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

[Crisbee Donut]

The world styles are indeed good with crisp details but i hate overworld encounters that can chase you into a forced battle This includes
-Gen 5 Dust Clouds
-Gen 6 Ariados and Woobat/Swoobat in caves.
-Gen 6/7 shadows that trigger encounters in areas Venipede near the Kalos castle and Fearow Shadows hovering over grass like Poni Meadow
Visible Gen 8 overworld pokemon like Sneasel that chase you when you're just travelling.
Isle of Armor Sharpedo (These have caused be so many of these battles while i was cruising between dlc islands looking for those Alolan dittos.)

I dunno if Let's Go had those but only the Grand Underground in BDSP has potential pokemon that chase you. But the games need some sort of overworld chase repel

I agree with everything on this, repels should work like that
Let's Go didn't have those I think

 

[Nichole the Otter]

What I would have changed:

• Platinum regional Dex
• Shiny Charm to affect wild encounters like it already did in other games
• Trainer customisation to not be locked to preset outfits and hairstyles
• Pokétch should have had a second button to go backwards like it was in Platinum
• Platinum outfits should be available without being locked behind Mystery Gift
• Super Contests should be like they were in the originals, but without the dressup portion as it doesn’t translate well onto the 3D models.
• Make Nosepass evolve with a Thunder Stone
• TMs should be infinite use
• Elite Four and Cynthia to have competitive-level teams in rematches only, not the first battle, in order to be friendlier to newer players who don’t yet understand the competitive scene
• Add regional variants of Gen 1-4 Pokémon to the game
• Have a minigame to raise affection, like Pokémon Amie or Pokémon Camp
• Have Manaphy’s egg be a gift from an NPC instead of Mystery Gift
• Use a different art style, instead of the poorly handled chibi character designs

 

[Totem_Rowlet]

What I would have changed:

• Platinum regional Dex
• Shiny Charm to affect wild encounters like it already did in other games
• Trainer customisation to not be locked to preset outfits and hairstyles
• Pokétch should have had a second button to go backwards like it was in Platinum
• Platinum outfits should be available without being locked behind Mystery Gift
• Super Contests should be like they were in the originals, but without the dressup portion as it doesn’t translate well onto the 3D models.
• Make Nosepass evolve with a Thunder Stone
• TMs should be infinite use
• Elite Four and Cynthia to have competitive-level teams in rematches only, not the first battle, in order to be friendlier to newer players who don’t yet understand the competitive scene
• Add regional variants of Gen 1-4 Pokémon to the game
• Have a minigame to raise affection, like Pokémon Amie or Pokémon Camp
• Have Manaphy’s egg be a gift from an NPC instead of Mystery Gift
• Use a different art style, instead of the poorly handled chibi character designs

Everything she said, plus full nat dex, platinum dex mons, better following pokemon, and less buggy.

 

[Pokefan_1987]

BDSP does needs a option to turn off the insane competitive teams on elite 4 as in only if you want em including the higher levels or the team changes and remove the Milotic's Flame Orb healing gimmick on normal setting. Think of it these changes like the challenge mode in Black and White but the option is available anytime.

It's already insane that gym leaders get a level 70 boost and new teams after getting national dex.
And the E4 get a final upgrade after Heatran is caught. (Which i'm gonna avoid for my own sanity)

 

[Daenerys]

To begin with I would've made them sequels to Diamond and Pearl instead of just lazily made remakes. That way they could still sell well based on Sinnoh nostalgia while still giving us some new content.

