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faq.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
premise ⬥ taken ⬥ faq ⬥ navigation
basic info ⬥ applications ⬥ arrival ⬥ setting details
deaths, drops, hiatus ⬥ activity and regains ⬥ game mechanics
got a question?
→ What is Pokespe?
Pokespe is a short-run, panfandom adventure game inspired by the Pokemon series.
Characters undergo a pact with a mysterious entity and are dragged to a world full of monsters called Pokemon. By befriending wild Pokemon, characters gather and train a team to protect themselves as they travel throughout the world to help calm the unnatural disasters isolating the towns in the region, and defeat the evil they encounter along the way to discover how and why they were brought here. Characters are encouraged to travel together as a team around the region, with a new town unlocked each month as the plot progresses.
Characters undergo a pact with a mysterious entity and are dragged to a world full of monsters called Pokemon. By befriending wild Pokemon, characters gather and train a team to protect themselves as they travel throughout the world to help calm the unnatural disasters isolating the towns in the region, and defeat the evil they encounter along the way to discover how and why they were brought here. Characters are encouraged to travel together as a team around the region, with a new town unlocked each month as the plot progresses.
→ What are the types of events?
Pokespe is a team-based game with a focus on an adventure every other month, CR-building during non-adventure months, and both player plots and world exploration integrated into the main plot.
→ What is the time ratio?
Pokespe follows a 1 OOC to 1 IC day ratio and the in-game calendar will follow the real-life calendar.
→ How long will the game run?
Pokespe is expected to run for approximately ten months. It may change to become more or less, depending on the course of the game, but we aim to have a running period of ten months.
→ Is Pokespe open to the public?
Partially. Pokespe is currently a player-invite-only game. For the first month, the game is open to those on the mods' plurk timelines, after which players within the game may extend a single invitation to a newcomer. When the newly invited player submits their application, they must specify who they were invited by. The player who extended the invitation must then comment on the newcomer’s application to confirm that they did invite them.
→ Will you write "Pokémon" with the proper é?
No. We are lazy. But you are free to write it however you want!
→ When are applications open? What do they include?
Applications are always open and include player information, an interview style personality section, the character's chosen starter Pokemon, and a chosen legendary Pokemon.
More details about the applications can be found on the Applications page.
More details about the applications can be found on the Applications page.
→ Are application challenges accepted?
They are not.
→ What types of characters are appable?
We accept canon, canon AU, CRAU, and original characters. Silent and customizable protagonists are also accepted should canon provide a basis for their personality through extra content, dialogue choices, or various other canon materials.
→ Do characters have to be humanized?
This is up to the player’s choice. Keep in mind, however, if the character is too large for the game setting, we will ask players to at least shrink the character’s size down to an average human’s height.
→ Are powers nerfed?
At the beginning, yes. Characters will be stripped of their abilities and will solely have to rely on their Pokemon. However, players may regain back their characters’ powers by providing bonus activity later down the line.
→ What happens to characters who were dead or injured prior to arrival?
Characters who were dead prior to their arrival will be revived, but in regards to any injuries that they might have received while they were either alive or dead, it will be left up to the player’s discretion. Players may choose to have their characters completely healed or still suffering from their wounds. Any fatal injuries will be mostly healed to the point that they are no longer serious, but they will still be extremely painful and may potentially restrict movement.
→ Are characters allowed fourth wall knowledge of Pokemon?
Yes, if the character's canon is likely to include the Pokemon series (eg. modern-day Earth settings), they are free to have knowledge of Pokemon! Depending on the year the canon takes place, the character may or may not know about the most recent generation of Pokemon.
→ How are canon updates handled?
Canon updates will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Please contact the mods in order to discuss the methods that can be used.
→ Is there a canon cap?
There are no canon or franchise caps in Pokespe.
→ Is there a character cap?
There is a cap of two characters per player. Players may apply for two characters at once.
