[Developing] Pokemon Ancient Amber

Personal Introduction

Hello. My name is ASpider and this is my first project for Pokemon Essentials and the fangame community in general. So far, I am the lone developer of this project, which I felt was fine in the "design document" stage, but feels overwhelming now that I've begun to move onto the "asset-making" stage of the game. I expect to have weekly updates for the game most of the time.

I am posting it here mainly because I'd like to:
1) Have input on the project. Input of any kind. I feelt like my drive to work goes up when others are criticizing or commenting on my ideas.
2) Gather people to come help me with the project. I am a friendly person, but I don't like getting too close to others. So I don't really have anybody else on board right now. My skillset is mediocre on all fronts, not being the best at writing, coding, drawing, or deving, but I know stuff about all of these. Enough to make a fangame, I suppose.


Pokemon Ancient Amber

The main concept of the game is exploring a "Lost World" setting ( such as those in Doyle's and Burrough's novels ) in a Pokemon game. Basically having people from a modernish setting transplaned into a brand new world where they'll have to face one another as well as a harsh environment and one another. The story will mix elements from stories of this genre, such as Journey to the Center of the Earth with Pokemon. And I threw in some Treasure Island in for good measure just because.

The map of the island is loosely inspired by the Socotra Island. But it will change once mapping actually begins.

General Features

• A story unlike any other seen in Pokemon Games! (actually, I'll admit it is a bit like Sun/Moon)
• 401 catchable Pokemon. Including 102 old Pokemon, 112 forms, and 187 new Pokemon. Over 100 of these Pokemon will be based on Dinosaurs and other extinct creatures. (Numbers might change a little in the future).
• Reworked travel mechanics to attempt to maximize exploration (will be explained below).
• Over 60 new moves.
• 4 new Terrains (Snowy Terrain, Sandy Terrain, Swampy Terrain and Echoing Grotto)
• 9 Temples to Explore in order to unlock Treasures that will let you progress through the island and unlock its secrets.
• Unique sprites for every trainer.
• Over 20 trainers who you will rematch throughout the game and see grow as characters.
• Traps that will spring up wild encounters with more-powerful-than-average-wild-pokemon to substitute some Trainer Battles.
• New berries to substitute regular items that don't make sense in the setting such as Rare Candies.
• Renamed items to adjust to the setting.

Story
The renowned Professor Arauca has posted an ad requesting 16 young trainers (aged 15+) to come with her to chart an island in the middle of the ocean where she believes brand new Pokemon are hidden. In exchange of their help, the best applicants will be given some rare items and Pokemon. You can't miss this one-in-a-lifetime chance! But is Professor Arauca hiding something else about this Island she talks about? Why has nobody heard of it? It doesn't matter with your trusty Escape Rope, you know you'll be fine! Yet... you can't shake the feeling that the crew is being followed...


Team Horizon prepares to strike!
Still several kilometers away from the supposed island, and before it could be seen, a mysterious Fog has surrounded the ship and you can barely see past your own nose on the deck. And to make matters worse, most electronics aboard have stopped working after some flash of light struck the ship, which is now moving only thanks to its Pokemon-propelled motor that Professor Arauca had luckily prepared. The other trainers aboard are getting nervous and infighting is breaking out. Things couldn't get any worse!

Except they could! As you overhear a voice in the storage room talking about taking over the ship in the name of Team Horizon and making the Island their new base of operations once its treasures are secured. You think one of the voices belongs to one of Professor Arauca's assistants. But which one? For now, you can't tell the Professor. At least until you can make sure which crewmates are actually infiltrators from Team Horizon.

Gameplay Feature Specifics
Wayfaring:
1) Clearing obstacles is a bit similar to the way in which it is done in Insurgence.
HMs: Technically no HMs will exist in the game, but TMs 001 to 010 will be usable outside of battle and will include Cut, Strength, Rock Climb, and Rock Smash, as well as some new moves. Cut will be upgraded to a Bug-type move with a High Crit. Ratio. Strength will be a Normal-type Low Kick. Rock Smash will gain a small Base Power boost. The other Special TMs will be Vine Lasso and Bounce, both of which will let you jump from Tree branches to Tree branches in front of them. And: Incinerate, which will destroy Small Trees just like Cut. PsychoPush, which will push Rocks just like Strength, Metal Claw, which will let you climb just like Rock Climb, and Bulldoze which will let you smash small rocks.
Items: Items will provide the abilities asociated with Flash, Fly, Surf, and Dive. However, the moves will also exist as TMs.
2) Escape is always possible. Escape Rope exists as a default unlimited item and will let the player run away from any temple or forest. Similarly, the "Fly" analogue will be acquired relatively early.
3) Putting encounter rates in the hands of the player as much as possible.Black and White Flutes will be available from early on, and an "Key Item Repel" will be available in the postgame.
4) Backtracking. Maps should be thought with this in mind, so Waterfalls, Ledges and HM Shortcuts should abound.

