really- took things in the right direction as far as functionality of the PokeDex is concerning. Prior to that, my feelings always were...something like...they could do -so much more- with the PokeDex, but it's not really being used to it's absolute fullest potential, and that's something that I'd like to see in these games! The feature in which you could check a Pokemon's habitat was definitely a step in the right direction, but it's not really something that would make me open the PokeDex with the utmost joy and play with, y'know? I understand that, even before all of this, there was barely a reason to even check the Pokedex; all there was is just Pokemon entries.

....And speaking of entries, I'd like to get into that, too!

why are they so short???

Forgive me, as I really haven't checked my Black 2 in a good while, but the entries are so ridiculously short about Pokemon that it isn't even funny. I mean, I'm of as much of a shortened description of a certain Pokemon as much as the next guy(actually no lol), but make it more interesting! Point out random facts about the Pokemon, something interesting that they could do, their battle capabilities(lol the competitive part of me is aching for this), something that would keep me really interested in said Pokemon and whatnot. The descriptions really do need a lot of work, and I feel that a lot more could be included. I mean, the Pokedex is pretty much a Pokemon encyclopedia for Arceus' sake, and yet the most it has on a certain Pokemon is probably like two or three sentences and that's it. More please. u__u

//endrant.

[François]

Originally Posted by Twilight Sky

....And speaking of entries, I'd like to get into that, too!

why are they so short???

Forgive me, as I really haven't checked my Black 2 in a good while, but the entries are so ridiculously short about Pokemon that it isn't even funny. I mean, I'm of as much of a shortened description of a certain Pokemon as much as the next guy(actually no lol), but make it more interesting! Point out random facts about the Pokemon, something interesting that they could do, their battle capabilities(lol the competitive part of me is aching for this), something that would keep me really interested in said Pokemon and whatnot. The descriptions really do need a lot of work, and I feel that a lot more could be included. I mean, the Pokedex is pretty much a Pokemon encyclopedia for Arceus' sake, and yet the most it has on a certain Pokemon is probably like two or three sentences and that's it. More please. u__u

//endrant.

Agreed! The pokedex entries have always been so dull, and a properly interesting paragraph on the Pokémon would be so much better than what we currently get. I swear the descriptions these days may as well be "This is a mammal of some sort" or whatever.

[SaniOKh]

Originally Posted by Twilight Sky

....And speaking of entries, I'd like to get into that, too!

why are they so short???

In their defense, they now have to write blurbs about 700+ creatures, and that takes a lot of time (and time is money). Also, to be fair, the length of the Pokédex entries hasn't changed since Gen 1 (except for Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald, they had rather long entries) , only now they fit on one page each and not two.

So far, I like where the Pokédex is going, I like how I can now search by locations, that new feature was brilliant. One feature I would really appreciate in Gen 6 is what we now have with the Xtransceiver when we call prof. Juniper (if I remember correctly) : information on how a Pokémon evolves (maybe after catching a Pokémon and only seeing its evolution, the Pokédex could tell us how to evolve it) . I know, it's not a new feature, but it would be nice for it to be associated with the item that makes the most sense .

I can't think of anything else at the moment...

[Elendil]

Give me back the size tab and the Pokedex is pretty much perfect. Without it, its too weird, and I like a little chart to tell me how big my Pokemon is compared to my in-game size then having to deal with imagining the size.

[Pokemaster234]

hmm....I dunno but one thing I would like to see is a breeding class feature.It kinda is a Problem that
ALWAYS that I want to get a Pokemon With a breeding move i need to google,Wiki,or use Pokedex 3D
to know.I dunno. It would be Great.

[Twilight Sky]

Originally Posted by SaniOKh

In their defense, they now have to write blurbs about 700+ creatures, and that takes a lot of time (and time is money). Also, to be fair, the length of the Pokédex entries hasn't changed since Gen 1 (except for Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald, they had rather long entries) , only now they fit on one page each and not two.

Note that I'm not expecting an essay or anything like that. Maybe at least an additional few sentences couldn't hurt, maybe I just like to read upon some interesting details on certain Pokemon and what they could do. It doesn't have to be super lengthy or anything like that. Especially 700+ Pokemon around, I know that's going to be super difficult.

[Aerilyn]

Originally Posted by Pokemaster234

hmm....I dunno but one thing I would like to see is a breeding class feature.It kinda is a Problem that
ALWAYS that I want to get a Pokemon With a breeding move i need to google,Wiki,or use Pokedex 3D
to know.I dunno. It would be Great.

The fact that most of the things we know about Pokémon today and their background come from the internet is proof enough that the PokéDex lacks information that could very well be provided in the games. The PokéDex has so much potential, but it has always been designed for minimum use.

They don't even need to have lengthy entries on each Pokémon to tell us about them. Different categories could be used instead to go into further detail on where each Pokémon come from, what habitat they live in, what breeding class they're in, and so on.

Actually, I'd love a category that tells us each of their different names based on what language they're translated into. That, and it would also be nice if the size of Pokémon was compared to our own heights rather than the protagonists'.

