Rules
1. Be Respectful. If the game has only one rule, it's to be courteous and respectful to your fellow players and game staff. Communicate. Be honest. Don't namedrop or wank on people. This is first and foremost a
game, not a job, and not an obligation. You're here to relax and have fun messing around with Pokemon and enjoying the elements of RP with everyone else, and that's why other people are here as well. Players who misbehave will face consequences ranging from a warning to a ban depending on the severity of the disrespect involved. We don't tolerate toxic players. We don't tolerate passive aggressive or manipulative attitudes. We don't tolerate any poor behavior that ruins the enjoyment of the game for others. We strongly encourage players to work out disagreements with each other before approaching the mods for an intervention. The mods are not your messengers, but we will mediate if necessary. Even if you're afraid that your attempt to communicate will result in drama, reach out to the person anyway. Give that person the benefit of the doubt. If drama happens, you've got a log to show that you made the effort. The mods will not blindly issue punishment without proof, and will always wait to hear the other person's side of the story before making decisions regarding consequences.
2. Use Common Sense. The mods trust that you know how to behave in a game. If you need a break, take a hiatus; if you don't feel like playing a character, use the drop post. Don't be wildly out of character. Don't cheat. Don't infomod or godmod. Essentially, there's no need to outline a billion tiny regulations that you already know, and we believe each player knows where the happy medium lies between 'strict guidelines' and 'anything goes.' If you're not sure, just ask! You're not bothering us, we're always happy to answer questions and address concerns.
F.A.Q.
Why is the border of the trainer cards a different color for different people?The color is assigned by a mod at the time a new character joins the game, alternating from red to blue (or silver to gold for Johto once it's unlocked, and so on) for each person. This plays a part in what Pokemon a Trainer has access to in certain areas; some Pokemon can only be caught by a Trainer with the red border, and some can only be caught by those with a blue border. This is to encourage trading and give more reasons for Trainers to interact with one another.
Can I say my character is a native from another region/town who came to Pallet Town?It depends. While characters may originate from other areas, they must start out
living in an unlocked area as if they made it their permanent place of residence. If you've read the Setting, then you know that travel between towns is difficult and sometimes dangerous, which is why there aren't a lot of travelers and tourists initially. So while it would be fine for a character from Alola to wash up on shore in Kanto with amnesia, it wouldn't be acceptable for a character to be a researcher from Alola who came to check out this crazy Kanto place and do some exploring. Otherwise it wouldn't make much sense as to why Trainers couldn't just go off and visit Alola whenever they like.
How do I unlock new routes and towns?On the region's main page, you'll see which areas are marked as 'locked' along with a requirement for unlocking that area. It may be as simple as just visiting a new town, to having at least one Trainer win a gym challenge, or capturing a certain number of Pokemon in the area. Once the requirement has been fulfilled, players will be notified that they have access to a new area with a message from the mods to the OOC comm. Be forewarned, though, that a fledgling Trainer who tries to move alone through routes with Pokemon that are far below the levels of wild Pokemon in that area, may be in danger of getting attacked and seriously injured. You'll need to either spend some time leveling up, or traveling in the company of a more experienced trainer for protection.
My favorite Pokemon is in a different region. When do I get to explore other regions like Johto or Sinnoh?Once every town and route in Kanto is unlocked AND a player has defeated the Elite Four AND the Pokedex for that region is complete, the Johto region will then become available. Unlocking all the areas of Johto will open up Hoenn, then Sinnoh, then Unova, then Kalos, then Alola, and so on. Obviously this won't happen overnight! Be patient, and if you're really eager to unlock new areas, cooperate with other players to maximize your exploratory efforts.
Tell me more about the Pokedex, please?The Pokedexes are all linked. As soon as one person discovers a Pokemon, that entry will be filled in on everyone else's Pokedex. As a bonus, the first character to discover a new Pokemon has the option to write the descriptive blurb in their character's own words, or choose the default and have Professor Oak make an entry based on the gathered information. If there's a blank spot in the Pokedex and you aren't sure what to do to fill it in, the mod will gladly give you a hint. It may be a specific evolution that hasn't been tried yet, or belong to a Pokemon who hasn't been discovered in a certain area.
