Mystery Gift in DP

[Zhen Lin]

Well, it seems that the first promotional event for DP is via the Mystery Gift mechanism. According to this report on the 10th anniversary concert (Mostly RGBY tracks, but a few DP tracks at the end, hopefully those will make it to the DP OST CDs as bonus tracks), a Perap was distributed via Mystery Gift, as well as a Mystery Card. Limit was one per DS card. The author thinks that event Pokémon from here on out will be distributed via Mystery Gift.

 

[Silktree]

The author thinks that event Pokémon from here on out will be distributed via Mystery Gift.

Unfortunately, that assessment already has a counter-example in the upcoming promotion of Elekible and Booburn. The distribution method will not utilize Mystery Gift at all, instead being cumbersome and primitive.

Nevertheless, this is good news. Mystery Gift has been abandoned for virtually no reason since last year's September (barring, amusingly, Taiwan owing to its PokéPark).

One glaring downside that I find in Diamond and Pearl's Mystery Gift mode is that it is inaccessible without wireless communication. In FireRed, LeafGreen and Emerald, the Wireless Adapter may have to be plugged in order to enter the mode, but it can be done for viewing purposes only (without which only a distinct minority of players would know how the menu screen even looks).

More importantly, there exists a Friend option which resembles the original Mystery Gift mode from Gold and Silver (only the Japanese players have had the chance to receive but a few of the Wonder Cards that make use of this). Unless there is more than meets the eye, and Mystery Gift can also be unlocked by connecting to other Diamond and Pearl games while in the menu screen, the new mode is meant for special wireless communication alone.

 

[Zeta]

Hopefully at least one of the promotional items required to obtain a Promotional Legendary will be distributed via Mystery Gift. Its not like they couldn't restrict the other two to Nintendo events.

 

[Silktree]

Hopefully at least one of the promotional items required to obtain a Promotional Legendary will be distributed via Mystery Gift.

All three will have to be distributed via Mystery Gift. Alternative download methods can account for "fateful encounters" whereby Pokémon are added to the party out of nowhere, but they cannot trigger the in-game event leading to the acquisition of the promotional items.

Its not like they couldn't restrict the other two to Nintendo events.

I hope you understand that Mystery Gift in itself is not a substitute for attending a real-life event. It makes matters much more convenient and elegant, but as before, access to wireless communication is necessary.

However, Mystery Gift encourages the use of Download Play as an indirect download source. It has already been done with Emerald, but only once--in Mew's case. It should work with Diamond and Pearl, but I doubt they will opt for that direction before holding the first events for each of the three items. When the WiiConnect24 is launched, only the GBA games stand a good chance of seeing Download Play items manipulating Mystery Gift, since those games no longer serve the interest of events.

 

[ridley-x4]

So basically, if a friend has an event item, you can get your own from the friend? Do we still have to go somewhere? Or is this over WiFi? I don't get it at all.

 

[Silktree]

So basically, if a friend has an event item, you can get your own from the friend?

That is what you could do in FireRed, LeafGreen and Emerald. For some reason, the Wonder Cards for the Auroraticket, Mysteryticket and Old Sea Map were programmed to be unshareable, but there were other kinds of Wonder Cards distributed in Japan (and even more that were not touched upon).

It currently appears that Diamond and Pearl's Mystery Gift does not allow interaction with other games. It only shows up on the menu screen when unique wireless signals are spotted.

Do we still have to go somewhere? Or is this over WiFi? I don't get it at all.

Diamond and Pearl's WiFi is limited to the bottom Pokémon Center floor, Global Trade Station and Battle Tower. For the time being, we still have to rely on special events for Mystery Gift.

 

[Silktree]

Pardon for the double post.

This page refutes my previous impression. First, the Elekible and Booburn promotion is Mystey Gift-based, and should be more correctly referred to as the Electrobooster and Magmabooster promotion. For some reason, the frequency is so low that one has to stand in line and bring one's game and system over to a staff member, and only then will the download be made possible (they did this with the Auroraticket's store distribution as well--it is their way of ensuring that "outsiders" not receive the download).

Furthermore, these specific Wonder Cards are shareable. Since the Electrobooster Wonder Card is programmed for Pearl only, and the Magmabooster for Diamond, transmission is not possible between Diamond and Pearl. Apparently, the Mystery Gift menu does not vanish right away, and can be accessed 10 times after the initial download--each time up to 4 transfers can be made. Although it does not say, it is clear that the menu vanishes after being accessed ten times.

Lastly, only players who received the Wonder Card in an event can share it with friends, much like the Eon Ticket.

Again, none of this is new--FireRed, LeafGreen and Emerald offered the same system (and theirs did not vanish). I suspect that similarly to the Auroraticket, Mysteryticket and Old Sea Map, the new promotional items will be obtained via unshareable Wonder Cards.

 

[Silverishness]

Damn.