Social Social Thread - Please Read Last Post

[Aurane]

Wait I'm confused.

Hop said I didn't catch anything special.

I must of dozed off. Is there some kind of special finding ability in this game?

 

[SneakyLink]

Yesterday one of the groups in my class had a presentation.

One of them showed a clip from Hunter x Hunter.

Now I'm curious as to how Alluka's power works...

Spoiler

Guess what the presentation was. And no, it wasn't on anime.

 

[Cutie Gwen]

Wait I'm confused.

Hop said I didn't catch anything special.

I must of dozed off. Is there some kind of special finding ability in this game?

Hop's saying yous a basic ***** and got the generic ass white bread without crusts equivelant of a Pokemon

 

[Hat N' Clogs]

The second I got used to switch controls, I end up carrying as Lucio. This is my life now.

Spoiler

 

[TheMightyP]

I know people questiom where the Pokemon universe get their meat from, but what I want to know is, where to people in the Mario universe get their meat from? Almost every creature has a sentient counterpart, so do they just not care?

 

[Aurane]

Hop's saying yous a basic ***** and got the generic ass white bread without crusts equivelant of a Pokemon

Probably because they're boxed. Lmao

 

[Scoliosis Jones]

I understand it's frustrating to have people come in and shout at you for liking a video game, good, great, whatever. I think that's wrong. I would never tell someone they are wrong for enjoying a video game. There are so many more important things than that.

But.

From my side of the fence, I have also seen plenty of bad faith arguments from people defending the game, all the way to the pre-release. Mostly not here (there has been some of it here though), but everywhere. To the point of feeling like people are just sticking their heads in the sand saying "it's Pokemon, it's gonna be great, it's Pokemon, it's gonna be great" like it's a mantra. Criticisms have been mired with claims of being toxic and defending harassment. People have thrown themselves at the feet of massive gaming companies to defend them despite forcing developers to work extremely unrealistic timetables and pipelines of yearly releases. People have had their criticisms dismissed with "it's a kid's game," "you're too old for Pokemon anyway," "well, that doesn't bother me, so why does it bother you," etc. People have used hashtags like #ThankYouGameFreak to shield a company from the legitimate development and marketing issues of this franchise.

Where was this defense force when EA/Bioware screwed up with Mass Effect Andromeda? When No Man's Sky was a No Man's Land? When companies continuously release games that are clearly unfinished and filled with microtransactions? Nintendo has learned how to successfully act as if they are part of their consumers' family and consumers feel they must defend them. People call critics "haters" as if Pokemon is a little indie game that is gonna struggle to make a profit if the big internet meanies have their way. There are absolutely bad faith actors, trolls, harassers among the critics. But I think people need to think critically if they are responding to that, or to people who legitimately are upset at how such a massively profitable and successful franchise has been treated by the top brass, and if they feel they have to defend that.

(This tangent probably has nothing to do with you, but I wanted to explain and contextualize why this pre-release cycle discussion has been so frustrating.)

Oh, believe me...I totally understand why people are frustrated. Not being able to use your favorite Pokémon, especially ones that you’ve had since the beginning sucks. I mean, I was bummed to not be able to use Greninja, or any of the legends I had previously caught. When the mantra of the series is, “Gotta catch ‘em all”, it’s a sad day. I wouldn’t undersell that at all.

My problem has always been with the approach. There are issues with the game. No game is perfect. My issue, though, is people harassing developers, creating a hashtag of “****yougamefreak”, etc. It’s forgotten sometimes that the developers are human beings. They have lives outside of gaming. Yet, they cannot escape the fury of fans on Twitter commenting on unrelated posts.

That is the behavior that keeps me from understanding the whole debacle itself. A friend of mine agreed with me with some of the critique. Like, somebody complaining about shadows in a game that, for the first time, gives you a bit more of an “open world” in a game that didn’t have it before. Zooming in on a screen by 40% and saying, “WOW LOOK AT THAT THIS GAME SUCKS.” For me, it’s hard to take that seriously.

The gameplay gets me to come back. The new regions, and the fact that I’ve been waiting for a new, home console game. People are stuck on certain things that are sticking points for them, and that’s fine. That’s what will stop them.

I’m not without critiques of my own for this game. Voice acting would have probably done it some good in the beginning. I think they need to rethink their Dex decision, and some graphical things could be fixed.

While the imperfections keep people from playing them, I am playing it despite those imperfections. To each their own, I suppose.

 

[Will]

I think they need to rethink their Dex decision, and some graphical things could be fixed

Could?

They should. They would benefit greatly if they did. I don't know why you chose could, but you could've chosen better on that front.

 

[Gentlepanda]

trainer card poses are a work of art

 

[StormC]

Yesterday one of the groups in my class had a presentation.

One of them showed a clip from Hunter x Hunter.

Now I'm curious as to how Alluka's power works...