I don't know much about Pokemon or what kind of moves they know, or what it takes to evolve them. Can you recommend any good resources?Most of the information the mod uses comes from
http://www.serebii.net as the website is easy to navigate and relatively uncluttered with ads. To find out what moves a Pokemon learns upon leveling up, you are free to choose from any of the Generation I Pokedexes, or the information used in Fire Red and Leaf Green. After new regions are unlocked, you can choose to use their Pokedexes instead. As usual, feel free to ask the mod if you're uncertain where to go. Also, RP info pages trump the game wikis, so if two facts seem like they contradict each other, stick with what the RP info says.
How do I capture a wild Pokemon?1. First, you must be in the correct area. Each route and town has a table of wild Pokemon in the area (if there are any at all to be found). The table will have a range of values from 1-100. The more rare a Pokemon is, the smaller the range will be. For example, 1-55 indicates a very common Pokemon, while 97-98 means you have a 2% chance of finding that Pokemon. Pokemon that have not yet been discovered in that area will be listed as '?????' on the table, and may include Pokemon that have already been entered into the Pokedex. Trainers generally have two choices: either to specifically seek out a Pokemon that's been previously discovered, or rely on RNG to determine which Pokemon they'll encounter. RNG is the only way to encounter a '?????' Pokemon. Once that Pokemon has been successfully captured, its name will be filled in on the table (and the Pokedex if applicable), and become available for specific selection from that point on.
2. Battle! This next part might seem complicated, but the mod will take care of most of the number crunching, asking for input where necessary before proceeding. Here are the basics to keep in mind:
* A Trainer's lead Pokemon engaging a wild Pokemon must be within five levels either way in order for a chance to succeed at capturing the wild Pokemon. If the lead Pokemon's level is too high, the wild Pokemon will be instantly defeated, and flee before it can be caught. The Trainer's Pokemon won't gain any levels this way because it was just too easy to serve as a decent challenge. If the lead Pokemon's level is too low, it will be knocked out immediately.
* The type of Pokeball used determines the chances of success. You can use a Pokeball straight away without wearing the wild Pokemon down, but doing so will make it much harder to guarantee success. Here are some factors that influence whether or not a Pokemon is captured.
♥ Pokeball - 30% chance of capture
♥ Great Ball - 50% chance of capture
♥ Ultra Ball - 70% chance of capture
♥ Master Ball - 100% chance of capture
♥ Specialty Pokeballs - 60% chance of capture if it meets the qualifications (Dusk Ball used against Pokemon encountered in a cave for example)
♥ Lead Pokemon - +5% damage per round for each level higher than the wild Pokemon up to +25%; -5% for each level lower up to -25%; use of a move that the wild Pokemon is weak against (a Grass move against a Water type for example) deals double damage, while a type that is not so effective deals half damage. Ineffective moves (such as Poison against Steel or Ground against Flying) have no effect and deal no damage. If the Wild Pokemon has two types that are both weak to the attack being used (for example, a Water move against Geodude with a Rock/Ground dual type), the attack would do quadruple damage.
♥ Status Effects - A Pokemon under the effects of an impairing condition (Burn, Poison, Frozen, Paralyze, etc.) will be 10% easier to capture, while a Pokemon with the Sleep condition will be 30% easier to capture.
* The Pokemon with the best speed will go first (i.e. Pokemon with a nature that favors speed would be considered 5% faster than a Pokemon with a nature where speed growth is neutral). Pokemon with a nature that inhibits speed will be considered 5% slower and typically always go last. If both Pokemon have an equal speed, then a coin flip will determine which one goes first each round. Use of stat-boosting items and certain Pokemon moves that increase speed or impair the opponent's speed may change this order.
* The move that a wild Pokemon uses will always be chosen randomly each round. This is why Trainers are so useful, as they can guide their Pokemon to be far more effective in a battle.