Available Pokemon
Starters: The starters will be Bulbasaur, Tepig, Totodile, Snivy, Chimchar and Mudkip. Out of these, Tepig, Totodile, Snivy and Chimchar will evolve into brand new "Feral" forms, along with several old Pokemon who make it to this island.
Wild Pokemon: You catch Pokemon the same way you usually do, but the shortage of Pokeballs in the island will mean that you will have to make-do with the Apricorns you find rather than being able to stockpile. Luckily, there are some rare never-seen-before Apricorns around. Including some trees that appear to give Apricorns at random.
Dinosaurs: The Island is full of Pokemon long-thought extinct, a handful retain their original forms, but don't be surprised to find many new ones. From Oasaur the Grass/Steel Pokemon based on the Therizinosaur to Dynamichus the Electric/Dragon Pokemon based on the Deinonychus, you are sure to find some of your favorite dinosaurs as Pokemon.
Megas: Some rare Mega-stones appear in the Island, including 10 old Megas being available as well as some 40 new ones (includes new forms of old Megas).
Team Horizon: After Team Horizon is defeated, you will have a chance to obtain some of their unique Pokemon created through genetic engineering by trading with its former members.
Legendaries: The available legendaries in the story will be: Regirock (Rock/Fighting), Regice (Rock/Psychic), Registeel (Steel/Electric), and Regigigas (Normal/Grass) in brand new forms that serve as guardians of the island in 4 of the 8 Temples you will traverse. As well as, Joustice a Ghost/Steel or Fighting/Fairy Pokemon that evaluates your performance in the Island and transforms accordingly, and Valaios the mysterious creature of Amber that has protected the Island since prehistoric times and serves as Boss of the game in its Mega form.


Thanks

Links:
A preview of the Outlined Pokedex (along with some comments from me on the concepts of each Pokemon) can be found here:
https://pastebin.com/VD35K5be
A link to the Pokemon Amber Development Discord can be found here:
https://discord.gg/Db8bwEZ

I thank anybody who read this, and invite you to collaborate to the project in any way. Either showing support, or joining the team (Fakemon spriters needed more than anything)

I love it! The features are really creative and I must admit that you managed really well some issues like: Wild encounter traps (to substitute trainers in areas where they shouldn't be present,e.g. the inside of a volcano) , HMs particularity (I am really curious to see Bounce! That sounds like a great idea!) , Escape rope usage (some puzzles may block the player if managed bad by the player itself, and forcing the creator to test all the possible paths to delete those dead end is sometimes a waste of time) and Flutes for encounter rates instead of perma-present repels. I think that this game has a lot of potential if you manage well those features you mentioned in the post. Just a thing: don't ruin the game with average graphics ahaha I am really curious to see the development of those ideas and some screenshots! The latters hype the people and help creating a solid fanbase, so I suggest you to work a bit on them to give to viewers of the post a more vivid idea of your concept :)
Good luck and keep working on this game!

what would make this truly epic is if you were to make a boat load of fakemon based directly off of prehistoric animals aside the standard fossil pokemon we usually see. Tyrantrum will of course be amust as would aerodactyl and cranidos and bastiodon along with archeops but there should also be perhaps a smilodon (sabertooth cat) pokemon, stegosaurs, and so forth. Many pokemon are already prehistoric in appearance as it is, from MEganium who resembles Brachiosaurus, Lapras who looks like a plesiosaur, ect.

It would be interesting to have a variation of alolan forms for the fossil pokemon we typically know of. What I mean is that while scientists knew dinosaurs should have had feathers in common live restoration artworks for many years, the concept only recently caught on in media (in part due to how difficult it is to model feathers), plus the pokemon anime stated that aerodactyl as we know it according to recent findings in that universe show that aerodactyl when it was alive actually resembled it's mega form a lot more. Basically I could see the prehistoric pokemon in this game taking on a "more realistic" form based on what they would have actually looked like in the pokemon world's ancient past. Imagine like Archeops with a six inch killing claw on each foot and a more muscular build which makes it slightly less speedy but a lot sturdier thus it would lack the Weak Hearted ability to name an example. Another concept that came to mind is for Kabutops he could have jagged arm blades and perhaps a scorpion tail as Kabutops has a lot of characteristics in common with eurypterids (sea scorpions).

