#gdc-pitch # Pokemon Ruby Sapphire and Emerald Pitch  Console: Gameboy Advance Approximate Main Story Length: 30 hours (mitigated by emulation) # What is this Game? Pokemon Ruby, Pokemon Sapphire, and [[Pokemon Emerald]] are games from Pokemon's third generation that take place in the tropical Hoenn region. As the protagonist, not only do you travel across the Hoenn Region to collect 8 Badges to fight the Elite Four and claim the title of "Champion", but now you have to stop the nefarious evil team (either Team Magma, Team Aqua, or perhaps both!) from committing eco-terrorism using the Legendary Pokemon of the Hoenn Region. Pokemon Ruby / Sapphire / Emerald are a bit of a soft-reboot for the Pokemon franchise and introduce some new features not previously seen in Generations 1 and 2 of Pokemon games including: - Every Pokemon now has an ability that can impact gameplay both in battle and out of battle - Every Pokemon now has a randomly assigned Nature that will increase one stat and lower another, making for more diversity among similar Pokemon - Weather is now an important mechanic in battle! - Lots of more static legendary Pokemon encounters which have their own associated sidequests While Ruby / Sapphire / Emerald are Pokemon games, there's less of a focus on catching Pokemon (mainly fewer gated elements behind how many Pokemon you've caught), and more of a focus on what you can do in the world of Pokemon. Pokemon Ruby / Sapphire / Emerald have a lot of sidequests and extra modes that make for interesting diversions, including: - Pokemon Contests which are a different approach on Pokemon battles where you use moves to show off your Pokemon's appeal (easier explained in action) - Secret Base customization: ever wanted to have your own customizable room / house hidden away somewhere in the Pokemon world? You can do that in these games? - LOTS of optional dungeons and legendary Pokemon to find and catch. This is different from Fire Red and Leaf Green which are more focused on recreating the experience of catching every Pokemon in the Kanto region # Why Should We Play It? - Pokemon is the largest media franchise ever, maybe it's worth trying out a taste of the craze? - Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald are are very different from each other in many different ways including: - Story - Available Pokemon - Access to specific locations - Boss Fights - With three different games and three different starters, there are plenty of Pokemon to experiment with on teams - approximately 200 Pokemon in the Regional Pokedex, with Pokemon from Kanto, Johto and Hoenn. - They're nostalgic for me and I'd like to share some of that experience with you all :] # Potential Discussion Topics - For those who have never played Pokemon: - What have you found enjoyable? - What are some aspects of this game have you found unenjoyable? - How do Pokemon's mechanics translate to other JRPGs you might have played before? - What are some of the easier / harder Pokemon to use on a team? - How does the inclusion of a third game, Emerald, impact the process of experiencing Hoenn? - Emerald intrinsically has more things to do in its Story and Post-Game, but lacks some Pokemon that can be found in Ruby and Sapphire, is this a fair trade-off? - How do the ideas of climate change and the goals of Team Magma and Team Aqua reflect upon our current world-situation? # Other Projects / Fun Things to do - After we all finish the playthrough, we can take our in-game teams to Pokemon Showdown (a battle simulator) and have a small tournament amongst ourselves. - Trading evolutions and mixing records can be done with my (Voltage's) help, if needed.