Well I broke down and played on HeartGold for a good few hours between last night and now.
I wasn't getting anywhere due to all the story getting in the way. I had to do the burned tower, then the gym, then I lost to Morty and could either get some high level cheap Pokemon on the team or see what else I could do.
I wandered on to the next city, finished the lighthouse but discovered to REALLY finish the light house I'd need surf. Which means beating Morty's Gengar. Went back up (with lots of new moves and extra Spec.Def points) to help out and was down to 2 Pokemon left (Spiritomb 23 & Oddish 20) to 3 of Morty. For some reason this time Morty decided that Gengar should not use Hypnosis or Shaddow Ball to beat me, but the lesser moves which meant that I Spiritomb could use my dark moves to wipe him & the other 2 Pokemon (Haunters) out of the way.
This whole trip took longer than I'd expected but I was relaxed and in the groove so I let it carry on.
Pidgeot is back on the PokeWalker for all of this, I thought that lvl 44 with healing moves Vs lvl 25 pokemon was a bit excessive and decided to keep him out of it all. I think that Spiritomb needs no different moves to what he has through breeding now so can just pop her on the PW for levels too.
Psyduck now has Surf, Strength, Rock-Smash & Head-but and although only lvl 11 may become a big part of getting my team from A to B.
Going to explore the Bell Tower and town some more in the next 30 min session then go fetch the 'medicine' from the far away town. Why I can't get my mom to go shopping and send it to the PokeMart for me like everything else I'll never know...
56 Pokedex, 4 Badges, 12hrs 30min (oops!)
Saturday 17 April 2010
Friday 16 April 2010
Day 18+19 Short sessions & Trading
I haven't been able to sit down with the DS this week for much time, but I have been keeping up on the Pokewalker - Pigeot is lvl 43, my next highest Pokemon is Oddish at lvl 19... I now need to actually level it normally to replace Tackle with Roost on level up, but I'm not going to use it for the trainers & gyms as it'd make them a push over. Hope they get round this on the next version - no EVs for the PW Pokemon is penalty enough to stop the hardcore relying on it so let me have my casual fun & new moves!
Gamewise I ran through North to the next city (no idea what it's called - i just saved there) and caught a few new Pokemon such as Spinarak, Stantler & Growlithe on the way. Couple of cool twin battles also, but the only real threat to the team was a Stantler who refused to get caught. I killed it and in turn evolved Totodile to Croconaw. Should keep him in team more now.
Egg still not hatched - it's one I transferred from Plat so maybe should have just hatched before transfer.
Also did some trading with friends so now have 9 hr 30 on the clock and 52 Pokemon caught/traded. Still only 3 badges - I aim to rectify that over the weekend though.
Gamewise I ran through North to the next city (no idea what it's called - i just saved there) and caught a few new Pokemon such as Spinarak, Stantler & Growlithe on the way. Couple of cool twin battles also, but the only real threat to the team was a Stantler who refused to get caught. I killed it and in turn evolved Totodile to Croconaw. Should keep him in team more now.
Egg still not hatched - it's one I transferred from Plat so maybe should have just hatched before transfer.
Also did some trading with friends so now have 9 hr 30 on the clock and 52 Pokemon caught/traded. Still only 3 badges - I aim to rectify that over the weekend though.
Monday 12 April 2010
Day 17 - The Bug Catching Contest Isn't On
So I finally made it through the top of the last area only to discover that the building at the top isn't the next town but the bug catching/Pokethalon area!
It being a Monday it isn't on today but as it's on tomorrow I thought I'd have a short session and stick around for tomorrow.
I have an egg to hatch and a lvl 4 Ghastly on my team which is traded from my Platinum so a speed leveler. I decided to fight hte trainers in the area before moving on and did so with only a bit of damage. On leaving the area I found a psychic trainer who's insistence on acc lowering moves and decent speed meant that I only had 2 decent poke left by the end of it.
I saved by the 'mysterious tree' for tomorrow, but I think I better run back to a PokeCentre beforehand to heal and to stock up on decent balls.
Caught two Smoochums on the PW and took Pidgeot to 38.
Stuck Ditto on there for wandering around the house, it'll probably level him up as he's only 10, and I'll use the watts to shoot for Pikachu as I'm over 8,000 steps.
It being a Monday it isn't on today but as it's on tomorrow I thought I'd have a short session and stick around for tomorrow.
I have an egg to hatch and a lvl 4 Ghastly on my team which is traded from my Platinum so a speed leveler. I decided to fight hte trainers in the area before moving on and did so with only a bit of damage. On leaving the area I found a psychic trainer who's insistence on acc lowering moves and decent speed meant that I only had 2 decent poke left by the end of it.
