Improvements to Pokemon games

I searched and didnt find a thread like this anywhere, but if one exists already, please move it. I intend this to be a discussion on how future Pokemon games could be improved. While Pokemon is a very successful franchise, there are ways in which it could be improved and perhaps draw a bigger audience. Here are some questions that might encourage discussion about this.

• What do you think the biggest fault of the Pokemon video game series is?
• Do you think that the Pokemon main series formula is due for an overhaul? If so, what parts do you think need to be changed the most?
• What kind of Pokemon game do you want to see the most, personally?
• Do you think Pokemon games are in need of a better plot?
• Do you think Pokemon games are in need of better gameplay? If so, what parts of the gameplay do you think need to be changed?
• Do you think there are too many Pokemon? If no, when do you think Pokemon should stop being introduced, if at all?
• Do you think there need to be some Pokemon games that cater to an older audience, instead of all of them targeting children? If so, why?

I could go on forever on things I'd like to see in new games but I haven't the time or the will-power to do so so I'll just throw something out.

I'd like to see a Main-stream Pokemon game that features extensive Multi-paths which the trainer can take. I'm getting sick of playing as a new trainer in some backwoods town aspiring to be the Champ. Instead of just focusing on the player starting off as Fledgling Trainer on the ultimate goal of beating the Elite four, I'd like to have a Choice at the Beginning to become a Pokemon Breeder, Ranger, or Coordinator Or maybe even join Team Rocket and rise through the Ranks to become the Boss. And Based on your choices through the Game, the Story-line would alter as you go.

I think the biggest faults of the Pokemon series is that 1: It's too monotonous to grind and 2: It's too slow.
I don't think that the formula needs an overhaul.
It would be interesting to see a kind of game like TheCableGuy said, with multiple paths available to the trainer.
It would be nice if the pokemon games had a better/darker plot. I would be overjoyed if a pokemon game had a deep storyline like Knights of the Old Republic or Skyrim.
I don't think the games need better gameplay or less pokemon.
I do think that there should be pokemon games that cater to an older audience, because then people will stop with all the "POKEEEMON? THATS A KIDZ GAME. I PLAY KEWL GAMES LIKE CALL OF DOUCHY" crap.

make the game darker
more complicated plot
DELETE HMS FROM EXISTENCE!
remove evs let pokemon reach the max of all their stats
give some pokemon new evos and dont add pre evos since they don benefit anything
make an evil team evil not stupid
add the presence of police,government

i could write a list

Some of the things I'd like to see change are:

A change to the level system - I would like the AI to determine the level of the opposing trainers Pokemon according to the level of your Pokemon! This will mean if you're someone who likes to train a lot against wild Pokemon, you won't be a much higher level than all the NPC trainers you face!! Gym leaders could be 5 or 10 levels higher to make it a real challenge, I find the battles too easy when I'm the same level as the opposition!

Whole map open from the start - I hate when I can only catch a certain Pokemon on victory road so if the AI determined the level of wild Pokemon, you could catch Pokemon anywhere and have them be at your level, this way you could have the team you want through the whole journey without having to trade over Pokemon or anything.

HM's made to be a skill - I know everyone would love to just have HM's as a skill that your Pokemon could use without wasting a move slot, although you could have the choice of using the move if you like (Surf and Fly are good moves).

More Creative Story Plots - I find I always have to help out a trainer/Gym leader but how come I never actually have a wild Pokemon run up to me wanting me to save it from a Pokemon Hunter? Or maybe the hunter could steal your Starter and you have to talk to NPC's to find out where they took it to get it back! It would also be interesting to start off as an experienced trainer who has already earned badges in another region (such as Paul).

Battle Frontier & Contests - If these where more like their Anime counterparts it would make the reply value of the games so much better! You could get all your badges, take on the elite four and champion then after that travel the region again finding all the battle frontier locations and participate in contests! The Pokemon World Tournament would be a great replacement for the Battle Frontier, I would want all the frontier brains to be as challenging as the PWT.

