Fonts folder in Control Panel.
I already did this before I started recording, and the game is still warning me about this. It did make a difference; before I copied the fonts the game had unpixellated text that looked awful when contrasted with the rest of the Gen 3 aesthetic. But hey, I fixed it at the price of my text capture software not working on this game!
I'll be turning the text speed to insane. I'm a fast reader and I'd rather do it at my own pace. Everything else is fine.
This is a prerecorded message. It is only to be opened in case of emergency.
It will also raise more questions than if Oak had just talked to you at the start of the story, as we'll soon see.
My Name is Professor Oak. People call me the Pokémon Professor.
You can also press V to quicksave, F to toggle autosave, and S to toggle autorun.
I'm sure autosave will come in handy when I'm trying to capture legendaries. Autorun will actually be helpful most of the time.
Beginning prerecorded message.
Many different people live here, all
with different worldviews and beliefs.
Some people desire goodness and altruism.
But, some people also value fame
and power over anything else.
You are about to take a
trip through this world.
At times, obstacles will stand in your way.
By solving puzzles and with clever thinking,
these can be over come.
At other times, others may challenge you to a battle.
By overcoming such hurdles, you can attain
success and power of your own.
Through your journey, we hope you gain
personal growth and learn from the
opinions of others.
That is the most important objective of
this quest, whether or not you succeed.
This reads like the "What is an RPG!?" section at the start of every tabletop game rulebook ever made, and I don't know why it's here. One would assume that Zeta/Omicron is for people who already know how to play a Pokémon game.
Here and probably nowhere else we have one of the sick sprite animations from Black and White.
People and Pokémon live together by supporting each other. Some people play with Pokémon, some battle with them. But some people abuse them for power. That is why you are here today.
As janky as this game can be sometimes, it's nice to just use a keyboard instead of hunt-and-pecking on a touch screen or d-pad.
What kind of challenge run would you prefer?
Here you're supposed to use the mouse to check which modes you want to toggle. I'll explain what they all do:
-Nuzlocke is that thing you've probably heard of and the only lasting legacy the TV show Lost has left on the world. This mode makes it impossible to revive fainted Pokémon and forces you to nickname them. Normally a Nuzlocke run also limits you to the first Pokémon you encounter in each area, but I guess the Z/O team couldn't make that work and is using the honor system. In Insurgence the mode turns off and lets you play normally when your last Pokémon faints, but the Z/O wiki doesn't specify if this is true here and I'm not inclined to find out.
-Randomized scrambles up all of the wild and trainer Pokémon you encounter, hitting up an RNG that excludes the few Fakemon this game has and possibly also the Gen 6 ones. These were the only two modes available before the 1.4 patch.
-PP Challenge prevents you from recharging lost uses of your moves at the Pokémon Center. Either you get lucky finding Ethers and the like or your buddies become a lot more disposable.
-Solo Run allows you to choose any basic non-legendary at the start of the game to be your only battler, and locks any Pokémon you catch in the PC until you give up or finish the Vesryn region storyline.
-Mystery Challenge hides the sprites and names of any Pokémon you haven't caught and registered in the Pokédex yet. You can also give this particular challenge up whenever you want.
-Non-Technical Challegne prevents you from using TMs, which probably cuts your competitive options in half.
-Anti-ante Challenge keeps you from getting money from trainers. Your only income is from selling items.
-Bravery Challenge prevents you from fleeing battles. Repels are even more valuable if you're doing this.
For what it's worth Insurgence also has:
-Wonder Challenge, which immediately trades away every Pokémon you get for something someone else playing the game just caught.
-Ironman Challenge, which deletes your save when you white out after losing a battle.
I just want to play the game, so all of these options will go unchecked.
This sounds like a terrible idea. Of COURSE I'm picking yes.
Team Asgard has attacked Nyasa Town, leaving few survivors.
The remaining citizens are being transferred to Zarivar Town through the Escape Route.
Emergency Pokémon are available in the Escape Route for those who want to help stop Team Asgard.
Thank you for watching this prerecorded message.
When did we have time to watch this if we're evacuating the town?
This woman comes up the ladder.
Go! Lucario!
Go find...
