Topic: So Pkmn X and Y.......

[Neobelmont]

So I don't know if there is a pokemon thread  for x/y so.... Okay I got Y like an hour ago right and I can't make an impression yet, but I will say this. This is my first new gen since 3 so I know nothing about anything afterward, also I choose the girl character this time around since I decided to opt for Red and Gold over Leaf/Blue and Crystal iirc in FR and SS. I named her Lilina because I really like that name It's on my "naming one of my future kids" list alongside Gabriel and also the last time I chose a girl it was may/ shappire. That's all I got so..... oh and I got the timeline poster because I'm awesome and yeah ..... 

[GuyStarwind]

I'm rockin X as we speak.

[Lashen]

Picked up Y yesterday morning.

Chose the grass starter; can't break tradition.

[Jorge D. Fuentes]

Got my first badge in Y and am running around Faux France like a boss.
Very pretty game.

Fighting a 'horde' of Pokemon (vs. 5) in the field is quite cool.
Also, finally I can be a 'tanned' PKMN trainer (and the hair actually resembles mine a little).

I also LOVE the EV-Training game (Super Training).  Finally I can have a more hands-on approach to EV Training, that doesn't require me to go out and look up a table of what wild pokemon battles will yield which two measly points in the EVs.  I also hear that if you max out your EV-Points, when you do the Super Training you can earn 'stones'?  I'm not sure if this is true but if it is, that's one better way to get stones than to get stupid random 'battle points' or whatever.

I boosted a Pikachu's SPEED value so much that its Electro Ball almost always OHKO's opponents (provided the type match-up is in my favor).

My 3DS Friend Code is this, in case anyone wants to be my 3DS buddy.  I'm not sure how the 3DS Pokemon handles friend lists, but I'm putting this here just in case:
2062-9148-6298

[shelverton.]

I have never played Pokemon in my life. Is that even possible?

I feel like there's no point now because I wouldn't know where to start. Unless this X/Y thing is it...? I'm overwhelmed just thinking about this series. But what if I've been missing out all this time... 

If someone wants to pitch Pokemon to me, in one sentence, what would it be?

EDIT: I'm gonna try finding some review that doesn't take for granted that the reader already knows EVERYTHING about the series. I mean, I know you collect monsters. But that's pretty much it.

[Aridale]

Your not missin anythin... Literally every game is the same since the original 2. The only difference is every generation theres more and more pokemon which really doesnt matter a whole lot cause its impossible to catch every one from every generation in a single game

[Jorge D. Fuentes]

Your not missin anythin... Literally every game is the same since the original 2. The only difference is every generation theres more and more pokemon which really doesnt matter a whole lot cause its impossible to catch every one from every generation in a single game

He said a pitch, not an anti-pitch.

I could go into full detail about what each generation brought in terms of significant changes to the original "Hard to the Body/Cockfight" model... but I feel it'll just get lost on you since to you, it will seem to you like the same game since GenII no matter what I say.

...so yeah I'm not gonna do that.  Instead, I will present the pitch:

-Imagine an odd world where, in addition to regular animal, you have these super-powered up animals called Pokemon.  In this world, these little critters have been around since practically forever.  There are theories about where they came from (Outer Space is a theory), but most of what Pokemon are and why they are around is a great mystery.

-Pokemon have super-abilities and have been able to use them to help the humans in this universe do everything... and humans have barely been able to understand that these critters also have digital qualities.  It is because of this that they are able to be catalogued, analyzed, and captured using digital technology in the capsules used to capture them (the Pokeballs).  A Pokemon, upon being caught, is bound to its owner until the owner dies, the Pokemon dies, or the trainer uses a computer to 'release' the Pokemon, at which point it's release into the wild.

PREMISE OF THE GAME:
-The games are aimed at young kids, and are based on the original creator's hobby of insect collecting.  Like most collecting games of old (remember stamp collecting, or trading card collecting, etc. from back in the day?), there's an element of trading, which is why they develop opposite colors/metals/etc. versions of each game.  However, the premise of "Well this version doesn't have this, while the other version has another thing" is no longer relevant, since the latest titles can more easily connect to the Internet, allowing you to easily trade with anyone in the world.  I've been trading when I play at night, with people in Japan and Korea.  The latest version (Version X and Y) has gotten so good at the trading that you can trade with strangers almost as easily as with friends.

