The Future of Pokemon

[Jamba]

Now we have had the "Pokemon MMORPG" talk so many times on the forum but I was wondering if anyone had any ideas for a different direction that the series may take. Or will it not change course at all?

 

From my point of view, Pokemon's continuing success ia partially attributed to the fact that each version released goes into the hand of a new generation (or recent generation) of young gamers. So to most, the formula does need that much of a revamp and hey, it sells so why would it need to change.

 

However, Pokemon could have a broader appeal, which my not be achieved by one single IP. Maybe if the series spawned some new titles (much like the Mysterious Dungeon series) then the Pokemon phenomenon could pass into different genres or at least stray further from it's roots.

 

As a gamer, I love the Pokemon world, I really do. It is a perfectly complete universe with full communitites made up of people with lots of different jobs and ways of associating with the little creatures. It has a real magical quality to the world and to me expresses the wonder of the natural world through it's flora and fauna.

 

But I still feel like I'm scratching only at the surface. I want to be able to really explore this little world that Nintendo have made but I just don't feel like this will happen with the way that the series is going. There's far more to this than just being a trainer and winning battles.

 

I must admit that I haven't had a chance to play any of the spin-off games as such yet but I'm gonna have a crack at MD2 when it comes along. Does anyone feel the same way? Could we getting more out of our Pokemon? Is anyone at Nintendo brave enough to take that step?

[Jonnas]

I get what you say. Pokémon is awesome as a world, but the games and gameplay have gotten stale. Once it goes MMO, the only way to continue the franchise is by releasing expansion packs.

 

The whole concept of Mysterious Dungeon sounded really cool, since it was a different take on the Pokémon, in a different world where Pokémon have personalities, instead of being used in battles.

But I hated that gameplay. I couldn't continue, despite knowing some awesome battles (like Skarmory, or Mewtwo) awaited me.

 

Pokémon Ranger seems cool, but I tried it once, and it seemed somewhat easy. Maybe it got better later on?

 

There are older spin-offs, too. Pokémon TCG was cool, but really short. And it's definately the type of game that needs expansion packs.

 

Pokémon Pinball was awesome. It certainly injected the Pinball genre with new life. I still prefer the good old GBC version. More fun and Arcade-like gameplay.

 

 

The real question is: Where could the series go? I always loved the idea of a Pokémon Fighting game (yes, I know Smash Bros already exists, but there's so much potential within the Pokémon alone), especially if you could use guys like Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan along with guys like Alakazam and Gengar, or maybe Dragonite, Snorlax, Scyther, Pinsir, etc.

 

Or maybe a more action-oriented adventure game? Like the Orange League in the Anime, where Ash would travel to several islands. A pokémon game with Wind Waker-style gameplay?

 

I'm sure there are other ideas. The Pokémon world has big potential besides RPGs, after all.

[gaggle64]

I'm sure the good people at Nintendo and Game Freak would simply love to revolutionise the franchise and take it in new and radical directions, but right now they're still trying to figure out where to put all these inconveniently massive piles of money that keep pouring into the office.

[david.dakota]

Adding some kind of Nintendogs training could prove exciting for any new Pokemon RPG.

[Emasher]

Nintendo should make a somewhat more dark (way more than colosseum/XD) pokemon game (to try and improve interest among people who live by the pokemon is for kids idea) though that still stayed true to the other games. This would be a Wii game. The world would be simply vast though. It would really give players the feeling that they were exploring. Plus you wouldn't just be stuck to the routs either, you could walk around wherever you wanted to go.

[Jamba]

The real question is: Where could the series go? I always loved the idea of a Pokémon Fighting game (yes, I know Smash Bros already exists, but there's so much potential within the Pokémon alone), especially if you could use guys like Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan along with guys like Alakazam and Gengar, or maybe Dragonite, Snorlax, Scyther, Pinsir, etc.

 

Or maybe a more action-oriented adventure game? Like the Orange League in the Anime, where Ash would travel to several islands. A pokémon game with Wind Waker-style gameplay?

 

I'm sure there are other ideas. The Pokémon world has big potential besides RPGs, after all.

