Making the Pokemon World more realistic

[matt0044]

As we all know, the Pokemon World in the games is perfect with little to no conflict except for the regional evil team. This is, of course, breeding grounds for fanfics that tend to portray this "perfect" world more realistically, depending on the author.

This makes me wonder: How do you portray the Pokemon World? As it is in the games/Anime or in your own, more realistic way? If the latter, how do you do it?

 

[Instrutilus]

With SCIENCE! Sinumonas is as realistic as I can possibly make it, physics wise. The amount of problems they face, however, is a bit silly considering the planet's a colony from Earth that was studied for a few years. Probably why it was pushed to 'Emergency Colonization' only, rather then immediately colonate.

 

[Kayi Rowling]

If my focus was making the Pokeworld realistic, I'd focus on applying nature's rules to it: realistic food chains (examples: a Growlithe pack eating a Stantler, an Oddish growing roots into the earth), realistic reproduction (examples: live births from Pikachu/Raichu, egg laying from Hoothoot/Noctowl, spawn from Magikarp/Gyarados), etc. And I'd also kill off a couple of trainers in the wilderness, as it can happen in reality when you venture into the unknown on your own with no capable human company (a Pokemon would likely screw up carrying you to a hospital if harmed and/or unconscious).

However, using the PokeSpe manga verse tends to be enough for me in the terms of realism.

 

[Data_Error]

As I noted in this similar thread, I try to put forward concepts that make the world seem more realistically functional, though I admit no matter how far I go, there still has to be some level of suspended disbelief. Some of mine are as follows:

- I tend to think of each "region" of the Pokémon world being roughly the size of the country of Germany (~300,000 sq. km) with approximate populations of 5 million each, though this would vary from region to region.
- Transport is available along main roads between major cities, but there are also "trainer paths," which are comprised of trails typically far away from the main roads that trainers can use to travel the natural way and encounter wild Pokémon. Rangers patrol these paths fairly often in the interest of preserving the surrounding environment in spite of the frequent traffic.
- The International Police (officially called the "International Trainers' Police Directorate") is comprised of selected trainers and is much more organized, dispatching teams to deal with the organized crime situations that are seen in the games.
- Pokémon require almost as much care as pets, and thus it can become hard to manage the needs of any more than six Pokémon at a time, to the point where some trainers stop at raising four in order to better take care of their team.
- The League is a more structured system, with the trainer's gym challenge being seen as a rite of passage by many. As such, trainers are allowed a small stipend in their first year depending upon their progress in the league and recent battle record. This amount steadily decreases, encouraging young trainers to return to the jobs that society requires. The League also pays the salaries of the Elite Four, Gym Leaders and other officials.
- Storage capsules are in widespread use - they tend to be oblong capsules that function similarly to Pokéballs, instead each containing a 2'x2'x4' storage chest. This allows young trainers to carry all the necessary supplies throughout their journey.
- Legendaries are met halfway on the power scale - they are revered by the populace as extraordinarily powerful, but in reality, beyond their specific abilities (time travel, water purification, etc.), their power is roughly equivalent to that of half of the team of an Elite Four member and they are able to breed like any other species. Their incredible rarity helps to hide these facts - they are very strong, but not godlike.
- On a similar note, the "level system" exists, but is not mentioned extensively. A Pokémon's "level" is a general gauging of their aptitude in battle. There is no set level when a Pokémon is able to evolve, but rather Pokémon are more likely to evolve when under the effects of adrenaline as they increase in ability/level. Premature evolution is considered dangerous, however, and can create complications, and as such the league has certain levels that individual species are recommended to reach before attempting evolution. Evolutions based on items, trading and so forth are affected by level recommendations, but to a lesser extent.

 

[Drakon]

Hybrid of anime and my own realistic style. Food chains are present, there is a functioning military and government. There is crime, shitty places, scandals, drugs and illegal goods. You know, much like reality.

