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What do you NOT miss about the older games?

Seemingly at the expense of the overworld having any real depth, though. Scaling up the player avatars also means scaling up the overworld, which means we get things like the Hano Grand Resort consisting of a whole one room as opposed to something like the Hotel Richissime, which had several floors and a lot more interact with. Personally I'd rather have ugly chibis if it means better maps.
On the bright side, I think there is no excuse for GF not to have both good-looking characters and and bigger overworld in future Switch games, since I believe the console is way more powerful than the 3DS and can easily handle both. Maybe it's just laziness on part of GF at this point.
 
Well, at least you could kinda cheat those. The problem would be the Safari Zone, but that was already massively problematic (why do you need a month to get a Pokémon?).

EDIT: Also, don't you get a Fire Stone at the Burned Tower? Unless you spent that one on Growlithe or Eevee...

There is not, unless Bulbapedia and the entire internet is lying and I just missed it. The only finite method to get one is the sea cottage in Kanto.
 
On the bright side, I think there is no excuse for GF to have both good-looking characters and and bigger overworld in Switch games, since I believe the console is way more powerful than the 3DS. Maybe it's just laziness on GF at this point.
Don't know. They seem to have problems adapting always to the next consoles, which then the second pair more or less fixes.
There is not, unless Bulbapedia and the entire internet is lying and I just missed it. The only finite method to get one is the sea cottage in Kanto.
Then I must be mistaken. I admit that since I have not used a Pokémon that needed a Fire Stone ever might have something to do with me misremembering.
 
Don't know. They seem to have problems adapting always to the next consoles, which then the second pair more or less fixes.

Let's just hope they know what they're doing, or at least they acknowledge their shortcomings in terms of programming, and hire some good programmers and animators next time. I'm no programmer or IT guy or too tech-saavy, but I think the Switch can handle a lot more than what they gave us in Sword and Shield. Unless they are just money-grubbing.

Let's just hope.
 
* National Dex. Now, hear me out. I used to like it because I've been fortunate enough to have several consoles (GB, GBC, GBA, GBA sp, DS, DS lite, 3DS you name it) and several games so all the trading and transferring pokemon needed to have a complete national pokedex was super easy for me. But after I transferred every pokemon I had in every game to pokemon bank I erased all my save files and tried to complete the national dex without transferring from previous games. THe horror! Now I sort of understand why GF cut it since Gen 7 and why they don't want every single pokemon in every single game. It's a daunting task to catch'em all if you're just starting out. I'm having problems completing Gen 4 National Dex back when there were only 400ish pokemon. I can't even imagine what it would be like to try to complete a NatDex in Gen 8, when there's almost twice the amount of pokemon now, starting from scratch.

I'm inclined to agree. Not so much as the daunting bit, but the fact that the National Dex was never sustainable. We've nearly reached 1,000 Mons, but there is no way a single game (or pair, whichever you prefer) can hold that many Mons. Digimon and Monster Rancher figured that out ages ago, so they shuffle the selection around, though they do keep the "important" ones more often than not (partner Digimon and the "core 6" (Suezo, Mocchi, Golem, Tiger, Hare, and Pixie, though Hare was surprisingly absent in Advance 1 and Mocchi was not in MR1)). Really, cutting out the National Dex may actually be more helpful than a hindrance, as they can always do DLC to patch in more later, which is exactly what they're doing now with the Expansion Passes. Granted, paid DLC isn't exactly the way to go, especially at that price, but it could've been worse.

So, yeah, I actually see cutting the National Dex a good thing, as it was never really sustainable in the long run, and that way they can focus their energies on making the game more efficiently. Granted, Sword/Shield weren't the best outcome in that regard, as they do need more polish, but considering this is their first home console release for a main stream game (not counting LGPE, which is more of a spin-off), I considering it testing the waters for them and learning the power of the Switch, so I'm willing to give them a little wiggle room in that regard. Besides, first games on new consoles are always a bit rough, especially for GF, so this helps them gauge the strength of the console and work from there. And since they're going with the DLC route now, which is a first for GF, it opens up new possibilities for future installments. So, really, I feel that cutting the National Dex will be helpful in the long run, as they can always use the DLC route to patch in extra expansions later on, especially now that they've gained some understanding of the Switch's programming strength. So, yeah, I don't miss the National Dex, either, as it was never sustainable and it makes it easier to complete tasks like getting the Shiny Charm.
 
I don't miss Psychic types like Alakazam and Mewtwo being overpowered like in Gen 1. Sure Mewtwo's still strong even now but it's been humbled a lot since the dark days of RBY when it was a total monster. Also I don't miss the days when all Fighting, Bug, Flying and several other types of moves were all considered physical.
 
