Spin-Off Mystery Dungeon 2

[Yamato-san]

damn... I'm surprised there hasn't been any discussion on the new games now that they're out. Anyway, if anyone has them by now, I've got a few questions that've been bugging the hell out of me for a while.

-how does Minomucchi work in this game? Is it able to change based on its environment like the main RPGs, or did they just assign each form as different species entirely (much like Unknown and Karanakushi)?

-what does gender do in this game? I really doubt they implemented breeding in this, so does it solely affect things like Attract and Rivalry? How about the Pokemon's appearance? Do female Pikachu have a heart-shaped tail? Do Hippopotas and Kabaldon have their colors alternated?

-in the first game, rather than giving a Pokemon just one of their two traits like in the main RPGs, they just let each one have both at the same time. However, how's that supposed to work now? With DP, some Pokemon have been given some rather conflicting abilities (ex. Patcheel with Own Tempo and Tangled Feet).

-they did assign moves to the attack and special attack stats like in the main RPGs, correct?

-I think the loss of Friend Areas sucks ass... however, how is Chiriin's menu? Is it pretty user-friendly, easy to navigate regardless of how many Pokemon you get?

-what's all this about exclusive items? I saw it mentioned during the Pokemon Sunday episode that aired the special. Has Chunsoft, in traditional RPG fashion, assigned weapons and equipment that only certain Pokemon are able to equip?

And while I don't expect these to get answered right away, I'll ask them for now nonetheless.

-is evolution still a lot like the first game? For that matter, does the move relearner still teach you moves exclusive to previous forms based on the level you evolve at?

-how do the area-based evolutions from DP work? Also, how does Tamanta evolve (I would assume having a Teppouo partner with you, but in the first game, you needed one Pokemon in the party at a time to evolve)?

-whenever you get past the story and can play with any Pokemon you want (rather than just your main characters), did they make it any easier on you when switching party members? Like maybe not disbanding your team every time you return? -_-

-can you take four Pokemon with you at a time, now (I noticed this in the special, in a scene where Goukazaru, Roselade, Gabite, and Togekiss are all walking through a dungeon. All are evolved Pokemon which I doubt could be recruited in the wild)?

-is that fucking size system still there? -_-

-how does Deoxys's form-change work now? Is it still random for every time you enter a floor? Or are you able to have one of each form at a time now, like in DP (or, since four Deoxys sounds a bit farfetched, a method to permanently set your Deoxys's form)? Also, is Deoxys still unable to relearn moves?

-did they establish any kind of relationship between Manaphy and Fione?

-to the hackers: Sheimi, Arceus, data, in the game? I really hope they implemented the password feature (or even future Wi-Fi plans) to hide them for later on rather than skip over them entirely.

Those are off the top of my head for now. I might have more later.

 

[GothicEmo]

I think there is a PMD 2.
I'll check.

 

[Zhen Lin]

-what's all this about exclusive items? I saw it mentioned during the Pokemon Sunday episode that aired the special. Has Chunsoft, in traditional RPG fashion, assigned weapons and equipment that only certain Pokemon are able to equip?

There game-exclusive items.

-is evolution still a lot like the first game? For that matter, does the move relearner still teach you moves exclusive to previous forms based on the level you evolve at?

Evolution is not available at first due to problems with time (probably to do with the fact that Grovyle is stealing Gears of Time). Presumably this will be fixed after the credits roll...

-can you take four Pokemon with you at a time, now

Err, maybe I haven't gotten far enough in the game, but it looks like the maximum team size is still four.

One thing though, unlike the previous games, the friends are sticky, so you don't have to get them to join each time you leave on an expedition.

 

[Yamato-san]

Err, maybe I haven't gotten far enough in the game, but it looks like the maximum team size is still four.

the thing is, in the first game, you were able to have up to four in your party, but you could only take a maximum of three with you into pretty much every fucking dungeon. -_- That fourth slot only seemed to be good for Pokemon you'd recruit in the dungeon, but what the hell made the programmers think you'd need to recruit something every time you went out?

One thing though, unlike the previous games, the friends are sticky, so you don't have to get them to join each time you leave on an expedition.

thank god.

