What do you think?

[arcaine91]

Yeah, sorry. I know the "pokemon Tactical" idea got shot down, but, well....

I mean, pokemon is a pretty good thing, it's just....

all the games are too F****** kiddy!

I guess what im trying to say is, id just like a darker, more mature pokemon game to play. Since that isnt likely to happen, i have no choice but to make one. Sorry, but Charas support or not, i want to do this. I can ditch the Tactical premise and incorporate a "recruitment" system, if need be. So, I decided to post this. This is a script (NOT the code kind) from one of the early scenes in the game. In it, the protagonist awakens in the forest after his transformation. This serves two purposes: (1) to introduce a few basic plot elements and characters, and (2) to show off my writing skills, which i have yet to do on Charas. Read it and comment if you like. And, please no flame.

Note: All pokemon speak in their own "language" that, despite being completely different between species, is universally understood by all species. Likewise, humans have their own language. Humans can learn to understand the Pokemon language (but not speak it), the same applies to pokemon and the human language. However, there are very rare examples of pokemon learning to speak Human languages. This is extremely uncommon, however. In the game, both languages appear; human speech is normal, while pokemon speak is designated like this <this is what is being said>. All pokemon can understand this, but for all intents and purposes, humans only interpret this as the pokemon's "usual" pattern of speech. All dialogue in this passage is in the pokemon language, but ill still use the designator anyway. Just bear with it....also, i can remove the swearing if requested.

