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DoubleNegative
Jan 27, 2010

The most virtuous child in the entire world.
:killdozer: On to the next page!

EDIT: Yay, we did it.

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Blaze Dragon
Aug 28, 2013
LOWTAX'S SPINE FUND

Zanzibar Ham posted:

Guess I'll help reach the next page by just saying at this point I definitely know I only played the second game, because there's no way I played this far in and what happened there/the areas I remember were completely different.

You honestly aren't missing much with not playing the first, it's very rough around the edges. It was a good game when it came out regardless, but the second and third games just improve way too much to go back to it.

I do recommend playing the third if you can though, it's the best of the series.

Crosspeice
Aug 9, 2013

I've been waiting for the all the bullshit, and it hasn't disappointed so far. There's still so much left to go! It's also been nice to see all the little things here and there, always a treat when you haven't played a game in a little while.

1234567890num
Oct 6, 2017

Crosspeice posted:

I've been waiting for the all the bullshit

:shepicide:

1234567890num
Oct 6, 2017

Music: Ranger Base


In the place of a Leader, I hereby certify you, Circe, as Ranger Rank 8!

Music: Rank Up!


:woop: That took a longer time to achieve than our previous ranks.
Yay! I still love how ridiculously over the top these rank up messages are.
With this rank, we unlocked Ice assist, which is our last unlockable assist :toot:

Music: Ranger Base


Ah, Joel, welcome back! How was Wintown? I don't seem to see Spenser?
We've gotten reliable intelligence. The Go-Rock Squad's hideout seems to be located somewhere in the Sekra Range. Spenser has remained in Wintown to keep gathering intelligence. I returned for the time being to analyze our findings so far.
The Go-Rock Squad's hideout is located near Wintown? We should send Spenser support in the form of another Ranger. Who will be good for the task?
How about Circe? Circe has been mentored by Spenser and has the experience.
I think that would be the best and most logical choice myself.

It's great to see how everyone acknowledges our rank :smug:
We're just that good! :kamina:



Unfortunately, Dragonite follow the main games' Fly rules :(

I remember Cameron mentioning something interesting about an underwater tunnel in the Safra Sea. According to him, the tunnel will take you from Summerland close to Wintown in very little time. Perhaps we should be pumping Cameron for details.
I see... That could be a solution.
*To Circe* Circe, you've heard. Take the Dragonite Bus from upstairs to see Cameron in Summerland. Speak to Cameron for information on the underwater tunnel. No time to waste! Chop, chop!

As usual, it's time for a round of NPC talk.
Wait, we gotta take an underwater tunnel from summer to winter? We can't just walk through the forest to the north-ish?



Take the Dragonite Bus from upstairs. Chop, chop!

We could've gone to Summerland this way with the help of Lapras! :mad:



Did you know the Ranger Leader in Wintown is a woman? Her name is Elita.

Trying very hard to not make a "battle angel" joke. Wait, gently caress...



There's nothing more to do here, so let's just go.

All right, Dragonite! Off you go to Summerland. Astonish us with your speed!

*Flying ensues*

Music: Summerland


It's true that the underwater tunnel in the Safra Sea is a shortcut from here to Wintown.The tunnel ends close to a cavern that will put you right by Wintown. There's just one problem. It's difficult to swim there. Actually, it's impossible! What should we do?

*Cameron thinks for a bit*

Hey, I know! Circe, didn't I give you something before that might work? You know, that heap of scrap metal! ...No, wait. That'd be the submersible Aquamole! Our mechanic's been banging away on it ever since, so maybe it's seaworthy now.

...So we are going to use the deathtrap submarine? How did you guys even manage to go there in the first place if the only route is underwater? Did you just borrow the Dive HM? :psyduck:
They may have gone the Insurgence route and used SCUBA gear. Or, yeah, a Dive HM. Or just someone had a Wailord.
Wailord don't exist in Fiore... :smith:



Leader, Leader, there's something I need.
You got an itch on your back that you can't scratch?
No! It's nothing like that! See, I was getting some Taillow to deliver some submarine parts... They started racing, and it seems as if they dropped as et of parts in the jungle somewhere. They're key parts, too. Can I get you to help me find them?

Seems like insurance doesn't exist in this universe.

Awesome, Circe! Sounds like your ship's come in!



Please don't make us do this. Shouldn't there be another, saner path?

It's revealed later that there's another route through Krokka Tunnel, which would've been much faster. However, that route will only be available to us on postgame.
:mad: I fuckin' knew it!

Huh? You don't need to go to Wintown after all? That's not true, is it?



:sigh:

OK, that's settled, then! Circe, you must know the Olive Jungle like the back of your hand by now. I can't consider this a real mission, but I expect you'll do your best like always.
Thanks, this'll be a great help.



*When talked to* I'm counting on your help to find those missing parts.

Well, if we look at the bright side, the mechanic is actually going to be joining us unlike Leilani or Percy. This isn't actually a good thing and I wish he'd just stay at the entrance

Music: Ranger Base


I think our mechanic doesn't like the jungle as much as me.

Do you even like the jungle? I'm not getting that impression from our time together.



I used to do nothing but just hang out every day. That is, until Cameron invited me to join his Ranger Base.

...So Cameron is just hiring random guys? No wonder they're so incompetent :ms:
Let's be honest, Cameron just uses the Summerland ranger base as a place to play cards and drink beer soda with his buds.
Yeah, I can definitely imagine him doing that :hmmyes:

Music: Summerland


...I'd say Wailmer. You don't agree? I'll beg to differ, then.



Don't they have any emergency news broadcasts or anything here?
When I'm with my husband, it feels as if we're still back in the busy city... Doesn't he understand we're at a vacation resort?
What's the Go-Rock Squad that everyone keeps talking about? That name is kind of cool, but it sounds kind of silly, too.



It almost made me fall on the ground!



Not just odd, embarrassing even.

Tell that to the mechanic beside Circe :colbert:
If Summerland gets hit by a sudden flash freeze, then we'll be the ones who look smart! :downs:



Cameron came running right then and took me and my Phanphy to a safe place.



It's you, isn't it? The brave Ranger that took on the four challenges? I never expected to see someone so young with so much spine and guts before my own eyes! It pays to lead a long life! Hahaha!

I really hope he doesn't know that the fourth challenge is what caused the earthquake and possibly an apocalypse :ohdear:



Cameron told me that two brave Rangers saved the Jungle Relic. I can understand you being on vacation, but you should try to be a Ranger like them.

Poor Aria doesn't even get any credit :smith:
Aria, nothing. Poor Circe doesn't get any credit here.



:stonklol:



...What the gently caress are you doing here.

As you can well see, I'm what I expect you'd call an explorer. I've heard that deep inside the Jungle Relic, there are places where lava boils over in fiery pools. When I hear something like that, my blood as an explorer boils over in fiery excitement!
Do you remember that Snorlax that was in the jungle? I saw it down at the harbor earlier. It was looking longingly toward the north, as if it were being nostalgic. I wonder if it's still there?

You actually saw an awake Snorlax?! :aaaaa:



Just thinking about it makes my teeth chatter! Brrr! Ch-ch-chatter!

Would you say that Wintown is perpendicularly colder than Summerland? :downsrim:
gently caress. There's no reading that is charitable to either Wintown or Summerland. The "best" reading has Summerland be at 90f (32.2c) and Wintown at 0f (-17.8c). Both are way too far to the extremes!
30ish Celcius is the temperature in tropical areas for pretty much the whole year, so that sounds about right. -18 is more appropriate for, say, Snowpoint City though :eng101:

Music: Mission Start!


Music: Olive Jungle
The set of parts was dropped way in the west end of the jungle. I don't know my way around the jungle. I'll just follow you, OK?

*A Wurmple jumps out*



...Huh? B-b-b-bug! Aiyaaaah! I'm out of here!

*The mechanic runs behind Circe*

Gasp...gasp...gasp...gasp... ...I forgot to mention it, but I just can't stand Bug-group Pokemon.



I'm not kidding! I really will split and run!
*When talked to* The parts were dropped in the west end of the jungle. Also--and I'm begging you--please don't touch any Bug-group Pokemon.

Crosspeice posted:

escort missions are an actual thing in these games! But watch out, if you go near any Bug types, Cheryl will be scared back to the entrance! Haha, just kidding, that would suck.

OH gently caress ME
Oh boy. This... this is not a good look. I can just feel the frustration coming off this update and your text.



...Speaking of not noticing, it's the same with Pokemon. They don't notice people if they can't see them. If you don't want to be noticed by Pokemon, you should go stealthily and avoid catching their eye. OK, I'm going to go back to vacantly staring at this cliff. Bye now!

Treecko isn't a bug type, so it's safe.
It's an escort mission with forced stealth instant fail segments. Why. W. H. Y.



Wurmple is still as slow as actual slime and sloths, so even 4 of them aren't that bad.



Electrike is also not a bug type, so it's also safe. Just like the sailor earlier said, the Snorlax had moved away. Obviously, the area that were blocked by it is where we need to go.



Beautifly doesn't aggro us, and it usually flies in out-of-bounds area, so they're not that bad.



Venonat is fast, but it's in a corner so we don't have to go near it.

...You know, I'm starting to think that this escort nonmission isn't actually that bad after all!
Just waiting for the shoe to drop. Aaaaany minute now...





:negative:
And there it is. He sees one and he panics. I'm sure this won't be tedious as gently caress at all.

1234567890num fucked around with this message at 03:41 on Aug 9, 2019

Crosspeice
Aug 9, 2013

Ah, I remember spending quite some time here. Sometimes I wonder if I actually like the game, or the other two games make me think I do.

BlazeEmblem
Jun 8, 2013

Uh oh. Do I use Ariadne thread or Goho-M?

You've finally reached the worst part of the game.

Or any ranger game, really.