 

Oh a fighter? That's a fantastic idea. Battling with Pokemon is so exciting and dynamic in the series, why does it have to be reduced to bland, dry turn based battle systems?! You could really display all of the personality of the characters while showcasing some lovely visuals in the moves. Plus you could have a 6 on 6 tag and set up loads of different ways of doing things. But how would it work? I like the idea of a Power Stone set up where you have room to run around and potential team fighting play. Lots of environment interaction, like the Anime, would be awesome too.

 

Or maybe you could put RPG elements into it to make it a career based fighter, like Fight Night for instance. You could learn new moves or improve on the ones you already know. Wow... this has totally made my imagination EXPLODE.

 

On a seperate note, the relationship between the pokemon and the humans need to be shown off a bit more. In the normal game, your character and the pokemon are effectively the same. The link there seems like one of convenience rather than a caring friendship. I think the games should look into that more.

 

I'd also like a game or two that focuses on the other human job roles promenantly shown in the Pokemon world. Have a game revolving around the nurses or the police. How about being a Pokemon courier?

[Emasher]

Perhaps a game where you start out as a kid, and go through the classic stuff, but then once you beat that your not stuck doing side-quests, at that point you take on a job and start your real life in the world of Pokemon. You could chose between maybe 30-50 jobs and some of the more minor ones could just be like part time jobs. Maybe it could have a sort of harvest moon like element (without the farming) where you get married and build relationships with the people in the town that you move into. You could extend your house and turn it into a certain type of building depending on your career. Maybe when you master one job you could "retire" and take on more jobs until you eventually master all the jobs. Perhaps you would have skill levels for each job. Every-time you begin a new job you can add new rooms to your house that have to do with that job. But really you wouldn't just be stuck in the one area you could travel around and look for new pokemon to help you with your job search for rare items and just explore around.

[Jonnas]

Oh a fighter? That's a fantastic idea. Battling with Pokemon is so exciting and dynamic in the series, why does it have to be reduced to bland, dry turn based battle systems?! You could really display all of the personality of the characters while showcasing some lovely visuals in the moves. Plus you could have a 6 on 6 tag and set up loads of different ways of doing things. But how would it work? I like the idea of a Power Stone set up where you have room to run around and potential team fighting play. Lots of environment interaction, like the Anime, would be awesome too.

 

Or maybe you could put RPG elements into it to make it a career based fighter, like Fight Night for instance. You could learn new moves or improve on the ones you already know. Wow... this has totally made my imagination EXPLODE.

 

See, we already have some ideas. Of course, to do a Pokémon fighting game, we would have to restrict things a little. We can't have a fighter with 100+ characters. (Wobbuffet would definately be the sandbag, though)

 

And what would we do with Aquatic pokémon? We could have them in an advantage in water terrains, but how many could be put in?

And Bird pokémon? And Ditto? There's so much potential, even without the RPG aspect.

 

On a seperate note, the relationship between the pokemon and the humans need to be shown off a bit more. In the normal game, your character and the pokemon are effectively the same. The link there seems like one of convenience rather than a caring friendship. I think the games should look into that more.

 

The game already does this to a certain extent, since I bet you kept your Blastoise/Charizard/Venusaur until the end, even if your other Pokémon were plain better.

 

And they did add the Affection system a long time ago. It just needs to (urgently) be improved upon (suggestion: If you trade one of your beloved pokémon, don't make them completely heartless when they return. I have a friend who was pretty upset when his Arcanine didn't love him anymore).

 

I'd also like a game or two that focuses on the other human job roles promenantly shown in the Pokemon world. Have a game revolving around the nurses or the police. How about being a Pokemon courier?

 

I dunno. The doctors only put the pokéballs in the machine and play that catchy jingle. The police roles are already abundant in the videogame world.

 

I could dig a creative Pokémon mini-game collection, though. I remember loving certain mini-games in Pokémon Stadium, like the Ekans/Diglett one. The Mr.Mime one from PokéStadium 2 was also pretty fun.

But the Wii doesn't need this, really.

[Gizmo]

I think the future of Pokemon looks pretty much identical to the past of Pokemon, at least for the forseeable future. Handheld RPG's of the same formula with a few semi-important additions, console "Stadium" type games with each new handheld iteration and the odd spin off here and there (Snap, TCG, Pinball, Mystery Dungeon, etc).

 

The Pokemon MMO, while it seems a great idea in theory, will never happen. It just won't. Not for at least a decade, anyway.

