Pokemon locations

[AuraSoul93]

What I find interesting in Pokemon stories is how the writers deal w/ where & how people meet their Pokemon. What gets me about that is there are two different ways they do this: either they follow the games' specific locations or they just do whatever they want to make sure it fits w/ the story. I can see the advantages & disadvantages of both sides, but I wanted to get other peoples' opinions. What do you think of when dealing w/ Pokemon locations in stories?

 

[RaiThunder]

In most cases, I go by the game locations. The only time that changes is in cities, where I might mention alley meowths, skitty, or purrloin. When a trainer is catching a Pokemon, I stick to game locations. How about you?

 

[AuraSoul93]

In most cases, I go by the game locations. The only time that changes is in cities, where I might mention alley meowths, skitty, or purrloin. When a trainer is catching a Pokemon, I stick to game locations. How about you?

Not sure. Since the anime is so loose w/ this rule, I thought I'd give it a shot. But things like running into certain Pokemon that would, most likely, become part of the cast in some way seems too coincidental. Game locations seem like they way to go, but there are so many times when I wanna use specific Pokemon on the cast & those Pokemon are nowhere near locations of events in the story. It's a real issue & I can't seem to make up my mind.

 

[RaiThunder]

Well, it really depends. If the Pokemon is pretty rare, I'd say stick with the game locations, but I think that in general, as long as you don't transplant Pokemon across regions (As in wild Absol in Johto or a Purrloin in Kanto) it should be okay. And if all else fails, you can always go the trade route. The Pokemon world is obviously open for travel in the games and anime, so as long as its not (again) a super rare Pokemon(legendary status here) it would be find for trading - I did that for a Heart Gold Nuzlocke run, to give myself an electric type. That kind of thing is perfectly understandable.

And if we're talking about common Pokemon, I really don't think most people will mind if you catch an Eevee in a town(they are pretty much dogs) or a Pikachu way outside of its habitat.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

I basically ignore the game location rule when it suits me. There's no particular reason to adhere to it. I'll keep most region specific pokémon in the correct region but again only if the fic would not be improved by flaunting the rule.

 

[TheLlama]

Like unrepetant, I tend to keep region-specific pokemon where they belong, but otherwise I ignore everything.

I tend to have this rule that the game routes through the regions are places where the wild pokemon generally are of a lower level, to cater to all the new trainers and such; going off-track means traversing into more dangerous territory - that's where you find evolved pokemon and such. As such this is not recommended for newbie trainers, while more experienced trainers more often do that, to get a challenge from the wild pokemon and such (this is also relevant to how I imagine pokeballs to have a "limiter" on pokemon's actual (and lethal) power, but that's another story).

The new region I'm writing though, generally has pokemon from every generation except the fifth one - but the same rules apply; weaker unevolved pokemon near the routes, stronger ,evolved ones further away.

EDIT: To rectify myself, I don't make any pokemon appear anywhere. I have a "database" of suitable habitats for most existing pokemon, and they only appear in such areas (you'd only see a chimchar evolutionary member in a jungle, a magmar evolutionary member near volcanoes, a tauros on a steppe, and so on).

 

[Gama]

I take a pretty liberal attitude towards game locations. I think as long as you do what Llama Guy says and have the Pokemon appear in appropriate places (coming across a Squirtle near a volcano would be strange), then I think it's fine.

After all, I've always viewed the places that pokemon appear in games to be representative more of what Pokemon the hero happens to come across, giving more of an explanation to version exclusives. This, for me, is sort of proved by Gen I, when in either version your rival is able to catch a Growlithe, when they only appear in Red version. Obviously he has been able to encounter one somewhere - you must just be unlucky. (Obviously this begins to strain reality if you're in a route for an infinite amount of time, but I think you get the idea that I am getting at.) It's also significant that in Yellow version, a wild Pikachu appears by Pallet Town, and yet it is impossible to encounter another one in the wild anywhere in Kanto. Does it seem likely that this is the last wild Pikachu in existence? Not particularly.

