Retro Gaming
Black and White Thinking
I'm really sorry to continue this trend.
I've been experimenting with Pokémon Trainer in Brawl+ recently, and I find the + additions interesting, to say the least. I honestly have not clocked a lot more than 3-4 hours of game time, so I'm going to try to stay away from "This move should do such and such, and this move should be faster, etc" suggestions. However, I don't think I need a lot of in-game experience to comment about the Brawl+ switching system for Pokémon Trainer.
I'm sure you're all aware of the specifics of the current switching system, so I won't spend time discussing the changes made from the unhacked game. However, I do want to speak about the concepts behind each system.
Sakurai's original system was very harsh and inflexible. Although the Pokémon function much the same way as Zelda and Sheik (with one additional character, of course), Sakurai went to very extreme measures to make sure that his new character would be played as a team, with absolutely no exceptions. Stamina alone severely gimped each of the characters (Squirtle the most), but forced switching upon death to the next Pokémon in the rotation ensured that Sakurai's team structure would not be ignored. This was my main problem with the original system: It did not do an adequate job of mirroring the actual team mentality of the Pokemon games.
For those of you unacquainted with the Pokémon games, you function as the Pokémon Trainer of a group of up to six Pokémon that you use cooperatively to defeat as many other teams of up to six Pokémon you can using a limited number of moves slots (4 per Pokémon). Up to this point, Sakurai had correctly paralleled his Pokémon Trainer character with the corresponding game. However, this is what he failed (and in fact created the exact opposite) to incorporate:
The Pokémon Trainer uses his team of Pokémon in differing ratios each match; he minimizes the amount of time an unfavorable Pokémon spends in the match and maximizes the amount of time the Pokémon best suited to defeating the opponent is out on the battlefield. These ratios change as the opponent's condition, strategy, and Pokémon on the field changes.
This style of play is almost impossible to achieve in standard Brawl minus in a few select match-ups (For example: A match-up like Olimar where you can use Ivysaur to build up damage and then bring in Charizard [who is typically the worst in this match-up] to get a kill), and almost always requires you to "sacrifice" a Pokémon when you're at a high percentage to eliminate the worst match-up (Like Marth, where you would switch in Squirtle once Charizard is at high percentages since sending in a fresh Squirtle would probably cost you another stock). I contribute the difficulty in playing this way mainly toward Sakurai's choice to use a fixed switching order.
I was very excited about Brawl+ because I felt that a lot of the unfair switching mechanics that Sakurai had made would finally be eliminated and PT would be able to play a lot closer to his game. However, I find that Brawl+ also violates the ideology of the Pokémon games, at least partially.
The current Brawl+ system has "four ways to play" (lol) the original Pokémon Trainer character: Either his original form with some switching mechanic changes or you can choose one of the individual Pokémon without switching. Here's my question: Why even include the individual Pokémon on the CSS? Each one of them is inferior to the "No switch on death, no stamina" PT for the simple fact that they are identical except for the fact that Pokémon Trainer has the ability to switch but does not have to if he does not want to. And this is where Brawl+ does not correctly mirror the Pokémon games:
When a Pokémon faints, it is unable to fight until it is revived. The Pokémon Trainer must then send out a different Pokémon to take its place on the battlefield.
Without any of Sakurai's original mechanics, you have simply created three different characters that share no "real" tie to each other, ala Zelda/Sheik. Especially in Brawl+, where Squirtle and Ivysaur don't have as much of a problem getting kills, there is no point in sending out the Pokémon that do not have the best match-up versus the character you are fighting against. Thus, I offer the following suggestion that creates a definite difference in the styles of play between the three different Pokémon and the Pokémon Trainer:
When any of the PT's Pokémon die, you will be forced to switch to the Pokémon one forward in the rotation unless you hold the R button, in which case you will be forced to switch to the Pokémon one backward in the rotation.
This I feel will match the Pokémon game the closest. Even if you simply switch to one Pokémon back in the rotation, stall out your invincibility, and then switch immediately, it will cost you some percents, and, if your opponent correctly anticipates it, possibly lead into a larger combo that will cost severe percents. It also makes sense in the context of the Pokémon games:
Charizard fainted.
Ivysaur is sent out.
Use Revive on Charizard/Switch Ivysaur out to Charizard. (Admittedly, this would be two turns)
Charizard takes damage on the turn he switches in.
Or, if you sacrifice the Pokemon next in the rotation so that you can switch back:
Switch Charizard out (low health) to Squirtle.
Squirtle faints/Use Full Restore on Charizard.
Charizard switches in at full health, does not take damage on the turn he switches in.
This also differentiates Pokémon Trainer from one of the three individual Pokémon, and gives pros and cons to choosing each: "Do I want the versatility of a team and the ability to change play styles or do I simply want to use one the entire time?"
Finally, it also causes you to think more strategically about your current percent and what Pokémon you are not only currently but also what Pokémon you want to be in the near future.
The only thing I'm not sure about is if it is possible to implement these changes. However, I really think these kind of changes would make the switching system a lot more balanced than the original Sakurai system, yet also not as unrestricted as the current Brawl+ system.
