Initial Pitch

TriHard Emerald
A Nuzlocke for TwitchPlaysPokemon

Note: This "initial pitch" is simply for reference. All of the below has been moved into issues in the main project and categorized accordingly.

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The following features must be implemented:

• The save option is removed from the pause menu.
  • Healing at a Pokemon Center or a Heal House will save the game after healing.
• Pokemon cannot be caught when the party is full (the max of six pokemon)
  • The PC storage system is inaccessible. The option is at least removed from the PC menu.
  • Pokemon that faint ("die") are removed from the party at the end of a battle. They are deposited into the former PC storage area.
    • If the PC storage is full, the oldest pokemon is overwritten. (Like a ring buffer)
  • Access to the Battle Frontier is to be removed, as the battles there may screw up this system.
• When the player runs out of Pokemon, the game resets.
  • When a game loads with a save file, the game should immediately load said save file after the copyright screen.
• Pokeballs are free to buy.

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Ideas for Minutia and Stretch Goals (in no particular order):

• Title Screen:
  • The title screen will be replaced such that a "shiny" Entei is on the front screen. This Entei has emerald green forehead hair, golden cheek guards and back guards, and its fur has changed to colors that complement that.
  • The run colors are deep emerald green with yellow-gold highlight colors.
• Overworld
  • Overworld poison will not be a thing.
  • Instead of removing access to the Battle Frontier, it might be possible to make the battle bypass the normal rules of losing a pokemon.
    • With dialog saying that the pokemon at the frontier have been trained to hold back.
• Story (low priority):
  • The player experiences the story from another player's point of view, always out of reach of the real hero when it finally comes to the main Emerald storyline. His/her name is one of dozens and dozens on the list of champions or winners of badges.
  • Edited dialog lines will be somewhat darker in tone, but never use swear words.
  • The player and rival sprites will be edited to be "edgier" and darker.
  • The rival will be rewritten to be more cold-hearted to his/her pokemon, and they will get attached to their starter. When the rival loses for the last time, their starter dies, and they will swear off pokemon battling forevermore.
  • Wally wants to strive to the same goal as you.
    • When you meet him in the cave and battle him, the moment you go to deal the final blow, Wally will jump out in front of the blast and forfeit, to save his precious Ralts. (If possible)
    • If it's possible to do, get a midi version of his ORAS theme and use that.
  • A gym is moved to Lilycove, and when we beat it, the sky opens up with the rain and sun altering... this is someone else's story?
• Battling:
  • When the player runs out of Pokemon, a small death cutscene should play, and the saved game should be loaded (without resetting), if possible.
  • If possible, remove dead pokemon during battle, rather than at the end of battle.
  • Throwing balls at enemy trainers should not waste a turn, simply telling the player off.
  • Using items with no effect should not waste a turn.
  • When in the battle menu ("Fight", "Bag", "Pkmn", "Run"), pressing "R" or "L" will shortcut to using the topmost healing item: a confirmation dialog will appear asking if you want to use [item] on [active pokemon name]. (Yes/No)
    • In double battles, "R" will target the pokemon on the right, "L" will target the pokemon on the left.
    • If there are no healing items, a dialog will appear saying as much.
    • (Implementing this means removing the shoulder button options.)
  • When in the battle menu ("Fight", "Bag", "Pkmn", "Run"), pressing "select" will shortcut to throwing a pokeball at the target without prompting. If a pokeball cannot be thrown (ie, no balls, trainer battle, full party), the button is simply ignored with no feedback.
• Items:
  • Revives and Max Revives should be removed from the game.
  • Mail could be removed from the game.
  • Pokeballs should be free to buy.
    • There should be a counter at the PokeCenter which gives out 5 pokeballs each time the player talks to the person. There should be some dialog text about how basic Pokeballs are subsidized.
    • Better pokeballs should be cheaper.
    • There should be more than one available Master Ball.
• Pokemon Centers and Healing:
  • The layout of the Pokemon Centers should be changed, such that there's a longer walk up to the counter.
  • The escalator to the upper floor should be removed. Or the upper floor should be re-purposed.
  • The PC terminal is removed entirely.
  • The cutscene to heal will be changed, where the screen fades out and the healing song plays (similar to Heal Houses). Then, shortly after, the text box comes up indicating that the game is saving. Then the screen fades back in with the player in the middle of the hall facing the door, ready to leave.
    • There should be beds visible in the Center, indicating that other people sleep in these beds too. Someone should mention "saving" only by sleeping.
  • The player's house can be healed in by sleeping in the player's bed. A similar cutscene should play.
    • The player's mother hands out healing items instead (5x potions?), and mentions sleeping in your bed to save.
  • There will be large trees dotted around the routes which can be interacted with. When interacted with, the game will say "Seems like a comfy spot. Take a nap?". This will act as a full heal to the team, but the game will not be saved.
  • Sleeping will advance the real time clock by a number of hours.
• PC:
  • All PC terminals in the game are removed entirely. (Barring the secret base PC.)
  • Mail (assuming it is not removed outright), when removed from pokemon, always returns to the bag, and doesn't go to the PC.
• Daycare:
  • The daycare is shuttered due to illegal practices. (short term goal)
  • Daycare can ask which pokemon to swap into the daycare when the daycare itself is full (stretch goal)