Also different versions of tyrantrum would be cool, each a different species but share a common evolution. Heres a reference based on what I mean

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/73/ed/24/73ed24b33f9697d12f9a966df701ba3d.jpg

rekman said:

I love it! The features are really creative and I must admit that you managed really well some issues like: Wild encounter traps (to substitute trainers in areas where they shouldn't be present,e.g. the inside of a volcano) , HMs particularity (I am really curious to see Bounce! That sounds like a great idea!) , Escape rope usage (some puzzles may block the player if managed bad by the player itself, and forcing the creator to test all the possible paths to delete those dead end is sometimes a waste of time) and Flutes for encounter rates instead of perma-present repels. I think that this game has a lot of potential if you manage well those features you mentioned in the post.

Click to expand...

Thanks a lot. This gives me a lot of confidence in my ideas. I hope I can do them justice when implementing them.

Just a thing: don't ruin the game with average graphics ahaha I am really curious to see the development of those ideas and some screenshots! The latters hype the people and help creating a solid fanbase, so I suggest you to work a bit on them to give to viewers of the post a more vivid idea of your concept :)
Good luck and keep working on this game!

Click to expand...

Well, I'll see if I can get help with the graphics department. If I am going to do most things myself, I'll have to settle for something average.

looneyman1 said:

what would make this truly epic is if you were to make a boat load of fakemon based directly off of prehistoric animals aside the standard fossil pokemon we usually see. Tyrantrum will of course be amust as would aerodactyl and cranidos and bastiodon along with archeops but there should also be perhaps a smilodon (sabertooth cat) pokemon, stegosaurs, and so forth. Many pokemon are already prehistoric in appearance as it is, from MEganium who resembles Brachiosaurus, Lapras who looks like a plesiosaur, ect.

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Yeah, I am giving a preference to Pokemon based on dinosaurs, so Lapras is definitely in. As is Goodra, Helioptile, Yanma, etc. And here is a list of all fakemon that are being included.

Also, the OP has been updated with two pokemon based on the Cynognathus. Hope you like it.


I've also thought about adding:
Poltlon and Titalon, as Rock/Fighting Pokemon based on the Terrorbirds.
Armoid and Armound, as Normal/Steel Pokemon based on the Glyptodont.
Algidon, Arctidon and Aurodon, as Rock/Ice Pokemon based on the Smilodon.
The only reason they aren't in is that they don't fit the storyline 100%.

It would be interesting to have a variation of alolan forms for the fossil pokemon we typically know of. What I mean is that while scientists knew dinosaurs should have had feathers in common live restoration artworks for many years, the concept only recently caught on in media (in part due to how difficult it is to model feathers),

Click to expand...

Yeah. Most fossils are returning in new forms. I think maybe Ommanyte and Aerodactyle might return as is in the current design document.
Can't promise that they'll all have feathers, but I think I'll have all theropods in the game have some feathers.

plus the pokemon anime stated that aerodactyl as we know it according to recent findings in that universe show that aerodactyl when it was alive actually resembled it's mega form a lot more.

Click to expand...

I had no idea. I'll se what I can do.

Basically I could see the prehistoric pokemon in this game taking on a "more realistic" form based on what they would have actually looked like in the pokemon world's ancient past. Imagine like Archeops with a six inch killing claw on each foot and a more muscular build which makes it slightly less speedy but a lot sturdier thus it would lack the Weak Hearted ability to name an example.

Click to expand...

I was taking a more "The New Dinosaurs" approach, where they are as they would be if they continued to evolved separately in this island (as an excuse to give them new elements)

Another concept that came to mind is for Kabutops he could have jagged arm blades and perhaps a scorpion tail as Kabutops has a lot of characteristics in common with eurypterids (sea scorpions).

Click to expand...

I was thinking about a Bug/Water Kabuto with Giant Eyes based on the Thylacocephala, but maybe.

Also different versions of tyrantrum would be cool, each a different species but share a common evolution. Heres a reference based on what I mean

Click to expand...

