Poketranslator

[Triloog]

Ej guys

I was thinking, wouldn't it be neat if there would be a Poketranslator?
A Poketranslator would be a machine (key item) that would function as a translator machine for human-Pokemon speech.

To make the use of this machine limited (to give an extra feature to the game, instead of instant understanding of all Pokemon which would be a bit too much I think), you could set some sort of timer where the machine can only be used for a limited amount of time.
Another option would be that this machine only functions when there are Pokemon nearby that are in a life-threatening situation and are putting all their concentration in trying to make sense to humans.
Another means of usage would be that the machine could give a pop-up if there were such a situation nearby.

A Poketranslator could be created with the help of several items the player has to collect for a chain quest to complete the Poketranslator. Once the Poketranslator is completed, several NPC's can hand out quests which makes use of the device.

[Tickles]

Explain this a bit more. So far I'm thinking it may be more gimmicky than anything.

[Triloog]

I understand that I should've elaborated more.

Let's say you're playing Pokemon. You've trained some Pokemon and perhaps you've also breeded a few. You've become known throughout the region and even end up being the champion. But what you do not know...

What is happening in the PokeCenters? How do Pokemon end up there? Who knows how to help Pokemon best?
...
Now this is where you, the player comes in.

Once you've completed the PokeTranslator, you can communicate with Pokemon that are sick and fighting for their lives.
Let's say you encounter a weak Azurill. You and others may think you can help him by feeding him berries. But what if he ate something terribly wrong? What if giving him a warm blanket to sleep under helps him better instead of trying to force feed him berries? What if these Pokemon could be able to tell you what they need, some in the wild and others in PokeCenters? What if you become the link between PokeRangers and PokeCenters by joining a PokeSquad that acts as such(name higly debatable)? By obtaining  the PokeTranslator and using it to help other Pokemon, a PokeSquad member notice you and asks you to join the PokeSquad to help Pokemon.

This week, I'll try to elaborate on it further.

[fuzzy3158]

Sounds like an item that's a requirement for certain quests, possibly run-off-the-mill, possibly very elaborate. Maybe it makes some quests easier by allowing the trainer access to certain hints from nearby wild pokemon? Sounds like there are a lot of options, but you're going to have to make it work if you don't want it to end up as gimmicky, that's for sure.

[Triloog]

Xetroc

Explain this a bit more. So far I'm thinking it may be more gimmicky than anything.

fuzzy3158

Sounds like an item that's a requirement for certain quests, possibly run-off-the-mill, possibly very elaborate. Maybe it makes some quests easier by allowing the trainer access to certain hints from nearby wild pokemon? Sounds like there are a lot of options, but you're going to have to make it work if you don't want it to end up as gimmicky, that's for sure.

I agree with you guys that it could become gimmicky. But I think, if used properly, it could become more.

I think such an item to help heal Pokemon and become a PokeSquad-member (name still debatable), should give you increased features such as
* entering PokeCenters, behind the scenes (wouldn't this be a great place to create the potions? or a great place where potion creation is easier/works better?),
* healing and helping Pokemon themselves (which could also function with the moral system - good for doing what the Pokemon say, bad for not listening to the Pokemon).
* more quests
* and some more things that I'll try to think of

Quest-chains in the process for gaining the feature:
1. Help professor complete PokeTranslator
2. Help Pokemon in the wild
3. Joining the PokeSquad (name still debatable)

[Jerry]

Hmm, I'm not entirely convinced it'll be something that would be required as such. After all, Pokemon games have been well received without the facility of being able to clearly communicate with your Pokemon.

The exception being in the Mystery Dungeon games where, because of the absence of humans, playing such a game with this much emphasis on a plot would be close to unplayable.

Though on another hand, that gave me an idea for a quest. It'll involve helping someone (could be a professor, or someone you met on your journey) who is trying to build that translator and seeks your assistance. The device will ultimately probably not work, but that doesn't mean that you can't go on quests.

E.g. The 'someone' wants to try the translator on one of your Pokemon, finds is somewhat working (the translator might be speaking something not so sensible), but the 'someone' believes that it only needs some little adjustments and wants you to bring some other Pokemon species to try it on. Maybe have it even be on different themes at a time, like for example, bring only specific normal type Pokemon at the start, and changing as the device is being worked on, or something like that.

And who knows, maybe some outsider organisation will hear about the device and get involved, which would make the 'main quest' longer, and cause the development of the device to become slower (e.g. research papers/records become lost, so the development has to start all over again).

Of course, in the end, the 'someone' might even give it up, or at least tell that to the player but if the player visits them again in the future, they'd see them working on it, but no more quests will be unlocked (and still keep them possible for other players).


Anyway, I believe that such an item is not entirely necessary. By nature, rangers are expected to understand the feelings of the Pokemon they capture, otherwise, they wouldn't be able to capture them in the first place, and upon capture, the Pokemon understand their feelings in return.

