BDSP What would you have changed about Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl?

[System Error]

Easy: no affection. Or at least capped like in other games.

The constant text box pop ups (Pokemon is awaiting your directions, Pokemon is awaiting your directions, Pokemon is awaiting your directions...), extra animations, and outright cheating in battles (that doesn't let you take advantage of abilities like Guts too) is so dumb I cheated to avoid the cheating. And I'll have to repeatedly break to do so just to keep happiness down...

 

[Norzan]

So, they basically attached the Poke Amie affection effects to happiness, effectively forcing them on everyone? This combined with the forced Exp. Share are two of my most disliked changes in recent times.

Don't know why is it so hard to add a toggle to the Exp. Share (and don't tell me to rotate pokemon, i don't play that way or want to be forced to play that) and leave the affection bonuses tied to a minigame like they were in previous games (meaning people don't have to deal with them if they choose to).

For a franchise that likes to claim that players should play the way they want and not be forced into anything, the games sure are going out of their way to force things on people, things some people might not like.

 

[Kallyle]

For a franchise that likes to claim that players should play the way they want and not be forced into anything, the games sure are going out of their way to force things on people, things some people might not like.

It’s because Masuda and Ohmori thinks kids don’t have have enough patience/attention span to finish the games normally thanks to the existence of smartphones.

 

[Shib]

I personally would have remade it to be visually more like LGPE. At the minimum I’d want to see Pokémon roaming out in the wild like they do in the underground.

I appreciate this so much more now after going back to the wild encounters in the grass, I find it so annoying now lol

Honestly I really prefer random encounters so I think the BDSP approach of having random encounters in the over ground and visible Pokémon in the Grand Underground works quite nicely as a way of having both.

I'd like to have movement feel a bit smoother. It feels like everything has hitboxes much bigger than they would seem, and it feels like I keep bumping into stuff that isn't there. The bike in particular is annoying, since it feels like there's always a delay in my inputs. It takes a while before I actually start moving, and turning feels clunky.

This really annoys me too - I only really use the bike for egg hatching as a result. I assume it’s something to do with the grid based build - I’ve found in caves using the D pad is better than control stick to avoid constant crashing!

 

[MrMeowPuss]

Honestly I really prefer random encounters so I think the BDSP approach of having random encounters in the over ground and visible Pokémon in the Grand Underground works quite nicely as a way of having both.

Yeah I’m sure there’s quite a few people who the old style of random encounters we see in BDSP. As someone else mentioned a few posts ago, I get them literally every few steps so moving through even a small patch of grass is so irritating and forces me to use repel all the time.

It’s likely a mechanic that wasn’t well balanced for everyone which is why I’m seeing mixed experiences with this.

 

[Shib]

I did have an annoying RE moment while playing yesterday. While using surf got attacked by a tentacool, finished the battle pushed the control stick to move and before I even moved was attacked by another tentacool, so that bit felt a little broken to me.

Despite that I definitely still prefer random encounters though.

 

[System Error]

It’s because Masuda and Ohmori thinks kids don’t have have enough patience/attention span to finish the games normally thanks to the existence of smartphones.

I remember hearing about this, and honestly, dunno about others but it struck me personally as a bit out of touch on their part. Maybe it's a cultural difference thing with Japanese kids, but one thing I can say with seeing kids here: they absolutely know and are aware when a game is too easy. And certainly, it's going to turn some of them off playing.

 

[MrMeowPuss]

I did have an annoying RE moment while playing yesterday. While using surf got attacked by a tentacool, finished the battle pushed the control stick to move and before I even moved was attacked by another tentacool, so that bit felt a little broken to me.

Despite that I definitely still prefer random encounters though.

You would think there’s just as many Bidoof as there is blades of grass based on how many I encounter

 

[jbmasta]

Unlocking gym leader style outfit pieces upon defeating them, which can be used in contests and each set having a specific contest alignment
Be able to mix and match different outfit pieces
Outfits determining things like places you can access and how you interact with some NCPs
Difficulty settings to determine things like damage done, damage taken and exp earned, relative to a baseline for each category
Being able to toggle off or on quality of life changes like EXP Share and if the attack menu HUD says whether attacks are effective or not

 

[Silktree]

I would have re-released Platinum with faster battles, active Wi-Fi features and some missing Pokemon, and called it a day. Then I would have charged $15 for it, or $20 if we're being greedy.

 

[There Is No Arceus]

i'm sure tons of people have said this already, but i'd prefer if the changes from platinum were carried over. more interesting gym puzzles, more pokemon in the dex (having them in the underground isn't enough), No Fantina who nonsensically refuses to battle you at first and of course the battle frontier

 

[ManUtd22]

I always jope for voices in pokemons games.

