NeoDarklight

Okay, yeah, that design is definitely fitting of a pokemon based off the Tyrant Lizard King, and the other dino looks noticeably less "girly" when evolved. Almost more masculine than feminine, even. Giovanni in Kalos? Looks like things are gonna happen soon. EXP gains when catching pokemon? Heck yeah! But also somewhat pointless, IMO.

Yeah, definitely Duskull. His more powerful moves have to be gotten through Move Tutors and Relearners after becoming fully evolved. Also, if Amaterasu OKs my Shinx capture, I'll go ahead and start character interactions.

I've noted that your character is supposed to be developing psychic powers. Developing psychic powers tends to cause some sort of stress, and in some cases, confusion. Being unable to tell at times what is "real" and what is a result of his psychic powers beginning to develop could be a reasonable flaw on that front. However, you're going to have to be careful, and try to make it a little ambiguous for optimal effect. As for character flaws, when it comes to particularly intelligent characters, arrogance is pretty common as a character flaw, and gamers can have an addiction to their games at inopportune times. The trick is making those flaws believable, and in some cases, make it work towards their advantage in select situations. For example, a gamer can interpret a situation similar to their favorite games, and come up with an unorthodox strategy that their opponent wasn't expecting. (See: The World Only God Knows, and 12 Beast Oneshot version for good examples of this.)

Hmm... We have a basic character creation guide, so now we need a basic storytelling guide. We already have a few things down here, so now we need to organize it and put it all together, while adding a few more relevant tips. Perhaps someone could find the time... I can help contribute, but I'll need someone a bit more fluent at explaining things to translate what I say into something most people can understand without the more advanced (or, in some of my cases, erroneous) terminology.

Actually, I think it's because she hasn't been on in a few days. I'm gonna wait another day and see what happens.

@rustytengo: Ah, crap, I must've not seen that part of the post. I actually looked up on Bulbapedia what pokemon were catchable on Route 29, and Shinx was catchable in HG/SS if you used the Sinnoh Tune (you can get Plusle and Minun if you use the Hoenn tune), and so I based it off of that. Am I going to have to redo that part of the post? I can change the events and make it another pokemon if need be, since I haven't interacted with someone else yet. I will probably change it to a Manectric if I have to retcon it.

@RisingManes: Yeah... There's a good chance your character will be rejected. Maybe you could make it an NPC down the line, like the talking Mudcrab from Morrowind?

Sorry for the slight misunderstanding. When I said "nobody posts", I meant "nobody presents a continuation", or something along those lines. But yeah, I see your point. I just had a somewhat bad series of experience involving scenarios where, after slowing down to somebody posting only every other day, the RP just dies off completely. I just don't want that to happen to newly formed RPs is all. Sorry for my impatience. Also, about the Day 2 thing- I'm not so impatient that I'll jump the gun and go into Act 2. I just want to get to some character interaction. Which, since my character went to sleep at the end of Day 1, means waking up in the morning of Day 2. I've learned the hard way the consequences of jumping the gun on plot development; I don't intend to make the same mistake a fourth time. EDIT: @Jory: Maybe we should all make a unified timeline so as to clear up confusion for the time being? No need for graphs or anything, just a brief summation of events and what time and day they happened for now. I doubt it'll have much use down the road, but at least it could help clear things up in the beginning so as to prevent continuity conflicts from arising in the first place.

I'm still convinced that Fenniken will be Fire/Fairy in its final evolution.

What's the point of an RP where nobody posts? If no one else posts by tomorrow, I'm just gonna go ahead and assume everyone's done for the first day and double-post starting from day 2.

Let Amaterasu decide.S/He's the one who made this RP, so s/he makes the rules on what is permitted.

You, sir, win an internet.

Hmm... After giving it some serious thought, I do believe I would like to see a new minigame. This is, of course, assuming it isn't too terribly difficult. Maybe something like Pokemon Raptor version's Baking minigame?

MUCH better explanation than what I was going to give. Mostly because I hadn't gotten QUITE that far in how much I've learned. Also partially because I tend to forget some things when trying to turn a concept into words.

THANK you. I was trying to remember it, but couldn't for some reason.

Think of it like the character is writing into a diary, with the character's thoughts interspersed between some of the actions.

@Color: It's a literary technique, but I can't remember what it's called for the life of me right now. Basically, you write from the character's perspective by following their train of thought so as to give meaning to their actions. It's a pretty high-level technique, and only the really good authors can pull it off well. @rustytengo: For what it's worth, try picturing each action, and maybe one, possibly two, related actions as one segment, and make that into its own sentence. And when I say related actions, I mean actions that directly affect the first action, or lead from it. Following the example I gave, one possible rewrite would be something along the lines of "Boulder rushed out of the bushes we were hiding in, slamming it into a tree and nearly knocking it out. As the Teddiursa tried to get up, Boulder hit it again with a smaller Horn Attack." Basically, consider each action, and if it doesn't seem quite right, try to rearrange it in a way that you can break it into smaller fragments.