I love Pokemon with multiplee evolutions, so I'll definitely have some Pokemon with multiple evolutions in the island. But I was planning about a Tuatara. I would have gone with the Spino for the "multiple choice evolution", but someone in Deviantart had already done that with a Stegosaurus and I thought I could be accused of ripping it off.

im glad I was at least able to touch on this anyway, I only use the tyrantrum example due to how tyrannosaurs date back all the way to the mid Jurassic.

Also the starter choices are oddly perfect for this.


Bulbasaur's line are possibly descendants of therapsids due to being reptilian pokemon but with mammalian ears and leathery skin in addition to differentiating teeth.

Snivy's line mirrors the evolutionary path that snakes had through the Mesozoic where certain lizards lost their legs to become modern snakes. Heck the Servine stage in particular mirrors the appearance of a species from the late cretaceous in particular and Serperior reminds me of Titanoboa.

Totodile is obvious since crocodiles date back prior to dinosaurs and are their closest living relatives besides birds.

tepig is interesting since I honestly am not aware of any notable prehistoric pigs. Entelodon and others like it are more closely related to whales than pigs, but both are in the order arctiodactyla which have had countless variations in the Cenozoic so its perfectly understandable to use tepig in this.

Chimchar is after all a chimp, humans of the pokemon universe are very closely related to these guys plus primate forerunners go back a very long way.

Mudkip being a mudskipper is an example of evolution repeating itself as mudskippers are very similar to a prehistoric fish called Tiktaalik which had limb-like front fins and a frog-like head. Tiktaalik is also one of the earliest fish to land animal transitions as well.

Considering your plans to introduce feral forms for the final evolutions of these lines, I wanted to touch on this because I found the starter choices to be perfect for this game. I cant wait to try this out since Bulbasaur as my avatar implies is often my starter of choice whenever available.

looneyman1 said:

im glad I was at least able to touch on this anyway, I only use the tyrantrum example due to how tyrannosaurs date back all the way to the mid Jurassic.

Also the starter choices are oddly perfect for this.


Bulbasaur's line are possibly descendants of therapsids due to being reptilian pokemon but with mammalian ears and leathery skin in addition to differentiating teeth.

Snivy's line mirrors the evolutionary path that snakes had through the Mesozoic where certain lizards lost their legs to become modern snakes. Heck the Servine stage in particular mirrors the appearance of a species from the late cretaceous in particular and Serperior reminds me of Titanoboa.

Totodile is obvious since crocodiles date back prior to dinosaurs and are their closest living relatives besides birds.

tepig is interesting since I honestly am not aware of any notable prehistoric pigs. Entelodon and others like it are more closely related to whales than pigs, but both are in the order arctiodactyla which have had countless variations in the Cenozoic so its perfectly understandable to use tepig in this.

Chimchar is after all a chimp, humans of the pokemon universe are very closely related to these guys plus primate forerunners go back a very long way.

Mudkip being a mudskipper is an example of evolution repeating itself as mudskippers are very similar to a prehistoric fish called Tiktaalik which had limb-like front fins and a frog-like head. Tiktaalik is also one of the earliest fish to land animal transitions as well.

Considering your plans to introduce feral forms for the final evolutions of these lines, I wanted to touch on this because I found the starter choices to be perfect for this game. I cant wait to try this out since Bulbasaur as my avatar implies is often my starter of choice whenever available.

Click to expand...

Thanks, yeah. I felt these were the more appropriate choices. Except maybe for Chikorita, who I am not only using as a Starter because I wanted a Grass Pokemon that was fast in order to make a more distinctive choice when paired with Bulbasaur in the same set.

I was indeed thinking about going for a Fire/Ground Entelodon with Tepig. It is partly a bit of a personal whim since I wanted the final evolution to be quadrupedal when I first saw Tepig and was a bit disappointed by Emboar being another Fire/Fighting.
Chimchar I was thinking about evolving into a Noctartus Tenebrosus. Playing up the "Infern" part of Infernape and making him part Dark-type.

I was also considering to give Bulbasaur and Mudkip's lines some feral forms, with Ivysaur and Venusaur growing Dragon Blood trees on their backs and being Grass/Dragon. It works to some extent because I was thinking about basing the island on Socotra. Mudkip's dorsal fin could be exaggerated a bit like in Weber's mudskipper and he could also gain some elements from the Platyhystrix to become a Water/Poison, Water/Rock or Water/Ice type. How would you feel about this? Should these two have "Feral forms" as well?

