Unova Region Discussion/Speculation Thread [Read First Post]

[Ememew]

I didn't think the water routes connecting places like Cianwood and Olivine were too confusing. The areas connecting Lilicove, Sootopolis, Mossdeep, and the like were (relatively) simple if you went in a relatively straight path. I only felt lost when I tried to explore for items/trainers. I think that's more a function of the lack of "landmarks" at sea as opposed to during land travel.

[Bolt the Cat]

That whole area in general. I think that's where my disliking for water routes began

I don't blame you there. Most of the more open water routes tend to be harder to navigate.

I didn't think the water routes connecting places like Cianwood and Olivine were too confusing. The areas connecting Lilicove, Sootopolis, Mossdeep, and the like were (relatively) simple if you went in a relatively straight path. I only felt lost when I tried to explore for items/trainers. I think that's more a function of the lack of "landmarks" at sea as opposed to during land travel.

Yeah, but that's exactly the problem, and one of the major reasons water routes need lots of landmarks in general. I like water routes, but when they're too open and empty they get confusing and annoying to explore.

[Poetry]

I don't really think many of Unova's water routes need redesigning. None of them are particularly long or boring, that's more of a problem with other regions. Maybe Rt. 21, which is slightly too mazelike for my liking. And not because it's confusing, moreso because the path snakes all around the route before you reach Seaside Cave.

More of a landmark than a route, but I'd change Seaside Cave to make it far more... substantial. As far as I remember, I spent about two entire minutes exploring the place then I moved on. As much as I think Unova's got enough cave locations anyway, I wish that they did something unique with it to make it stand out.

[sAv1Or)]

I don't blame you there. Most of the more open water routes tend to be harder to navigate..

It's not even the fact they are harder to navigate. I just think it takes forever to get from point A to point B when you are trying to scale a vast water area littered w/ trainers and rocks as fast as you can because you don't want to deal with it.
It's more the frustration that I want to get out of there and get it over with but I have to get it done then so I don't have to get it done later.
But GF hates me -___- Though they made me feel better about them w/ BW/BW2 because they didn't really have any that you HAD to travel.

[Bolt the Cat]

More of a landmark than a route, but I'd change Seaside Cave to make it far more... substantial. As far as I remember, I spent about two entire minutes exploring the place then I moved on. As much as I think Unova's got enough cave locations anyway, I wish that they did something unique with it to make it stand out.

They need to do that with caves in general, a lot of them are starting to feel generic.

It's not even the fact they are harder to navigate. I just think it takes forever to get from point A to point B when you are trying to scale a vast water area littered w/ trainers and rocks as fast as you can because you don't want to deal with it.
It's more the frustration that I want to get out of there and get it over with but I have to get it done then so I don't have to get it done later.
But GF hates me -___- Though they made me feel better about them w/ BW/BW2 because they didn't really have any that you HAD to travel.

Ah, well I don't necessarily find that too problematic, but I don't mind shorter mandatory water routes. As long as I can still have long, optional ones.

[sAv1Or)]

Ah, well I don't necessarily find that too problematic, but I don't mind shorter mandatory water routes. As long as I can still have long, optional ones.

I would actually prefer it the other way around.

I would like to have to do the longer ones in game so they're done and I can do the shorter ones post game because that's when I do all of the quick item clean-ups and whatnot.

[Poetry]

I would actually prefer it the other way around.

I would like to have to do the longer ones in game so they're done and I can do the shorter ones post game because that's when I do all of the quick item clean-ups and whatnot.

But wouldn't you prefer to have more meat in the post-E4 gameplay rather than before the E4?
(Of course ideally I know everyone would like to have tons of things to do on both sides, but that's never going to happen -_-)

[Aurath8]

But wouldn't you prefer to have more meat in the post-E4 gameplay rather than before the E4?
(Of course ideally I know everyone would like to have tons of things to do on both sides, but that's never going to happen -_-)

I prefer having more pre-E4 content. Once you beat the champion there's no longer a sense of urgency to get anywhere. There's no goal at the end except maybe a legendary. If Route 17/18 were incorporated into the main game, we'd probably have a few Plasma battles and a story event at the P2 Lab. Now its just a few trainers and items. It just feels so empty by comparison. Of course there's the thrill of exploring, but with the story and other elements on top, you can certainly do more with an area before the E4 than after it.

