Pokemon Crystal - BABIEZ!

Hi, guys! Today I'm going to talk about Pokemon....specifically.
I'll be honest, I was kinda hesitant to do so for Pokemon Crystal, mainly because I'm very disappointed in how few new species were introduced in the second generation. As a child, it really didn't bother me, because I was used to seeing Gen. 1 Pokemon running around, and seeing them, along with others was just icing on the cake for me. Now I come back a few years later to play the game and think "I'm going to self-consciously make an effort to put together a team that is strictly made from Pokemon of the second generation."
I'm not saying such a feat is impossible, but it's difficult, mainly because of how spread out the good species are throughout your gameplay, and how...weak - frankly - some of your choices are. You've got great ones like the Bug/Fighting type Heracross and the Flying/Steel Skarmory, but you can't find them toward the beginning of the game, where I normally like to put my team together. Not only that, but they don't evolve. I like Pokemon that evolve, I'm just prejudice like that.
Also, if you want to play the second generation games, Crystal has a better story line, but it features less actual Pokemon, or at least, you can't get them earlier in the game like you can in Gold in Silver (i.e. - my favorite Pokemon, Dragonair, cannot be caught until nearly the end of the game in Crystal, unlike G/S.)
ANYWAY, enough about me complaining; there are still good advances in Pokemon that are featured here!

Say Hi!:
Clipper (Croconaw) ♂ - L21
Venus (Weepinbell) ♂ - L22
Trunks (Phanpy) ♀ - L21
Buss (Magnemite) - L22
Aurora (Growlithe) ♀ - L22
Cora (Golbat) ♀ - L23

Firstly, you'll notice that I now add a gender symbol to the end of my party's names. Back in the first generation, Pokemon didn't have genders. They were just creatures. Like I've mentioned before, the game was simple. As the new generation was introduced, however, the ability to breed your Pokemon came to be. That's right - your Pokemon can be placed in the Pokemon Daycare Center and have BABIES, if they're compatible.
...-chuckles-
In fact, as time went by, the third generation was introduced, and different variations of breeding came about, a sort of cult idea spread for awhile between these two later-named Pokemon:

     

Wailord and Skitty

What I personally find both hilarious and disturbing about this is that these two are compatible for breeding.
Skitty is a normal type, and one of the smallest Pokemon, being a mere 2 feet tall.
Wailord...is obviously water type, and is currently the largest recorded Pokemon there is, ranging at 47 feet.
And these two can make babies...let that sink in for a moment.

Another new aspect that began in the second generation was species variations. What I mean is the introduction of shiny Pokemon and Pokemon infected with 'Pokerus.'
Shiny Pokemon are simply extremely rare Pokemon that you can find in the wild and catch, just like any other Pokemon, only they look slightly different, and sparkle when seen in the wild or cast into battle.
For a visual example, let's take Gyarados, a first generation Water/Flying Pokemon:

This is a Gyarados

This is a shiny Gyarados

This species is actually the only Pokemon that you can catch as a shiny in the wild without looking for it - it is required to either catch or defeat it in order to progress in the Gold/Silver/Crystal game. Otherwise, you go hunting in the wild for it, and pray to God you happen to find one.

The other variation is what's called 'Pokerus,' which basically describes a Pokemon that you find in the wild that is infected with a virus. It even indicates it clearly when you encounter the Pokemon. In fact, it just looks like a status ailment:

This virus is actually quite helpful, though, as it does no harm to your Pokemon. It spread to your party when you catch the wild Pokemon, and allows your party to grow better. The virus does, however, fade with time. It is less popular in the Pokemon world than shiny Pokemon, possibly due to it being even more rare to find in the wild than a shiny Pokemon. (Which is odd, as I've only once encountered an infected Pokemon, but other than Gyarados, I haven't ever seen a shiny Pokemon in the wild.)

Regardless, I think I'm progressing much more quickly in this game, and I hope to be able to talk about what I originally wanted to ages ago. I'm not sure, though, I'll have to find out.
Thanks for reading, and I'll see you next time!

- Cheryl-Buddy

Pokemon Crystal - Against the Elements

FINALLY. Midterm week is OVER.
And after a week of trying to balance my studying with thinking of what to post first, I have experienced hardships that should never be experienced again. These hardships include, but are not at all limited to:
- dropping my SP and freezing the game after a 2-hour period of playing without saving and getting reeeeeeeally pissed off
- putting the still-on game in my bag and forgetting about it for about half an hour as a fire forced me out of my dorm for a bit, also freezing it after a 2-or-so-hour period without saving and nearly giving up on hope
- having the game randomly glitch up after I had just beaten the 3rd gym leader and was unable to exit the gym and was unable to pull up the start menu to save. I'M NOT KIDDING, PEOPLE.
So, the moral of the story? Save your game - a lot. I'm really hoping that this glitch doesn't reappear when I get to the 3rd gym again...

