A Pokemon MMORPG

[Mr Cactuar]

If you ever go to the Smogon forums, you will know how elitist some of them are, and how serious some of them take Pokemon.

My dear God. That sounds horrible! That almost sounds like PEOPLE.

Have you not ever used the internet?

Well, to be fair, when is an MMO community NOT a giant cesspool of humanity? You just gotta find the right crowd to run with.

I've found those types of "right crowds" and they still have jerks in them.

I wouldn't say it's a cesspool. There's just something about that word that just isn't severe enough.

Yes because normal people would take something like Pokemon that seriously! Most gamers don't, because it's just Pokemon. I enjoy it for the simplicity of it but how fun it can still be to play.

Yes pretty much every MMO's community sucks ass, but I just think that if a Pokemon MMO was made the community would be as bad as Runescapes.

And then if Nintendo made it they'd censor it so much it wouldn't really be an MMO. Put into the right hands, this could be a great game, but I still don't think it could be done.

[Tavrobel]

Yes because normal people would take something like Pokemon that seriously! Most gamers don't, because it's just Pokemon. I enjoy it for the simplicity of it but how fun it can still be to play.

Yes pretty much every MMO's community sucks ass, but I just think that if a Pokemon MMO was made the community would be as bad as Runescapes.

Yeah. I guess you're right. Sup DDR? Sup Guitar Hero? Sup Diablo II and every Blizzard game ever made? I should ignore those, shouldn't I? Sup Final Fantasy series with your games and people hating each other for liking a particular game? And a hello to you too, Zelda. Well, she's just getting it on with Mario and Sonic, that's why every one likes her. She gets around, damnit.

No, these communities would not be described as worse or better. The word that does describe an MMO community is not something that can be modified. It's like the word unique. "Unique" is unique. It can't be "more or less unique" or "very unique." It just simply is. You can't add an adjective to a word that means "one and only one." This is what describes the MMO community. And it is a unique word.

[qwertysaur]

There could be separate servers for the "hardcore" and for the normal players.

[Tavrobel]

There could be separate servers for the "hardcore" and for the normal players.

Yeah, and there's a difference between true hardcore and "I call myself hardcore." Although that would be incredibly disappointing if it were Hardcore in the Diablo II sense. If your Pokemon loses, it loses forever MUAHAHAHA *insert evil here*.

[Mr Cactuar]

Yes because normal people would take something like Pokemon that seriously! Most gamers don't, because it's just Pokemon. I enjoy it for the simplicity of it but how fun it can still be to play.

Yes pretty much every MMO's community sucks ass, but I just think that if a Pokemon MMO was made the community would be as bad as Runescapes.

Yeah. I guess you're right. Sup DDR? Sup Guitar Hero? Sup Diablo II and every Blizzard game ever made? I should ignore those, shouldn't I? Sup Final Fantasy series with your games and people hating each other for liking a particular game? And a hello to you too, Zelda. Well, she's just getting it on with Mario and Sonic, that's why every one likes her. She gets around, damnit.

No, these communities would not be described as worse or better. The word that does describe an MMO community is not something that can be modified. It's like the word unique. "Unique" is unique. It can't be "more or less unique" or "very unique." It just simply is. You can't add an adjective to a word that means "one and only one." This is what describes the MMO community. And it is a unique word.

Are any of those game's target audiences kids? (Other then Mario and Sonic to an extent)

No.

[Skyblade]

Journey to the Cerulean Cave:

We were warned to stay away, that Pokemon of terrible power dwelled in the cavern, and didn't appreciate outsiders. But we pressed on. The battles were tough. We were far from the safety of the Pokemon centers, and even our well stocked bags of items were running low. Our Pokemon were exhausted, and though we tried our best, we simply couldn't keep them all in perfect health. Still, we pressed on. Finally, we reached the final chamber of the cave. In the back was the nest of Pokemon eggs we sought. But, there, between us and our prize, we saw the Pokemon we'd read about in Cinnabar. The one which had destroyed the Cinnabar lab with ease. The genetically engineered Mewtwo. And it saw us.


Also, the thing about legendaries not breeding is simply not true. The games have been vague about how breeding works in any case, since no one has ever seen a Pokemon lay an egg. The likely case is that legendaries refuse to breed in captivity, preferring the safety of their own nests. Which are very safe indeed, given how well guarded they are.

[Bahamut2000X]

The likely case is that legendaries refuse to breed in captivity, preferring the safety of their own nests.

Actually I think it was just the game designers not wanting you to breed an army of Mews and Mewtwos.

[Tavrobel]

Are any of those game's target audiences kids? (Other then Mario and Sonic to an extent)

No.