 

[TheLlama]

Obviously this begins to strain reality if you're in a route for an infinite amount of time, but I think you get the idea that I am getting at.

Actually, even if you were there for an infinite amount of time you wouldn't be guaranteed to meet the pokemon you wanted to find.

Does it seem likely that this is the last wild Pikachu in existence?

I sense a plot bunny growing...

By the way, how prone are people to have pokemon appear in unnatural locations for the sake of the plot/that pokemon characters' story?

 

[Glitchipedia]

I've actually never been in a situation where I would have to worry about wild Pokémon locations. The one time I came close, it wasn't anywhere near the Pokémon nation, but rather in New York, where a Grimer was captured after coming up through someone's plumbing, a Bellsprout was bought in a flower shop, and a Porygon was downloaded from the Internet.

If I were to write a scenario taking place in the Pokémon nation, I'd probably stick as close to the game locations as I could while still having room for artistic license. That said, I would only show an encounter and/or capture if I deemed it absolutely necessary—my stories don't tend to be very combat-oriented, especially in the wild. If there's going to be a battle, it'll generally be between two trainers.

Here's a question, has anyone ever tried incorporate a Pal Park into a story? Assuming important characters are anywhere near one, it could potentially eliminate several Pokémon location problems.

 

[Misheard Whisper]

I tend to look at the location map for a particular Pokemon and then fancy that it could be found anywhere in that general area. If a Pokemon in-game can be found anywhere from Nimbasa to Opelucid, except for half a route, I'll be fine with having it appear in that half-route, or on the other side of Nimbasa. Obviously there's terrain problems to consider sometimes, but that's just common sense, really.

As was mentioned, however, I tend to keep rarer Pokemon limited to a certain area, though that can be stretched as well. Absol, say, can (supposedly) be found in the woods around Fortree or in the Giant Chasm in Unova. Rather than saying a Pokemon can appear anywhere on Route 222, then is nowhere to be found on 223, I give them a bit of lease. As long as it's reasonable, basically. I could quite easily imagine Weedle and Caterpie living on Route 1 and around Pallet Town, for instance, even though in the games you can't find them till Viridian Forest.

 

[Necrozma]

I don't necessarily have to follow game locations when there are things that make sense to me just as well. For example, in the games, there is no Scyther in the Viridian Forest. While the description of the Pokémon says that they mostly inhabit the grassland, it also says that they inhabit secluded forest. And being designed after a praying mantis (which obviously inhabit forests as well) I don't see why I couldn't put Scyther in the Viridian Forest - it's a large forest with secluded areas which are inhabited by Scyther.

Though I would never put a Pokémon, say, Charmander, somewhere where it doesn't belong (like around a lake). For plot purposes, maybe, but such thing just doesn't make sense to me. Even for plot purposes, at least I would try to make it out to be a believable location.

So whole I do sometimes stick to game locations, I also make uses of the real-life information such as the Pokémon design derivations and information of where the said animals live in real life. Sometimes, though, you just gotta use common sense. I'm not going to put a wild Charmander on a random place but rather around volcanoes and even then - actually finding them wouldn't be assurable due to their rarity status in Pokémon world.

 

[AuraSoul93]

I don't necessarily have to follow game locations when there are things that make sense to me just as well. For example, in the games, there is no Scyther in the Viridian Forest. While the description of the Pokémon says that they mostly inhabit the grassland, it also says that they inhabit secluded forest. And being designed after a praying mantis (which obviously inhabit forests as well) I don't see why I couldn't put Scyther in the Viridian Forest - it's a large forest with secluded areas which are inhabited by Scyther.

Though I would never put a Pokémon, say, Charmander, somewhere where it doesn't belong (like around a lake). For plot purposes, maybe, but such thing just doesn't make sense to me. Even for plot purposes, at least I would try to make it out to be a believable location.

So whole I do sometimes stick to game locations, I also make uses of the real-life information such as the Pokémon design derivations and information of where the said animals live in real life. Sometimes, though, you just gotta use common sense. I'm not going to put a wild Charmander on a random place but rather around volcanoes and even then - actually finding them wouldn't be assurable due to their rarity status in Pokémon world.