BlazeEmblem fucked around with this message at 05:58 on Aug 9, 2019

Blaze Dragon
Aug 28, 2013
LOWTAX'S SPINE FUND

Crosspeice posted:

Ah, I remember spending quite some time here. Sometimes I wonder if I actually like the game, or the other two games make me think I do.

Honestly, I'm starting to wonder the same. I blocked this part entirely, but I clearly must've played it, but the fact that I can't remember it at all probably isn't something good.

Polderjoch
Jun 27, 2019

May the sacred flame guide me... Or something like that.
Leilani's idea of restoring Summerland's image being to make a sandcastle is amazing :allears:

Despite the obscene bullshit that this mission is, I actually like this game better than the second; that one just feels like it drags on forever at some points and even the padding missions (like this one) are incredibly long.

1234567890num
Oct 6, 2017

Music: Olive Jungle


...I'm serious, I just can't stand Bug-group Pokemon. ...I'll be OK now. Let's go find those missing parts.

Seriously? Why can't you just run off ahead or something? Why must you run back to the entrance? :argh:
This is why every game studio needs an average game player on tap. Just so they can show an idea to them and be told, in no uncertain terms, how stupid the idea is.



:sigh: Alright, let's try this again. This guy's hint is very important.



Remember those Corphish in Underground Waterworks? Remember how annoying it is that it's faster than Circe and there's no room to navigate around it?

Well, this mission also has that aspect with Ariados. Except we have a little more room to wiggle around but a contact means we have to start over from the beginning. It sucks.

This is one section nobody would think less of you if you savestate-scummed it. Because seriously, gently caress instant fail stealth sections.
Oh, I was about to. Then I got really lucky and ended up doing it on the second try.



If an Ariados feels our presence, we should back off. If it sees us and aggros us, try to run back off if you're not past it already.



The only way to get past these Ariados is to go behind their back. That means we'll have to hope that there's some space to pass through behind them and that they don't turn around when we're right behind them.
:tizzy: So it's literally down to luck if you succeed?
Yep! :buddy:



The other bug Pokemon aren't a huge problem, but they do mean that we can't just coast through this part.



Let's just say that by the time I finished this part for the first time, Ariados is my least favorite Pokemon.

I said earlier that Gligar is the worst Pokemon in the series, but in this game specifically Ariados is worse.

I just can't fathom what would go through someone's head to design this sort of horseshit.



Ariados can't climb these vines because spiders aren't known for being able to climb walls, apparently. I'll accept whatever makes this mission less tedious.



This section is very short distance-wise (the exit is just up the vines on the left), but it can take an extremely long time to go through it. I might make this look easy, but trust me when I say that it's definitely not.

Getting through all 4 Ariados in one go is very tricky and tedious and I wish this section doesn't exist. The only reason this isn't the worst mission is because this isn't officially a mission :shepicide:

All in favor of calling this a mission? Unanimous? Fair. It's now a mission, and by extension, the worst mission in the game.



The path to the right contains a non-Bug Pokemon. The only one in this side of the jungle, in fact!



Bayleef can shoot leaf boomerangs, just like Bellsprout. It can do this however many times it wants in a row, though, so we have to wait until it moves again to know that it's safe.



Required Loops: 11
Possible EXP: 36/40/44/50


That's a very pathetic EXP yield considering how many loops are needed. Let's just get this section over and done with... :sigh:
:cripes:



There it is! There's the missing set of parts!



I kicked a Magikarp...

How do you accidentally kick a magikarp? Isn't it well known that they become Gyarados?



I don't blame the Magikarp for getting angry with me. This is my responsibility. Will you let me handle this?

Sure! Let's see how you handle non-Bug Pokemon.
Countdown to this going badly...

Also this mechanic is in the running for most unlikeable character in the game.


Music: Trouble
*The screen shakes*



But this is way out of my league. Can you handle this for me?

...Never mind then. I can't even be happy that we finally get to catch the fishes :sigh:

Sign Don't throw things into the pond! Protect nature and your reputation! <Summerland Tourism Bureau>
*When talked to* I'll keep out of your way. You have to make this capture!

The mechanic leaves us after Gyarados' appearance. This means that we can actually go back and capture the bug Pokemon from earlier. So I did.

Video: Gyarados + 4 Magikarp


With assists on hand, let's catch some fishes.

Music: Wild Boss Pokemon Encounter


Since we're facing off against Water Pokemon, Plusle seems like an amazing choice.



That is well and all except for the fact that Plusle can actually miss. It would've been wiser to use it with a full gauge :sweatdrop:
Are you serious? It can miss?



...Yeah, that can happen if you're unlucky. Using Electric assist with more charges have Plusle shoots at more directions in addition to stunning the Pokemon for a longer time.



Time for plan B then. Which stands for plan Bayleef :downsrim:
To their credit, they did put the Bayleef right in your path once you were past the Ariados. That's actually good game design!



Plan B works well enough. I love Gyarados' capture sprite :allears:



Gyarados shoots out Hydro Pump, by the way. And take a guess as to what those Magikarp did. Or just watch the video.

On another note, see the ball next to Gyarados?



That's the Bug assist. I'm just trying it out here because Ariados spotted me when I tried to get some assist.

Spoiler: It sucks. Gyarados is barely held for 2 seconds, not even enough for 3 loops :flaccid:
Poor Bug type. Pokemon Ranger's not a Gen 5 game, so it can't possibly be good!



THIS is the actually useful assist. Another trick the game doesn't tell you: creating tiny loops in a corner will create tornadoes that will hit the Pokemon eventually.



I never noticed it before this LP, but Flying assist is also amazingly good. It's actually on par with Fighting and Ghost :getin:
That's pretty high praise!

Music: Capture Complete


Required Loops: 3
Possible EXP: 5


Magikarp requires more than 1 loop?! :aaaaa:
Don't Magikarp have a 255 catch rate? That's kinda impressive that they aren't single loop fodder. Guess they had to make the late-game boss fight difficult somehow!



Required Loops: 11
Possible EXP: 430/450/470/490/510/530


Thank goodness Gyarados has half of its body submerged in water. It would suck if we had to loop all the way across its very long body...
How long until we have to do precisely that?
:stonklol:

Music: Olive Jungle
I've been hearing about you, but you're better than I thought! That loop-loop-loop-yank thing... That was pretty impressive! Oh yeah! The parts, the parts...

*The mechanic grabs the parts*

Music: Mission Clear!
This is it! This is the set of missing parts! The Aquamole will be ready for a dip soon! Hang on, Ranger!
*To the fishes* I feel sorry for what happened with the Magikarp and Gyarados. I got careless and caused that trouble. Sorry, everyone!
*To Circe* You calmed down the Pokemon by capturing them. Thanks a lot! I'm going to head back now and get right back to fixing the Aquamole. Look forward to its completion!



*Fade to black, because of course we don't get to keep the fishes* :smith:
RIP in piss mechanic. You were nothing but trouble the entire time we knew you!



Since this update is so short, let's talk about Poke Assists! Obviously, not all assist are created equal. Against enemies without weakness/resistance to it, some are just plain better to use.
That insect assist in particular looked to be pretty bad.
And some of these assists work very similarly to one another, just with different matchup.



First up, we have the Electric Charge Assist. Depending on the Pokemon's Field Move level, it restores 5/15/35 HP. Obviously it's useful in pretty much every situation.
It's probably pretty bad that I forgot or never realized it recharged HP. I thought it was just for paralysis
That's exclusive to Plusle and Minun. All the other Electric Pokemon have this instead.



Next, we have the instant assists. They have no timer, and thus no second chances. They are very powerful if used correctly, as we've seen before.

As far as I know, Electric starts out weaker than Psychic but grows better with more gauges, surpassing it with high charges. There's a maximum of 5 bars, each unlocked at odd ranks.

The last one will be coming up soon then, if I'm not mistaken
Yep. It's right after our next official mission.



The line assists...
Yeah, these are assists that require the Pokemon to touch the line (or at least extremely close to it).
Poison seems to cover the widest area based on the little demonstration picture?
Not really, but it is the only one that can hit Flying Pokemon.
So it's the most useful against the most types.
I can see why you'd think that, but it's still Poison type. The awful matchup negates its advantage.
Better off to use electric against Flying types. As long as it doesn't miss, at least.
Yeah, these generally aren't that useful. You may get lucky and have the Pokemon run into your line without breaking it, but don't count on it.



These only seem situationally useful. But I guess that also describes most assists.
These flicking assists pretty much useless. Flicking is hard to do with a mouse, not to mention that it lasts for a very short time. And, of course, flicking requires letting go of the stylus, which means we can only stun them at the start of each loop.
Yeah, that doesn't sound very useful even on hardware.
At least Water and Rock are strong against plenty of types. Bug can't even do that... :flaccid:
Like I said, Bug can't be good because it's not post-Gen V



Next up we have the looping assist, giving us plenty of chances to reapply the status. They're generally the best since we can reapply them. Fire assist's status effect have some cooldowns. Ghost has no such cooldown, though.
Ghost, we've already covered, is among the strongest in the game.
Ice, meanwhile, is the one we just unlocked. Ice Pokemon are contained in pretty much just one area, with a few stragglers around it. That makes it the assist with least availability. As if to rub salt in the wounds, they made Flying Pokemon immune to Ice assist for some reason. Ice types gets shafted on everything... :smith:
Yeah, it sucks. At least I showed that Ice could be powerful with Cirno! Though it took until a fangame...
It is the only assist to be strong against Dragon types, though (since Dragon assist doesn't exist). Except there's only 2 Dragon types left to catch in the game. And both of them will be flying, so... :flaccid:
Welp.



Finally, we have the remainders, each with their own unique effects. Fighting and Dark also have unique matchup, with Fighting losing its weaknesses and Dark losing both its weaknesses and advantages.
Fighting is just a wee bit broken, but in a good way.
We've also seen how good Flying is. So that leaves just Dark assist.
You've mentioned that a longer line can be useful.
It can be, but it's not worth sacrificing 25% of our current health.
So... not useful.
Except if the Pokemon itself is huge like Gyarados would be if half of it isn't submerged. Then it's pretty much necessary.
Still waiting for that to be a postgame challenge.