Anyway, welcome to my favorite generation of Pokemon. This, I will admit, is not my favorite game of the three, as it features less Pokemon, I think. Still, it has a more involved storyline, and is the third release of the generation, so I think I'll stick to it.

Say hello to my new team:

Cora (Zubat) ♀ - L11
Venus (Bellsprout) ♂ - L12
Clipper (Totodile) ♂ - L13

As a side note - from here on out, I nickname my Pokemon. It just seemed a bit too bold in the previous generation. Anyway...
Aside from the fact that this generation introduced 100 new Pokemon into the light, lots of changes began to happen. It really blew my mind as a child. Let's call this, for my own personal aspect, the building block generation of Pokemon today. The old Pokemon will forever be the original building block, but it was very simple. There was very little that it had in common with generation 2. With that said, I didn't remember it as much. 

Today I'll talk briefly about one of the new aspects that excited me the most: 2 new elements.

Dark Type

(From Bulbapedia)

I LOVED this type. There were only a select few Pokemon released in this generation to go with this debut type, but I wanted ALL OF THEM, regardless how difficult to me it seemed to catch them at the tender age of less-than-10.

Dark type brought spice into the Pokemon realm. The dark type Pokemon were always the most shadowy-looking, yet in battle, their move set was the most strategic and powerful to me. From the debut, forward, I wanted a Pokemon in my team that if it wasn't Dark, it would at least be able to know dark type moves. Thus, I came to respect Zubat, regardless of how many buggers are still out there in the games.

Steel Type

(From Bulbapedia)

This type, unlike Dark, was one of those that I FEARED. Like, the fear that your afraid of, not the fear that you respect. It took me ages to figure out what took steel type creatures down. It was bad enough having to learn what type of Pokemon to use against a Rock type. Now you have a gym leader who uses Steel as well to worry about. Not only that, but a particular Pokemon I had known just to be an Electric Pokemon (Magnemite) was now part Steel, part Electric.
Even today, now that I've known and have gotten used to Steel, I don't like this one. It's irritable...but great when you have a steel type Pokemon.

Next time I'll be focusing my attention to the Pokemon themselves - they've changed quite a bit, too, my friends. Thanks for reading!

- Cheryl-Buddy

Pokemon Yellow - Let's Skip Ahead to the End

Yeah, so I said in my last blog that I would be doing a philosophy spread for my last topic in Pokemon Yellow.
I didn't lie, and I'm still planning to do it - just wait. I've found what I think it a link in the first two games.
I've finished Pokemon Yellow, as far as what I consider having finished the game.

Meet my Hall of Fame team:

Blastoise - L58

Charizard - L58

Marowak - L60

Venusaur - L60

Pidgeot - L62

Hypno - L63

Yup, switched my Fearow for a Pidgeot. I had forgotten how helpful they were.

Anyway, I'm already starting in the next generation of Pokemon with Pokemon Crystal. From here on out, I'll be playing by the rules - even though you don't get a Pikachu in the second generation, I won't be getting any rare Pokemon to give me the upper hand.
Let me also get out of the way the fact that is is MY FAVORITE GENERATION OF ALL TIME. I'm not joking. I might fangirl a bit in this game. Thank you all for bearing with me, though. It's been fun.
Now then.
Let's turn to the next chapter!

- Cheryl-Buddy

Pokemon Yellow - OMG 8-Bit!

Holy bejezus, it's cold. D:

Say hello again to my team:

Wartortle - L34
Fearow - L34
Venusaur - L34
Marowak - L35
Hypno - L35
Charizard - L36

I was going to freak out inside for a moment if I couldn't find a playlist sharing site that would let me post something up here, because I could easily have a lot of songs to talk about. Thankfully, MixPod had something nice for me. Here you guys go!

Create a playlist at MixPod.com

Thank you, MixPod. Anyway, as you can tell, I'm going to be lightly discussing the musical element of Pokemon Yellow. This could easily  become a complicated subject in my opinion - the music is 8-bit. Why am I mentioning it in a blog post, then? Well, 8-bit was and is the home base of video game music. The first Mario game had it, the first Legend of Zelda game had it, and plenty of other classics had music composed on the silly little chip. Few, however, can comprehend the complexity that goes into its composition, and though I really hate to be borderline judging anyone, few can also truly appreciate what goes into making music with this microprocessor.

