Pokémon: Colorless Version (RM2K3)

[Ongekibou]

Concept

Been sitting on this idea for a while. After finishing the text printing engine, I've decided to start generating some interest.

While using the newer mechanics of the recent versions of Pokémon (such as RSE+ Pokémon data structures, abilities, newer moves, neweri held items and perhaps double/triple battles), the graphics will be in black and white, either ripped from Pokémon GSC or styled after it.

Many Pokémon games distinguish themselves by implementing new Pokémon. This game will not. The Kanto/Johto era Pokémon will be the highlight, except with new typings and abilities to give players something new to play around with and giving unappreciated Pokémon a chance to shine.

By the way, I'm not interested in banners. Don't make me one.

Story

The first day, normality. People went about their daily business. The second day, normality. People did what they do. The third day...

The color went out.

The various Pokémon Leagues of the world put their emergency funds into a project to discover why the color was removed... and how to put it back.

Years later, in the middle of the once rural land of Xeno, a huge laboratory looms over the country, rapidly trying to restore colour to the world.

While progress has been made on that front, another oddity stands out... how the Pokémon of Xeno have evolved. With a change in behaviour, many Pokémon have undergone "fast-evolution", changing many attributes of their behaviour, abilities, moves and even types.

Our hero, a mute boy, given a specially-typed Electric Pokémon from his mother, sets out on his journey. Adventure, friendship, battles, and the legendary Pokémon from all over the world gathering in Xeno for a special event...?

Expected Features:

The ability to capture and battle with the first 251 Pokémon
Battle System (replicated from the handheld Pokémon games)
Trading System
Pokémon Alteration System (the ability to change Pokémon back from their special Xeno typing and the normal typing)
Real Time Clock
Pokémon TCG Battle System (maybe; priority is placed on the regular battle system)

Current Implemented Features:

Game Border (ala Super Gameboy)
Custom Message Printing with Built-In Formatting (automatic hyphens in cut-off words, continued sentences, etc...)
Place Names Upon Entry (ala Crystal)
No Banner System (the act of decreeing "no banners")

Pictures:

Xeno PokéLog (Incomplete - Examples as of now)
X) Name (Original Type/s) (Special Type/s)

Spoiler:

Caterpie (Bug) (Normal)
Metapod (Bug) (Normal/Rock)
Butterfree (Bug) (Normal/Bug)
Weedle (Bug/Poison) (Steel)
Kakuna (Bug/Poison) (Steel/Rock)
Beedrill (Bug/Poison) (Steel/Bug)
Pidgey (Normal/Flying) (Grass/Flying)
Pidgeotto (Normal/Flying) (Grass/Flying)
Pidgeot (Normal/Flying) (Grass/Flying)
Spearow (Normal/Flying) (Poison/Flying)
Fearow (Normal/Flying) (Poison/Flying)
Pichu (Electric) (Steel)
Pikachu (Electric) (Steel)
Raichu (Electric) (Steel/Fighting)
Cleffa (Normal (Psychic)
Clefairy (Normal) (Psychic/Dark)
Clefable (Normal) (Psychic/Dark)
Oddish (Grass/Poison) (Water/Poison)
Gloom (Grass/Poison) (Water/Poison)
Vileplume (Grass/Poison) (Water/Poison)
Farfetch'd (Normal/Flying) (Grass/Ground)
Krabby (Water) (Fire)
Kingler (Water) (Fire/Fighting)

Got an alternative typing you'd like to give to a Pokémon between 1-491? By all means suggest it, and you may see it in the final product!

New/Updated Moves

New/Updated Abilities

New/Updated Items

New Type

Sound
Weaknesses:
Poison (*2)
Bug (*2)
Ghost (*2)

Resistances:
Fighting (/2)
Ground (/2)
Dragon (/2)

Effectiveness:
Flying (*2)
Fighting (*2)
Poison (/2)
Bug (/2)
Rock (/2)
Steel (/2)
Water (*2)

Help

I'm currently looking for two sets of formulas:

The Pokémon data formulas (including PID/SID generation), preferably with an explanation on how exactly the decryption/encryption works.

The PRNG formulas, alongside Time to Seed. Preferably with an example or two, so I know how it works. I also need to know how this relates to wild encounters (IVs and such)...

If anybody interested in this project wishes to donate a front and back sprite of a 2 52+ Pokémon in GSC style (40x40-56x56 size limits), be my guest. For every three Pokémon front and back sprited, you'll be given 1 credit (and your name in the closing credits). Please mind, I won't accept sprites that have clearly had no work put into them.

Once I've got the basic mechanics of the game sorted, credits will be redeemable for something in-game, such as a trainer, a special Pokémon or a move tutor (or a custom Pokémon card, should that feature come to fluition).

I'm not interested in banners. Don't make me one.

Credits

Myself (And that's just fantastic)

Did I mention no banners? If you want to link to this thread, use a bolded hyperlink.

 

[Cilerba]

Moved into the Beginner's Showcase.