(The scene is a forest clearing. The main character Kain, in Pikachu form, lies on the ground, unconscious. Two others, Jacob (Bulbasaur) and Edgar (Charmander) approach slowly from the side. Edgar edges closer and examines the unconscious Kain.)
-Jacob: <Is he dead?>
-Edgar: <No, he's breathing.> (turns to Kain.) <HEY! WAKE UP!>
(Kain awakens and climbs groggily to his feet (paws?).)
-Kain: <Owwww....my head...>
-Edgar: <You okay?>
(Kain looks up and blinks a few times. He then starts looking around wildly.)
-Kain: Ah...crap! My glasses! Dammit, I can't see anything.....
(Kain drops down and begins to feel around on the ground.)
-Jacob: <Gla-sis? What's that?>
-Kain: <Aha!> (picks up glasses, and puts them on. At this point, the standard Pikachu sprite changes to Kain's w/glasses one. He blinks a few more times, and looks at the two others.) <Ahh! W-wild pokemon...!> (begins to back away slowly) <T-take it easy, you don't want to attack me...>
(the two look at each other, then back at Kain.)
-Jacob: <Are you....feeling alright?>
-Kain: <Holy...! You can speak English?>
-Edgar: <Uh, what's "Ing-lesh?">
-Kain: <The human tongue? The one you're talking in right now?>
-Edgar: <Um, no...I can't speak Human.>
-Jacob: <Me either!>
-Kain (confused): <Huh? But then, how can I understand you? Some sort of translator?>
-Jacob: <Tranz-what? Stop using big words! You know, for a Pikachu, you're really weird....>
-Kain: <A what? I'm no Pikachu, I'm human!>
(Jacob and Edgar exchange odd looks)
-Jacob (unconvinced): <Riiiiggghht....>
-Kain: <No really!> (Holds out his hands (paws?) in beseechment.) <I'm not a-> (Notices his hands (paws)) <Wh....what...what's this....?>
(Begins examining himself. After grasping his tail, he collapses to the ground.) <I....I really am a....>
-Edgar: <See? You're a Pikachu!>
-Kain (breathlessly): <I.....>
-Jacob: <What's wrong? Why are you so->
(Kain leaps up suddenly and the other two jump back surprised.)
-Kain (excitedly): Th-this is just-incredible! I'm a Pikachu! I mean, I never would've DREAMED soemthing like this was possible! -Astonishing! My entire physical form has been altered, just like->
-Jacob: <Uh, hello?>
-Kain: <-that! This is-this could finally be the thing I've been wishing for! This could make me rich! I'll be the envy of scientists the world over! I can just picture the lines of tourists and thrillseekers linging up to pay out the TEETH for this! And all I have to do is harn->
-Edgar (to Jacob): <I think this guy might have a few screws loose...>
-Kain: <-ess the power behind..wait! How did this even happen in the first place?! I mean, technically speaking, it COULD be possible; after all, the Corporation IS one of the most advanced..what am I talking about?! Of course it's possible! The proof is right in front of->
-Jacob: <HEY!>
-Kain (glances up and blinks twice): <...huh?>
-Edgar: <Did you...hit your head, or something?>
(A wild pokemon (random) approaches behind Kain.  Kain turns around and faces it.)
-Kain (slowly): <Um....friend of yours...?>
-Jacob: <No...>
-Kain: <Ah. I see.....um....I'm, uh, warning you...I know, um,  Judo...>
-Edgar: <Look out!>
(The wild pokemon attacks, and a battle triggers. This battle is AI controlled. Kain attempts a weak physical attack, but it bounces off. Edgar quickly steps forward and defeats the foe with a fire attack.>
-Kain (stands up slowly): <Thank you...>
-Jacob: <Hey, what was with that weak punching-thing? Why didn't you just shock him?>
-Kain: <Huh? Oh, that's right! Pikachu is an Electric-type, so theoretically, I should be able to use electricity...>
-Edgar: <"Theoretically?">
-Kain: <Well, I don't know how, obviously.>
-Edgar: <You...you don't know how?! There's no such THING as a natural-born Pikachu who can't use electricity! That settles it. You HAVE to be human!>
-Kain: <See?! Now you understand! I'm not really a Pikachu! My name is Kain Moriko. I'm in charge of the Chemistry division of the Grans Private Research and Development Corporation. I live at the company apartments. I'm engaged to a woman named Camella-AH!>
(Jacob and Edgar both jump at this sudden outcry.)
-Jacob (concerned): <What's wrong?!>
-Kain (horrified): <C-Camella! We're going to be married in a few short months! I can't face her at the altar looking like THIS! This is horrible!>
(Jacob and Edgar exchange odd looks)
-Jacob: <Just...calm down!>
-Kain (calming): <Right...right...sorry. Got a little carried away.>
-Edgar: <So, what will you do now?>
(Kain looks startled by the question. He slumps, depressed.>
-Kain: <That...is a very good question. I can't return to my home, my work, my fiance...my entire life is gone....>
-Edgar (sorry): <Hey...I didn't mean to make you so upset....>
-Kain (shakes his head furiously): <No, no! Get it together, Kain! Moping around won't fix anything. Okay....> (thinks for a few moments) <I have no idea how or why this transformation occured, nor what caused it. I'm no biologist; I've only got basic elementary knowledge of this species. I think....my first priority at this time is to become adjusted to this new form as best I can. I should study up on this species. The Corportaion Database is farily extensive....but I can't very well waltz in there looking like this....hmmmm...>
(A few moments pass.)
-Jacob: <Any ideas?>
-Kain: <Maybe...that's it! Camella's house! She's out of town for the week. She has an extensive personal library; there's bound to be a book or two on Pikachu in there. I might even be able to find a lead on this transformation. It's even out in the country side, so privacy is pretty much guaranteed.> (glances around) <Okay. I think I recognize this place. I believe I can find my way from here.>
-Edgar: <Hold on. Can we tag along?>
-Kain: <Why?>
-Jacob: <Well, with the humans everywhere, there isn't a lot of excitement in these woods. Besides, how often does a human-turned-Pikachu appear randomly?>
-Edgar: <Yeah, and who knows? It could be fun!>
-Kain (looks at them): <You're a strange lot...but at this point, I'm not exactly in a position to turn down help...>
-Edgar: <Great! Your name was Kain, right? I'm Edgar!>
-Jacob: <And you can call me Jacob!>
-Kain: <Okay then! Edgar, Jacob, we're off!>
(The trio exit.)

