Old School vs Modern?

[Yoshikko]

Personally I prefer the older Pokémon, for all the obvious reasons. It's not that I don't like the newer ones, it's just that I didn't develop as much respect for them as I have for the first Pokémon, yet. That might sound strange, since they aren't real and just fiction, but it works like that for me. E.g., I can honestly say that I like Metapod better than for example, Zekrom. Not because I particularly like Metapod, or dislike Zekrom, but because Metapod has been around for such a long time, and has gained so much respect from me.

With that comes the fact that I grew up with gen 1 and 2 when I was very young (and after that of course 3, and so on), and that affects the way I view other Pokémon, because it's based on how I experienced it when I was little, and it also has nothing to do with nostalgia, I don't feel any nostalgia when I look at the older Pokémon or when I play the games. I think that if you grew up with, say, gen 4, then that would be what you would use (subconsciously) to base an opinion on about the other Pokémon.

I did notice that when I saw the 5th gen for the first time, I absolutely despised every single Pokémon of it, maybe there were one or two that I liked, and that, as I got used to them more and more, I started liking more and more Pokémon of gen 5. I think that proves that it really is a matter of time. Of course, the first gen has been around for like 10 years, and I think that there will never be any Pokémon that can compare to those, for me.

I think that people who can only like the first two gens, are not giving the newer gens a chance. As I said before, I really think it's just a matter of what you grew up with, and a matter of getting used to, and I think that the newer Pokémon deserve a fair chance. I was reluctant at first but gave them a chance, and I am starting to like more and more about them. I'm not saying it's not possible for people to only like the older gens, but most of the time, it is because they haven't opened their mind to the newer ones.

 

[Demon.]

If people prefer the old 150-251, I could care less. However, when they mention that the older generations were best generations, as if stated as a fact, I'll get irritated. It's just that if we only had the first and second gen Pokemon, we'd get bored fast. I embrace the new changes, because that's what's interesting to me.

Well not everyone would get bored :P Considering how many times myself and a lot of the people i know have played and beaten the first two gens repeatedly. Though im definitely glad that they continued making more games, ive enjoyed all the generations.



Not a big fan of DPPt though :\

 

[Ephemeral Euphoria]

When it comes to people who are so obsessed with the earlier generations I usually tell them to give some of the newer games a chance before passing final judgment even though I'm a bit of a nostalgia fanatic myself but that's because I was able to make some pretty good teams out of the earlier generation sets back in the day if I do say so myself.

 

[Ieyasu]

Personally, I think all the generations/regions have something going for them, so I can relate to that, but also see the other side of the issue. I don't get annoyed at all with this kind of argument unless they act rudely about it.

There are Pokemon from each generation that I love, and some I don't -- a lot of people may be like this, but still prefer the newer or older gens. Somehow, some people likely hate some generations, saying the Pokemon from them are "too simple" or "too complicated" even though they may like some of those Pokemon themselves.

At least, in my opinion. Since I'll never be able to get in their heads, and they probably won't admit it if they're so dedicated to being old school, I'll never know if my theory is true.

 

[7Mufasa7]

@OP.
its not so much respecting it, its more accepting it imo.
like me for example. my favorites are 1st/2nd gen pkmn. its what i grew up with. when i think pkmn thats who come to mind. do i like the new designs of 4th/5th gen pokes? some yea, most no. but i accept them as being pokemon. (mind you, i do use 3rd/4th gen pkmns, dont think im stuck in the past) my cousin thinks 4/5th gen pkmn are the best looking and best designed pokemon there are. its his opinion and even though i dont respect/agree with his beliefs, i do accept/tolerate his opinion cus those are the pokemon he grew up with. i respect his childhood. (hes younger than me)

every generation has its pros/cons in their pkmn line up, is usually what i'll say to end the conversation if i see it isnt going anywhere or getting too heated.

 

[Truality]

Nah, them old schoolers are everywhere. This is not a phenomenon happening only on the Pokemon franchise.

But, to be specific-such as the thread suggests-I wouldn't argue with an old schooler. The simple way of 'you like this, I like that' usually fends them off. However, I've come across some elitists of the kind that just want the world to 'accept their love for Crystal' and won't stop until you've agreed with them. That's when I tell them to shut it and keep that opinion for themselves. I'm bothered at the act of forcing others to agree with you.

Oh, and one other thing. I've figured out that a lot of old schoolers just cling to that opinion because they didn't bother trying the newer gnerations yet. You can't judge something you haven't tried, bro. You can only deny it, but then you wouldn't be an 'old schooler', would you.

 

[Althea]

I can sympathise with people who think the original Pokemon are the best, although I don't approve of their attitudes sometimes. People are going to like what they like, and I don't think others should hassle them for it.

I can see both sides of the argument, and being someone who has been with the franchise since the beginning, I agree when people say that the newer games lack originality, and that the newer designs aren't as good as the older ones. But the gameplay hasn't changed at all, and ultimately I think that is what really matters. I would even go so far as to defend the gameplay of the newer games, because they haven't changed at all from the original games, making them no better or worse. It's Pokemon, it's as fun as it has always been.

My standard response when people start complaining at me is just to shrug it off, because I don't honestly care what people think of my likes or dislikes. If people don't want to play the games, that's fine. But Pokemon hasn't really changed at all gameplay-wise, so all they're complaining about are the designs, and every generation has had its fair share of poorly designed or just plain ugly Pokemon, and if people are going to choose to ignore that...well, that is their problem, there isn't much I can do about it.

Stuff always looks better in hindsight, because it was fresh and new back in the day. Pokemon is a very old franchise now, and since it hasn't really changed in any significant way, there are bound to be people who think this is a bad thing. Others aren't bothered by it yet, for whatever reason. Live and let live, etc.

 

[Elite Overlord LeSabre™]

I don't really get into these types of arguments. For me, there's always certain Pokemon in each generation, just like there's certain trainer characters in every generation, that I like, and others that I don't like. As an example, my favorite and my least favorite Pokemon of all time are both from the first generation. IMO, lumping Pokemon by generation is too broad a generalization, so I usually just say something along the lines of, there's good and bad Pokemon in each generation.

I've never discriminated based on generation, simply because I've found that I can't group my favorites that way.

 

[Pokemon Trainer Touko]

They're probably just obsessed with the older generations and didn't want to try and accept the newer pokes? :/ But personally I like the newer pokes teenie weenie bit more than the older pokes because their designs are better than the older pokes.. Or maybe it's because I'm getting sick and tired of the older gen pokes? ='D

 

[Skip Class]

I guess I can feel for the people who believe that old school is better than modern because when something changes too much then for some it loses the essence of what "old-schoolers" used to enjoy.

Either they feel that modern is trying to push it more and they feel that the modern cannot compare to the past.

I also guess it has to do where you start with pokemon. Especially meaning if you start in the old school days of first and second generation you'd have a more liking and feel the change more than those who started during the modern.

Either way I do respect anyone who only like the first and second generation, even if that is the generations that I liked and started with. I could consider being an old schooler but there are a few things in the modern that I do enjoy :D