Play more Game Boy games

[ikarth]

Speaking of examples, we could use some research into what other Game Boy games have done that we can borrow. Play a Game Boy videogame and write up a short description of elements in the game that we can borrow for our games.

[harvpark]

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KDpUCS5Zfi502w-SDRlpZCxlK8S_-6UK1KpW1w9pdsk/edit?usp=sharing

[ikarth]

Copying and formatting:

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Harvin Park - Pokemon Silver

There were a couple of elements i found interesting:

1. Moving characters (potential issue)
   1. Multiple different ways that the game approached moving characters, and this was something that we dismissed earlier as impossible for mobs to move while the character is moving but there may be things that are still possible
   2. Rotating characters
      1. Some trainers would at given intervals face different directions, to trigger a fight scenario
         1. Maybe in this case its not true movement so its able to be done while the player is moving?
      2. “Cutscenes” where if a trainer or character spotted the player, the player would be locked for a moment as the character approached the player and then started talking to the player
         1. In this case, the player is not moving at the same time, and the game pauses to let the other character approach the player, may be another approach
      3. Moving in a fixed pattern, back and forth in a specific area
         1. In certain cities some characters would move back and forth, but not too much to the point it is like “action’ or disrupts the game experience. Rather, some npcs just move like this to simulate them being “alive” kind of
2. Use of Random
   1. I will just list a myriad of RNG things that the game uses
      1. Tall Grass (and fishing) -> encounter enemies
         1. What pokemon is encountered RNG
         2. What level pokemon is encountered rng
      2. Combat
         1. Crit %
         2. Miss %
         3. Being able to run or not?
      3. Sidequest calls from NPCs (like ralph) who ask to fight again
      4. In-game casino
3. Generative Grammar storyline elements
   1. Rival choosing the starter which counters you
   2. When NPC interactions change after you finish some story element (squirtbottle at goldenrod city)
   3. Needing certain HMs or TMs to go to the next stage of some area i.e. Surf, Rock Smash, Cut
   4. Soft layering
      1. Level progression required to be strong enough to face the next gym leader, grinding necessary
      2. Offering pokemon that are strategically powerful against the next gym leader at a low level to encourage building that one up (machop)
      3. Items which cost coins which need to be earned by beating other trainers
4. Interesting Game Mechanics
   1. Level design which requires you to pass tall grass and get annoyed
   2. Bike is a interesting game mechanic, how they let you change your sprite and speed up
   3. Night-time pokemon so its based on your time too
   4. Naming ability and you can name your pokemon
   5. Easter egg like pokemon balls scattered around
   6. Having levels that are previously not completable but you remember to return to them later after you get some level-ups
   7. Mini puzzles like ruins of alph