That's all of the assists!
Seemed like more non-useful than useful ones. But the good ones were really good.
Typing really matters, after all. As we've seen before, even weak assist can break the game with a good matchup.

1234567890num fucked around with this message at 15:31 on Aug 25, 2019

Polderjoch
Jun 27, 2019

May the sacred flame guide me... Or something like that.
Fun fact about that Bayleef, it actually first spawns when you go up to do the challenges in the ruins, and since the first game lets you engage in multiple wild Pokémon if they're close enough together, you can use the Electrike or a Lotad that's roaming at the other side of the cliff to catch the Bayleef early.

It's just a silly little thing, but something I remember doing pretty much every time I played the game.


Also, it's literally only these Magikarp that require 3 loops, any other Magikarp in the game only require 1.

1234567890num
Oct 6, 2017

Polderjoch posted:

Fun fact about that Bayleef, it actually first spawns when you go up to do the challenges in the ruins, and since the first game lets you engage in multiple wild Pokémon if they're close enough together, you can use the Electrike or a Lotad that's roaming at the other side of the cliff to catch the Bayleef early.

It's just a silly little thing, but something I remember doing pretty much every time I played the game.


Also, it's literally only these Magikarp that require 3 loops, any other Magikarp in the game only require 1.

That's actually a great way to get into a capture with Pokemon that flees from Circe and I kinda wish the sequels let us do this...

About those Magikarp, the ones that require 1 loop are all in the Marine Challenge. There's a wild Magikarp we can capture and carry around that requires 3 loops.

1234567890num
Oct 6, 2017

Music: Ranger Base


Our mechanic was saying it's a pleasure fixing the Aquamole knowing he's doing it for you. The Aquamole shouldn't take long to get seaworthy now. So, here's your next mission. Circe, your mission is to take the Aquamole to Wintown. I'll contact the Ranger Base there. The Leader there is a lady named Elita. She's aloof and chilly... ...Whoa, whoa, whoa, never mind that! Good luck with your mission!



Finally, we're free from that godawful side trip! :dance:

One of our Leader's gifts is finally going to be useful... It's really cold in Wintown, so make sure you don't catch a cold.
Our mechanic is klutzy, but it looks like he's doing a great job with the Aquamole's repairs.
Take the Aquamole through the undersea tunnel in the Safra Sea. The tunnel leads to a small lake. There, you'll find a cave that will take you to Wintown. It's straightforward.



But the big difference from our Stylers is that the Go-Rock Squad's Stylers don't have a release function. It must be because they haven't given any thought to the idea of releasing Pokemon.

Music: Summerland


Oh, sorry, I'm just overjoyed. It's finally ready! Your Aquamole's ready for a dip! We're ready to launch anytime at the end of the center pier. Come as soon as you're ready! *runs away*

At least someone is excited about this whole thing.
Is that the same mechanic from before? :argh:
Yep.





Far be it from me to spend any more time growing dull and complacent in a resort like this. I've given up on exploring the Jungle Relic for now, but that doesn't mean I'm done. I hear there's a place called the Fiore Temple near Wintown. I'm definitely going there. Maybe two days from now, three at most.
Ayup, I'm a man of the sea all right. ...But I don't think I can sail in that wee submarine of yours.



I can easily understand how a submarine can turn into a pile of scrap, but...



Every summer, I come to that very same conclusion.

I'd call him dumb, but I have the exact same reaction every time I go to the beach and get in the ocean.



I've lived for ninety years, but even I don't know if it was formed naturally or if a Pokemon dug it through.







I'm guessing it's just one of those cheap inflatable "submersibles" you get as a prize from something.
Doesn't our son ever get hungry? He's been playing outside this whole time...

I'm not exactly filled with confidence here... :ohdear:
I really hope their son isn't a stowaway on the submarine.
I kinda doubt he'd fit, what with its small size.



Is he busy with work? That'd be a real change!



:stare: That actually looks safe.

I've programmed the autopilot system to where the Leader said, so it will just take you there. I also made room so your Plusle can ride, too!

You actually considered Plusle, so you're almost forgiven for the whole escort mission ordeal. ALMOST. :colbert:
Full forgiveness would require him to just let us pilot our own way. So we can explore the underwater.



Cool! Awesome! That can go underwater!
Don't give me that scared look. It's safe! Just get on board.

Aquamole The Aquamole was repaired through the expertise and diligence of one mechanic. It operates on an autopilot system.

Right... Let's see if the mechanic actually does a good job :pray:

Music: Mission Start!


Music: Krokka Tunnel


Looks like we actually made it safely :neckbeard:

Spoiler: We're never going to get to explore Safra Seafloor.

:smith:

From: Cameron
To: Circe

How was your Aquamole voyage? I hope it was pleasant at least. When you make land, go through the Panula Cave and head for Wintown. I also got a message from our mechanic for you. "The Aquamole was loaded with only enough fuel for a one-way trip. It was my oversight. Sorry!" So there you have it. It's pretty klutzy of him, I'd say.



Welp. We're trapped here. Not like we could do anything else if we can go back, but still :sigh:



That's a lake! How did you bring that weird boat here? Hunh? This lake is connected to the sea outside, you're saying? No wonder the fishing is so good!

Sign This lake's water is salty. It is not recommended for cooking.

I always love that Magikarp's "dialogue" is just flopping :allears:
Karp karp karp!



Good thing Wintown rangers are actually competent. Unlike our last batch...



A winding path near water... Why does this seem familiar? :thunkher:

New Music: Panula Cave


Yeah, sure, enjoy Jynx's dance...



That's not a Jynx!
Kill it with fire!



Of course there's Golbat here. This is a cave, after all. Golbat attacks twice in a row.

This mission introduces us to a new mechanic: Pokemon's reaction after a failed capture. In Golbat's case, it's getting frightened (moves faster and won't attack).




Required Loops: 7
Possible EXP: 32/37/42/49




All the Jynx here are located in hard-to-reach areas, so we'll catch the other Pokemon first.



Snorunt only attacks after a failed capture.



Required Loops: 6
Possible EXP: 25/31/37/45




This place is a ledge maze. We have to go all the way back up if you fell, with Jynx's dance accompanying us.
A ledge maze doesn't sound like a good time, not gonna lie.
At least if we don't want to bother with all these Pokemon we only have to jump over a grand total of 0 ledges.



Whismur also only attacks after a failed capture. They really want you to recognize this mechanic.
At least they're going out of their way to tutorialize it.
This mechanic will become a usual part of the Pokemon's AI. I won't point out every time this comes up (because I'm too lazy to test this for every single Pokemon).



Required Loops: 4
Possible EXP: 25/28/31/35




Oh look, a full heal! :dance:



Raichu has the exact same attack as Magneton, but it heals a lot more! :woop:
:hellyeah:



Required Loops: 3
Possible EXP: 15




Pictured: Circe enjoying Jynx's dance. Circe is so entranced that she can just fall off a ledge if she isn't careful.
Confusion! :arghfist:



We have to take a huge detour to get to Jynx here. There's one at the end of the mission right in our path, though.



Jynx's attack has a huge but kinda random range, so it can be annoying to capture.



This is always welcome, though :toot:



Required Loops: 9
Possible EXP: 68/72/76/82




I'm choosing to read that "hurry" as him being impatient with Circe for taking so long.
Sorry... Got distracted by all these Pokemon :sweatdrop:

*The screen shakes*

Lots of tremors lately.

Eh, I'm sure it'll fine.



Going left on this fork...



Medicham should be useful with all these Ice Pokemon around.



Medicham's attack has a big range, so make sure to capture it slowly but steadily.
Stands to reason. Huge power, huge attack range!

By the way, we got our third layer of health with our latest level up :toot:



Required Loops: 9
Possible EXP: 52/59/66/76






Yep. That sure is a path-blocking Steelix alright.
Water to wake what is arguably the face of the steel type? :raise:

Not fire or fighting?

We're trying to wake it up, not make it faint :colbert:

Blaze Dragon
Aug 28, 2013
LOWTAX'S SPINE FUND

But... Steelix is weak to Water too. It's a Ground type.

Zanzibar Ham
Mar 17, 2009

You giving me the cold shoulder? How cruel.


Grimey Drawer
Oh I remember this part! You wake the Steelix up, then someone else (saaay... Aria?) gets to ride on it and destroy the Go-Rock base while you watch.

Polderjoch
Jun 27, 2019

May the sacred flame guide me... Or something like that.

It was always weird to me that they bothered making a full location complete with a location tag for an area you only visit once for all of three seconds. Even when you return to the Safra Seafloor later it doesn't even count as this area and doesn't have this description.

Considering some other unused stuff in the game I can only assume you were originally supposed to explore this place yourself, as the in-between mission instead of the mechanic bullshit, which would make a little bit more sense for Magikarp and Gyarados (and why gyarados' sprite has his entire body shown and not just the above-water part). It would also be a million times less frustrating :v:

Polderjoch fucked around with this message at 13:47 on Aug 23, 2019

1234567890num
Oct 6, 2017

Music: Panula Cave


In the main games, this Steelix would've been easily captured. But apparently you can't convey your feelings to a sleeping Pokemon :(
It's pretty cute sleeping like that at least. Such a happy, sleepy Steelix. :3:



Instead, we'll just go through the other, available path.



I don't know whose idea it is to make the attack range that huge, but gently caress that guy :argh:
The two screenshots, at least to me, implied you stepped on a landmine. I dunno why, but I thought it was pretty funny at least!



Required Loops: 6
Possible EXP: 30/37/44/51/58/65




Going further, we see 2 new Pokemon.



