Which is why I was asking how I was wrong. I didn't mean that you shouldn't be able to speculate against it(which is obvious if you've looked at all I've said about the matter), if that's what you're on about.
I was just trying to add to the 'pro' side a little while remaining more neutral; I was trying to understand why (it seemed) Xander was using the current mechanics(and the whole taking out/adding back) as an excuse to say we wouldn't see remakes for some time . I speak for myself on that, not sure about Rocky as I don't know him well(so please don't really group us together on that). I too see them being on the 3DS, I just don't see them appearing as far into the future as yourself(just seems like you don't see them being for a few years at least is what I'm saying).
Hope that clarifies some things, haha.
At first, it seemed as though you and rocky505 were suggesting that XanderO's post didn't belong in this thread, since you said you agreed with him. However, rereading your response, I see the differences between yours and rocky's posts and I agree. There shouldn't be a "only post proof here" standard, as everything at this point is speculation only. I apologize for confusing your comments.
Also, to be honest, I agree with you on the features part. Features come and go with Pokemon. The appearance of a feature, or lack thereof, isn't enough to base a prediction on. Here's a very simple one: Apricorns. Apricorns were exclusive to Gold, Silver, and Crystal only until they brought them back for HG/SS. They were absent in D/P/Pt, and didn't return for B/W. Secondary features don't really support or deny anything, they're just sort of there. That's why I've based my theories on the primary aspect of these games: The Pokemon.
I realize now that I've haven't listed my reasons for thinking remakes aren't next, so here they are.
1.) Hoenn's starters, Groudon, Kyogre, Rayquaza, Latias, and Latios are available in HG/SS. Jirachi was an event last year, and the Regis were in Platinum. Except for Deoxys, all major Pokemon were included in the resent games. If Game Freak was planning to release R/S/E remakes in the near future for the DS, it would make more sense for them to have just waited and made those Pokemon exclusive for the remakes. That would give people more of a reason to go buy them.
2.) The DS is on its way out. As I said before, people questioned why they didn't put B/W on the 3DS. I don't see them wanting to put a game with this much hype into a dying system when they could wait and put it on the newer 3DS and include much better and improved enhancements.
3.) Remakes wouldn't be the first Pokemon games on the 3DS. They would serve little purpose if a 6th Gen. was released AFTER because those new Pokemon and moves won't have existed. This is why they should wait until after the 6th Gen. is introduced, that way the new Pokemon could be sent over to the remakes as well.
4.) As it currently stands, if you own a Nintendo DS, you can play 3rd, 4th, and 5th Gen. games on it. Why would they make a DS remake for a game that's original version can still played on the same system? That would be like remaking Super Mario Sunshine for the Wii, yet the Wii can still read Gamecube games. Once Pokemon moves to the 3DS, the GBA games won't be able to be used on that system. Though HG/SS made many of Hoenn's Pokemon available, I could still see a remake coming this way.
5.) Don't forget about spinoffs. Game Freak likes its spinoffs and plenty of them are introduced between main series games. It would take time for them to announced the next game. One won't be announced until B/W 2 have been released worldwide. This is March, its release in Japan is in June. The US is in Autumn. It'll be a either the very end of this year or the beginning of next year before new main series games are announced.
As for a specifc time they could release remakes is anyone's guess. If all my other theories were true, I'd suspect either a late 2013 release or early 2014. We won't get more than one game or set of games a year. But again, this is just a guess.
Also, when Steven said it would have to "wait for the right time", that doesn't really mean anything either. The "right time" is indefinite, and could mean any amount of time in the future from months to years.
I think another hint for R/S remakes could be similar storyline themes of R/S/E and B/W. In R/S/E there is fight between land and water - things which are opposites but can't exists properly without each other. It's the same like yin and yang theme in B/W.
Sinnoh was hinting about Gold/Silver remakes in region design - Sinnoh is divided by mountains into west and east part, the same like Johto and Kanto are divided by mountains.
Speaking of HM lists, they are also important in hinting remakes - B/W reintroduced R/S/E's Dive as HM, while D/P/Pt introduced Defog as HM - something imo completely lame created only to get replaced by G/S/C's Whirlpool in HG/SS.
Also remebmer how Masuda responded to question about R/S remakes on Twitter:
"Thanks! I've received your sentiments. Ruby and Sapphire are very important games to me. I want to make something good. Thanks!!"
This of course isn't direct answer to that question but it's similar how he didn't respond directly to question about B/W sequel:
"I can't answer that yet. Well, I can say to watch the next Pokemon Smash"
Both answers are unclear but so far second one leaded to B2/W2 announcement, so why the first one couldn't lead to R/S remakes?
Diamond and Pearl also had the same sort of conflict: time vs. space. Conflict between the main Legendary Pokemon has become tradition for the games and not really a "hint".
I also find it highly unlikely that Sinnoh's design was just a reference to Johto and Kanto. If that were true, how is Unova's design like Hoenn? They don't seem very much alike to me.
In regards to HMs, these change from game to game, so calling them "hints" doesn't make much sense.
Masuda's responses to B/W 2 and R/S/E remakes are actually quite different. He knew sequels were about to be officially announced, so naturally, he didn't want to ruin the surprise. But when asked about the remakes, all he did was acknowledge the concern about them. If plans were underway, he would have said he couldn't talk about it, like he did for B/W 2.