 

[dig]

Platinum dex
Battle frontier
Platinum story changes
First 493 Pokemon, plus 107 from the following gens, including the 60-odd missing from Gen 8.
Mega Evolutions, old and new
Regional forms that explain why Gym Leaders/E4 mixed types in the original release

• Meditite/Medicham - Fighting/Ice
• Octillery - Water/Electric
• Sudowoodo - Ground/Grass
• Onix -Fire/Rock
• Steelix - Fire/Steel

and maybe a handful more, like;

• Yungoos/Gumshoos - Dark/Fighting
• Alomomola - Water/Fiary
• Crabrawler - Ice/Fighting
• Bruxish - Steel/Water
• Litleo/Pyroar - Fire/Steel
• Skiddo/Gogoat - Steel/Grass
• Patrat/Watchog - Dark/Psychic

 

[Beer&Nyquil]

thinking about this again––i just wouldn't have made them lmao

 

[Norzan]

I would have taken Platinum being ported to the Switch over this. At least that would have been cheaper and it's the best version of the Generation 4 games.

 

[Pokefan_1987]

I would have taken Platinum being ported to the Switch over this. At least that would have been cheaper and it's the best version of the Generation 4 games.

It still would still have a few pokemon not available in that game including Glameow being Pearl exclusive. Unless Glameow would be somewhere like the Grand Underground as a compromise.

 

[CrystalRose21]

What would I have changed if I could? Well, there are a few ideas I have in my mind. For example:

• Including Mega Evolutions.
• Adding a sub-story in the postgame, like what it's done with Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.
  • Adding a new character who acts as an ally in this substory.
  • Adding new enemies for the player and their allies to defeat.
• Expanding the Pokédex to include Pokémon that were introduced in the following generations (for example, Sylveon).
• Enabling players to catch Pokémon like Pichu, Pikachu, Eevee and Riolu in the wild.
• Make it possible to take any Pokémon to the Amity Square.
• Adding a feature like Pokémon Amie, Pokémon Refresh and Pokémon Camp.
• Cresselia is still first met at Fullmoon Island but isn't fought in the wild like in the original games.
• Revamping Lucas and Dawn's default appearances to make them more modern, and giving the chance to unlock the classic styles.
• Improving character customization.
• Allowing players to use TMs many times.

Come to think of it. I realized that there are other things that I would have changed. I'd add some allusion to Pokémon Legends: Arceus, now that we learned some details in this game.

In "adding a sub-story", I'd introduce more than just one character. I'd add at least two new characters, each who is a descendant from the clans that worshipped Dialga and Palkia as their respective deities.

In Brilliant Diamond, a young man would be a descendant of the Diamond Clan and thus have a connection with Dialga.

In Shining Pearl, a young girl would be a descendant of the Pearl Clan and have a connection with Palkia.

If the player has Dialga/Palkia (depending on which version you'd play) in their party and has given it the Adamant Orb/Lustrous Orb, the descendant will unlock the Legendary Pokémon's long lost ability to transform into their Origin Forme. They will then help the player fight off members of Team Galactic, who become interested in Dialga/Palkia's Origin Forme.

If the player also caught Palkia/Dialga and has it in their party, the other descendant will also appear. They will give the Lustrous Orb/Adaman Orb to the player and unlock its ability to transform into its Origin Forme.

 

[Kit Chan]

I just wanted old DP with the OG underground and OG Super Contests in tact, but with reusable TMs (we have enough plastic waste without Pokemon Trainers dumping used TMs), Sylveon, Looker and Charon.

 

[RileyXY1]