I tend to look at the location map for a particular Pokemon and then fancy that it could be found anywhere in that general area. If a Pokemon in-game can be found anywhere from Nimbasa to Opelucid, except for half a route, I'll be fine with having it appear in that half-route, or on the other side of Nimbasa. Obviously there's terrain problems to consider sometimes, but that's just common sense, really.

As was mentioned, however, I tend to keep rarer Pokemon limited to a certain area, though that can be stretched as well. Absol, say, can (supposedly) be found in the woods around Fortree or in the Giant Chasm in Unova. Rather than saying a Pokemon can appear anywhere on Route 222, then is nowhere to be found on 223, I give them a bit of lease. As long as it's reasonable, basically. I could quite easily imagine Weedle and Caterpie living on Route 1 and around Pallet Town, for instance, even though in the games you can't find them till Viridian Forest.

I've actually never been in a situation where I would have to worry about wild Pokémon locations. The one time I came close, it wasn't anywhere near the Pokémon nation, but rather in New York, where a Grimer was captured after coming up through someone's plumbing, a Bellsprout was bought in a flower shop, and a Porygon was downloaded from the Internet.

If I were to write a scenario taking place in the Pokémon nation, I'd probably stick as close to the game locations as I could while still having room for artistic license. That said, I would only show an encounter and/or capture if I deemed it absolutely necessary—my stories don't tend to be very combat-oriented, especially in the wild. If there's going to be a battle, it'll generally be between two trainers.

Here's a question, has anyone ever tried incorporate a Pal Park into a story? Assuming important characters are anywhere near one, it could potentially eliminate several Pokémon location problems.

I take a pretty liberal attitude towards game locations. I think as long as you do what Llama Guy says and have the Pokemon appear in appropriate places (coming across a Squirtle near a volcano would be strange), then I think it's fine.

After all, I've always viewed the places that pokemon appear in games to be representative more of what Pokemon the hero happens to come across, giving more of an explanation to version exclusives. This, for me, is sort of proved by Gen I, when in either version your rival is able to catch a Growlithe, when they only appear in Red version. Obviously he has been able to encounter one somewhere - you must just be unlucky. (Obviously this begins to strain reality if you're in a route for an infinite amount of time, but I think you get the idea that I am getting at.) It's also significant that in Yellow version, a wild Pikachu appears by Pallet Town, and yet it is impossible to encounter another one in the wild anywhere in Kanto. Does it seem likely that this is the last wild Pikachu in existence? Not particularly.

Like unrepetant, I tend to keep region-specific pokemon where they belong, but otherwise I ignore everything.

I tend to have this rule that the game routes through the regions are places where the wild pokemon generally are of a lower level, to cater to all the new trainers and such; going off-track means traversing into more dangerous territory - that's where you find evolved pokemon and such. As such this is not recommended for newbie trainers, while more experienced trainers more often do that, to get a challenge from the wild pokemon and such (this is also relevant to how I imagine pokeballs to have a "limiter" on pokemon's actual (and lethal) power, but that's another story).

The new region I'm writing though, generally has pokemon from every generation except the fifth one - but the same rules apply; weaker unevolved pokemon near the routes, stronger ,evolved ones further away.

EDIT: To rectify myself, I don't make any pokemon appear anywhere. I have a "database" of suitable habitats for most existing pokemon, and they only appear in such areas (you'd only see a chimchar evolutionary member in a jungle, a magmar evolutionary member near volcanoes, a tauros on a steppe, and so on).

I basically ignore the game location rule when it suits me. There's no particular reason to adhere to it. I'll keep most region specific pokémon in the correct region but again only if the fic would not be improved by flaunting the rule.

In most cases, I go by the game locations. The only time that changes is in cities, where I might mention alley meowths, skitty, or purrloin. When a trainer is catching a Pokemon, I stick to game locations. How about you?

Thanks for the input from all of you guys. Now what's your opinion on using set locations from the series (Kanto, Orre, Almia, etc.) compared to making up your own region?

