May 2013
19 posts
Makin' Movies
I am currently being drowned in a flood of undergraduate Greek history essays, which is why I’m not rambling about Pokémon at the moment. Can I not take time out of marking my clueless students’ misshapen diatribes against history, you may ask? Is not my Pokémon blog more important than this?
Well, sort of. The trouble is that I’m already taking time out of marking essays so...
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Anonymous asked: I just read your Celebi writeup and i noted a certain resemblance to Lord English from Homestuck. (Lord English is a time traveling demon demon born at the end of the universe, who manipulates events to perpetuate his own existence. The main difference is that he is incredibly evil.) Was this intentional?
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Anonymous asked: Sorry for the intrusion, but what are your opinions about Cherubi and Cherrim? They're two of my favourites(I even used them in White 2, since I got him in a trade), even though I know they're rather useless.
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White 2 Playthrough Journal, episode 23: Chasing...
We touch down outside the route 22 entrance to the cave network that leads into the Giant Chasm. Jim, Hugh and I sneak inside and prepare for a surprise attack on the two Team Plasma guards within, but are cut short when a third grunt approaches to tell them that they’re being relieved – it’s time for everyone to gather in the crater forest. The third grunt turns out to be our old friend, Rood’s...
Notice on new X and Y stuff
I am vaguely aware that a number of new Pokémon have been revealed, however I have no plans to say anything about them. This is about the point at which I normally begin to ignore everything about a new Pokémon game, in anticipation of approaching it with as close as I can get to a completely fresh eye. In short - if you ask me what I think about any X and Y news from this point, I will have...
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White 2 Playthrough Journal, episode 22: Naval...
With only a bare handful of grunts on deck, my Pokémon and I manage to force our way onto the Team Plasma frigate without much trouble. Jim and Hugh arrive just as my Ampharos is tossing the minions overboard. Together, the three of us march into the ship’s forecastle, our Pokémon swarming around us. Tragically, our dramatic entrance is stymied by a Team Plasma security device: a crackling blue...
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Let's talk about legendary Pokémon
So this image was doing the rounds a little while ago.
It’s a bit compressed by the format of my blog, so here’s a link where you can see it full-sized: http://i.imgur.com/mbPDZ94.jpg
I vaguely recall promising someone I would talk about this at some point, since I agree with some of what it says, but think that other parts are a bit simplistic, and others based on faulty...
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Anonymous asked: could you describe what you look like in one word?
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Anonymous asked: This question is about the one you recently answered about trying to fill out the Pokemon ecosystem to give variety cabon copy Pokemon. I ask because I agree with both you and the questioner, so I wonder if different forms would be a solution? Instead of Goldeen and Finneon, they could be treated as 1 Pokemon with the same stats abilities and movepools, but have their different names and...
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Anonymous asked: Have you ever played any of the non-handheld Pokemon games or spinoffs? If you have a Gamecube or Wii available, Colosseum and Gale of Darkness definitely give some change to the typical Pokemon games. I loved how Instead of just using only 1 Type of Pokemon with no real synergy like Gym Leaders, bosses had various themes and strategies for the Double Battles, (Like Skill Swapping with a Slaking).
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Anonymous asked: Which rival is your favourite, and why?
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purplepoltergeist asked: Also Whimsicott is a really clever referance to a mythical plant called the vegetable lamb of tartary come on give Gamefreak so credit
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Anonymous asked: Suppose you went over to the dark side because they had cookies. You have your choice to join whichever evil Team you like. Which would it be, and why?
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stiletto-is-a-knife asked: CHRIS who did you kill for this url
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purplepoltergeist asked: Why do you ignore Lilligants access to Own Tempo and Petal Dance? It's one of the only Pokemon that can use a move like that with no consequence!
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purplepoltergeist asked: I was looking at your review of the Sewaddle family and I noticed that you said you don't get why Swadloon looks so grumpy, it's actually a joke that Swadloon is a hikikomori, to evolve it has to be truly happy (I think Gamefreak put that in as an aesop) Leavanny's Japanese name is even a pun on it!
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thatswhatbradsaid asked: Recently ive been thinking about how you don't like pokemon that step on others toes in terms of design. I, personally, believe they add alot to the pokeverse and here is my reasoning. In the wild, animals have been known to adopt identical traits and natures through evolution simply because it makes them more fit for survival. Looking at the 'generic normal birds' they keep adding....
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Anonymous asked: Perfect blog. Its really great to know some fans are really this deeply interested in Pokemon, and seeing you reveiw almost everything is great
On EFTPOS
So again I have been too busy to write Pokémon stuff for you this week, which is why there is no more playthrough journal at the moment, but I do want to take a moment to talk to you about what I had for lunch yesterday.[[MORE]]
Yesterday for lunch I had two vegetarian samosas with vindaloo sauce from a takeaway curry place on the grounds of the university where I work and study. They were...
