2nd Gen Boarded Up: Whatever Happened to the Skateboard?

[Rivvon]

We delve into the leftover beta code of Gold and Silver to find out just what happened to the fabled skateboard item.​

 

[Kurapik]

Exactly mate, this is another idea thrown away that was supposed to be in the game . . . . I really don't know, I think that it could be super awesome instead of riding a simple bike
(We have to consider also that it were the 90's so the skateboard was at the pick of Its popularity)

I'll do further research

 

[Alex]

As cool of an idea as it is, I understand why it was scrapped. The idea itself is not very versatile. Its main purpose was to create new puzzles within the world of Johto for the player to explore through, but in practice, probably fell short. To propel the player in one direction until obstructed is such a shallow fundamental mechanic that the puzzles are all bound to be built the same. As I understand it, there will be nothing that throws a "curveball" in your problem-solving. Puzzles will be one-dimensional, with boring mechanics that leave no room for creativity. Ice Cave is not that fun after the first run - not to me, anyway.

They already did this idea in RBY, and better, too. The tiles in the rocket hideout in RBY are very similar to the skateboard, and technically more complex. Tiles propel you forward until you hit a wall or land on a "friction" tile that stop your movement. Sounds familiar. But some tiles were meant to change your direction. Sometimes you had no idea where you'd land after stepping on a tile. That is a recipe for good puzzle creation and fun problem-solving. That introduces new obstacles mid-puzzle, that force the player to be creative and consider new paths to success.

But with the skateboard, your movement for problem-solving is so limited that, over time, puzzles would inevitably get repetitive. Why bring an idea to the forefront of the game if it will be boring and tedious? I think Game Freak realised this and decided to implement the mechanic in one cave only, which is enough.

Also, that picture of beta Blackthorn city is super cool by the way. Where'd you find that?

 

[BadSamaritan]

Also, that picture of beta Blackthorn city is super cool by the way. Where'd you find that?

You can find all beta maps for GS at its cutting room floor page -

https://tcrf.net/Pokémon_Gold_and_Silver/Unused_Maps

(though the whole CRF page itself on GS is worth a read imo)

 

[Kurapik]

As cool of an idea as it is, I understand why it was scrapped. The idea itself is not very versatile. Its main purpose was to create new puzzles within the world of Johto for the player to explore through, but in practice, probably fell short. To propel the player in one direction until obstructed is such a shallow fundamental mechanic that the puzzles are all bound to be built the same. As I understand it, there will be nothing that throws a "curveball" in your problem-solving. Puzzles will be one-dimensional, with boring mechanics that leave no room for creativity. Ice Cave is not that fun after the first run - not to me, anyway.

They already did this idea in RBY, and better, too. The tiles in the rocket hideout in RBY are very similar to the skateboard, and technically more complex. Tiles propel you forward until you hit a wall or land on a "friction" tile that stop your movement. Sounds familiar. But some tiles were meant to change your direction. Sometimes you had no idea where you'd land after stepping on a tile. That is a recipe for good puzzle creation and fun problem-solving. That introduces new obstacles mid-puzzle, that force the player to be creative and consider new paths to success.

But with the skateboard, your movement for problem-solving is so limited that, over time, puzzles would inevitably get repetitive. Why bring an idea to the forefront of the game if it will be boring and tedious? I think Game Freak realised this and decided to implement the mechanic in one cave only, which is enough.

Also, that picture of beta Blackthorn city is super cool by the way. Where'd you find that?

Sorry for the ignorance . . . Can you explain me in simple words please?
I would like to know more about this question but I don't have the "technical" knowledge

 

[BlazingCobaltX]

This is very cool, I never heard of this before.

 

[EC]

I like to think I'm up to date on Pokemon trivia, but I never knew this factoid.

