(note: next chunk pasted from the original "pokeplans" file on my work computer. This one slightly out of sequence due to topic. Dates left as-is rather than attempting to create back-dated blog entries for each.)
(5/8/2009, 7/17/2009, 8/17/2009)
Nintendo has officially announced that Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver (translated names) will be released in Japan in Fall 2009. [update: North American release announced for Spring 2010. update again -- March 14 2010! ]
SO stupidly excited for this. Unfortunately PokeFarm dumped my post 'cause I took too long to write it, so I will squee in fangirl joy here. SQUEE.
Things I expect:
--Selectable gender for the player character. This feature was introduced in Crystal and has been in all games since. [Confirmed.]
--Realtime (day/night, days of week). In G/S this relied on the cartridge battery, but in D/P/Pt is based on the DS clock. [Confirmed.]
--G/S PokeGear replaced with the Poketch. Otherwise the touch screen will be just hanging out down there doing nothing while the player runs around. And people now rely on some of those apps. [Wrong on this one, though PokeGear now has an Itemfinder function, and the Map Card shows roaming legendaries.]
--Word also has it that Ho-Oh and Lugia are version exclusives. That's fine with me, as long as I can catch all three legendary beasts as roaming Pokemon. It's just too much dang work having to play FR/LG three times to complete the Nat'l Dex. [Access to second of the pair after beating E4. Beast trio confirmed.]
--Breeding as soon as you reach the Daycare (same as in the originals but updated for new data structures and features). [Unknown but assumed.]
--Either no contests (because that'd change the town layouts) or an added Contest building in one town only. Possibly a post-E4 feature. [Unknown, but all indications are that the Pokethlon minigames have been substituted for contests. later update -- yep, no contests.]
--Trading with D/P/Pt, possibly only post-E4 (same as in FR/LG). Regular WiFi trading, instead of the Time Capsule. [GTS identical to Platinum's confirmed. Can trade with D/P/Pt as soon as Pokedex is obtained. Dunno about trading Eggs yet.]
--Which will mean G-IV standard stats/data structure, items, and TMs. Learned moves might differ a little bit though. [Most likely, though it seems they still have Apricorn trees, so I dunno what they'll do about that. later update -- berries can be found and grown using the key item Berry Planter. I would assume that apricorns can't be traded back to D/P/Pt. ]
--Shiny Pokemon will function the same as in other G-IV games (a shiny's stats are not higher, shininess is not more likely via breeding). [I'd assume so, given the trading capability.]
--The Radio Towers will be replaced with TV stations, since the Radio was on the PokeGear. [No. Darnit. The Radio was stupid, I like the TVs much better.]
Things I'm hoping for:
--Essentially the same storyline, with only minor tweaks to trainers and Gym Leaders (like in FR/LG). [Appearance of Eusine from Crystal confirmed. New areas on map for Battle Frontier, Safari Zone. But essentially looks like they're being pretty faithful to the original -- adding stuff, rather than taking it out. Looks like they're using the Crystal storyline; the Rockets have been considerably spiffed up too, with admins and such.]
--The original Jhoto Pokemon for the regional 'Dex, with access to the full G-IV National set of Pokemon post-E4. [No. Screenshots indicate different 'Dex numbers for at least some Pokemon.]
--Post-E4 access to the Kanto region, which would bring every region but Hoenn (and their starters and legendaries!) to the DS. (though this might not be practical, given the addition of the Sevii Islands in FR/LG) [Kanto access confirmed, Sevii Islands unknown. Legendary birds confirmed in Kanto, post-E4. One Hoenn starter available well after the E4, and most Hoenn legendaries available as well.]
--The Vs. Seeker. Makes it so much easier to get XP and EVs, not to mention cash. [Unfortunately, I don't think so, since they still have the PokeGear Phone. However, the Phone will apparently allow for trainer rematches. later update -- annoyingly, specific trainers will only fight on certain days of the week. ]
--The Running Shoes. Indispensible. [Confirmed, saw them on the touch-screen menu.]
--Berries intead of Apricorns, and buying the specialized Pokeballs in towns instead of getting one a day from Kurt. 'Cause man, was that a pain. [Both Berries AND Apricorns confirmed. Kurt's special Pokeballs confirmed, not sure what that will do to trading -- possibly code for those Balls has always been left in the games. Apricot Shakes added to increase Pokethlon stats, similar to Pokeblocks/Poffins. Portable Berry Planter to substitute for lack of soil patches.]
--Also, the Pokeballs should be the G-IV standard ones. The G/S versions would be either replaced with their G-IV equivalents, or ditched if there isn't one. [Kurt's special balls confirmed, not sure how this affects trading.]
