Why are you defending something that was never attacked? You said "gym badges are a 'side track'", originally, and I said "never seen it" because I thought you were referring to Pokemon journey roleplays as a whole and not an isolated story-telling element. I also asked you these questions:
1. "I assume you just prefer basic bones Pokemon journey-style roleplays as they are, then?" Would you prefer a journey roleplay in their common, formula-following state instead of something more out there or unorthodox?
2. "Would you rather, perhaps, a Pokemon journey roleplay... focus more on trumping the antagonists rather than fulfilling the League challenge?" Would you prefer a journey roleplay maintain the gym challenge as a priority, just like the games, or would you rather the antagonists be prioritized farther than that? Videogame plots and roleplay plots can afford to be different in how they go about unfolding themselves because they're different mediums. Therefore, your argument about the "doors"—using your metaphor—being a good plot-pacer doesn't necessarily have to apply to both.
and way to ignore my question to you, adventure. gj.