Marin

@ aristokrat

You're misinterpreting me I think: Of course they care about the bottom line, I was only saying that I think as game developers, and parents, they also care about producing a product that is important and something that has always been important to the Pokémon formula has been communication and friendship.

Playing against someone online is radically different because the mode is different. You can't see their face, you can't (generally) hear their voice; you might as well be playing a robot or computer. Maybe if you've never played the game face to face it'd be harder to empathize but I think there's definitely something to that face-to-face communication.

Yes, people get married in WoW. Barring how that generally works out (read: not well), I'm sure you can recognize that they are in the minority, and indeed its the same case for anyone who ever builds a lasting friendship outside of the game.

I'm not denying anyone any enjoyment. I think that the MMO model is not a suitable one for Pokémon. I don't think it would work and I think it would change what makes Pokémon unique. In fact, I'd even say that the decidedly "safe" direction the games have been moving in (or not) is one of the things that makes the game stand out, and thats what I love about the franchise. Everything I loved in Pokémon Red Version when I was in elementary school is still in there, and so much more: people always seem to forget about the innovation that IS there, be it contests, double battles, the battle frontier, day and night (or a working clock for that matter), shiny pokémon, animated sprites... To say the series is at a standstill is simply wrong. Granted, employing some artistic license in the story-telling department is something I think we'd all appreciate.

I feel like I must be the only one who gets what they're saying.

Every time I log onto Gamefaqs or IGN, or even dedicated Pokémon forums I'm swamped with trade requests from absolute strangers, chances to battle people I've never met face to face. Can anyone really get satisfaction out of winning against Tyranityrant2000, even given the advent of voice chat (which I'll add, most people seem pretty adamant about NOT using)?

To me, Pokémon is all about communication and adventure. If I didn't have friends to play with, I wouldn't, and its for this very reason that I'm waiting until Tuesday (and the soonest I can spend any sizable chunk of time with my two best friends) to open my brand new, pre-ordered copy of Pokémon Platinum.

Speaking as a Pokémon enthusiast, and someone who's entertained several MMO's for some time, I'd think that anyone who wants a Pokémon MMO has never felt the satisfaction of a perfect trade. I'd think that person has never shook hands after a battle, win or lose, and said with a smile on their face, "Good game." Because that's what the Pokémon franchise has always been about, the thesis of the Pokémon world — and forget for a moment all the notions of capitalism and satirical BS, we're talking about a TOY company and to deny that the artisans involved therein might have some other incentive than the bottom line might not be so ludicrous! — is friendship.

The answers to the highlighted questions have brought to my attention that Pokémon still has its soul. Its brought a smile to my face, and I for one can say that I am glad that there are no plans to make a Pokémon MMO and hope that it stays that way for a long time!

You still can't run the converter natively on OSX, I assume, which is a huge let down.

Sounds to me like the author here didn't unlock the

*spoilers kind of but not really*

final world by collecting 50 calabash? Don't knock the games difficulty before you beat that one, man. But I agree, its a fantastic game.

10 Canadian Provinces, 3 Canadian territories =)