ASpider said:

Thanks, yeah. I felt these were the more appropriate choices. Except maybe for Chikorita, who I am not only using as a Starter because I wanted a Grass Pokemon that was fast in order to make a more distinctive choice when paired with Bulbasaur in the same set.

I was indeed thinking about going for a Fire/Ground Entelodon with Tepig. It is partly a bit of a personal whim since I wanted the final evolution to be quadrupedal when I first saw Tepig and was a bit disappointed by Emboar being another Fire/Fighting.
Chimchar I was thinking about evolving into a Noctartus Tenebrosus. Playing up the "Infern" part of Infernape and making him part Dark-type.

I was also considering to give Bulbasaur and Mudkip's lines some feral forms, with Ivysaur and Venusaur growing Dragon Blood trees on their backs and being Grass/Dragon. It works to some extent because I was thinking about basing the island on Socotra. Mudkip's dorsal fin could be exaggerated a bit like in Weber's mudskipper and he could also gain some elements from the Platyhystrix to become a Water/Poison, Water/Rock or Water/Ice type. How would you feel about this? Should these two have "Feral forms" as well?

Click to expand...

A dragon typing for venusaur would be cool, since a number of synapsids and therapsids look very dragonlike, especially the gorgonopsids in particular.

I personally like the standard ground/water typing or Swampert due to the defensive aspect it brings (its only weakness being grass), but a water and poison option sounds like the most attractive option of the ideas you propose due to the fact it helps put fairy types on check ultimately. A venomous typing for a feral swampert sounds cool with that in mind. Theres already a lot of water/ice types anyway and a fair amount of rock/water types as well. Plus many aquatic animals tend to be venomous so it makes sense.

also I can understand not adding chikorta based on what you're saying, besides he official games have tropius and amaura/aurorus for sauropods as it is. Though I could see an ancestral fakemon of the chikorita line that would be a totally different type. Still its your call on what actually makes the cut.

Oh. Chikorita, will be in the game. As a Grass/Rock "armored sauropod" (didn't choose any in particular). You just won't be able to get her as a starter, as I said, because she is a bit too much like Venusaur stat-wise. Grass/Electric Treecko (since it is thought that Gecko's stick to walls with electromagnetic attraction) and Fire/Dragon Torchic (as a prehistoric, toothed bird) will also be catchable in the wild.

ooh I see. An armored sauropod, so like saltosaurus then, that's pretty cool. And interesting change for Blaziken. How is totodile going to be upon evolution to feraligatr? Many like to make Feraligatr a dark/water type in games with alternate typings, especially since Bite and Crunch are a feraligatr's specialty.

Feraligatr is going to be based on the Desmatosuchus, as well as some of the slim "running Crocodiles" like the Kaprosuchus. He is going to be the "fast" one compared to Swampert. Probably having some 103 base speed or so. He is going to be either Water/Ice or Water/Steel (leaning heavily towards Ice), with the Desmatosuchus' spikes on his sides being Icicles or metal spikes.

that is pretty cool actually, pardon the pun. That works better for using Ice Punch and Ice Fang in the end, giving those moves a needed boost.

looneyman1 said:

that is pretty cool actually, pardon the pun. That works better for using Ice Punch and Ice Fang in the end, giving those moves a needed boost.

Click to expand...

Thank you.

Also, I made these alternate Ivysaur and Venusaur forms.



I based it on this theoretical ancestor for flowers: https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/08/world-s-first-flower-may-have-looked
Because I felt the 001 Pokemon being the "first flower" made sense.
Also, I decided that he'd be Grass/Fairy instead of Grass/Dragon because the white flower didn't feel dragon-ish. And this flower reminded me of the Lotus, which is tied to buddhism. Which is why I gave him large ears and the "Urna".

The issue is that he no longer feels too "Primal". How do you feel about this Venusaur form?

Also, here is Mandiball. Based on the Carnotaurus. The first dino Pokemon I am publishing. It is a Fire/Dark Pokemon with Limber and Strong Jaw. Probably Speed Boost as Dream Ability. I tried to put feathers on it, but most images I see of him online don't have feathers, or have feathers on its head (which would confuse a bit with the horns) or put feathers on its tiny arms, which I have removed. Any idea about where to put them if I should?

