The Return of Walking Pokemon?

[smalllady]

So dataminers found overworld models and walking animations for all 802 Pokemon in S/M, which could mean Gamefreak was thinking about bringing back the Walking Pokemon feature from HG/SS. The question is--will this come to fruition in US/UM?

Of course, it could be optional for those who don't like it for whatever reason.

My only concern is if the 3DS could handle it. It was already bogged down by battles, especially if there were more than two Pokemon on the field. I can't remember if there were any frame-rate drops in the overworld, though.

 

[PurplePopplio]

If the DS can handle it, I'm sure that the 3DS can as well.

 

[Esserise]

I know it was a short trailer, but it is perhaps worth noting that they only showed scenes from the very beginning of the game, before you get your Pokémon, and clips of cutscenes that don't show the player. Not even any generic "running on a random route on Akala Island or whatever" clips. If Walking Pokémon is back, this makes sense to do if they want to reveal the feature later on.

 

[Soki]

afaik there weren't any problems with the overworld, though the loadings screens we get when opening fences does suggest it can't handle too much at once. But I'm no expert and I have no idea if walking Pokémon would be too much to handle for the overworld.

If the DS can handle it, I'm sure that the 3DS can as well.

There is a huge difference between walking sprites and walking 3D models though ^^;

The only thing I can say for sure about this is: HELL YES PLS

 

[Deku-Mimikyu]

One thing I found odd is how finished the models were. For every Pokemon to have a complete hi res model along with walking and running animations, with many of said animations being unique to the Pokemon's anatomy (Ie: Komala) suggests that the feature was extremely far along. Some of the models and animations needed polishing, and possibly some animations for talking to your Pokemon, but that's about it. If walking Pokemon was an impossibility due to hardware limitations, you'd think that they would have realized much earlier on. It seems more likely that the feature was planned for Sun and Moon, but had to be scrapped due to time. If that's the case, then it's a good bet that the feature will appear in US/UM.

 

[Aulos]

You say it could be optional, but the feature has never been optional. If they make it optional than I'm fine with it. But they never have so I worry.

 

[Vyrron]

I can totally see walking Pokemon making a return this time. Making unique walking and running animations for each and every Pokemon and form certainly takes too much time and effort to keep them unused. Besides they really need to pack as many fan-favorite features as they can into USM to justify another 3rd version. The only thing that still puzzles me is why they made animations for battle-only forms (like Megas).

 

[Soki]

You say it could be optional, but the feature has never been optional. If they make it optional than I'm fine with it. But they never have so I worry.

It only has been in one game really. Yellow hardly counts, since it was only Pikachu and since you also couldn't evolve it, it's clear they just really wanted you to bond with that Pikachu. It was pretty much what the whole game was about

Furthermore it has only been in HGSS, so to say 'they will never do it cause they've never done it before' is a bit of an exaggeration imo. That said, these games don't even let you skip tutorials or turn off those type effectiveness hints in the battle screen, so they don't seem very fond of giving you options ^^;

 

[techitisJ]

If they had it, and the 3DS could handle it then just give me it already. To be able to walk around with my pokemon at my side (well following me), in full 3D, would be amazing. Honestly, I wouldn't even mind if it was just certain areas that you could walk with your Pokemon, but I would prefer for it to be the whole game.

 

[Alola]

That actually makes a lot of sense given how dataminers found the walking Pokemon animations. Perhaps they wanted to include that in the main game but didn't because of time constraints/budget reasons.

I'd dig it. Have my cute little Rowlet fluttering after me during our adventures in Melemele.

 

[Boss1708]

http://i.********/vp/1496773268027.jpg

 

[Wishy-Washy]

Oh wow a NPC has a Pokemon beside it out of its Pokeball its not like that hasn't been in every Pokemon main game ever

 

[Aulos]

It only has been in one game really. Yellow hardly counts, since it was only Pikachu and since you also couldn't evolve it, it's clear they just really wanted you to bond with that Pikachu. It was pretty much what the whole game was about

Furthermore it has only been in HGSS, so to say 'they will never do it cause they've never done it before' is a bit of an exaggeration imo. That said, these games don't even let you skip tutorials or turn off those type effectiveness hints in the battle screen, so they don't seem very fond of giving you options ^^;

I mean, I'm going off of how we've seen the feature handled before. It's the only handling of the feature we have to go off of.

The fact that it *wasn't* optional really bothered me because I'm just not very fond of the feature. If I could easily always have one of my favorite cute Pokemon alongside me it might be different, but instead I had to have Pokemon that I didn't really find 'cute' so I could battle. I've always thought that it's a neat feature on paper, but it doesn't translate well into function. Unless they really changed it up, which I doubt.

What you mentioned they did in Yellow where they really wanted you to bond with Pikachu was clearly carried on into HG/SS. I don't see them changing this feature to being optional if it returns.

 

[Kirby4ever]

http://i.********/vp/1496773268027.jpg

What you should be pointing at is a Wingull flying by the player as it follows him.

Here's a playlist of all of the Pokemon walking and running animations, have fun.
Pokémon Sun and Moon: Walking Animations - YouTube

 

[Vyrron]

Oh wow a NPC has a Pokemon beside it out of its Pokeball its not like that hasn't been in every Pokemon main game ever

Which begs the question: if there are so many Pokemon in the overworld anyway, why do people think one more Pokemon following the PC is something the 3DS can't handle?

 

[Galactic_V]

They could make it optional instead of obrigatory. As if you let a Pokemon walk with you for some time he'd get a better friendship, but you did it in certain conditions (as in a different weather, if the 'mon is poisoned or burned), it could be affected as in battles.

 

[Deku-Mimikyu]

Which begs the question: if they are so many Pokemon in the overworld anyway, why do people think one more Pokemon following the PC is something the 3DS can't handle?

Because GameFreak carefully measured out every area to contain as many models as possible without causing the 3ds to explode from being overloaded. They still have a bunch of charred 3ds systems sitting in the corner of the GameFreak storage room.

 

[Boss1708]

Oh wow a NPC has a Pokemon beside it out of its Pokeball its not like that hasn't been in every Pokemon main game ever

Ahhh, a little bit of sarcasm. Thanks.

What you should be pointing at is a Wingull flying by the player as it follows him.

I am not pointing out anything. Saw it on an other site and posted it here.

Also, the wingull is just like the overworld Wingulls and Swablus flying over the PC in ORAS. I don´t think the wingull is following you.

 

[Team Gaara]

I personally don't see it happening (since it never does), but the models having animations could hint towards it. Who knows? ;3

Which begs the question: if they are so many Pokemon in the overworld anyway, why do people think one more Pokemon following the PC is something the 3DS can't handle?

Because random NPC's aren't likely to potentially have a big-ass Solgaleo, Dialga, or Groudon following them constantly throughout the game. XP

 

[Vyrron]

Because random NPC's aren't likely to potentially have a big-ass Solgaleo, Dialga, or Groudon following them constantly throughout the game. XP

Does the size of the 3D model really matter? How is that different from Ride Pokemon which were also quite large?