- Joined
- May 30, 2018
- Messages
- 1,890 (0.75/day)
- Location
- Cusp Of Mania, FL
| Processor | Ryzen 9 3900X |
|---|---|
| Motherboard | Asus ROG Strix X370-F |
| Cooling | Dark Rock 4, 3x Corsair ML140 front intake, 1x rear exhaust |
| Memory | 2x8GB TridentZ RGB [3600Mhz CL16] |
| Video Card(s) | EVGA 3060ti FTW3 Ultra Gaming |
| Storage | 970 EVO 500GB nvme, 860 EVO 250GB SATA, Seagate Barracuda 1TB + 4TB HDDs |
| Display(s) | 27" MSI G27C4 FHD 165hz |
| Case | NZXT H710 |
| Audio Device(s) | Modi Multibit, Vali 2, Shortest Way 51+ - LSR 305's, Focal Clear, HD6xx, HE5xx, LCD-2 Classic |
| Power Supply | Corsair RM650x v2 |
| Mouse | iunno whatever cheap crap logitech *clutches Xbox 360 controller security blanket* |
| Keyboard | HyperX Alloy Pro |
| Software | Windows 10 Pro |
| Benchmark Scores | ask your mother |
Since my hand is broken and I don't have much dexterity with a mouse or controller, I'm playing Pokemon Emerald.
Last one I really remember getting into, though not even when it came out but instead like... 2012 lol. Already liking it more than Diamond. I think by then they were kinda losing the plot for the game franchise. It's a lot of people's favorite, but you can see similar mindsets in certain decisions that remind me a lot of problematic things in the games now. This is when it started to get weighed down by endless changes and additions... like a shonen that's run for too long and fallen into the power scaling trap to advance major plot beats. Whatever new Pokemon RPG comes out basically revolves around some gimmick pokemon/mechanics, usually at the expense of some core mechanics, that will find a way to make it less fun and rewarding. Additionally, they still add pokemon like they always have, instead of doing, like a couple fistfuls of really good ones per gen. Back in the day, they got away with hyping new pokemon because there wasn't already about 1000 pokemon in existence. By 3-400, I feel like the designs were getting phoned in more. Next gen might really push it over 1000. And again, I ask you, why? Why do that when the majority aren't even worth a damn? Why put WORK into that?
Also, fuck the transformations lol. That's the DBZ method rearing up. For those who don't know, the OG creator intended to end the series several times, but was asked to keep it going. So he kept basically retconning old power limits and adding constant transformations over the years. Most fans will say the show suffers immensely for this - it destroys your ability to get attached to anything when you know the slate will just be wiped for more of the same later. It doesn't really matter because you already know that the show must go on. Even as the stakes get superficially higher, it's not very interesting. I gotta be 'that guy' there too and say that the Frieza saga was the peak. That show has forever been jumping through hoops with transformations and power scaling to try and make it hit like when they invented space-Hitler-with-actual-galactic-level-power. Sometimes it still works! But it's like everybody involved is just chasing the dragon... people watching are doing that too.
Consider this... the core Pokemon games don't run on hardware than can support a game with that many pokemon in it - not that a full open-world game with that many would make sense in the first place. So basically, nobody is ever happy with the selection for a new title. And it's a hole they just make bigger every time they drop a bunch more. It's capitalist game design 101. A new pokemon game is just a cheap commodity, designed to bring in another couple year's worth of sales. I wonder how many of them will ultimately just be forgotten about.
I get that people want to see the new designs. But that's maybe why you don't give'm a bag of 80-100 with like 10 good ones in there? Why make filler pokemon? Aren't the older ones better filler? People at least like a lot of those. You can still change them from region to region, give them new stats and moves - tweak designs. Just kinda slow the progression on new ones, focus more on making the games themselves more interesting, with some deeper reasons for adding/removing mechanics than just 'new paint.' They can do that now, with an adult audience. Buuuut the merchhhh mannnn! Gotta sell lots of merch with each one. Pays a lot more than pouring sweat and tears into making art that people will mostly just talk about and enjoy. Shame, though. Just feels like a waste.
They need somebody to come into their office, tell them their shit sucks, and give them a really good risky move to play. Emerald is fucking great, even with their weird oldschool stat splits and stuff. But over a decade later they are still making and remaking this game.