Hmm, the white-ish flower does make a fit for a fairy type I agree. A bit of a shame as I was looking forward to the dragon variant, but we could consider how it would later become a poison pokemon in modern times as like a "fallen angel" scenario so maybe it can work. Giving the new venusaur the ability to learn Dazzling Gleam or whatever other fairy attack of your choice can be a replacement for Sludge Bomb in its movepool given this. Plus being a fairy type I can see it gaining abilities it normally wouldn't have access to, as a umber of fairies end up learning psychic moves to contend with the poison type most of the time. It might just work, even if its a bit odd so I would keep it unless something better comes to mind later.

The carnotaurus pokemon is pretty well done, I especially like how it has no arms, referencing how diminuitive the arms are on Abelisauroids most of the time.The speed boost ability also makes sense as Carnotaurus had much longer legs than most large therepods had, giving it a fair amount of speed as well. Not to mention due to how its jaws worked, it could make very quick bites which allowed it's long and slender teeth to act like slashing claws almost, making up for how short it's snout was so balancing the carnotaurus pokemon around speed makes a lot of sense. Because of how tiny a carnotaurus' arms are, if you wanted t add feathers I would suggest using them on the evolved form instead of the pre-evolved stage. Though perhaps using feathers on the tail could work. Sort of like how they designed Archen with a single feather on the tip of it's tail, resembling a pteradactylus' tail spade.

looneyman1 said:

Hmm, the white-ish flower does make a fit for a fairy type I agree. A bit of a shame as I was looking forward to the dragon variant, but we could consider how it would later become a poison pokemon in modern times as like a "fallen angel" scenario so maybe it can work. Giving the new venusaur the ability to learn Dazzling Gleam or whatever other fairy attack of your choice can be a replacement for Sludge Bomb in its movepool given this. Plus being a fairy type I can see it gaining abilities it normally wouldn't have access to, as a umber of fairies end up learning psychic moves to contend with the poison type most of the time. It might just work, even if its a bit odd so I would keep it unless something better comes to mind later.

Click to expand...

Yeah. Venusaur will definitely have an altered movepool to match the new form. And the players will be extra encouraged to keep Bulbasaur longer than usual because he'd have access to new Poison moves that Ivysaur and Venusaur wouldn't learn through level-up in their fairy forms.

The carnotaurus pokemon is pretty well done, I especially like how it has no arms, referencing how diminuitive the arms are on Abelisauroids most of the time.The speed boost ability also makes sense as Carnotaurus had much longer legs than most large therepods had, giving it a fair amount of speed as well. Not to mention due to how its jaws worked, it could make very quick bites which allowed it's long and slender teeth to act like slashing claws almost, making up for how short it's snout was so balancing the carnotaurus pokemon around speed makes a lot of sense. Because of how tiny a carnotaurus' arms are, if you wanted t add feathers I would suggest using them on the evolved form instead of the pre-evolved stage. Though perhaps using feathers on the tail could work. Sort of like how they designed Archen with a single feather on the tip of it's tail, resembling a pteradactylus' tail spade.

Click to expand...

Yeah. That is exactly what I was going for with the lack of arms. Ever since I saw a "Carnotaurus from the front" picture, I had the idea of drawing a Pokemon that was just legs, head and tail. And... I think I have the problem of making my fakemon just bigger version of the same fakemon. Don't I?
Mandimble just gets bigger and gains a feather-goatee as he evolves? I think he looks a bit creepy, but also funny.

I kinda lost the shape of the Carnotaurus head when I made it that large, though. He looks a bit more like someone from the Alleosauriodea family now, doesn't he? Should I try fixing that? I love that goofy smile he ended up with, though.
Abilities are the same as the pre-evo, and he is still Fire/Dark, but I should hype up that four new biting moves will be included in the game and Mandimble learns 3 of them!
Originally Mandible was a Pokemon with 100 base attack and 123 base speed in the design doc, but I am thinking he'll have just 103 speed and 120 attack because how absurdly dangerous and clumsy he ended up looking.

Also two more fakemon. Iceras and Zeratops:


Iceras is an Ice Pokemon that can be obtained pretty early. As a bulky Ice pokemon, you'd think he'd be bad. And well, he isn't that good stat-wise. But he has access to the Sturdy+Endeavor+Ice Shard combo through level up! So savvy trainers will be able to use him to get past some otherwise dangerous encounters. He is based on the Protoceratops, and specifically, on the idea that many of the dinos in this group could have been quilled like a hedgehog. His abilities are Sturdy and Iron Barbs. Not sure about the Dream Ability. Probably Filter.



