Damion/Barry/Pearl/Jun/Nameless rival

[taitofan]

Honestly, I think that's a not-so-great idea. There's already a character named Pearl--his manga counterpart. If Jun was chosen because it was at the top of the Diamond list, than we should go with Barry. It kinda fits with his dad's name anyway. Palmer and Barry. Palms are trees and berries grow on shrubs. Seems like a pun Nintendo would be proud of.

 

[Zeta]

Red (Game) and Red (Special) are already named the same. As are Gold, Silver, and Crystal.

 

[taitofan]

Yes, but shouldn't we try to make as few of the names the same as possible? Just because it was done in the past doesn't mean it has to be done now. Perhaps it's because I hang around the shipping scene, but personally I find shared names to be a pain in the butt.

Though it appears that the shipping list is gonna use Barry regardless of how this all turns out, so I suppose it doesn't matter too much. I do find the Palmer/Barry connection amusing though. Guess I'm just a dork like that.

 

[The Incarnation ポケモン]

and I really have yet to see how exactly Nintendo made use of Damion's name. So far it dosen't sound like anything in-game really refers to him as Damion...

Funny I should read that not long after I checked my Journal in Pearl on my first visit to Oreburgh, and it said that I had defeated some trainer named Damion, even though I don't recall ever battling a Damion. I let my rival have the default name of Diamond, default as in the name that the game chooses every time you pick to name him and then hit OK without inputting anything.

 

[Porygon]

Funny I should read that not long after I checked my Journal in Pearl on my first visit to Oreburgh, and it said that I had defeated some trainer named Damion, even though I don't recall ever battling a Damion. I let my rival have the default name of Diamond, default as in the name that the game chooses every time you pick to name him and then hit OK without inputting anything.

Interesting. Although that really dosen't make sense, as it should be consistant with the name you gave him anyway. But I suggest other people try check that to see if they get similar results.

Yes, but shouldn't we try to make as few of the names the same as possible? Just because it was done in the past doesn't mean it has to be done now. Perhaps it's because I hang around the shipping scene, but personally I find shared names to be a pain in the butt.

Though it appears that the shipping list is gonna use Barry regardless of how this all turns out, so I suppose it doesn't matter too much. I do find the Palmer/Barry connection amusing though. Guess I'm just a dork like that.

I didn't notice the Palmer thing. While that's a good point, I'd have to say deciding on a name because it's a pun isn't justifiable either. I personally hate Leaf's name since they could've so easily just made it Green instead, but I'm not disregaring it because of that.

If someone can back up The Incarnation's point, and it's consistant thoughout the game, then I guess Damion is the name. Until then I'm still not sure about all this.

 

[Luna Tiger]

Funny I should read that not long after I checked my Journal in Pearl on my first visit to Oreburgh, and it said that I had defeated some trainer named Damion, even though I don't recall ever battling a Damion. I let my rival have the default name of Diamond, default as in the name that the game chooses every time you pick to name him and then hit OK without inputting anything.

Maybe that's because you're playing by different means? After what battle was that, roughly?

Interesting. Although that really dosen't make sense, as it should be consistant with the name you gave him anyway. But I suggest other people try check that to see if they get similar results.

If someone can back up The Incarnation's point, and it's consistant thoughout the game, then I guess Damion is the name. Until then I'm still not sure about all this.

Just trounced my rival in Hearthome. The name I dubbed him was Jun, and that's the name in my Journal.

 

[Porygon]

^ Alright, I assumed that'd be the case. That would just be really weird otherwise.

Is it really impossible to check the rom data and not see what name is associated with this character? Or does anybody have the Nintendo player's guide?

 

[The Incarnation ポケモン]

Or maybe it's because I chose the name and then left the name field blank and got the game default name, which is Diamond for the most part but might've not been corrected for the Journal? And I checked it on my first visit to Oreburgh, so that would be after the very first rival battle.

Eh, I've had to restart my game anyway, so I'll check again.

