Recent posts

#21

Random Randomness / The Internet, and Why We're St...

Last post by DrampardonMe - March 12, 2025, 11:28

Anyone else feeling a bit of "Internet fatigue"? I think in my case, it's because my usual Internet-browsing routine has become quite monotonous, and apparently I've lost the ability to think of how to switch things up. Granted, I don't feel it EVERY day, but today it's like, "What am I doing with my (Internet) life?"

Don't get me wrong, I have IRL priorities, but browsing the Web during my downtime shouldn't be a chore. Maybe it's just not as interesting as it used to be? I could go into why that might be, but that might be opening a can of worms. Pardon my nostalgia, but it really does feel like things were better when it was new and we had more to discover. Again, it's probably my fault for not thinking outside the box...

As for "Why I'm Still Here", I wonder that sometimes myself. Not so much "me posting on this forum" as much as the broader sense of still browsing online in general. I guess old habits die hard? I dunno. Probably as simple as "people still make things I like on here, regardless of how often they actually upload".

Anyway, what keeps YOU invested in the Internet?

#22

X and Y/OmegaRuby and AlphaSapphire / The Friends from X and Y

Last post by DrampardonMe - March 10, 2025, 15:19

Now that the dust is so settled it's difficult to get rid of, what did we think of Trevor, Tierno, and Shauna? Oh, and the protagonist you didn't pick, if that person counts.

Personally, I liked what they were trying to do with them. Tierno's my favorite, because he does what I've always wanted to try-- a theme team! I think most people can't get over his design, but he's actually a pretty cool dude. Trevor's okay, but completing my Pokedex was never my primary goal (GASP!), though I respect those who strive for it.

Since Player-Character-Without-Hat is the obvious Battle Rival, that leaves Shauna. I'm not gonna lie, I simply don't like her. Her constant "I WANNA LEARN ABOUT MEGA EVOLUTION!!" in the early game didn't help matters. It was nice of her to give me a free extra Kalos starter in the postgame, but that's about it.

I think about this crew on and off, so I'm curious what others have to say about 'em, if anything.

#23

Your Art / Re: crossover writing projects...

Last post by DrampardonMe - March 07, 2025, 23:27

Well, I wouldn't say it constitutes a project I'm actively working on, but it's somewhat a dream of mine to collaborate with a writer/artist/game dev/etc. who personally inspires me on something involving my characters and theirs. Was going through some files and nearly forgot about these notes I typed about my characters meeting the cast of Sgt. Frog. (Well, "forgot" I actually typed anything recently; the idea has been kindling in my brain for a while now...)

If I ever flesh out the idea into a full script, I'm... not sure if anyone would be interested and/or how much would be forum-appropriate. Don't wanna make any promises either, but if anyone's curious, I might give it a shot. It's much more likely than me meeting Mine Yoshizaki for collab work, anyhow. Never mind the language barrier...

Point being, this thread has my attention. Crossovers are cool; some of the best ones are those you don't know you want until they actually happen.

#24

Your Art / crossover writing projects you...

Last post by sans the skeleton - March 07, 2025, 19:18

hi chat

feels funny making a new forum topic on here after like a million years lol. i know, i know, the forum's asleep. but its also still open to posts, so i'm gonna be a menace and post again anyway. nostalgia is fuelling me on this day.

im making a thread for anyone who might be in the same boat i am. anyone who just... wants to write about their current projects really. we can make this one of those chat topics and maybe we'll see each other now and then.

I'm currently writing a fanfic that's going to be cobblemon (a mod of Minecraft that adds pokemon), particularly a modpack that makes it a lot like stardew valley. overall cozy vibes, but with lots of adventure. themes of found family and such. the main issue is that its going to be using characters from dead by daylight, which has some elements i don't quite think are within the rules of the site here (due to potentially violent content), so i don't think i can actually advertise it here. but if i leave out the potentially against the rules content, and just talk about stuff that's within the rules, surely there's no harm.

so basically the survivors and... i don't even know if i can say the word, but the hunters we'll just say, are all pulled into the cobblemon universe and it goes from there. entity's trying to get itself summoned in there so it can bring the realm back into the fog - some of the hunters are on board with that (so they cause more harm and serve the entity) and some others (who were forced to be hunters) enjoy the freedom - and in some cases healing - and don't want to go back in there. good deal of the survivors and killers end up with pokemon and rebuilding society in some places, in other cases anarchy and stuff. im pretty excited with the idea. I've started writing out a plan and i might upload it to AO3 and fanfiction dot net.

feel free to talk about your crossover projects here too of course, that's what this threads about

#25

TV Series / Re: Was Misty poorly handled a...

