Crystal hack: Pokemon: Cubic Crystal (first hack, complete and playtested)

[Jay (TheBirdNotTheLetter)]

Glad you were able to find and fix the issues. All I have left is Red to fight, so I probably won't update. Good luck ironing out whatever other kinks are left, had a really good time with the project overall!

Would love to know your team and levels and such after you finish! Haven't gotten any data on team comps or how the level curve feels for folks who didn't literally make the game and build all the boss fights.

 

[Mariohammer]

Honestly I'm a bit underlevelled for Red and probably won't get around to grinding them up to beating him anytime soon if ever. But here's a screenshot of my team right up to Red, uh, my nickname scheme was literally the first word that came to mind when the nickname input screen popped up. I felt the level curve was pretty great overall. Don't really remember struggling with any bosses, but didn't feel like it was a breeze either. I beat every trainer as I came to them, and fought most wild battles throughout the game. Only used repel for the Morty quest because I was on 1.0 and I got tired of running back through Union Cave haha.

Edit: Probably should have screenshotted their moves instead? Oh well.

Azumarill w/Mystic Water, Surf/Icy Wind/Rollout/Tail Whip (was too lazy to find the Ice Beam tutor)
Scizor w/Leftovers, Metal Claw/Wing Attack/Slash/False Swipe
Electrode, Thunderbolt/Rollout/Screech/Spark (was too lazy to put an item on him)
Vileplume w/Quick Claw, Mega Drain/Petal Dance/Toxic/Sleep Powder
Typhlosion w/Charcoal, Flamethrower/Extremespeed/Dig/Outrage
Golem w/Hard Stone, Earthquake/Defense Curl/Rollout/Rock Slide

Didn't really build an optimal team especially move pool wise, and early on had rollout on like four of them for the memes.

 

[Jay (TheBirdNotTheLetter)]

Azumarill w/Mystic Water, Surf/Icy Wind/Rollout/Tail Whip (was too lazy to find the Ice Beam tutor)
Scizor w/Leftovers, Metal Claw/Wing Attack/Slash/False Swipe
Electrode, Thunderbolt/Rollout/Screech/Spark (was too lazy to put an item on him)
Vileplume w/Quick Claw, Mega Drain/Petal Dance/Toxic/Sleep Powder
Typhlosion w/Charcoal, Flamethrower/Extremespeed/Dig/Outrage
Golem w/Hard Stone, Earthquake/Defense Curl/Rollout/Rock Slide

Oh my gosh, Trade Electrode blitzing through the game, bless its heart.

Thanks for all the info! If you're feeling underleveled for Red and don't wanna grind on wild mons or random trainers, talking to Clair outside of Mt.Silver opens up unlimited Gym Leader rematches in the Dragon's Den and Fighting Dojo. They're tough fights in their own right and can prep you for the final showdown.

 

[Danidark97]

Hi, I only need Porygon 2 and I complete the Dex
But I noticed you changed the location fopr Upgrade, and now I cannot find it

 

[Jay (TheBirdNotTheLetter)]

Hi, I only need Porygon 2 and I complete the Dex
But I noticed you changed the location fopr Upgrade, and now I cannot find it

Radio Tower, a grateful employee gives it to you instead of the TM for Sunny Day.

So pleased you went full dex! How was the level curve, in your opinion? Any unwelcome spikes or valleys?

 

[Danidark97]

Radio Tower, a grateful employee gives it to you instead of the TM for Sunny Day.

So pleased you went full dex! How was the level curve, in your opinion? Any unwelcome spikes or valleys?

The level curve was mainly okay
I tthough that doing the first league at lv 55 could have given to me some challenges, but I was wrong

 

[looneyman1]

I saw the documentation say the Odd Egg gives you the kanto starters, but is it dependant on what starter you pick or are they random? I could use this info as soon as possible please, I just started and havent picked my starter yet.

 

[Jay (TheBirdNotTheLetter)]

I saw the documentation say the Odd Egg gives you the kanto starters, but is it dependant on what starter you pick or are they random? I could use this info as soon as possible please, I just started and havent picked my starter yet.

Fully random, with each of them having I believe a 1/8 chance of being shiny. Reset until you get what you want!

 

[looneyman1]

awesome I wanted to be sure since the encounter list didnt specify

 

[looneyman1]

...I question this decision in all honesty. Why give the rival both remaining starters? I won, sure, dont get me wrong here but honesty I think it would have been better just to add a second rival to account for the other starter. If it was an attempt to make the rival harder at the beginning, it was barely effective since just one leer and a bunch of scratches from totodile shut them both down. If you wanted to make it harder, making the first battle one thats more likely to result in a loss with a 1-on-1 fight would be a better way to go about it.