TMs are infinite use like in the modern games.
The Sinnoh Pokedex is expanded. Of course the Platinum Dex is used as a basis, but more Pokemon will be added to the dex, including all 7 legendaries that are missing from the Platinum Dex, the other five Regis (including the two new ones), Sylveon, Mr. Rime, and Ditto (which is needed in order to obtain Phione).
Manaphy is obtained through a gift egg you can receive after defeating Cyrus at Spear Pillar.
The Gym Leaders, Elite 4, and Champion now use their Platinum teams.
The characters all have new designs. Lucas and Dawn also have a lot more outfit choices, including their original outfits from DP and Platinum.
Some Gens 5-8 Pokemon are obtainable here, including Sylveon, Mr. Rime, Cursola, Perrserker, Obstagoon, Sirfetch'd, and the Unova and Kalos starters, along with the Petilil, Zorua, Rufflet, Goomy, and Bergmite lines, along with Basculin, Regidrago, and Regieleki, and any Gens 5-7 Pokemon that were missing from SS. Many of these Pokemon can now be found in the Underground.
The Unova and Kalos starters can be found roaming in the Underground after the player becomes Champion.
Encounter locations are based on Platinum with some differences to add Sinnoh Pokemon that were missing from Platinum.
Feebas can now be found on any tile in that Mt. Coronet basement area.
Pokemon are now found in the overworld everywhere. No random encounters anymore.
Any Pokemon can be taken into Amity Square. The following Pokemon models are taken from Sword and Shield's DLC (as well as the unused SM models if they are not found in SS).
You can obtain Alolan and Galarian forms through in game trades scattered throughout Sinnoh. This will allow you to obtain the regional evolutions that SS introduced.
The Exp. Share can be turned off (as DP's level curve is not suitable for it).

 

[Palamon]

Just make it the Platinum Pokedex with d/p's story. That'd honestly be the only thing I'd change.

 

[CynthiaLover]

There is one minor thing I would've changed that I had forgotten about. I would've allowed trading to be unlocked before beating the first gym. Back in DPPt you could trade as soon as you got access to the Pokemon Center, which was a big help. However, for some reason, the games won't let you trade until after beating the first gym. This has been something of a recurring thing in some form or another, as HGSS blocked it off until after giving Professor Elm the Mystery Egg, Gen 5 blocked off trading until after the first gym, XY until after the mandatory catching tutorial, ORAS locked it off until after you helped Wally catch his Ralts, Gen 7 locked it off until after the celebration to Tapu Koko on Melemele Island, and SWSD blocked it off until you get the Dynamax Band. But considering that DPPt allowed you to trade as soon as you got access to the Pokemon Center yet BDSP locks it out until after beating the first gym is a little annoying. That's one thing I would've changed: make trading available as soon as you have access to the Pokemon Center like it was in the originals. It's a minor nitpick but it wouldn't have hurt if they had left it the way it was back in the original games.

 

[There Is No Arceus]

There is one minor thing I would've changed that I had forgotten about. I would've allowed trading to be unlocked before beating the first gym. Back in DPPt you could trade as soon as you got access to the Pokemon Center, which was a big help. However, for some reason, the games won't let you trade until after beating the first gym. This has been something of a recurring thing in some form or another, as HGSS blocked it off until after giving Professor Elm the Mystery Egg, Gen 5 blocked off trading until after the first gym, XY until after the mandatory catching tutorial, ORAS locked it off until after you helped Wally catch his Ralts, Gen 7 locked it off until after the celebration to Tapu Koko on Melemele Island, and SWSD blocked it off until you get the Dynamax Band. But considering that DPPt allowed you to trade as soon as you got access to the Pokemon Center yet BDSP locks it out until after beating the first gym is a little annoying. That's one thing I would've changed: make trading available as soon as you have access to the Pokemon Center like it was in the originals. It's a minor nitpick but it wouldn't have hurt if they had left it the way it was back in the original games.

i'm pretty confident DP's online features including trades were blocked until you beat the first gym. since trading is entirely online nowadays, it's actually consistent.

i can kinda see the reasoning behind it. you don't want to make it too easy for people to get all the starters by just trading the starter to a friend and then immediately starting over.

 

[CynthiaLover]

i'm pretty confident DP's online features including trades were blocked until you beat the first gym. since trading is entirely online nowadays, it's actually consistent.

i can kinda see the reasoning behind it. you don't want to make it too easy for people to get all the starters by just trading the starter to a friend and then immediately starting over.

Online trades. yes. But local trades were not, as I've done it dozens of times in the original DPPt. But in BDSP local trading is also blocked off until after the first gym, which wasn't present in DPPt.