Last post by precita - March 05, 2025, 21:21

I'm inclined to say you have somewhat of a point. Didn't Misty start using Staryu over Starmie for whatever reason? That always kind of irked me even back when I was watching it new, and the only explanation I can come up with is she wanted to focus on making Staryu stronger, but that's just conjecture. As for the Psyduck thing, I'd agree insofar as the gag gets old after a while, but it's not as annoying as, say, Wobbuffet (though I guess that balances out since it at least gives Team Rocket an edge in battle, unlike Psyduck)
How exactly would you have written her? Honestly curious.

Misty leaves both Starmie and Horsea behind at her Gym in "The Misty Mermaid" episode, which was about 60 eps into Kanto. So she basically only had Staryu, since togepi and psyduck couldn't battle properly and Goldeen couldn't do anything outside water. Misty didn't really have a capable battler pokemon till she got Poliwhirl in the middle of Johto, and that became her main battler till the end of Johto as it evolved and Corsola.

The problem with Misty, or the original series as a whole, is it was entirely centered around Ash when it first started. Most eps would focus on Ash and the different filler characters they would meet in each episode, so Misty/Brock would not get to do much more than provide commentary unless the ep focused on them. Most of Misty's moments in Season 1 are just comedic banter/arguing with Ash, but then her temper dies down early into Johto so that aspect of Misty started disappearing and she became less interesting. It also didn't help the Johto saga was plagued with filler, so Misty didn't get to do much for a large chunk of eps unless they made an ep about water pokemon.

She had no "real" goal to follow, as whatever Misty's water pokemon thing was barely focused on. She had no rivals (that went on beyond a single ep), and she rarely battled in official competitions aside from a few small things (like the princess festival in Kanto or the Whirl Cup in late Johto). Most people just remember Misty holding Togepi in her arms because...that was genuinely what she did for most of her run on the show. Even in the original 5 movies she barely has a role in any of them, just that short shipping subplot with Melody in Movie 2, and battles Molly a small scene in Movie 3, but not much else. And also of course, not many battles, like if someone right now wanted to go back and watch all of Misty's battles from Kanto through Johto, there's only a small handful to even go back and watch, even less if you don't count all the times Psyduck popped out to get a headache.

It honestly feels like Misty was designed to be a short-lived character which is why she worked in Kanto and Orange Islands for the most part, but once you got into Johto she barely had a role anymore besides a few eps. In retrospect it's easy to see why the writers axed her around then and brought in May when they finally had a female protagonist from the game to use, and introduced the contests with battles to give May more focus than Misty got.

#26

TV Series / Re: Was Misty poorly handled a...

Last post by DrampardonMe - March 05, 2025, 14:00

I haven't seriously watched the Pokemon anime since around "Advanced", in equal part due to it getting a little formulaic and me simply outgrowing it, so I don't have a point of reference for how good (or not) other female leads were after Misty. I mean, I recall May's thing being Contests and Dawn being set up as "The New Ash" before they brought him back after two episodes, but that's about it.

I'm inclined to say you have somewhat of a point. Didn't Misty start using Staryu over Starmie for whatever reason? That always kind of irked me even back when I was watching it new, and the only explanation I can come up with is she wanted to focus on making Staryu stronger, but that's just conjecture. As for the Psyduck thing, I'd agree insofar as the gag gets old after a while, but it's not as annoying as, say, Wobbuffet (though I guess that balances out since it at least gives Team Rocket an edge in battle, unlike Psyduck)

How exactly would you have written her? Honestly curious.

#27

TV Series / Was Misty poorly handled and d...

Last post by precita - March 05, 2025, 01:35

I've been rewatching the original seasons and notice how Misty gets sidelined most of the time. Any time she tries to battle or do something epic, Psyduck would come out interrupting her for the usual gag.

Outside of that most eps focus on Ash and the random filler characters they meet in every ep, so Misty and Brock are largely just treated as exposition characters commenting on whatever is happening. Most of her pokemon are underused too, and it feels like if you don't care about shipping half the appeal to her character is lost. You'd think 275 episodes would be enough to develop her but eh

Misty wasn't a beginning trainer like most of the other female companions, when she's introduced she already co-owns a Gym with her sisters and had 3 pokemon (Staryu, Starmie and Goldeen). But you wouldn't know that from the way she was portrayed.

Early rookie Kanto Ash nearly beats her as early as the 7th episode (he was on the verge of winning had TR not bust through the wall), and he only used Butterfree/Pidgeotto and didn't even have the Kanto starters yet. If he had Bulbasaur or Pikachu wanted to battle, he probably would have won easier. And then after that, Misty loses in the Giselle episode to a Graveler, and doesn't really battle much for rest of the season without Psyduck popping out of its ball to get a headache. In Orange Islands I think her only major trainer battle is the Golduck episode against Marina. Then after that there's not much in Johto till she gets Poliwhirl/Corsola.

Anyone find it weird Misty was treated as inexperienced? Half her team couldn't even battle properly unless under special conditions (Togepi, Psyduck, Goldeen, Horsea), or were underused (Starmie), etc. I know the writers didn't want her to upstage Ash, but they gave her one of the worst battle track records imagineable till the tail-end of her run.