* The more detailed your instructions are regarding the capture of a Pokemon, the further the mod can play out the results of the battle until either the conditions are met, or a circumstance that lies outside the instructions arises.
SAMPLE WILD POKEMON BATTLE[Joe McPants has a small party to start: a level 5 Bulbasaur and a level 3 Caterpie. Joe declares that Bulbasaur is his lead Pokemon and requests RNG to be used to determine which Pokemon he'll try to catch. Rather than list detailed instructions beforehand to account for likely possibilities, he's asked the mod to allow him to respond each round.]
Mod: You encounter a Level 4 Female Rattata! What do you want to do?
* [At any point, Joe may choose to retreat. It'll mean his capture attempt was unsuccessful, but he won't have to waste an extra day resting if his party wipes out. But Joe is confident. He chooses to use Tackle, a Normal-type attack with a damage value of 35 and an accuracy of 95.]
Mod: [Assuming Bulbasaur is the faster Pokemon, it gets to go first. The mod rolls to determine if the attack lands or not by rolling a d100. 49! That means the attack hits. Then the DM rolls one more time to see if it's a critical hit that deals double damage, which has a 5% chance of occurring. The mod gets a 38, which is above 5, so it's just a normal strike. Because Bulbasaur is one level higher than the Rattata, it deals an additional 5% damage (35 base attack + 5 for the level = 40 damage total.)]
- Bulbasaur uses Tackle! Rattata is now at 60%.
[Now it's Rattata's turn. At level four, it only knows two moves (Tackle and Tail Whip), so the mod rolls a d2 to see which one it uses. The result is a 1, so Rattata retaliates with Tackle. As with the Bulbasaur, first the mod determines the accuracy. The mod rolls a 23 (it hits), then 82 (not a critical). Since Rattata is one level lower than Bulbasaur, it deals less damage. (35 base attack - 5 for the level = 30 damage total.)]
- Rattata uses Tackle! Bulbasaur is now at 70%.
* [Joe considers. Even if the Rattata manages to get a critical hit, the maximum damage it could do is 60%, so Bulbasaur is in no danger of fainting. He could throw a Pokeball, but the chances of capture aren't great (30% capture rate vs 60% health means there's a 1 in 2 chance of success, and failing could result in a wasted Pokeball). But he's feeling lucky, so in lieu of an attack from Bulbasaur, he opts to throw a Pokeball instead.]
Mod: [Because Rattata is at 60%, a d60 is used to determine the results. If 1-30 is rolled, the Pokemon is considered successfully captured. Anything above that means Joe failed and wasted a Pokeball, and the Rattata will get a free strike against Bulbasaur. The mod rolls 58! Womp womp, the Rattata is hella-pissed and retaliates. RNG says it uses Tackle again. It hits, no critical strike.]
- Rattata breaks free!
- Rattata uses Tackle! Bulbasaur is now at 40%.
* [Joe needs to get serious! He TURNS HIS HAT BACKWARDS. And he also tells Bulbasaur to use its Tackle move once more.]
Mod: [More dice-rolling. Hit, no critical.]
- Bulbasaur uses Tackle! Rattata is now at 20%.
[More rolling. This time RNG determines that Rattata will use Tail Whip. It won't hurt Bulbasaur, but it will lower its defense by 5% against physical attacks, and future attacks will deal 5% more damage than usual. Because the accuracy rate is 100%, it automatically hits.]
- Rattata uses Tail Whip! Bulbasaur's Defense has been lowered!
* [This time there's no way Joe can fail to capture Rattata with a Pokeball. Its health is at 20%, which is 10 points lower than the guaranteed 30% success rate of a normal Pokeball. He uses another Pokeball from his inventory. Optionally, he might choose to swap Caterpie with Bulbasaur. Rattata would get a free hit against Caterpie in that case, but since Caterpie is the new lead Pokemon at the time of capture, it would be the one that goes up a level. However, Joe doesn't want to chance it, and throws the Pokeball.]