 

[Zhen Lin]

-what does gender do in this game? I really doubt they implemented breeding in this, so does it solely affect things like Attract and Rivalry? How about the Pokemon's appearance? Do female Pikachu have a heart-shaped tail? Do Hippopotas and Kabaldon have their colors alternated?

I can confirm that the Chansey in Treasure Town will take care of eggs (which are apparently found in dungeons and given as gifts), so...

-they did assign moves to the attack and special attack stats like in the main RPGs, correct?

Yes.

 

[Silktree]

The most pertinent question in my eyes is how the time-focused storyline is incorporated into the Darkness version. I have seen reports of Palkia replacing Dialga in the aforementioned version; of course, Palkia has no relation to darkness and is tied to the time elements strictly by association.

Dark aspects can be found in Time version in the form of Dialga's transformation to its dark self (which, I assume, bears extreme resemblance to Shadow Lugia); I would expect the other version to offer larger focus on darkness rather than time maneuvers. For instance, is the shiny Celebi present in Darkness version, as well?

 

[Zhen Lin]

I suspect I am nowhere near the end of the game, so those answers will be difficult to come by.

 

[Silktree]

Is it free to assume you are playing Darkness version, then?

Coronis' full recount of the events in Time version makes it clear that either the storyline in the two versions is identical, or is largely divergent, since the roles of time and darkness in that version are far from interchangeable. While it would seem only apt for the storyline to be distinguishing factor of two games that should otherwise coincide, it is far unlikely that such a major detail has been kept a surprise all along. Red and Blue versions had identical storyline, including having Groudon as a main game boss and Kyogre as a post-game one; the same clearly holds true for the new versions, despite the lack of an alternative distinction.

Coronis' final post reveals a mostly-complete list of legendaries. It delights me to know that Unown has been given a legendary status; I suspect that the change of hearts from the last game is due to Fione's introduction, a semi-legendary that is not unique in number.

I surmise that the missing legendaries are Mewtwo, Mew, Celebi, Kyogre, Ho-oh, Rayquaza, Heatran and Giratina (and needless to say, Shaymin and Arceus). It may be that their availability will be addressed through special-event passwords, even though the previous game used the system strictly for items. However, I stand by my original assertion upon first hearing of the games, that by the time Shaymin and Arceus are made public knowledge, these games will have collected dust in Japanese players' libraries and been abandoned by the Pokémon Company - if they are in the data, it has little chance of finding use.

 

[Jnoo]

However, I stand by my original assertion upon first hearing of the games, that by the time Shaymin and Arceus are made public knowledge, these games will have collected dust in Japanese players' libraries and been abandoned by the Pokémon Company - if they are in the data, it has little chance of finding use.

Well, lets look at the options here. We have:

• Shaymin and Arceus are revealed in the following months when the players are well into the game
• A trilogy is confirmed for these games and those two will play a huge role there.
• They might be revealed to the public via PMD2, as "Secret Pokemon that no one has seen before."

I can easily see any of these happening. Whether it's now or later, or happening at all, I'm sure any of these can happen.

 

[Silktree]

Given the minuscule interest that these games have garnered, I do not see the last two options as being feasible. I have yet to find a Japanese web site that covers the game in depth, and this forum alone is proof of the how little attention they have received among non-Japanese fans.

Being expanded to a trilogy or taking precedence over the main series in the context of Shaymin and Arceus, is simply asking for too much. A more reasonable request is for the games to be released outside Japan, which is not at all a guaranteed outcome at this point.

 

[Zhen Lin]

Coronis' full recount of the events in Time version makes it clear that either the storyline in the two versions is identical, or is largely divergent, since the roles of time and darkness in that version are far from interchangeable.

This is supposed to be the case, since that is what the official website claims - there is not supposed to be much of a difference between the two other than game-specific items and Pokémon.

 

[Yamato-san]

by the time Shaymin and Arceus are made public knowledge, these games will have collected dust in Japanese players' libraries and been abandoned by the Pokémon Company - if they are in the data, it has little chance of finding use.

how much dust are you talking about? Given past events, I estimate Sheimi will be revealed within the next six months.