I would say the Emerald has some of that ick, too. But to me it still feels like a good answer to gold/silver/crystal. And it still feels like a proper pokemon game. The newer ones just don't have that for me - they're so generic. And it's more than sprites. It's the whole spirit of the game - the balancing of the different mechanics, designs of the creatures, ideas in the worldbuilding. That shit ain't there for me in any of the new stuff. For games centered around 'evolution,' their devs really haven't done much to evolve them over the past say... 15 odd years. Pokemon evolve, but the games never really do.
Once I'm bored with this, I'll move onto Chrono Trigger. Been years.
Last one I really remember getting into, though not even when it came out but instead like... 2012 lol. Already liking it more than Diamond. I think by then they were kinda losing the plot for the game franchise. It's a lot of people's favorite, but you can see similar mindsets in certain decisions that remind me a lot of problematic things in the games now. This is when it started to get weighed down by endless changes and additions... like a shonen that's run for too long and fallen into the power scaling trap to advance major plot beats. Whatever new Pokemon RPG comes out basically revolves around some gimmick pokemon/mechanics, usually at the expense of some core mechanics, that will find a way to make it less fun and rewarding. Additionally, they still add pokemon like they always have, instead of doing, like a couple fistfuls of really good ones per gen. Back in the day, they got away with hyping new pokemon because there wasn't already about 1000 pokemon in existence. By 3-400, I feel like the designs were getting phoned in more. Next gen might really push it over 1000. And again, I ask you, why? Why do that when the majority aren't even worth a damn? Why put WORK into that?
Also, fuck the transformations lol. That's the DBZ method rearing up. For those who don't know, the OG creator intended to end the series several times, but was asked to keep it going. So he kept basically retconning old power limits and adding constant transformations over the years. Most fans will say the show suffers immensely for this - it destroys your ability to get attached to anything when you know the slate will just be wiped for more of the same later. It doesn't really matter because you already know that the show must go on. Even as the stakes get superficially higher, it's not very interesting. I gotta be 'that guy' there too and say that the Frieza saga was the peak. That show has forever been jumping through hoops with transformations and power scaling to try and make it hit like when they invented space-Hitler-with-actual-galactic-level-power. Sometimes it still works! But it's like everybody involved is just chasing the dragon... people watching are doing that too.
Consider this... the core Pokemon games don't run on hardware than can support a game with that many pokemon in it - not that a full open-world game with that many would make sense in the first place. So basically, nobody is ever happy with the selection for a new title. And it's a hole they just make bigger every time they drop a bunch more. It's capitalist game design 101. A new pokemon game is just a cheap commodity, designed to bring in another couple year's worth of sales. I wonder how many of them will ultimately just be forgotten about.
I get that people want to see the new designs. But that's maybe why you don't give'm a bag of 80-100 with like 10 good ones in there? Why make filler pokemon? Aren't the older ones better filler? People at least like a lot of those. You can still change them from region to region, give them new stats and moves - tweak designs. Just kinda slow the progression on new ones, focus more on making the games themselves more interesting, with some deeper reasons for adding/removing mechanics than just 'new paint.' They can do that now, with an adult audience. Buuuut the merchhhh mannnn! Gotta sell lots of merch with each one. Pays a lot more than pouring sweat and tears into making art that people will mostly just talk about and enjoy. Shame, though. Just feels like a waste.
They need somebody to come into their office, tell them their shit sucks, and give them a really good risky move to play. Emerald is fucking great, even with their weird oldschool stat splits and stuff. But over a decade later they are still making and remaking this game.
I would say the Emerald has some of that ick, too. But to me it still feels like a good answer to gold/silver/crystal. And it still feels like a proper pokemon game. The newer ones just don't have that for me - they're so generic. And it's more than sprites. It's the whole spirit of the game - the balancing of the different mechanics, designs of the creatures, ideas in the worldbuilding. That shit ain't there for me in any of the new stuff. For games centered around 'evolution,' their devs really haven't done much to evolve them over the past say... 15 odd years. Pokemon evolve, but the games never really do.
Once I'm bored with this, I'll move onto Chrono Trigger. Been years.
However now I am retired gaming time is getting a little longer 