 

[lolwhet]

Wow, this looks good!
Great idea, to bring back the oldschool, while keeping the newschool mechanics! Hahaha, I can't wait for this to be finished. Good luck! :D

 

[DarkDoom3000]

Interesting concept.

-rm2k3 huh. lets drop some knowledge

A realtime clock is gonna be impossible with rm2k3, unless you have a special hack/patch applied.

Trading... is possible, but you'll have to do some kind of encrypted code system. ie: game gives code, give code to friend, friend types in code. etc.
I personally wouldn't put it in since Rm2k3 has multiple save slots, so you can just trade away your good pokemon for a majikarp, then just load the game and vola. now you and your friend has good pokemon.

also, rm2k3 can only have variables 7 digits long. and lacks decimals, That could be a problem for algorithms. Theres no root function either.

If you're working with rm2k3, you should work with it, use its system and limitations as the core. You're using a pokemon game as the core, using all it's mechanics.
You should seriously think about moving it to rmXP and possibly using the starter kits, as from what I understand they copy the mechanics of the game pretty nicely.

And this is coming from a rm2k3 fan. (7 years!)


also, whats up with the banner hate? even farfetch's second type is no/banners o_O?

 

[Ongekibou]

Haha, yeah I'm using patches. I'm using "Bananen-Joe's Destiny Patcher", which includes several scripting features including file reading/creation (for Pokémon stats and the such) RTC and Online Play (and strings!), the RM2009 frontend and a Variable-to-Picture patch (useful for the custom textboxes). I could use RMXP, sure, but considering my retro theme, I thought it poignant to use the retro version of RPG Maker.

Actually, I'm using RM2K too (since Destiny Patcher doesn't work with RM2K3), I'm not sure why I put RM2K3...

I'm 100% positive I'll have no trouble with the functions I've listed. I've already completed a custom draw engine (for example, six characters have the same speed, or three do out of six, or two do out of four...), which I consider to basically be the hardest part of the process (still no arrays to use... it took me over a month to finally figure out how to do it).

I'll probably make a banner for myself at some point. It's not something I need help with is all. I need help for GSC-compatible versions of Pokémon 252+, and probably some data entry stuff later, so I'd prefer anyone who wants to help to concentrate on that.

By the way, anyone reading this should go play DarkDoom's Super Pokémon Eevee Edition. It's a great example of what can be accomplished with a wide imagination, a love of video games, a load of elbow grease.

 

[DarkDoom3000]

Well, since you're using a patch (and a monster of one at that) you should be fine.

thanks for the plug :)
ill be doing the same.

You might find this handyhttps://www.pokecommunity.com/showthread.php?t=239711
the 3rd gen pokemon I devamped for spee. A lot of their dimensions aren't strict, and some have 3, maybe even 4 colours (as apposed to the gsc 2 colours + black and white rule) but it might be a decent starting point.

 

[DaSpirit]

Interesting concept.
Trading... is possible, but you'll have to do some kind of encrypted code system. ie: game gives code, give code to friend, friend types in code. etc.
I personally wouldn't put it in since Rm2k3 has multiple save slots, so you can just trade away your good pokemon for a majikarp, then just load the game and vola. now you and your friend has good pokemon.

I feel what was just said was redundant. A person can simply save, and copy their save file to another part of the computer and viola, they have multiple saves. Also personally, I would not bother much with encryption, unless online play will be a HUGE portion of the game. And by huge, I mean online tournaments, or the whole game is online. Encryption can be a lot of work and saying that you encrypted will make hackers want to break it. Even the most advanced encryption methods can be broken. A simple encryption will be fine enough, to stop average players from changing much. Just something to think about.

As for calculating IDs, and determining the values of encounter shiny Pokemon and such like the actual game is pointless. The real game looks at the hexadecimal values and depending on what they are, it determines several probabilities. Just use functions that generate random values. I feel that it is all the same. Just know that IDs are created with a formula involving the name and gender of the character. This way, 2 people with the same name and gender will have the same ID. It is the SID that sets them apart, which you can make be randomly generated. The probability of everything happening is on Bulbapedia, check that website out.

 

[Ongekibou]

As for calculating IDs...

Indeed, but I'm attempting to emulate the actual games as close as possible (for the personal challenge, if nothing else). Plus, it's far easier copying the actual formulas, making them from scratch is just asking for problems later on (such as implementing DV stuff, like Beautifly/Dustox, Spinda, etc...)

That said, I know how Time to Seed works now. For those who want to know:

Initial Seed
First byte = (Minute + Second) + (Month * Day) (convert to Hex)
Second byte = Hour (0-17)
Third byte = Delay (256+)
Fourth byte = Delay (0-255)

In Black and White, the first three digits of the DS MAC Address increases the Initial Seed's second byte by x*10, x, and x respectively. The last four bytes affect delay.

There's an article floating around by X-Act explaining how PIDs and IVs are calculated by the PRNG... useful stuff.

Next Steps:
Implementing PRNG/Seeding
Implementing Pokémon Data Sets and encryption
Implementing PID Generation and Gender/Ability/IV/Shiny Randomization