April 2013
20 posts
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adriel90 asked: do you think it would be better if Ditto's transform was an ability instead f a move so that way it wouldn't miss out on a turn... I know it would be weird for the programming if a pokemon didn't a have a move but I think that would make it more desirable of a pokemon to use.
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Anonymous asked: This question has to do with the idea of a Wind Type, or to be more specific... changing Flying to Wind. For me I feel like Flying is a very weird "element" and Wind helps specify what exactly makes a Flying attack different than a Normal attack. And it helps decide what Pokemon actually NEED Wind as a type instead of Flying, as Flying is an overpopulated type. Take Jigglypuff, would you...
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White 2 Playthrough Journal, episode 21: Deep blue...
In comparison to the last six Gyms we’ve visited, the Humilau City Gym is an extremely laid-back place. No one tries to blow me through a wall… or crush me between two giant statues… or wrap me in a silken coffin. Jim and I are permitted to drift gracefully and calmly across Marlon’s huge indoor swimming pool, borne on huge lilypads, our reverie broken only by such trainers as we...
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White 2 Playthrough Journal, episode 20: Splice...
With Opelucid City frozen, it’s difficult to get around. We find ourselves sliding all over the place on sheets of ice, and our paths are continuously blocked by great crystal spires. Of course, the Team Plasma grunts aren’t doing too well either. Drayden seems unwilling to reveal exactly where the ‘DNA Splicers’ we’re supposed to be protecting actually are, so Jim and I are forced to sweep the...
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Anonymous asked: Wow, really loving all your articles and posts! That's awesome that you like the Grass type; they don't get enough love. But I gotta know: what's your opinion on the Ground type in general? For the longest time it's been my favorite (but that might be nostalgia talking since I used to love Sandshrew when I was 8). Now that I've looked over some of your posts about Pokemon...
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Anonymous asked: How is babby formed?
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White 2 Playthrough Journal, episode 19: Draco...
We stare, unblinking, at Virizion’s scarlet eyes. Virizion lowers his head and trills softly, keeping his eyes fixed on us. He paws the ground and gives a strange, high-pitched yelp. A flood of images fills my mind – Cobalion, Virizion, Terrakion, separately, then together, Cobalion again, alone, an Ultra Ball, our battle with Cobalion, the Ultra Ball again. Give him back. Wait, what? I lean...
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Presenting: Krakentoa, the Deep Flame Pokémon!
Well, here he is: a Pokémon created entirely from submissions by readers of this blog, with the neatest ideas chosen by an interminable series of polls. Credits for individual contributions are all at the end.
Krakentoa, the Deep Flame Pokémon
Height: 22’7” - 6.9m Weight: 492 lb - 223.2 kg
Black ‘dex entry: It occasionally bites rocks and ignites them to scare prey....
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White 2 Playthrough Journal, episode 18: Chaos...
Undella Town passes us in a blur. Not literally, of course; we just weren’t paying attention. There are a few new areas – the Marine Tube which supposedly leads to Humilau City, and the Seaside Cave which also supposedly leads to Humilau City, but neither is open to us at present. We’re pretty sure Hugh turned up at some point and demanded some practice battles, but he said little of interest...
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Anonymous asked: Have you ever tried fire emblem, it's a turned based game like ole in conquest but with medieval weapons.
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Anonymous asked: Another game that people sometimes mention alongside Pokemon is Digimon. Have you ever playe a Digimon game, and if you have, what are your thoughts about it?
Let's see if we can wrap this up
We now have art and a set of powers and skills for our Water/Fire deep sea lava lamp squid of doom.
I’ve had three sets of Pokédex entries submitted, as well as a number of names, so let’s get this done (I’ve decided to keep the submitters anonymous for now).[[MORE]]
The sets of Pokédex entries we have to choose from are as follows:
Set number 1:
Black: It occasionally...
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Anonymous asked: So, I just read an article on Bulbagarden's Tumblr, explaining the speculation of two possible new types: the Love and Sound types. Their arguments include Xerneas-Yveltal = Artemis-Apollo (Greco-Roman mythology; right up your alley there!), Sylveon being released on Valentine's Day, etc. If I could include the link here, I would :( Anywho, what do you make of it? I think it's...
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thatswhatbradsaid asked: h t t p : / / i . i m g u r . c o m / m b P D Z 9 4 . j p g Opinions?
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Anonymous asked: Well, there's official news of a new pokemon that's just been revealed that's stated to appear in the next movie. One that's either a new form of Mewtwo, or an entirely different pokemon that's related to mewtwo in some way. Some even say it might be Mewtwo fused with either Mew or Genesect. What are your individual thoughts if its either one of these things?