I saved by the 'mysterious tree' for tomorrow, but I think I better run back to a PokeCentre beforehand to heal and to stock up on decent balls.
Caught two Smoochums on the PW and took Pidgeot to 38.
Stuck Ditto on there for wandering around the house, it'll probably level him up as he's only 10, and I'll use the watts to shoot for Pikachu as I'm over 8,000 steps.
Sunday 11 April 2010
Day 15 - The Hunt For Ditto
So carrying on North from Goldenrod (after running back to check the GTS for status - must link my Wii like on Platinum) I noticed the grass path down the side and thought that I'd take a detour to get the items. After all - the really hidden items like that tend to be TMs and I'm short on moves on a lot of my Pokemon (like lvl 36 Pidgeotto - DLC who has three moves one of which is Tackle).
I popped into the grass after a couple of trainer battles while watching Dr. Who Confidential on the iPlayer and happened to get down to the bottom fairly easily just using the Dratini (learned his new move so can go back in the PokeWalker now) then Pidgeotto (whose mighty tackle destroyed the wild lvl 12 Pokemon). I picked up the TM with a few mins to go to the 30 mark and ran back up to head back to the PokeCentre.
That's when it happened - Ditto attacked! Now I've been breeding Pokemon like mad on Pearl in the past, and transferred all the key players & legendaries across to Platinum so I could trade it in (I don't like to keep too many games). Unfortunately I ignored my boxes full of unhatched eggs and in the process left my two Ditto and my 'incubator' fire Pokemon behind. Not a problem on Plat as I hadn't planned to breed as I had everything I needed, but now on Heart Gold I have no ditto so limited breeding potential.
This ditto represented my ability to give friends the Pokemon that I have stored from Platinum without loosing the originals or resorting to dodgy means (hey - my rival is called Piracy, real trainers don't use ROMs...)
Unfortunately I decided to go straight for the kill with my one Ultra Ball (only level 10 so I thought it was worth a go) and didn't get it. Ditto transformed into Pidgeotto and proceeded to slowly 'tackle' my Pokemon, with the odd 'Feather Dance' and 'Twister' thrown in.
I swapped to less deadly Pokemon right away and chipped away at it's health to put it into the orange. My Geodude was doing great with it's 'rock smash' fighting move taking just enough off each time to be controllable and then it happened. Ditto used Struggle. Ditto Fainted. As DLC only had 3 moves, two of which have low PP he'd burned through all his attacks on GeoDude (i'd spammed defence curl) and run out! This was annoying...
I then decided that this should be an hour long play session - i was still in bed, the TV was playing away and it was the perfect way that a casual player would find a nice chunk of play time on a Sunday. Despite this extension of time 20 mins passed with me running up and down on the same area, returning to the PokeCentre to get better catching Pokemon (using sweet scent too occasionally although it seemed to attract the Drowsee mostly) and using DLC to tackle the wild unwanted ones out of existence. DLC then levelled up, learned Wing Attack & evolved into Pidgeot. I took him out of the lead of the party and when finished put him back in the PW until the next decent move level of Roost at 44. If I manage to switch Pokemon at lunch and walk to work I should still gain 2 levels a day.
A few mins after the evolution I gave up and flipped the DS into sleep mode. I had stuff to do and there were only 10 mins left in the hour anyway.
In the break I managed to breed 9 Squirtle on Platinum while helping my GF to migrate her old laptop onto the new Windows 7 one (works perfectly with network cable) so if you need one let me know in the comments. All male. I set up a team on Platinum of 6 old Pokemon (a few bred starters etc.) to put into Gold ready for later on, and opened Gold to head back to the Pokecentre.
I gave myself 3 more attempts to get a Ditto on the way back - and on the first one he appeared. I swapped to geodude immediately so that he would transform into someone fairly harmless and keep defending. I swapped to Ghastly next and tryd Hypnosis. Worked first time. I then tried a normal PokeBall at full health to the Ditto. Caught first time. I guess that transforming into a fast Pokemon last time hadn't helped matters, but was glad to get my Ditto. I named it 'Breeder' and went back to the Pokecentre to save, trade off the team (resulting in the time being 8hrs 10 mins now) and pit the Pidgeot onto the PW. He really fills the screen so it looks quite good.
Busy PokeDay...
I popped into the grass after a couple of trainer battles while watching Dr. Who Confidential on the iPlayer and happened to get down to the bottom fairly easily just using the Dratini (learned his new move so can go back in the PokeWalker now) then Pidgeotto (whose mighty tackle destroyed the wild lvl 12 Pokemon). I picked up the TM with a few mins to go to the 30 mark and ran back up to head back to the PokeCentre.