 

[RaiThunder]

Now what's your opinion on using set locations from the series (Kanto, Orre, Almia, etc.) compared to making up your own region?

I use set locations because they're familiar to everyone and my stories tend to be Nuzlocke/Trainer stories. It helps to have gyms people recognize, leaders they recognize, and places I can reference and know someone will pick it up. However, choosing to design your own region can be a fun and rewarding experience from what I've heard. It presents unique challenges and could, if done effectively, be a great tool.

I think that it depends on the type of story you want. If you want to do a story more focused on battling, gyms, and going for the Championship, it might be better to choose a set location. However, if you're more focused on character and a new plot/villain, there's no real reason to not make up your own region if you really want it.

Personally, I think a well thought out and planned new region is cool - I love playing fan-games with fan-made regions.

 

[Glitchipedia]

I don't like to make up my own region, because then I feel obligated to come up with Fakémon. Stories using Fakémon do not particularly appeal to me because, sooner or later, canon shoots them down, causing my willing suspension of disbelief to be lost.

By using existing regions or real-world locations, I don't feel like I have that obligation. This helps me more easily accept my own work as part of the Pokémon universe.

 

[Necrozma]

Thanks for the input from all of you guys. Now what's your opinion on using set locations from the series (Kanto, Orre, Almia, etc.) compared to making up your own region?

It rather easier to use an already set region and make it your own (you can always differentiate in great number of things despite what the games say as you don't necessarily have to follow them). While making up your own region does sound like fun, it also sounds like a lot of work.

 

[Lugion]

Making up your own region is both a lot of fun and a lot of work. I've done it myself. Nothing really ever came of it, though. I've been thinking about pulling the project back of the proverbial shelf, though.

 

[TheLlama]

I don't like to make up my own region, because then I feel obligated to come up with Fakémon. Stories using Fakémon do not particularly appeal to me because, sooner or later, canon shoots them down, causing my willing suspension of disbelief to be lost.

You can just make up a location that would make it appropriate for the region to have a mix of already-existing pokemon. Or just have that without any good reason



I'm currently making my own region, and I'm having a lot of fun with it. There's a ton of different things to do, and it's fun creating unique locations and whatnot. Creating all-new characters, gym trainers, pokemon league, etc. is really interesting.

 

[Xenidal]

To answer the original question, I don't write Pokémon fanfics but if I did I'd probably ignore game locations or take them to be guidelines rather than rules (all that has to be correct would be the general habitat... it really makes no sense to find a Magikarp in the desert unless the story explains why). The anime which is itself canon doesn't even strictly follow locations in games, so why should a fanfic have to?
Especially if locations in the fanfic aren't even in the game, for example, if it's an entirely new region. Which brings up the question

Now what's your opinion on using set locations from the series (Kanto, Orre, Almia, etc.) compared to making up your own region?

I'd stick to a pre-existing region. Unless this "new" region is located in close proximity with a real region, it really would not make sense if you are not also inventing your own species of Pokémon (as every new region with the exception of Orange Islands (which is close to Kanto) and Orre (which is close to Johto) and a few other exceptions have mostly new Pokémon and at least some regional exclusives)

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

It's been a long term intention of mine to create a map for every region of Japan. Since four have already been done, only three major ones remain (Shikoku, west Honshu and north Honshu). Possibly also a couple of regions for Korea, because why not? Just that area in general.

I've also had the inclination to map Britain and make an enormous number of fakemon for it with a friend of mine. It's not impossible that a 4th Gen hack will one day be made...

 

[Zekurom]

I basically ignore the game location rule when it suits me. There's no particular reason to adhere to it. I'll keep most region specific pokémon in the correct region but again only if the fic would not be improved by flaunting the rule.

Just a small nit I'm picking, but I believe the word you want is flouting, not flaunting.

That being said, I will put Pokémon anywhere where they seem natural. Certainly there are Pokémon that will be region-specific (just like in the real world, lots of animals are only found in certain areas), but where those regions are is up for grabs.