Regardless, take a listen to the battle themes above. (For the record, the theme with the artist title 'Unknown' is the Elite 4 Champion Theme.) You'll notice how frantic each of them sound. That was the tactic. Little actually went on in a Pokemon battle during the 90's. If you were to take away the music, the battle would be veeery boring. This frantic music helped wake battle up. In fact, I remember occasionally drifting through tall grass and the wild battle theme startling me - but that was the point.
Not all themes were frantic and fast-paced though. Let me show you Route 11:

My point to make with this theme is what work went into the liveliness of the music. C'mon, it's 8-bit - how can that possibly be lively. Well, with a 8-bit composer's range pallet being so tiny (along with a lot of other aspects in designing a game back then), you really had to think outside of the box and work with what you had. Sounds had to be 'stretched', per say, to make them sound like larger or different sounding 'instruments,' and you'll see that done particularly in this route's theme. And just as a little funfact, 8-bit was also used to make sound effects in video games. You'll notice that they sound very similar to percussion, next time you listen.
Now, take a listen to the remake of this route's theme in the Pokemon remake of FireRed and LeafGreen:

You hear horns, don't you? And drums? Well, that's what you were supposed to hear in the previous video, and you can, to a certain point. But making music dynamic with an 8-bit processor was extremely difficult, and making a theme sound even relatively close to instrumentation was commendable. Next time you're playing the first Pokemon, or any other old school game with 8-bit music, pay closer attention to how the simple broadening of sounds or pitches makes the music come that much more alive.

Give me a little bit of time to get farther into the game so I can talk about my next and last topic in Pokemon Yellow to the fullest - next time we talk about Yellow's philosophy. Don't misjudge me, just wait and see what I have to say.

- Cheryl-Buddy

Pokemon Yellow: Curse You, Snorlax

*~~//SPOILER ALERT\\~~*
I will potentially cover topics in this post that will expose the plot of Pokemon Yellow. You have been warned.

(You'll notice that I've been posting the day after I say I will lately...I'll bet you hate me.)
The more I play this game, the more my childhood memories and alligator tears seem to resurface. (I copy this down from a draft made in a lazy History class, so in advance, don't judge me.)

Anyway, say hello again to my newly-edited team:
Pikachu - L23
Drowsee - L23
Wartortle - L24
Ivysaur - L24
Charmeleon - L24
Fearow - L25

Today I'm going to explore Pokemon Yellow's gaming performance outside of battle. I love Pokemon Yellow, and the first generation of Pokemon, for an entirely different reason than I do any of the others. This game is funny. Unfortunately, it has little room to show it or allow much graphic movement amid the actual characters beyond walking and the little emoticon bubbles that pop up above their heads. Why, then is the game funny? Bear with me here, as I'm about to become repetitive for a moment.
Allow me to use two specific example characters: Professor Oak and your opponent trainers.
As just a small history lesson, Professor oak is a researcher who gives you your first Pokemon in the game, for those who don't know. Anyway, Professor Oak didn't mean anything to me as a child but an old man who provides your adventure and who also lets loose his douchebag of a grandson, Blue, into the world with a Pokemon. After playing now, I find him very...animated. Now, this is Professor Oak in the first generation:

Not very animated-looking, eh? Just looks like an old man in a white coat, doesn't he? Here, let me show you the the conversation you and he exchange as he is giving you your Pokedex:

Oak: Ah, (insert player name)! How is my old Pokemon? Well, it seems to like you a lot. You must be talented as a Pokemon trainer!
...
On the desk here is my invention, Pokedex! It automatically records data on Pokemon you've seen or caught! It's a high-tech encyclopedia! (Player name) and Blue, take these with you! To make a complete guide on all the Pokemon in the world...that was my dream! But, I'm too old! I can't do it! So, I want you two to fulfill my dream for me! Get moving, you two! This is a great undertaking in Pokemon history!

Count those exclamation marks...no, actually, don't - I've already done it for you. There are twelve. Professor Oak is an enthusiastic old man. You can't argue with me; and that personally amuses me, to listen to him throughout the game.
Now, what about those trainers? Oh, they're just as fun to listen to. Those of you who play Pokemon know that if you catch a trainer's eye, you will be plunged into battle. Well, ever since the first generation, trainers always have a pre-statement to engage battle, per say, and a followup statement after being defeated. Trainers in Yellow have some...interesting things to say as they approach you. Here are just a few:

"Hi! I like shorts! They're comfy and easy to wear!" - Youngster (Route 3)
"Eek! You touched me!" - Lass (Route 3)
"Hi! My boyfriend is cool!" - Lass (Route 24)

"Hey, you're not wearing shorts!" - Youngster (Route 9)
"Give...me...your...soul..." - Channeler (Pokemon Tower)

There are many more little snippits that they throw at you, too. People picking fights with me would potentially creep me out with warcries like that...I dunno about you guys, but it always made me laugh and raise an eyebrow to see what people have to say to you, especially Youngsters and their obsessions with shorts.

