Fixing Gen 2's Level Curve

[perrycarters]

The fact that there is unironically mandatory routes between mid-late game gyms with sub-level 20 wild pokemon and trainers is absolutely wild to me in the vanilla game.

[theangrycolossal]

I feel like if you're going to bump up the levels of the wild encounters in the process of adjusting the EXP curve of the game, it would make a sense to give an added boost to the levels of Pokemon encountered on Route 43/around the Lake of Rage even beyond what other routes would get. It would fit within the lore due to the Rocket signal and give an interesting risk-reward ratio where players who want to face Pryce first will have harder encounters first but gain EXP faster for the rest of the path, while players who face Chuck first will have a more consistent level of challenge.

[flarespawnkryptgodd]

A game design detail that you may have overlooked is that the gym leaders' names are in all caps in dialogue boxes in gens 1-4, as are names of pokemon, attacks, and items. It would make the rom hack generally appear cleaner to keep this in mind while writing new dialogue.

[KuriMaster]

I'm surprised Gym leader's don't scale yet in the actual games. I always figured that they were canonically using different teams based on how many gym badges you had (Brock only pulling out 2 pokemon in Generations and a comment made by Cheren in BW2 further convinced me of this) but there was no gameplay element reflecting that.

[dannigro]

Today I learned that you can fight Pryce as a fifth gym leader. I never thought you could. I thought that there was always a certain order and Pryce had to be seven. And I’ve been playing this game for almost 23 years.

[hwoarangthedoorbell]

Would you be able to alter the Trainer Card so that Jasmine is listed at #7 instead of Pryce? I think that would help signal to the player that she should be fought 7th and I think it’s a small enough change that it won’t interfere with the overall vision of the Crystal romhack.

[JohnSmith-lhht]

For me the biggest gripe to make with Gen 2's level scaling was how things dropped off in Kanto until you hit Blue. The average Kanto trainer is only mid 30s to low 40s.

[butteredsalmonella]

I find it funny that RBYFRLG also did the Gym-skipping thing between gyms 4-5-6 but actually did it right. Koga and Sabrina's levels are incredibly high and are also very identical in level and to compensate, gives you a massive amount of routes to grind your Pokemon for. Between the routes connecting Celadon to Fuschia and Lavender to Fuschia and all the Team Rocket spots that you have to do including Hideout for Silph Scope, Tower for Pokeflute and Silph Co. for Sabrina's Gym.

Gym 5 and 6 levels aren't inconsistent irregardless of order and the grinding spots are limitless and the fact that Koga and Sabrina have around Level 38+ Pokemon means you might actually end up fighting them underleveled. The gap between Erika to Koga/Sabrina is actually a 9 level gap going from Level 29 Vileplume to Level 38 Kadabra/Koffing and the fact that you can also skip Erika is just funny to me. Unlike GSC, they're not leaving you underleveled, the bosses you fight aren't underleveled and you have the option to fight the bosses underleveled all under the fact that you may fight them under your preferred order.

You can even be cheeky and fight Koga for Surf which unlocks even more grinding routes and you may also fight Blaine first which I think is even more underleveling incarnate.

[TheZackofSpades]

I just want to say I love the little animation quirk of the glasses bulba getting closer to the screen. It really creates the illusion of someone leaning-in to emphasize a point.

[ivanbluecool]

Yeah from Chuck to Pryce. I found the levels weird constantly.

Also can't wait to see how the kanto gyms will be fixed especially Janine

[TastySouP-ickq]

@16:59 what if you expanded the lore with the sick ampharos by saying that they need to work in pairs, one resting with jasmine and the other working the tower. Have her explain that they can’t keep the tower lit using just one ampharos, but the sick one can’t keep working either. Maybe something like that to explain why she has an ampharos in her party, and one still working at the lighthouse.

[nicholaslugiano]

I’m one of the rare few that grew up fighting jasmine as 5th leader and always wondering why she was so much harder than chuck or Pryce. Watching these videos makes me realize I made gen 2 harder on myself than it needed to be😭 would definitely love a crack at this rom, crystal and gen 2 hold a special nostalgia for me that your videos bring back in full force. Thanks for bringing back some memories for me and keep up the great work! Love the vids!

[mistahl]

To add to the incentive to fight Jasmine 7th, make a second item needed to cure Amphy to pick up in Mahogany (after the Gyarados encounter). Maybe a special bottle Amphy likes the design of, or some kind of herb/taste modifier so it'll actually take it. Then make both items require the player to prove themself somehow, through a tough quiz or puzzle, or simply having the area's badge. They still get the training from getting to these places in the first place, so Jasmine isn't as bad as just going to her after Morty, if people want to fight her 5th.

[SienAppelsien]

This made me think of how it wouldve been fun to have this kind of midgame trifecta in gen 4 with maylene, crasher wake and fantina. It does feel like they wanted to try it in diamond and pearl but didnt succeed and thats why fantina is 5 while being the 3rd you encounter technically

[SamGBSR]

I like the idea of routes having “boss trainers” or when the last obligatory battle of some routes has a more difficult team that the usual. I think it makes “earning” a new location more rewarding. Any thoughts!

[TheJazzMan]

If you want to justify Jasmine having Ampharos on her team. You, the player, gives Jasmine the Secret Potion. She says he's looking better but she wants to see if this is the case with a pokemon battle when you're ready. After defeating her, the light can be visible from the lighthouse.

[storminajar]

All of these videos make me so excited to stream this game once it's finished!

Small suggestion, have you thought about changing the Pokemon you can get as rewards in the game corner in Goldenrod? Abra, Cubone, and Wobbuffet are fine enough, but I think you could definitely make some changes to make those prize pokemon a little more exciting!

[mizusenshisongs]

I can see why people do Jasmine right after Chuck. Before you can fight Jasmine, you have to go to Cianwood to get the medicine for her Ampharos. So people probably go do that, fight Chuck while they're there, and then immediately return to Olivine to deliver the medicine. And since I think after that the only thing left to do in Olivine is defeat Jasmine, they go ahead and do that.

[jakewilliams]

It's so funny because I was literally searching for rom hack like yours, now I'm really invested. I really really am excited to play this when it's finally finished

[xepikhybridx]

Honestly, this is what ShockSlayer did for Pokémon Crystal Clear. Each gym you battle raises the level curve of trainers and gym leaders, as well as updating the teams for the leaders, with the win. This was it allowed you the open world option, without giving you trainers and leaders with massive level differences and underwhelming teams