Crystal hack: Pokémon Serene Crystal (V1.5.3)

[ironmiron]

Very interesting hack, love the changes on starter mons! are evolutionary stones obtained same as vanilla? how do I evolve feebas?(the doc is missing this info)

 

[PeanutellaXO]

Very interesting hack, love the changes on starter mons! are evolutionary stones obtained same as vanilla? how do I evolve feebas?(the doc is missing this info)

Thank you for your interest! Evolutionary stones are obtained via the vanilla way, but I also added an extra Clerk in Olivine City which sells Rare Candies and the stones. Feebas evolves with a Dragon Scale, like Seadra does

 

[Rizalust]

Downloaded 1.5.1 patch to try to get around the woman blocking the path in Cinawood gym and it didn't seem to do anything? She still gets stuck in the same place as before the patch so just curious if I am doing something wrong.

 

[PeanutellaXO]

Downloaded 1.5.1 patch to try to get around the woman blocking the path in Cinawood gym and it didn't seem to do anything? She still gets stuck in the same place as before the patch so just curious if I am doing something wrong.

That's strange, it should work normally now. Did you try saving and reloading? Iirc that should reset the positions of the NPCs, so you should then be able to walk past her

Edit: I lied so hard, that doesn't happen apparently. Unfortunately you'll have to patch and then reload your last save. I am so sorry about this 😭🙏

 

[ViWalls]

Before saying anything, I'm know it's your first romhack and you're learning so don't take this as I'm trying to rip your work and more like constructive criticism:

- First of all, the lines of text made by NPC and trainers on this romhack need a revision. For example: you replaced Falkner by Bridget but there are plenty of lines still mentioning Falkner along your way as a Gym leader of Violet City or people pointing you already beaten him. This actually happens several times to everything you replaced on this hack, even in the quiz to get the radio card. It's a tedious work but makes Serene looks like an unpolished project that needs more testing or you released content rushing. It's normal forgot some, but there are too many.
- You altered some maps and it's fine, but those need polishing too: there are some empty corners and space not used so cities and villages look shallow. For example the first one, Violet, has plenty of space in the middle but is not used, so at the end the rework does more wrong that right and it doesn't feel like a real place. The Gym it's in a totally different area so it's confusing considering all the space you created there. I think you need to focus around this thing more than anything from now and in the future.
- Also some caves entrances and exits have weird logic: you exit them facing south but warp to the next map with a wall located in a way that doesn't has sense considering where you came.
- The pokedex always shows shiny variants and not the regular sprite when you catch mons despite the fact you're catching regular color ones.
- Sometimes even if you use a super effective or non effective attack, it plays the regular damage sound ignoring this audio indicating mechanic.

I haven't finished the romhack yet but those things were bugging me since the very beginning. Normally under those circumstances I wait in the front of the oven until it's more "cooked" to continue playing the hack, but it's also true that the selection of the pokedex, type/stat changes and basically "I'm doing my own vision of Gen 2 dex with a shitload of playable and isteresting mons" it's enough reason to play Serene despite the flaws. Around that concept you really made an AMAZING job rebalancing and adapting, so there is no doubt about it.

So it's my personal opinion, but taking care of the things I mentioned will lead into a really solid romhack above the average. Also I want to point again that I really liked the pokedex and the sprites. We really need more romhacks with this premise like PureRGB does in Gen 1.

Also the romhack (1.5 latest) was played and tested using a flash cart in original modded hardware (GBC), bgb and also mGBA through a 2DS XL (I use multiple systems to report just in case it's just a problem of emulation due to a specific software).

 

[Ccssrr]

Hi @PeanutellaXO, I just finished your hack and came to thank you, I really appreciate this game, amazing job, thank you very much 👏👏👏👏

 

[PeanutellaXO]

Before saying anything, I'm know it's your first romhack and you're learning so don't take this as I'm trying to rip your work and more like constructive criticism:

- First of all, the lines of text made by NPC and trainers on this romhack need a revision. For example: you replaced Falkner by Bridget but there are plenty of lines still mentioning Falkner along your way as a Gym leader of Violet City or people pointing you already beaten him. This actually happens several times to everything you replaced on this hack, even in the quiz to get the radio card. It's a tedious work but makes Serene looks like an unpolished project that needs more testing or you released content rushing. It's normal forgot some, but there are too many.
- You altered some maps and it's fine, but those need polishing too: there are some empty corners and space not used so cities and villages look shallow. For example the first one, Violet, has plenty of space in the middle but is not used, so at the end the rework does more wrong that right and it doesn't feel like a real place. The Gym it's in a totally different area so it's confusing considering all the space you created there. I think you need to focus around this thing more than anything from now and in the future.
- Also some caves entrances and exits have weird logic: you exit them facing south but warp to the next map with a wall located in a way that doesn't has sense considering where you came.
- The pokedex always shows shiny variants and not the regular sprite when you catch mons despite the fact you're catching regular color ones.
- Sometimes even if you use a super effective or non effective attack, it plays the regular damage sound ignoring this audio indicating mechanic.

I haven't finished the romhack yet but those things were bugging me since the very beginning. Normally under those circumstances I wait in the front of the oven until it's more "cooked" to continue playing the hack, but it's also true that the selection of the pokedex, type/stat changes and basically "I'm doing my own vision of Gen 2 dex with a shitload of playable and isteresting mons" it's enough reason to play Serene despite the flaws. Around that concept you really made an AMAZING job rebalancing and adapting, so there is no doubt about it.

So it's my personal opinion, but taking care of the things I mentioned will lead into a really solid romhack above the average. Also I want to point again that I really liked the pokedex and the sprites. We really need more romhacks with this premise like PureRGB does in Gen 1.