[CycloneGU]

Originally Posted by Aerilyn

The fact that most of the things we know about Pokémon today and their background come from the internet is proof enough that the PokéDex lacks information that could very well be provided in the games. The PokéDex has so much potential, but it has always been designed for minimum use.

There's a good reason for this: data. More information translates into more data. Take for example the following entry from Bulbapedia describing a Pokémon I've selected at random:

I quote:

Chansey

Physiology

Chansey have pink, egg-shaped bodies. They have hair-like outgrowths on the side of their heads instead of the pigtail they had as a Happiny. Chansey have stubby limbs and have grown a short tail. Chansey's lower body is fully developed and they now have a pouch that holds an egg.

Gender differences

Chansey is a female-only species with no male counterpart.

Special abilities

Chansey, and her evolved form, Blissey, are the only known Pokémon that can learn Softboiled by leveling up. However, Mew could learn it from a TM in Generation I, while members of the Clefairy and Togepi families can be tutored the move in Generation III.

Behavior

Extremely rare in the wild, Chansey is said to bring friendship and extremely good luck to those who are lucky enough to capture her. Chansey lays several eggs each day. The egg is extremely nutritious and tasty. A kindhearted and charitable Pokémon, Chansey will share her eggs with injured Pokémon she may come across. However, she will not share her egg with anyone who has evil in his or her heart. Chansey walks carefully to protect her egg from damage, but can be startlingly fast when she must run from danger.

Habitat

Chansey are rarely seen in the wild. They are a common sight seen working at Pokémon Centers. Wild ones are said to exist in Kanto and Sinnoh. They have also been imported into Johto's Safari Zone.

Yes, details like the above could EASILY be added. However, if they did this for EVERY Pokémon, they would be adding a lot of data.

Let's assume it takes 10 KB of space to add this kind of information.

10 x 649 = 6,490 = 6.49 MB of space.

Do you know how many towns, special areas, and NPC details could be added onto six and a half megabytes of space? Add another megabyte for the 100 new Pokémon we're surely getting and you're wasting space on something that can easily be researched on the Internet.

GameFreak knows about sites like Bulbapedia, and it wouldn't surprise me if some of its contributors are from GameFreak but just can't say so on there. Therefore, because they know of such sites, they can provide minimal information and leave it to the user to research everything else about each Pokémon as they are interested.

Cyclone

[Forever]

That's actually a good point Cyclone. But seeing a little more data surely wouldn't be a big issue, would it? Like, if there was at least four lines of a description about Pokemon it still wouldn't really be much honestly, compared to all the other data. I mean by default we see the Pokedex entries when catching new mons so it'd make them more interesting at least!

[vaporeon7]

Originally Posted by Forever

That's actually a good point Cyclone. But seeing a little more data surely wouldn't be a big issue, would it? Like, if there was at least four lines of a description about Pokemon it still wouldn't really be much honestly, compared to all the other data. I mean by default we see the Pokedex entries when catching new mons so it'd make them more interesting at least!

I agree, I think extending the data to the length it was in R/S/E wouldn't be that much of a stretch. And I swear to god, if they pull another B/W on us and just reuse Pokédex entries for every Pokémon not on the regional dex...

[SolarAbusoru]

Bring back the height and weight comparison functions.

[Aerilyn]

Originally Posted by CycloneGU

There's a good reason for this: data. More information translates into more data. Take for example the following entry from Bulbapedia describing a Pokémon I've selected at random: [...]

That's a good point, but I didn't mean they would have to include as every bit of information as a site like Bulbapedia does; that's A LOT of information to put into one game. I would never imagine that they would go that far. Some extra detail here and there to make the PokéDex somewhat more of a use certainly wouldn't be a bad idea though.

[KingSquirtle]

Cyclone, I agree too that they can't do all the info that bulbapedia and so on do. But, one thing they could leave a lot out from is the whole physiology part. Like I don't need my pokedex to tell me my chansey has a tail for instance xD just something like:
Chansey, the Egg Pokemon. This Pokemon carries an egg in the pouch that is rich in nutrients. It will feed the egg to any injured person or Pokemon it meets, as long as it senses a good heart. The eggs are laid several times daily.
Something like what dexter does in the show, u know?
(Idk about ash's new pokedex, please forgive my ignorance of the anime as I haven't watched it in years xD)

[PokémonShinySilver]

Wow, the in-game Pokédex... what I'd like to see in Pokémon X and Y with the in-game Pokédex... is the ability to look at the Pokémon's in game model... knowing that it probably would be very likely to happen. I'm thinking the cry effects used in the Pokédex from Black/White would make a return in Pokémon X and Y.

And oh! What about viewing it's habitats to know which locations it can be found? I'd love to see a 3D model of the map in a GPS-syle of things, showing the glowing areas in which indicates where it's found.

But viewing different formes would make a return as well, probably even viewing their 3D model of those formes as well.

[CycloneGU]

To clarify, I made a point of listing information that is interesting in the example above. Those first parts of each Pokémon's page usually are the interesting reading. Heck, I've added to a couple of them, such as on Riolu's page noting that their habitat is in Unova (suggesting that a Gen. IV character traveled to Unova and brought a Riolu Egg back to where we met that NPC, hence why they are so rare).