→ Is there a player cap?
There is currently a cap of 20 players, not including the mods. This number may be subject to change in the future.
→ What happens upon arrival?
Prior to arriving in the game, characters will experience a dream-like out-of-body experience. They will be shrouded in darkness and only sense a presence surrounding them. A voice in their head will ask for their deepest desire, and characters will find themselves involuntarily answering them. Immediately afterwards, suffocating smoke will engulf them and render them unconscious.
Characters will then awaken in Cassava and find themselves with a mysterious mark visible on their body.
Characters will then awaken in Cassava and find themselves with a mysterious mark visible on their body.
→ What is this mysterious mark?
Upon arrival, each character will have a mark that will wrap around any visible part of their body (e.g. wrist, arm, neck, etc). These brands will be based on the legendary's type that characters are most aligned with. If the legendary has two types, it will be represented by two halves linked together.
For example, a character who is linked with Entei (type: fire) will have only the symbols for fire wrapped around them, but for a character who is linked with Ho-Oh, one half will be the fire symbols and the other half will be flying.
For example, a character who is linked with Entei (type: fire) will have only the symbols for fire wrapped around them, but for a character who is linked with Ho-Oh, one half will be the fire symbols and the other half will be flying.
→ What can characters bring into the game?
Characters will be able to bring items they had on their person prior to their arrival, so long as they are of reasonable size (less than a foot tall). Larger items must be regained through the player’s bonus activity. In addition, if an item is powered by a specific object, entity, or concept from their canon world, they will not function in the game. Players may regain the ability to use that item through bonus activity.
→ Can characters bring pets or creatures?
Characters will not be able to bring pets or creatures, including Pokemon if the character is from the Pokemon universe, with them upon arrival. They may, however, regain the creatures through bonus activity.
→ Where does Pokespe take place?
The game takes place in a region called Cassava, which consists of a central island surrounded by larger landmasses. At the start of the game, natural disasters prevent travel and communication throughout much of the region, but new areas will be unlocked as the characters progress through the plot. Much of the region lacks technological advances, but there is electricity and running water, with a reliance on Pokemon for other things such as transportation and labor.
The pride and joy of each town is their boba store.
More information about the settings in the game can be found on the Locations page. More details for each town will be revealed as the plot progresses.
The pride and joy of each town is their boba store.
More information about the settings in the game can be found on the Locations page. More details for each town will be revealed as the plot progresses.
→ Boba store?
Yeah! (:
Purchasing a boba from each store earns you a unique stamp for your boba stamp card. Try all the new flavors and fill up your stamp card for a special prize! There are 8 stamps total to be collected.
Purchasing a boba from each store earns you a unique stamp for your boba stamp card. Try all the new flavors and fill up your stamp card for a special prize! There are 8 stamps total to be collected.
→ What are the NPCs like?
The people in this region are generally friendly and eager to help, and all have a strong love of Pokemon. Children as young as ten may own and battle with Pokemon, and trainers are eager for a friendly match with one another. For anything strange about the new arrivals, the state of the world, or unnatural occurrences, the people often turn to Pokemon myths to explain things they don't understand.
→ Are NPCs familiar with other Pokemon regions?
??????
→ Where can characters stay?
While travelling, characters will oftentimes have to camp out and find shelter in the wilderness. In towns, Pokemon centers allow trainers to stay short-term during their travels, and there may be inns available for comfier arrangements in certain places. There are also alleyway dumpsters.
→ Are there language barriers?
Upon arrival, characters will automatically know how to speak, read, and write in the common language of the region. If they ask the locals what the name of the language they’re using, they’ll just shrug and say that it’s just The Language. In addition, if characters knew any other languages beforehand, they will be able to retain it.
→ Is there a network?
There is no network and at the start of the game, electromagnetic and psychic disturbances in the air prevent long-distance communication via phone or PC. Natural disasters in the region prevent Pokemon from traversing across the land, but bird Pokemon will be able to deliver letters to other characters locally.