To an extent? That's one real understatement. Only Diablo II of those mentioned has thus far garnered a Mature rating.

Nothing stops them from buying these games (like the people actually sell the games give enough of a damn), and it doesn't mitigate the fact that it has happened. Like little kids have anything better to do, compared to teenagers, who DO have something to do (and whether that be loaf, emo it up, or whatever else is irrelevant).

Marketing != consuming.

Actually I think it was just the game designers not wanting you to breed an army of Mews and Mewtwos.

Well, technically, there should only be one Mewtwo (and technically, one Arceus). Several legendaries seem to have multiple incarnations, as I've pointed out. Do the D/P lgenedaries have only one incarnation? There seem to be some kind of exception because those Pokemon control Time and Space (iirc).

[Lynx]

if this was made itd be the first MMORPG i ever played not too mention the first pokemon game i played in 5 years.

[Bahamut2000X]

Actually I meant from a game play stand point, nothing story related. >.>

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

Actually I think it was just the game designers not wanting you to breed an army of Mews and Mewtwos.

Well, technically, there should only be one Mewtwo (and technically, one Arceus). Several legendaries seem to have multiple incarnations, as I've pointed out. Do the D/P lgenedaries have only one incarnation? There seem to be some kind of exception because those Pokemon control Time and Space (iirc).

Some legendaries seem breedable. It's entirely possible you could make a story arc about Mewtwo cloning himself to alleviate his lonliness, and those who prove themselves to him are entrusted with the care of an infant of his species.

Arceus could be captured through handwavey time/space dimension stuff.

Most the other legendaries I think have multiple incarnations and are just extremely rare.

Another limiter is that players may only have 1 of each legendary or the pokemon preservation force starts getting on their case and confiscates stuff. Or simply have the special egg drop only if you don't own a legendary. Probably also make legendaries un-tradeable since they won't obey anybody who hasn't earned their respect.

[Tavrobel]

If anyone needs a reference point on Legendaries.

I like where this is going.

[Skyblade]

Anyway, I've been thinking this through in my spare time. An MMO Pokemon UI is actually fairly easy to create. The menu system would be broken down a lot since it would pretty much have to move from turn based combat to real time combat, but most of it is easily solved. A six button selector for pokeballs, click once to summon a Pokemon, click again to dismiss, and you are only allowed so many Pokemon at one time. Each Pokeball button could also display a health bar and small status indicators.

You'd only need to display about eight moves at once, if we're keeping the standard Pokemon moveset of four moves for Pokemon (which I think we should), so move bars would only change when Pokemon learned new abilities or switched out. I figure new moves would be handled similar to Diablo's level process. Rather than forcing you to choose immediately, you wait and assign moves after combat ends, since battles in real time will be more hectic. You'd also need a health/exp bar for your currently selected Pokemon, so that you could monitor them a little more closely.

Moves would have to be totally revamped, since combat is moving from turn based to real time, but I don't think it would suffer too much. We already have attacks of varying speed, such as Quick Attack or charge up attacks like Solar Beam. We also already have some AoE attacks, so, while the move system needs some revamping, it could be done.

The only potential problem I've hit is the trainer. Pokemon centers are essentially rez points, and you're taken there after all of your pokemon faint. But how do we force the combat? A wild Pokemon sees you and it force summons your first slot Pokemon? That's the best solution I've seen so far, but I'm not entirely happy with it.

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

Anyway, I've been thinking this through in my spare time. An MMO Pokemon UI is actually fairly easy to create. The menu system would be broken down a lot since it would pretty much have to move from turn based combat to real time combat, but most of it is easily solved. A six button selector for pokeballs, click once to summon a Pokemon, click again to dismiss, and you are only allowed so many Pokemon at one time. Each Pokeball button could also display a health bar and small status indicators.

You'd only need to display about eight moves at once, if we're keeping the standard Pokemon moveset of four moves for Pokemon (which I think we should), so move bars would only change when Pokemon learned new abilities or switched out. I figure new moves would be handled similar to Diablo's level process. Rather than forcing you to choose immediately, you wait and assign moves after combat ends, since battles in real time will be more hectic. You'd also need a health/exp bar for your currently selected Pokemon, so that you could monitor them a little more closely.

Moves would have to be totally revamped, since combat is moving from turn based to real time, but I don't think it would suffer too much. We already have attacks of varying speed, such as Quick Attack or charge up attacks like Solar Beam. We also already have some AoE attacks, so, while the move system needs some revamping, it could be done.

The only potential problem I've hit is the trainer. Pokemon centers are essentially rez points, and you're taken there after all of your pokemon faint. But how do we force the combat? A wild Pokemon sees you and it force summons your first slot Pokemon? That's the best solution I've seen so far, but I'm not entirely happy with it.