We'll get Wobbuffet first, since it's more interesting.



This is an interesting way to implement Wobbuffet's gimmick.
I like it! It might catch you by surprise the first time you meet it, but it's not obnoxious.



Required Loops: 8
Possible EXP: 55/59/63/69


Music: Wild Pokemon Capture


Poliwrath, meanwhile, just shoots a water jet once. That's a downgrade from Poliwhirl who can shoot however many times.

...Oh yeah, Poliwhirl can jump from the water.




That Poliwhirl is stalling me enough to give Poliwrath time to flee :argh:

Music: Capture Complete


Required Loops: 11
Possible EXP: 60/66/72/78/84/90


Fleeing isn't what I'd associate with Poliwrath, but :shrug:
Something, something... "endgame must be tedious in place of actual difficulty."
Something, something... "the sequels mostly fix these problems"

Music: Panula Cave




Good thing this Steelix doesn't get pissed off and attacks us :sweatdrop:
:raise: We got a pokemon best known for being a fighting type evolution to use its water attacks on the Steelix?
:shrug:



The ice on the left are broken. I think it's meant to show how the Steelix manage to get here.



More Pokemon!



The shadow ball moves slowly in a wavy pattern, so it's harder to avoid. Dusclops attacks often enough to make this capture annoying.



Required Loops: 9
Possible EXP: 70/77/84/91/98/105


It's definitely nowhere near as bad as Solrock, though.



*Circe moves towards them*

You're Circe? I'm Elita, the Leader of Wintown. I call him "Silent Chris" for obvious reasons.You don't have far to go to the Wintown exit. But there's a problem... There's a situation up ahead. A litter of Piloswine is on a rampage. The corridor to Wintown is unusable.



I think it's from the tremors, but a baby Swinub got separated from the Piloswine litter. If the Swinub is found and returned to the litter, the Piloswine should calm down. I have to investigate the cause of the tremors, so I would like you to deal with the Piloswine litter.
Leader... On the way, there was a rarely seen...
There was a Steelix?! That must be causing the tremors! Chris, guide me there, please.

*They both leave*

Oh, sure, just let the newcomer do all the dirty work :rolleyes:
The Steelix causing the tremors at least makes sense!



You might notice that the floor has a different color than before. That's because this is a slippery ice floor, just like the slippery sludge floor from the waterworks.

At least it's just for this floor and there's no holes to fall into. And it's the last one in this game. We'll see more of these in later games, though. gently caress you, Almia Castle :argh:

Wouldn't be a pokemon game without sliding ice mazes.



Glalie itself is pretty straightforward.



Glalie hate Rangers in particular it seems.
I wonder why... :iiam:

Required Loops: 9
Possible EXP: 65/71/77/85




Like Elita said, we can't go past without capturing the lost Swinub.



The game is kind enough to show where it is, at least. There's a third hole to the right, just offscreen.



There's some stairs we can take to get upstairs, where we can get ambushed by this Golbat and an offscreen Dusclops.



There's also a slide, which is how we're going to get to where Swinub is.



Circe will automatically move down, so we just have to move left or right to avoid the holes. Falling into them will force us to go back up through the ambush Golbat and Dusclops.
Oh god... that's making me motion sick.
That gif is sped up 4 times. There's some forks, but taking the left path every time will lead us to Swinub.

Music: Wild Pokemon Capture


Swinub attacks with the usual curved charge.

Music: Capture Complete


Sleepy piggy! :3:

Required Loops: 5
Possible EXP: 25/26/27/29


Music: Panula Cave


There's a second exit to the slide, which can be reached by choosing right every time. It has considerably more holes.



It leads to our third hole, which has a new Pokemon.



Loudred attacks multiple times consecutively and does it automatically, but otherwise it's just like Whismur.
I don't think I've ever especially thought Loudred were pokemon that liked icy caves.
Loudred can be found on caves in other games, so close enough.



Required Loops: 7
Possible EXP: 50/56/62/70




After giving the Swinub back, we have to watch as all the Piloswine leaves. Slowly. Even slower than those Skitty long ago. :sigh:
I have many questions about how the Swinub got away from the Piloswine. At least there wasn't a Mamoswine, though!



The Piloswine we can capture is just upstairs.



Like Swinub, it charges in a curved line. Big surprise there :geno:



Required Loops: 7
Possible EXP: 70/73/76/80


I have a soft spot for the shaggy ice hogs!



More new Pokemon!



More new Pokemon that acts just like its preevolution!



Required Loops: 15
Possible EXP: 95/105/115/125/135/145


Golem's simple attack patern is a good thing since that's a lot of loops.
That's a lot of XP. :stare:



A similar block of ice is blocking the path in the cave from the earlier picture, so no side trips for now.

Video: Steelix


*The screen shakes*



Oh, hi, Steelix. Can you let us pass?

Music: Wild Boss Pokemon Encounter


No? drat.



Steelix has no attacks, but it doesn't need them. Its skin is enough to cause damage on contact.



As you can see, Steelix is long. It's very easy to make the loop too big that we can't connect the ends.
One of the use cases for the Dark-type assist?



Even after catching plenty of Pokemon, our line length is barely enough to cover it.

Now, you might be asking "Why don't we just use an assist to hold it in place while we capture it quickly?"




Well, let's take a look at all the assist available for us:
  • Plusle: Electric (sure, it might work)
  • Pikachu, Raichu: Charge (won't directly help with capturing Steelix)
  • Snorunt, Glalie, Swinub, Poliswine: Ice (not very effective against Steel)
  • Jynx, Solrock, Wobbuffet: Psychic (also not very effective against Steel)
  • Dusclops: Ghost (yet again not very effective)
  • Golem: Rock (wow Steel types are overpowered)
  • Whismur, Loudred: None (Normal has no assist)
  • Poliwhirl, Poliwrath: Water (I guess it's possible...)
  • Medicham: Fighting (helps IF you can get loops around it in the first place)
  • Golbat: Poison (lol)
  • Sneasel: Dark (exempt from the whole "matchup" business)

I know Steel is supposed to be the defensive type, but come on...

Welp!



So yeah. Like you said, this capture is basically Dark assist's chance to shine. Pun not intentional.



We sacrifice 25% of our current HP (rounded down) to double our line length, reducing Steelix's size into a mere novelty.
This does seem like it's a tad punishing if you didn't get Sneasel, though.



Starting the line in a corner and utilizing the "line shortening" trick lets us get maximum EXP :c00l:



Fun fact: in any% speedruns, failing to capture Steelix before the assist's timer run out means having to reset from the beginning. The line length simply isn't enough to cover Steelix.
Yikes. That's a lot of ground to replay if you fail.
That's the risks you'll have to take when speedrunning this game :v:. 100% speedruns don't have this problem, at least.

Music: Capture Complete


Required Loops: 10
Possible EXP: 520/530/540/550/560/570


I stand corrected. That's a lot of EXP!

Music: Panula Cave


I'd received many reports about a Steelix going wild in the cave, so I was conducting an investigation. I don't think there's any question that Steelix caused the tremors. I just don't understand why.

Once this goes up, I'm gonna post an amusing glitch from the commentary version. Just because it amuses me.



Music: Go-Rock Squad!


This shouldn't come as a surprise if you paid attention to the start-of-capture message.
Or if you have any sort of pattern recognition skills. Or have been paying attention to the game's plot in a general sense.

I come check on the Steelix and I'll be darned, what do I find? A brat, some lady, and a stone-faced guy fouling up our perfect plan! We wanted to shut down the tunnel by making the Steelix set off quakes galore! *flees*
Halt, Go-Rock Squad!

*Chris and Elita chase after him*

The burrow this time is empty, so our only path is to follow after the others.



...I still feel like I've seen this place somewhere.
:shrug:

New Music: Sekra Range


Only a small trek left before we finally reach Wintown. This area, like the one between Krokka Tunnel and Fall City, has unique description.



I think Circe would be well within her rights to complain here. She's still stupidly wearing shorts and short sleeves.
Going straight from a tropical spot into an icy cave is not the best idea.

Music: Mission Clear!


That Go-Rock Squad member fled into the Sekra Range. Like it said in the reports from Spenser and Joel, the Go-Rock Squad's secret base is somewhere in the Sekra Range.

*They both go inside the base*

And you did jack poo poo until now because...?
Are we sure that Cameron is the laziest Ranger leader? Because Elita is starting to make me doubt their competency.

DoubleNegative
Jan 27, 2010

The most virtuous child in the entire world.
To keep my word:



A silly glitch in the commentary version. Double incredulity at Circe's Steelix-wrangling skills!

Crosspeice
Aug 9, 2013

You made that look easy.

It is not easy.

Blaze Dragon
Aug 28, 2013
LOWTAX'S SPINE FUND

Crosspeice posted:

You made that look easy.

It is not easy.

Oh god is it not. After Salamence, this is the hardest fight in the game. Steelix is horribly punishing for a Pokemon that never really does anything. I don't even remember how the hell I beat it, I know I didn't use Dark Assist.

Polderjoch
Jun 27, 2019

May the sacred flame guide me... Or something like that.
oh god I can't imagine doing this with dark

the lengthened capture line doesn't help when steelix only makes those circles for really short amounts of time, the only way I caught it was by my length just barely being long enough to use the nearby medicham to only make it 5 loops

1234567890num
Oct 6, 2017

Polderjoch posted:

oh god I can't imagine doing this with dark

the lengthened capture line doesn't help when steelix only makes those circles for really short amounts of time, the only way I caught it was by my length just barely being long enough to use the nearby medicham to only make it 5 loops

Using Medicham reduces the loops from 10 into 4 instead of 3 :eng101:

But yeah, Medicham is pretty much the only other choice. It does require you to be quick with your loops, though.

1234567890num
Oct 6, 2017

Music: Ranger Base


The pressures placed on you as a Ranger were considerable. However, you overcame them all to stand before me in Wintown. Circe, I hereby certify you as Ranger Rank 9!

