Now that it's been shown that it's possible for abilities to be implemented with the current client, I think it's high time to discuss how this should play out. There seems to be three options that everyone seems to pick from when it comes to how this will go down:
A- New pokemon that will caught will have random natures and abilities, existing pokemon will also be given random natures and abilities.
B- New pokemon that will caught will have random natures and abilities, existing pokemon will have their natures and abilities chosen by the owners, this will happen only once.
C- Both existing, and future pokemon will be able to change their natures, and abilities.
My thoughts on the matter are that Natures and abilities should be changeable on playerdex, just like we change moves. This should not be a temporary situation, this is how I believe an MMO should work if breeding is not in place. Let's go through what is wrong with both situation A, and B.
A- While having random, unchangeable natures and abilities are how it works in the handhelds, there is also breeding which lets you basically choose the end result. Further more, there would be a real disadvantage to people who have already purchased their pokemon with this option, as most would become much less effective in battle. Then people would have wasted countless hours trying to find the best pokemon possible for nothing, where as the pokemon with those natures and abilities would never have been purchased, or kept in the first place.
B- Same logic as the first one when it comes to handhelds and breeding, but this time instead of being unfair to older players, it's unfair to newer players. I can't see how it would be possible to say that older players can keep their pokemon and conveniently choose the best natures for them, while the newer players will have to hunt much longer to find the best pokemon possible, with those natures and abilities that the older players just got to choose.
So the first two options are pretty unfair to a large group of players in their own right. While option C is equal for all current, and future players. One might argue that being able to change them freely might defeat the purpose of implementing them at all, but the variety they add to battle would argue against that. Below are the main points that support option C:
- Fair to all players, does not increase or decrease the gap between newbies and vets
- Does not automatically devalue existing pokemon, or alienate any player.
- Fulfills one of the main goals of breeding, without adding it to the game, as it would be toxic to an MMO.
- Will add more variety to battle, certain people will pick different natures and abilities depending on strategy.
- Almost no one will be outraged by it, leaving a bad taste in people's mouth.
- If the staff suggest that changing the natures or abilities should be a time consuming process, then in addition to the happiness, make a quest that refreshes every week or two, enabling you to choose only one pokemon to change.
- If people suggest that since PWO is an MMO, it should be more difficult than handhelds to get the best pokemon possible, I would rebuttal that in the handhelds it's very common to have perfect pokemon with all 31ivs, and the best natures and abilities through breeding. This is not nearly what I would consider an easy feat without breeding, so by nature PWO will be more difficult to get just because of the time it takes to find a pokemon with close to perfect ivs.
- Some people think that there is a gap that needs to be closed between the vets and newbies, and that randomizing older pokemons natures and abilities and disallowing them to be changed. What they don't realize is that every MMO has this gap, it's a natural thing, and that if they were to put in the same amount of time and effort, they too would be ahead of the newbies at that time. So while the gap doesn't need to be widened like in scenario A, it doesn't need to be closed like in B. Therefore C makes the most sense, while not foregoing progress for the sake a progress.
- Regarding the loss of opportunity for it to be more thrilling or exciting to hunt for not only ivs, but for natures and abilities as well... I think that it really would cross the border between exciting, and tedious. Not only that, but I don't feel it's worth it for that small bit of what some people would consider exciting is worth foregoing the effort that has been done, and personally insulting the players that have supported this game through thick and thin for so long.
This is an open discussion, please share your thoughts as long as they're constructive and positive.
A- New pokemon that will caught will have random natures and abilities, existing pokemon will also be given random natures and abilities.
B- New pokemon that will caught will have random natures and abilities, existing pokemon will have their natures and abilities chosen by the owners, this will happen only once.
C- Both existing, and future pokemon will be able to change their natures, and abilities.
My thoughts on the matter are that Natures and abilities should be changeable on playerdex, just like we change moves. This should not be a temporary situation, this is how I believe an MMO should work if breeding is not in place. Let's go through what is wrong with both situation A, and B.
A- While having random, unchangeable natures and abilities are how it works in the handhelds, there is also breeding which lets you basically choose the end result. Further more, there would be a real disadvantage to people who have already purchased their pokemon with this option, as most would become much less effective in battle. Then people would have wasted countless hours trying to find the best pokemon possible for nothing, where as the pokemon with those natures and abilities would never have been purchased, or kept in the first place.
B- Same logic as the first one when it comes to handhelds and breeding, but this time instead of being unfair to older players, it's unfair to newer players. I can't see how it would be possible to say that older players can keep their pokemon and conveniently choose the best natures for them, while the newer players will have to hunt much longer to find the best pokemon possible, with those natures and abilities that the older players just got to choose.
So the first two options are pretty unfair to a large group of players in their own right. While option C is equal for all current, and future players. One might argue that being able to change them freely might defeat the purpose of implementing them at all, but the variety they add to battle would argue against that. Below are the main points that support option C:
- Fair to all players, does not increase or decrease the gap between newbies and vets
- Does not automatically devalue existing pokemon, or alienate any player.
- Fulfills one of the main goals of breeding, without adding it to the game, as it would be toxic to an MMO.
- Will add more variety to battle, certain people will pick different natures and abilities depending on strategy.
- Almost no one will be outraged by it, leaving a bad taste in people's mouth.
common arguments:
- Since people will inevitably whine about how, if you have to pay to change the natures and abilities, it'll favor the wealthy, in turn turning into token seller hatred, I suggest making it free to change, or possibly enabling everyone to change the natures and abilities only when happiness is 100% since staff seems to like doing that.- If the staff suggest that changing the natures or abilities should be a time consuming process, then in addition to the happiness, make a quest that refreshes every week or two, enabling you to choose only one pokemon to change.
- If people suggest that since PWO is an MMO, it should be more difficult than handhelds to get the best pokemon possible, I would rebuttal that in the handhelds it's very common to have perfect pokemon with all 31ivs, and the best natures and abilities through breeding. This is not nearly what I would consider an easy feat without breeding, so by nature PWO will be more difficult to get just because of the time it takes to find a pokemon with close to perfect ivs.
- Some people think that there is a gap that needs to be closed between the vets and newbies, and that randomizing older pokemons natures and abilities and disallowing them to be changed. What they don't realize is that every MMO has this gap, it's a natural thing, and that if they were to put in the same amount of time and effort, they too would be ahead of the newbies at that time. So while the gap doesn't need to be widened like in scenario A, it doesn't need to be closed like in B. Therefore C makes the most sense, while not foregoing progress for the sake a progress.
- Regarding the loss of opportunity for it to be more thrilling or exciting to hunt for not only ivs, but for natures and abilities as well... I think that it really would cross the border between exciting, and tedious. Not only that, but I don't feel it's worth it for that small bit of what some people would consider exciting is worth foregoing the effort that has been done, and personally insulting the players that have supported this game through thick and thin for so long.
This is an open discussion, please share your thoughts as long as they're constructive and positive.