The Generation V Speculation Thread

[The Fool on the Hill]

One BIG thing I think they need to improve is the variety of other Trainers' Pokemon. I'm sick of fighting a Hiker with 3 Geodude and a Onix, or a Fisherman with 5 Magikarp. There are nearly 500 different Pokemon, and most NPCs just use 2 or 3 of the same Pokemon.

 

[Kayde]

One BIG thing I think they need to improve is the variety of other Trainers' Pokemon. I'm sick of fighting a Hiker with 3 Geodude and a Onix, or a Fisherman with 5 Magikarp. There are nearly 500 different Pokemon, and most NPCs just use 2 or 3 of the same Pokemon.

Amen. But I think, for old time's sake, the overconfident Fisherman with 6 Magikarp should reappear. For justice and great Lulz. But that should be it.

 

[Falconwing]

With the amount of pokemon they'll have, it makes sense.

 

[Kayde]

Who wants to see some really outlandish type combinations, like Fire/Poison, Ice/Electric or Bug/Dark?

Not that EVERY new 'mon should be some freaky acid dream...just a few new experiments.

 

[Fudgenuggets]

I agree with the Cyrus idea. I think that's a good idea to find out what happened to him. I remember Saturn saying that he wondered what happened to Cyrus on platinum. Kinda like Giovanni and the celebii event on HG/SS.

Ohh yeah! That would be great. I'd also want to know what happened to Archie, Maxie, and Looker (or at least make one of those special episode thingamajigs like PMD) because Looker is a gambling addict now. o_o

 

[Falconwing]

new type combos are a must.

 

[Kayde]

new type combos are a must.

But whatever will there BE?

 

[KedaseDerragar]

Fire/Poison (or Electric/Poison, or any other weird Poison combo) would make me a very happy trainer.

Also, I think they need to continue the hot streak they started with all the new tricky moves from Gen. 4, only focus on different types this time. I'd like to see types get healing and status moves that don't have them right now. For example, with Poison (the one I've thought about most): there's no reason not to have Poison moves that can heal (logical extension from the Poison Heal ability), cure statuses (based on antivenin), or cause statuses besides poison (confusion from neurotoxins, paralysis from myotoxins, etc.). There could also be a move like Magnet Rise (only maybe affecting the opponent instead of the user) that temporarily nullifies Psychic moves. And all that's just for Poison: there are a lot of other types that could use more diverse moves too.

 

[Falconwing]

Psychic Fire. Ice Dragon. These are kinda obvious...

 

[Shinx3000]

I've been wanting a Bug/Electric for so long. Thinking glow worm but then we have volbeat/illumese, but thats not the same really as what I am thinking.

 

[Silktree]

But yeah, being realist, the whole rebirth thing may be just incompatibility with the previous generation or 3-D graphics.

I would say that the formula being reworked in some ways is more likely than either one of those possibilities. Since we are dealing with the same system and HGSS are such recent games, it would be absolutely ridiculous if Generation V were incompatible with its predecessor. As for 3D graphics, unless you are referring to a better-looking overworld environment, Masuda said in recent interviews that they are quite pleased with using sprites and don't view 3D as the necessary next step.

Something about Pokémon is that it stays very true to its roots across its sequels, and it stays very simple. It didn't become super-3D, and the stories didn't become overblown as the series moved on. I was wondering, how did you stay true to the roots, and how do you balance that? How do you avoid the temptation or the pressure to pump everything up and become like Final Fantasy, or something like that, over the years?

JM: Visually, you're saying that 3D here may be possible, but I question your question that 3D is the best technique to realize the game.

The basic concept of Pokémon is that we want to attract the beginner, so that when the beginner comes and plays, if it's 3D, it's three dimensions instead of two, so it's much more information for you to take in. We don't know if that's what they want. We want the game to be approachable and easy to understand.

Also, there is a balance that we have to make. By balance, I mean, do we want to make the scenario deeper, so we have a deeper, more complicated storyline, or do we want players to collect, catch, and trade Pokémon?

That balance is always difficult, and we try to find a better balance always. But I absolutely consider it. If 3D makes the player catch and collect more Pokémon, then that's definitely the way to go.

No, I agree. I think that you made the right decision, actually, with the game, and the look. Something that I find very cool about Pokémon is that it sticks to its roots in terms of the pixel art. Even though there are 3D polygons in the DS Pokémon, it sticks visually to a very simple style. With the battles, you stick entirely to 2D artwork, still. I was wondering if you could talk about why you stick to your roots. Maybe it is just in terms of making it simple and easy to understand, but it seems to really stay true to the series and what it's been like over the years.

JM: You think that creating 2D is easier than 3D, but it's not. It requires a lot of technological understanding and technological skills. I always talk with the art director -- "What's the value is of sticking with 2D art?"

When you look at 2D, it's like a picture. You look at the picture, and it has some flavor to it. 3D, yes, you can make the object very realistic, but 2D is something you can put flavor into. That's what we love about 2D.