-A youngster will be tasked with helping a professor gather various amounts of information on each Pokemon.  A principle similar to Wikipedia and crowd-sourcing, as every kid collects information, a more accurate picture of the nature of each of these critters starts forming.  The reason it's a kid is because of the aforementioned paragraph, about the original creator's old hobbies.  In the game, all sorts of characters use Pokemon, whether for hobbies or for practical purposes (a construction worker may use a Diglett to help them dig around, or an explosive pokemon to do controlled explosions, etc.), so although the professor usually has kids tasked, anyone (even your mom, at times) gets to use Pokemon.

-The game is rather open-ended, but has a loose set of rules to balance the game out so that it's not broken right at the beginning.  I will go into them loosely:

-1. you can only carry six pokemon with you at any one time.

-2. you can never start out your journey without at least one pokemon (usually given to you by the professor).

-3. trainers who challenge you will give you money upon losing against you.

-4. upon you losing, you lose half of your money and start at the latest save point (circumvented by just reloading your save)

-5. traded pokemon can be used... however, they know your level of skill, and traded pokemon may become unruly and disobey you if you do not have the badges to show that you command respect.  Because of this, you cannot just trade a Lv100 Pokemon at the beginning of the game and wipe the floor with people; each badge you earn (usually eight in a game) allows you to control traded Pokemon up to a certain level.

-6. Usually the badge earning is a linear path, and the story usually crosses with that path a number of times, so getting your badges is a linear thing, but collecting the Pokemon isn't.

-7. Some people gather six Pokemon at the very beginning, and raise them and go for the badges, upon which they defeat the "Pokemon League" (usually consists of four high-level trainers) and the "Pokemon Champion" of a region (the last person who defeated all of the 'Elite four' aforementioned members).  Still, some others don't focus on the plot at all, and rather want to complete the Pokedex (a play on Rolodex), a list and encyclopedia on all of the existing Pokemon, by hunting for them in different locations of the region the game in which is all takes place.  Still, others want to know what the plot is and finish it, and although the plots for each game are similar, there's always some kind of twist to them (the original game had "Team Rocket", a mafia-like organization in Kanto that wanted to use Pokemon for nefarious purposes, but newer games have had other organizations with their own schemes).

-8. Since the earlier generations, new elements have been added that add on to the experience:  Perhaps you want to 'breed' the best stats out of a Pokemon... so the game has a breeding mechanic for people who want to do that.  Still, some other people prefer to raise other stats that are not battle-related and participate in things like "Pokemon Contests" or "Pokemon Plays" (depending on the game).  Different games have different attractions for that sort of thing.  Most games these games have some kind of Battle Colloseum/Arena where everyone plays on an even playing field vs. computer opponents, and even if you go there with a Lv7 Pokemon, the game will auto-raise it to, say, Lv50 so that you can compete (moves don't change, though), adding a bit of a challenge element.  The most popular thing, obviously, is building up your perfect 'dream team', that you can use online or against friends to battle and win.  Pokemon Tournaments are very popular, as a result.

-9. Although the game's plot has the 'ending' being when you defeat the game's regional Champion, the game continues afterwards.  Usually afterwards, special attractions will open up that'll allow you to bring in your Pokemon from previous games (using different systems in each game; with DS games you would connect the GBA game to the bottom of the DS, while in the later DS games you would use another DS and use DS Wireless Play, and in the latest games it'll probably be done that way as well from a 3DS to a DS.... think of how Suikoden did it, it's similar).

-10. the trading aspect has been expanded upon now, and even if you 'catch them all', maybe you want all of the 'forms' of each critter (some have different forms, besides the 'male and female' which sometimes also vary slightly).  Even if that happens, you also get markings if you get them from different World Regions (so if I trade with a Korean Pokemon I get it marked on my PokeDex).  It can be quite overwhelming, but it's all optional.