Spoiler

Guess what the presentation was. And no, it wasn't on anime.

It's been a while but from what I remember the nature of Alluka's powers are that basically she is possessed by a wish-granting demon.

...that's about all the explanation they give.

 

[Cutie Gwen]

Yesterday one of the groups in my class had a presentation.

One of them showed a clip from Hunter x Hunter.

Now I'm curious as to how Alluka's power works...

Spoiler

Guess what the presentation was. And no, it wasn't on anime.

I'm gonna guess it's a presentation on trans rights

trainer card poses are a work of art

View attachment 246832

Panda when Baboom lost their car and position in the EU 2019 colourized

 

[SnakeFighter64]

In what universe is Futaba actually 16! She looks like a literal child and she’s only one year younger than Joker and the gang.

How many Pokemon games have you played again? You've been able to do that since GEN 1!

I haven’t played any game. I’ve only ever appreciate the world and character design

 

[Aurane]

I just found a Pokemon cloaked by a yellow light.

'Splain dat.

 

[Alicorn]

Are there any Pokémon you guys would keep as pets or general companions?

It should surprise literally no one that I would have a house full of dog Pokémon (especially Granbull, Yamper, Smeargle and Arcanine) but I’d love to have Pokémon like Lilligant, Flygon, Furret, Sylveon and Primarina as travel companions.

Galarian Ponyta, Ponyta, Dewgong, Zerbastrika, Milktank, Peresect, Claydol, jigglypuff, eggexcute, Polygon. Durant. Nindoqueen, Chikurida, Bayleaf. Plus Minum, Arados, Spinarak. Venomoth.

 

[Aurane]

I just found a Pokemon cloaked by a yellow light.

'Splain dat.

This Skwovet has Belly Drum.

Holy ****. This must be that aura thing I heard about. Neat.

 

[Rangez]

Are there any Pokémon you guys would keep as pets or general companions?

It should surprise literally no one that I would have a house full of dog Pokémon (especially Granbull, Yamper, Smeargle and Arcanine) but I’d love to have Pokémon like Lilligant, Flygon, Furret, Sylveon and Primarina as travel companions.

I'd want Swampert as my own house pet (mostly because starter favorite bias), and have Hoopa as a faithful companion to tag along with me (with them around, I won't really be needing to get a driver's license).

 

[NonSpecificGuy]

Wait. What the **** is wrong with Toby's SwSh track?

 

[Deleted member]

Are there any Pokémon you guys would keep as pets or general companions?

It should surprise literally no one that I would have a house full of dog Pokémon (especially Granbull, Yamper, Smeargle and Arcanine) but I’d love to have Pokémon like Lilligant, Flygon, Furret, Sylveon and Primarina as travel companions.

Probably Zorua.

 

[Shyy_Guy595]

Are there any Pokémon you guys would keep as pets or general companions?

It should surprise literally no one that I would have a house full of dog Pokémon (especially Granbull, Yamper, Smeargle and Arcanine) but I’d love to have Pokémon like Lilligant, Flygon, Furret, Sylveon and Primarina as travel companions.

Arcanine, Maybe Ninetales, Incineroar, Skitty and Delcatty, Glameow, Smeargle, Plusle, Poochyena and Mightyena, Swampert, Scorbunny's final evo...

I think I'd have too much lol

 

[StormC]

In what universe is Futaba actually 16! She looks like a literal child and she’s only one year younger than Joker and the gang.

If anything, Futaba's design is much more realistic than how most anime-style high school girls look. I would in my experience say more girls in high school looked like Futaba than they did Ann.

 

[Shroob]

In what universe is Futaba actually 16! She looks like a literal child and she’s only one year younger than Joker and the gang.


I haven’t played any game. I’ve only ever appreciate the world and character design

She looks like an Inkling to me.

 

[Wademan94]

In what universe is Futaba actually 16! She looks like a literal child and she’s only one year younger than Joker and the gang.

You’d be surprised. I went to college with girls that look younger than her.

 

[Gentlepanda]

She looks like an Inkling to me.

sounds of woomy getting louder

 

[TheMightyP]

Tbh, SwSh has some REALLY good ideas, and I hope they can fully flesh them out later down the line.

 

[SneakyLink]

I'm gonna guess it's a presentation on trans rights

Close enough. Their presentation was on non-binary gender roles in media.

And it was quite interesting.

 

[Aurane]

Alright, I'm trying out the "Surprise" trading.

I'm totally not using a Skwovet.

 

[Shroob]

sounds of woomy getting louder

View attachment 246834

Imagine how much money Smash would make if they let us buy Character Skins for anything but the Mii-3.

 

[Wademan94]

sounds of woomy getting louder

View attachment 246834

This should’ve been an actual clothing set in Splatoon 2.

 

[Shyy_Guy595]

I dunno. Futaba looks like nerdy outcast to me.