The Elite Four - I think it would be a good change to do a top 16 challenge just like in the anime and once you manage to win the top 16 you'll get to battle the elite four and champion! I'd also like all the gym leaders to have full 3 on 3 battles even from the first gym!

Other small things I'd like to see changed are:

• The first Pokemon in your party can walk along with you (just like HGSS)
• Two Save files
• Some small character customization
• Two regions just like HGSS (The 3DS cartridges have a 2GB limit so this should be easily possible!

1Three story files - one per starter
2More Pokémon
3Character Customization
4New Moves and Abilities
5GenIII contests back
6Evil Team being a tad more serious and having good leaders like N and Ghetsis
7More subplots available, like contests, breeding...
8More battles available post-story (ones that actually give experience)
9PWT-like thing in all games
10New moves and abilities for old pokémon
11More interesting rivals, and characters really


Although numbers 2, 4 and 10 are kind of granted.

Umm, I have a few. I guess.

• I know it's not so much a Pokemon issue, but the Nintendo WiFi needs to pick up its game, I can't hold a proper connection with friends when playing Pokemon, but all other games are fine. I know it's not on my end because other games seem to work perfectly with the internet, and when connecting with other people. Hmmmm..
  
  
• HMs could be a trained skill, like a quest. If you do this for someone, then they will teach your Pokemon a HM move. It'd be like a cute little side quest, some could be quite hard too if the HM is a necessity like Surf or Cut.
  
  
• The trainer school should actually be useful! Instead of items galore it could be a place where you can actually learn TM moves from students, fight students more prominently, or even earn money/items for teaching students. I don't know how it'd work but I think it could be a good idea if pursued correctly.
  
  
• Career choices! I think it'd be cool if after defeating the Elite Four you could pursue a career, such as being an officer, a nurse, a gym leader, a member of the elite four, a pokemart cashier, and more. If you could do that it'd probably add a lot more gameplay and hours to everyones games, I think it'd be interesting.

Confusion - Purely subjective, but I can't stand it and would be happy if it was removed.
Add a Flamethrower/Ice Beam/ Surf for Grass types.
Add a tournament where opposing pokemon would be completely random.
A facility where you can select any pokemon registered on your pokedex and battle it, also be able to battle your own pokemon.
Bring back walking pokemon but improve (not just first in party and have option to turn off).
Add 7 legendaries per Gen max.
Add more variety of pokemon to the starting routes (BW2 did this well).
Make the games completable without need of others (Others should be able to help, but you should have access to everything by yourself).
Horrible rival who chooses starter strong against yours, and childhood friend rival who chooses starter weak to yours.
Higher leveled wild pokemon.
Ability to face protagonists from previous games (Maybe in a similar style to Red, or maybe in a PWT style).

There need to be WAY higher leveled wild pokemon. I don't think I've seen any higher than 60 or 70, and having them up to 100 would make level grinding so much easier.

What do you think the biggest fault of the Pokemon video game series is?

Uncontrollable randomness, and invisible mechanics that end up being really important. Tons of under-useful moves and under-useful abilities for Pokemon who have much better ones available (for example, Huge Power Azumarill versus Thick Fat Azumarill?). The game becoming way too easy with all the available healers while Ethers, Elixirs their Max variants, and Leppa Berries are treated like they need to be so fricking rare.

Do you think that the Pokemon main series formula is due for an overhaul? If so, what parts do you think need to be changed the most?

Not really. They're already working on incorporating difficulty options, so the only things that really need to be changed is how much control the player has over EVs and IVs, maybe some changes to pacing and further changes to the experience system so that leveling to 100 is not as much of an absolute grindfest.

What kind of Pokemon game do you want to see the most, personally?

Darker overtones like DPPt, with a deeper plot like BW/BW2. Also, with a wide variety of Pokemon available, especially at the beginning.

Do you think Pokemon games are in need of a better plot?

It needs to be deeper and make sense, so yes. I really want to see another Cyrus-like enemy. Pokemon DPPt had a pretty good, exciting story.

Do you think Pokemon games are in need of better gameplay? If so, what parts of the gameplay do you think need to be changed?

EVs and IVs.

Do you think there are too many Pokemon? If no, when do you think Pokemon should stop being introduced, if at all?