 

[Boss1708]

So that now that we're playing Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, there are probably some things you're disappointed in.

... Nope... Not really. The game is great as it is.

Now, what would you change about these games?

As I said, the game is already great, and really doesn't need any major changes. But if I had to be nitpicky here, here's what I would've changed/added in BDSP:

1. Give the Box Legendaries new and exclusive formes. Just like the Griseous Orb transforms Giratina into it's Origin Form, I would've had Dialga and Palkia's Orbs change them to their Origin Forms too. And I don't just say this from an in-game perspective, but I think that giving Dialga and Palkia new forms would've really helped BDSP marketing wise, just how it helped ORAS having the Primal Forms of Groudon and Kyogre featured on the box of each game.

2. I would've made affection bonuses optional. This is definitely a valid complaint, even if I don't really care about it personally.

3. I would've fleshed out the plot in these remakes, instead of faithfully reproducing the original's plot. I'm not talking of improving it "like in Platinum" but rather improve it with new, original ideas, maybe revolving around the new Origin Forms for Dialga and Palkia.

And that's pretty much it. I don't think BDSP needs any further changes/improvements, as the game is very solid already.

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

1. Have the entire game be in the LGPE art style.
2. The game should be complete on release (with full soundtrack, and the title screen and all the story cutscenes).
3. New forms for Dialga and Palkia, the ability to visit their dimensions, and a reworked plot.
4. Add the already existing regional variants and Mega Evolution.
5. Add in some nods to Legends: Arceus.
6. Redesign some areas and add Easter eggs for players to played the original games.

 

[silurica]

Also make the overworld models more expressive. More expressions would be appreciated, but more importantly I think the models right now don't gesture enough, if that makes sense. Every time they zoom in for a conversation I see up close how doll-like the models are, and the flat expression makes them feel lifeless.

It's kinda weird because the models in battle are actually better at this; the characters have their own gestures and reactions that reflect their personality. So the overworld models being so doll-like feels like a deliberate decision, and not a good one imo.

Since I made this post I've seen the Spear Pillar climax and I have to wonder, why can't every prolonged dialogue/cutscene be like this? Chibi graphic doesn't have to be lesser than non-chibi and they showed it with Cyrus' "acting", it's much more immersive than everyone standing exactly the same without any regard to context.

 

[R1ke]

Mainly stopping affection from being gained by following pokemon. I never liked the mechanics, it’s too OP in battles. It feels like cheating imo cause you get unfair advantages that only you could use. Or if they really wanted to be cruel, give it to some of the opponent’s pokemon (only like rival and league aces). Also stop forced exp share.

Generally speaking, I’d implement platinum’s story and features instead. Some trainer rosters (before postgame) are also kinda wack for the sake of being faithful. It’s better and although they don’t have to copy it, having some postgame expansion with distortion world or something would be cool (like how delta episode was handled).

 

[Silktree]

I think that giving Dialga and Palkia new forms would've really helped BDSP marketing wise, just how it helped ORAS having the Primal Forms of Groudon and Kyogre featured on the box of each game.

Eh. How many times can people fall for "mascots with new forms -> brand new game" shtick? I appreciate their honesty this time around.

 

[Norzan]

Yeah, as much as i don't care for this remake, i'm actually kind of glad they didn't pull another "give new forms to box legendaries in a third version/remake/sequel" thing here. It has gotten old at this point.

 

[Kelleo]

I wouldn't have changed a whole lot, but a few things yeah, I would definitely alter.

• Use the Platinum designs for locations such as Amity Square, Battle Park, etc.
• Use the actual Platinum dex for the regional Sinnoh one
• Include Looker and his scenes (why does Eusine get to be in HGSS but Looker can't be in BDSP?! I NEED LOOKER! AND HE DEBUTED IN SINNOH!)
• Keep secret base furniture and decorations, just increase the base size some and decrease the size of some of the statues
• Keep all the contest ribbons
• Keep accessories, and have both them and the ball capsules be a part of the visual phase of the contests

And that's really it, honestly, other than also preventing a lot of the bugs/glitches that have been found (mainly the annoying and potential gamebreaking ones). Looker for me would be the biggest thing though. Like I said, I NEED HIM! I'm such a fangirl. I was so happy to keep seeing him in other games past Sinnoh and now he's gone! Bring him back, GF!

 

[olivinelighthouse]

Aside from repeating what everyone else said, I would like to have seen it with less extreme blurring. Less could be more. Every time I look at the game I feel like my glasses have fallen off.