Wilson. Tell him the time for cowardice is over. Tell him to redeem himself.
Does that mean your Lucario can talk?
Lu-carrio!
Use ExtremeSpeed!
Lu-carrio!
He vanishes in a flash, and the woman walks up to Kate.
They're out there. They won't stop until they get what they want. Kate, you're growing up. I think you're ready for your first Pokémon.
You may as well take one. Perhaps, if Team Asgard is ever stopped, you might become a better trainer than I ever was! I only wish I knew why they came after Nyasa Town...
Aria, we need you to help fend them off!
Oh no!
...Kate. I love you. Be safe.
Oak steps aside and lets her leave the cave.
desperate measures.
As a Professor, I'm supposed to give you a Pokémon and start you on your journey. But as a friend of your family...
ever met.
It's not that I doubt you, of course. You're surprisingly mature for your age.
Probably because she doesn't talk.
Follow me. I'll take you to get your Pokémon.
It will be your companion for the rest of your life.
Okay, interesting choice for starter Pokémon. I had this whole spiel ready criticizing the game for gating the starters' final evolutions behind items and trading. That and the fact that their base stat totals in the canon games differ a whole lot more than different starters usually do made me think I was in for a rough ride
However, a quick check of the Z/O wiki left me unable to find any mention of the Magmarizer and Dragon Scale, which only exist to evolve Magmar and Seadra. This makes me sure that the evolution requirements for these Pokémon, and possibly their base stats, have been changed. We'll see how that works out. In the meantime I'm picking the cool one.
Team Asgard sound like some primitive screwheads to me.
You truly are your mother's child. Amazing. I must be off. I will be waiting for you in my Lab in Zarivar Town. Just continue through the cave, you can't miss it.
We're doing a more lo-fi version of the Heart Gold/Soul Silver walking Pokémon mechanic. It's no Amie, but it'll do.
The speech tail appeared when this hiker was walking across the stone bridge and didn't catch up with him.
Snub-snub!
My name's Jeremy. I'm an intern in the Professor's Lab. The Professor asked me to give you these!
If you see a wild Pokémon, such as in the tall grass or a cave, then you can throw a Pokéball to catch it! You'll have to weaken it first though. A Pokémon is easiest to catch when it is low on HP, and has a status effect like being asleep or frozen.
In most games we get to see the NPC catching something themselves and it takes more time to get through this tutorial. I don't know if the devs skipped this out of consideration or if they didn't know how to do it like the canon games do. I like the change, though.
There are many different kinds of Pokéball. Some of them will catch Pokémon more easily.
about I show you how to be a trainer? Let's have a battle!
It's been a while, but I don't remember the Gen 3 battle transitions being like this.
I think you know what all those buttons do.
Since Snubbull cut our attack stat in half, we'll be using Ember, which runs on a different stat.
Boomstick's Attack fell!
Again, not affecting Ember. The battle continues until I win.
Kate got 160 Pokébucks for winning!
Anyways, come visit Snubbull and me in the Professor's Lab ok? Lets go, Snubbull!
Snub-snub!
"He's a different color, so he got bullied by all the other Mudkips... But I love him just the way he is!"
Aww! What trainer wouldn't like a shiny starter?
again, aren't they? Here. This will help.
"That POTION will heal your Pokémon even in the middle of a battle!"
ok?
I thought we couldn't steal other trainers' Pokémon.
walking to increase your pace!
Time to smash that autorun button!
Day and night cycles are here, not that it affects much of anything. Also hope you didn't forget anything in the Escape Route, because the ledge is a one-way trip.
Here's Zarivar Town. Every town in the Vesryn region is named after a real-world lake or river.
personally, since our Mystery Gift service has had issues lately.
Pokémon Zeta and Omicron used to have online features and exclusive Pokémon. They're gone now. Mystery Gift was one of those features, so we're just going to get everything that was offered on it right now.
It'll be a while before we have access to Aerodactyl or a Mega Ring.
The Cinnabar Ticket, Medical License and License Template are also going on the mantle.
This is useful right now, though. We could all use a little change.
Now we're getting to the good stuff!
hard!
invasion? Can't blame you.
You're just not cool enough, yknow?
Calling people "urchin" as a kid is the height of coolness.
other kids like me...