MOVE IF NECESSARY

[Red Fox]

If you want a more mature Pokemon game I would advice you to distance yourself from Pokemon. And make something similar instead. For example a game where you play as a beast master where you have to go out in the wild to catch animals and train them. Then travel to different cities and fight with them in Arenas.

A mature game with the word Pokemon in it won't work trust me.

[Grandy]

If you want a more mature Pokemon game I would advice you to distance yourself from Pokemon. And make something similar instead. For example a game where you play as a beast master where you have to go out in the wild to catch animals and train them. Then travel to different cities and fight with them in Arenas.

A mature game with the word Pokemon in it won't work trust me.

Isn't that just the DS's Dragon Quest?

[Red Fox]

Isn't that just the DS's Dragon Quest?

Might be, dunno never played.

[Prpl_Mage]

Diamond and Pearl is all about world destruction by an organization who's leader lacks feelings or moral guilt.
They want to summon a pokemon that was sealed away by humans because it could destroy the world with it's powers.
They even bomb lakes and kills all those poor magikarps. Hell, team galactic even removed parts of pokemons(the three pixies) to summon that powerful one and did all those tests and manipulations on pokemon stored in cannisters.


And really, your story doesn't sound much better than a pokémon game to be honest. It sounds like Mystery Dungeon but with a grown-up hero instead of the non-speaking one that mystery dungeon had.
Like, it's the same basic idea: A human is turned into a pokémon and is found by a pokémon who have to explain that the guy is actually a pokémon himself.


A mature and dark pokémon game would take place before the invention of pokéballs and modern society.
It would have things like: swords, axes, bows, spears ect or even chainsaws and machineguns.
Pokémons would be animals without the ability to communicate to humans.
Psychic pokés are considered especially cruel because it can mess with people's minds.
You would kill wild Miltanks for food.
Everyone would share the vision that pokémons are beasts and only accepted into society as slaves or pets.
All main characters have to be humans; a pokémon character would ruin it. You can however have a character with a "pet" that attacks for the character(like Celes in tales of destiny).
Charactes have different attacks and elements much like pokémons or classes that switch between them.
Having talking pokémons is like admitting that it is indeed a childish game. Like all these children stories with a village of talking cats and ****.
Pokémons should only be considered as beasts or monsters or the matureness would suddenly die.
Pokémon should only speak if they fulfil one of two things:
1. They play a part in the story and are humanoid in some way.
2. They are of the psychic type and can communicate directly into the mind of people like Mewtwo.

That's just my own look at things though.

[arcaine91]

all right...i guess this is just a bad idea, plain and simple.

Since it doesnt really matter, I might as well share the ending idea i had.

Basically, you find out that the main antagonists have utilized highly experimental technology to breach a portal to another world. You defeat them, but the portal begins to collapse, and you learn that the only way to close it is from the other side; no one has any idea what lies there. Kain willingly volunteers to sacrifice himself and pass through. Despite his friends' protests, he enters the portal; moments later, it closes and the machine breaks down, trapping Kain on the other side. Meanwhile, another major character (who by this point we have learned is suffering from a debilitating disease and has at best a few months to live) confronts and kills the leader of the antagonists, but she herself dies from the strain of the fight. She recalls her encounters with Kain and his friends in her final moments. Camella, Carde (Kain's formerly-traitorous assisstant and protege), and Colin (a shy Squirtle turned human) decide to seek out a way to find and save Kain, a quest they full well know might be futile. Edgar stands on a hill overlooking a twilit lake as flashbacks of Kain, Colin, and Jacob (killed earlier in the story) roll across the scene. The final scene shows Kain awakening in a pitch-white environment. He looks around, questions where he is, and finally walks out of the scene. The credits roll.

Also, in response to the above statement, I can't do anything like that. My affection lies purely in the Pokemon series, and just making a similar game would, to me, be like a cheap rip-off. I still want to make this, but I'm going to do it independantly and likely won't post it when finished. Sorry for wasting everyone's time.

I still plan on working on Khaleid and FS, by the way. I'm still working on EX. but finding the resources I need has been...tough.

