Gyms Vs Trials

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    [PokeCommunity.com] Gyms Vs Trials


    Pok?mon Sun & Moon introduced a new format that we know as the Island Challenge. Replacing the traditional Gym format we've seen over the past six generations, the Island Challenge changes up the formula by introducing various different trials such as problem solving, item hunting, and battling. It's safe to say this is more extensive than Gyms, but is it a better format and is it a good substitute to Gyms? Would Gyms work well in Alola perhaps in a future game? Discuss below!
     
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    I'm not much of a big fan of trials but I know that gyms would be really out of place in Alola. However, a third game with gyms AND the trials on the side (like they could do the trial and instead of a totem pokemon, you battle the captain), could be good for a third game.
     
    I much preferred the Trials and their uniqueness, my only real complaint about them is make them more challenging or provide the option to. Hiker Dave springs to mind.

    The Trial Captains...jeez can they be something more than a glorified treasure chest with a post it stuck on telling you what to do. I would have liked to see them resolving a crisis on the island with their raised Totemons.
     
    In my opinion, they are pretty much the same. I felt once the trials lost their gimmicks about half way through it was basically a gym. After Mallow, the trials progressively got more lazy (C'mon, Mina just gives you the Fairy Crystal!) They fit for Alola, but I'd probably prefer gyms to return for the next gen of games.
     
    I agree with most of the comments that Trials were just a poor man's attempt to recreate Gyms but with a giant Pokemon as the main boss instead of a Gym Leader. The Trial Captains also felt completely wasted as far as their roles went, in that they only gave you pointers and that was it.

    I can see why Trials fit a region like Alola, but I'd be happy to go back to traditional Gyms in the next generation's region.
     
    Gyms would only feel out of place in Alola because of the way they tried to style the narrative - it was established early on that Alola didn't have a Pokemon League in the beginning, so naturally it wouldn't have had Gyms. Take that out, and it wouldn't have made a difference if there were Gyms or Trials in the region.

    Format-wise, they're identical. Solve the puzzle/do the sidequest, beat the minibosses, beat the big boss, get the reward, move on. There was nothing unique about trials at all. It doesn't really make a difference what they're called in the next game, for it to matter they'd need to actually try something completely different.
     
    Not gonna lie I do much prefer gyms and the older format of Pokemon, having said that, I'm really glad Game Freak decided to switch things up for once and I definitely appreciated the trials.
     
    Hikamaru said:
    The Trial Captains also felt completely wasted as far as their roles went, in that they only gave you pointers and that was it.
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    I agree with this. Being as they were so colorful characters compared to other gym leaders (looking at you Kalos) it's sad that we don't see them as often as we do. I would like to do post-story battles with them.
     
    Home said:
    I agree with this. Being as they were so colorful characters compared to other gym leaders (looking at you Kalos) it's sad that we don't see them as often as we do. I would like to do post-story battles with them.
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    There are some optional battles with Ilima, Lana and either Kiawe or Mallow in Sun and Moon respectively. Mina was battled postgame a few times, while Acerola is an Elite Four member and Sophocles is among the challengers for the Champion title defense.
     
    Hikamaru said:
    There are some optional battles with Ilima, Lana and either Kiawe or Mallow in Sun and Moon respectively. Mina was battled postgame a few times, while Acerola is an Elite Four member and Sophocles is among the challengers for the Champion title defense.
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    Yeah, I know about all those. But Sophocles is the only one good enough for my taste. I want something akin to the Gym Leader rematches from Emerald or FRLG lol
     
    I do actually prefers gyms myself, only because I don't think they did the Trials all that much justice. They were fun to begin with and some of them were fleshed out, but overall I think towards the end they kinda lost their way. It felt like after a few of the trials, they took a backseat as the main focus of the storyline plot with the UBs and Aether Foundation became much more focused. I see it like they were just testing the trial system and while it was implemented well in some parts, at other parts it fell quite flat. Hopefully, if we do get another similar system, they can learn from the mistakes and fix them up to improve this in a future game.
     
    I enjoy more on trials, where no battle involves and it adds more length of gameplay as I feel gyms are so cliche that been used quite a lot
     
    Gyms and Trials boiled down to being pretty much the same thing, and that's not necessarily a bad thing to me. It's just that I think these things needs to be more in-depth. They tend to be short "make your way through this easy to navigate 'puzzle', beat the boss" kind of thing.

    First thought was "do something like Zelda dungeons or something". Alter the storyline so it's not just another "beat all the gyms/trials, catch box legendary that evil team wants to use, thwart evil team" for the hundreth time.

    idk
     
    The trialls aren't bad, but gyms are definitely better. The trials take away from the progress of the game since there aren't badges. You shouldn't be able to get to the elite four with out 8 badges anyway. There are also way to many. I get that it is how they are distributing Z crystals, but I like Mega Evolutions a lot better anyway.
     
    I like the trials! I thought they were cute and fun
    Easy but fun
    I wouldn't mind having a mixture of both a gym and a trial like thing idk
     
    I'm totally fine with the idea that Game Freak tried something different with Sun and Moon but I do have mixed opinions towards Trials overall.

    One thing I do like about Trials is how beating them rewards you with the Z Crystals. Crystals do have importance in the game's mechanics and I didn't feel like they were too overpowered. Although Gyms reward you with TMs and various stat boosts(only in the first 3 gens), Z Crystals are only obtain though beating Trails which makes the Trials stand out.

    However, my biggest issues with the trails is the balancing. There's very little build up that leads you up to the Totem Pokemon. The puzzles require little to no thought at all and they seem like they belong in a game that's only made for Preschoolers in mind. When you fight the Totem Pokemon, there's a huge difficultly spike as the Totem Pokemon have smarter AI and are stronger than regular Pokemon(since they have one 2 stage stat boost). Not only that they can call for help and they don't lose a turn doing so. I don't really agree with putting the player in a disadvantage for the sake of difficulty especially if there's no build up(it doesn't help that most trainers in the over world only have 1 or 2 Pokemon). Although there is an issue of making the player too overpowered, which happens a bit too often in this series, the polar opposite can create an unbalance experience.

    Granted you can heal your Pokemon through the use of items and you can have up to six Pokemon with you but they feel like a band-aid for a big wound. It might be better if there was more thought put into the puzzles, make the Pokemon lose a turn when they call for help, or make the battles 2 vs 2.

    I do like how the strategies that are use to defeat them is usually more than just using a Pokemon with a type advantage but I think Trials are generally clumsy executed. I don't they are inherently bad though, they just need to be better balance.
     
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    I prefer gyms to be honest. Alola can keep the trial concept. But future regions should have gyms.
     
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