Pokemon Roleplay Discussion

[Zeph.]

I've been thinking of starting a new adventure RP, set in the Isshu region. Thing is, I don't think I'll have any plot twists in it - it'll be a basic 'go through the region and to the league' RP. I'm hoping that, because it's set in Isshu, it will appeal to people more.

What do you all think?

 

[Shen]

I've been thinking of starting a new adventure RP, set in the Isshu region. Thing is, I don't think I'll have any plot twists in it - it'll be a basic 'go through the region and to the league' RP. I'm hoping that, because it's set in Isshu, it will appeal to people more.

What do you all think?

Don't, because that's really boring. Even the games have a separate plot to the league challenge (which I might add, culminated very, very awesomely). The League has always been more of a gameplay thing, a reason to keep playing. It just doesn't really stand up on its own as a story. Be creative.

I had the thought of a medium sized box with a dial on the front. One would switch the dial to six different positions and then press it, causing the box to fall open and release the chosen Pokemon.

How central to the plot is this? Because obviously with stuff like that, you limit how many Pokemon a person can have (which in my opinion is a very good thing). It also doesn't sound like something many people would have, meaning the characters would need some really contrived reason to all have at least one. If I may, I'd say you should keep the box thing, but really as a MacGuffin rather than a necessity. An idea could be to use PokeWalker's instead for the character's. Think about it, they only have screens because they are the conduit to the Pokemon, but if the Pokemon actually existed, there would be no need for the screens and instead it could be remodelled to be some sort of stone or "magical" device that binds a single Pokemon to the will of the holder.

 

[GrifSpark]

Some of those familier to the G/S/C games, you may remember that Apricorns were used to capture Pokemon in the olden times, which could be incorperated into the RPG.

During the Anime, many other ways of capturing Pokemon have appeared, like large monumental objects (Although imagine carrying them around). And in one of the Pokemon Movies, an ancient Lucario was kept in a staff, which surved much the same as modern-day Pokeballs.

Although the most likely way to capture them would be how 'Samuel Oak' did in the fourth Pokemon Movie.

​

Although this was probably a variation of Apricorn Pokeball which is absent from the games. I hope that this will help you in your quest to find a good way to capture Pokemon in an ancient-style RP.

 

[Stingray]

Ok the ancient pokeball idea... why not just have no pokeballs... period. Trainers then had to befriend and tame their Pokemon instead of just throwing a ball/object at it.

@ Zeph. like Shen said you will need another plot... beating the whole league thing is great in the games, but is rather uninteresting in a RP. You need a driving force that keeps all the PCs heading toward the same goal.

 

[Shen]

Some of those familier to the G/S/C games, you may remember that Apricorns were used to capture Pokemon in the olden times, which could be incorperated into the RPG.

Wasn't that retconned on the grounds that it really didn't make any sense whatsoever? They just became alternatives to the standard metal cases of regular Pokeballs which offered different effects.
The whole history of Pokeballs is so horribly nonsensical.

 

[GrifSpark]

Wasn't that retconned on the grounds that it really didn't make any sense whatsoever? They just became alternatives to the standard metal cases of regular Pokeballs which offered different effects.
The whole history of Pokeballs is so horribly nonsensical.

(Doesn't the whole Pokemon franchise thrive off of that kind of thing?)

I don't think so. Besides, many of the Pokeballs in game/anime etc, use Apricorns. I believe that they are made by hollowing out the centre of the Apricorn, and adding some other ingredients, which when combined, work much like a Pokeball.

And Stingray's idea could work well, with no Pokeballs what-so-ever. Befriending/taming Pokemon is much more interesting than just capturing them.

 

[Shen]

(Doesn't the whole Pokemon franchise thrive off of that kind of thing?)

No. Difference between something being within the willing suspension of disbelief and something just not making sense. A fruit and some other "ingredients" bending space and absorbing monsters breaks the suspension of disbelief because it brings with it the logic that the overall technology of the world should be leagues ahead of what it is. And if the other ingredients are modern technology, then how on earth were ancient people using them?

Of course, Time Travel answers everything.

 

[GrifSpark]

Of course Time-travel answers everything! It's the only thing we can take solace in...

Anywho, I'm starting to branch a little more towards StingRay's idea of there being no Pokeballs at all, and simply having the Pokemon follow you around, which would have been what it would have been like before Pokeballs were invented. And besides, wouldn't trapping Pokemon in spheres for sport be classed as Animal-cruelty?

 

[Wolf in the Rain]

And besides, wouldn't trapping Pokemon in spheres for sport be classed as Animal-cruelty?

Yes! But so would making them fight each other for entertainment.

But befriending them/taming them would be a fun twist.