→ Is there internet?
There is no internet! But you have Nanami, who is just as good.
→ Can characters obtain jobs?
Characters are free to obtain jobs, but money is not a huge concern as characters can earn money by winning trainer battles, and can stay at the Pokemon center for rest and free healing for their Pokemon.
→ Can characters eat food/berries that are meant for Pokemon?
Sure, if you like getting sick, but I bet that won’t stop some of you. :/
→ How is death handled?
Deaths that occur within the game will be permanent and is at the discretion of the player. Permadeath will never be sprung as a surprise without the player's acknowledgement and agreement.
→ What happens when a character is dropped?
The player will have the option of having their character be 1) permanently dead, or 2) missing and presumed to be dead. If the player chooses the first option, they must acknowledge that they will not be able to app the same character back at a later date. If the player chooses the second option, the character may be re-apped. The character's Pokemon may choose to join another trainer's team if there is room or may be returned to the wild.
→ What happens when a player goes on hiatus?
When a player goes on hiatus, the character will be on auto-pilot and may continue travelling with their group, or may choose to split off and travel alone or remain in town for the duration of the hiatus.
→ What are the activity requirements?
AC is 20 comments across 2 threads. Upon their acceptance into the game, players must comment on the permanent AC page for their character. Underneath that comment, players must submit their activity each month with a new comment. There will be no reminders or warnings for the Activity Check, so players must be diligent at submitting their AC on their own. Players may submit their AC whenever they like, whether it’s at the beginning of the month or at the end, as long as they do it before the last day of the month at 11:59pm EST.
More details about the AC requirements can be found on the permanent AC page.
More details about the AC requirements can be found on the permanent AC page.
→ What is bonus activity?
For players who achieve more than the basic AC requirements, they may submit their additional threads for in-game rewards. They may use their bonus activity to increase their character’s Pokemon's levels, regain canon abilities or items, gather plot clues, gain a status effect, or various non-canon items.
More details about the bonus activity can be found on the regains page.
More details about the bonus activity can be found on the regains page.
→ When must the bonus activity be submitted for regains?
Players must submit their bonus activity threads started from the previous or current month to apply towards a regain. For example: if it is October, players may only use threads which started from September or October for their bonus activity. Threads from August will not count and will be considered lost.
→ Is there a limit on how many regains can be obtained in a month?
There are limits for certain categories: each Pokemon may gain up to 10 levels a month (15 for traded Pokemon) and characters may regain up to 3 canon abilities or items a month. Other bonuses have no limit.
→ What are Pokemon?
Pokemon are creatures that inhabit this world and may resemble animals, plants, inanimate objects, or undefined squishy blobs. While most Pokemon live in the wild, they may be befriended and live with their trainers to use in battle against other trainers or simply help with daily tasks. Pokemon have a variety of abilities and are found all across the world, numbering in the hundreds with new species being discovered all the time.
Pokemon trainers may catch and raise Pokemon for a variety of reasons, including collecting gym badges and contest ribbons. Wild Pokemon who are at a particularly high level may require a certain number of unique badges or ribbons to impress them enough to listen to a trainer. If travelling together as a group, the collective number of unique badges or ribbons are used to determine the highest level a wild Pokemon will be that will listen:
Pokemon trainers may catch and raise Pokemon for a variety of reasons, including collecting gym badges and contest ribbons. Wild Pokemon who are at a particularly high level may require a certain number of unique badges or ribbons to impress them enough to listen to a trainer. If travelling together as a group, the collective number of unique badges or ribbons are used to determine the highest level a wild Pokemon will be that will listen:
| 1 badge/ribbon = level 20 2 badges/ribbons = level 30 4 badges/ribbons = level 40 6 badges/ribbons = level 50 8 badges/ribbons = level 60 | 10 badges/ribbons = level 70 12 badges/ribbons = level 80 14 badges/ribbons = level 90 16 badges/ribbons = level 100 |
→ How many Pokemon can a character have?