@rustytengo: No offense, but it isn't your character that you need to work on, so much as it is the way you present him and the events surrounding him. Fortunately, yours is a problem that will be corrected by gaining more experience as an RPer and by slowing the pacing of events and providing more details. Mostly, the pokemon interactions could have been less rushed, meeting Boulder for the first time could have been worded better and the battle could have been more flushed out. Like, saying "Boulder used a horn attack and knocked out the Teddiursa" is a lot less descriptive than desired, given the context. Also things like "Out rushed Boulder from the bushes that we where hiding in charging start at the bear hitting it and slamming it into a tree nearly knocking it out in just one hit the bear could barely get up before I had Boulder hit it with another Horn Attack this one much weaker without the surprise that we had earlier the bear nearly out of energy tried to retaliate by scratching at Boulder but it claws basically just bounced of Boulder's rock like hide the bear realizing that it could do nothing against Boulder tried to run but before it could get to far I tossed a pokeball at it." is a run-on sentence, and that REALLY messes things up. Seriously, that's not just two or three sentences, that thing can be cut up into, like, 7 sentences. Remember, you aren't talking, you're writing, so try to spread things out so people can understand it more easily. Again, I am not trying to get on your back or anything, I'm just trying to help you grow as an RPer.

This is EXACTLY what I was talking about in the Johto OOC thread. There also needs to be a section on writing styles. I'd write it now, but it would take me two hours to write something that is both relevant AND interesting, and my meds wore off for today already. ; Also, this needs to be stickied.

Oi. We have just enough people for a Homestuck RP, albeit a small one. Now we just need to designate a Time player and a Space player, and make sure the male:female ratio of characters is 1:1. Or just do dreambubble shenanigans, in which case we just throw all that out the window and make everybody dead from the start.

