Well, I've been thinking for a while that I should get back to posting on here, especially given that I've somehow had a spike in page views, that Blogger won't tell me where from.
I can only assume this has something to do with my comments on the blog of a certain slightly-more-famous-than-me-or-anyone-I-know girlfriend, and a small, slightly-creepy subset of her followers wondering who I am.
Assuming that to be the case, well, hello and welcome to you. I'm Carl, this is my blog, and I rant here whenever I feel like I want to talk about something to nobody in particular. A mood which usually takes me during long walks to or from work, and fades away by the time I'm actually in a position to write about it in detail.
Just now I decided I'd like somewhere to record my progress through my Nuzloke Challenge on Pokémon Red. But without spamming it repeatedly to everyone I know on Facebook or anyone who doesn't really give a damn. Then I remembered I have a blog! YEAH!
So for those who don't know (which is a lot of people), the Nuzloke Challenge is basically a way of playing through a Pokémon game, with a couple of extra self-imposed restrictions (and I'm assuming you know roughly how Pokémon games work, if you don't then go play one, I don't know how you managed to avoid knowing this).
The rules are, simply:
1. If a Pokémon faints, you release it into the wild.
2. The only Pokémon you are allowed to catch is the first wild one you see in each area. If it faints or flees, no catch for you!
A more detailed story of the challenge and its optional extra rules can be found here.
So I booted up a copy of Red version- the classics are what I know, and an excuse to re-play it always makes me happy- and started this.
I decided that Rule #2 is only in effect once I get the ability to buy Pokéballs (so once I'm back in Viridian City after delivering Oak's package) and added the optional rule about giving nicknames to Pokémon to build that extra level of emotional attachment and make it all the more heartbreaking to have to release them (what can I say, I'm an XCOM player, emotional masochism is part of a good gaming experience for me). Except the starter, who I couldn't think of a nickname for and I figure I get attached enough to those as it is (seriously in all my Pokémon playthroughs I've ever done in my childhood and teen years, I never once had a team without my starter).
The choice of version was my first decision: I wanted a first-gen game, because those are what I know and love, and I'm saving a second-gen re-play for another time.
It couldn't be Yellow because with Pikachu as the starter and only one opportunity to catch anything that won't get slaughtered by Brock, plus the fact that after this you get all three R/B starters as free handouts later, it seems like this challenge would have a weird and broken difficulty curve- you get royally screwed by Brock at the first gym and then go on to have a really easy time later.
So, Red or Blue it is! Red, I chose. (Before anyone asks why I didn't pick FireRed/LeafGreen, the answer is basically "fuck off, I don't know.".)
I started with Bulbasaur. Charmander is obviously by far the coolest starter, but if you know the first generation Pokémon games, Bulbasaur just makes sense- being a grass type he has a solid advantage over the first three gyms and will carry me through a substantial portion of the game (until I, hopefully, have a better variety of types to choose from).
So after I finished the parcel malarkey from Professor Oak, and got back to Viridian, I naturally bought some Pokéballs immediately and ran back to Route 1. First Pokémon was a Lv3 Rattata. Caught it and named it Jay Lenno, in homage to the one that appeared on the Twitch Plays Pokémon stream, may the sacred Helix Fossil rest his soul.
Party:
Bulbasaur
Jay Lenno (Rattata)
Next port of call, Route 22! Yes, that little bit off to the west on the way to Victory Road. People forget about that spot but it offers you an optional battle with your rival (which affects what he eventually evolves his Eevee into in Yellow) and also has a patch of grass that plays host to an assortment of more exotic species than Route 1. Subjects include Nidoran (both kinds), Spearow, and Mankey (later discovered he doesn't appear on Red).
My Route 22 catch? Lv3 Rattata.... With slightly worse stats than Jay Lenno.
Party:
Bulbasaur
Jay Lenno (Rattata)
Ratty (Rattata)
Moved on to Route 2 for the catch from there.
Another Rattata, also Lv3. Fucking Hell.... I was feeling at this point somewhat unsympathetic toward this Rattata, it being the third one I've caught. I mean, two is fine, I can deal with that... but three?
Party:
Bulbasaur
Jay Lenno (Rattata)
Ratty (Rattata)
Vermin (Rattata)
After finding comfort in the memory that Rattata doesn't even APPEAR in Viridian Forest, I moved to take on the optional rival battle, for which I'd made a point of training my team substantially, and after making mincemeat of his critters, I move on to Viridian Forest.
Where I catch a Caterpie, who I could think of no particularly fitting nickname, so I went with my favourite Game of Thrones character, and proceeded to smash through this forest with relative ease, evolving young Tyrion into a Metapod along the way. I brought plenty of Antidotes, because I have no intention of losing anyone here. Not even Vermin.
Viridian Forest cleared and now being used for a training ground, this brings us up to where I am now.
Party:
Bulbasaur
Jay Lenno (Rattata)
Ratty (Rattata)
Vermin (Rattata)
Tyrion (Metapod)
So far I've not failed to catch a Pokémon in each area, and I've not lost any yet. Let's hope this keeps up as I take on Brock. Which I'll be doing as soon as I get my Butterfree. Butterfree's a real powerhouse.
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