Well, thanks for the input, at least. I suppose I could just keep it in story form, rewrite and polish it, and post it as fanfic, but that just seems...weak. I still really want to do this, but I'll either (A): have to just deal with it being somewhat kiddish, or : Turn it into the most grim, sinister, emo pokemon game ever created. I REALLY don't want to scrap this. Plus, Kain and a handful of others appear in EX, so this would give a little backstory...

Random Extra: Carde's Betrayal
(Carde (human), Kain, and Edgar proceed down a dark corridor. Carde is leading the way, and is in a bit of a hurry.)
-Edgar: <Where'r we going again?>
-Kain: <Carde is leading us to the helipad. There's a chopper stored there that we can use to escape.> (to Carde) How much further?
-Carde: We're almost there.
(The group emerges into a pitch-dark room. Kain and Edgar follow close behind. Carde suddenly stops.)
-Kain: Carde, what's wrong?
-Carde (to himself): Right. We're here....
-Kain: Here? I don't see any copter. How are we escaping?
Edgar: <What's going on?>
-Carde (loudly): Okay! We're here. Do it.
(Suddenly, lights blaze to life, blinding Kain for a moment. When his sight recovers, he sees that they are now surrounded by dozens of armed soldiers.)
-Kain (shakily): C-Carde? What's going on...?
(Carde's face is expressionless. Loud laughter erupts from behind some of the guards, and a heavyset man in a rumpled suit pushes his way through.)
-Kain (shocked): Malin?! Carde, what is this?!
(Edgar reacts to the man's appearace angriliy. He steps forward.)
-Edgar (furious): <YOU! You're the one who...who...!!>
-Malin: Hmm? Oh, you're the scrawny lizard who was with that plant-thing, aren't you? Haha, this is rich! Don't worry about your friend; he makes excellent fertilizer for my garden! Hahaha!
-Edgar (screaming): <YOU BASTARD! I'LL KILL YOU!!>
(Edgar rushes towards Malin. Malin lazily raises his hand and waves. A soldier levels his gun and shoots Edgar in the arm. He stumbles back, grasping his bleeding arm.)
-Edgar (in pain: <D-damn it...>
-Kain: <Ed!> Damn! Carde...why?!
(Carde is silent and impassive.)
-Soldier: Shall we take them to the holding cells, boss?
-Malin: The salamander, yes. But the yellow rat...I think he'd make a perfect test subject for the new "chamber," don't you think?
-Soldier: Yes, sir!
-Malin (to Kain): The BioGenerative Chamber really IS a marvel. Utilizing the latest in Grans technology, it slowly saps the energy-in this case, your electricity-from it's victim. Then, once the victim has been completely drained, the chamber redirects that energy, incinerating or electrocuting the victim with their own power. It's so wonderfully ironic, isn't it?!
-Kain (emptily): Carde...please...
-Malin (to Carde): Well? Are you going to intervene, knowing the fate that awaits your former mentor?
-Carde (emotionless): ...it's none of my concern.
-Kain (weakly): Cam...I'm sorry...
-Malin: Oh, you don't have to worry about her. I thought it wouldn't do to leave your beloved all alone, so I had a few of my men...arrange, for her to meet you on the other side.
-Kain (empty): Wh-what...?
-Malin (removes something from his pocket): Just have a look at this!
(Throws a small ring at Kain's feet. It's a diamond ring, the same one Kain gave to Camella when he proposed. It is covered in dried blood.)
-Kain (collapses): ...
-Malin: Don't worry. You'll be reunited again soon enough. Take him to the Chamber!
-Soldier: Shouldn't we restrain him first?
-Malin: No, I don't think he'll put up much of a fight.
(The soldiers drag Edgar and Kain down opposite corridors. Edgar tries to break free of his captors, but one strikes him with a baton, and he weakens. Kain is dragged in another direction, making no effort at resistance.)
-Edgar (shouting): <KAIN!>
-Kain: ...
-Malin (laughing): Well done, Carde! All of the loose ends have been tied up, and we can finally relax. Oh, and don't worry...once we hit paydirt, you'll get more than your fair share! HAHAHA!
-Carde (expressionless): ....
(The scene ends as the two are dragged away.)

