Official Pokémon Sword and Shield speculation thread (Updated June 5th, 2019)

[Grass Type Gardenia]

Something like Ash-Greninja style of evolution should be the next focus.

 

[Knightwolf09]

Why do you think that? Pokemon's gone twenty years without including a more complex equipment system, and even the more radical changes like Megas and Z-Moves were easy to understand.

It's not about the equipment system specifically. It's adding stuff in general. The pokemon series will always add things to keep making the game feel fresh. And they can't last on just evolutions of pokemon or whatever cause then the complaint of games with fresh coat of paint would be made true, and it'd make the series go stale, which in turn will make people lose interest, and can potentially have them lose money in sales, and they still don't have a game that'll ever beat the sales they made for the first games. So one the only other ways to keep the series alive is adding new things to the gameplay to keep it from growing stale. So in turn if people are already tired of new stuff being added, then it's downhill from here for them.

 

[ParasectfulDreams]

Then it's gonna be harder to enjoy the series from here on as it progresses

You mean as it gets more complicated? It won't really affect my enjoyment of the series, to be honest. I already don't pay attention to the intricacies already in place-- a good chunk of the time I ignore when my opponent raises their stats or lowers mine. I can adapt to the changes well enough as long as the core mechanics of the game aren't fundamentally changed. If I didn't like the new mechanics, then I just wouldn't pay attention to the new stuff unless I had to. I think the only thing that could kill my enjoyment of the series is if they pull a Paper Mario and literally change the genre of the games (still RPGs, but added Action Adventure, which was more of a change-- to me, at least-- than I expected). Don't wanna rant about PM, but basically, to me, there was a fundamental shift between the first three* and the most recent ones' gameplay and overall tone that I can't get past. Doesn't help that they literally did change the genre of the games, meaning the devs also know that something fundamentally changed. Their choice, of course, but I really just can't enjoy the newer ones (no hate to anyone here who does enjoy them-- I'm actually pretty jealous of your enjoyment ;u; ). I don't see Pokemon doing that ever-- it already has multiple spinoff series that can change the genre-- so my enjoyment is pretty safe.

Also, I do play games with more complex equip mechanics, and I typically just ignore the things that I don't want to bother with, or learn them eventually if I'm having a really rough time. Like I said, though, I'm not opposed to more mechanics being implemented, I just don't particularly care if they are unless they fundamentally change how I have to play the game (ie. Leroy-ing it), which typically doesn't happen to me, since even when things do get too rough for me to brute force my way through, there's always the option to grind to a ridiculous level and try again.. Which sounds silly when there's a mechanic in place to help me so I don't have to grind, but I've done this before and genuinely don't mind doing it if I don't like the mechanics there to help me. They can add things all they want, but as long as nothing on the base is completely changed or removed, then I'll be able to enjoy it just fine-- and I can accept some changes to the core as well, so I'm sure I'll be able to enjoy the series just fine.

Obviously can't speak for everyone, but I'm well aware that game franchises have to change over time; many series I love have gotten more complex over time, and I haven't stopped enjoying (most) of them so far. Pokemon is a series that has as much current-enjoyment value as it does nostalgia for me, and I enjoy so aspects of it, that one set of bad mechanics wouldn't affect my enjoyment of the game as a whole unless it was something fundamentally different that affected my ability to play the way I want to.

*Just to clarify to any PM fans here who may be wondering, I count Super as part of the first three based on it's tone, and because the gameplay changes didn't hinder my enjoyment of that game. As opposed to the more recent ones' gameplay, which did.

 

[Poke Dragon]

Pokemon will need to keep adding mechanics to the gameplay, I certainly don't want Pokemon to become like the New Super Mario Bros. series where only the first two games added something interesting while the last two essentially reused most of the stuff added in the first two games. We seriously do not need a New Super Mario Bros. version of Pokemon.