A more reasonable request is for the games to be released outside Japan, which is not at all a guaranteed outcome at this point.

I'd say it pretty much is guaranteed. Aside from Green version (or Japanese Blue version, or whatever the fuck you'd wanna consider it... NoA's color-changing still boggles my mind to this day), Stadium 1 (which is vastly inferior to Stadium 2 anyway), and Card GB 2 (probably the only noteworthy one being mentioned here), every Pokemon game on a home console has been released outside of Japan (and ever since Ruby and Sapphire, the game releases seem to have been pretty consistent worldwide). And if they can bother localizing bullshit like Dash, they can damn well release this.

 

[Jukain]

How well did the last MD do?

 

[Cosmar]

Hmm, it's strange that Mewtwo, Mew, Celebi, Kyogre, Ho-oh, Rayquaza, Heatran and Giratina aren't recruitable (? Not sure on this, I'm just going by Coronis' reports) I understand Shaymin and Arceus, but why can't you recruit them? A bit disappointing, to be honest. I'm not sure if I want to buy the game now...

NVM, I re - read it. I wonder how you'd recruit Darkrai, then? I hope it's not like Mew in PMD1...Or a Level 1 dungeon... -_-;

 

[Zhen Lin]

Hmm, according to a recent conversation with Coronis, it seems that annoying dungeons are nowhere near as common as in PMD1.

 

[Silktree]

Hmm, it's strange that Mewtwo, Mew, Celebi, Kyogre, Ho-oh, Rayquaza, Heatran and Giratina aren't recruitable (? Not sure on this, I'm just going by Coronis' reports) I understand Shaymin and Arceus, but why can't you recruit them? A bit disappointing, to be honest. I'm not sure if I want to buy the game now...

The correct list is Articuno, Mew, Kyogre, Groudon, Rayquaza, Heatran and Giratina. Celebi only appears in the main storyline as a non-opponent character, while Shaymin and Arceus are not even present in the data. The list of unrecruitable opponents has little logic behind it, but it should be noted that Celebi, Shaymin and Arceus are all awaiting DS promotions (of course, Celebi still makes some sort of appearance owing to being present in the predecessor games).

Zapdos, Moltres, Mewtwo, Raikou, Entei, Suicune, Lugia, Ho-oh, Latias, Latios, Jirachi, Deoxys and Darkrai's whereabouts should be independant of the Wonder Mail system, which ironically makes pinpointing them harder.

 

[Yamato-san]

Shaymin and Arceus are not even present in the data.

wait? This has been confirmed already?

 

[Silktree]

In the game coding, all Pokemon up to Darkrai are in the game (so really no Shaymin and Arceus)

For the last ???, it's most certainly Darkrai now that Shaymin and Arceus are confirmed not to be in the game.

 

[Cosmar]

The correct list is Articuno, Mew, Kyogre, Groudon, Rayquaza, Heatran and Giratina. Celebi only appears in the main storyline as a non-opponent character, while Shaymin and Arceus are not even present in the data. The list of unrecruitable opponents has little logic behind it, but it should be noted that Celebi, Shaymin and Arceus are all awaiting DS promotions (of course, Celebi still makes some sort of appearance owing to being present in the predecessor games).

Zapdos, Moltres, Mewtwo, Raikou, Entei, Suicune, Lugia, Ho-oh, Latias, Latios, Jirachi, Deoxys and Darkrai's whereabouts should be independant of the Wonder Mail system, which ironically makes pinpointing them harder.

Ah, right. It's weird that you can't recruit all 491 Pokemon, though... (not counting Shaymin and Arceus, since they aren't 'official', yet) It's a shame, too, 'cause that was one of the best things about PMD1.

@ Zhen Lin: Hmm, I wonder if they're any Level 1 dungeons in the game?

 

[Yamato-san]

OK, that is beyond fucked up. Why would they have legendaries only obtainable through promotional codes if they were gonna exclude Sheimi and Arceus anyway? Seriously, passwords were the most logical way I could've seen them include those two, they end up once again integrating promotional passwords (and for more than just a few hidden dungeons, like in the first game), they still exclude them. -_-