Mod: [At this point, the stats of the captured Rattata will be listed including its nature, special ability, and what moves it knows. Because Bulbasaur and Caterpie didn't both faint, there's no need to spend an extra day resting. He can choose to add Rattata to his party since there's an open slot, or send Rattata automatically to live on his farm. If he had a full party, he could also choose to substitute Rattata for a different Pokemon and send that one to his farm instead. Additionally, because Bulbasaur was the lead Pokemon at the time of capture and didn't faint, it gains one bonus level
if Joe wishes to accept it. He might not want to if he's afraid that Bulbasaur will be too strong and immediately defeat other wild Pokemon in the area that Joe wants to capture.]
END SAMPLE BATTLE3. The mechanics might seem daunting when thoroughly explained, but as previously stated, the mod will do most of the number crunching while the player/trainer chooses how to respond after each round. The trainer may choose to simply defeat the wild Pokemon and gain a level for the lead Pokemon (as long as the lead isn't more than five levels higher) or flee if the player isn't interested in catching that particular Pokemon. If the trainer chooses to flee, they may attempt one more additional capture for the day, either for a specific Pokemon or one from the RNG table.
Can I app Joe McPants?Sure.
What are status impairments?Certain moves that a Pokemon uses can inflict a status condition that impairs the other Pokemon. Status conditions will remain until the Pokemon is allowed to rest at a Pokemon Center or when cured with the use of an item. They are as follows:
* Sleep - The Pokemon is asleep for 2-5 rounds and cannot act until it wakes up again.
* Burn - The Pokemon is burned and takes increasing damage each round. At first it's 2%, then 3%, then 4%, and so on. An untreated burn can do massive damage, so take care of it sooner rather than later. Burn does not affect Fire type Pokemon.
* Poison - The Pokemon has been poisoned, and continuously takes 5% additional damage at the end of each round. Poison does not affect Steel type Pokemon.
* Paralyze - A paralyzed Pokemon has a 50% chance of being unable to move each round. Paralyze does not affect Electric type Pokemon.
* Frozen - A frozen Pokemon is unable to move or respond for 2-5 rounds. Frozen does not affect Ice type Pokemon.
What influences my Pokemon's stats?There are three big things that can alter a Pokemon's stats either permanently or temporarily.
* Vitamins - These are rare and expensive, but when used on a Pokemon, it will give a +1 bonus to one stat, with a maximum of +10 bonus being allowed. After that, more vitamins won't do any good. Bonuses to HP will mean that it has up to 110% health to start, while bonuses to stats can mean dealing more damage, taking less damage, or altering a Pokemon's speed which will in turn impact its chances of going first in a battle.
* Nature - Each Pokemon has a specific nature, randomly determined at the time it is first picked up by a trainer. A Pokemon with an Adamant nature favors its Physical Attack stat and weakens its Special Attack stat, which translates to a Pokemon that will do 5% more damage with a physical attack and 5% less damage with a special attack.
* Moves - Pokemon may know a move that
temporarily affects an opposing Pokemon. Tail Whip, for example, reduces a Pokemon's physical defense by 5%, so a physical attack will do 5% more damage than usual. Stats affected in this manner are reset at the end of a battle, or when a Pokemon has been swapped with another member of the team. Unlike status impairments, the change of stats will not linger.
Is there a difference between battles in the wild and a gym battle?There are five key points to keep in mind. The first is that a gym battler or leader will always use the most effective and strategic moves available rather than relying on RNG to select a move at random. The second is that an opponent may use items if they have any, such as potions and sprays that remove status effects. Third, an opponent can choose to swap Pokemon instead of attacking, just as the trainer might choose to do. Fourth, while a trainer might yield to an ordinary gym battler and call it quits mid-battle, they
cannot yield to a gym leader. Either the trainer will succeed and gain a badge, or wipe and waste a day recovering. Make sure you're ready before challenging a Gym Leader! Finally, any levels gained by Pokemon are not accumulated until the Trainer stops for the day. So if they defeat one gym battler, the Pokemon won't gain a level before the next gym battler steps up to fight. Defeating both will result in two levels gained, which can be applied once the Trainer has decided not to challenge anyone else in the gym for the day. If the Trainer defeats one battler but wipes on the second, the Pokemon still gets the additional level from the first defeated battler...after it regains consciousness.