Looking down at his pokegear, Jake sighed in exasperation once more. Rereading the email he received that morning, he was still not quite sure it was real, even after checking in at work to confirm it. "Really now. They realize I'm a Computer Engineer, right?" Looking into his product kits revealed that he had been given a series of unknown substances labelled HP Up+, Atk Up+, etc. to choose from. Deciding they all looked rather sketchy, Jake chose one at random while not really looking at it. There was no way in hell he was going to give such a sketchy product to any pokemon he would pair up with. A few hours later, Jake arrived at New Bark Town and sought out the lab. After some searching and asking around, he found what appeared to be a rather large house. "Huh. Didn't see that one coming. May as well knock and see if he's there." Before Jake could knock, however, the door slammed open as a slightly gangly man with somewhat messy, brown hair, glasses, and a white lab coat came running out, chasing after what looked like a Pichu holding a pen in its mouth. "Hey! Get back here! That's my favorite pen!" Obviously, the Pichu didn't listen, and seemed to enjoy the game of Keep Away it was playing with what Jake could only assume was the professor. After a few more minutes of running around, the bespectacled man finally caught up with the Pichu and managed to recover the pen from its mouth. While the man was slightly worn out by the ordeal, the Pichu clearly had the time of his? life. After the man had time to catch his breath, Jake stepped up to him and asked "Excuse me, Professor Elm?" "A-ah, yes?" "Um, yes, my name is Jake Lucas, and I was told to come here for a Pokemon?" "Ah, yes, I was told you'd be coming today. Honestly, I've never had a request quite like this before, but they provided the Pokemon, and this IS your first time being a trainer, so I guess it's fine. Anyways, please follow me, and we'll get things straightened out right away." Jake noted that the smile Professor Elm gave seemed pretty genuine. He seems likeable enough. And so, he followed the young(?) professor into the lab. Once inside, Jake noticed that there were a few pokemon running around, some of them playing games, like tag, or in one case, rock, paper, scissors. Deciding that, while humorous, it wasn't all that important, Jake turned his attention towards Professor Elm. Noticing that Jake's attention was firmly on him, Elm spoke up. "Sorry about the mess- things tend to get a little crazy after young pokemon wake up from their naps." He then drew Jake's attention to a pokeball on a fold-up table. Jake quirked an eyebrow at this and Professor Elm responded with "Ah, about the table. I wasn't expecting a trainer's Minccino to know Aqua Tail earlier today, and, well... Anyways! This pokeball contains the pokemon you are supposed to receive. Please, take it." After listening to Professor Elm's little non-story, Jake did as asked and picked up the pokeball. Tossing it into the air, it opened up and let out a stream of light that resolved itself into a metallic, blue ball with a red eye attached to what looked like an equally metallic blue arm with three silver claws. The creature then let out a mostly monotone voice from within the ball part. "Bel. Beldum." "A Beldum?" Noting Jake's surprise, Professor Elm went on to explain some things. "This isn't an ordinary Beldum. He was caught in a special place, and as such, has attributes that can only be found in pokemon from that place. Here, let me show you." Professor Elm pulled a red, pocketbook-looking computer thing from inside a desk and handed it to Jake. "This is your pokedex, and will help you out on your journey by displaying information about your pokemon, and those of pokemon you meet in the wild." "Okay... That's nice and all, but why isn't there just an app for that for pokegear?" "Not every trainer is fortunate enough to own one. But mostly I think it's because it's never occurred to anyone to make the app." "...Okay then." "Anyways, use it to check on your Beldum and you'll see what I mean when I say that he isn't an ordinary Beldum." "Okay then." Jake opened up the pokedex and aimed it at Beldum. "Wait... It knows more than just Take Down?" "I'm glad you know about this pokemon species. Beldum normally does, indeed, only know Take Down. However, pokemon from the area this little guy was found tend to have abilities and moves they wouldn't normally have otherwise. This makes them highly sought after by trainers who know about them." "I see. This may end up better than I thought. Thanks, professor. Beldum. Shall we get going?" Jake extended his hand out to the little, blue, robotic pokemon. "Beldum." The aforementioned pokemon then started following Jake. "I take it that means yes. Goodbye professor. Thank you for your time." "You're welcome, Jake. I'm just glad that there's someone around my age starting their adventure as a trainer." "Oh yeah, that reminds me, how old are you, anyways?" "Hm? Oh, I'll be turning 39 this spring. Why?" "I AM NOT THAT OLD!" "Huh? But you're starting to-" "I'M ONLY 23!" "Wait, you are?! But your hair... Oh. Oh I'm so sorry. I didn't know." "Am I going to have to buy a hat?! Is it really that bad?!" "Well, from a distance, you look fine, but after seeing you up close for a bit..." "In other words, yes, I'm going to need a hat. Thanks." "Um, you're welcome?" On that awkward note, Jake left the lab with a slightly confused Beldum following him. "Bel? Beldum?" "Hm? Oh yeah. I haven't given you a name, yet, have I?" "Beldum." "Hmm..." Seirath. "How's Seirath sound?" The little Beldum nodded as if it thought it appropriate. "Okay, then. From today onwards, you'll be known as Seirath." "Beldum." While he couldn't really tell from the robotic, blue pokemon's voice, Jake got the impression that he really liked his name. "Okay, now that that's settled, we've got one last thing before we set off on our adventure- I need to get a hat." And with that, Jake started looking around town for a store that looked like it might have some hats for sale. ((NOTE: Editing because I hate double posts)) After some searching, Jake eventually found a small store that had some hats on a rack near the front. After browsing through them, he selected a grey ball cap with a blue alpha symbol on it and brought it to the register. After making the purchase (TWENTY FREAKING DOLLARS?!), and receiving five pokeballs for free after mentioning that it was his first time out as a trainer, Jake decided to start his journey towards Route 