Music: Rank Up!


I love that Elita's idle animation is the wind blowing on her coat. Even when she's indoors.
We're firmly in the big leagues now!

Music: Ranger Base
For reaching Ranger Rank 9, I'm authorizing the extension of your Styler's Partner Gauge to five segments.



Plusle is now fully powered :science:

I have your newest mission from Spenser, who should already be inside the Go-Rock Squad's secret base. Your assignment is to act as a decoy so that Spenser has a better chance of recovering the Super Styler. Your job is to infiltrate the secret base and attract the attention of the Go-Rock Squad. While you create a diversion, Spenser will go in and take back the Super Styler.



So basically we have to do the opposite of a stealth mission? I'm in!
Hell yeah. A mayhem mission. An important one, no less!

Hi, pleased to meet you. I'm Freddie. My role in this mission is to remain outside the Go-Rock Squad's secret base and try to attract their attention. In other words, I'll be the outside decoy. Let's use teamwork and get through this mission!
According to Spenser's data, their secret base is close to the mountain summit. Freddie, I want you to coordinate with Chris, who is already on the way.
Roger! I'm heading out. *heads out*
Circe, when you're ready, I want you to head for the secret base. Before you leave, it might be a good idea to confer with our Rangers upstairs for advice.
*When talked to* I'm expecting you to excel at the Go-Rock Squad's secret base.



You've come this far. There's no need to panic now. You may even run into a Pokemon that seems impossible to capture, despite your best efforts. If you do, try deliberately slowing down your Styler's movement so you can watch for your target's attacks. Remember, it's not always about speed. ...Actually, for all my big talk, I wish you could give me some tips on handling the more challenging captures.
I think this is obvious, but I'll ask you anyway. What would you do if another Ranger were to ask you about certain kinds of Pokemon? This is what I would do: I'd sneak a look at my Browser before I answered. I don't trust my memory all that much, so yeah.

These advice should've come before the Jungle Relic challenges.
Yeah, that first one especially. I'm pretty sure we've covered that it's impossible to get this far without having mastered the "slow your roll" technique.



Check out how sharp its eyes look. I get nervous around it because those eyes don't seem to miss anything.

New Music: Wintown


Wintown is only very slightly bigger than Ringtown. It is the only town without a Capture Challenge.



What's going to happen to Wintown?

This NPC is reminding me. Summer is ending soon and cold weather is on its way. :smith:
I'm a minority in that I can't stand summer's sun. Then again, I live in an area with no chance of snow, so the cold never bothers me anyway.



I think you should definitely check it out. ...Actually, I haven't even seen the place myself. They said the doors are closed, and no one can go inside it usually, so...

It's either the location of the final battle or a postgame area.

Fireplace This fireplace radiates warmth. It's essential for survival in these parts.



But it seems to seek the company of people, and it often comes toddling into the town. Isn't it just the sweetest thing?

It sure is :3:
Awww, that's cute. :3:



They were crying because they hurt. The big Pokemon were hurt. Big girl, you have to help those Pokemon.



It was only after that oddly dressed group appeared that all the troubles with Pokemon started. There've been too many sinister mishaps for this to be a coincidence. My intuition tells me so, and it is rarely wrong. I'm the oldest woman in all Fiore. I should know.



In all my waking hours, and always in my dreams, all I can think of is the Ranger Leader Elita. She's usually so very cool, but when she's capturing... Hot, hot, hot! Oh, Elita, Elita...



I know that we shouldn't be so dependent. We should try to take care of things ourselves... We know that, but we still look to Elita for help...

She's totally gonna get Worfed isn't she?
Spoiler: No, she's not. She doesn't do enough for that to be impactful :j:



There's a cabin about halfway up the Sekra Range. The cabin's caretakers are a married couple. A little odd, but nice enough. The husband doesn't say much. He can come off as cold and gruff. But for some reason, he's always been kind to Rangers in his own gruff way. You might pay them a visit.

That's everyone, so it's time to start with the mission.

Music: Mission Start!


That's more than a mile up! :eng101:

Music: Sekra Range


We have to actually get to the base before we can cause a disturbance, which is why this mission will be longer than the others.

*Pokemon cry*



Charizard, stop!

Of course, our trek there won't be that easy.



It looks as if it was more badly injured than we thought. It appears to still be angry and hateful. I tried to capture it so I could help it, but I didn't have any luck... Circe, you can do it, can't you? Actually, I think it will only listen to you, Circe.



Eh...



Of course

Thank you, Circe. ...I have a confession, I was ordered by Elita to assist you. Before, I would have agreed, but only reluctantly. But it's different this time. Do you know why? Because I'm realizing that you're actually a Ranger who's worth respecting. ...I guess this isn't the time to be telling you this. Let's get moving!
*When talked to* Elita can manage things in Wintown. Save Charizard and then let's focus on finding Go-Rock Squad's secret base!

I'm glad Aria is coming around to being a decent person now.



Aria will now accompany us. On another news, these trees can't be tackled for some reason.
She doesn't run screaming from insects, and she doesn't belittle or demean Circe, so she's welcome to follow for as long as she likes!
The only person who demeaned Circe was Aria, actually. Still, she's changed for the better.



Nuzleaf shoots out twisters and jumps. It can be captured very quickly, though.



Required Loops: 3
Possible EXP: 46/50/54/60




There's a lake barely visible on the top left, where 2 Poliwhirl can jump from/into.
Holy poo poo, Arbok are huge!



Arbok follows a very set pattern: move, pause for a bit, shoot poison, repeat.



Required Loops: 6
Possible EXP: 64/68/72/76/80/84


Music: Go-Rock Squad!


Seedot, ten-hut! Hey, you're just the people I needed! My little Seedot squad needs exercise!

Insurgence has poisoned my mind, because I now mentally associate Seedot with Delta Seedot. Electric-type instead of Grass-type.

Music: Go-Rock Squad Battle (Weak Grunt)


Just a reminder that Seedot gets captured in one loop.

Music: Sekra Range
I thought I could overwhelm you with superior numbers! I surprisingly underestimated you! *flees*



Snorlax here is blocking the shortcut, so we'll have to take the long way around.
Snorlax gets around! Guess it got too hot in the jungle and wandered way north.

Music: Go-Rock Squad!


Seedot, ten-hut! You're unlucky to be running into me! My ruthlessly trained band of elites! On your positions!

Music: Go-Rock Squad Battle (Weak Grunt)


Seedot will run into our line and tackle it, so it's best to capture it quickly. Don't need to get too cocky and try to get all of them at once.
I wonder why they're throwing so many chaff enemies at us. Curious...

Music: Sekra Range
I was the unlucky one getting run over by you... I'm surprisingly prone to whining... *flees*
*When talked to* Go-Rock Squad members appear to be patrolling this area. If we keep going where they are, I'm sure they will lead us right to their hideout.

Moving on...

Music: Go-Rock Squad!


Seedot, ten-hut! I added a Nuzleaf as the commander. My cute little troopers, charge!

No cool shots this time, sadly :(

Music: Sekra Range
My commands got all confused because there were too many Pokemon... I'm surprisingly inept... *flees*

Don't worry. I still think your Seedot armies are really cute :allears:



The path down is a one way shortcut, so let's go up.



Shiftry ambush! Run! :derp:
:stare: Several tengu springing from a tree in ambush has got to be pretty terrifying.



There's a Sneasel in this beaten path. For some reason.



Anyway, Shiftry chases after Circe so it's easy to separate them from each other.



Required Loops: 4
Possible EXP: 116/122/128/136


I don't know why this family has abnormally low required loops, but I sure won't argue with that EXP yield.
Level grinding opportunity? :shrug:



Cute :rolleyes:
That's bad and I'm mad I didn't think of it first.

Blaze Dragon
Aug 28, 2013
LOWTAX'S SPINE FUND

I'm sure the translators were very proud of that Shiftree pun.

Polderjoch
Jun 27, 2019

May the sacred flame guide me... Or something like that.

1234567890num posted:

But it seems to seek the company of people, and it often comes toddling into the town. Isn't it just the sweetest thing?

It sure is :3:
Awww, that's cute. :3:

One of the things I really like about the Ranger series is that it does a lot of characteization for the actual mons, which are usually completely ignored in the main series; it really handles characters a lot better, for however low that bar might be.

Also the Shiftry line being ridiculously easy for this point can only be taunting when its counterpart Ludicolo is such a massive pain in the rear end for how early in the game it is.
Alternatively, it's "fast" and all the fast mons (ninjask, etc) have low loop requirements to not be cancer to catch :v:

The Golux
Feb 18, 2017

Internet Cephalopod



Blaze Dragon posted:

I'm sure the translators were very proud of that Shiftree pun.

Had to be translators too; in Japanese Shiftree is Dartengu or Dirtengu and that doesn't sound like any word for tree that I know of.

1234567890num
Oct 6, 2017

Music: Sekra Range


Before we continue with this mission, I want to point out this rock wall that I missed from before those Seedot armies.





I don't know who you are... But your Styler... Hand it over. *Recharges our Styler* ... Here's your Styler. It's fully charged.
We got a lot of fog around these parts. Apparently, some Pokemon that live in the forest make the fog.

It's much rarer than in the mainline games (and not as necessary), but these houses are always welcome.
Circe is a very trusting girl, just handing her styler over to a guy who's being cagey about why he wants to hold it.

Music: Go-Rock Squad!


Yeah, yeah, yeah, don't blow your cool, baby. My capturing technique is out of this world.



:bravo:



*Both grunt flee*

Music: Sekra Range


That thoughtless couple... They would do this when we're in a hurry. We can't head for the summit in this murky fog, though. I don't think it will clear up unless you capture that Altaria and get it to calm down.
*When talked to* Creep up to the Altaria so it doesn't spot you.