Do we have to use mechanics if I want to challenge another PC trainer?No, you can play out the fight however you like. Feel free to use the mechanics if you have a good grasp on how they work, but all players involved need to be in mutual OOC agreement first and foremost about how the battle is to be conducted, no matter what option you use.
Are the Pokemon naming restrictions from the games in effect here?They sure are! If you're not familiar with the way the games do it, it's essentially this: a trainer can name and rename any Pokemon they personally captured (or received from Professor Oak) as many times as they like, but they can't change the name of any Pokemon that is gifted or traded to them. So if someone gleefully trades you a Magikarp named Fartknocker, you're stuck with that name forever.
Forever.Can I capture someone else's Pokemon?No! What are you, a Team Rocket?!
Can I app an OC grunt from Team Rocket?Yeah sure.
Or any other non-trainer?Absolutely. Only trainers will have the capability to unlock the locked portions of the game, and will be able to experience the most aspects of the game in general, but if you want to focus on just one role (running a farm, working at a Pokemon center, being an incompetent-but-lovable henchman of Team Rocket), you absolutely may so long as you're aware that the character may not be able to fully participate in all areas. There are only a few roles and characters you
cannot apply for: Gym Battlers, Gym Leaders, game/show-canon characters (such as N, Jessie and James, or Ash Ketchum), Pokemon, and Pokemon Professors. In some cases, a character may be allowed to join as an AU version of themselves, but check with the mods first to make sure a particular character is allowed.
What's the game rating? What types of scenarios am I allowed to play out?In general, the game rating is at a flexible PG-13. Specific allowances and restrictions are as follows:
* Cussing and namecalling is allowed. Derogatory slurs that make your character sound 'edgy' are not.
* If you want to play out a sex scene, lock it to the community with the appropriate warnings and restrictions. In that vein, keep in mind that this is not a game meant for heavy or extreme kinks. No boinking Pokemon or using them for sex acts, for example. Also, keep sex scenes in moderation. If the majority of your posts and interactions are sex related, this isn't the game for you.
* Dark and extremely violent subject matters really have no place in a Pokemon game. No rape, graphic torture, dismemberment, animal/Pokemon/child abuse, etc.
* Refer to rule #2 about using common sense. There's some flexibility in the rating and what you can play out. Saying your character's best friend was murdered by a mystery man and now you're out for revenge? That's fine. Finding your friend's severed head shoved into the town square fountain with a grotesquely mutilated body left out for all the townsfolk to see? Not so fine.
How do Pokemon vs normal animals work? Do I have to be a vegetarian in order not to be regarded as a horrible person?There's a world of difference between Pokemon and animals. While there's some IC debate on just how intelligent Pokemon are compared to humans, there isn't a soul in the world that would ever consider a Pokemon to be used for meat. Normal animals like cows, robins, and dogs exist in this world and are generally regarded the same way we regard animals OOCly (some people eat them, some don't). So there's nothing wrong with eating baked salmon for dinner, but only a literal monster would eat a baked Magikarp.
What happens if my character drops? Can I app a character that someone else dropped?It's ICly assumed, unless otherwise stated, that the dropped character is quietly tending their farm and spending time with their Pokemon away from the spotlight. The character will keep the same farm status and Pokemon if they're picked up again, except for Legendary Pokemon which are automatically released (this is owed to their capricious and free-roaming nature). A player who picks up a character that someone previously dropped is expected to carry over the same CR and history. While some alterations may be made, check with the mod first, since it would be preferred not to retcon what a previous player has done. If the link to the previously played character's farm history is available, the new player may copy that information over to their own journal OR elect to start fresh with a party of up to six Pokemon that the previously played character had (except, of course, for Legendary Pokemon). They can also start over from scratch with the excuse that the character just felt like a change, or felt nostalgic, or wanted to challenge themselves again, etc. It's up to you!