[Jamba]

There's actually a very good reason NOT to do the MMO. If you do it, you are effectively killing the IP potential as you can't go back to a regular RPG after this. Nintendo loves milking Pokemon far too much to ever do that.

[Jonnas]

Snap

 

Whoa! I forgot that one. Pokémon Snap was several kinds of awesome, and certainly something of what I like to see.

 

Since the main series is running dry, spin-offs can certainly keep the franchise alive. I'm still thinking about that fighting game, though...

 

There's actually a very good reason NOT to do the MMO. If you do it, you are effectively killing the IP potential as you can't go back to a regular RPG after this. Nintendo loves milking Pokemon far too much to ever do that.

 

Two words: Expansion Packs

Nintendo would still milk the Pokémon franchise for everything they could. Of course, Nintendo never associates itself with MMOs, or expansion packs, so Gizmo is right when he says we won't see it for a decade.

[Gizmo]

The only progression I see for the Pokemon franchise in the next few years is the first iteration on DS's successor. It will most likely go into a full 3D third person style, somewhat like XD, but retain the classic RPG formula.

 

It is a shame though, the Pokemon "world" has a lot of potential for other genres.

[Jamba]

Well for the fighting game, I'd suggest that sticking to about 20 would be a good call, maybe featuring other in the background or as obsticals/hazards (soooo thinking of Snorlax here...).

 

I would think that balancing the fighting would be the most important part though. In the way they move, how effective the moves are on each character (obviously similarly to the RPG). This is why I think the tag team idea would be great so that you can switch in the appropriate Pokemon.

 

As far as swimming and flying Pokemon go though, I think it would be a case of movement speed dependant on the terrain. But you would need to force characters to not stay in their terrain of choice, maybe by having a scrolling level? Also ghost Pokemon could move through some surfaces.

 

Lots of potential problems to solve but yeah this fighting game is a winner I think.

[Gizmo]

As far as swimming and flying Pokemon go though, I think it would be a case of movement speed dependant on the terrain. But you would need to force characters to not stay in their terrain of choice, maybe by having a scrolling level? Also ghost Pokemon could move through some surfaces.

 

Lots of potential problems to solve but yeah this fighting game is a winner I think.

 

A game based on the "arena" style combat like in the anime would be pretty awesome. Like, using skills to block or grab things or such - I'm thinking Squirtle's hydro pump recovery, or Bulbasaur deflecting projectiles with vine whip. Take total control over the Pokemon in a 3D arena and fight like in the anime.

[Guest Stefkov]

I just thought now, reading over these posts, Pokemon would be great 3D.

An Oblivion like game but in the Pokemon world.

Massive towns to explore, travels that take days to get from one city to another. In game days.

The ability to ride on a Ponyta/Rapidash. I've wanted that for god knows how long. In 3D this game would look lush. I can just imagine the smoothness of the Smash bros models in a massive, colourful world with trees, lakes, skyscrapers. Damnit it looks too good in my head.

[Jamba]

A game based on the "arena" style combat like in the anime would be pretty awesome. Like, using skills to block or grab things or such - I'm thinking Squirtle's hydro pump recovery, or Bulbasaur deflecting projectiles with vine whip. Take total control over the Pokemon in a 3D arena and fight like in the anime.

 

Exactly what I was thinking... really capture that action

 

I just thought now, reading over these posts, Pokemon would be great 3D.

An Oblivion like game but in the Pokemon world.

Massive towns to explore, travels that take days to get from one city to another. In game days.

The ability to ride on a Ponyta/Rapidash. I've wanted that for god knows how long. In 3D this game would look lush. I can just imagine the smoothness of the Smash bros models in a massive, colourful world with trees, lakes, skyscrapers. Damnit it looks too good in my head.

 

Ok that's a nice idea but what kind of a game would that be? The only thing I can see it being is another RPG and would likely have to play out like an MMO in the combat system. Visually your idea sounds great though, I can picture it well, but I was kinda trying to think outside the box. Find a new type of game that would fit the Pokemon world.

[Guest Maase]

Hum, i would like a game where you can be a Pokemon that can talk with everybody he wants (just Pokemons), and then running from Trainers who want you, or becoming affected by Trainers, or something like that.