That's when it happened - Ditto attacked! Now I've been breeding Pokemon like mad on Pearl in the past, and transferred all the key players & legendaries across to Platinum so I could trade it in (I don't like to keep too many games). Unfortunately I ignored my boxes full of unhatched eggs and in the process left my two Ditto and my 'incubator' fire Pokemon behind. Not a problem on Plat as I hadn't planned to breed as I had everything I needed, but now on Heart Gold I have no ditto so limited breeding potential.
This ditto represented my ability to give friends the Pokemon that I have stored from Platinum without loosing the originals or resorting to dodgy means (hey - my rival is called Piracy, real trainers don't use ROMs...)
Unfortunately I decided to go straight for the kill with my one Ultra Ball (only level 10 so I thought it was worth a go) and didn't get it. Ditto transformed into Pidgeotto and proceeded to slowly 'tackle' my Pokemon, with the odd 'Feather Dance' and 'Twister' thrown in.
I swapped to less deadly Pokemon right away and chipped away at it's health to put it into the orange. My Geodude was doing great with it's 'rock smash' fighting move taking just enough off each time to be controllable and then it happened. Ditto used Struggle. Ditto Fainted. As DLC only had 3 moves, two of which have low PP he'd burned through all his attacks on GeoDude (i'd spammed defence curl) and run out! This was annoying...
I then decided that this should be an hour long play session - i was still in bed, the TV was playing away and it was the perfect way that a casual player would find a nice chunk of play time on a Sunday. Despite this extension of time 20 mins passed with me running up and down on the same area, returning to the PokeCentre to get better catching Pokemon (using sweet scent too occasionally although it seemed to attract the Drowsee mostly) and using DLC to tackle the wild unwanted ones out of existence. DLC then levelled up, learned Wing Attack & evolved into Pidgeot. I took him out of the lead of the party and when finished put him back in the PW until the next decent move level of Roost at 44. If I manage to switch Pokemon at lunch and walk to work I should still gain 2 levels a day.
A few mins after the evolution I gave up and flipped the DS into sleep mode. I had stuff to do and there were only 10 mins left in the hour anyway.
In the break I managed to breed 9 Squirtle on Platinum while helping my GF to migrate her old laptop onto the new Windows 7 one (works perfectly with network cable) so if you need one let me know in the comments. All male. I set up a team on Platinum of 6 old Pokemon (a few bred starters etc.) to put into Gold ready for later on, and opened Gold to head back to the Pokecentre.
I gave myself 3 more attempts to get a Ditto on the way back - and on the first one he appeared. I swapped to geodude immediately so that he would transform into someone fairly harmless and keep defending. I swapped to Ghastly next and tryd Hypnosis. Worked first time. I then tried a normal PokeBall at full health to the Ditto. Caught first time. I guess that transforming into a fast Pokemon last time hadn't helped matters, but was glad to get my Ditto. I named it 'Breeder' and went back to the Pokecentre to save, trade off the team (resulting in the time being 8hrs 10 mins now) and pit the Pidgeot onto the PW. He really fills the screen so it looks quite good.
Busy PokeDay...
Saturday 10 April 2010
Day 14 - Dratini Attacks!
Took Butterfree and Psyduck out of the team and replaced them with Voltorb & Dratini and headed out north to fight some of the trainer battles.
These didn't prove too hard and I even let Dratini take the lead at the end and got it from Lvl 10 to lvl 13 learning Twister on the way.
Also found and started using the GTS in these past 2 sessions - nothing much I could grab that I don't have on Platinum, still mostly unrealistic offers too... I have a Pikachu up there for any Clefairy. Will see what happens.
These didn't prove too hard and I even let Dratini take the lead at the end and got it from Lvl 10 to lvl 13 learning Twister on the way.
Also found and started using the GTS in these past 2 sessions - nothing much I could grab that I don't have on Platinum, still mostly unrealistic offers too... I have a Pikachu up there for any Clefairy. Will see what happens.
Day 13 - Work Sabatical
Managed about 20 mins of Pokemon in the last few days including 1 (ONE) trainer battle.
Did catch a load of PokeWalker Pokemon including two Dratini - so now all the work is done it's progress as normal.
6 hrs 30 mins in...
Did catch a load of PokeWalker Pokemon including two Dratini - so now all the work is done it's progress as normal.
6 hrs 30 mins in...
Tuesday 6 April 2010
Day 12 - Immobilized By Love
Miltank used Attract, Bricks fell in love!!
Stomp
Immobilized by love!!
Stomp
Immobilized by love!!
etc.