 

[Jay (TheBirdNotTheLetter)]

...I question this decision in all honesty. Why give the rival both remaining starters? I won, sure, dont get me wrong here but honesty I think it would have been better just to add a second rival to account for the other starter. If it was an attempt to make the rival harder at the beginning, it was barely effective since just one leer and a bunch of scratches from totodile shut them both down. If you wanted to make it harder, making the first battle one thats more likely to result in a loss with a 1-on-1 fight would be a better way to go about it.

It's flavor. You've got a dude who breaks into a lab to steal Pokémon, why would he only steal one? When it's as easy as grabbing a second ball on a table? And now in your first battle you either lose to him, establishing a foundation for wanting to beat him, or despite the numbers advantage you win, demonstrating that his strategy of might over love is shortsighted. It also allows for more team diversity as the game continues.

The ultimate goal is character building. Blue is a personal rival, so it makes sense that he picks a mon that's stronger than yours specifically in the beginning of Gen I. Silver has his own journey that you happen to interfere with, so he's focused on gathering a strong team by any means necessary to become The Best on his own terms. It's not Shakespeare, but it integrates gameplay more cleanly into his story.

 

[looneyman1]

I figured I would ask since narratively speaking he'd likely not have the time to take both due to how being a thief is so risky. A second wasted is a second lost, after all.

 

[Jay (TheBirdNotTheLetter)]

Again, it's as easy as grabbing one more thing on a table. Genuinely, how much time does it take for you to grab two baseballs instead of one? In what way is it unrealistic that an arrogant kid (who just busted through a window and leapt into an occupied building to rob somebody who's standing right there) would see two Pokéballs and figure it's worth taking both, given his motive is building a team?

I'm not sure why you're hung up on this.

 

[looneyman1]

not hung up on it just confused. I got my answer and yours is more compelling given the narrative reasoning you explained

 

[looneyman1]

Hey I have been meaning to ask but is there a physical/special split? I dont think there is but I just won a battle with a Butterfree's Gust attack that seemed way stronger than it logically should have been if it isnt there.

 

[Jay (TheBirdNotTheLetter)]

Hey I have been meaning to ask but is there a physical/special split? I dont think there is but I just won a battle with a Butterfree's Gust attack that seemed way stronger than it logically should have been if it isnt there.

No phys/spec split, your Butterfree must've been hitting the gym!

Dark is now physical and Ghost/Poison are now special to reflect their moves (across the three types, only Poison Sting and Lick are now at odds with where they end up after the split). Everything else is the same.

 

[looneyman1]

I guess you're right, I admit I DID hit a doduo with the move so it had weak defense but even then factoring the low base attack butterfree are known for it seemed like a lot more damage than it should have been so I was confused.

 

[danmunition]

I've recently started having a fondness for Gen 2 hacks and I'm having a lot of fun with this. However, I'm currently stuck on trying to get Morty to go back to his gym - I've beaten all the leaders except for him and Clair and I'm kind of at a loss where I'm supposed to go now.

Unrelated side note, I did somehow beat Karen at Cianwood with an incredibly lucky critical hit Earthquake with my Golem. I was shocked and fully expected to lose (and very nearly did).

 

[Jay (TheBirdNotTheLetter)]

I've recently started having a fondness for Gen 2 hacks and I'm having a lot of fun with this. However, I'm currently stuck on trying to get Morty to go back to his gym - I've beaten all the leaders except for him and Clair and I'm kind of at a loss where I'm supposed to go now.

Unrelated side note, I did somehow beat Karen at Cianwood with an incredibly lucky critical hit Earthquake with my Golem. I was shocked and fully expected to lose (and very nearly did).

Good work with Karen! The dude in front of Morty's gym should guide you to Morty's location, but I'll just tell you through a series of progressive spoilers:

Step One:

Spoiler:

He's in the Ruins of Alph! If you wanna explore from here, look no further.

Step Two:

Spoiler:

He's in the Ho-oh Chamber! But he won't leave unless you have the Clear Bell. The game will nudge you towards where to get it, but if you don't wanna bother with the puzzle quest, there's one last step!

Step Three:

Spoiler:

Give the Red Scale to Mr. Pokemon for the Dome Fossil. This opens a progression of rooms (Dome, then Amber, then Helix) until the Omanyte Room gives you the Clear Bell.