So I've been kickin' some ideas back 'n forth with Algy for a little while, and we ended up hashing out most of an idea for a new Pokemon RP. Different mechanics that could be interesting, different ways for the obtaining pokemon, different requirements for reaching places and qualifying for... stuff. A balance of freedom of choice versus limited storage space for your mons-

Err, I guess we'll get to that more later if anyone's actually interested.

The idea is basically that it takes place in the vaguely distant future, where the whole "digitizing pokemon and storing them in computers" has evolved into an online world people can digitize themselves into. Ostensibly, the whole thing just takes place in one giant corporate owned mega city, but most of the RP would take place in the more diverse (and hopefully interesting) online world.

Think of it as... Blade Runner meets Tron.
...Batman Beyond meets Mega Man Battle Network...
...Shadowrun meets Digimon! (wait a minute...)

So would anyone be interested in giving this a shot?

...anyone at all?

*slowly raises hand*

Ehhh...

I've seen this done quite a few times, so you'll have to forgive me if I don't jump right in. Can we get a little more info?

You had me at "Shadowrun meets Digimon."

At first glance, I thought the thread was "Cyberpikmin RPG".

What's this? Competition? I guess I'm gonna have to update now so I can squash you like a bug! Raar!

But seriously, I'm actually a little pissed I didn't think of something like this earlier! Tell me more!

And for god's sake man, show a little backbone! You should be more like "This is the best damn RP ever, and you little fucks will PLAY it, and you will LIKE IT."

It is a year far from now, and in Devon City, trouble is... not brewing?!

Since the advent of the Porygon, the idea of digital life proceeded steadily. Eventually it became possible to create any pokemon from a purely digital source, and as these digital endeavors began to thrive the goal shifted from getting pokemon out of the computers to getting people into them. The pokeballs' ability to convert living matter into data to be stored online was taken to it's extreme, and we humans now use this electronic medium for more that just communication and entertainment. We can use it for food. We can use it to replace the brain's natural sleep cycle. We can use it for medicinal purposes. But most importantly... We use it for the Pokemon League.

There aren't many wild pokemon in Devon City. Long ago, the expansion of the urban environment across the whole of the region destroyed any vestiges of tall grass. Now people download their pokemon from officially licensed Devon Corporation sources, and prospective trainers (after being 'officially licensed' themselves) challenge the Admins of the various themed Boxes to earn the right to compete in the prestigious Devon League Tournament.



In terms of mechanics, the short of it is that rather than going around looking for wild pokemon, each site/box that you go to will have a list of pokemon you can choose to download to you pokegear. The limiting factor, then, is not random chance, but data storage space in your "Battle Dex" (read: active team) for all your mons and items. You start out with a certain amount, and then are allowed to use more for each Box Admin you beat. Weaker and less used pokemon take up take up fewer data units than the more powerful and prevalent ones. When you evolve a mon, the data it takes up increases too, of course.

Is that enough information to decide if you're interested, you cretins?!
(aw, who am I kidding? I love you guys!)

*signs up*

I only have one problem with the whole thing.

It's not a real Pokemon world if Team [insert noun here] isn't brewing trouble!

Hm. I do like the box system...

Tentative interest, I guess.

It could be percolating.

Ah, this is true. All of my problems are now resolved.

So, what exactly are the limits, here? Do you have your choice of every Pokemon? Or is it certain Pokemon are in certain 'regions'? Are the lists randomized or consistent? Can you take Legendary Pokemon at a high cost, or is it limited to the more mundane? What about pseudo-Legendaries? Are there move limits? What about TMs?

As I said, each page/box has a different list of pokemon you can get from it. The lists are all different from each other and do not change, though some may share mons. There will be no legendary pokemon available on these lists. There might be some of the pseudo legendaries, but the costs are going to be prohibitive enough that you're not going to be able to have a team of, say, salamence, metagross, tyranitar, volcarona, blissey, and gyarados. Especially not with the more effective items.

The decision isn't entirely made, but TMs will probably be unlimited after you've beaten enough boxes.

There will also be more box admins to face than is required to qualify for the championship, but if you beat more you'll get more space to expand your team.

Also, like trouble is ever really not brewing.

Do items come pre-attached? Does the value of a Pokemon changed based on the item? (e.g. Eviolite Porygon2) How is a Pokemon's value measured? Would the Torchic line = the Chimchar line because both are starters, even though Infernape > Blaziken (assuming no Dream World)?

Are you and Algy co-GMing? Or just you? (Honestly, as long as it's not me, I don't really care! >.>)

I would assume that each 'Mon has a point cost and each item has a point cost. Such as, say, getting a Torchic costs 50 points, but getting an Oran Berry would cost an extra 10 points or something.

And I could be completely wrong. :D

Items are exchangeable, and each one has its own value. Eviolite and Life Orb, for example, being expensive, while Lum Berries are less so.

For the most part, dream world abilities -will- be available, for the sake of mixing things up from the main PKMNRP.

