Writers' Workshop General Chat Thread

[diamondpearl876]

I definitely see why people are wary of shinies, since it's very easily used by new authors to make an OT look different or special. I've also seen the other side of the spectrum where the shiny pokemon feels completely alienated because of their status.

I took a spin on the latter personally in Survival Project. The shiny pokemon character in the fic doesn't know he's shiny. Throughout the fic he always tries to be in control of a situation and he works to shape other character's opinions of him, because he doesn't think anyone would accept him for who he really is. But then he finds out that he's shiny from someone who knew from the start, and then his shiny status makes him question himself and his confidence.

...It's a bit more complicated than that in the actual fic, but yeah.

 

[Kharixi]

My fic is Pokémon-only, so for them, Shiny Pokémon aren't anything special. At least not most 'mons.

 

[Instrutilus]

I intend to have shinies not sparkle, but have some trait that indicates the status. Like a shiny Charizard's scales would reflect light in a way that made them shine brightly, or a shiny Jigglypuff's eyes would shimmer with the moonlight. Nothing overt beyond the changed colour, just a small details. They'd never actually be called shiny, though alternate colouration isn't an option because Pokémon will have different colours based on the Pokémon Stadium nickname thing... hmm...

 

[0bs1d1an_kn1ght]

I usually just use shinies to distinguish the "strongest" member of a large, same-species group of pokemon. And I try to write that sparingly.

 

[GastlyGibus]

I would never have a shiny "sparkle" in a fic as they do in the games. I believe that's just a visual cue in the games so that players don't simply glance over it and hit "RUN" by accident. Considering my earlier grievance with some shinies looking stupidly similar to regular 'mon, such a visual cue is necessary in the games. I don't recall it ever having happened in the anime, and it would quite frankly be silly in a fic setting as well.

 

[diamondpearl876]

I would never have a shiny "sparkle" in a fic as they do in the games. I believe that's just a visual cue in the games so that players don't simply glance over it and hit "RUN" by accident. Considering my earlier grievance with some shinies looking stupidly similar to regular 'mon, such a visual cue is necessary in the games. I don't recall it ever having happened in the anime, and it would quite frankly be silly in a fic setting as well.

I wish shinies had been established better early on. The visual cue didn't help me when I got a shiny totodile as my starter the very first time I EVER played silver. I thought it was a game glitch that would ruin my cartridge for some reason and started over immediately. XD

 

[CrystaI]

I wish shinies had been established better early on. The visual cue didn't help me when I got a shiny totodile as my starter the very first time I EVER played silver. I thought it was a game glitch that would ruin my cartridge for some reason and started over immediately. XD

How ironic is that the luckiest person on earth was an ignorant fool back at then? Don't speak of this incident to the shiny hunters, they will beat the crap out of you for letting go such a millionth luck in one's life time.

Not only limited to shiny pokemons, but every pokemons like legendaries and a few selected others where its existence itself possess some "special meaning" to its in-universe overworld, should be used with care when comes to story-writing. When a meaningful existence is used for nonsense story, of course readers are turned off. That also shown the writer doesn't pay respect to those existence from in-universe POV.

 

[Tophat Dragoneye]

Once got a shiny Igglybuff from an egg from the daycare in Crystal. It wasn't until later I realized how lucky I was (14% chance of it being shiny in international versions).

As for shiny Pokémon in stories, one idea I can think of is the fact a Pokémon is shiny could spark the plot of a subplot, such as the sighting of one attracts many trainers hoping to catch it, including some "less friendly ones".

 

[Kharixi]

When a meaningful existence is used for nonsense story, of course readers are turned off. That also shown the writer doesn't pay respect to those existence from in-universe POV.

Well, I certainly try to make the Legendaries' existence very important. Especially the ones involved in creation (Dialga, Palkia, etc.). But they'll all play important roles throughout the stories.

 

[diamondpearl876]

How ironic is that the luckiest person on earth was an ignorant fool back at then? Don't speak of this incident to the shiny hunters, they will beat the crap out of you for letting go such a millionth luck in one's life time.

I was only 6 years old, to be fair. XD And I am one of those shiny hunters, so I always think back to my stupid 6 year old self and laugh. I've never let a shiny I've found since then get away.

 

[GastlyGibus]

I was breeding a bunch of Shuppets for my competitive team, trying to get good stats and nature. I hatched a shiny after only about 20 eggs.

Then I got mad because OF COURSE it had neither the nature or the stats that I wanted. I still have it, but I can't use it for competitive, sadly. I'll use it for normal play, at least.

 

[Beth Pavell]

Still haven't managed to get my shiny Steelix, alas

 

[Instrutilus]

I have a shiny Steelix in HeartGold (how fitting). Is there a way to clone Pokémon in Gens 4, 5 or 6? If there is, I'll give you a clone.

 

[GastlyGibus]

We're cloning pokémon now? Is that even ethical? WHAT HAS SCIENCE WROUGHT?

Spoiler

yes, I am aware of what you mean.

 

[Kharixi]

How does cloning even work? What's the process?

 

[Instrutilus]

We're cloning pokémon now? Is that even ethical? WHAT HAS SCIENCE WROUGHT?

Spoiler

yes, I am aware of what you mean.

Ah great, and now he's triggered. Gonna be all day with it...

EDIT: All this talk of shinies, and guess which git just found and caught a shiny Sharpedo.

 

[GastlyGibus]

How does cloning even work? What's the process?

If I recall the process correctly, I believe you have to take the pokemon you want to clone and put it up on the GTS, but while it's in the process of uploading and tells you not to turn off your system, you do exactly that and hard reset. If you do it correctly, you end up with the pokemon still in your party and an exact duplicate of that pokemon on the GTS. Then you just recall the pokemon from the GTS, and boom, you have a clone.

I'm sure you can google the exact process, something which I am clearly too lazy to do right now. :V

 

[Kharixi]

*clones the Shiny Mewtwo from Play! Pokémon over and over*

 

[Time Breaker]

Rockin' that avatar, Gibus.

 

[GastlyGibus]

Dartrix has fabulous hair just like I do. Thankies!