Now, let me stop my mocking of the social community in the Kanto region long enough to talk for a moment about its landscape. I just completed the Vermillion City section of the map, having earned my third gym badge and gaining access to the Hidden Move Cut. My next destination is Lavender Town, northeast from Vermillion. Many of you know, however, that the way is blocked by a 'giant sleeping Pokemon', aka Snorlax. This forces me to go around my thumb to get to my foot, by way of a really, really annoying Dark Cave. It got me thinking, though - Kanto is big, but its cities are well connected. Why do I say that? Well, there are small sectors that connect routes to cities throughout Kanto. Here's a visual example, since I'm bad at describing:

You could easily roam the entire land mass of Kanto through these sectors. Why take the Dark Cave, the long way, to Lavender Town, then? Well...siding with Snorlax being in the way, this is another inconvenience - your sectors are guarded, and the guards that allow you access to all of Kanto are thirsty, so you cannot currently pass (tragic, ain't it?) THAT is why you must use Dark Cave. Regardless of its frustration, however, Snorlax and the thirsty guards help you as a player to stay on track. If you were allowed access to anywhere, you could easily be jumped by trainers/enemies/gym leaders who are far more powerful than you, and as an inexperienced Pokemon player, someone might lose...all the time. A lost battle not only warps you to a Pokemon Center, but it also costs you money, so losing all the time could get you into some great trouble. I therefore commend the game's irritation in making you actually follow through each city like they want you to.

Well, that's all I have to say about today. Join me again this week as I delve into Pokemon Yellow's music element.
Bye!

- Cheryl-Buddy

Pokemon Yellow: DIE, MOFO, DIE.

*~~//SPOILER ALERT\\~~*
I am possibly going to cover topics in this blog that will expose the plot of Pokemon Yellow Version. You have been warned.

Lemme start by apologizing for my lack of blog post on Friday. I has a life. But I'll try my hardest not to let that happen too often through these posts.
Okay, today I'm actually starting to talk specifically about Pokemon Yellow, after my little rant about the evolution of Pokemon sprites into something worth looking at when I play.

Anyway, I'd like to introduce you to my Pokemanz (so far, anyway):
Pikachu - L 21
Charmeleon - L 21
Diglett - L 22
Ivysaur - L 22
Fearow - L 23

I'm currently chilling on the S.S. Anne in Vermillion City after having gotten my second Kanto gym badge. Something's beginning to hit me - I haven't played this game in a long time. I've had to recall by experience all the little aspects of the game that made me ill with it whenever I would play as a youngster.
I'm going to try not to do any contrasting between generations, as the point of these posts is to expose Pokemon's 'evolution' through time, but this I must rant about.

Trainer and gym leader battling is very dry - not dry in a bad way, but dry as in simple. Let me show you:

This is your simple standby screen in mid-battle. You'll notice that there's no EXP bar. You'll also notice how simple your HP bar is. When your Pokemon/Opponent develops a status ailment, such a poison or paralysis, your current level is covered up by the status ailment. That personally is a distraction to me. Why? Because there will be occasions in battle where an opponent is about to sent a new Pokemon onto the field, and I cannot remember my Pokemon's level, as it's covered up. In order to find that out, I am forced to switch to the PKMN selection to see its level. It's not a big deal, but it's still an extra step.
Also, battle techniques are rather simple. The example I'll use comes from your first gym battle with the rock-type user Brock. He uses the Pokemon Onix.

Fast-forwarding the video to the one minute mark, Onix begins to use the move Bind. Bind and Wrap are very similar, and are used by Pokemon who possess long appendages of sorts, or a serpent-like body. I've grown used to the attack being like any other move; here, it's not. You'll see in the video that Onix can hinder your ability to attack as long as the move of Bind is underway. This proved to be a very scary move, especially in the heat of battle when your Pokemon is low in HP.

Regardless, I'm beginning to remember how things work in Pokemon Yellow, and hopefully no more surprises are going to come my way.

Join me on Monday, where my discussion of Pokemon's gameplay will take me into it's performance outside of battle.

- Cheryl-Buddy