[Shneak]

Maybe I'm thinking too hard about this, but could the P2 Laboratory be based off of Plum Island? Plum Island isn't in Manhattan but it's in eastern New York. It's a secluded laboratory that has an undisclosed purpose. Plum Island apparently conducts tests on animals while the P2 Lab is the place where Genesect was resurrected (testing on Pokemon). Coincidence?

[Poetry]

I prefer having more pre-E4 content. Once you beat the champion there's no longer a sense of urgency to get anywhere. There's no goal at the end except maybe a legendary. If Route 17/18 were incorporated into the main game, we'd probably have a few Plasma battles and a story event at the P2 Lab. Now its just a few trainers and items. It just feels so empty by comparison. Of course there's the thrill of exploring, but with the story and other elements on top, you can certainly do more with an area before the E4 than after it.

Well, we're going into the realms of personal preference here, but for me, the best thing about defeating the E4 is being able to access all of the areas you couldn't before the E4. Fortunately B/W2 had quite a lot of it, but even some locations had some storyline-driven occurrences, e.g. battling N in his Castle, then fusing Kyurem and Zekrom/Reshiram.

The areas which weren't story-driven were still quite nice to explore anyway, mainly the south-eastern portion of the region. I still explored it as thoroughly as I did in B/W1.

[Wulava]

The areas which weren't story-driven were still quite nice to explore anyway, mainly the south-eastern portion of the region. I still explored it as thoroughly as I did in B/W1.

I'm glad that they left out a lot of areas to explore. But GF should've made some changes in most of the areas. Aside from the trainers, they're identically the same as before.

:: Dragonspiral Tower could've had a bit more wreckage inside, which should've altered the path towards the top.
:: The puddles within the Moor of Icirrus, and Route 8 could've at least expanded, while some went dry.
:: Pinwheel Forest, especially the forest path should've changed a lot and should've had more explorable areas.
:: Routes 1-3... I really don't expect much changes in these routes. Same with the Dreamyard.
:: Wellspring should've had a least one or two more new cave openings.
:: Currents within Routes 17 and 18 should've at least changed.

[sAv1Or)]

I agree about Dragonspiral Tower.

I love that place, but I think there was some missed opportunity for improvement when BW2 came around.

[Bolt the Cat]

:: Dragonspiral Tower could've had a bit more wreckage inside, which should've altered the path towards the top.

Interesting idea, but IDK that it would be necessary.

:: The puddles within the Moor of Icirrus, and Route 8 could've at least expanded, while some went dry.

Now this I like, they could've made this a seasonal thing, like it would freeze over in the Winter and dry up in the Summer.

:: Pinwheel Forest, especially the forest path should've changed a lot and should've had more explorable areas.

I don't think they'd need to do anything too drastic here. Maybe at most, the bridge on the main path breaks so you have to go down the path towards Rumination Field and then use Surf to go back to the forest path, but other than that, its' pretty much fine.

:: Routes 1-3... I really don't expect much changes in these routes. Same with the Dreamyard.

For the Dreamyard, they could've collapsed the area a bit more making it more mazelike.

:: Wellspring should've had a least one or two more new cave openings.

Maybe, but Wellspring Cave isn't too interesting either way, so I don't really care what they do here.

:: Currents within Routes 17 and 18 should've at least changed.

The path through Rt. 17 and 18 is fine the way it is, I'd rather they not mess with it.

[sAv1Or)]

Maybe, but Wellspring Cave isn't too interesting either way, so I don't really care what they do here.

Wellspring cave has potential to be more though. They kind of tease you once you get to the second level and once you get there it's nothing but disappointment

[Shine]

The path through Rt. 17 and 18 is fine the way it is, I'd rather they not mess with it.

