Journey Not Required: Build-a-Region

So, Journey Optional is on the way to completion and I thought it might be fun if for its sequel I set it in a region we build together. Since Journey Optional, and by extension any sequels, is very minimalist we won't need to do much but I think this will be a fun experiment.

So the way this will work is pretty simple. As JO progresses, I'll run a series of polls here in which we create the information needed for JNR. I'll collect suggestions for three days and then run a four day poll. We'll decide as follows

Week One: A general idea of the region's geography.
Week Two: The eight types that will be represented in the region's gyms.
Week Three: Instead of a poll you just get to dump concepts for gym leaders that fit one of those eight types in here. That way there'll still be something of a surprise factor for the participants when they see which choices I went with.

Week one starts now. What sort of geography would you like to use?

I'm suggesting the moon, but not the side it tends to show us. Let's base it on the shy side of the moon!

As much as I want to say North Korea, I think having a region in a desert/mountainous region where most of the land is actually rocky or barren rather than forests/grass sounds fun.

Foxrally said:

As much as I want to say North Korea, I think having a region in a desert/mountainous region where most of the land is actually rocky or barren rather than forests/grass sounds fun.

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rocky and or barren, that sure does sound like the shy side of the moon!

I'm not putting a region on the moon, polling be damned :)

my first thought was Egypt, tbh. though pure desert is difficult to pull off without it getting boring i think, since there's just not that many different kinds of pokemon that could feasibly live in a desert climate... alternatively, my concept for a region in WOPC (that i never posted lol) was one based on northern Europe/Scandinavia, with lots of mountainous territory, high altitude plateau areas and fjords etc. though to be fair pokemon regions tend to sport a rather large variety of ecosystems, containing both deserts and frozen mountaintops, so in that sense it doesn't have to matter much.

do you want an actual geographical layout or? how exactly are you going to poll this? ''sea'' vs '' desert'' vs ''foresty'' vs ''mountainous''?

Noraxia said:

my first thought was Egypt, tbh. though pure desert is difficult to pull off without it getting boring i think, since there's just not that many different kinds of pokemon that could feasibly live in a desert climate... alternatively, my concept for a region in WOPC (that i never posted lol) was one based on northern Europe/Scandinavia, with lots of mountainous territory, high altitude plateau areas and fjords etc. though to be fair pokemon regions tend to sport a rather large variety of ecosystems, containing both deserts and frozen mountaintops, so in that sense it doesn't have to matter much.

do you want an actual geographical layout or? how exactly are you going to poll this? ''sea'' vs '' desert'' vs ''foresty'' vs ''mountainous''?

Click to expand...

If people want to go all out and do maps that's fine with me, I don't really need anything like that though. I can make do with the bare minimum of information of vivid detail. Whatever floats anyone's boats.

Actually, based on what I've read of Journey Optional, I think it's general concept would pair interestingly with the slightly-altered formula of Sun and Moon. Jumping from trial to trial, eventually reaching a formidable Kahuna, would be more engaging than simply shifting from one gym battle to the next, in my opinion. I suspect trials in general would overall be funnier to envision too.

My suggestion doesn't have much to do with an entirely new region, lol. I uphold the overall idea would pair well with any location. Definitely salute creating a fresh region as well as making "Journey Optional" into a mini-series!

Not sure about y'all but Noraxia sold me on a Scandinavian-themed region. Based on how interconnected mainland Europe is (was? not too in-touch with politics, unfortunately), I'd even consider making a world out of a section of that continent, just include all kinds of locals.

*cough*badr*cough*

While i'd like a Korea one, where we can make outdated jokes about North Korea and have two regional Pokedexes with Pokemon we know depending on the Korea you go, i kinda would go with Egypt. Surely, there is lack of green places, and that is where the key for Pokemon Regions normally being great. You don't entirely need to follow the ropes of the region. If it's similar enough yet have cool and amazing environments, then it's the key to success.

Mainly, the Region could not single handily have 8 gyms. It could be ten. Gary in the anime had 10. And the Region would have something that is far greater and far more challenging than the Pokemon League itself. Maybe a Battle Frontier, or a quest to reach to where trainers never have gone to! Think of exploring Pyramids and it's traps, Temples of Pharaohs and uncover secrets of it, go through places mentioned in old places, like exploring that sea where in the writings it was told to split apart to let the Hebraic pass, Explore vast Deserts with dangerous and savage Pokemon, where only the best and the strongest can take on. Even some forests could be made of cacti in the desert, predominating Bug and Grass Type Pokemon originated in the desert. Some Towns and Cities in the desert would be great. Imagine underground dungeons, burrowed under the sand, or using Quicksands to traverse around, like in B and White!

With Egypt, there is so many possibilities!

I'm not going to change the basic eight gym + league tournament format (at least not this time), especially for something longer where these RPs are meant to be quick-fire.

I'm considering doing trials in the future though.

Looks like the region is going on the moon lmao
Time to choose types. Everyone who participates can submit a list of eight types they'd want to see as gym leaders on the moon.

Don't give me character concepts yet though. That comes later.

FAIRY
DARK
STEEL
ROCK
ICE
DRAGON

ummmm idk ill work on this

SPACE BUGS!

Also Fairy, Steel, Ice, and Rock.

Shit, I dunno, dog; I'd map out leaders first and assign types second.

ICE
DARK
ROCK
PSYCHIC
STEEL
GHOST
WATER
FAIRY

Dark - side of the moon
Ghost - spiritual spirits
Water - affected by the gravity of moon or w/e
Rock - moon
Fairy - mysticism
Ice - ya
Bug - aliens
Dragon - also mysticism

In Brazil we believe Saint George fights a Dragon in the moon (don't ask me why) so a Dragon gym would be cool.
Also a Psychic gym with Elgyem or Beheeyem would also be cool.

I'm not gonna vote in the option that has Dragon though, because I feel that Psychic should be in this region.

I'm not sure if I can participate on the poll, but if I can't you can just ignore my vote.