I think the writers just didn't care. When you stop to think of it, there are only very few episodes that actually focus on Misty herself in each season she was in. For the rest of the eps she was basically sidelined with Brock.

[expect]

#28

Games General / Pokemon Presents this Thursday...

Last post by DrampardonMe - February 24, 2025, 18:27

Despite everything, I can't help but be curious. What are your hopes/expectations/etc.? As for me, I expect them to spend some time detailing the new Legends game, and I hope they announce Gen 10, which I expect will be for the Switch 2. I hope either of these games end up being better-than-okay, but that's not what I'm going in expecting. Then again, I liked Scarlet despite everything, so maybe I'm not one to talk... Anything else will probably not interest me a whole lot, but I'm willing to be proven wrong.

If I had to make a wild guess for fun, I'd say we'll get MEGA IMAKUNI?... which lasts all of three minutes before he remembers he isn't a Pokemon and therefore can't Mega Evolve. However, I am not seriously expecting this.

[this is where I'd add a poll but no one's been voting on my own polls besides me, so place your bets the old-fashioned way]

EDIT: I know it's only one day until it drops by now, but I forgot they called it "Pokemon Presents". Edited the title of this topic accordingly, whoops

EDIT2: Honestly kind of underwhelmed by the Presents, now that I've seen it. I guess they're saving Gen 10 for the 30th anniversary, lol.

I mean, if I had to give one positive about Z-A, the new combat system seems sort of interesting, but then I don't see the point in having you dodge attacks in, say, a Trainer Battle. Feels sort of slapped on at that point. The starters are Chikorita, Tepig, and Totodile, apparently. Took me a minute to realize it was two Johto starters, but I guess they already put Cyndaquil in the first one, so... eh. No complaints about who they picked besides, but I'd take Totodile between the three. I guess I'll just wait and see how I feel when more info drops, because right now, I can live without this game.

EDIT3: Had some time to think about it and, after browsing the official site a little... I'm still on the fence, to be honest. Not in a rush to get it on launch day, but after getting two new games and having other priorities come up, let's just say my wallet's not in a hurry, either.

Also, I should probably clarify: having your Pokemon dodge moves isn't the problem depending on how it's implemented, it's having your player character still have to dodge that seems pretty weird, unless that's not the case anymore. I don't want to get my hopes too high for this game, but considering I haven't been up to much video-game-wise except messing around in Scarlet, maybe Z-A is just what I need... I should still try to 100% Legends: Arceus at some point, but I don't even remember the last thing I did there...

#29

Games General / Retcons, like 'em or lump 'em

Last post by DrampardonMe - February 08, 2025, 19:02

Everything from the trivial to the taxing, let's talk about 'em!

Here's the one on my mind at the moment: Kris and Lyra are treated as separate characters because Kris fans will RIOT if they aren't*. Meanwhile, everyone's just cool with Gold being retconed into "Ethan", and... Silver is still Silver.

*To be fair, they ARE drastically different designs, but I thought that was the point, since there was no girl in the original Gold and Silver. To me, that just makes Gold's name being retconned all the stranger.

I realize this is a relatively minor one, but dang if it doesn't bother me something fierce. I guess it all comes down to merchandising at the end of the day, since for ANY game (not just Pokemon), it's easier to have an "official" name for a character-- even a blank-slate self-insert-- than something more generic. (Apologies in advance to anyone actually named Ethan)

Oh, and for something more lore-related: didn't X and Y play up Mega Evolutions as something which required the Trainer and Pokemon to have a strong bond for it to work, only for every game afterward to retcon it all as putting a strain on the Pokemon? I guess there's no reason it can't be both, but it feels like they backpedaled a bit and, well, demonized it a bit more. Unless they were emphasizing it in a "DBZ Powerup" sort of way? But then, that whole thing with the ancient war and such... I guess I'll reserve my full judgement for when Z-A comes out.

Anyway, which retcons actually work/make sense, and which ones don't work as well, or are just plain silly? I'd like to hear your thoughts!

#30

General Pokémon Discussion / Re: Snake Pokemon

Last post by DrampardonMe - January 20, 2025, 22:04

...I didn't realize 2025 was the Year of the Snake when I made this, I swear, haha

Speaking of, Scarlet and Violet had something for the occasion recently, didn't they? I missed out-- a shiny Ekans or Arbok would have been cool to have, but like I said earlier, I have a shiny Seviper now. I guess I didn't wanna get greedy!

Anyway, my original questions still stand. Without looking, it's hard for me to say whether we have "enough" snake Pokemon or not, but it can't be nearly as many as felines, canines, or primates. To clarify, I'm not counting "serpentine" Pokemon like Gyarados or Milotic.

Side note: Anyone else think it's weird "Coil" is a Poison-type move? I'll concede it's strongly associated with snakes and such, but only three of them are Poison-type! If anything, it should be Normal-type...