I believe this is a pretty good crash-course on Pokemon and what it's all about.
Many people don't think it's that cool or whatever, until they actually start playing it and get into their own groove with it, it can be a very worthwhile, addictive experience.

[RichterB]

He said a pitch, not an anti-pitch.

I could go into full detail about what each generation brought in terms of significant changes to the original "Hard to the Body/Cockfight" model... but I feel it'll just get lost on you since to you, it will seem to you like the same game since GenII no matter what I say.

...so yeah I'm not gonna do that.  Instead, I will present the pitch:

-Imagine an odd world where, in addition to regular animal, you have these super-powered up animals called Pokemon.  In this world, these little critters have been around since practically forever.  There are theories about where they came from (Outer Space is a theory), but most of what Pokemon are and why they are around is a great mystery.

-Pokemon have super-abilities and have been able to use them to help the humans in this universe do everything... and humans have barely been able to understand that these critters also have digital qualities.  It is because of this that they are able to be catalogued, analyzed, and captured using digital technology in the capsules used to capture them (the Pokeballs).  A Pokemon, upon being caught, is bound to its owner until the owner dies, the Pokemon dies, or the trainer uses a computer to 'release' the Pokemon, at which point it's release into the wild.

PREMISE OF THE GAME:
-The games are aimed at young kids, and are based on the original creator's hobby of insect collecting.  Like most collecting games of old (remember stamp collecting, or trading card collecting, etc. from back in the day?), there's an element of trading, which is why they develop opposite colors/metals/etc. versions of each game.  However, the premise of "Well this version doesn't have this, while the other version has another thing" is no longer relevant, since the latest titles can more easily connect to the Internet, allowing you to easily trade with anyone in the world.  I've been trading when I play at night, with people in Japan and Korea.  The latest version (Version X and Y) has gotten so good at the trading that you can trade with strangers almost as easily as with friends.

-A youngster will be tasked with helping a professor gather various amounts of information on each Pokemon.  A principle similar to Wikipedia and crowd-sourcing, as every kid collects information, a more accurate picture of the nature of each of these critters starts forming.  The reason it's a kid is because of the aforementioned paragraph, about the original creator's old hobbies.  In the game, all sorts of characters use Pokemon, whether for hobbies or for practical purposes (a construction worker may use a Diglett to help them dig around, or an explosive pokemon to do controlled explosions, etc.), so although the professor usually has kids tasked, anyone (even your mom, at times) gets to use Pokemon.

-The game is rather open-ended, but has a loose set of rules to balance the game out so that it's not broken right at the beginning.  I will go into them loosely:

-1. you can only carry six pokemon with you at any one time.

-2. you can never start out your journey without at least one pokemon (usually given to you by the professor).

-3. trainers who challenge you will give you money upon losing against you.

-4. upon you losing, you lose half of your money and start at the latest save point (circumvented by just reloading your save)

-5. traded pokemon can be used... however, they know your level of skill, and traded pokemon may become unruly and disobey you if you do not have the badges to show that you command respect.  Because of this, you cannot just trade a Lv100 Pokemon at the beginning of the game and wipe the floor with people; each badge you earn (usually eight in a game) allows you to control traded Pokemon up to a certain level.

-6. Usually the badge earning is a linear path, and the story usually crosses with that path a number of times, so getting your badges is a linear thing, but collecting the Pokemon isn't.

-7. Some people gather six Pokemon at the very beginning, and raise them and go for the badges, upon which they defeat the "Pokemon League" (usually consists of four high-level trainers) and the "Pokemon Champion" of a region (the last person who defeated all of the 'Elite four' aforementioned members).  Still, some others don't focus on the plot at all, and rather want to complete the Pokedex (a play on Rolodex), a list and encyclopedia on all of the existing Pokemon, by hunting for them in different locations of the region the game in which is all takes place.  Still, others want to know what the plot is and finish it, and although the plots for each game are similar, there's always some kind of twist to them (the original game had "Team Rocket", a mafia-like organization in Kanto that wanted to use Pokemon for nefarious purposes, but newer games have had other organizations with their own schemes).

