5th Gen A water theme, perhaps?

[Ho-Oh]

Well it'd be interesting to swim around the tunnel but what exactly would the purpose be? I can't really think of anything that you can explore, and they must've cut it off from swimming like normal for a reason imo.

 

[alisaie]

Could be due to the ice that this underwater theme has gone on? It's a long shot but it's possible considering ice and water are the same substances just in different forms.

Either way it looks like an underwater tunnel to me. Not sure if you would have to use Dive to specifically get to that tunnel unless it's an area you get to after the Elite Four. I liked it when they had it so you didn't need any HMs to get through the main storyline.

 

[wombateiro]

Obviously player will have to go through that tunnel for the first time because of not having surf or dive yet, but later there could be some quest with diving around tunnel to prevent it from collapsing or something like that.

 

[luke]

It appears to me that Kyurem is wreaking havoc on the environment of Unova. Just look Entralink island and the apparent craters in Driftveil. So I'm guessing the water levels are rising and falling all over and that's why the tunnels were built. Two years seems kind of quick for something like that to be built but I don't really apply logic to the Pokemon series. But I loved the Dive/Surfing aspects of Hoenn so I wouldn't mind a similar thing happening in B2W2.

 

[Ho-Oh]

Ooh logic! Perhaps that could also be due to the fact that Abyssal Ruins had "rushing currents" and something about that pressure just sorta spread to the rest of Unova when Kyurem started attacking, causing... something. Dunno the technical word for it but Abyssal Ruins I feel are related. :3

 

[tj4bigred]

In Gen V, Dive Balls were changed back to their original function: to work on Pokémon underwater. Yet, in the ONE diveable location, there were no Pokémon. So I think we can expect some underwater grass patches.

And maybe even... a water temple. That'd be cool, right? What could go wrong?

 

[giradialkia]

That's actually a very astute observation, I hadn't really noticed they were wearing wetsuits/bathing suits (as such).
However, I don't really think it means that much with regards to gameplay or anything- look at Platinum. The protagonists' redesigns had them wearing warmer clothes because Sinnoh was getting colder- but for no real reason at all. I think it's just because they're in a kinda watery area when they start out; in the trailer, when the player is talking to the Water Gym leader (Shuzui, or something?), there's palm trees in the background, iirc. It's just sorta suggestive of where the player is starting out, I'm not sire it's indicative of a particular theme in the games.

I basically agree with this post:

Those swimsuits are indicating that new protagonists live in area divided from mainland by water. I think they have nothing to do with swimming or diving without Pokemon. Perhaps protagonists' design will be changed to full swimsuit while surfing or diving.

And I think that the whole addition of water theme is hinting to R/S remakes but it's not discussion for this thread.

 

[Xander Olivieri]

In Gen V, Dive Balls were changed back to their original function: to work on Pokémon underwater. Yet, in the ONE diveable location, there were no Pokémon. So I think we can expect some underwater grass patches.

And maybe even... a water temple. That'd be cool, right? What could go wrong?

No they weren't. Their flavor text was changed to Pokemon living underwater, not Catches Pokemon better while diving, which was the original version. Its still the x3.5 rate while surfing or fishing in Black and White.

As of right now we don't know if Dive is still an active mechanic to the game, that was to show off some of the 3D models that they had placed in the game world, like the bridges and the two towers.

 

[Mew~]

I'd be very disappointed if Dive wasn't a mechanic, because they didn't expand of it enough in B/W. But then again, if the Abyssal Ruins do resurface, that could mean tones of things. I could see the place being something like N's Castle near the end of the main story/where the end of the main story takes place. But, yeah - water theme. I am actually seeing it, but it could be for many reasons, if half of Unova is apparently frozen (which is discussion I'm not fully backing right now) then it would make sense, due to ice melting and the rest of Unova flooding. It could be global warming. There was that Pacifidlog looking Town in a scan, which does look fishy to me. :x

 

[Elite Overlord LeSabre™]

I just hope they keep the amount of water in check. I for one do not want to see another Hoenn where a large percentage of the place is underwater and those creepy swimmers in speedos are a dime a dozen. More water than B/W Unova would be fine, as it really didn't feature much water. Of course, there better be some high-quality Water Pokemon to be had if they're adding water. But I don't want Unova looking like Archie and Team Aqua resurfaced and actually succeeded in covering half the place in water.

