Pokemon X and Y Director Discusses Changes in Story

roseofbattle

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Apr 18, 2011
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Pokemon X and Y Director Discusses Changes in Story


Pokemon games have all had a consistent plot formula, but the director has other plans for X and Y.

The classic story of Pokemon is as follows: the trainer goes to the professor, chooses a starter, wanders from town to town fighting gym leaders, and occasionally fights a rival. Pokemon X and Y director Junichi Masuda has decided the team has had enough of that. X and Y are about the bonds between trainers and Pokemon as well as between trainers themselves.

"This time we wanted to make it a journey about you and your friends," Masuda said. "When you first meet the kids at the beginning of the game, you don't actually know them, so you're meeting them for the first time." Pokemon Black and White examined the bonds between trainers and their Pokemon through N's involvement in the story and his encounters with the player, but Pokemon X and Y will be the first to redirect its focus more to the bonds between friends, straying away from the solo adventure.

The trainer will receive his or her first starter from these friends, while Professor Sycamore gives the trainer one of the starters from Red and Blue. Masuda said this is because the professor is researching mega evolutions, and each of the original starters have a mega evolution.

Masuda said the tempo of X and Y is faster; he hopes this will keep people interested in playing the game. Furthermore, just traveling by foot is faster. This change was due to Masuda's personal experiences in France, where he said everyone outwalked him.

Despite the changes, X and Y look like they're going to still firmly be Pokemon games at their core, but each generation has brought its own changes.

Source: Polygon [http://www.polygon.com/2013/9/19/4744438/pokemon-x-and-y-switches-up-the-classic-story-formula-to-focus-on]

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CJ1145

Elite Member
Jan 6, 2009
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The Pokemon games have been getting more plot-focused since Generation IV, even III if you stretch a little. I'm interested to see how much changes in this iteration.
 

Splitzi

New member
Apr 29, 2012
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I'm looking forward to them mixing up the plot a bit and grabbing two starters. But, the most important thing stated in the article is how the walking speed will be a bit quicker. All my prayers have finally been answered!!!
 

RJ 17

The Sound of Silence
Nov 27, 2011
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*GASP!* TWO starting Pokemon?! He's a madman I tell you! A MADMAN!!!

:p Seriously though, Pokemon hasn't held my interested...mainly because the most "recent" portable gaming device I own is a GBA. It's nice to hear that they're at least going to try to mix things up with the plot this time seeing as how the one described in the article as the "standard" is pretty much accurate...the only thing it was missing was mention of a random Team (fill in the blank) that goes around causing mischief. Still, I wonder how far the plot will deviate, seeing as how it's supposedly the aspiration of all young Pokemon trainers to make it to the Pokemon League and become the Champion...and to do that you have to go from town to town collecting badges to prove your worth.

Like I said, it really doesn't apply to me since I won't/can't get this game, still it would be interesting to see if they FINALLY break free of the shackles that make this series as repetitive as the Dynasty Warriors series. Seeing as how I'm a fan of DW, though, I should mention that repetitive isn't necessarily bad. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
 

shrekfan246

Not actually a Japanese pop star
May 26, 2011
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Well, a faster pace than Black/White would be very nice. I only put about 7-10 hours into Black, but it was so laborious and tedious that I didn't want to continue playing anyway.

Still not sure how I feel about a greater focus on characters and story in Pokemon games, though; Mostly because I just don't think Game Freak is really well-suited to actually pulling it off. They're great from a mechanical and technical standpoint, but writing has never really proven to be one of their strengths in the past.

Still, this might be what reinvigorates my interest in the Pokemon games, so I'm interested in seeing what they do.
 

2xDouble

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Mar 15, 2010
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Mcoffey said:
Hopefully he means this, and isn't just saying this to placate people who were tired of gyms-badguys-elite 4 formula like me.
Seriously, what else is there to do? Qualifying, entering, and eventually winning a regional tournament is really the only possible final goal for a game centered around a sport, even a monster-collection-based sport.