 

[TechSkylander1518]

It's not about the equipment system specifically. It's adding stuff in general. The pokemon series will always add things to keep making the game feel fresh. And they can't last on just evolutions of pokemon or whatever cause then the complaint of games with fresh coat of paint would be made true, and it'd make the series go stale, which in turn will make people lose interest, and can potentially have them lose money in sales, and they still don't have a game that'll ever beat the sales they made for the first games. So one the only other ways to keep the series alive is adding new things to the gameplay to keep it from growing stale. So in turn if people are already tired of new stuff being added, then it's downhill from here for them.

Oriden and Parasectful specifically said they didn't want a complicated equipment system added. They didn't say "I don't want anything else added to Pokemon".

It's very easy to add new things without altering the fundamental gameplay of a series. This is what most game franchises do. Look at the Mario games-platformers, both 3D and 2D, Kart racing, and the Party games all just build on their established gameplay, they don't add a whole new layer.

And there's no way they have anything to worry about with money. LGPE sold three million copies in one week, breaking the records of all other Switch games. And LGPE was as close as you can get to "same formula with a fresh coat of paint", seeing as how it's a remake of RB with only 153 Pokemon. I also think it's ridiculous to worry about trying to match the sales of RB by adding new things-if people weren't interested by all the additions after RB, why would they pick up another game that had all that and another new system to learn?

 

[emerson.brant]

About new mechanics/gimmicks... what if it is tag team?

It has been used a lot in tcg.

I imagine If there's a way to do that in the games.

 

[Oriden]

Something like Ash-Greninja style of evolution should be the next focus.

Why? Ash-Greninja was just a cheap mega evolution knock-off. And if you mean "style" as in "resembles its trainer" like the so-called synchro evolution that people would not shut up about in the lead up to Gen 7- then no, absolutely not. Implementing it would be more trouble than it's worth.

It's not about the equipment system specifically. It's adding stuff in general. The pokemon series will always add things to keep making the game feel fresh. And they can't last on just evolutions of pokemon or whatever cause then the complaint of games with fresh coat of paint would be made true, and it'd make the series go stale, which in turn will make people lose interest, and can potentially have them lose money in sales, and they still don't have a game that'll ever beat the sales they made for the first games. So one the only other ways to keep the series alive is adding new things to the gameplay to keep it from growing stale. So in turn if people are already tired of new stuff being added, then it's downhill from here for them.

There's no problem with Pokemon adding things, it's just a matter of how complicated those things are. In general, if you can't sum it up in a single sentence, then the mechanic is too complicated for Pokemon.

Plus the armor mechanic that you proposed would undoubtedly involve an overhaul of the item system, and we have yet to see them overhaul anything to such a major degree.

About new mechanics/gimmicks... what if it is tag team?

It has been used a lot in tcg.

I imagine If there's a way to do that in the games.

Isn't that basically just double battles?

 

[emerson.brant]

Isn't that basically just double battles?

No, I'm taking about a special move type (z-move like) using both pokemon at the same time, like tcg.
Double battles are not this yet (one attack at time).

 

[Knightwolf09]

No, I'm taking about a special move type (z-move like) using both pokemon at the same time, like tcg.
Double battles are not this yet (one attack at time).

Ooh You mean a combo move or something.

 

[Oriden]

No, I'm taking about a special move type (z-move like) using both pokemon at the same time, like tcg.
Double battles are not this yet (one attack at time).

I guess, but it would probably only be usable in a double battle anyway. Wouldn't be fair in a single battle.

 

[emerson.brant]

Ooh You mean a combo move or something.

Yes, something like this.

I guess, but it would probably only be usable in a double battle anyway. Wouldn't be fair in a single battle.

It depends, could be the same force than mega evolutions and z moves and then the same fairness...

 

[Silktree]

I guess, but it would probably only be usable in a double battle anyway. Wouldn't be fair in a single battle.

I don't think it would make sense in double battles. If you're using two Pokemon anyway, it's generally better for them to use their own moves.

In single battles, it wouldn't be that different than Z-moves. It sounds like a support feature - an extension of Beat Up, maybe.