Judging by how I've gotten 90% of the National Dex in Black 2 done so far... no. There should be more. A lot more.

Do you think there need to be some Pokemon games that cater to an older audience, instead of all of them targeting children? If so, why?

Yes. Simply to expand upon the games and appeal to the older fans who, like myself, want a little more seriousness in our gameplay.

Could be a TV console game. Could be on a handheld with something more than an E rating.

AHEM...


1. What do you think the biggest fault of the Pokemon video game series is? its lack of groundbreaking change, they're just tacked on.

2. Do you think that the Pokemon main series formula is due for an overhaul?Absolutely If so, what parts do you think need to be changed the most? Single player needs a difficulty spike, they're too easy for anyone seasoned in RPGs (who do their homework) and Pokemon alike. the story needs a new formula, the champion's path is getting very old, very boring, and very PREDICTABLE!!

3. What kind of Pokemon game do you want to see the most, personally? a new console RPG adventure with Pokemon Battle Revolution's many trainer options... and a couple well made minigames for the Stadium fanboy lunatics.

4. Do you think Pokemon games are in need of a better plot? Yes, yes, a million times, YES. the "To Be A Master" shindig can only go so far, but after five Generations of the same story formula, I demand something different... like the GCN games' concept of Shadow Pokemon except with something a little unexpected... like the bad guys Won already before you get started, and you as a very skilled Trainerdecide you had enough and intend to fight back. the "Master champion legendary Trainer" crap has beaten its dead horse already, a new story would be absolutely welcome, as long as it can provide us with something new to remember.

5. Do you think Pokemon games are in need of better gameplay? In My Opinion, yeah. If so, what parts of the gameplay do you think need to be changed? okay Deep breath... *breathes* it'd be absolutely splendid if Pokemon Battles didn't have to have so much luck involved in it. perhaps bring in some values that can determine how long a certain status effect does, like a pokemon with high Speed to have shorter Sleep status, or Pokemon weak to Ice are to be frozen longer, little details that can be studied, can be exploited, and more importantly, can bring more of a feeling of being skilled when facing off! the options for Pokemon battling could also need expanding (like established mediocre Pokemon gaining more moves, better support for the lesser types, etc.), it'd be nice to find some more original teams among the higher level play, too. I could say more, but then all I'd likely get instead is another spin-off series that caters to them...in a very lazy way...

6. Do you think there are too many Pokemon? If no, when do you think Pokemon should stop being introduced, if at all? I honestly do not care, if Gamefreak goes as far to make up Pokemon based on something very silly, I'm gonna send an E-mail saying how laughable they are (unless they kick butt in battle... by which point I'll just wonder what they're smoking)

7. Do you think there need to be some Pokemon games that cater to an older audience, instead of all of them targeting children? yes, Desperately! If so, why? because REAL PEOPLE grow up, it makes us feel more comfortable if Pokemon isn't sugarcoated for the kids who probably won't quite understand why is these evil organizations as bad as they are... we also need a great deal more Grey morality that makes the characters a little more human.

I would like to have HM's be forgetable w/o the need of a Move Deleter, and I think it would be interesting to see surroundings have an effect on the battle. For example, if there's a thunderstorm, lightning bolts may hit combatants randomly, dealing electric-damage. I'm not sure if Game Freak will ever do that, but doesn't it sound cool?

Update: I would also like to be able to replay a game's story w/o deleting my current save file. I'm willing to go through the plot more than once, but I don't want to erase my original playthrough, so I wish for this to happen.

if r/b/y have fr/lg and g/s/c have hg/ss, ruby,sapphire and emerald should also have a comeback. the names i thought for the new games are MagmaRuby, AquaSapphire and SolarEmerald. sounds cool, right? new things i want in the game are-

-new types of pokemon in addition to shiny pokemon, like ancient and metallic pokemon
-special effects of the pokemon types, like 20% more deffence and an additional rock type for ancient pokemon
-characters with 2 different ages for each gender, 12 years old and 16 years old
-a better arcade with video games other than just lame card games
-the comeback of team aqua and team magma