And... I think that leaving the qualified nurses/doctors to their job is the best thing to do. I wouldn't consider being able to understand Pokemon something that would help heal them. Oftentimes, people don't know what they need and do the opposite of what they should do to get better... only to be worse off!

Just throwing out some random (and possibly not so good ideas on that one)

I hope I didn't sound too negative out there ^^;

[Triloog]

First of all, Jerry, I like the way you think.

I understand that a PokeTranslator might not be optimal/ has limited usage in a Pokemon-game such as PU. I also agree on some of the comments you've made. Below, I'll try to elaborate on some a bit more with what I had in mind, and combine it with some of your ideas.

I think we agree on the fact that there could be a Professor X (let's say Professor Steran) in the game, who is trying to create a PokeTranslator. Since he's the timid  and shy kind of guy, not the best in communicating with others and definitely not adventurous, he has a hard time finding all the materials he needed. He was able to obtain some materials for the PokeTranslator from the local PokeMart (or possibly a local science store*), but that wasn't enough to finish the PokeTranslator. So he sets you, an adventurous boy/girl, on a quest to obtain the materials he still needs. These could for example be
Chain 1
1. a tire and some screws from the bicycle store;
--- For example, the professor notices that his machine keeps falling apart and asks you for supplies to help him keeping his machine in one piece.
2. another PokeDex from the starting Professor;
--- Professor Steran needs this to be able to imitate Pokemon speech.
3. a berry pouch/coin case/bag
--- This would make it possible to carry the PokeTranslator (as a key item, eg).
4. a Pokedoll
--- The Pokedoll will become the test subject, to make sure that no Pokemon will be harmed.

Once you've completed the chain, Professor Steran becomes so excited that he takes the machine and runs off (he mumbles something about the beach where Pokemon are often stranded and which would make for an excellent opportunity to test the machine).
Chain 2
You see the professor lying down on the beach, trying to keep in his tears. He doesn't want you to know that he was actually crying. After all his trouble, and actually being able to communicate with Pokemon. He says something like:
... Sniff ...
I ...
I finally...
I finally managed to finish my PokeTranslator...
Sniff...
And now Team BadGuys has taken it from me.
I dont know what to do.
Sniff...
...
Could you get it back for me?
Sniff...
Please?
If you've regained it, could you bring it back to me in my lab?
(Professor Steran walks slowly back to his lab. He does not want anyone else to see him crying.)
* Insert battles with the local Team BadGuy to regain the PokeTranslator.

Once the PokeTranslator is regained, the player goes back to Professor Steran.
Chain 3
He feels better again and sets you out on a quest to gather data with the PokeTranslator. He says that he saw a Seel on the beach, but he's afraid to go to the beach because of what happened, so he asks you to do it. Once your on the beach, you see the that Seel the Professor was talking about, is getting beaten up by a Team BadGuy person who was still lingering aroud. After you battle him and win, you turn to the Seel with the PokeTranslator.
--- 2 options:
* either it works and the Seel tells with his last strength (fainting, dying, choice is up to the developers. Dying would give it a more dramatic touch, but since PU should be for everyone and Pokemon dying is actually quite not-done overall, I suppose fainted is probably the better option for PU) if you could tell Desha in the local city that he was happy she was his trainer and if you could bring him to her, but a giant tidal wave causes the machine to short circuit so that the poketranslator becomes useless
or * the machine didn't work at all and the machines just made strange noise as a side effect of the sea noice that interrupts with the machine that were mistaken to be translated pokemon speech by the excited but social isolated Professor Steran You still understand that the Seel needs medical help and so you bring him to the Pokemon Center. After you let him be healed, a girl walks (runs) into the PokeCenter:
'Seel, Seel...
Where is my Seel?
I've heared that a Seel was brought in and hoped it was my missing Seel.
I haven't seen him in days.
My poor Seel.
And with all those Team BadGuys around...
I hope he's alright!'
...
'Oh, there you are.
I'm so happy you're alright!
Thanks for taking care of him, <Player's name>!
Here's something that might be useful for you.
I know it helped me a lot!'
* You've obtained the HM Surf. (+1 HM SURF)

When you head back with the (remains of) the Poke Translator to Professor Steran:
Oh, there you are.
How did it work?
*option 1: (the excitement and social isolated professor)
...
Oh...
...
Guess it wasn't done afterall.
Thanks for your work though!
Perhaps I should give you something...
Yes... no... maybe...
Would you like a car (or insert random other non-usable/wantable object)?
Oh, no driver's licence you say?
...
Than how about a ticket to sail with the Tidal Trip?
I won it with a quiz, but I'm afraid to go myself.
I'm not such a people person you see...
I hope you'll have a nice trip.
Guess it's time to get back to work.
While you walk away, you hear the Professor mumbling, 'someday, people will know me, Professor Steran, as the Professor who've made the PokeTranslator!'
*option 2: (the machine worked but a tidal wave
...
Oh...
...
Guess it wasn't made out of tough enough materials afterall.
I know I should've used stronger ones, but they would definitely intervene with the machine...
Thanks for your work though!
Perhaps I should give you something...
Yes... no... maybe...
Would you like a car (or insert random other non-usable/wantable object)?
Oh, no driver's licence you say?
...
Than how about a ticket to sail with the Tidal Trip?
I won it with a quiz, but I'm afraid to go myself.
I'm not such a people person you see...
I hope you'll have a nice trip.
Guess it's time to get back to work.
While you walk away, you hear the Professor mumbling, 'someday, people will know me, Professor Steran, as the Professor who've made the PokeTranslator!'