I agree with the National Dex, I rarely complete the Dexes in most playthroughs, so I don't personally care about filling 800+ entries in any game. That' being said, I'm trying to complete the Dex in Home (minus most Mythicals, since I haven't yet been to any events, in-site or via the Web), but since it is compatible with plenty of main games, this is way easier to do. I'm already at the 820+ mark in Home, something I'm very proud of :)

I'd like, though, for GF to have all Pokemon models programmed in Sword and Shield, so we can actually use our faves in the game (I'm already missing my Mightyena!), as with say Sun and Moon. If they don't have a number or a Pokedex entry, I don't find that annoying at all. But I don't want to have 400+ Pokemon "trapped" in Home because I cannot transfer them to Sword and Shield (let alone the Let's Go Games... who thought that having access to only 153 Pokemon as of Gen 7 is a good idea??).
 
On the bright side, I think there is no excuse for GF not to have both good-looking characters and and bigger overworld in future Switch games, since I believe the console is way more powerful than the 3DS and can easily handle both.

Indeed, but for me, Sword & Shield was already a step in the right direction. The graphical quality and the characters all look pretty good to me, and the overworld isn't as in-depth as I'd like, but I'm more satisfied with it than I was with Alola.

Let's just hope they know what they're doing, or at least they acknowledge their shortcomings in terms of programming, and hire some good programmers and animators next time. I'm no programmer or IT guy or too tech-saavy, but I think the Switch can handle a lot more than what they gave us in Sword and Shield.

The Switch most certainly can do more, but it's not always a matter of the skill of the people working. I wouldn't even say that GF aren't skilled; they've been doing their thing for over two decades now. But time and budget can heavily dictate how a game turns out.

Granted, paid DLC isn't exactly the way to go, especially at that price, but it could've been worse.

tbf you don't have to pay to get the old Pokémon patched in. The price is only for the actual new content.
 
tbf you don't have to pay to get the old Pokémon patched in. The price is only for the actual new content.
I'm aware that the old Mons are free and that the new stuff is where the price tag comes in. I'm just mentioning the DLC as whole, which includes both the free Mons AND paid extra content, since it's easier that way. Which is why I'm saying it opens up new possibilities later down the road, which could result in totally free DLC content in future installments. I mean, look at Crash Team Racing Nitro Fueled: for 8 months they provided us with free DLC with new goodies. GF could take a page from Beenox's book and use that idea later on instead of using a price tag. But my point is that the DLC as a whole, price and all, opens up new options for GF to try over time.
 
I'm aware that the old Mons are free and that the new stuff is where the price tag comes in. I'm just mentioning the DLC as whole, which includes both the free Mons AND paid extra content, since it's easier that way. Which is why I'm saying it opens up new possibilities later down the road, which could result in totally free DLC content in future installments. I mean, look at Crash Team Racing Nitro Fueled: for 8 months they provided us with free DLC with new goodies. GF could take a page from Beenox's book and use that idea later on instead of using a price tag. But my point is that the DLC as a whole, price and all, opens up new options for GF to try over time.
As long as whatever currency they use is not linked to the Battle Tower (or similar) and competitive, I would be alright. It doesn't bother me in CTR since MK-like games are something that are easy for me, but with Pokémon...
 
Huge bodies of water during the time of HMs, yep, I said it and I will never regret that I said that. No matter how many times, I just don't like not being able to go faster on longer routes. Granted, Sun and Moon made it super fast, which is one of the reasons why I appreciate the Poke Ride feature. ORAS did shorten its water routes on the way to the Pokemon League, which is one of the positive things I can say about that game. Now all needs to be done is to introduce an even faster version of the bike from Sword and Shield so long water routes won't feel that long.
 
  • Roaming legendaries. Finding them was fun but actually catching them was a nightmare.
  • Very important stuff being locked behind other games, events and transferring: Regigigas, Zorua, the Totem Forces of Nature...
  • Bad Pokedex distribution where the bird, the rodent and their evolutions were spammed everywhere (Alola was crap in that aspect though, and Galar isn't perfect though as it has Feebas with a 1% chance and all those trees filled with the fat squirrel).
  • Limited ways to interact with your Pokemon.
  • Limited animations, specially the RS and FRLG variants where all they can do is hop.
  • Legendaries and some items being lost forever.
  • The Bag option in battle being the same as the actual Bag so you would have to do extensive searches for the current item, in Gen 3.
  • Having to grind a lot before the league.
 
hot take: i don't miss playing them on the 3DS

i feel like i'm super spoiled by the switch at this point that playing any older generation game (even SM/USUM!) feels like i'm traveling backwards in time. it's because of this that i have a really hard time getting back into replaying older generation games. =s like, i've just started a new playthrough of b2w2 and im struggling to motivate myself to get back into it because i don't really enjoy using my 3DS much at all, anymore. it's kinda nuts.
 