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Anonymous asked: This might fall inside the lines of "future game" business that you've mentioned and everyone's been asking... but each generation has introduced lots of "new." For this questions, I want to ask about new moves... Are there any new moves you'd like to see and explore with? I mean in a thematic perspective, like how adding team battles added team moves and such.
You're all okay with being guinea pigs for my...
So, this week in the ancient history class I tutor, we’re studying Herodotus and Thucydides, the two first true historians in the Western world, which means looking at the origins and purpose of history as both a literary genre and a field of study. The lecturer for the course has told me and the other two tutors (including Jim, whom you know from my Black 2/White 2 playthrough journals)...
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White 2 Playthrough Journal, episode 17: Sifting...
Lentimas Town, of course, wasn’t in the original Black and White; it’s a completely new area. Perhaps the town was only founded recently? As Skyla’s plane swoops in, we see dead trees, parched red soil, homes built from mud-brick, and a rickety wooden fence marking out the border of the town. Even the airfield is strewn with boulders. Charming little place. ‘Rustic,’ I think to myself. Yes,...
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adamdreifus asked: If you were put in charge of the next pokémon game, but still had to stick with the same general archetypes and framework as the past games, what sort of concepts and themes would you want to include?
Squiddy Tweaks
So, results on the tweaks proposed to our democratically-designed Pokémon are as follows:
Turbo Wave, Squiddy’s V-Create-style signature move, is reduced in power from 180 to 160.
Base stats are unchanged.
Dark Pulse, Earth Power, Thunderbolt, Thunder, Ice Beam, Blizzard and Icy Wind stay; Giga Drain, Energy Ball, Volt Switch, Baton Pass and Calm Mind go.
Scald replaces Muddy Water as a...
March 2013
21 posts
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White 2 Playthrough Journal, episode 16: Air show
Considering Mistralton City is the only destination for cargo planes headed into Unova, it’s kind of a hick town – honestly, more of a hamlet tacked onto the side of the (much larger) airport. How it gained itself the name of ‘City’ is beyond me; if the airport is discounted, the only settlement of comparable size in all Unova is Nuvema Town. ‘Mistralton Airfield and Passenger Accommodations’...
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White 2 Playthrough Journal, episode 15: The wind...
As I hike back through the desert and across the great drawbridge to Driftveil City, I silently vow to evolve Daenerys into a Vibrava so I can show up Jim and his stupid Ducklett, Lydia. How does a Ducklett even carry a kid halfway across the country, anyway? The damn things barely come up to my knee! Muttering mutinously to myself, I storm right through Driftveil, casting black looks at the...
Stat Spread Adjustments
For our current state of progress on creating a new Pokémon, look here: http://pokemaniacal.tumblr.com/post/44444376996/so-what-now Study that post (and the comments) carefully before voting on the polls below.
I now want to see whether readers thing any adjustments to this thing’s stats and movepool (created by Thatswhatbradsaid) are called for. Each potential change has an individual poll, and...
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Anonymous asked: If you had the opportunity to retcon anything in the pokemon games (you know, things like slowpoke's evolution not actually depending on shellder, and the ridiculous incense-dependent baby pokemon) what would it be?
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Anonymous asked: Is there anything you would change about the gameplay mechanics if you could? Like would you want to add any other stats? Or maybe raise the amount of HP Pokemon get?
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White 2 Playthrough Journal, episode 14: Winter is...
As Jim and I leave the Pokémon World Tournament, arguing about its relative merits, we nearly run straight into a Team Plasma grunt, who does a double take as he passes us, visibly panics, and bolts for the Driftveil docks – just as Hugh and Cheren emerge from the tournament building. Hugh sees the villain fleeing and is instantly ready to give chase, but his blood-curdling battle-cry is cut off...
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Anonymous asked: If the games were more like the anime... in the sense that keeping a Pokemon from Evolving doesn't hinder it statistically and that a Bulbasaur can actively compete against a full grown Venusaur and win as well as any other family, are there any Pokemon you'd choose to keep unevolved, or at least the first ones that come to mind? Also would you like it if the games gave you the option to...
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Anonymous asked: Are there any other monster-collecting series besides pokemon you enjoy, such as Monster Rancher, Shin Megami Tensei, or even the incredibly obscure Jade Cocoon? If so, how would you say they compare to Pokemon, in terms of style, atmosphere, and gameplay? (Non-video game series are also welcome, in which case you could cross out the gameplay comparison) It'd be really fascinating to hear...
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Anonymous asked: What's your favorite Pokemon introduced in each generation? Like, Gen I Venusaur, Gen II Bellosum, and so on.
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Anonymous asked: So, pure hypothetical, but. Live action Pokemon movie. Just general thoughts on the issue, I know my friens and I discussed it for a laugh about a month ago, and the last question made me wonder what you thought?
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Anonymous asked: How does poliwhirl/wrath eat? The pokedex makes such a song and dance about his intestines, but he lost his mouth when he evolved.