 

[Zekurom]

It depends on the story. For my SuBuWriMo attempt, I'm basing it in the real world which slowly morphs into a less realistic world.

For Generation 2021, it's no holds barred.

 

[Kyuuketsuki]

I don't really take realism into consideration; that's the real world's job.

 

[Giovanni Sakaki]

Hybrid of anime and my own realistic style. Food chains are present, there is a functioning military and government. There is crime, shitty places, scandals, drugs and illegal goods. You know, much like reality.

Me too. The anime's setting is a lot more like our world (but that's because it's a show and not an 8-bit game). Cities are of realistic size and structure for one thing. 'Hollywood' in 'Go West Young Meowth' is very run down and there's vehicles like trucks, cars, Officer Jenny's motorcycle. Since we're watching the show through a ten-year-old kid's eyes, it's natural that the infrastructure of Kanto's society is invisible to us. I know when I was ten I had no idea how gangs or drug trafficking worked, or about law enforcement beyond the occasional police officer I saw in the street. As for food, the gang's eaten regular meat more times than I can count. I think the most useful animal species (cow, pig, chicken etc) are bred in factory farms. They're considered lesser beings and regular people generally don't care or think about where their meat comes from. Wild animal species (like mongooses, lol) are uncommon, but still present.

 

[CrystaI]

Like Kayi-chan, I adopt the ideas from Pokemon Special Manga. That one is already "realistic" enough if compare to the "non-realistic" Pokemon anime and game.

What more can I say? Because it is difficult to make an unrealistic world into a realistic world.
You may think and interpret the unrealistic concepts in the unrealistic world with realistic science, technology and other theories, but this still doesn't mean the world had become more "realistic", because it is not realistic from the start.

 

[matt0044]

Since edible meat doesn't exist in my Pokemon world, I have people get protein from special liquids like milk shakes or something else that depends on your allergies.

Speaking of allergies...

 

[Gama]

If my focus was making the Pokeworld realistic, I'd focus on applying nature's rules to it: realistic food chains (examples: a Growlithe pack eating a Stantler, an Oddish growing roots into the earth), realistic reproduction (examples: live births from Pikachu/Raichu, egg laying from Hoothoot/Noctowl, spawn from Magikarp/Gyarados), etc. And I'd also kill off a couple of trainers in the wilderness, as it can happen in reality when you venture into the unknown on your own with no capable human company (a Pokemon would likely screw up carrying you to a hospital if harmed and/or unconscious).

However, using the PokeSpe manga verse tends to be enough for me in the terms of realism.

What about Oddish and Bellsprout and other plant types? How do they reproduce? Do they actually grow from seeds and, if so, at what point do they start to work?

How about Pokemon that are based on inanimate objects, like Geodude etc.? Is there reproduction based on volcanoes in your world?

Just some interesting ideas I'd like to hear the answers to =P

 

[Kayi Rowling]

What about Oddish and Bellsprout and other plant types? How do they reproduce? Do they actually grow from seeds and, if so, at what point do they start to work?

How about Pokemon that are based on inanimate objects, like Geodude etc.? Is there reproduction based on volcanoes in your world?

Just some interesting ideas I'd like to hear the answers to =P

In regards to plant-based Pokemon, it all depends on what they're like; for example, a Bulbasaur would be born from a seed coming from its bulb (or the flower of an Ivysaur or a Venusaur), a Hoppip by floating pollen (or dandelion-like seeds for a Jumpluff), and an Exeggcute by an extra "egg" (or "head" on an Exeggutor). Thing is, it would depend on the species and what they're like in relation to real species; they're the most difficult to figure out.