It's indeed fine, but would have been much better if the puzzle is different. What Wulava meant is, keep the currents, just change the puzzle.

[Agonist]

It's indeed fine, but would have been much better if the puzzle is different. What Wulava meant is, keep the currents, just change the puzzle.

While we're on the topic of routes they should've changed, Route 9 seems like it should've had more done to it. I mean, it's got a department store just sort of thrown into the middle of the route, you'd have thought after two years other buildings would've been developed around it.

[sAv1Or)]

While we're on the topic of routes they should've changed, Route 9 seems like it should've had more done to it. I mean, it's got a department store just sort of thrown into the middle of the route, you'd have thought after two years other buildings would've been developed around it.

I agree. Route 9 has just been one of those Routes you pass through and were like "um...k" and that's it. It was very small and didn't have a lot of 'meat' to it, so to say.

Also, with Challenger's Cave as well. I was actually excited to see the changes that they would make to it with the release of Black and White 2, only to find out it was blocked

[Bolt the Cat]

It's indeed fine, but would have been much better if the puzzle is different. What Wulava meant is, keep the currents, just change the puzzle.

You mean like changing the currents' direction? I'd rather they not even mess with that. The original design suits its purpose quite well, really, P2 Laboratory and that one part of Rt. 18 with the Double Grass are both appropriately difficult to access, so it's fine. The only part I can see changing is them reversing the way you travel through Rt. 18, and even then, it'd be too minor a change and too difficult to implement to be worth it.

[Agonist]

I agree. Route 9 has just been one of those Routes you pass through and were like "um...k" and that's it. It was very small and didn't have a lot of 'meat' to it, so to say.

Exactly, it, along with Route 5, 11 and 16 seem like they're only filler routes, and nothing more. Although, Route 11 isn't as bad as other three IMO.

Also, with Challenger's Cave as well. I was actually excited to see the changes that they would make to it with the release of Black and White 2, only to find out it was blocked

There wasn't really a whole lot going on in it originally, so I'm not that fussed that it's gone.

[sAv1Or)]

There wasn't really a whole lot going on in it originally, so I'm not that fussed that it's gone.

Well it's the fact that they didn't improve it when there was so much adding they could have done

I'd say good thing they shut it down but I'm sad they couldn't just make it better instead

[Thowra]

Does anyone think that the NPC breeders are incredibly annoying? Every time I enter an area and walk in front of them they insist on fighting me...I wouldn't mind it so much if their pokemon were high leveled, but fighting their weak level 30 pokemon for a measly 200exp points is just a huge waste of time.

[Wulava]

Does anyone think that the NPC breeders are incredibly annoying? Every time I enter an area and walk in front of them they insist on fighting me...I wouldn't mind it so much if their pokemon were high leveled, but fighting their weak level 30 pokemon for a measly 200exp points is just a huge waste of time.

Yeah, they can be pretty annoying. But the best solution is to just avoid them.

[sAv1Or)]

Yeah, they can be pretty annoying. But the best solution is to just avoid them.

There are times when I'll accidentally run in front of them or I just forget and it's one of the most frustrating things ever -____-

Which brings me to my next point:

Why do they keep bringing back the 'ledge' guy that teaches you how to hop ledges?

[Blazios]

Which brings me to my next point:

Why do they keep bringing back the 'ledge' guy that teaches you how to hop ledges?

The same reason they tell you what a Pokédex is and why you should collect badges every game and how to catch Pokémon?

Remember, every game in the series is someone's first game. Not everybody knows everything about the series.

[Aurath8]

Which brings me to my next point:

Why do they keep bringing back the 'ledge' guy that teaches you how to hop ledges?

The same reason they teach you how to catch a pokemon at the start of every game. For the noobs.
I do wish you could skip things like the catching tutorial. Alternatively they could give the information in the local trainer school. I know it only accounts for 1 minute of my life, but it be nice to have a shortcut for those who have played before.