You're too good for them.
and...
Hey wassup it's ya boi! I'm using custom sprites for this guy made by Polahhhbear on Reddit, because the default sprites are identical to Leaf/Blue/Green/Gary from Fire Red and Leaf Green.
The game gave me one more chance to make him stop saying "swag," which from what I can tell is all of what this option does.
I take the Potion out like with every other Pokémon game that lets you store items in the PC. Still no inventory limits, though.
He's a great kid! Sweet, kind and caring!
Out of touch parents never change.
Its really fun to say!
Enough beating around the bush. This update's long enough as it is, and we haven't even been playing for ten minutes.
Lets get down to business. I'm not entirely sure where your MOM is, but I'm planning to meet up with her later. She's out recruiting allies to help fight against Team Asgard. I'll see if I can keep you in contact with her. In the meantime, I need a favour.
with me. Can you go fetch him for me? I would appreciate it.
Talking to him again...
There's somebody who wants to be my assistant there.
Oh, I see you choose Magby! Here, this Pokémon may be helpful for you to have.
Because Z/O players can no longer trade for starters, we now have opportunities to get the two we didn't pick. While we won't get the chance to obtain the one which is weak agaisnt my choice for a while...
...we get the other one almost immediately.
Get out of hee right now or I'll— H-Huh? The Professor wants to see me?
him.
He was the guy who trained Aria, the legendary Champion! Oh, what I would give to meet Aria, or even her kid, Kate.
Er... That is to say, your Mom has swag! I'm going to be your Rival from now on, ok? Let's go then! I'm going to be the swaggiest trainer of all time! Go! I'll meet you over there.
And let me tell you that—
about how you got a Pokémon already. He said he'll give me one too! I can't believe it! My own Pokémon!
My... swag... Pokémon? Yeah...
Yes... yes you can. Go pick the one that suits you best.
Hmm...! ...I pick this one!
As usual, he picks the one that beats our starter.
You and I, Kate... we'll battle soon enough. Trust me.
I have four Pokémon to your one. Wait until you have the chance to catch up.
I'm out of here, losers!
Here, I've got something else for you.
more Pokémon you find, the more data it will have. Try to make it your goal to fill out the entire Pokedex!
My intern, Jeremy, gave you some Pokéballs, right? Good! If you need anymore, they're for sale at the Pokémart.
plan to do next.
There's a chance lives are at stake here, Kate! I would suggest heading south to Superior Town. Not only is there a Gym there, but I've been getting records of Asgard activity around that area. So go do your MOM proud!
There's a few places between us and that gym, so let's see Pokémon we have available:
Starters (pick two)
Bellsprout
Magby
Horsea
Zarivar Town
Hawlucha
Noibat
Route 301
Caterpie
Pidgey
Rattata
Wurmple
Starly
Naragex Forest
Beedrill (1%)
Paras
Hoothoot
Ledyba
Pineco
Shroomish
Kricketot
Petilil
Naragex Forest (headbutt)
Mankey
Hoppip (5%)
Ferroseed
Wonder Cave
Machop
Geodude
Onix (2%)
Cubone
Whismur
Makuhita
Roggenrola
Unown
Superior City
Munchlax (trade for Beedrill)
If anyone has suggestions for my team, include names Pokémon with a sentence or two on why I should use them, and maybe a funny nickname, too. I think this game uses Gen 5 errata, even with some of the mons being from Gen 6.
NEXT TIME: the game's first non-Escape Route.
The intro shows an animated Lucario instead of a Zoroark, and the bad guys are Team Olympus instead of Team Asgard.
In every city, the strongers trainers will band together to make a Gym. The strongest of these is called a Gym Leader. Only powerful trainers can challenge a Gym Leader.
Can you go to the Wonder Cave in the Northeast of our town and find the LEGEND RESEARCHER? He went in there with Devon a couple hours ago... ...could you go in there and tell him the shipment has arrived? He'll know what I'm talking about.
I dunno, man. I'm just here to bust open rocks.
Hmm... You require the HM ...and the man is overcharging? This is a favour I can do. I will be right back.
You remind me of someone... ...Someone I knew.
Wow! You better learn how, then! Take this!