So...yeah. There's fog which camouflages the Pokemon here. This is the one time the minimap is actually useful.
And here I was trying to be nice to the game. This is mildly annoying to look at, so I can't imagine it being much more fun to play in.



Swablu is unimpressive normally but becomes frightened after a failed capture. It's pretty much there just to annoy us during this section.
At least the fog vanishes during battles!



Required Loops:5
Possible EXP: 40/46/52/60




This fog's a real pain.



Altaria flees after spotting us, so we need to take Aria's advice. That or getting into an encounter with a nearby Swablu.

Music: Wild Pokemon Capture


Altaria moves very quickly and shoots several gusts at once. It's a Dragon type, so Plusle is useless. It's also flying, so Ice assist is useless.
:thunk: I admit it's been a few months since I last played a pokemon game, but I don't think that's how it should work...
Whoever made this game REALLY hates Ice types.



Moreover, after a failed capture, Altaria will create a fog.



It actually moves much slower now, though, so it's the best time to catch it. Assuming you can actually spot it.
:sigh:

Music: Capture Complete


Required Loops: 10
Possible EXP: 280/290/300/310/320/330


Music: Sekra Range
The fog is lifting! We can climb toward the summit again! You can release the Altaria now.



You've polished your technique considerably since I last saw you.



Maybe someone captured it?

You're welcome :argh:
Heehee. Steamed. Fog. Clever hidden pun!
I didn't notice that. :cripes:



Music: Go-Rock Squad!


We would've been seriously toast if the fog didn't lift. We owe you one!
We can get back to our hideout now! Thank you!

*Both of them leaves*

That's better :colbert:

Music: Sekra Range




Moving forward...



I think news would've spread if there's a forest fire a while ago. Which means that this was made recently.

*Pokemon cry*



Look! Over there! It's that Charizard!



It looks like it's in terrible pain. I'd like to capture it, but it looks as if it will try to resist capture. Circe, can you handle it?
Using Poke Assists should help with the capture. But don't overextend yourself. If things turn ugly, consider disengaging before it's too late.

Aria gives solid advice here. This Charizard is pretty much the only boss encounter we can flee from and grab some assists before trying again.
The boss so nice we fight it twice! Although I do really hope we can help this poor Charizard. Nothing deserves to be in pain constantly!



To the right of Charizard, we have a cave with nothing in it. There's also Arbok, Poliwhirl, Nuzleaf, Pikachu and Piloswine in this area.

Video: Charizard


Don't expect Piloswine, Nuzleaf or Shiftry to help, though.

Music: Wild Boss Pokemon Encounter


Our rematch with Charizard will be harder with it requiring 5 more loops than last time.



I'd say to use Flying assist, but Swablu doesn't give us enough time.



Charizard during its flying phase attacks with fire breath consecutively while flying. Capturing it in this phase is a hassle.



A failed capture will cause Charizard to land and...



...it will do its gimmick from the previous boss fight. It will return to its flying phase after a certain time (which thankfully doesn't reset our loop this time).
I do like that the captures are getting more tactical the more we play. Having to actually "fail" a capture to force a phase change is pretty clever!
By the way, why do I use Poison assist? For shits and giggles, I guess :j:



But it is pretty much useless, though.



Like I said before, not all assists are created equal.



Poison is one of the most useless assist in the game due to its matchup.



The cloud created by the line lasts for a very short time, so the best way to ensure the Pokemon is hit by it is to ram our line against it.



Obviously that will break our line, which is why line assists are not that useful.



Oh well, I guess it's time to use Poliwhirl...









...









HOLY poo poo, POISON ASSIST ACTUALLY WORKS!? :aaaaa:

:staredog: Holy poo poo is right!



As a side note, this is how using Poliwhirl will work. Water assist is better than the other flick assist because the projectile stays on the screen longer than the others.

Fun fact: If you capture Charizard during its flying phase, it has the same EXP payout as before. You get 110 extra EXP if you capture it during its ground phase for some reason.
:psyduck: You get less XP for taking the harder route? What?

Music: Capture Complete


Stats Updated

Required Loops: 16
Possible EXP: 350/370/390/410/430/450 (air), 460/480/500/520/540/560 (ground)


Music: Sekra Range
Charizard, please hold still... You're going to be fine now.. We're not here to hurt you. *Treats the Charizard* It's OK now. The Charizard has calmed down. Please release it, but do it gently.





*Charizard approaches Circe for a while before leaving*
Not gonna lie, I'm pretty sure that if I saw a giant red previously-angry fire dragon flying at me, I would require a change of pants.

That Charizard seemed happy... That's a big load off my shoulders. Oh, there's no time to lose! We'd better get moving and find that hideout!

Right, we should be going.



Rock? What rock?



OUCH!!!
drat, that looks like it hurts! Also is it just me or does that boulder look kinda like a Golem?
That's because they actually are Golem.



This is our first Raichu this mission. It would've been very useful when dealing with Charizard...



It's weird, though. The doors to the Fiore Temple are firmly shut--there's no getting in or out. There's a waterfall up ahead, but it's on a sheer cliff face. There's no getting across that. I wonder where the Go-Rock Squad is coming from?

Spoiler: We're getting across that in this update.

*When talked to* There's supposed to be a temple at the summit of the Sekra Range. I've never seen it myself, though.



There's no Pokemon with Lv 3 Gust available right now, so we'll have to leave the flower for later. Golem has Lv 3 Crush, but I completely forgot about it. Note to self: Don't record this game at 1 AM :sweatdrop:
Whoops! Just creating bonus roundup update content, right? :v:

Music: Go-Rock Squad!


So, what are you doing? Let me guess, you're playing at being explorers? Or maybe you're playing at being Rangers on a mission? Oh, don't bother explaining. Whatever you're playing at, it all ends here!



Oh, I completely forgot about this Shelgon. Guess there was 3 Dragon Pokemon left to catch in this game (with Altaria and this Shelgon as the first two).

By the way, the Tangela in the previous picture is just a wild Tangela that happen to get near the grunt's Pokemon.
It was curious and wanted to see what was about to happen.



:woop:

Music: Go-Rock Squad Battle (Weak Grunt)


Required Loops: 3
Possible EXP: 93/98/103/108/113/118


Aerodactyl will sometimes move toward the line just to gently caress with us. Its Hyper Beam can lasts for as long as it wants, again just to gently caress with us.
Rude!

Music: Sekra Range
Not too bad... But not good enough to get near our hideout! *flees*
*When talked to* There's supposed to be a temple at the summit of the Sekra Range. I've never seen it myself though.

...This grunt is literally standing right in front of the gate to the temple.



There's loads of Tangela at this point, along with this long stairs.
Circe has a vine monster fan club!



Near the bottom of those stairs, we have...
An extremely poorly worded sign?



...a fish! That we can actually keep and carry around! :neckbeard:

Oh, and there's a Raichu too, I guess.

O-oh. Fish. That's also good!



Our way forward is by crossing the waterfall near the top of those stairs.



We need 2 Tangela to actually get through, otherwise you'd have to jump down.
I guess it's a good thing that Circe is so popular with ambulatory vine tangles.



Huh? A text message from Elita? Let's see... Circe, sorry! I have to return to Wintown immediately! Elita needs help because there aren't enough Rangers available. Besides, you can manage quite fine by yourself now. You've become that good. I'm sorry, but I'm going now. Please, be careful. *leaves*

Now I'm imagining Aria doing Wintown's version of our Mission 2. Probably collecting Seedot. Good thing our rank is so high!



I spoke too soon... :eng99:
Gligaaaaarrrr! :argh:

1234567890num fucked around with this message at 15:31 on Sep 28, 2019

Zanzibar Ham
Mar 17, 2009

You giving me the cold shoulder? How cruel.


Grimey Drawer
I wish you could take that Magikarp to the endgame. It'll get released automatically when you switch zones, right?

The Golux
Feb 18, 2017

Internet Cephalopod



"Any rumors that we did not program in a climbing sprite for Aria are malicious and definitely false."

1234567890num
Oct 6, 2017

Music: Go-Rock Squad!


(Sigh...) I got chewed out by the boss again today... He caught me scratching my back with my Styler, and that didn't go over well at all... ...If he caught me goofing off like this, I'd be in for another reprimand. That's enough of a break! Back to work! *returns inside*



It's time to wreak some havoc! :black101:
I like that the button is just there, but unless you're paying attention, you might overlook it. Because who would think about odd bumps on a boulder?
I would think twice about odd bumps. Normal bumps, on the other hand...

Music: Sekra Range


Our Magikarp... :sadwave:
The game really doesn't want you to have Magikarp...

Click!

*Circe enters the hideout*

New Music: Go-Rock Squad's Base


Follow the plan. Create a diversion and go deep. Sow confusion among the Go-Rock Squad. Avoid glowing red sensors. Triggering one will send you back here. Be careful. ...? Are you surprised to see "Silent Chris" talking so much? I talk when I need. I get tongue-tied around Elita, though. I'm returning to Wintown. I need to plan things with Elita. We're counting on you. *leaves*

Oh. Oh okay. Sure. Chris won't stop talking at all once he's away from his crush.
Like Chris said, it's now time for...



...a timing section. Fun. :sigh:
...yay. Good old timing puzzles. :suicide:



Failing will result in us getting sent back all the way to the beginning. And the only save points are at the very beginning and end. :sigh:



The first couple ones are easy enough. Both sets flashes on and off, with the second cycling faster.



The next room is where we get into the "fun" stuff. The pattern for this one is easy enough, at least.



This one has a trickier pattern, but it's still very doable.
So far it looks like as long as you keep moving in some direction, you'll be fine.



This one is the widest in the game, being 5 tiles wide. The pattern on the left 2 rows mirrors the right 2 rows with the middle doing its own thing. The middle is the hard past, but getting past it just leave us with the same solution as our last set.