 

[badwolf1234]

I for oncehave a great idea about a better improvement to pokemon but it does not involve armor evolution Im thinking about how they can improve the type matchups

I have an idea of a held item like z-crystal for every types but it improves the type not the attacks just like a powerup but only last until the battle is over

For example if you use it on grass type it turns to leaf type a more powerful version of grass type in which it can resist poison, ground, rock, and psychic. Or Ice type turns to glacier type adding more resistances

This way they could make a whole 18 new types without making a new type hopefully someone gets my idea....lol

But this is just my suggestion that will never come to fruition you see i come up with this idea because I coudl really see the meta of typings as really imbalance this way it could potentially improve the meta...

You see of they could mess with evolution and attacks why not mess with types right?

 

[Oriden]

I don't think it would make sense in double battles. If you're using two Pokemon anyway, it's generally better for them to use their own moves.

In single battles, it wouldn't be that different than Z-moves. It sounds like a support feature - an extension of Beat Up, maybe.

Okay, gameplay-wise it would probably be fair- I'm just thinking in terms of like... in-character you totally called out another one of your pokemon to help beat up their one pokemon and that makes you a jerk. XD

 

[Knightwolf09]

I for oncehave a great idea about a better improvement to pokemon but it does not involve armor evolution Im thinking about how they can improve the type matchups

I have an idea of a held item like z-crystal for every types but it improves the type not the attacks just like a powerup but only last until the battle is over

For example if you use it on grass type it turns to leaf type a more powerful version of grass type in which it can resist poison, ground, rock, and psychic. Or Ice type turns to glacier type adding more resistances

This way they could make a whole 18 new types without making a new type hopefully someone gets my idea....lol

But this is just my suggestion that will never come to fruition you see i come up with this idea because I coudl really see the meta of typings as really imbalance this way it could potentially improve the meta...

You see of they could mess with evolution and attacks why not mess with types right?

Hmmm, I would argue that seems like that only helps defensively, but megas do that for some pokemon too so it can work, plus it has offensive potential too.

 

[badwolf1234]

Hmmm, I would argue that seems like that only helps defensively, but megas do that for some pokemon too so it can work, plus it has offensive potential too.

Other type would have super effectiveness changed like how i think poison should be super effective to water you see i have a whole new type matchup in mind but since it was just my idea i rather not explain it much

But in all of this aside i think this armor thing will not come to fruition... You see admit it or not pokemon is a video game for KIDS so they wont complicate things so much that it wont be not understandable at all

 

[Oriden]

But in all of this aside i think this armor thing will not come to fruition... You see admit it or not pokemon is a video game for KIDS so they wont complicate things so much that it wont be not understandable at all

Actually Pokemon is a video game for everyone, but kids are included in that group so- basically the same thing applies. XD

Just throwing that out there because I feel that Pokemon being made for kids is a common misconception.

 

[Knightwolf09]

Other type would have super effectiveness changed like how i think poison should be super effective to water you see i have a whole new type matchup in mind but since it was just my idea i rather not explain it much

But in all of this aside i think this armor thing will not come to fruition... You see admit it or not pokemon is a video game for KIDS so they wont complicate things so much that it wont be not understandable at all

Again, I swear Yokai watch, another game for kids, has a system just like this and I think it's even more complicated. If anything kids don't get enough credit.

 

[Oriden]

Again, I swear Yokai watch, another game for kids, has a system just like this and I think it's even more complicated. If anything kids don't get enough credit.

I'm sure Yokai Watch also has a smaller fanbase, so... they're not really going for mass appeal like Pokemon is.

 

[Knightwolf09]

I'm sure Yokai Watch also has a smaller fanbase, so... they're not really going for mass appeal like Pokemon is.

Yet it's popular enough to get movies, multiple games, toys, and anime. Heck we even stated we hoped the pokemon switch game would look like one of the new yokai watch games. But that's not the point. Point is if kids show ability to grasp such a system, they would in a game like pokemon too.