Also the romhack (1.5 latest) was played and tested using a flash cart in original modded hardware (GBC), bgb and also mGBA through a 2DS XL (I use multiple systems to report just in case it's just a problem of emulation due to a specific software).

Ty for your feedback, not taking offense at all, definitely gonna look into many of these things. I unfortunately only had myself to test the game, which is why a lot of the things are still a bit unpolished/incorrect. I'm gonna get to fixing most of this. 🫡 I'm glad you're still able to say positive things about the hack, but I will take all of this to heart

 

[ViWalls]

Hi again,

I have found a softlock in Cianwood City Gym: when you access the second map (-1F) you fight a girl that blocks your path and you can't leave or progress. Due to this you can't complete the romhack. I think it's supposed to engage battle one tile less in order to allow players to continue.

 

[PeanutellaXO]

Hi again,

I have found a softlock in Cianwood City Gym: when you access the second map (-1F) you fight a girl that blocks your path and you can't leave or progress. Due to this you can't complete the romhack. I think it's supposed to engage battle one tile less in order to allow players to continue.

Already fixed this as I got messages about it earlier, download the patch via the link, but you'll have to unfortunately reset to your previous save

 

[ViWalls]

Already fixed this as I got messages about it earlier, download the patch via the link, but you'll have to unfortunately reset to your previous save

Nah, I have previous experience about those scenarios and I always save before entering a zone with ledges or some kind of puzzle just in case something goes wrong. So it didn't affect my progress. Thanks for pointing out there was a 1.5.1, I had no idea.

 

[ryand13b]

how does pumpkaboo evolve? got him to level 30 and nothing

 

[PeanutellaXO]

how does pumpkaboo evolve? got him to level 30 and nothing

With a Leaf Stone!

 

[ViWalls]

The experience was great. As you can see I used a couple of modern Gen evos like Annihilape and Mismagius because I never got the opportunity to play them (I only play Gen I and II).

Also I liked Karen as champion instead of Lance, but there are a couple of details you have missed around this change: First of all, in Rocket Hideout Karen still uses the second time (before you enter the Electrode area) a Dragonite instead of Tyranitar (both sprite and cry). Also the rival encounter in Victory Road still mention the dragon master instead of Karen because the text it's still vanilla.

There are some details that actually make more sense than vanilla, for example use Giovanni instead of just another executive. Also thank you for allowing Gyarados to fly like other great Crystal romhacks do!

The Gym leader in Cianwood uses a full shiny team (probably due to perfect DVs), but there was not another Gym leader relying in that mechanic. It will be cool see more along the game in specific battles.

Now it's time for post E4 content.

 

[PeanutellaXO]

View attachment 158095

The experience was great. As you can see I used a couple of modern Gen evos like Annihilape and Mismagius because I never got the opportunity to play them (I only play Gen I and II).

Also I liked Karen as champion instead of Lance, but there are a couple of details you have missed around this change: First of all, in Rocket Hideout Karen still uses the second time (before you enter the Electrode area) a Dragonite instead of Tyranitar (both sprite and cry). Also the rival encounter in Victory Road still mention the dragon master instead of Karen because the text it's still vanilla.

There are some details that actually make more sense than vanilla, for example use Giovanni instead of just another executive. Also thank you for allowing Gyarados to fly like other great Crystal romhacks do!

The Gym leader in Cianwood uses a full shiny team (probably due to perfect DVs), but there was not another Gym leader relying in that mechanic. It will be cool see more along the game in specific battles.

Now it's time for post E4 content.

Happy to read you enjoyed, love the team you used. I will fix the text in Victory Road, ty for pointing that out. I will change the sprite to look like Tyranitar, but unfortunately I can't find a way to change the cry. I hope you enjoy the postgame content. I haven't added much but just scaled up the Gym Leaders' levels.

 

[ViWalls]

Happy to read you enjoyed, love the team you used. I will fix the text in Victory Road, ty for pointing that out. I will change the sprite to look like Tyranitar, but unfortunately I can't find a way to change the cry. I hope you enjoy the postgame content. I haven't added much but just scaled up the Gym Leaders' levels.

Perhaps remove the cry will do the job there. Is not necessary.

About the post game, well trainer teams were updated with the "new" mon and more variety. So pretty much every battle it's different.

A couple of stupid details I have found:



Celadon Mansion mon have wrong sprites, it should be Meowth and Nidoran (I don't remember right now if the cry was male or female). Considering you worked hard to give unique sprites to each mon, you should update that floor.

 

[PeanutellaXO]

Perhaps remove the cry will do the job there. Is not necessary.

About the post game, well trainer teams were updated with the "new" mon and more variety. So pretty much every battle it's different.

A couple of stupid details I have found:

View attachment 158228View attachment 158229

Celadon Mansion mon have wrong sprites, it should be Meowth and Nidoran (I don't remember right now if the cry was male or female). Considering you worked hard to give unique sprites to each mon, you should update that floor.

Fixed this, as well as some of the issues you pointed out earlier.

 

[ViWalls]

Well, after updating to latest release and checking several places it looks like the mayority of mon sprites in the overworld are shuffled:



Is not a few, there are a lot. This is probably a shitload of work but it needs a revision for each one in the entire hack, map by map.

 

[19Cameron91]

Can the magnemite line learn any steel type moves? Also, I'd like to see what TMs and HMs the Pokemon can learn added to the full changelog.

 

[discodriver44]

Is there any chance for a rematch with the Johto/Kanto gym leaders now that the elite four and champion are having rematches?

 

[Isolationism]

So I've been playing through Serene and at Ciannawood Gym… on the second floor, the trainer comes out too far and completely blocks you in. Cannot go forward or backward and makes the game completely unbeatable once you get to the Ciannawood Island gym. Hope it can get fixed bc I was really enjoying it