The final room has 2 sets of tiles. They're both the rotated version of the first set from our last room.
Not gonna lie, this looks like it would be a massive pain if you weren't using savestates.



This save point marks the end of the alarm segment and the beginning of the teleporter segment :shepicide:
Teleporter? But why?
Because it's pretty much a mandatory "feature" of every Pokemon villain lair :j:



I'm pretty much just going through these randomly.



Fun fact: Ralts can teleport even through walls. Its assist will be useful shortly, but it's no big deal if you can't grab it now.



Required Loops: 4
Possible EXP: 23/27/31/36


Ralts teleports so often that reaching it isn't as hard as it sounds. It doesn't have any attack, so actually capturing it also isn't hard.

Music: Go-Rock Squad!


Of course, we'll also have grunt battles. Some of them won't have their Pokemon shown in advance.

Hey! It's you again! You remember me, don't you? ...You don't remember?! You really don't remember again?! Gaaaaah, I'm not taking that!

Music: Go-Rock Squad Battle (Weak Grunt)


The grunt battles are starting to get really rough. Ludicolo is the main danger here, so capture it first (or capture the other two Pokemon while it's stunned by Plusle).

Music: Go-Rock Squad's Base
Gaaaah! Don't ever forget this! ...Please remember me next time...

...Who are you again? :j:
Even though they're a generic faceless grunt, the fact that they're the one that keeps insisting we remember them makes them memorable!
I still don't remember who he is though... :j:



In the same room, we see this Swampert.



It's kind of a pushover.



Required Loops: 10
Possible EXP: 88/102/116/130/144/158




Ah, here's our regional battery. It's strange finding Electabuzz so far away from Magmar.
It's a little hosed up to refer to Electabuzz as a battery.
If we can refer to every other Electric Pokemon as battery, we can refer to Electabuzz too :colbert:



I don't have any mercy for Electabuzz because it has this awful attack.



Required Loops: 6
Possible EXP: 13


At least it heals a lot.

Music: Go-Rock Squad!


Fuhahahaha! Finally! Finally, our time has come! Our new Styler is finished! Using that outrageous new Styler, the Go-Rock Squad can now capture any Pokemon whether they like it or not! Every Pokemon in the world will now do our every bidding!

These guys are like the underpants gnomes, I swear. Sure, they can make every pokemon in the world do their bidding. But why? To what end?
To make the Rangers go out of business, obviously. After that, though, :iiam:

Music: Go-Rock Squad Battle (Strong Grunt)


Where did the Golem come from? :stare:

Anyway, use Ralts or Plusle to halt both Mankey and capture them. Golem should go down quickly after that.

I like to think the Golem just randomly busted into the base and decided to help out the Mankeys.

Music: Go-Rock Squad's Base
I... I'm not suited for the field of battle. I will withdraw into my lab and concentrate on creating the perfect system...

Music: Go-Rock Squad!


You're going to lose, you know. The headquarters assigned us with terrifically tough Pokemon!

If 2 Slakoth is tough then I don't know what Salamence is. I can't give tips for this fight; you really should be able to handle this fight especially considering a certain boss in the next update.
Slakoth are plenty tough! They can be a tripping hazard to the inattentive. :v:

Music: Go-Rock Squad's Base
I wish they'd assign us tougher Pokemon...

Computer It's a computer, but it's not personal. It's doing complex calculations.

Music: Go-Rock Squad!


I don't like the looks of you... What's the password?



I love this game :allears:
That's a really good line, hahaha.

Music: Go-Rock Squad Battle (Weak Grunt)


Swalot releases puddle... Plusle stuns the Zubat long enough for us to capture them... You know the drill.

Music: Capture Complete


Required Loops: 11
Possible EXP: 68/74/80/86/92/98


Music: Go-Rock Squad's Base
What you said about my toenails... That made me all self-conscious, so I couldn't concentrate...

Music: Go-Rock Squad!


Wh-why? Why is there a Ranger here?

Music: Go-Rock Squad Battle (Weak Grunt)


The goal here is to quickly capture Scyther. After that, try to lure Heracross away while capturing Pinsir. Blaziken (spoiler) will help greatly.
I can get behind this Go-Rock person. Scyther and Pinsir and Heracross have been awesome as hell since I was 11 and will continue to be for the forseeable!
Yeah. These might fold under Fire, but otherwise this battle is actually very tough.

Music: Go-Rock Squad's Base
(Groan...) This means more demerit points... I am in so much trouble...



Monitors This security-camera monitor is not showing any TV programs.

As you can imagine, Wurmple is completely useless.

Music: Go-Rock Squad!


What?! Intruders here? Where did you get in? I'll make you pay for trying to meddle with our experiments.

Music: Go-Rock Squad Battle (Strong Grunt)


Metang can tackle and do a straight charge. Mankey takes care of them both quickly (they're Steel type). Blaziken should help too.

Music: Capture Complete


Required Loops: 8
Possible EXP: 62/68/74/82


Music: Go-Rock Squad!
Failure leads to success! The data from my loss will be used to our benefit somehow!

Oh god, battle data. Please let this trope go loving die somewhere. It doesn't make any sense! :argh:

Vending machine This is an ordinary vending machine. If you have no money, it's just a metal box.

Music: Go-Rock Squad's Base


Here's the Blaziken mentioned before.



It has a fire kick and moves VERY quickly.



It also jumps because gently caress you. We can return the sentiment by using Swampert.



Required Loops: 8
Possible EXP: 95/108/121/134/147/160




Upper locker There is a dyed wig inside. Do underlings have to wear this? It would be awfully hot to wear in the summer.

Lower locker There is a costume inside. Do underlings have to wear this? It's made of very cheap fabrics.

Go-Rock Squad, cutting budgets and forcing painful fashion since 2006.
Hard to feel sorry for them. If you sign up to a group and on day 1 they're like "Here, you have to wear a wig and a jumpsuit" you get the gently caress outta there and don't look back!
I'm pretty sure they follow these rules just to get paid :homebrew:

Now I'm wondering how much salary does these guys get.




Anyway, eventually we made it to the exit :toot:



Going past some old Pokemon...



Oh, hello. How did you get here?

Hey, Circe! I was looking for you! I was ordered to assist your mission. But you know what? I would've come even if I wasn't ordered. Eheheh.
*When talked to* Let's kick up a ruckus like there's no tomorrow!

Spoiler: It's never revealed :iiam:
I have many questions about how Lunick got here specifically.



Anyway, we'll go cause more ruckus in the next update. Where there are no more timing or teleporter segments.
Please tell me there are no more teleporter mazes in the rest of the game.
There are no more teleporter mazes in the rest of this game :dance:

Slaan
Mar 16, 2009



ASHERAH DEMANDS I FEAST, I VOTE FOR A FEAST OF FLESH
Given The Go-Rock squads theme, the poor grunts probably get paid in "exposure"

The Golux
Feb 18, 2017

Internet Cephalopod



Slaan posted:

Given The Go-Rock squads theme, the poor grunts probably get paid in "exposure"

Or in jumpsuits and wigs. Assuming they don't just have to rent those...

1234567890num
Oct 6, 2017

Seems like DN will be unavailable for an undeterminate amount of time, so this LP will be solo commentary for now.

Music: Go-Rock Squad's Base


If you're playing the game, you'll come back to this Electabuzz and the save point by the stairs plenty of times.



There's a few doors, but...



...we're railroaded into entering the first one we see. So let's do that.

Video: Tiffany
Music: Go-Rock Quads!


Hello there. Looks like you've got an upgrade.

Not you two again?! What do you want of us? If you want my autograph, you should just say it. ...Humph, I know. You don't want my autograph, you want to have a go at us!

!

You caught me by surprise last time, but this time I'm setting the phasers to rock! Camerupt, come! Barbecue time!

Music: Go-Rock Quads Battle


Right, so now we're facing against two Camerupts. This is a very hard fight if you're unprepared. Or if you're on an emulator.



You'd think that using Water assist would trivialize this fight like we did last time. That's true assuming that you can loop quickly.

I can't. Because I'm using a mouse. It sucks.




Thankfully, Flying assist is here to save my rear end. 10 seconds is barely enough to cover 10 loops.



You just need to grab one during those 10 seconds before grabbing the other with Water assist. I got very lucky here, though.

Please don't watch the video. It has my futile attempt in using Water assist for a whole minute.


Music: Go-Rock Squad's Base


I got beaten again... This is why I can never get better...



It's so frustrating an existence!
She said stylish twice...
Who asked for your input?! You so cheese me off! *flees*

Left bookcase It's Go-Rock Squad's membership guide, entirely in comic-book format.
Middle bookcase It's ten years' worth of Pokemon Ranger News, organized in binders.
Upper right bookcase It's classical and rock sheet music. Do the Go-Rock Quads use this for practice?
Lower right bookcase This diary of the Go-Rock Squad's boss has all its pages torn out...



We're given the opportunity to heal, save and grab any Pokemon for their assist. Which is a godsend because next we have...

Video: Clyde
Music: Go-Rock Quads!


Here's my thanks: the Go-Rock Squad's soon getting the means to make Pokemon do exactly what we want. You Rangers are going to be out of business overnight. The first thing I'm going to do is get stinking rich by working Pokemon to the bone. That's my dream for now. It's all about the cash, flash. If you've got the stash, there's nothing that you can't do in life. Hey, you'll be out of a job. I could consider hiring you, hey? But before that... I might be lazy, but even I won't let anyone get in the way of my dreams!

!

I don't care much about away games, but I can't lose at home! Besides, there's bonus pay in it for me. All it takes is to beat you down! Call your boys out, Slaking! The ending begins now!

Music: Go-Rock Quads Battle


Apparently 2 Slaking would've been dealt with too quickly by Fighting assist, so they decided to throw in Vigoroth instead. And a Slakoth while they're at it.



Slakoth is, as always, captured very easily.



The next goal is to use Mankey's 10 second to capture Slaking. It requires 6 loops, so it should be doable even with Vigoroth's harassment.