[Prpl_Mage]

It's just that you said that you wanted a darker and more mature pokémon game. What you've given us doesn't quite dark and mature. It sounds like something a pokémon fan makes up.
Nothing wrong with that, but loving a series and trying to change it won't really work. You'll feel obliged to make it like the real thing and most of the dark and mature parts will fade away next to your glorifying.
At least, that's what I've noticed from my own experience. In order to really succeed to change something so much from the original  like the goal "Dark and mature" you'll have to butcher the things you love about it.

That's what I'm trying to tell you. So you don't realize it later on once you've done a lot on the game already.

[arcaine91]

okay, maybe dark and mature was just a bad choice of words.

Im going to flow with it, but I dont want the plot to fall away like that. If i start to notice that happening, i can just pull the plug.

Maybe think more along the lines of certain FF games; funny and childish at times, but also capable of being serious.

And no, I'm not saying that it would be as good as FF. I'm not THAT conceited.

Again, "Dark/Mature"=bad word choice. "Serious" fits better.

(also, i dont want to mess with the established "trainer" line. I dont feel i could do it justice.)

((edit))
Damn! I am a moron! I just thought of the perfect connection; how did I NOT think of this before?! (and i call myself a fan...)

Advance Wars! It took one of the most horrible, grim, gruesome, and terrifying things in existence and made it....cute.
Days of Ruin tried to give it a more serious tone, but still (to a degree) kept the series' trademark lighthearted humor.

You can basically think of this idea as the "Days of Ruin" of pokemon.

Now, if you'll excuse me... *punches self in the face repeatedly for not making this connection sooner*

[drenrin2120]

I read a bit of what prpl said and what arcaine said. I disagree a bit. I think adding axes, bows, and making it more primitive would take away from the pokemon aspect. If you want a more mature feeling pokemon game, I think realism is the way to go. Wild pokemon would be considered dangerous until captured. Pokemon like nidoking or rhyhorn would be extremely dangerous and would kill people like a bear or shark would, not often but you get my point.

I read a comic once linked to me by a member here on charas, I believe it was FFL, it was a pokemon comic, not necessarily darker but more realistic and mature. I think that's the best way to start.

Obviously, the idea of realism only works so far. Capturing wild animals and storing them in little balls attached to your hip is obviously unrealistic. I always thought it would be cool to view the pokemon games as, in a world where pokemon exist, games kids played and envisioned themselves becoming a pokemon trainer some day. While in the game there are young heroins, in the real world, no good parent would let their kid leaves home at the age of ten to deal with dangerous creatures. So kids would dream and most would forget their dreams as they grew up, but some did not.


I went off on a bit of a confusing tangent, hope this helps some bit.

[arcaine91]

The general theme of the game is a normal human who is forced to view his own world from a different point of view, and learns things he might otherwise not have known. He leads a peaceful life as a human, but in his alternate form, he learns that that peaceful life has a darker side to it, too. Likewise, the pokemon themselves, despite being viewed as animals by human society, are actually intelligent and have their own societies, and THEIR societies have dark sides, too. What would YOU do if you found out your entire life was a carefully orchestrated lie, and that your only REAL purpose was to serve as an unwitting test subject for experiments? That nothing you'd ever accomplished had any meaning, because everything you accomplished only WAS because someone else made you do it?

Also, there IS dark violence in this game. Humans fight with firearms, blades, and other modern weapons, while pokemon attacks don't just knock someone out (usually); for example, a 20,000 volt electric shock wouldn't just leave you a little scorched; more than likely, it'd kill you.

[drenrin2120]

I found that comic. LINK

I never realized how scary Victreebel really were.

[fruckert]

PokeMon special?
That's actually half-canon stuff, dude
It's actually in the franchise

Completely forgot about that

And as to the actual topic, no comment