I'd like to see an increase in move limit to make it more in-line with the anime and give the pokemon more options.

I'd also keep the respawn points out, and just have aggressive pokemon that will attempt to attack you and force you to bring something out to counter it. Possibly allowing fainted and resting pokemon to recover through inactivity as well, or whenever you get in a trainer battle you end up fairly screwed if you're the loser, wherever you are.

Of course, if you're wiped out and have nothing left to battle an aggressive pokemon with, a respawn might not be a bad idea, that'd be a good way to just get you back and away from danger, at any rate.

And also: EXPERIENCE AWARDS FOR PVP! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!

[Tavrobel]

Well, perhaps in movesets, you could determine, from a list, which four skills to use in that battle. It'd have to be pre-determined, something like an AP system when it comes to skills. However, four is not quite nearly enough, in my opinion, something like six or right would be more like it. Alternatively, attacks could have completely new effects or synergies. Since there is a shift from TBC to RTC, attacks would have to be much more offense oriented, or status effects need to be able to either apply more than once, or have a longer duration/effect. 1/16 HP is not spectacular at all. I'm thinking that when you use Water Gun and Thunderbolt, there should be some kind of combination damage. It happened in the anime.

However, if moves were kept similar to their current incarnations, such as charge-up skills, you could provide a bonus for using them, an incentive, as it were. Defense bonus when using Solarbeam? You already have Sunny Day where it can fire every turn. Environment would cause quite the strategic application, and become that much more important. Things like Surf, which is totally unrealistic in inland sorts of places, could have a second effect.

Perhaps in the terms of forced summons (no, not Reiju marks), your lead Pokemon would be the one on the field with you at all of those times. I would like to render a comparison to the Kingdom Hearts series. The Keyblade still appears when Heartless show up, and it does not go away until the next screen. But either way, you can still keep on running. Attacks like Mean Look and Roar would have a greater influence, as well.

PvP probably needs to have its own realm of sorts. You can't just walk up to someone and say hey, let's battle, pwn all his Pokemon and run off! Sure it works in the anime, but that is because most Pokemon when defeated are not truly defeated. They are defeated when the trainer says that they are defeated or it is clear that they are not battle-ready. That being said, you could have arranged matches, or some kind of option that says you are willing to accept battles. In Diablo II, characters from level 1-9 are not allowed to engage in duels at all. This could be transferred to allow new trainers time to develop. Maybe from level 1-20, there would be no battles, except on those rare occasions (such as the Little Cup in Stadium 2, or the Petit Cup in the original).

Respawn points I believe would already be covered in Pokemon Centers. If anything, they are already free heals. Would it be feasible that there would have to be come kind of wait or delay whenever you are using a Pokemon Center? People with more injured Pokemon or lower levels should have greater priority over others, perhaps, to keep things balanced. Once you are at level 100, I doubt that you would need to fight wild Pokemon to level grind. Dueling Pokemon could operate on a free heal basis that takes place at a designated time, and only outside of Centers. This would eliminate the fear of running around without an active Pokemon, but it would also reduce the spontaneity of normal games.

Then again, you could just make a healer dedicated team. Chanseys, Blisseys, Mews, and Recover/Roost/other heals users would be a hot commodity, with PP allowances. That being said, PP healing moves, if ever introduced would also be great to have. I'd suggest PP-leech, but we have the Pressure ability to cover that.

Obliviously, my ideas are much more in tandem with a traditional MMO, so forgive me. I do have to agree that PvP EXP bonuses should be one of the benefits for PvP. After all, these battles are much more involved, challenging, and in a way, satisfying. Some moves could also have alternate functions for PvP. That being said, I've never actually bothered to use Roar, and sill do not understand how competitors use it strategically. Tell me to watch all the matches in the world, I still think Rattata at level 1 (yes, I know it has an uberkill move) is better than forced Pokemon resends. Self-exchange skills, however, I see as a very ownage type buff.

Anyways, something people have not quite touched upon, is missions. Maybe it's a little obvious that people should mimic the games, such as "save my Pokemon" or "Irish up that coffee." However, what other missions could there be to have people more involved in games? Certain Pokemon types could perform specific functions (as if they don't already!) to help a trainer out. Though I am loathe to suggest it, crafting and other subskills would provide for money.

I could only imagine what water Pokemon activities would be like. Fishing, surfing, racing, diving, ohh it just makes me wet all over (pun so totally intended). Flying anyone? Ghost Pokemon prankstering! Ohh, yes! Yes yes! Jigglypuff. Nothing operates these days without some kind of karaoke or guitar element.