Vigoroth charged in a curved line and it recovers very quickly. Its attacks only deal 1 damage, however.

Basically, it's there purely to annoy you.




I ended up having to work out another shot of Plusle's assist, but it ended up working out. Somewhat.

Music: Capture Complete


Required Loops: 12
Possible EXP:


Music: Go-Rock Squad's Base


I lost both ends of an away-and-home series? Me, Clyde of the Go-Rock Quads? That's just not happening... ...But happen it did. But that doesn't mean my dream of getting stinking rich off Pokemon has gone belly-up!
Your Go-Rock Squad... Is money what you're after?
Well, at the very least, it is for me, Clyde! But why our boss made the Go-Rock Squad? I wouldn't have the foggiest notion!

*Clyde and Tiffany flee*

Top left cage This is a very sturdy cage. What could it be used for?
The other cages This is an incredibly sturdy cage. Is it used for locking up Pokemon?

Hmm... You'd think? :thunkher:



Don't forget to heal and save before seeing what's up next...

Video: Garret
Music: Go-Rock Quads!


As a result of your meddling, my Dusk Factory was destroyed. And, as a result of that, I am losing the boss's trust.

Looks like Garret was just being bitter after all! :dance:

Actually, I am grateful that you've caused me so much grief. Because I'm using that anger... That anger as motivation... As m-motivation... Yeah, as motivation! Enough of this talking like some gent! I'm motivated to hit back!

!

I'm grateful for what you did, but that doesn't mean you're forgiven! Here's your payback for all the humiliation I suffered! Scizor, do your thing! It's revenge! Get motivated!

Music: Go-Rock Quads Battle


Are you motivated for this fight?



Blaziken sure is! It's so motivated its fire burns everywhere.



Seems like none of the Pokemon here can handle the heat! :supaburn:

Music: Go-Rock Squad's Base


(Gasp, gasp, gasp...) It's so unlike me to get so excited... If only I had the Power Styler that the boss completed... I would have won.
The Power Styler is already completed? Then why don't you have one?
Only our boss has the Power Styler. Though its performance is incredible, only one has been made. You should consider yourself lucky. However... If you think you've changed anything by defeating me... You're very sadly mistaken.

*Garret, Clyde and Tiffany flees down the stairs*

Lower right machine It's a machine you've never seen. The more you look, the odder it seems.
Upper left machine This appears to be an expensive machine. Its polished surface looks expensive.
Upper middle machine This is a machine of some sort. It's best to ignore it.

All that's left to do now is go down and see what Billy has in store for us.



Well, this sure looks like a final boss area. Can you spot an important Pokemon that I completely forgot to bring?



This hallway has some Machamp statues and Machamp non-statues.



The non-statues will attack by punching. Unlike Machoke, it won't jump :dance:

I grab two of them for reasons that will be obvious later.

Music: Go-Rock Quads!
Video: Billy


Even if you're in a hurry, stop in your tracks!

!

Open your ears to our melodic attacks!

!

The rhythm of rage pounds the ground!

!

Let the melody of ambition rise to the skies!

!

If you don't know us, we'll cure your ignorance! Billy! Garret! Clyde! Tiffany! The Go-Rock Squad's hot-prospect band of key-shaker-and-taker celebrities! A name once heard and never forgotten! The Go-Rock Quads!

!

Welcome to our secret base! We were expecting you! Do you remember what I said about the Go-Rock Squad changing the history of the Rangers? That's fantastic news, isn't it? So why do you keep trying to mess us up? Think about it. The Go-Rock Squad's supposed to be messing with the Rangers. But it's been the other way around. That's just not right. What's going on here?
Where's the Super Styler you took from the professor? Face it--you've been cornered. Drop your futile resistance and return the Super Styler. And where is your boss, Gordor?
If it was something we borrowed, we'd give it back. But we took taht thing. Why would we need to give it back? And even though the Power Styler's been made, Prof. Hastings's Super Styler is still an important sample. It's not something we're about to just hand over without a fight. And, you're also mistaken. It's not like our boss is hiding from the likes of you. He's in the Fiore Temple, working on the final experiment.But knowing that's not going to help you now. It's way too late for that. Hahaha!

!

I've had it past here with your meddling antics! That's not all...You beat my brothers Clyde and Garret, and my little sis Tiffany, not just once but twice each! It's about time I settled up accounts with you for my beloved siblings. It's payback time.



That's Clyde's line! :argh:

New Music: Go-Rock Quads Final Battle


It's time for our final battle with the Go-Rock Quads! The music and Pokemon are unique to this battle.



:stare: Yeesh. Tyranitar is starting with a bang. Or a huge wave. Now that I think about it, is that meant to be Earthquake?



Tyranitar can shoot a Hyper Beam while Pupitar can charge straightly.



The main problem is Pupitar's Rock Slide (I think). It covers pretty much the entire screen and takes quite a long time. Pupitar will do this attack for every failed capture.



Meanwhile, Tyranitar will do the Earthquake for every failed capture. Larvitar only has a wimpy bite attack, so it's a non issue.

Which Pokemon attacks after a failed capture depends on which Pokemon break the lines or which Pokemon doesn't get enough loops. Getting hit by another attack won't trigger them.




The first order of business is to catch Larvitar first, what with it only needing 3 loops.



...Remind me not to record at 2 AM.



Anyway, the next order of business is to catch Tyranitar. With Fighting assist, it only needs 4 loops due to its Dark type.



I REALLY shouldn't record at 2 AM. I even forgot to bring Electabuzz :cripes:



...What the gently caress was I doing? :bang:



There. Had to use a second Machamp to complete this battle.

This isn't actually that hard, just intimidating. Since the screen-wide attacks only occur after a failed capture, it's impossible to get hit by it. Unless your pattern recognition skills are awful and you try to continue capturing immediately. Like me.

Music: Capture Complete


Required Loops: 3
Possible EXP: 25/28/31/35


By the way, Larvitar can jump too. That thankfully didn't happen this time.



Required Loops: 11
Possible EXP: 300/308/316/324/332/340


Tyranitar is basically an easier Salamence, not even counting the part where we actually have assists this time.



Required Loops: 13
Possible EXP: 45/49/53/59


What's with that poo poo EXP yield?! :argh:

Music: Go-Rock Quads!


...! I didn't expect this... You are good... But all right, I lost, so I'll tell you. The stolen Super Styler is stored somewhere in a lab here. So do feel free to look! Please, take it back to your professor as a souvenir of this adventure! But before you go... There's just this one little thing... This hideout's self-destruct switch.



Music: Trouble
*The screen shakes*

Yeah, yeah, I know. Sore loser and pathetic and all that. But I don't care how uncool this looks. I'm not going to let you mess with Dad... ...I mean, the boss's dreams. Because that's the law among us siblings... ...The law for the Go-Rock Squad! But having said that, this is it for us dedicating our all for the boss. Even though we did it for him, the boss won't ever forgive us for blowing up the base. But that's fine. We did what we had to do, even if it means he no longer considers us family. From now on, the four of us will make a new beginning. Right back from zero again. We don't know what we'll start yet, but our star will shine again.



All right... Good-bye, Rangers!

Goodbye! See you in the next game! :wave:

*The Go-Rock Quads leave during a fadeout*



Yes, that hatch just appeared after the fadeout. Guess they blew the animation budget for the switch.



Leader!
Good job, you two! You're not hurt, are you? Thanks to the big ruckus you two kicked up, I was able to recover the Super Styler!

Music: Mission Clear!


Music: Trouble
What's happening here? The walls are coming down!
It's the Go-Rock Quads! They set off a self-destruct system! They fled through that square portal right afterwards... But they said that their boss, Gordor, is in the Fiore temple!
Give me a report later! We have to get out of here now! Forget about the escaped criminals! Your lives are more important! Both of you! Quick! Dive through that portal now! When you get out, follow Cameron or Elita's orders! I still have my mission to rescue the Pokemon here! Listen to me! You go after Gordor! *leaves*
Circe! We have to get out now!



After going through an area with absolutely nothing in it...



*Circe and Lunick approach Elita and Cameron*

We got word from Spenser. Are you two alright?
We're OK, but our Leader is still inside! Cameron, Elita, please help! Please, help our Leader!
Cameron and I are on a mission to rescue you two! That's what we promised Spenser. He anticipated that you would say something like that, too. You two have a mission assigned to you by Spenser. Now quick! Hang on to me!
We have to return to Wintown right now! Let's go!

*All of them leave*

1234567890num fucked around with this message at 17:11 on Oct 6, 2019

Zanzibar Ham
Mar 17, 2009

You giving me the cold shoulder? How cruel.


Grimey Drawer

quote:



If we had picked to play as Lunick, would this be our victory pose each time? If so we made the even righter choice.

Crosspeice
Aug 9, 2013

Yeah Lunick's is lame as hell. And then you have Solana looking cool next to you to add in the insult.

BisbyWorl
Jan 12, 2019

Knowledge is pain plus observation.


The base will come down any second now but the mission was cleared and absolutely nothing will get in the way of our victory pose.

Blaze Dragon
Aug 28, 2013
LOWTAX'S SPINE FUND

BisbyWorl posted:

The base will come down any second now but the mission was cleared and absolutely nothing will get in the way of our victory pose.

Pokemon Rangers work on Sentai rules, you're invincible while posing. They get random stars instead of colourful explosions though.

Space Kablooey
May 6, 2009


1234567890num posted:

They fled through that square portal right afterwards...

It's a hatch!

1234567890num posted:

Dive through that portal now!

It's a hatch!!!

1234567890num
Oct 6, 2017

Blaze Dragon posted:

Pokemon Rangers work on Sentai rules, you're invincible while posing. They get random stars instead of colourful explosions though.

Don't forget the confetti! :j:

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1234567890num
Oct 6, 2017

One more post to the next page

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