 

[Kurapik]

<p>He's saying there'd be serious problems with a transport method requiring players to skid in the same direction until they hit a wall. In any place they could put it, even if for a puzzle, if they did it too much it would be super annoying.</p>

Ok thanks, now I've understand.

i thought that the skateboard followed the same movement dynamic of the bike: I mean the player is supposed to hold the directional button untill he reaches the aim point.
(Instead you're suggesting me that the skateboard needed just a "push" and it would go straight forward on its way)

In this case I agree with you: it's better not to have it in order to avoid the game to crash, howevere I'm still in favour of a skateboard with the bike dynamic.

 

[Alex]

Ok thanks, now I've understand.

i thought that the skateboard followed the same movement dynamic of the bike: I mean the player is supposed to hold the directional button untill he reaches the aim point.
(Instead you're suggesting me that the skateboard needed just a "push" and it would go straight forward on its way)

In this case I agree with you: it's better not to have it in order to avoid the game to crash, howevere I'm still in favour of a skateboard with the bike dynamic.

I agree I think if the bicycle mechanic was simply "reskined" as a skateboard, and the skateboard would behave just as the bike did (free, fast movement), it would be great. Just another way that gen 2 would be different from gen 1. But that was never Game Freak's intent.

 

[Sawsbuck]

Tony Hawk borrowed it and forgot to give it back

 

[Rivvon]

Ok thanks, now I've understand.

i thought that the skateboard followed the same movement dynamic of the bike: I mean the player is supposed to hold the directional button untill he reaches the aim point.
(Instead you're suggesting me that the skateboard needed just a "push" and it would go straight forward on its way)

In this case I agree with you: it's better not to have it in order to avoid the game to crash, howevere I'm still in favour of a skateboard with the bike dynamic.

It's not even about the game crashing, it's about the feature being scrapped for any number of reasons and then being kept as ice mechanics.

If the "puzzles" the skateboard was intended to clear involved jumping over ledges as it is hypothesized, that could have caused trouble with game balance. Ledges are placed not only as a mini puzzle in and of themselves, but to prevent players from advancing too far while simultaneously allowing them easy access back to lower-leveled areas. But if you could just ride up them? Think about the route that connects the starting town all the way to Blackthorn City; you'd be able to reach the final city the moment you get the skateboard!

With that out of the picture, it really came down to how it was utilized. Why they didn't just change the way the skateboard worked is beyond me, but perhaps they had such little fun with the item that they decided to keep the mechanic in just one area (Ice Path). Lots of people tend to dislike ice puzzles and maybe Game Freak realized that would be the case, so why keep an item that just makes everything into an ice puzzle? No one would willingly use it.

Time constraints and the pressure of releasing the game on time after already having been delayed could contribute to why they scrapped the skateboard entirely, instead of issuing new mechanics to it.

 

[Kurapik]

It's not even about the game crashing, it's about the feature being scrapped for any number of reasons and then being kept as ice mechanics.

If the "puzzles" the skateboard was intended to clear involved jumping over ledges as it is hypothesized, that could have caused trouble with game balance. Ledges are placed not only as a mini puzzle in and of themselves, but to prevent players from advancing too far while simultaneously allowing them easy access back to lower-leveled areas. But if you could just ride up them? Think about the route that connects the starting town all the way to Blackthorn City; you'd be able to reach the final city the moment you get the skateboard!

With that out of the picture, it really came down to how it was utilized. Why they didn't just change the way the skateboard worked is beyond me, but perhaps they had such little fun with the item that they decided to keep the mechanic in just one area (Ice Path). Lots of people tend to dislike ice puzzles and maybe Game Freak realized that would be the case, so why keep an item that just makes everything into an ice puzzle? No one would willingly use it.

Time constraints and the pressure of releasing the game on time after already having been delayed could contribute to why they scrapped the skateboard entirely, instead of issuing new mechanics to it.

Ok now I see "the bigger picture" of the issue.
I've understood the fact that the player was permanently blocked in front of an obstacle and the problem about the puzzle.
(even though accessing early in some "advanced areas" wouldn't be a problem since the player would be beaten anyway by stronger trainers so he had to rethink his path)
What I was suggesting was just an "aesthetic change", I mean to modify the "bike sprite" in order to have the player on a skateboard.