Can I choose to kill my character?Death is permanent in this game. If a character dies, there are no second chances, and the character cannot be re-apped by anyone else. Because of this, a player who wants to kill their character needs the permission of the mods
and the players. Why the players? Because that has a severe impact on their own characters, particularly if they had close CR with yours. Someone who's playing your character's brother might not want that character gone for good, so if they say they're not okay with it, you cannot have the character die. Intentions to kill off a character, once approved by a mod, must be posted to the OOC comm where other players will have one week to respond. If no one has objected, you may kill your character.
Can I choose to have my Pokemon die, or kill another Pokemon?Only with mod-approval. Because Pokemon death is a sad and serious affair (in most cases), you'll need to present your case on why it happens and how it will be handled. Killing someone else's Pokemon will require the other player's permission. In most cases, straight up murdering a Pokemon will not be allowed by the mod. However, if you can prove that you'll handle the issue in a mature manner that isn't flippant or ignorant of other people's comfort levels, it may be allowed.
How does the game handle Legendary Pokemon?No more than
one of each Legendary Pokemon will ever be in play at any given time. Each trainer may have no more than one Legendary Pokemon, so if they want to catch a different one, they will have to release the Legendary they have before attempting to capture any other. If a player who owns a Legendary Pokemon drops or idles out, any Legendary Pokemon they have will automatically be released and cannot be re-obtained if the character is re-apped in the future unless the Trainer makes an effort to capture the Pokemon all over again. Legendary Pokemon have 500% health at their disposal, so be prepared for a long fight. In the case of Legendaries, your Pokemon will not automatically win if it's more than five levels higher than the Legendary, but it
will automatically lose if it's more than five levels lower. A Master Ball used against a Legendary will result in automatic capture, but they're extremely rare and hard to find, so be prudent if you find such an item.
Can my character operate their own business, or open a Gym?Yes! Keep in mind that they might need to be physically present at their business or gym, which may reduce their travel options and opportunities to capture wild Pokemon. On the other hand, they can set their own prices and sell wares that aren't normally sold in certain towns, or take their wares on the road to help trainers in need. A player-run gym won't count toward the eight primary gyms required to be beaten to face the Elite Four, but if the Trainer wants to hand out prizes of their own, they're free to do so. Characters may also strive to become breeding specialists, straight up farmers who have nothing to do with Pokemon, lab assistants, fishermen, etc. And if that doesn't work out, they can always change professions and goals later.
What are shiny Pokemon? How do I get one?Shiny Pokemon are extraordinarily rare. They have different coloring from their normal counterparts, which is sometimes subtle, and sometimes vastly striking. However, the value of a shiny Pokemon is purely aesthetic, as they have no bonuses to stats and are generally the same as any other normal Pokemon. Shiny Pokemon can be obtained in one of three ways:
* Type - If a wild Pokemon matches the same type as the Trainer who finds it, there's an automatic 1% chance that it's shiny (rolling a 100 on a d100). This also applies to any hatched eggs adopted from the Day Care Center. Whether a hatched Pokemon is shiny or not depends entirely on the Trainer type
who hatches the egg, not the one who bred their Pokemon.
* Chaining - If a Trainer encounters and defeats the same Pokemon more than once in the same area, each additional encounter will increase the chance of the Pokemon being shiny. If the Pokemon is of the same type as the Trainer, each encounter will increase the chance of finding a shiny Pokemon by 1%. If the Pokemon is NOT of the same type, each encounter will increase the chance by .5%. A Pokemon must be defeated or captured in order to increase the chain; fleeing won't affect the chain. A chain will be broken if the trainer either leaves the area, or encounters a different wild Pokemon.