29. On his way, deciding he wanted to listen to some music, he opened his pokegear, switched it to the jukebox, and set it to a station that played songs that were popular in his home town. After a few minutes, he decided to try striking up a conversation with Seirath. "So, buddy, anything I should know about you?" The little robot pokemon tilted its head slightly with a "Bel?" and gave what Jake interpreted to be an inquisitive look. "Yeah, I don't think I can really understand your words, but that doesn't mean we can't get to know each other. So, yeah. First thing you should know about me is that I can be a bit stubborn." "Bel. Beldum bel. Bel beldum bel. Beldum." "Yeah, I have no idea what you said. I get the feeling you understand me, though, and I think you can empathize?" At this comment, Seirath tilted its head again, and after a few moments tilted it back and nodded with a "Beldum." "Yes! Got it in one. Is there anything else I can think of..." Before Jake could finish his thought, a rustling could be heard from the bushes nearby. Quickly reacting, Seirath and Jake got into battling positions. Not a moment later, a wild Electrike came out of the brush, and locked its eyes on Jake's pokegear. Looking at where the little canine pokemon was focused, Jake made an observation. "Oh, you like this music, little guy?" The Electrike's only response was to keep focusing on the pokegear, and move in rhythm to the music. As it approached closer, Seirath got in its way. "Yeah. If you want to listen to it some more, you're gonna need to come with us." Hearing this, the Electrike readied itself into an attack stance. "Oh, looks like we've got a battle on our hands. You ready for this, Seirath?" "Beldum." "Good. Use Zen Headbutt the moment it attacks. That pokemon species is well known for its speed and its special attacks, but at its current level, he's unlikely to know any moves capable of hurting you. So instead, focus on heavy blows that are likely to hit." In response, Seirath only nodded while keeping its focus on the little electric puppy. "Beldum." And with that, the Electrike began building a ball of energy in its mouth. The battle was short but intense. Neither Jake nor Seirath were expecting the Electrike to know Electro Ball, and since the Electrike was more than twice as fast as Seirath, it hit pretty heavy, too. However, Seirath hit pretty heavy himself as well. After about 4 rounds of battling, the Electrike messed up and went for a tackle instead, giving Seirath the edge he needed to deliver a finishing blow. After the Electrike fell unconscious, Jake threw a pokeball at it and, after three wobbles, it clicked shut, marking the pokemon as his own. "Well, Seirath, looks like we've got the first new addition to our little family of sorts. Shall we wake him up now?" Seirath just gave a lax movement so as to say 'Why not', and Jake let the puppy out of his pokeball. Upon materializing, the Electrike was still unconscious. However, after a few minutes, it woke up in a daze. After looking around for a bit, its eyes finally focused on Jake. "So, little puppy. I was not expecting you to know Electro Ball. And you used it to its fullest effect, too, though you stumbled a bit at the end. Honestly, I am impressed. I would like for you to journey together with me. But I can't just leave you nameless. So what shall your name be..." Sempra. "How's Sempra sound to you?" After listening for a bit, the Electrike stared with curiosity and wariness at the trainer who defeated and captured her. After a while, though, wariness gave way to giddiness, and the electric canine jumped for joy. "Trike... Electrike!" It seemed the Electrike liked the name. "So you like it! Wonderful! From now on, you will be known as Sempra. ...Which, now that I think about it, seems like a girl's name. You're a girl aren't you?" At this comment, Sempra seemed a little confused for a second, but then just bounced up with a "Trike!" and nodded heavily. "Whelp. Glad that's cleared up! Ready to get going?" At those words, Sempra jumped up and started to lead the way with an "Electrike!" "Whoa, now, you're pretty hasty, aren't you? And neither you nor Seirath have gotten any rest after that battle, have you?" Though Jake said those words, Sempra seemingly paid them no mind and started running down the road, looking back occasionally to make sure Jake was still following her. And so, with two pokemon now following him outside their pokeballs, Jake kept walking down the road, until he stumbled upon a campsite when it was getting dark. Deciding not to wake the neighbors, Jake returned his two pokemon to their pokeballs and set up camp nearby himself. After the tent was set up, and his bedroll laid down inside, Jake decided it was time for lights out. "*yawn* Night, Seirath, Sempra. I'll let you out in the morning." And with that, Jake went to sleep for the night, in the vicinity of another trainer's campsite. Name: Seirath Level: 10 Species: Beldum Type: Steel/Psychic Nature: Adamant (+Atk -Sp. Atk) Ability: Light Metal Held Item: None Moves: Take Down, Iron Defense, Iron Head, Zen Headbutt Name: Sempra Gender: F Level: 10 Species: Electrike Type: Electric Nature: Hasty (+Spd -Def) Ability: Lightningrod Held Item: None Moves: Tackle, Electro Ball, Thunder Wave, Leer EDIT 2: Retconned a few things. The Shinx is now an Electrike, the Power Band is now some random sketchy item that supposedly raises some stat, and I added in a short description of the battle as well. I also took some advice and altered the dialogues' pacing a bit. Hopefully it's less cluttered now.

I think a thread sharing RP advice might be in order to help less experienced RPers notice some basic errors. Does anyone want to help with that?

Can I use Dream World and Gen IV tutored moves for Beldum? Otherwise, he really only has Take Down as his only move until he becomes Metang.

@Wish: Yeah, I've seen that happen before, too. Unfortunately, there are also situations where one character somehow gets some sort of dominance over a situation (usually only happens in conversations), severely limiting possible character actions, and that's usually what causes that sort of thing to happen. It's part of what killed the Muse Gate RP after 3 years of running. It's back up now, with a soft reboot setting the whole thing 3 years after the events that stalled it. If you would like, I can send you the link to the site in a PM, as I think you might be suited for it.

Cool. Just making sure. I just wish there were enough people for a Homestuck RP.