While I do think there is a song in the Eurovision Song Contest this year with those lyrics (or was it a Joy Division b-side?) this is how the battle seemed to go...
The gym leader in the Goldenrod Gym turned out to be a different battle to how I remember. I remember being Rollout'd to destruction quite effectively when I last played the original game. This time all the rollout's missed and I was getting slowly stomped to bits while my Pokemon sat around with a dreamy look in it's eyes.
Turns out all the normal attacks were not very effective though, so after a few defense curls Bricks was taking 1 or 2 points each time. Every Brick Break my Geodude pulled off lowered the Miltank's defense too (luckily) so the war of attrition (yeah I used potions, but SO DID SHE) was won by me. Convincingly.
I got my 3rd badge and in 5hrs 30. I'd got my lvl 31 Pidgeotto on the team but didn't use it at all in the gym and preferred to level my other pokemon. Those normal types really don't like Poison Powder/Acid attacks from Oddish.
Good few more levels there too - and I stumbled across the watering can thing for sudowoodo so if I can find them (and remember to get some pokeballs) then it should be a mad rush for the next town!
Unless I have a go on VoltorbFlip or find the GTS buidling I guess... ;)
Stomp
Immobilized by love!!
Stomp
Immobilized by love!!
etc.
While I do think there is a song in the Eurovision Song Contest this year with those lyrics (or was it a Joy Division b-side?) this is how the battle seemed to go...
The gym leader in the Goldenrod Gym turned out to be a different battle to how I remember. I remember being Rollout'd to destruction quite effectively when I last played the original game. This time all the rollout's missed and I was getting slowly stomped to bits while my Pokemon sat around with a dreamy look in it's eyes.
Turns out all the normal attacks were not very effective though, so after a few defense curls Bricks was taking 1 or 2 points each time. Every Brick Break my Geodude pulled off lowered the Miltank's defense too (luckily) so the war of attrition (yeah I used potions, but SO DID SHE) was won by me. Convincingly.
I got my 3rd badge and in 5hrs 30. I'd got my lvl 31 Pidgeotto on the team but didn't use it at all in the gym and preferred to level my other pokemon. Those normal types really don't like Poison Powder/Acid attacks from Oddish.
Good few more levels there too - and I stumbled across the watering can thing for sudowoodo so if I can find them (and remember to get some pokeballs) then it should be a mad rush for the next town!
Unless I have a go on VoltorbFlip or find the GTS buidling I guess... ;)
Day 11 - Addict
Basically I turned the DS on, went to the Voltorb Flip game and played it for 30 mins...
I got 400 coins, but thats one dangerous little mini-game.
I got 400 coins, but thats one dangerous little mini-game.
Saturday 3 April 2010
Day 10 - Long walk to Goldenrod
Not much PokeWalker action today - keep failing to catch Pikachus with my watts so still 50 off the next course.
Gamewise I've plodded through the forest to the next city - Goldenrod. I seem to remember this is where the casino is, so I'll have a quick go on that. Might be where the GTS station is too.
I caught a few lesser Pokemon on the way (Drowsey etc.) but nothing worth adding to team. Most of my Pokemon seem a bit underlevelled so I made sure to fight all the trainers, even though I barely went through the grass this added a few levels.
Found my friend code out too (as someone had sent me theirs) so leave a message if you feel like destroying my casual team of obvious Pokemon!
If I were a genuine casual gamer today's session would have seemed a bit short and dull. I'm thinking of all the good stuff yet to come.
Very tempted to turn the animations off like I did with Platinum, the game STILL needs to be faster. The bottom screen isn't even used while the attacks are happening - why not put the messages there at the same time as the animations??
Gamewise I've plodded through the forest to the next city - Goldenrod. I seem to remember this is where the casino is, so I'll have a quick go on that. Might be where the GTS station is too.
I caught a few lesser Pokemon on the way (Drowsey etc.) but nothing worth adding to team. Most of my Pokemon seem a bit underlevelled so I made sure to fight all the trainers, even though I barely went through the grass this added a few levels.
Found my friend code out too (as someone had sent me theirs) so leave a message if you feel like destroying my casual team of obvious Pokemon!
If I were a genuine casual gamer today's session would have seemed a bit short and dull. I'm thinking of all the good stuff yet to come.
Very tempted to turn the animations off like I did with Platinum, the game STILL needs to be faster. The bottom screen isn't even used while the attacks are happening - why not put the messages there at the same time as the animations??
Day 9 - Cut & Headbutt
A short and distracted Pokemon day today.
Didn't really go out much so only put the one level on the Pidgeotto who is progressing nicely.