Characters may keep up to 6 Pokemon in their party, and may own up to 20 Pokemon all together. Any additional Pokemon caught after the first six will automatically be transferred to and be kept at the daycare at the central island, but due to limited space and resources, the daycare is unable to take care of more than 20 Pokemon per trainer. Once a trainer has 20 Pokemon, any additional Pokemon they try to catch will automatically be released; in order to catch new Pokemon, they will have to release one of their old ones.
→ Do we have to report each new capture to the mods?
Yes. To ensure that the game is balanced and characters are not randomly capturing extremely rare or unaccessible Pokemon, all players must submit their character's new Pokemon catch under the New Pokemon toplevel in the Locations page.
→ How many moves can a Pokemon learn?
Pokemon are not limited to four moves as in the games. They can learn as many moves as they are able to learn up to what's available for their level, as well as TM and HM moves. For a list of what moves each Pokemon can learn, please reference Bulbapedia and look under "Learnset" for the specific Pokemon.
→ How does training a Pokemon work?
Levels will be earned through bonus activity. Each month, a Pokemon can grow up to 10 levels (15 for traded Pokemon), and will automatically learn new moves once they reach the appropriate level. Higher level Pokemon may also be found and caught in the wild.
→ How does battling and capturing Pokemon work?
Pokemon battles are one-on-one against a wild Pokemon or another trainer's Pokemon. Advantage in battle is given to Pokemon of a higher level (corresponding to higher stats, which will not be tracked in this game), effective moves against the opponent Pokemon type, battle strategy, etc. Encounters and battles will not be moderated and players should keep in mind that regardless of the number of encounters and battles, Pokemon will still only gain up to 10 levels (15 for traded Pokemon) a month, characters can only own up to a maximum of 20 Pokemon, and the maximum level their Pokemon can be before they start disobeying is determined by the number of badges/ribbons owned by the travelling group.
Player characters can battle each other to their hearts' content. It's a bonding experience.
Player characters can battle each other to their hearts' content. It's a bonding experience.
→ What happens if you lose a battle?
Characters can lose a Pokemon battle if they have no more Pokemon to use. If they were battling a NPC trainer, they will have to forfeit a portion of money to the winner. If they were battling a wild Pokemon, they will be attacked by the Pokemon who will only really care about stealing some of their money. Why do they need money? To buy delicious boba made specifically just for Pokemon, of course. :9
In addition, character may randomly "black out" when they lose a battle, passing out on the spot. This is an option completely left up to the player if they choose to go that route and be true to Gen I. As for NPC trainers, players can also choose if they want their character's opponent to black out. ICly, no one really knows why this would happen with PCs but would explain that the shock and despair of losing could cause some NPCs to faint.
In addition, character may randomly "black out" when they lose a battle, passing out on the spot. This is an option completely left up to the player if they choose to go that route and be true to Gen I. As for NPC trainers, players can also choose if they want their character's opponent to black out. ICly, no one really knows why this would happen with PCs but would explain that the shock and despair of losing could cause some NPCs to faint.
→ How do gyms and contests work?
There are 8 gyms and 8 contest halls scattered about the region. Players are free to either play out the gym battles/contests or handwave them, but either way, they must comment for mod approval in order to win these events. This may be done through the Pokemon Information page and under the appropriate top-level.
→ Can I punch a Pokemon?
You can try! Even the smallest Pokemon are much stronger than the average human, though, and while Pokemon generally do not attack humans, provoking them may lead to serious injury and possibly death.
→ Can we eat Pokemon?
If you can manage it before they eat you.
→ Can we steal Pokemon? I would like to steal six Meowths.
I guess. Yeah.
If you have a question that is not answered above, please comment with your question below in this entry or contact a mod. Someone will be with you shortly.
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