New Mechanics I'd Love To See

[Paleoneos]

Spoilers!!! This post contains opinions. Though criticism is very much appreciated both good and bad, I'd prefer to keep it civilized and constructive. Thank you.

It is by no means unknown that most of the main series game titles follow a very linear formula. I mean, if it's not broke, don't fix it. I'm not here to speak ill of our beloved games. Each and every game I've both played and thoroughly enjoyed. Now, however, more so than ever, rom hacks have become a staple of our lives as Pokémon players. So have things like Smogon and bulbapedia. What I'm proposing are simply extensions of what already exists. So if that appeals to you or at the very least strikes an interest, let's discuss!


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Re-Vamping the Training Process


The easiest way to describe this is by removing the existing stats page of a Pokémon and implementing something akin to Smogon's Team Builder. However, everything must be unlocked. Allow me to explain. Instead of the current EV limit, the Pokémon can max out every stat's EVs. However, the current limit of EVs a Pokémon can actively use is unchanged. What this allows you to do is manipulate the Pokémon's stats at any moment outside of battle. Both Nature and IVs are still randomly selected as is per the game's current system.

Furthermore, any move a Pokémon learns can be re-taught within the Moves tab of the stats menu. Imagine "assigning" the four moves per League Rules we could say. This means that they still only ever utilize 4 moves in battle but outside of battle the player can freely interchange them. When clicking a move, a list will appear with moves the Pokémon has learned thus far.

Lastly, TMs and HMs are "unlocked" when acquired in your bag. This means they'll appear when editing your Pokemon's move set but only when they have been acquired. This could be very helpful through the games when fighting different foes and I feel it increases the depth of the game. Breeding isn't obsolete since the Natures and IVs are still random. This is what we breed for either way. This also makes Training a more interactive thing. The only downside I've managed to see is that there will be much more required to "Max" out a character in terms of grinding. So I'd like the community to discuss a way to curb this and any other potential problem I haven't seen.

 

[Melody]

No. This all breaks the entire gameplay/RPG style.

Now this would be fine for a battle centric style game that's nothing but for battling, but this is impossible.

 

[Paleoneos]

No. This all breaks the entire gameplay/RPG style.

Now this would be fine for a battle centric style game that's nothing but for battling, but this is impossible.

Please provide an explanation. It helps to better understand your concern. How would this break the game?

 

[Brendino]

Don't have anything to add right at the moment (might come back here when I do), but just a heads up that I'm moving your thread over to Pokemon Gaming Central, as Pokemon General doesn't deal with any game exclusive topics like this one regarding game mechanics. Thanks!

MOVED.

 

[Lycanthropy]

While this idea sounds nice from the point of view of a competitive player, I don't think it will actually work in-game. If your Pokémon are constantly on a competitive level when playing through the game so easily, I feel the game needs to become more challenging as well to balance that out. And if the NPCs use competitively viable Pokémon as well, the game feels more like a sequence of Smogon battles and not an RPG imo.

What I like so much about the Pokémon games is that they're so easily accessible to everybody. You don't have to know anything about EVs/IVs/natures etc to play the games. Nevertheless, if that is your thing, you can play the games on a whole different level. That is what makes the series so amazing!
If you make the games harder in the way you described, it's not as accessible for children, who are still the target audience of the series (no matter how many adults still play :P).

Besides, the thing you mentioned about changing your Pokémon's moves at will basically already exists now TMs are infinitely usable. ;)

 

[Paleoneos]

While this idea sounds nice from the point of view of a competitive player, I don't think it will actually work in-game. If your Pokémon are constantly on a competitive level when playing through the game so easily, I feel the game needs to become more challenging as well to balance that out. And if the NPCs use competitively viable Pokémon as well, the game feels more like a sequence of Smogon battles and not an RPG imo.

What I like so much about the Pokémon games is that they're so easily accessible to everybody. You don't have to know anything about EVs/IVs/natures etc to play the games. Nevertheless, if that is your thing, you can play the games on a whole different level. That is what makes the series so amazing!
If you make the games harder in the way you described, it's not as accessible for children, who are still the target audience of the series (no matter how many adults still play :P).

Besides, the thing you mentioned about changing your Pokémon's moves at will basically already exists now TMs are infinitely usable. ;)

I see what you mean. In a nutshell, this mechanic would deter the younger audience from playing. In that case, there would need to be some sort of toggle ability with this mechanic were I adamant on implementing it into the game. This might be a game mode chosen from the start menu. I suppose since this is indeed more competitive, it would be called Competitive Mode. Only then would these features be implemented. But here goes the problem, what I realize now is that my suggestion is a game mode, something we know all too well with things like Nuzlocke options on Fake Fangames. So then the question begs to be answered:


Why Hasn't Pokémon Implemented Gamemodes Yet?


In additional response to Lycanthropy, does a game mode option curb this? Or is this just unnecessary and why?

Don't have anything to add right at the moment (might come back here when I do), but just a heads up that I'm moving your thread over to Pokemon Gaming Central, as Pokemon General doesn't deal with any game exclusive topics like this one regarding game mechanics. Thanks!

MOVED.

Thank you. My apologies for the section misplacement.

 

[Lycanthropy]

Why Hasn't Pokémon Implemented Gamemodes Yet?

The closest thing we've seen to game modes in the official games were the difficulty modes in BW2 (which weren't even unlocked from the start). I'd totally love to see new modes happen. It seems the GameFreak is focussing more on new Pokémon, moves, mechanics and such, it seems.