User:DX-MON/PokéBattlers

PokéBattlers

Developer(s)	The PokéBattlers Team
Initial release	July 9th 2008
Written in	PHP
Platform	Unix, Linux, Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows
Available in	English
Type	MMORPG
License	Unknown
Website	www.pokebattlers.org

PokéBattlers is an online Pokémon game currently in development by the PokéBattlers Team.

Overview

PokéBattlers is not in any way associated with the Pokémon Company or Nintendo. It is a project undertaken by the PokéBattlers Team in order to give players the experience of playing a game in many ways similar to the video games made by Nintendo, but online and in large interaction of other players. This is radically different to Nintendo games in that multiplayer gaming plays a much bigger part than it does using the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

Gameplay

PokéBattlers is a text-and-image based MMORPG playable on any internet browser. To play, the user simply navigates around the website using a user-friendly interface. The majority of features are accessible at the click of at most three buttons.

Location

The setting for this game is an island called "Termvien," a fictional location created specifically for the game. The inhabitants of Termvien are exceptionally peaceful, especially towards the many Pokémon that live there alongside humans.

Storyline

The story of PokéBattlers is somewhat similar to that present in Pokémon Emerald. This time, the two teams are Team Chronos and Team Espacia. Team Chronos is led by Daimon. His ambition is to harness the power of Dialga and use it to make humans and Pokémon live forever. Their enemies, Team Espacia, are led by Penelope, a dangerous woman convinced she is doing the world good. She plans to capture Palkia and make full use of its power to expand the world and provide more living space for everyone. Their ambitions are compatible (everyone could live forever in an infinite space), but Daimon and Penelope have been rivals since childhood. Neither likes being subordinate, so they find it impossible to get along.

Starting out

The introduction to the game is presented by Kaboom, a Blaziken with somewhat special powers, the alter ego of the leader of the PokéBattlers Team. Kaboom introduces the player to the region of Termvien, and guides the user through the process of obtaining their first Pokémon. Then he gives the user a Relic Fragment, saying that he doesn't know its purpose but feels as though the player is meant to have it. Kaboom also mentions a "cataclysmic war between worlds that threatens to rend the dimensions themselves," and advises the player to not get caught up in it. The following 22 Pokémon constitute the lineup from which the player may choose one. The others are all obtainable later on through capture. Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Pikachu, Psyduck, Mankey, Machop, Cubone, Eevee, Chikorita, Cyndaquil, Totodile, Treecko, Torchic, Mudkip, Skitty, Zangoose, Seviper, Turtwig, Chimchar, Piplup and Shinx.

Playing the game

The player begins the game in Ichi Town without a Poké (the unit of currency) to their name. By hunting for wild Pokémon, they gain EXP points and Poké. The money can then be used to purchase various items at the Shop, most importantly Poké Balls and Potions. Soon they are able to leave Ichi Town and venture into the great world beyond. Items, sometimes very rare items, can be found by using the "Scour for items" page. The find may be mundane or bountiful, or even non-existant! Hunting for Pokémon and items takes time, ranging from 10 seconds to 10 minutes. A progress bar and a numerical display inform the player of the length of their venture. Travelling between locations also takes time depending on the distance seperating the start and end points. More and more locations open up to the player as they progress through the storyline. Some locations may require the presence of an HM in the player's inventory. Others will simply open when a certain NPC is defeated or assisted.

Key features

Hunting

By hunting for Pokémon, the player can find, battle and capture wild Pokémon. Hunting takes from 10 seconds to 2 minutes and always results in a find. The initiative may be held by the player or the Pokémon at random. If the player has the initiative then there is the option of fighting or leaving the Pokémon alone (in the case of a find that is too strong or insignificant to the player, for instance). In the opposite case, the player must fight. Battling earns EXP points and money.

Item Scouring

There are items scattered all over the place. Looking for them may take up to 10 minutes, and sometimes you may return empty-handed, but the rare items are worth the wait. The player may stumble across a lost evolutionary item or suchlike.

Pokémon Center

There are Pokémon Centers in every town, and they will heal your active Pokémon without charge. All HP is recovered and any status problems are healed.

Shop

The shops of each town vary in size and content. They all sell useful items. Occasionally they hold sales during which prices are knocked down by 50%. You can also sell your items, but for less than the price of new items.

Style configuration

PokéBattlers is fully colour-customisable. A player can choose which colours to display for which elements, then be presented with the generated CSS stylesheet which they can save to their computer and use from there, or they can upload it somewhere and use it from any computer. Players familiar with CSS programming can download the original stylesheet and alter it to suit them.

The PokéBattlers Team

There is only one person, alias Kaboom, who programs PokéBattlers. "The Akai" is in charge of graphics, and "Kai Crest" is the main tester. "DX-MON" and "CarbonKiller" are backup programmers, providing assistance as and when it is needed. One of the points of the excercise is to demonstrate that it doesn't take too much difficulty to make something amazing. It does, however, take a large team of professionals to create something truly exceptional, but this excpetional thing often comes at a price, whereas registering an account on PokéBattlers is completely free.