 

Obviously, you would not stay in a Pokeball, maybe you would be free to go, but called by the trainer in case of battle?

 

I would love to be in a city while my trainer is fighting in a Gymnasium, and then suddenly im called to fight a Level 20 machop while im a level 10 Pikachu.

 

Of course the gameplay wouldn't be of Battle by turns, but something like a 3D fighter, with magics you can make by holding the C button while choosing your attacks, or something like that.

[Guest Stefkov]

Ok that's a nice idea but what kind of a game would that be? The only thing I can see it being is another RPG and would likely have to play out like an MMO in the combat system. Visually your idea sounds great though, I can picture it well, but I was kinda trying to think outside the box. Find a new type of game that would fit the Pokemon world.

I don't think another genre really suits Pokemon. They've done Pokemon Snap, Trading cards, pinball, Pokemon Stadium which is the only type of arena fighting game I think would work well. A Smash bros type game with pokemon will just be Smash bros, with just more pokemon and less other characters.

Pokemon works fine as an RPG, it always has and always will. The only problem with it is bringing new pokemon every few years, it's made me less inclined to buy a pokemone game knowing that bulbasuar might not be in the game or something.

To go forward it needs more free roaming. More side quests. More freedom.

It has that now, but I don't feel that when playing it now. When I was playing Diamond I liked it. It was nice running around to that music again. But it felt samey, that same off-top down look. A full 3D RPG game, my mind drools. Walking along a forest path and seeing a bulbasuar pop out onto the road, it looks around wary and you approach. Instead of doing the usual 'Wewewewewew' *random spiral visual* and go into battle you can choose to walk up to it, select to throw a pokemon out and battle it there.

I need to go to bed. I'm liking this idea way too much I know it won't come true.

[Jonnas]

I don't think another genre really suits Pokemon. They've done Pokemon Snap, Trading cards, pinball, Pokemon Stadium which is the only type of arena fighting game I think would work well. A Smash bros type game with pokemon will just be Smash bros, with just more pokemon and less other characters.

Pokemon works fine as an RPG, it always has and always will. The only problem with it is bringing new pokemon every few years, it's made me less inclined to buy a pokemone game knowing that bulbasuar might not be in the game or something.

 

That's like saying Platforming is the only genre that suits Mario, when that isn't true. If it was, we would never have Paper Mario or Mario Kart.

 

Pokémon Snap and Pinball worked perfectly and were awesome. Those two are proof that Pokémon certainly fits somewhere else.

 

And the fighting game wouldn't be smash bros with different characters. More like Power Stone with different characters.

[Gizmo]

I can see a good Turn Based Strategy coming from Pokemon, like the bastard love child of Pokemon and Fire Emblem.

[Emasher]

I don't think another genre really suits Pokemon. They've done Pokemon Snap, Trading cards, pinball, Pokemon Stadium which is the only type of arena fighting game I think would work well. A Smash bros type game with pokemon will just be Smash bros, with just more pokemon and less other characters.

Pokemon works fine as an RPG, it always has and always will. The only problem with it is bringing new pokemon every few years, it's made me less inclined to buy a pokemone game knowing that bulbasuar might not be in the game or something.

To go forward it needs more free roaming. More side quests. More freedom.

It has that now, but I don't feel that when playing it now. When I was playing Diamond I liked it. It was nice running around to that music again. But it felt samey, that same off-top down look. A full 3D RPG game, my mind drools. Walking along a forest path and seeing a bulbasuar pop out onto the road, it looks around wary and you approach. Instead of doing the usual 'Wewewewewew' *random spiral visual* and go into battle you can choose to walk up to it, select to throw a pokemon out and battle it there.

I need to go to bed. I'm liking this idea way too much I know it won't come true.

 

And perhaps non-random battles. For instance instead of the the pokemon just randomly appearing you would see one running around and to battle it you would walk into it, some would chase you and try to start a battle, sometimes they would be hard to see. When you start out, most pokemon will chase you but as you get more badges weaker leveled pokemon will stop chasing you and eventually only the really high leveled pokemon would chase you. This would make going through caves and water routes much more bearable.

[tetra_tracker]

I am no fun of Pokemon but if it goes MMO and turns good i am there. Though i can't see that happening without HDD and with an online service based on Friend codes.