 

[PhoenixGateSeven]

I would adjust the random encounter rate so it's not going back and forth between no encounters and encounters every two steps. That's all I can think of.

 

[impervious_gakko42]

Definitely keep Platinum's decision to rearrange the 3rd - 5th gyms. Seriously, you can still call it a remake even if you use some aspects not from the original.

Also, like, maybe not release half of the game after it was already shipped? You had to install the day one patch to actually get the real soundtrack, among other things.

Give an option to disable the Exp. Share and the affection metre. I'm pretty I was just handed half of my gym battle victories because of the whacko affection system. I dunno if this is accurate, but I'm pretty sure these two mechanics were included to balance the absurdly powerful Elite 4/Champion teams, which is another gripe in itself.

Graphics. All I need to say here.

Don't use a grid base for character movement; it just looks janky, especially considering the player can move diagonally.

Oh my Arceus, what did they do to contests? I'll admit, the OG contests weren't perfect, and those receive plenty of fair criticism, but they seriously just replaced them with a timing game. What's even the point if I can't put a moustache on my Lucario?

Blah blah faithful remakes, blah blah you don't need to keep everything the exact same, using the phrase "faithful remakes" makes me feel like I'm regurgitating some YouTuber's half-baked opinion, you get it. I would've preferred that they either:
A) spent more time on the games (but alas, the holidays were right around the corner)
B) just remade Platinum alone

I played Shining Pearl, and to be frank, it didn't even feel like a real remake. It felt more like a 3D remaster and not the actual thing, like they're just placeholders. I enjoyed Platinum 8 times as much.

 

[Yuunagi]

Honestly… the biggest think I can think to change is that I would have liked them to be full-scale all the time and not just for battles. The weird chibi half-2D approach gives me migraines when I play too long on a TV or monitor; it’s very unpleasant.

After that, I would have instantly trashed the affection system or made it optional (the latter probably, because people who like it should get to have it, that’s fine). It just makes things far too easy as it procs too often - I kind of felt like I was cheating by the fifth turn in a row that my Togekiss survived at 1 HP during the Cynthia battle. I’d have made the Exp Share optional again as well.

Change those things and you have a really solid game in my opinion, even for all the other things it didn’t do that it should have done. The look of the overworld and the unnecessary difficulty mitigations are my only real major complaints. It would take a complete overhaul, though, to even begin to address what I once dreamed we’d get as DP remakes.

 

[Emelie]

I think it would have been interesting to add more story elements that connect BDSP to PLA. For example some fans (especially in the Japanese fandom) speculate that the hiker from Platinum's and HGSS's Arceus events is Volo but in BDSP the event isn't included. Kind of weird when PLA wants to connect the lore (as well as referencing the other games/regions through the ancestors) but BDSP goes it's way out to remove interesting events and additional story elements added in Platinum.

Compare and contrast to ORAS which added a lot of new stuff in terms of story and lore (there is even a crazy post game event involving Rayquaza saving the multiverse!).

I also would have liked to see the characters get redesigns. Some characters have pretty generic designs like Candice. Maybe a new design could have showed off her love for ice, like a warmer outfit fit for skiing or something. I have always thought that her brown skirt was ugly.

Cynthia has so many cool outfits in Pokémon Masters why not include them in the actual mainline games? Imagine some kind of event when she wears her Giratina outfit and travels to the Distortion World to calm Giratina down or something. Great opportunity to connect with the lore already established in Pokémon Masters (PLA is kind of clever when it has Volo dress up as Arceus since it's Giratina's father which connects with Cynthia's Giratina outfit in Pokémon Masters).

And the graphics could have been better. The characters are so much more expressive in PLA. At least give us cutscenes with the in-battle models? I lost the ability to take Cyrus seriously after playing BDSP which is bad because he is not meant to be a joke villain.