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It's funny to me that so many people complain about the random encounters on water routes and in caves. I mean, they did put repel in the game for a reason.
Repels cost money and in older games that's not exactly feasible. Specially if you tend to get lost or explore or would rather spend the money on potions and revives.
 
Couple that with the fact that older games had very limited Bag space, you couldn't amass a huge collection of items that nets you profits without sacrificing space, which meant you either could get Repels and risk not having enough healing items to help you get through the route or you forgo the Repel in favor of the healing items but you encounter wild Pokemon more often, it doesn't help that Repels in Gen 3 don't 100% work either. Basically, it's a lose-lose for the player at this point.
 
Now all needs to be done is to introduce an even faster version of the bike from Sword and Shield so long water routes won't feel that long.
Hopefully the Rotom Bike will be gone for good in the next pair of games and you'll actually have to ride your Pokemon across the water, with some having higher speed than the others, for example, Azumarill and Quagsire being slower surfers than the likes of Barraskewda and Floatzel, athough even the former two should be as fast as your running speed.
 
The biggest things for me are
- Lack of XP share, combined with scaling, highly incentivising focusing on a very small subset of Pokemon rather than a wide variety
- Field moves, especially as implemented, constraining your available Pokemon, and reducing the effective number of party "slots" available

Those two things, combined with the automatic presumption of a party slot being taken up by your starter (which isn't mandatory, but I think is overwhelmingly the status quo) DRAMATICALLY limits the amount of Pokemon which are able to be used in a normal party in a normal playthrough. This combined with the way the game is balanced means that there is no reason anyone would ever use a Beedrill in Johto, as an example, so it may as well not exist. When you have hundreds of Pokemon, but maybe at most 10-20% of those are actually used by anyone ever, that's a failing of game design and game balance in my opinion. The XP share and immediate box access, combined with the elimination of field moves, does SO MUCH to minimize the 'penalty' for experimenting with different Pokemon of different types, and expanding the number of viable options and viable team compositions.

Much lower on the list, but also annoying and glad they are changed:
- Joey and his ilk bothering you incessantly and punishing you for giving them your phone number
- Your mother blowing through your hard earned cash for no apparent reason
- Insanely low catch rates on box legendaries and in general
- Lack of variety and repetition in opponent's Pokemon. Still an issue, but way less of one than it was previously. This is doubly true because combined with the big things you just don't see many of the Pokemon available, on your team or any opponent's, instead facing hundreds of Zubats, Koffings, and Geodudes while the Yanmegas and Gligars of the world may as well not even exist.
- Insane prices to EV train, and insane time requirements to get it done without monetary expenditure
- Lack of ability to breed Pokemon (Gen 1) and in general inferior breeding mechanics. It seems crazy since it's such a staple of the games now, but it's come a Long way.
- Onetime use TMs with limited attainable sources. Agreed with others that the Sword and Shield mechanics for TMs and TRs is the way it always should have been.
 
Another thing I don't miss is the pre-Gen 7 Day Cares. Not only can they get a bit expensive, but when you're trying to breed for a certain nature or Egg Move, the fact that the Mons can gain levels while in there, which can mess up your attempt to get certain Egg Moves and such. That also goes for the 50/50 nature chance Everstone and the uselessness of the Destiny Knot before Gen 6, both of which are now staples in breeding. Really, Gen 7 introducing the Nursery (which later translated into the Galar Day Care, which functions identically) was genius, as it takes almost all the hassle out of breeding for things like Egg Moves and Hidden Power types. Breeding is much simpler nowadays because of those QoL changes.

I also don't miss the Safari Zones and their kin. Mons running away was already a bad idea when implemented in the main game, but the Safari Zone just makes it brutal. ORAS did a good thing with the Safari Zone; make it free, you can battle the Mons in there, and there is no step limit, making it easier to catch what you want and not worry about running out of time or Safari Balls. That said, I do miss Safari Balls, as they had a nice aesthetic to them, even though they were just glorified Great Balls. If the DP remakes come out and they bring back the Great Marsh, I hope they take a page from ORAS and make it more like Hoenn's Safari Zone, where the limits are GONE and you've got free reign. Oh, also, if they do bring back the Great Marsh, none of this daily Mon change bit, either, as I really didn't like that, especially when you're trying to get that blasted Poketch app. And no Mons that you can find elsewhere like Hoothoot and Bibarel, let only the rare ones like Tangela and Croagunk dwell there.
 
Please note: The thread is from 3 years ago.
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