* Breeding - Chains can also apply to hatched eggs in the same way, in that multiple eggs can be hatched with the same increase (1% for each hatched egg of the Trainer's same type, or .5% for a non-type). The chain will be broken if the Trainer hatches a different Pokemon.
Can I host my own event?Sure! Mod permission is required for any events that might harm other characters/Pokemon or result in some form of public destruction, as well as for large contests and festivals. Mod permission is not required for parties and social gatherings. In the case of a dramatic event, you may request help from a mod to run things and crunch numbers. We like proactive players and openly encourage people to host and/or plan events that others can enjoy.
How many characters can I have?As many as you feel you can comfortably handle. If you haven't done anything with a character for a few months, the mods may suggest that you drop the character or resume an active role. Nonetheless, you're the best judge of your own limits and what will provide you the most enjoyment in the game. As such, there's no limit.
What are the requirements to pass the Activity Check?The Activity Check requires only a periodic check-in, usually once a month or every other month, which will be posted by the mods. As long as you still want to play, that's all you need to stay in the game. If you don't respond to the check-in, we'll assume you're not interested and remove your characters from the game. Please note that the mods may make exceptions for squatters and habitual idlers, and enforce stricter requirements for those who aren't willing to make use of the drop post or check-in.
How many liberties can I take with AUing a canon character?This isn't something the mods will strictly monitor. If you want to make some alterations that seem to be in line with a character's core values and behavior, you are free to do so. You can choose to be related to a character that isn't part of their canon if the other player is agreeable to it. However, be aware that a character that behaves wildly OOC is usually offputting to other players, and they may decide not to interact with your character as a result. This is their right. You are responsible for your own CR, and the more interesting and engaing your character is, the more likely other players will want to interact with you.
There's a feature from Pokemon/Harvest Moon I'd like to see in the game. Can I make a request to have it exist?Sure! Keep in mind that there are many features that will be unlocked in different regions (like fashion shows in Kalos, spoilers!), so don't be surprised if the answer is "Yes, but not yet." The mods will try to provide at least a general estimate on when you can expect to see that feature at the very least. If the feature wasn't previously planned on being used, the mods might work with you to figure out a way to make that feature a part of the game.
Do characters have any special abilities or powers?PCs do not, outside of the bonuses granted to them from their affinity type. However, some NPC characters may have certain powers (such as the leader of the Psychic gym who seems to have telepathic and telekinetic gifts), so a character with supernatural gifts is not unheard of. But to keep things fair, only NPCs will ever have powers and abilities. On the flip side, NPCs will never have affinity type gifts. So your character is still a special snowflake, hooray!
Is there any kind of religion?The religion that's most universally accepted is belief in the Harvest Goddess. They say she's the one who created Pokémon, and is directly responsible for blessing the land to ensure a good harvest. Most every city will have a church dedicated to the Harvest Goddess, and even small towns have at least a shrine (usually set next to a pond) where people can pray or make offerings. Of course, just because this is the religion most people believe doesn't mean
all characters believe in her. Your character's belief and devotion level is up to you.
How do I grow crops on my farm?The first thing you need is a packet of seeds, which can be purchased from the store. Each bag will take up one plot on your farm field. Field crops will always yield nine items per bag of seeds, while trees will produce five fruits at a time. The store will list which season the seeds can be planted in, and how many days of watering it will take for the seeds to grow into crops ready to be harvested. For example, turnips require five days of watering. If you plant the Turnips on the 1st and water them that day and every day after, they will be ready to harvest on the 6th. Trees in the Kanto region do not need to be watered, they'll grow on their own. After a field crop is harvested, the field plot will be empty and ready for a new batch of seeds. Some crops, like corn and tomatoes, will bear crops ready to harvest multiple times without needing to be replanted. If you are unable to water your fields, the crop will not advance in growth. A crop won't wither from lack of water unless the season changes to one in which it won't thrive. So if a batch of turnips is only half-grown and the season changes to summer, all the crops will wilt and need to be cleared out. If there's rain, a hurricane, or a blizzard, you won't need to water your crops that day, it's a freebie!