He didn't outright say that 3D was a no-go, but I'm doubtful that it would be implemented so soon. The Generation V games were definitely in development at the time of that interview (less than a year ago). Moreover, Game Freak started to hire 3D designers (obviously, the graphic designers working on the Generation IV games didn't have great experience with it) only a few months ago and will not be finished accepting new employees until 2011, so it does seem too soon for that sort of work to be put into the upcoming games. If you are a 3D enthusiast, you will probably have to wait for the successor to the DS to see major improvements in that regard.

I'm far more intrigued in whether or not Masuda is more inclined to adapt a less linear storyline this time around. He said that the complexity of the plot has to be balanced with the core of the gameplay (catching, training, trading and battling), but I really don't see why that limits them to previous standards.

 

[Water Pokémon Master]

Is that from the Famitsu scan? If so, who translated it?

 

[Silktree]

No, it is from a Platinum-related interview. But it is relevant because it not even a year old, and Masuda was definitely referring to future games.

I think it is ridiculous that no one has posted a synopsis of the Famitsu interview yet.

 

[Water Pokémon Master]

The scan is too small ya fuel.

 

[Silktree]

I'm aware of that. But there are people who actually have the magazine and they don't appear to be in a sharing mood.

 

[Water Pokémon Master]

Yeah, that's true. I'll ask if someone can go pick it up. Maybe they're not sharing it because it's not interesting or something.

 

[Bangirasu]

The region of the 5th Generation will be Hiroshima and Western Chukoku very likely. Is the most populated Japan region without representation of the games and is between Johto and Hoenn (HGSS being hinting this? Johto + a lot of Hoenn references). If that happens, there are huge chances of Johto or Hoenn being in the game too as second region since Hiroshima is between Kansai and Kyuushu.

The other option, but less likely is Tohoku, in north Honshu. The only thing that gives it a chance is that it isn´t connected with other previous regions.

What I can say at 100% is that one of these two regions will be the region of 5th generation, and the other one will be the region of 6th generation.

Also, if the area is Hiroshima, expect the main legendaries theme to be something related about meteorithes or outher-space (a huge crater will be done, being the reference of the Nuclear Bomb than destroyed Hiroshima. But this is a kids game, so it will be reedited to a meteorhite falling) (also, Deoxys in Tracks of Light could be another hint referending to Hiroshima). If the area is Tohoku, I dunno. Nature or kami-oriented legendaries?

 

[KedaseDerragar]

Hmm...I may be able to grab a copy of Famitsu tomorrow. (Not sure whether the local JP bookstore keeps it in stock, or how much they sell it for, or if I'll even have time to go grab it.) I'm definitely not the best person to translate it, but I might be able to get scans online or copy the text.

Also, if the area is Hiroshima, expect the main legendaries theme to be something related about meteorithes or outher-space (a huge crater will be done, being the reference of the Nuclear Bomb than destroyed Hiroshima. But this is a kids game, so it will be reedited to a meteorhite falling).

...Okay, this is Japan we're talking about. They're still sensitive enough to the topic of the bombings to have removed a small side-quest from their version of Fallout 3 that dealt with a nuclear bomb. There's no way they'd make a legendary Pokémon even remotely referencing it.

 

[Magmaster12]

The region of the 5th Generation will be Hiroshima very likely. Is the most populated Japan region without representation of the games and is between Johto and Hoenn (HGSS being hinting this? Johto + a lot of Hoenn references). If that happens, there are huge chances of Johto or Hoenn being in the game too as second region since Hiroshima is between Kansai and Kyuushu.

The other option, but less likely is Tohoku, in north Honshu. The only thing that gives it a chance is that it isn´t connected with other previous regions.

What I can say at 100% is that one of these two regions will be the region of 5th generation, and the other one will be the region of 6th generation.

Also, if the area is Hiroshima, expect the main legendaries theme to be something related about meteorithes or outher-space (a huge crater will be done, being the reference of the Nuclear Bomb than destroyed Hiroshima. But this is a kids game, so it will be reedited to a meteorhite falling). If the area is Tohoku, I dunno. Nature or kami-oriented legendaries?

There were also parts of Kanto that were bombed also.

 

[Bangirasu]

Mmmm...I see.

Despise that, I´d say that Hiroshima and Western Shikoku have a 75% of being the new region, and Tohoku a 25%.

The strategy location between Hoenn and Johto is the key (HGSS + the tons of Hoenn references). And the marine routes.

Plus, that Hiroshima is most populated than Tohoku. If you see, Nintendo is getting the regions in order of population:
Kanto is the most populated area.
Kansai the second most populated area.
Chubi the third most populated area (but was splitted between Kanto and Johto).
Kyuushu the fourth most populated area.
Hokkaido the fifth most populated area.
Hiroshima the sixth most populated area.
Tohoku the seventh most populated area.