 

[Luna Tiger]

Or maybe it's because I chose the name and then left the name field blank and got the game default name, which is Diamond for the most part but might've not been corrected for the Journal? And I checked it on my first visit to Oreburgh, so that would be after the very first rival battle.

Eh, I've had to restart my game anyway, so I'll check again.

That's what I thought, so maybe we should find someone who didn't input their rivals name to get Diamond or Pearl in an actual cart and double-check with them, to see if it's not just a quirk of your's.

 

[Porygon]

Since I haven't really played D/P yet, I'm curious- would the journal show the name long after being battled, or would it only be visible if he were the last trainer you fought?

 

[Zeta]

The Journal pretty much randomly displays events you've performed in the last 24 hours.

 

[Zhen Lin]

It goes back a lot further than 24 hours. You can turn the pages by pressing the appropriate buttons.

 

[paperfairy]

Well Porygon and I dove into everything we can find reguarding Trainers, but again; I don't have the trainer name list. How's it coming along Zhen?

 

[Zhen Lin]

I haven't looked any further into it.

 

[Porygon]

I sent a PM to my 'secret source' (Dinsdale on the SomethingAwful forums. Worked in translating the game.) I got this response:

I really wish I could help you, but I can't. I have no idea what the rival's name was or is. All I ever saw in the text was [rival01] sort of variable placeholder. That sort of strategic decision-making lies deeper within the creative core, either at NOA or as far back as GF.

All the avaliable evidence for the names so far:

Damion:
-It's been used by NOA [citation needed, seriously]
-It was what the Nintendo Player's guide used [point made by one person, another said it wasn't]

Barry
-First on the list.
-Barry/Palmer semi-pun.

Pearl
-Name he gets by auto entry in 'primary' version. We never picked a name for a character before just because it was on the top of a list, but we have from auto-entry before.
Not exactly evidence, but it backs up my claim:
-The name of his PokeSpecial counterpart, so at least this isn't coming out of nowhere.
-Every major rival has been named after the alternative version of the 'primary' version so far. RSE was an exception because Wally was not the major rival who picked the opposing Pokémon.
-At the very least, his name should be Diamond AND Pearl, if you don't like the 'primary' version thing.

I really wish we could get someone to pull apart DP to look at trainer names, if it can even be done. But I have a feeling we'll still be left with nothing at the end.

 

[PKMN Trainer Austin]

i named him dominik not enough space for the c

 

[Zhen Lin]

I really wish we could get someone to pull apart DP to look at trainer names, if it can even be done. But I have a feeling we'll still be left with nothing at the end.

US DP trainer names are coded in some unusual way - seems compressed or encrypted. All I can say is that the entries corresponding to パール in the Japanese version are probably 6 letters long, judging by comparing known name translations such as the gym leaders and the Elite Four.

 

[VeronicaIsabel]

Whoever edited it probably did because they use Damion in the official Nintendo DP guide.

Has anyone actually tried seeing if we get the same name each time someone goes to choose your own and presses start? If it's the same name on Diamond each time, that should be what we use. *has Pearl, sorry* I went straight to naming him Jun, so I dunno if that would work, but in theory I don't see why it wouldn't.

I have Diamond. I just tried it and got Pearl every time.

 

[Maxim Posthumus]

Evidences for names:

Barry
- First on the list in Diamond
- Equivalent to Jun used by official Japanese sources.

Damion
- Used on screenshots in Prima's guide

Clint
- First on the list in Pearl

Cedric
- Used as a placeholder in game data.

Pearl
- Automatical choice in Diamond
- Used in PokeSpecial as his counterpart's name
- Old method of naming rival of "secondary" game version

Diamond
- Automatical choice in Pearl

Jun
- The only DP rival's used in official source.

DRINKER
- Because I called him that.

Choose one. Except last one, of course, because it was a joke.

 

[lonepichu]

I named my rival Derek after a character in an RPG I'm involved in. To me, that's an official name for him in my book. As for his real name, I could truthfully care less...