And Dive to me NEVER made sense as a gameplay mechanic. Because of the lack of scuba gear and the threat of hypothermia. Of course, a lot of the things in Pokemon never made any sense to me, so...

 

[Xander Olivieri]

Based on the visible map, compared to the other, it doesn't look like you HAVE to use Surf or Dive like in B/W. So Water should be pretty tame if not, pretty much out of the way. Most of the time you needed Surf/Waterfall was post E4 travel.

 

[Ho-Oh]

Well tbh you never had to use them in B/W either, since HMs weren't necessary, etc. Only if you wanted to get the extra things. With B2W2, Surf/Dive could still be utilised a bit, since there's a whole lot of water near Castelia and stuff that you can't access in B/W, well, things could've changed! Besides there's potential for dive spots in Route 17/18 tbh. I'd say it has a bigger theme though and that it might just be a post-game thing, but water will have a major role imo.

 

[dreamcatcher]

I hope there are underwater locations, that was one of my favorite parts of playing R/S, mostly cause I liked bragging about all the Relicanth I would catch. x3

 

[OmegaRuby and AlphaSapphire]

Their is a lot of water, and that town in the trailer that the water gym leader was in makes me think that this region will have as much of a water theme as Hoenn did...

 

[FREEFIGHTER07]

Its very possible actually.......hey maybe now magicarps splash attack will do something!!!!!
ROFL- watch it be the same as sheer cold haha

 

[Ho-Oh]

I hope there are underwater locations, that was one of my favorite parts of playing R/S, mostly cause I liked bragging about all the Relicanth I would catch. x3

Yeah hopefully, maybe an extended Abyssal Ruins and some general underwater routes. :3

Its very possible actually.......hey maybe now magicarps splash attack will do something!!!!!
ROFL- watch it be the same as sheer cold haha

I... doubt that. XD; Splash ain't gunna do much ever imo.

 

[Xander Olivieri]

Just noticed something when you meet Shizui, there is a metalic bridge in the same area as all his other screen shots that pans off to the right. Could that be the entrance to the Under Water Tunnel? If so where does it lead? Could it be that they managed to air pocket Abyssal Ruins for exploration?

It really does seem like he would be in the new Dock like city that is where Undella used to be and that the tunnel could be there as well. If you can take that tunnel underwater I wonder where it goes if not to connect Castella with the new starter town side.

 

[ToriSora]

I missed using surf. Felt odd

 

[Captain Fabio]

I like the idea of this, possibly an underwater city of come sorts?
That could tie in with the underwater gym and so on. As long as you didn't have random battles in the actual city! XD​

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[Ho-Oh]

I missed using surf. Felt odd

I'm sure surf will have more of a role in B2/W2, and if it doesn't, that... just does not make sense at all considering the hints so far. XD;

Just noticed something when you meet Shizui, there is a metalic bridge in the same area as all his other screen shots that pans off to the right. Could that be the entrance to the Under Water Tunnel? If so where does it lead? Could it be that they managed to air pocket Abyssal Ruins for exploration?

It really does seem like he would be in the new Dock like city that is where Undella used to be and that the tunnel could be there as well. If you can take that tunnel underwater I wonder where it goes if not to connect Castella with the new starter town side.

Yeah I think the tunnel connects to Castelia tbh. I want it to connect somewhere else but I just see it as the new Skyarrow. :(

I like the idea of this, possibly an underwater city of come sorts?
That could tie in with the underwater gym and so on. As long as you didn't have random battles in the actual city! XD​

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Well... that's interesting--actually just thought of something related, a water version of White Forest/Black City! :3 Well, since there's the whole ice theme and such, and that water is kinda hinted to by everything... I think it'd be a nice overall exclusive thing. Maybe one version could have water on top, and the other version can have water belowwww, or the remains of the ruins there!