--- my preference would be the first option, where the PokeTranslator actually works, though be it for a really short amount of time.

* A local science store could also be a main point for other science related quests, definitely if it would be the only science store in PU.

And about aiding Nurse Joy, it's always possible to set u p a double chain-quest where
1. gather your own healing kit through several quests (healing kit -> key item)
2. applying bandages/small healing to pokemon (near/ in pokecenters) under supervision of nurse joy
3. get a feature where you can put bandages/ small heals with healing kit and obtain a title such as Nurse's Apprentice (or something like that).
I'll work on this one later on.
ps. I'd still think it would be awesome if there would be some kind of way to get behind the scenes, in the back of the PokeCenter, where all the Pokemon get healed.

Edit:
Perhaps this topic should be translocated to the quest-section.

[fuzzy3158]

I seriously LOL'ed at Team BadGuys, that's pure gold.

[Jerry]

Haha, not bad for the quest, though I admit something a little different went through my mind between posting the earlier post and now. None can do now,  it's all yours and you have all the right to suggest a quest like this.

EDIT: Hmm well, can't hurt to tell part of the idea I had: I think you'd get quite the funny sidequest if, for example the translator was not really translating what a Pokemon was saying, but all the same saying something that made more or less sense. Like, I don't know, it had fallen in love with a particular Pokemon while in fact, it didn't want to see it ever again. That takes you to a miniquest which in the end... doesn't end so well and... that seemed to have given quite the blow to the Professor's will to continue his research. I'm sure some more long or short miniquests could be further derived from that PokeTranslator.

[Triloog]

Jerry, that is great!

How about we implement it between Chain 1 and 2?

That way the chains will become:
1. Getting the PokeTRanslator together
2. Prof finding out the PokeTranslator is malfunctioning (credits to Jerry )
*2-3 optional*, getting items again for the new version of the PokeTranslator
3. You get the chain were the Prof's going to the beach with the attitude of 'This time, it'll definetely work!' and the PokeTranslator gets robbed
4. Chain where you use the machine at the beach for Seel, go to the PokeCenter to heal him and get a reward from his trainer (Desha) and to Professor Steran for another reward.

Ps. I wasn't sure about the rewards.
I've integrated the HM Surf because I thought that such a great quest should get a grand reward and I would see a trainer with a Seel knowing it can be quite useful.
The Tidal Trip ticket could be a cruise trip to an area the player has yet to go to.

Edit: How about Professor Y (let's say Herol, but Jerry should name him I guess for it is his idea) starts to work on the quest, which makes up the new chains 1 and 2. Then he realizes it fails and doesn't want to continue further research and gives it to the player.
Some towns later (1/>), you meet up with Professor Steran who was also working on such a porject and likes to examine the one of Professor Herol to finish his own one. - chains (2-3 optional) 3, 4 and 5.

I think it would nicely mirror our working on a similar quest at the sime time.

[Jerry]

Go ahead, it's your idea of the PokeTranslator after all, so no need to credit me. I already have a quest I should probably find some more ideas sometime ^^;

[Triloog]

kk Jerry.
Then I'll also be working on the PokeTranslator malfunctioning chain.
I just had a new idea that it would also be hilarious if prof 2 (Professor Steran) would give you the wrong PokeTranslator first (due to his incapacity of social skills).

Also, I've looked up Seel's moveset and saw that in Generation 6, Seel is not  able to learn the move Surf. I've decided to make the Seel of the quest a Dewgong, because I think a seal would be very appropriate for such a quest.

I suppose the PokeTranslator became more gimmicky this week. Would it be an idea to make a child-forum into the Feature-forum for more gimmicky features? So that people who want can put their thoughts about it the PokeTranslator in there?
I've also thought that putting the complete quest here would be strange since it would suit the Quest section more. I'll create a topic about the PokeTranslator there and will continue quest related stuff there.

Ps. Jerry, I suppose I thought it would be cool if we could both work on a part of the quests.

[Jerry]

Hm? Weird. Two of my separate resources tell me that Seel can learn Surf

And sure, you can make a topic about it and I'll add in when I get ideas I just don't want to take full credit for this since my ideas come from the idea you got in the first place

[fuzzy3158]

It's a weird typo on Bulbapedia. Check it out:
http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Surf_(move)

According to this list, Seel can learn Surf in all generations but VI. It's weird, probably wrong.

[Jerry]

I just checked and Seel can learn Surf just fine.

Here's a picture (sorry for the image quality )