[Jamba]

I don't think another genre really suits Pokemon. They've done Pokemon Snap, Trading cards, pinball, Pokemon Stadium which is the only type of arena fighting game I think would work well. A Smash bros type game with pokemon will just be Smash bros, with just more pokemon and less other characters.

 

Glad to see that you have both read and understood what Jonnas and I have been talking about Hmmm, so what you are saying is that every fighting game ever made is Smash Bros? That there isn't room for expansions into that genre as it's all been done before? I'm talking about re-creating the visually spectacular experience of Pokemon battling, while using a dynamic gameplay system that works off the environment and combines both defensive, offensive and status affecting moves. [sarcasm] Yeah... sounds just like Smash Bros... [/sarcasm]

 

 

Pokemon works fine as an RPG, it always has and always will.

 

And that's the kind of thinking that will kill the industry. Fancy a job at a publishers?

 

 

To go forward it needs more free roaming. More side quests. More freedom.

It has that now, but I don't feel that when playing it now. When I was playing Diamond I liked it. It was nice running around to that music again. But it felt samey, that same off-top down look. A full 3D RPG game, my mind drools. Walking along a forest path and seeing a bulbasuar pop out onto the road, it looks around wary and you approach. Instead of doing the usual 'Wewewewewew' *random spiral visual* and go into battle you can choose to walk up to it, select to throw a pokemon out and battle it there.

 

Well lets think now... maybe this hasn't happened because it is both financially and technically impossible. Just creating a Stadium game is hard enough due to the fact that they have to animate at least 40 moves per character and they have to design lots of different animation rigs for all the types of Pokemon. Doing what you're asking is pretty much well impossible.

 

And that game would still not reach a wider audience. It would still appeal to the same people and maybe, just maybe you could convince the ex-pokemon players to come back for one more title. But that would be it. The next title after that would just be more crap recycled, putting off a whole new generation of players.

 

What you are looking into is how to improve the already existing title in a way that is both impossible and will make you poke-fan wet dreams come to reality. Also, they are fairly obvious ideas (i.e. "let's make an interactive version of the anime! Even better, just an interactive version of the entire pokemon universe!"). Making games is about having to make as little as possible while delivering that same experience.

 

The game from Jonnas and me could run along parallel with the RPG titles and help expand the experience of the pokemon world. It could be a stand alone, long running series that could actually generate a lot of new ideas and depth.

[Serebii]

Well lets think now... maybe this hasn't happened because it is both financially and technically impossible. Just creating a Stadium game is hard enough due to the fact that they have to animate at least 40 moves per character and they have to design lots of different animation rigs for all the types of Pokemon. Doing what you're asking is pretty much well impossible.

 

And that game would still not reach a wider audience. It would still appeal to the same people and maybe, just maybe you could convince the ex-pokemon players to come back for one more title. But that would be it. The next title after that would just be more crap recycled, putting off a whole new generation of players.

 

Finally, the voice of reason. I've run out of ways to explain this lol. especially the whole "give us MMO Pokemon" thing...its just not feasible, logical or ideal.

 

Nintendo have successfully shown that other games can be similar successes without being a main game such as Ranger and *shudder* Dungeon...the problem is now, those sequels are not that much different to the originals...although Ranger 2 is much more different to Ranger 1 than Dungeon 2 is to Dungeon 1

 

The main games will always be handheld. Always be a top-down game and the forumla will not change much. The devlopers have said in interviews thast handheld and top-down is the only logical way to do it and that anything else and you'll end up messing with the mechanics and it wont look that good (Wild Grass in a 3rd Person view for example. Walking around and suddenly you're in battle with say a Wild Onix...its just not that feasible...doing it like in Ranger will just make the game shorter, easier and rubbish)

 

The only way you'll see different things from the Pokémon series is in the side games. The main games will always be similar to eachother with each generation adding many new mechanics into the fold

[ReZourceman]

Good thread, all good ideas so far.

 

Id love to see a remade Pokemon Red/Gold in 3D on the Wii. That would be very cool.

 

There is so much potential. A 3D fighting game sounds awesome, with targetting system etc, I can see a targetting system similar to GTAIV working well, with the actual feel of it like a 3D platformer, with solid controls in arena based combat. Actually that would be immense.