5th Gen The Dowsing Machine!

Started by solarowl March 16th, 2011 8:41 PM
  • 7652 views
  • 40 replies

solarowl

I'll always be an Outsider.

Age 27
Female
Hoenn
Seen September 25th, 2012
Posted October 7th, 2011
910 posts
12.8 Years
The Dowsing Machine has definitely improved in Black and White, than it has in previous games. I found it annoying how, in Gen IV, you had to go tap around on your Poketch, or your bottom screen, to try and find hidden items, when you don't even know where the items are, or where you should go to start dowsing. The new dowsing machine is very simple and you don't need to walk one step, tap, then repeat. Now, you just select your Dowsing Machine, and it shows up on the bottom screen. Now what? Now, you just run around. That's right, run around. With your Dowsing Machine on, you can just run around, and if an item is detected, it can tell you which direction to go. Then just take some steps in that direction, and if you step on your item, it'll tell you, and you can just move a step back, and press A. Simple as that.Without even having to tap.
What are your thoughts on the improved Dowsing Machine?
When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house,
I had only two things on my mind:
Paul Newman and a ride home.
...

-weeper

Age 30
Male
Canada, Alberta
Seen January 16th, 2020
Posted December 17th, 2019
73 posts
12.2 Years
I really like it. I just find it sort of an annoyance when I want to save or change my party around (since I often switch it so the levels are in order in my party, and I'm an obsessive saver) because you need to close it then open it back up. Then again, it isn't that big of a problem. It certainly has improved.

solarowl

I'll always be an Outsider.

Age 27
Female
Hoenn
Seen September 25th, 2012
Posted October 7th, 2011
910 posts
12.8 Years
while i havent used it yet it sounds super nice. but i kinda liked tapping the screen in the d/p/pt games
Well, the main reason I don't like the tapping is that you wouldn't know where there are hidden items, so you wouldn't know where to start tapping.
When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house,
I had only two things on my mind:
Paul Newman and a ride home.
...
Age 32
Female
Library
Seen November 26th, 2019
Posted November 21st, 2014
1,123 posts
13.3 Years
Well, the main reason I don't like the tapping is that you wouldn't know where there are hidden items, so you wouldn't know where to start tapping.
ya i know but i think its kinda fun to just randomly turn on the dowsing machine for no reason and see what you find.


Pair

Legendary Silke

You like dragons?

Seen December 23rd, 2021
Posted April 22nd, 2020
5,925 posts
12.5 Years
Whew! The Dowsing Machine this time around is much more easier to use. Register it, and it's a piece of cake to call it up! I love to leave it on whenever possible. (Don't forget to register Bag > Medicine so that you don't need to close the Dowsing Machine when you need to heal using items.)
Age 36
Seen 16 Hours Ago
Posted 16 Hours Ago
10,149 posts
17.1 Years
I love the Dowsing Machine this generation. I have it on the bottom screen all the time. It's a better use for the bottom screen than the C-Gear, which I've only used once. The only PITA thing about it is that it closes out every time I open the menu, which happens whenever I need to do anything.

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Cherrim

Age 34
she / her
Toronto
Seen 1 Day Ago
Posted 1 Day Ago
33,052 posts
20.5 Years
I love the new dowsing machine. I keep it out all the time and it's the first thing on my shortcut menu (even before the bike)! :'D I think it's awesome not to have to tap the screen every few steps like I did in DPPt.


paired with professor plum.

Ho-Oh

used Sacred Fire!

Age 31
Female
QLD, Australia
Seen June 5th, 2022
Posted April 23rd, 2022
35,988 posts
17.5 Years
I've not used the Dowsing Machine yet. :x Usually in other games I rush around to find hidden items, but this time I just don't want to, and I'd rather explore and find visible items instead. XD; I'll probably use the Dowsing Machine if I get bored of trading though, and as others said, I'll probably have it on register, cause I usually have itemfinders on register.

Tsundera

England
Seen November 16th, 2017
Posted December 14th, 2016
50 posts
12.2 Years
I really like it. I just find it sort of an annoyance when I want to save or change my party around (since I often switch it so the levels are in order in my party, and I'm an obsessive saver) because you need to close it then open it back up. Then again, it isn't that big of a problem. It certainly has improved.
Yes, I feel the same way. It would have been a lot more convenient if we were able to assign key items to either of the shoulder buttons. It would be so awesome to have the Dowsing Machine on L and the Bicycle on R. Pressing the Y button to have to turn it on every time you need to change the order of your party or access a certain section of your bag is just tedious.

As for the Dowsing Machine itself, I was confused as to how it worked when I first got it but that confusion was soon quashed the moment it detected an item nearby. It's a much better improvement although I have to admit, Generation IV's Dowsing Machine was really innovative as well; I rather enjoyed swiping my stylus across it in circular motions everytime I entered a cave. It was a lot more soothing to do that after using a Repel, obviously.
☆ Pokémon Sun: 3540 - 1693 - 6090

King Gumball

Haven't been here for ages...

Male
Sydney
Seen April 8th, 2013
Posted April 8th, 2013
2,178 posts
12.8 Years
I liked gen IV way better :( It was so much more accurate and faster imo. The radar system really worked for me. This one is too general, just an arrow pointing. It would be cool if there were more items on the ground this time round btw.
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Tsundera

England
Seen November 16th, 2017
Posted December 14th, 2016
50 posts
12.2 Years
I liked gen IV way better :( It was so much more accurate and faster imo. The radar system really worked for me. This one is too general, just an arrow pointing. It would be cool if there were more items on the ground this time round btw.
I agree that Generation IV's Dowsing Machine is much more precise... but faster..? No way! With the new Dowsing Machine all you have to do is run in the general direction of the hidden item until you reach it. Generation IV's Dowsing Machine required that you tap or even hold the stylus down on the radar to locate the item and even then the colour distinction for the item itself takes a while to distinguish, if only a few seconds. V's is a lot smoother as far as treasure-hunting goes.
☆ Pokémon Sun: 3540 - 1693 - 6090

otakulily

Pokemon is okay, I guess.

Seen July 25th, 2014
Posted March 31st, 2011
244 posts
13.1 Years
Forget the bicycle. I have the Dowsing Machine set to Y and I use it pretty much everywhere. On the other hand, it's so incredibly annoying having to close the thing before opening the menu. Then you have to bring it up again when you close the menu. :s Also, whose brilliant idea was it to decide that you can't pick up items right under you. You're standing right on the friggin item. Why can't you pick it up arghdgfgsdfhdfgnsdg.
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BenjiTheKid

Cooltrainer Benji

Non-binary
Spring Lake, NC
Seen August 24th, 2014
Posted May 19th, 2011
496 posts
14.3 Years
OMG I LOVE it! In D/P/Pt, I never even bothered trying to find hidden items because I literally dreaded using hated the dowsing machine of that generation just that much. I just could NOT figure out how to use it. I would walk around tapping, but finding the item was sheer luck. Sometimes I would get lucky, sometimes I'd get frustrated and give up. I was worried that B/W would have the same kind of machine, but when I realized how easy the new one is to use, I was very pleasantly surprised. Most of the time, I'll literally just travel the region with the machine on- it's just that easy to use. It's a very big improvement, in my opinion.

'When you find an Escape Rope in a cave... you just know you're going to be in there for a while.'

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