Ann looks like how the stereotypical pretty cheerleader looks.

I've never played Persona so I'm basing it off their designs.

 

[SnakeFighter64]

You’d be surprised. I went to college with girls that look younger than her.

Feh. I currently go to college with girls that look younger than her. And there’s always this whiplash when class gets out and I overhear them talking about their kids.

 

[Alicorn]

Don't underestimate puberty folks

 

[Will]

Don't underestimate puberty folks

is that a threat

 

[Alicorn]

Imagine how much money Smash would make if they let us buy Character Skins for anything but the Mii-3.

I wouldn't mind buying a Bugsy skin

 

[StormC]

Oh, believe me...I totally understand why people are frustrated. Not being able to use your favorite Pokémon, especially ones that you’ve had since the beginning sucks. I mean, I was bummed to not be able to use Greninja, or any of the legends I had previously caught. When the mantra of the series is, “Gotta catch ‘em all”, it’s a sad day. I wouldn’t undersell that at all.

My problem has always been with the approach. There are issues with the game. No game is perfect. My issue, though, is people harassing developers, creating a hashtag of “****yougamefreak”, etc. It’s forgotten sometimes that the developers are human beings. They have lives outside of gaming. Yet, they cannot escape the fury of fans on Twitter commenting on unrelated posts.

That is the behavior that keeps me from understanding the whole debacle itself. A friend of mine agreed with me with some of the critique. Like, somebody complaining about shadows in a game that, for the first time, gives you a bit more of an “open world” in a game that didn’t have it before. Zooming in on a screen by 40% and saying, “WOW LOOK AT THAT THIS GAME SUCKS.” For me, it’s hard to take that seriously.

The gameplay gets me to come back. The new regions, and the fact that I’ve been waiting for a new, home console game. People are stuck on certain things that are sticking points for them, and that’s fine. That’s what will stop them.

I’m not without critiques of my own for this game. Voice acting would have probably done it some good in the beginning. I think they need to rethink their Dex decision, and some graphical things could be fixed.

While the imperfections keep people from playing them, I am playing it despite those imperfections. To each their own, I suppose.

The thing is, like I said earlier, it's fine to enjoy the game besides of the misgivings. Or to not care about the misgivings. Or to even like the misgivings. That's fine! It's not just the choices made in the games development that have frustrated me but the discourse around it (from both defenders and critics, frankly). A lot of these discussions over the last few months have been couched by what feels like a need to "prove the haters wrong." Enjoyment of a game does not need to be contextualized by a "haters BTFO" sentiment, especially for a megafranchise like Pokemon. It comes off as a need to "win." Nobody is a winner or a loser except the companies making lots of money off of consumers like us.

Of course, a lot of critics are obnoxious too, even if they aren't harassing others. They dog on people for just wanting to enjoy a video game. As I said, I think that's wrong. But I think it has spiraled out of control to the point where it feels like the assumption is those feeling disappointed or upset are full on Entitled Gamers. Even posts here that are like "wow, Sword/Shield aren't terrible, who'd have thought???" It's letting the most hyperbolic reactions color the perception of a group of people who have legitimate problems with the way this has been handled by these massive companies.

Nobody can doubt the gameplay loop of Pokemon is endlessly enjoyable. I don't think that's up for debate. I've replayed four Pokemon games this year and did post-game activities in three others. It's just a matter of how much the stuff around it can be chipped away until the consumer decides it's at their breaking point. (For me, there's bigger problems than just the NatDex.) I'm glad you're having fun with the game. I hope I can too if I pick it up.

 

[Gentlepanda]

is that a threat

if you let your guard down even for a second, puberty will swoop in and snatch you up like a poorly-considered metaphor

 

[Wademan94]

Maybe Ninetales

She’d probably be very useful on cold nights if you use her tails as a blanket.

 

[Will]

if you let your guard down even for a second, puberty will swoop in and snatch you up like a poorly-considered metaphor

i've embraced the puberty, become one with the pubes

sometimes i even get a single facial hair as my special power

 

[Shroob]

if you let your guard down even for a second, puberty will swoop in and snatch you up like a poorly-considered metaphor

That sounds more like Candleja---

 

[SneakyLink]

I was gonna write a theory on how a video game character who's name is similar to a famous Looney Tunes character is joining the battle, but the only one I could find was Porky so there really isn't a point in making a crazy theory for one character.

 

[Shyy_Guy595]

Imagine how much money Smash would make if they let us buy Character Skins for anything but the Mii-3.

Bikini outfits for all the females, swimming trunks options for most of the guys with maybe just shirtless options for the furries or shorts for the typically nude animals.

Give Luigi Mr. L, Bowser Dry Bowser and Dark Bowser, Peach a Shadow Queen costume and Rosaline a goth/punk look and Nintendo suddenly gains 10 million in a day.