I'm all right with the Pokédex the way it is, honestly. In-game, all I need to know is where to catch them (I don't even care about the "cry" part of the Dex). While a little more info would be cool, I don't see what in-game function it would serve.

Cyclone

[Magmaruby and Aquasapphire]

I would be so happy if they did add a breeding feature into these games, I found myself having to look up the egg groups of the pokemon I wanted to breed many times during the course of generation V, more so than in Generation IV, and III.
RSE length entries would be nice as well, some of Generation V's were too short.

[Totodile42]

I'd love to be able to check the Pokedex to see more info on Pokemon; evolutions, moves, egg groups and stuff like that. Plus it'd decrease the amount of time I spend looking at online encyclopaedias, like Bulbapedia, to find this information out.

[Firestorm1]

I think the Pokedex is going great so far. And with the habitat list from B/W 2 it got even better. Although, I miss hearing the cries by pressing X like in HG/SS

[Miss Doronjo]

I too don't see the harm of implementing more data. I mean, even if the data bits come in more and more as more complex entries or just oodles of information are present, the pokedex memory can always be upgraded at anytime. I mean, if they can provide a pokemon anatomy, they can sure as swalot have a entry for breeding groups or maybe a move list, if the makers of X&Y so choose it.

[Forever]

Originally Posted by Totodile42

I'd love to be able to check the Pokedex to see more info on Pokemon; evolutions, moves, egg groups and stuff like that. Plus it'd decrease the amount of time I spend looking at online encyclopaedias, like Bulbapedia, to find this information out.

Seeing move info might be a little too much. While I'm okay with descriptions, things it can learn can't just be understood by just... pointing a PokeDex at it I guess. It'd just seem more realistic if that stuff wasn't found in-game, I guess?

[Rivvon]

I did enjoy the habitat list of B2W2 and seriously hope they retain that. I also hope for longer entries akin to RSE's. If they can bring back the size and weight comparison feature, that would be wonderful, too, because sometimes it's not easy to tell how big a Pokémon should be, even when the size is listed.

[Aerilyn]

Originally Posted by Forever

Seeing move info might be a little too much. While I'm okay with descriptions, things it can learn can't just be understood by just... pointing a PokeDex at it I guess. It'd just seem more realistic if that stuff wasn't found in-game, I guess?

I concur. To see the list of moves each Pokémon should learn stored into the PokéDex would seem a bit much. I've always found that a Pokémon trying to learn a new move should come as sort of a surprise, whether the information is on the internet or not.

To have more information and detail stored into the PokéDex is one thing, but to lay it all out for us would kill some of the playing experience if you ask me.

[hukurae]

I agree that PokeDex entries should be longer =.='

maybe 2 pages like in R/S

I'm really interested in reading them anyway

And it's much better if new pages are unlocked as you continue your adventure and finish some events

[Miss Doronjo]

Well, I was thinking: I would want the way the Pokedex works to be completely reworked to be more like how it works in the anime. The Pokedex starts off completely empty, and gets updated as you play maybe something like this: When the trainer meets a new Pokemon in a battle, the Pokedex pops up, gives the name of Pokemon and Entry #1. Upon capture of said Pokemon, Entry #2 is unlocked, height and weight. Entry #3, #4 and so forth are unlocked after using or facing said Pokemon a certain number of times. Thus, for the Pokedex entry of a Pokemon to be fully unlocked, you have to have captured it and meet/use it often enough.

For the location/habitat entries, I know how useful it is to have all data to be available for you so that you can catch them all, but there's no challenge to it, imo. It makes no sense to me how you meeting a Rattata on Route 1 would suddenly allow your Pokedex to know that there are also Ratatta in Routes 3, 5 and 17. Or you facing the first Gym leader with a Scyther would let your Pokedex know that there are Scyther in the Victory Road or Route 27. I'd prefer it if the habitat/location list gets filled out as you meet wild Pokemon, and only on that spot where you actually met them. Which means that, if you meet a trainer with Mareep in Route 2, although Pokedex entry is unlocked, habitat data isn't. If you meet Mareep in the wild in Route 5, then it would add Mareep's data to Route 5 habitat/location list only. That means it could have been be found in Route 4, you just were not able to. This, together with expanding Pokemon availability in multiple locations (I don't like how sometimes a certain Pokemon can only be found in a single location. It makes sense more for Murkrow to be found in Routes 11-18, rather than just Route 13 with a tiny patch of grass) makes the habitat/location list unique for every playthrough.

I mean, that would be kinda cool and realistic imo. I mean, it's obvious that the Pokedex updates itself based on what you encounter. If it just downloaded the data from the Internet or something, why wouldn't you have it download everything right from the start? So it's logical that the Pokédex wouldn't know that a Pokémon lives in a certain area if you never saw it there. Besides, I think I remember having a professor tell me that they wanted me to use the Pokédex to map out the locations of the different species of Pokémon. Still, I dunno if that would be worth the frustration of the Pokédex losing the function of telling you where to find that cool Pokémon you saw once and really want to get.