Meanwhile, inanimate objects such as Geodude, Onix, Voltorb, Grimer and such... I don't see them reproducing. I think the only reason they're capable of reproducing in-game is because the game seeks to simplify things and breeding is part of the mechanics of the game in order to make competitive teams; if inanimate object-based Pokemon couldn't breed, you'd have to catch the perfect Pokemon of their kind to put it in your team. Anyways, as how they come to exist, I view inanimate objects gaining life out of a sudden just because their world works that way; like, we all know the real world doesn't work like that, but, for example, the Japanese believe that an object once owned can gain life if not destroyed after 100 years, not to mention that there are many "religions" that believe everything has a soul. I base these inorganic Pokemon on these beliefs.

 

[Legacy]

In Pocket Monsters, this is something I put a great deal of thought into.

Since PM is, in my eyes, supposed to be sort of a reboot of the entire Pokemon concept (that is, it does not strictly follow ANY of the canon worlds), I address most of the scientific things in my fic.

Whether its explaining the food chain, explaining the science behind different types, or having an overall more realistic battling style, I'm hoping that PM will achieve this.

Great topic though.

 

[matt0044]

Anyone think Ghost Pokemon are reincarnations of people and Pokemon? Yamask is an example so what about others?

 

[Gama]

Anyone think Ghost Pokemon are reincarnations of people and Pokemon? Yamask is an example so what about others?

I had never thought of Ghost types as dead humans before catching a Yamask and it kind of freaked me out. I've got a freaking human being in a Poke Ball!?

 

[Abstractwatercolor]

I had never thought of Ghost types as dead humans before catching a Yamask and it kind of freaked me out. I've got a freaking human being in a Poke Ball!?

Yeah, that creeped me out. My Pokemon-World is a lot like this one, drugs, prostitutes (I would love to see that Trainer-Class, for the lulz), death, stupidity, breeding and birth, food-chains, and so-on and so-forth.

 

[SuperTrainStationH]

I just think of however the existence of Pokémon in the world and the customs and culture that concern them might impact everyday affairs as we know them in our own world.

 

[voidcritter]

Koffing and Weezing are extremely flammable, being basically balls of volatile gas. One character, a Team Rocket Grunt, loses both her Koffing this way. (Once because of a policeman's Arcanine, and later the other died at the hands--er, mouth--of Red's Charizard.)

The world has other things to worry about than Pokemon, and there are other competitive things than Pokemon battles (like, say, sports, dance competitions or chess) that are done with or without Pokemon. It's not given all the attention in the actual writing because this is a Pokemon fic, but it's obvious it's there.

Team Rocket also dabbles in non-Pokemon-related illegal things, like any good mob.

In addition to being places where you can challenge the Gym Leader, Gyms are also places where you can train your Pokemon if they correspond to the Gym's type, as well as acting as a forum where trainers of a specific type can exchange advice and such. The Gym Leaders are also first responders in any Pokemon-related emergencies the town goes through.

Many Gyms include classes and workshops to cover specific aspects of Pokemon care (for example, Misty would make sure people training at her Gym are able to set up the right kind and temperature of water for their Pokemon, while Koga/Janine might teach how to clean up after and minimize the toxic mess caused by a Grimer or Muk.)

The Gym also employs Trainers to assist the Gym Leader because well, Leaders can't be everywhere.

You also have the option of just battling the lower Trainers there if all you're looking for is a battle and don't want to challenge the Leader.

 

[Drakon]

I also tend to add non-pokémon related elements (good and criminal). For instance, I gave Lilycove City a bad area in the north where you can get illegal goods (illegal weapons, stolen pokémon, drugs, etc.).

There is also mention of prostitution and illegal pokémon fighting rings and other such unsavory elements.

 

[Kayi Rowling]

I've mentioned illegal stuff in Garnets and Cherries, as in prostitution and Pokedrugs (fake rare candies and so on), and it's even claimed that it's just part of the normal growth of a city (Viridian passing from a town to a city when the gym was built). I've also mentioned religious extremism, coming from a cult in Sinnoh that believes Arceus is the ultimate god and that, because he's a Pokemon, Pokemon shouldn't be caught or trained (and before you ask, this came before Team Plasma was even revealed; to top it, this cult is honest and doesn't allow exceptions).