Did get the new WiFi walker course for all the Pikachu - never really been a fan of the little yellow rat, but having surf and fly on the same Pokemon would be handy. Apparently the internet says you can't do that though and only get one at a time. Pity.
Spent a good 5 mins clearing up the PokeBox and deciding who to inflict Cut upon. It's one of those moves that is only useful in specific parts so I decided that I'd have a Paras with it. I do like poison & confusion so I've used this critter a lot before (maybe in my original Gold run 10 years ago) but don't plan on taking him all the way.
Wandered around the forest and found a bunch of story elements and trainers and found the guy who teaches head-butt. Gave that to Psyduck so he's now a bit more diverse (it easily outperforms scratch anyway) and I can look in the trees. Got a Hoot-Hoot out to the next area and it was time to save.
30 mins flys by if you try to play Pokemon while doing other things, doesn't it?
Didn't really go out much so only put the one level on the Pidgeotto who is progressing nicely.
Did get the new WiFi walker course for all the Pikachu - never really been a fan of the little yellow rat, but having surf and fly on the same Pokemon would be handy. Apparently the internet says you can't do that though and only get one at a time. Pity.
Spent a good 5 mins clearing up the PokeBox and deciding who to inflict Cut upon. It's one of those moves that is only useful in specific parts so I decided that I'd have a Paras with it. I do like poison & confusion so I've used this critter a lot before (maybe in my original Gold run 10 years ago) but don't plan on taking him all the way.
Wandered around the forest and found a bunch of story elements and trainers and found the guy who teaches head-butt. Gave that to Psyduck so he's now a bit more diverse (it easily outperforms scratch anyway) and I can look in the trees. Got a Hoot-Hoot out to the next area and it was time to save.
30 mins flys by if you try to play Pokemon while doing other things, doesn't it?
Friday 2 April 2010
Day 8 - Retail defeats Piracy, but by a slim margin!
Not much PokeWalker action - i've been busy so just put 2 levels on DLC the Pigeotto (now 30). Did catch Psyduck however and put him into the main team.
In game I only had 21 mins due to yesterday's Gym LEader battle over-run, but within minutes of setting up a nice team to get to the next area I ran into the Rival - Piracy.
He opened with a Ghastly which My female Nidoran couldn't touch so when she fainted I moved to using the Totodile starter. He used Mean Look and fixed me in place then switched to his starter that was 6 levels higher than mine and took me out in one hit. As I didn't have my starter killing Ponyta on the team I sent out Oddish, even though it again was lvl 12 to his 18. Using the acid move as well as a sweet scent for good measure I chipped away at the health speedily, not helped by his constant use of synthesis. Eventually he went down and Oddish grew to lvl 14 and learnt poison powder.
Piracy sent in Golbat and took out Oddish so I sent in Bricks the Geodude. Two Rock Throws later (with a spot of confusion in between) and it was just Ghastly to beat. Ghastly decided to use Spite and took himself into the yellow and then Rock Fall took him the rest of the way. 2 levels for Geodude and Retail defeats Piracy once more. DLC wasn't effective, but Bricks (and mortar) and a small green poisonous plant worked better.
Psyduck & Butterfree were not used.
I did the Farfetched puzzle and got CUT but don't really know who I should teach it to yet. Do I want to be properly casual and teach them to my main Pokemon or put them all on the same Pokemon?
In game I only had 21 mins due to yesterday's Gym LEader battle over-run, but within minutes of setting up a nice team to get to the next area I ran into the Rival - Piracy.
He opened with a Ghastly which My female Nidoran couldn't touch so when she fainted I moved to using the Totodile starter. He used Mean Look and fixed me in place then switched to his starter that was 6 levels higher than mine and took me out in one hit. As I didn't have my starter killing Ponyta on the team I sent out Oddish, even though it again was lvl 12 to his 18. Using the acid move as well as a sweet scent for good measure I chipped away at the health speedily, not helped by his constant use of synthesis. Eventually he went down and Oddish grew to lvl 14 and learnt poison powder.
Piracy sent in Golbat and took out Oddish so I sent in Bricks the Geodude. Two Rock Throws later (with a spot of confusion in between) and it was just Ghastly to beat. Ghastly decided to use Spite and took himself into the yellow and then Rock Fall took him the rest of the way. 2 levels for Geodude and Retail defeats Piracy once more. DLC wasn't effective, but Bricks (and mortar) and a small green poisonous plant worked better.
Psyduck & Butterfree were not used.
I did the Farfetched puzzle and got CUT but don't really know who I should teach it to yet. Do I want to be properly casual and teach them to my main Pokemon or put them all on the same Pokemon?
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