Yes. I'm saying Pokemon is a sports game, exactly like Madden or FIFA, with some RPG elements thrown in.
 

Drejer43

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Nov 18, 2009
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wait wait wait, hold up. We get to choose one of THE ORIGINAL STARTERS!!???
Before I was looking forward to x and y, now I am exited.

Oh Bulbasaur how I missed you
 

Azaraxzealot

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Dec 1, 2009
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Ehhhhh, I can't think of anyone who isn't at least near into puberty or isn't in some kind of suspended childhood that actually cares about the story. Most people who play Pokemon now play it for the metagame and battling of other trainers in-game.
 

TKretts3

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Jul 20, 2010
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Mcoffey said:
The show showed that people eat meat, presumably tauros and miltank meat...
NO NO NO! BLAH BLAH BLAH, I CAN'T HEAR YOU!!!
Do NOT break the first unspoken rule of Pokemon. ._.
 

Panthera

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May 10, 2013
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I like the fact that they're speeding up the game because a developer found people walked faster than he did. Quick, everyone who lives near a video game company! Walk as fast as you can all the time! Make gaming better!
 

Fractral

Tentacle God
Feb 28, 2012
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Awesome! I remember being pleasantly surprised at the (relative) depth of the Gen V games story, so if the devs are focusing more on that then it can only be good. Maybe XY will end up as that rare breed of game, one with good gameplay and story at the same time! Thank you nintendo, for repeatedly showing me that buying a 3DS is the best thing I have done this year.
 

suntt123

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Jun 3, 2013
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Mcoffey said:
There's so much that could be done.
What if there was a group that was against pokemon catching that didn't turn out to be nefarious and stupid?
The faction of Team Plasma loyal to N

What if you could join the police force, or the safari zone rangers to catch pokemon poachers?
See: Pokemon Ranger. Also, The Looker.

What if you joined the firefighters with your water types?
Like a mini-game type thing? That seems kind of arbitrary no? There's already a pokemon equivalent to Hollywood and another to the Olympics and pageants.
Also, this kind of stuff does happen in Pokemon Rangers and Mystery Dungeons

What if there was a group that was prejudiced against dark type pokemon that went against their religious beliefs?
Nintendo would not bring religion into their games. Besides, isn't that basically a backwards team Magma/Aqua?


OT
I can't wait to see if the elite four or gym leaders can use Mega Pokemon. Hopefully there'll be more double and triple battle options too.
 

EHKOS

Madness to my Methods
Feb 28, 2010
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Ugh. I'm kinda tired of the whole "pokemon are your closest friends now love this adorable little lightning ball" message. Sure they're cute, cool, and I have connections with some of them, but the Pokemon universe can be much more than that. I KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT TO LOOK AFTER YOUR PETS AND NOT TO PULL ON THEIR TAILS NINTENDO. I'm not a monster....well, to animals.

At least I can have that Blastoise. It's mega evo looks even more badass than his final form, plus Squirtle was the first pokemon I ever chose. *sniff* I remember teaching him Mega Kick after coming out of Mt. Moon.

...I also remember getting the shit kicked out of me by Misty too :(
 

Hero of Lime

Staaay Fresh!
Jun 3, 2013
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They make it sound like the Gen V games stories weren't very interesting and world building enough. What I liked about the story in Black and White was that it did more than usual formula without making it too story driven. I hope they just replicate what they did in Gen V story wise, that was good enough for me.

Edit: I totally missed the whole journey with friends part of the news. Again, they already did a great job with that in Black and White, Cheren and Bianca would always be nearby, but not over-bearing. I would rather the Pokemon journey not become some kind of group effort, but maybe it will be interesting, who knows?
 

soandnb

New member
Sep 14, 2013
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I always thought it would be cool if the main organization was actually trying to prevent a larger, eviler organization/force from carrying out their plans. For instance, what if, say, Team Galactic had to imprison Mesprit, Azelf, and Uxie in order to prevent a rogue agent from using their red gems to awaken Palkia and Dialga? I think it would make an interesting story if executed properly.