-8. Since the earlier generations, new elements have been added that add on to the experience:  Perhaps you want to 'breed' the best stats out of a Pokemon... so the game has a breeding mechanic for people who want to do that.  Still, some other people prefer to raise other stats that are not battle-related and participate in things like "Pokemon Contests" or "Pokemon Plays" (depending on the game).  Different games have different attractions for that sort of thing.  Most games these games have some kind of Battle Colloseum/Arena where everyone plays on an even playing field vs. computer opponents, and even if you go there with a Lv7 Pokemon, the game will auto-raise it to, say, Lv50 so that you can compete (moves don't change, though), adding a bit of a challenge element.  The most popular thing, obviously, is building up your perfect 'dream team', that you can use online or against friends to battle and win.  Pokemon Tournaments are very popular, as a result.

-9. Although the game's plot has the 'ending' being when you defeat the game's regional Champion, the game continues afterwards.  Usually afterwards, special attractions will open up that'll allow you to bring in your Pokemon from previous games (using different systems in each game; with DS games you would connect the GBA game to the bottom of the DS, while in the later DS games you would use another DS and use DS Wireless Play, and in the latest games it'll probably be done that way as well from a 3DS to a DS.... think of how Suikoden did it, it's similar).

-10. the trading aspect has been expanded upon now, and even if you 'catch them all', maybe you want all of the 'forms' of each critter (some have different forms, besides the 'male and female' which sometimes also vary slightly).  Even if that happens, you also get markings if you get them from different World Regions (so if I trade with a Korean Pokemon I get it marked on my PokeDex).  It can be quite overwhelming, but it's all optional.

I believe this is a pretty good crash-course on Pokemon and what it's all about.
Many people don't think it's that cool or whatever, until they actually start playing it and get into their own groove with it, it can be a very worthwhile, addictive experience.

The above is a good detailed description.

Shelverton, when asked, I always think of it as the questing of The Legend of Zelda combined with the wonder of a real-life nature hike and the rock-paper-scissors philosophy of Mega Man. If you like animals and/or nature, and you love the exploration of Zelda, and like to think through the logic of a battle, there's a good chance you will like Pokemon. (It is turn-based, but even I who do not like turn-based combat, find it largely tolerable and appropriate in this series).

Truth be told, I have been out of the "game" since Gold Version on GBC, and actually only played with dedication and "completed" Red and Blue Versions on GB, where I also competed in a Nintendo-sponsored mall event and was 2 for 2 in victories, anchored by a Charizard naturally leveled up to 100. I have passively followed the games since, but haven't played/owned them. The commitment they take is a little intimidating, and the speed at which new versions come out has stymied me further. I am very close to coming back on board, but since I don't have a 3DS, I'll probably try out Pokemon White Version 2 or Black Version 2. Unfortunately, that will mean I'm behind the curve yet again. But I've sort of decided that to enjoy Pokemon, you have to take it at your own pace, and not worry what everyone else is doing. Different people love it for different reasons. I'm trying to figure out if Nintendo is going to do a sale on the DS games now that the 3DS games are out...but, probably not, right? One of the things that I think separates it from its peers and imitators is its charming art direction and the simplicity yet depth of its battle system. As far as I'm concerned, it is definitely worthy of being in the Nintendo pantheon of classic franchises like Zelda, Mario, and Metroid. From the outside looking in, I would think that Pokemon X and Y are some of the best games for the 3DS; though, I imagine an updated version, Pokemon Z, can't be too far behind.

Of note, if I'm not mistaken, and from my experience, the character animations were very limited prior to Pokemon Black and White on DS. Black and White 2 were the last entries to use sprites, taking them to the best levels in the series from what I understand. A shame. I would have wanted to quest with an animated Piplup (from Diamond/Pearl/Platinum era), I think. I hesitated and missed out on an online event to have that happen because of confusion over whether to wait for X and Y or not. But being anchored by an in-generation starter will probably give me more freedom in the choice of complements.

[GuyStarwind]

When I bought X I overheard a kid who was at most 12 say to the cashier he wanted GTA. I'm 25 and I could help feel something was off. 