The costs, on the other hand, are... well, okay, I can't think of a
fancy way to put this. They're based on tiers with variations based on usage statistics within those tiers.

And since I may not have made it clear earlier... no, not every pokemon is going to be available.


Algy has agreed to GM from time to time, as I am a terrible person who has been known to stop updating from time to time.

I have to urge caution on using tiers and not allowing certain Pokemon within those tiers.

For instance, Ferrothorn is a top tier Pokemon, but a lot of that has to do with how Dragon-centric the standard metagame can be. If you remove, say, Latios and Latias from the equation, it's value would go down.

Also, not all Legendaries are created equal. Not allowing Legendaries means banning Pokemon like Regigigas, which would have roughly the same value as...Delcatty.

Just things to keep in mind! I love the idea of the game within the game of trying to build the most cost efficient teams.

Legendaries aren't all created equal, but in "In Universe" terms, they're special and unique.

And yes, mom, I'm keeping that in mind.

Also, get on AIM so I can yell at you! You haven't been on in two months!

Hey, if we're keeping count, Trillian would say YOU haven't been on in SIX months! So there, turniphead!

Interesting. Notty is Cyrus' mother. I'll keep this in mind. :P

I want a Porygon.

So, a couple of more world building bits before you guys finalize your characters in your head (and before I send off some questionnaires)

Essentially... corporations run everything. Although pokemon are still a ubiquitous part of every day life, the over-urbanization destroying most of the region's wilderness has dramatically altered the practice of young trainers going off on an adventure. Now the adventure is at a corporately controlled premium, taking place on a digital frontier in a heavily broadcast professional sport, with trainers only being accepted at the behest of the controlling corporations. New trainers are thrown into a sort of “rookie league”, where they're to start with no pokemon, then are set to make up a team by choosing from pokemon at various locales across the competition. Those who do well tend to get drafted up to the majors, as it were, kind of like modern sports stars. Money... fame... challenge... money... (Money tends to be important when corporations control everything).

Pokemon battlers' trainer's licenses generally requires some level of aptitude, as well as a hefty licensing fee. Some common ways around this are: sponsorship, as smaller businesses can make a hefty return on a successful battler. Scholarships, as there are no public schools in corporation-land, and having a skilled battler attending your academy can make you look much more prestigious. And... rich parents. There are other ways, sure, but those are just some of the more common ones.

While pokemon are still important, the fact that people can just create one from nothing out of data while online has tended to lead to a “digital/real” dichotomy. Although the common school of thought has been that all these pokemon are alive, there has been a growing trend of people who consider pokemon that have only ever existed as data to not truly be alive, and... treat them as such, often deleting pokemon they don't feel are necessary anymore offhandedly.


If you've got any questions, feel free to ask. I'll try and get some character sheet PMs sent out in the next day or so.

It worked with Gaiden.

Pshaw.

Cran and I both like(d) Gaiden more than the Main PokeRP...thought that's probably because being a player is more fun than being a GM.

It's true, really.

Also much less work.

Hokay, I sent out character builder PMs.

...but I might very well have crunked up the CC line, since that shit is confusing (technology is hard!), so if you're expecting one and didn't get it, gimme a heads up. Or possibly a smack upside the head.

/heads up

You should probably resend it to each person individually to be sure they all got it.

Never mind. I am blind. >_<

There isn't 1 in my inbox.

...So, like, I've totally putting off filling out my questionnaire due to laziness and character's block, which is like writer's block, only it's for making a character.

I'll get to it eventually, I swear.

I actually have the exact same problem. I get to the "What type would you be" question, and can't think of anything.

I think we all know which was the best Pokémon RP.

Well, here's an idea. We just go ahead and start, and you guys can jump in whenever you get finished.

*tears well up*

But...but... what about the Main-- *shot* :P

Anyways, my interest is piqued enough to say "Send me one!" I'm always up for something new and interesting.

It is the last question that is throwing me for a loop.

The last question? Why, that's the easiest one! Surely it can't be hard to articulate your love for Devon! :P

Sent one your way.

The preproduction is still going, at... a less than steady rate. But if it's not ready by august (I hope it doesn't take that long), I give y'all permission to internet flog me.

August? That's two whole months away! Internet flogging should be pushed up to July, while August takes the real-life flogging position. :D

I have to wait till august? I -just- oiled the whips, too!
T_T

Greetings, trainers! I'm All-Pro Box Admin Einstein, but I'm sure you already knew that. It's getting close to the Opening Day for your Minor League, so I'm gonna' be here every day profiling your competitors and other facets of the competition as we build up to the beginning of the beginning!

There's some exciting things waiting for you in Devon's Virtual World this Season, so if you haven't sent in your Official Devon Trainer License Form™, now's the time to do it! (Yes, that's right, I'm talking to you.)

So open your brain's ports and get ready for a liberal dosage of awesome, because you rookies are on a path to the future, and I'm pretty sure the first step is made of lasers.