Zeratops is his evolution. Is it too obvious that it is Nidorina edited-up? It is too me, but I made the Pokemon, so I can't stop thinking that the editing was a bit lazy (like, I bet you wouldn't think that Mandimble started out as a Sharpedo when you looked at it). He gains the Steel typing (Steel spikes=Steel type, amirite Lucario?). With the Ice/Steel type combo, he covers two of the weaknesses of the Sturdy/Sash+Endeavor+Priority strategy (Weather and Poison). He probably evolves in the early 20s (22-25), so he could be a very powerful user of that strategy.

the goofy looking image for Mandible actually works. When I first got a good look at carnotaurus I almost broke out laughing due to how unusual its appearance was.

as for the ceratopsids you showcased, I honestly believe that it will be hard to make unique body forms for some pokemon on account of the body types known from the fossil record. Early ceratopsids were quasi-quadrupeds (microceratus and pisctottasaurus especially) but I suppose using Nidorina as a base is better than going the easy route with Lairon or Bastiodon in the end. But to help make the thing look more distinct you should add a horn or two on it. I say this because not just because of this being a ceratopsid, but it looks sorta like a styracosaurus a little due tot he points coming off the frill. Perhaps make the spines on the frill a bit longer (they can still be made of ice as glacial ice is extremely hard. Think of Alolan sandslash's quills) but on the nose there should be a long, solid steel horn. That alone with the spikes on its back would help to reinforce its steel typing a bit more. Perhaps even give it pieces of armor plating resembling "eye spots" on the frill. I say this because many ceratopsids had openings in their frills (triceratops being one of few who's frill was solid bone) so the armored plating on the frill would help make those weak spots sturdier.

I already have an idea of a move for the zeratops line based on what you're going for as Spikey Shield woud be perfect even though that move Is a grass attack,as it would pair nicely with iron barbs. Sure when it activates iron barbs wont be triggered, but it would keep zeratops from fainting that turn from a direct attack and potentially would knock out the attacker in turn. Then using a Ice Shard attack the following turn on the right oppoenent could lead to a OHKO

Thanks again, looneyman1. I am happy you liked them.
I didn't listen to you completely, but I did make some modifications to those Pokemon, though. I shrunk Zerotops frill a bit because I have a different Pokemon as the Styracosaurus, and I want that one to be "spiky frill guy". I also put a couple metal plates in there for good measure, but they don't reinforce the frill. Hope it makes it feel more Steel.


And here are Flarva and Flear. I tried to make Flarva into a Cocoon covered in dust because that is something really iconic about Flea cocoons. They just look like balls of dust. But it just looked ugly in practice, IMO. So they stayed as two stages with the base being a larva. Not sure if I should remove flarva's eye. Flea larva are completely blind.


And yeah, both are meant to collect heat to power-up their Lava Lamp backs.

Do they look fine? I had a lot of trouble making sure they didn't look like Spiders, Fireflies or Ants.

Maiaid, a Norma/Fire Pokemon based on the Maiasaurus. It takes a similar role to Chansey/Audino in being the "healer" pokemon of the region. I am not quite content withthe way it turned out, though. I'll fix it in the future if I can't.

The idea was to make it so the angrier it got, the more "red" it became. A bit like a thermometer. But that has no gameplay significance and it still looks a bit too much like a Charmander. I gave it huge hands because it has Double Slap and other slapping moves in its level-up. Its got more Attack than Sp. Attack, so it will probably rely on punches for its offensive moves, instead of special attacks too.

Also, I think the Pokedex is mostly ready (maybe there will be some changes in the future, but not sure). Here is the tentative Pokedex for Ancient Amber with stats and comments on the inspiration/reason of being for the new Pokemon and forms.
https://pastebin.com/VD35K5be

the Zerotops looks great now so that works out.

The flarva line's cocoon stage could be a lump of volcanic rock if it helps. And if the first stage is supposed to not have eyes, I suppose it makes sense to remove them. Zubat is completely blind too until it evolves after all.

Finally Maiaid definitely could use work based on what you're saying. I like the idea of it being a healer, but I can see it being skillful with sound-based moves as a means of attack as well. I say this as hadrosaurs would have been very vocal and there is a debunked hypothesis where it was thought they could rupture eardrums by shouting at enemies, the ones with crests having said sound be amplified by the trumpet-like series of air sacs in the horns to make themselves even louder. Then again this could be useful for a different hadrosaurid since maiasaura lacked a crest.