And while time-travel answers some things, magic answers just as much ^^

 

[Doctor Who]

Perhaps you could even feature the best primitive taming method, leather. You could, for example, fashion Pokemon halters and reigns, or leashes, for if you want to capture a Pokemon that's a bit unwilling to go along.

 

[Shen]

Perhaps you could even feature the best primitive taming method, leather. You could, for example, fashion Pokemon halters and reigns, or leashes, for if you want to capture a Pokemon that's a bit unwilling to go along.

No, not only are Pokemon highly dangerous but there's also a long-standing respect for them ingrained into human myth and history. Only recently have humans been dominating Pokemon like they do now with the booms in technology. Pokemon in older times were never really considered primitive, but rather supernatural.
ALTHOUGH you could run with that idea and set it into the Pokemon dark ages when Pokemon weren't treated with respect...

 

[Doctor Who]

Lions were highly dangerous and respected yet the Romans tamed them just fine. Humans have never really been submissive rather well =/
Plus, I can't see a rattata being highly dangerous >.>

 

[Garouga! Bare Your Fangs!]

Plus, I can't see a rattata being highly dangerous >.>

Poke anything with a stick enough times and it'll become dangerous. XD


I think looking at it from the human angle is getting nowhere. Imagine it as a Pokemon:

You meet two new creatures (trainers) who react in two different ways. One attempts to tire you out and enslave you, while the other hands out some food and gives you a safe place to sleep (appealing to safety would be a big gesture). Are you more likely to go with the first one or the second one?

The concept of a primitive PokeBall is laughable since ancient Pokemon would be a lot more feral than modern ones, which have been domesticated over time. Any kind of "capture" would have to be done through gestures. The Pokemon would also be allowed its own freedom; If the trainer overuses it in battle, it has the option to leave on its own free will.

In other words, friendship taming is a lot more practical and incorporates a lot more emotional bonding between trainer and Pokemon.

 

[Strikit]

Perhaps I ought to approach this as humans did with wolves.

 

[Garouga! Bare Your Fangs!]

Actually, that is a very good idea. When I think of the relationship of humans and wolves, I think of how Tony Kakko put it in Sonata Arctica's song "Ain't Your Fairytale" (from the wolves' point of view).

"We had a common past, an ancient bond
The people once broke.
We would only take what we need,
They would harvest our weak."​

That could easily be applied to Pokemon, with the humans taking the weaker Pokemon away to strengthen the pack and the Pokemon getting whatever they need from the humans.

 

[slls81]

*Warning shameless plug ahead*

Just to let anyone who might be interested know that I am opening up 3 or 4 new spots in my RP "A New Professor In Town". The RP is currently in Hoenn, having previously worked our way through the Kanto region. The RP has been running fairly smoothly for nearly 2 years, but for a variety of reasons we have lost a few RPers recently. Anybody interested in joining, or has any questions about storyline etc. please see the OOC thread which can be found here: https://www.pokecommunity.com/showthread.php?t=161419.

If you want to read some of the posts and get a sense of the general storyline of the RP, then the main thread can be found here: https://www.pokecommunity.com/showthread.php?t=160981.

*End of shameless plug*

 

[GrifSpark]

^ I would much enjoy to join said RPG, which I have stated in the OCC thread. Any information I need is also there, so that's all from me.

 

[Dialga's Song of Time]

Creating a roplay

I would like to make a roleplay that goes along with my fanfic: The Ques of Arceus: Journey to a New Homeworld, but there can be some trainers that can go with them. Each player can choose which legendary pokemon they want to be(ones that survived, the new legends that are born and the mates for each legendary) This will be a crossover between pokemon and zelda along with characters from other nintendo franchises.

 

[GrifSpark]

My opinions of the idea above.

1.) There are a lack of Pokemon RPG's which you may play as a legendary. While this does drastically decrease the posibilities of Pokemon to choose from, it would make an interesting, and refreshing change of pace for an RPG.

2.) Crossovers. In my opinion, they don't work. Many ideas and rules from one story combined with the other can result in a far too complicated, and often contradictive Role-play, which many would find difficult to follow effectively.

3. Erm... Insert a criticism of your choice.

All in all, it could make for an interesting RPG, but the fact that it would be a cross-over Role-play would reduce my likeliness of joining said game. While my report of your idea may be short, and possibly of little help, I just thought I'd voice my opinions here.

 

[Shen]

Then... make it? Are you asking for anything in particular?
Also, had an interesting idea for a roleplay after seeing the Global Police guy in FireRed again and being reminded of Looker. A crack team of officers go and actually try and bring down Team Generic Evil Guys (name pending) before some 11 year old beats them to it... but one of them (the actual player characters) is a spy, working with the GM. You'll have everyone suspecting each other even when they're meant to be working together.
It's an obvious concept, probably been done before many times but for some reason it only just occured to me.