I too agree with that. I don't really get what people hated about XY's storyline (I mean, with B2W2, i'll cave because after BW's spectacular plot, I can understand why some people would find that of its predecessor to be boring), but i'll guess that they thought the villains were lazy and the characters were always coming out and doing nothing productive. I still think Team Flare had it on the big side with Lysandre's motives.
Part of what I disliked about the XY plot was raised in your following post:
Admittedly, that was kind of what I thought about the plot in XY - for a while there's not much to it that really happens, but after you get the seventh badge, that's when things just burst out from nowhere and the whole event starts. When you reach the labs and the secret HQ, then the plot starts to really get juicy...but then after you've caught the legendary and defeated Lysandre for the final time, then it simmers down until after you've defeated the Champion.
The pacing was completely off. Compare to the TR plots, where the motivation for the team was better established and you didn't have fight the leader three times in short succession, nor then have him react quite like Lysandre had which was borderline silly. The idea was off too. "I'll kill everyone to keep the world beautiful!"... and the only survivors would be him and those
that were rich enough to join his team. What?
This wasn't helped by the other thing you mentioned, like the rivals. They really did not add much, and were frankly boring and unlikeable. (And let's ignore that fireworks scene, please.) And let's add to that. The professor didn't do a thing about Lysandre, instead describing him as passionate. The champion didn't even get involved, unlike Lance in Johto games, Steven, Cynthia (particularly in Platinum) and Adler in BW. Gym Leaders went back to living in their Gyms for the most part unlike in 5th gen games, and hence were reduced in personality and character.
'Big' motivations isn't what I care for so much, it's more how realistic and well-delivered it is with the plot, and how it works with everything else. While there's the adage that you 'don't play pokemon for plot', it would be nice to get a good one for a change. Despite various flaws BW was a step in the right direction, and the sidequest with Sea Mauville - heck, even the Looker missions in XY - were significantly better imo.
Snagem vs Cipher
C'mon, there's a whole slew of dancing pokemon for Miror B to use now, and he could have a unique Bouffalant with a Pokéball Afro
Plus, Tierno could be his apprentice
And...Mega Shadow Pokemon
This would do nicely however.
So i was playing Y the other day, and passed through a route gate (i dont remember which, but it was horizontal, and there were 2 people talking.) and there were 2 people who were talking in German.
Late, but foreign speaking NPCs (plural) have been around since 5th gen games. DPPt even had an NPC trade you a German Magikarp ('Karpador', great name imo). Bonus: People speaking to you in Japanese in 5th gen spoke in English in the Japanese versions, I believe.