The design of Maiaid could do with some work as you stated though, a more pronounced duckbill could help toward that. Though the dainty snout does help make it cute and cuddly.

Sorry for not updating for a while. I was quite disappointed with the way Nursaur and Quartzer ended up looking, so I ended up not wanting to draw for a while. That said, I think Mickle looks alright and Maiaid is still cute. So I decided that maybe I'll find an artist to redraw these guys later or ask somebody in deviantart to let me use their designs (since there are a lot of cute Sand dollar Pokemon in DA).

looneyman1 said:

the Zerotops looks great now so that works out.

The flarva line's cocoon stage could be a lump of volcanic rock if it helps. And if the first stage is supposed to not have eyes, I suppose it makes sense to remove them. Zubat is completely blind too until it evolves after all.

Click to expand...

Thanks, I'll remove the eye, but I think it is probably better to just give Flarva moves that represents it "rolling in dirt" instead of adding a middle stage. It is a bit hard to make room for the middle stage now that I filled the Pokedex to some extent.

Finally Maiaid definitely could use work based on what you're saying. I like the idea of it being a healer, but I can see it being skillful with sound-based moves as a means of attack as well. I say this as hadrosaurs would have been very vocal and there is a debunked hypothesis where it was thought they could rupture eardrums by shouting at enemies, the ones with crests having said sound be amplified by the trumpet-like series of air sacs in the horns to make themselves even louder. Then again this could be useful for a different hadrosaurid since maiasaura lacked a crest.

Click to expand...

There are three Hadrosaurid lines in the game:
Maiasaur the healer as the Normal/Fire Nursaur.
Parasaurolophus the sound user as the Normal/Ice Wintrom. He has "Amplifier" as an ability precisely because of the theory you are talking about.
And Iguanodon as the territorial Normal/Fighting Eaguardian (originally was going to be Steel/Fighting, but I needed a Normal/Fighting Pokemon to have all type combinations in the game...).
Although I guess I could give all three of them Boomburst as an Egg move (Wintrom gets it as level up). I think that'd be alright (although Eaguardian and Nursaur have low Sp. Attack).

The design of Maiaid could do with some work as you stated though, a more pronounced duckbill could help toward that. Though the dainty snout does help make it cute and cuddly.

Click to expand...

To be honest, I like it far more now than when I first made it (maybe because Nursaur turned out kinda bad).

Also two more designs for early game mons:
Mickle and Quartzer are early game Ground-type mons with the Storm Drain and Water Absorb ability. Their stats are again not that great, but Water Absorb Ground is a good type and they get Rapid Spin.

I won't post Quartzer because he looks all around terrible (he looked fun in my head. I just wasn't able to translate him well into a sprite).

Ekans and Arbok in these region are based on Sea Snakes. Particularly, the yellow-lipped Sea Krait. I read that some Sea Snakes have photosensors in their tails to better hide in coral, which is why I decided to move the hood to their tails. I think it looks good. Their heads are meant to mimic a swimmer with goggles on. Not sure if that is understandable in their design. They are Water/Dragon and I min-maxed them quite a bit, so they are like slower Kingdras with bad Sp. Attack, stat-wise. I don't think that is bad for an early-game mon. They are slower than regular Arbok because Sea Kraits lack some of the scales that Snakes need to move quickly on land, but they have Swift Swim. I think that is very flavourful.





Also good news, I have found a friend who has volunteered to help developing the game. So at last there is a point for opening a Discord. Come visit us here and you'll find some more files regarding the game, like the Excel version of the Pokedex:
https://discord.gg/YM6bvb

Idea-guys are very welcome in the channel, since the game is still so early in development.

I like your cncept with ekans and arbok, seeing as how sea snakes are a relative of cobras as such your plan works beautifully. And giving the hadrosaurids boomburst as an egg move even if they have poor special attack can be useful for breeding purposes all around so I'd stick with it. Plus what you describe could still work in battle. I say this because a old trick from third gen pokemon games and sometimes in newer ones is to teach Overheat to a arcanine or blaziken raised to be physical sweepers. The logic being th emove is so powerful at its base, it will do great damage even with the reduction in special attack cased by an adamant/impish/careful/jolly nature. In this instance Boomburst would still more than likely do heavy damage, especially since STAB applies with the normal typings of these three pokemon.

The sand dollar pokemonyou showed off are pretty interesting too. I could see their stats becoming sorta like a shuckle's at some point as they evolve