I've been experimenting with Pokémon Trainer in Brawl+ recently, and I find the + additions interesting, to say the least. I honestly have not clocked a lot more than 3-4 hours of game time, so I'm going to try to stay away from "This move should do such and such, and this move should be faster, etc" suggestions. However, I don't think I need a lot of in-game experience to comment about the Brawl+ switching system for Pokémon Trainer.
I'm sure you're all aware of the specifics of the current switching system, so I won't spend time discussing the changes made from the unhacked game. However, I do want to speak about the concepts behind each system.
Sakurai's original system was very harsh and inflexible. Although the Pokémon function much the same way as Zelda and Sheik (with one additional character, of course), Sakurai went to very extreme measures to make sure that his new character would be played as a team, with absolutely no exceptions. Stamina alone severely gimped each of the characters (Squirtle the most), but forced switching upon death to the next Pokémon in the rotation ensured that Sakurai's team structure would not be ignored. This was my main problem with the original system: It did not do an adequate job of mirroring the actual team mentality of the Pokemon games.
For those of you unacquainted with the Pokémon games, you function as the Pokémon Trainer of a group of up to six Pokémon that you use cooperatively to defeat as many other teams of up to six Pokémon you can using a limited number of moves slots (4 per Pokémon). Up to this point, Sakurai had correctly paralleled his Pokémon Trainer character with the corresponding game. However, this is what he failed (and in fact created the exact opposite) to incorporate:
The Pokémon Trainer uses his team of Pokémon in differing ratios each match; he minimizes the amount of time an unfavorable Pokémon spends in the match and maximizes the amount of time the Pokémon best suited to defeating the opponent is out on the battlefield. These ratios change as the opponent's condition, strategy, and Pokémon on the field changes.
This style of play is almost impossible to achieve in standard Brawl minus in a few select match-ups (For example: A match-up like Olimar where you can use Ivysaur to build up damage and then bring in Charizard [who is typically the worst in this match-up] to get a kill), and almost always requires you to "sacrifice" a Pokémon when you're at a high percentage to eliminate the worst match-up (Like Marth, where you would switch in Squirtle once Charizard is at high percentages since sending in a fresh Squirtle would probably cost you another stock). I contribute the difficulty in playing this way mainly toward Sakurai's choice to use a fixed switching order.
I was very excited about Brawl+ because I felt that a lot of the unfair switching mechanics that Sakurai had made would finally be eliminated and PT would be able to play a lot closer to his game. However, I find that Brawl+ also violates the ideology of the Pokémon games, at least partially.
The current Brawl+ system has "four ways to play" (lol) the original Pokémon Trainer character: Either his original form with some switching mechanic changes or you can choose one of the individual Pokémon without switching. Here's my question: Why even include the individual Pokémon on the CSS? Each one of them is inferior to the "No switch on death, no stamina" PT for the simple fact that they are identical except for the fact that Pokémon Trainer has the ability to switch but does not have to if he does not want to. And this is where Brawl+ does not correctly mirror the Pokémon games:
When a Pokémon faints, it is unable to fight until it is revived. The Pokémon Trainer must then send out a different Pokémon to take its place on the battlefield.
Without any of Sakurai's original mechanics, you have simply created three different characters that share no "real" tie to each other, ala Zelda/Sheik. Especially in Brawl+, where Squirtle and Ivysaur don't have as much of a problem getting kills, there is no point in sending out the Pokémon that do not have the best match-up versus the character you are fighting against. Thus, I offer the following suggestion that creates a definite difference in the styles of play between the three different Pokémon and the Pokémon Trainer:
When any of the PT's Pokémon die, you will be forced to switch to the Pokémon one forward in the rotation unless you hold the R button, in which case you will be forced to switch to the Pokémon one backward in the rotation.
This I feel will match the Pokémon game the closest. Even if you simply switch to one Pokémon back in the rotation, stall out your invincibility, and then switch immediately, it will cost you some percents, and, if your opponent correctly anticipates it, possibly lead into a larger combo that will cost severe percents. It also makes sense in the context of the Pokémon games:
Charizard fainted.
Ivysaur is sent out.
Use Revive on Charizard/Switch Ivysaur out to Charizard. (Admittedly, this would be two turns)
Charizard takes damage on the turn he switches in.
Or, if you sacrifice the Pokemon next in the rotation so that you can switch back:
Switch Charizard out (low health) to Squirtle.
Squirtle faints/Use Full Restore on Charizard.
Charizard switches in at full health, does not take damage on the turn he switches in.
This also differentiates Pokémon Trainer from one of the three individual Pokémon, and gives pros and cons to choosing each: "Do I want the versatility of a team and the ability to change play styles or do I simply want to use one the entire time?"
Finally, it also causes you to think more strategically about your current percent and what Pokémon you are not only currently but also what Pokémon you want to be in the near future.
The only thing I'm not sure about is if it is possible to implement these changes. However, I really think these kind of changes would make the switching system a lot more balanced than the original Sakurai system, yet also not as unrestricted as the current Brawl+ system.