[Shiroi Koumori]

Yup Jorge, Pokemon is addictive. Really addictive.

I am holding off getting either X or Y. I am wondering if there will ba a Z?
I always play the third release of a generation, except for Gen 5, I still can't believe they split the third release into 2.

[knightmere]

I haven't played Pokemon since red/blue, but I contemplating getting this once I finish FE: Awakening.  The full animations look nice and my daughter may enjoy it as well.

[Jorge D. Fuentes]

I'm the type of PKMN gamer that enjoys trading and breeding.
I get a certain joy when I take a recently born starter and trade it off to parts unknown.  That starter is gonna make some kid very happy in his game, I'm hoping!

BTW you get two starters in this game, rather quickly.  At the beginning you get one of three Generation VI Starters, but shortly after you get your first badge, you get to get another starter from Generation I (Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle).  I picked up Bulbasaur.

And someone was kind enough to trade me a Female Charmander, so I can hand out Charmander starters to you guys if you want.  I've got four male Charmanders sitting in my PC waiting for you guys to pick 'em up for a fair trade (recently born).

Some of these new PKMN are pretty neat.  There's a really cute-looking Panda one, and one that looks like the Sword Familiar from CVSotN.   "Honedge". :3 (Ghost+Steel haha).

The draw about these games is that you can do so many things depending on what kind of playstyle you're into.  If you're into munchkin-tweaking your stats, you can now do this even more easily using the Super-Training, which will really let you tweak your critters.  I maxed out my Pikachu's Stats (and EVs) to Speed, so that I almost always get high damage with the "Electro Ball" attack (whose power varies depending on the difference from your speed to your opponent's).

Or, you can just collect 'em to have 'em.  Or to trade them to get a new region.  Or max out their friendlyness towards you with the mini-games the game tucks into its "Pokemon-amie" section.  Or you can make friends online by turning on the WiFi and letting people give you O-Powers or giving them O-Powers (the ability to auto-heal, or increase the chances of catching Pokemon in the field).

You can also register your game on pokemon-gl.net and send your pokemon online to have adventures in the virtual computer world.  Pokemon Black/White (1 and 2) were able to do this, and it seems X/Y can as well, but I'm not sure whether it works the same way.

If you get the game now you get a Generation III Torchic as an added bonus.  This offer is good until January so you get yet another starter from the Hoenn Region.  That's two starters and a Torchic!

[Intersection]

I've played all of the main-series entries to some extent. I'd been most involved in the 4th-Gen titles, though.

Pokemon does take an enormous amount of dedication to master, one that's very difficult to reach unless you're a completely unilateral gamer. It gets rather frustrating to know how far you are from that "perfect" collection you were dreaming of, which seems nearly always unattainable from the slew of restrictions these games impose. Times, locations, evolutions, trades, versions, events -- name it and it will be on the list. I've found that the best way to enjoy Pokemon is to take it at your own pace.

That said, I've spent gargantuan amounts of time compulsively consulting Smogon University's movesets and stat builds for some of my more advanced Pokemon. But it always helps for some competitive battling. 

Just a random question: I had the rare luck of seeing one of my Pokemon infected with Pokerus back in generation III. Does that still exist in the VI Gen? Anyone know what it looks like now?

[Neobelmont]

Picked up Y yesterday morning.

Chose the grass starter; can't break tradition.

I started of with yellow so.......

but when I did get ruby( I had a crush on May at the time so.... that's why I got it well one of the reasons    little me was thinking with his head at the time  )  and my starter was fire and it's been that way ever since. Yuri and I were are going far also, I chose a squirtle because I have a turtle.

pokedex special time!!! which pokedex holder would you be?

http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Pok%C3%A9dex_holder#Yellow_-_the_Healer

[VladCT]

I am holding off getting either X or Y. I am wondering if there will ba a Z?
I always play the third release of a generation, except for Gen 5, I still can't believe they split the third release into 2.

Depends, is there a Z-shaped legendary somewhere in there? Even then Kyurem didn't exactly guarantee a Pokemon Gray either.