--The Move Learner guy, with Heart Scales. [Unknown.]
--The Lottery (this used to be via Radio, so it'd be natural to put it in a TV station) [Now located in Goldenrod's Radio Tower. Buena's Password show also still on radio, can win points for prizes.]
--The Red Gyrados. I know shininess doesn't work the same as it used to, but I don't see why they can't program this one shiny encounter. I miss my Vermillion (in fact I might duplicate my entire Silver team: Cynder, Vermillion, Sheepish, Izzel, and Hootie -- what else? Last I remember, I was raising Evees...) [YESSSS. Confirmed. I will get my Vermillion back, in full glorious color.]
--A Celebi event. I was going to GTS Celebi, but now I may wait. [Thoroughly unknown but widely anticipated.]
I actually don't care if they include Contests, not being much of a contest peron anyway. Not sure I really care about the Pokethlons either, minigames are lame. The GTS would be nice, but I can skip it if there's trading with D/P/Pt. I can likewise skip the Underground, though I don't mind if it's included. [Rock Smash to allow finding fossils, etc instead.] PalPark would be convenient, but since Hoenn would be the only region not on the DS at that point, I can't see it being necessary as long as there's trading with D/P/Pt. [GTS identical to Platinum's confirmed. PalPark is in Fuschia, Safari Zone moved to Cianwood.]
There was one news post that mentioned features entirely new for this version; likewise someone speculated that there would be new Pokemon. We'll have to wait and see, but I don't care if there aren't. [New features indeed, though it doesn't seem there are any new Pokemon. Besides little stuff, like the touch-screen PokeGear, and being able to register two items, the major announcements so far are Pokethlons and the PokeWalker. Pokethlons are basically touch-screen minigames that you enter three Pokemon into. My reaction: eh. So what. Depends what you can win, I guess. The PokeWalker, though, is a pedometer that you can upload a Pokemon (or two?) onto, and raise them as you walk. Nintendo's trying to get folks active again. Steps accumulate Watts, which you can use to buy items; and you can encounter and catch wild Pokemon, though the battles are grossly simplified into Attack and Defend. But the items and caught wild Pokemon can then be transferred back to HG/SS. An excuse to get walking??]
[ more on Pokewalker: 1 Watt per 20 steps. Spend Watts to use the Pokeradar or Itemfinder -- which also means, this happens at your convenience. Wild Pokemon and items available depend on course selected and amount of steps accumulated. If no Pokemon are transferred to the PW, a wild Pokemon may spontaneously join your walk. Up to three Pokemon and three items can be kept at once. Step counter resets at midnight, and some things take a LOT of steps to get -- thousands of Watts. Unlocking all courses would take walking 1000 miles at 2000 steps each! ]
One thing I hope they DON'T do: make a Crystal version to sucker you into buying the game twice. [Preliminary fan feeling is no on this one. I wouldn't think so, since they appear to be using the Crystal storyline. Let's hope.]
Regardless, I am totally psyched for this. It's going to be hard to wait for the US release!! [Announced for Spring 2010.]
[addendum: My Silver cartridge didn't know the time when I fired it up; a sure sign that the battery's dying, according to one site. BUT it had all my Blue and Silver team Pokemon still on it! I copied down their names, levels, and attacks (gender for the Blue Poke's is a little optional, since it gets assigned at random when you trade them in.) So now I can duplicate my Silver team if I want! (assuming, of course, that they still learn all the same attacks, which is probably not the case.)]
[new information from Japanese release: In addition to the Jhoto legendaries, the legendary bird trio will be found in Kanto, post-E4. Doesn't look like they kept the Sevii Islands, though, since Moltres will be found at the Jhoto-Kanto border. But it doesn't stop there. Depending on version, Kyogre or Groudon will be catchable, and if you trade/borrow the other one of the pair (though it must be from HG/SS as well, not R/S/E), you can get Rayquaza as well. Plus, Latios and Latias are supposed to appear as roaming Pokemon. So all the Hoenn legendaries are available except the Regis, which are in Pt anyway. Even better, if you've got the movie Arceus in your party, you can go to a new area called the Shinto Ruins, where Cynthia will tell you that Arceus can create either Dialga, Palkia, or Giratina at lvl 1, knowing a special move, and holding its respective Orb. That's nearly four regions' worth of legendaries!]
[ later -- was wondering why a lvl 1 dragon would be a good thing, and then I realized: how much stronger would they be, if trained all the way from lvl 1? 8D ]