Whoa, wait, hurricanes and blizzards?! What's this crazy weather stuff?Each season has different weather patterns. In the spring and fall, each day has a 70% chance of being sunny and a 30% chance of rain. In summer, the chance of sun is 85%, rain is 10%, and a hurricane is 5%. In winter, the chance of sun is 50%, snow is 45%, and a blizzard is 5%. Hurricanes and blizzards are bad news for your farm, because there's a 5% chance for each current crop and tree that it might be destroyed in the storm. Travel is impossible during a hurricane or blizzard, and if a Trainer is outdoors and NOT in a city, the happiness and affection levels of their entire Pokemon party will drop to 0%. Trainers can take shelter at any city, building, or cave.
How does fertilizer work?Buying bags of fertilizer is a great way to improve the quality of your crops. Each bag is good for one plot, and can be used on all field crops, trees, flowers, herbs, and mushrooms. Each time you use fertilizer, the selling price of the crop increases by 1% (rounded up). So if you sell a crop for 50 credits and you used fertilizer on it once, you can sell it for 51 credits instead. Fertilizer only works on planted seeds and growing crops, not on crops that are ready to be harvested. In the case of crops that bear multiple harvests, like tomatoes, you won't be able to use fertilizer on them if the crop is ready to be picked. But after you harvest the crops, you can apply fertilizer on the same day. On its own, fertilizer might not seem worth your time and money.
However, if you have a Seed Maker, the bag of seeds made from a fertilized crop will keep the level of fertilizer when it's planted again. For example, let's say you apply fertilizer every day to a plot of turnips. Each turnip can be sold for 5% more when they're ripe. But if you take one of those turnips and place it in the Seed Maker, you'll have a bag of turnip seeds that are already at the 5% level when you plant them, and you can keep adding a daily dose of fertilizer to boost the level higher and higher. Having a greenhouse makes it even easier to grow fertilized crops. The maximum quality a crop can have is 100%, and any crops at this level have a 5% chance of developing into a GIANT crop when ripe. Giant crops are highly prized and sell for 10 times their normal selling price. So if a crop that normally sold for 50 credits received maximum fertilization, it would go for 500 credits, and a giant crop would sell for 5,000 credits! Giant crops used in recipes will make ten times more, so if you used a Giant Corn in Cornflakes (Corn + Milk), you'd have ten Cornflakes on hand. Crops that are of higher quality not only earn more money, but also make better ingredients when used in recipes, which will give you a better chance of winning a cooking competition.
How many Pokemon can I own?To start, you may own up to 12 Pokemon total. Whether they're in your party or on the farm, the total can be no more than 12. If you want to own more, you'll have to challenge gyms and collect badges.
2 Badges = 30 Pokemon max
4 Badges = 50 Pokemon max
6 Badges = 70 Pokemon max
8 Badges = 100 Pokemon max
What's else can I get by collecting badges?In order to challenge the Elite Four, you will need to have all eight of a region's badges. While you can collect the badges in any order, certain badges grant additional bonuses.
Boulder Badge - TM Flash, Hammer, Mining License
Cascade Badge - Unlock the Duck Pond farm addition, Fishing License
Thunder Badge - TM Fly, Unlocks the Maker Sheds farm addition
Rainbow Badge - Unlock the Greenhouse farm addition
Soul Badge - TM Surf, Unlock the Mushroom Hut farm addition
Marsh Badge - Gain one additional Farm Field
Volcano Badge - Unlock the Basement
Earth Badge - Unlock the ability to purchase a Vacation House
How do I unlock other crops and animals?It depends! Some seeds and animals need to wait for a certain amount of time to pass before becoming available, while some might require that you ship a certain amount of items. The requirements aren't listed, but if there's something you're really dying to see unlocked, you can ask the mod for a hint.
How does time pass?Time progresses in a 1:1 ratio, where one day of real time is one day of game time. However, the seasons and years are much shorter, where one month = one season, and one year in the game passes after four real-time months. As a result, characters age much faster in this world.
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