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If the bond between a trainer and his Pokemon is supposed to be so important...

G

Geodude

Protecting Gotham City
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...why is it you usually have to go to someone else in the games to see how much your Pokemon likes you? Does that strike anyone else as ironic?
 
It's just a way for the game to show one of their hidden game mechanics to the player.
 
Well, what with the new system to HGSS, this might be a thing of the past.
 
Geodude said:
...why is it you usually have to go to someone else in the games to see how much your Pokemon likes you? Does that strike anyone else as ironic?
Click to expand...

It's all about how you see look at it. With humans (or at least some humans), although we know when we really like/love someone, sometimes we wanna get somebody else's opinion on the matter, usually someone who's had experience with the situation at hand, just to make sure that what we feel is real. Our heads tend to trick us like that sometimes, so we need a second opinion at times.

That's how I see the friendship-checking mechanic in Pokemon.
 
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It's definitely ironic, yet hardly worth noting compared to the other inconsistencies the Pokémon universe shows.
adam_poke said:
You dont, get poke app no. 6 Frendship checker
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But what about the first three generations?
 
Sleet said:
But what about the first three generations?
Click to expand...

You mean "the second and third generations" :p

Anyway, it is a bit strange how you need an NPC to vaguely allude to hidden game mechanics, such as happiness, it's IVs or how it behaves in the battle palace.
 
Yeah, I actually went to Goldenrod to find out my pokemon's happiness so often, I named the woman who tells you Carrie.
 
It's dumb, but without it, the game is confusing for noobs. Picture a noob confusing Att., Happiness, and ATT IV.
 
It does seem stupid when you think about it, but at least the introduction of the Friendship App for the Pokétech at least minimizes the need for it.
 
I know about the Friendship Checker, hence the word "usually". :p
 
What I don't get is the fact that Happiness doesn't do much, apart from affecting a handful of evolutions and the base power of two moves, and occasionally causes an NPC to give you something.

Since the games make being nice to your Pokémon such a big deal, I thought Happiness would do more than the above... (e.g. if your Pokémon follows you around in HG/SS, it may pick up more/better items if it has a high Happiness, etc.)
 
I do find it a tad odd, but many people only use happyness for the benefits, so they don't really care. At least in Yellow version you get to see one by yourself. And in 4th gen they added the friendship checker.
 
It's 'cause trainers in second and third gen land don't have a good reading on things, nor the technology to do it for them.

I mean, isn't that the reason why they go wandering off into various unlit caves without stopping to think or consulting someone about possible HMS to make it easier, or routes to avoid the whole mess?

In Gen 2, the PC walks right on up to Red, whose standing there, dead silent, in the depths of a freakin' cave.

And with as little talking as they often do... I'm starting to take the characters (especially of old) as the silent, stupid types.
 
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