Completed Pokémon and the Great Library

TheDogDad · Feb 22, 2023

It's time to Jam! The download link is now available, enjoy!

TheDogDad · Feb 23, 2023

Working on fixing the game files to remove a launch error

TheDogDad · Feb 24, 2023

Version 1.0.1 is out now! Some bug fixes and quality of life updates were added but here is a full list:

Fixed grammatical errors
Fixed difficulty settings
Fixed fast warp

TechSkylander1518 · Mar 9, 2023

I'm a big fan of story collection games like this, and I love the narrative setup and how you integrated the challenges into these stories! Death Dreamer is by far my favorite, I think you did a great job with the eventing and building up the twists!

All the new sprites are really fun and charming! Curilog definitely takes the cake as the perfect partner here, but I still loved the little glimpses we got of the other fakemon!

I feel like the title music could start a bit sooner - the open splashes are totally silent.

The title screen still plays a randomized cry? I feel like Curilog is basically the mascot of the game, so it'd be perfect to play its cry each time.

I think you should keep the "More info" option in the info selection rather than removing it after reading it once - it's minor, but there's not really any reason not to let the player repeat it.

I love seeing changes to base UI in games, but I think that just removing the backgrounds in the summary and bag UIs is a bit of a detriment - their backgrounds also show the pages/pockets, so without them, you have to just rely on your memory of their order. (The font colors are a little harder to read as a result, too...)

I definitely think you should keep the background, just add in a little more (and maybe tweak the font colors) so that the player isn't losing information as a result.

Aki has a ribbon style summary screen here, it could be cute to throw those on, like bookmarks.

On a similar note, the party screen is definitely still readable, but the standard colors really clash with the colors of the background.

Similar thoughts on the trainer card - it could be cute to make a little library card, but honestly, it'd be easier to just remove it from the pause menu, nobody's going to miss it. (unless they want to check money, but they can do that at the store)

I think the Help Desk should return to the choices after each branch rather than just exiting entirely.

I think this game could really benefit from some kind of visual indicator for readable books. I get that hunting down books is supposed to be part of the gameplay, but when there's no way to tell a readable bookcase from an empty one, you spend a lot of time clicking around and getting nothing, not even flavor text. Maybe a bookcase with a book sticking out a little bit could be subtle enough where you still have to look for it?

I also think it'd be useful to make use of Essentials' \l[n] command to display more text at once. Restricting all the books to two lines at a time means a lot of mashing A, and cutting off sentences at odd points. I think expanding the window would help add to the feeling of reading books - you could even add some blank lines to keep them all the same size.

The spaceship seems like it's in a different artstyle from everything else. I think part of it is that it seems to be upscaled to 200% compared to the other graphics in the overworld?

I did Star Voyager first, and maybe I was taking things out of order, but the balance felt really out of whack. Every Pokemon was generally five levels above Curilog, had what seemed to be a move with a 100% chance of inflicting toxic, and, because of the speed difference, was usually able to get a big blow on me because I couldn't flee from the battle on the first turn.

All of the story-required battles are done as trainer battles, and I don't really understand why? It usually doesn't make sense to see them come out of Poke Balls, and the lose dialogue is pretty minimal. The only time they have more than two Pokemon is in Death Dreamer - everywhere else, you could just put them in a wild battle and set the rules so the player can't run.

A few nitpicks on a few lines -

Star Voyager starts with a crash landing, but concludes with the astronaut declaring a "mission success"? Was the mission to approach the planet? I thought it had been coincidental.
The book about the spring/winter region starts by saying "Legend tells of" it, but it's treated as a very observable location? (Which I personally like a lot more, I liked reading about its inhabitants' culture, I just think it's odd to talk about it like it's still an unknown)
"a name that translates to night fighter, or Marshadow" - I would take out the "or" here, it doesn't make sense to say "it can be translated to Marshadow"

The Pokemon received from completing each scroll felt really lacking, honestly. Haunter doesn't even appear in Death Dreamer, Lunatone is only a wild encounter in Star Voyager, and Jigglypuff isn't really notable in Wishing Star. Cherrim definitely felt apt, but even then, I was surprised I didn't get a Bagon with Salamence's special move or Shaymin himself. I figured it was just because I was playing on Normal mode, but it seems like the difficulty doesn't affect what Pokemon you receive?

I personally think it'd be fun to change the Pokemon depending on the difficulty, and make them more story-relevant.

	Wishing Star	Star Voyager	Death Dreamer	Shaymin & the Sky Kingdom
Normal	Jigglypuff	Mutated Clefairy	Haunter*	Cherrim
Hard	Croagunk	Mutated Sableye	Dream Spirit	Bagon
Challenge	Jirachi	Deoxys	Darkrai	Shaymin

*there's only two Pokemon here apart from the monster lol, and I figure Darkrai on Hard is a bit extreme

Admittedly, though, this route would involve making backsprites for all the new Pokemon... it's a lot easier to throw ideas out than it is to be the one actually making the graphics for it. And it'd definitely mess with balancing to be handing out these legendaries, so maybe it's not totally worth it. But I think the new designs and new moves are fun, and it'd be nice to get to take them for a spin when playing through. (You can use Lunatone in almost any Pokemon game, but how often do you get to use a mutated Clefairy with a Toxic variation?)

I think an option to warp to the library from the books would be useful, there doesn't really seem to be any point to walking back through the whole maze. (Although I suppose that'd throw off the current speedrun count...)

The answers are cut off at the top here. (I would personally suggest just moving it to the bottom of the screen for this line)

The Max Revive book can be repeated.

This book displays a blank message after hitting no/reading it.

This book has a blank message after hitting yes:

I'm not sure if this was intentional, since it seemed to change based on topic, but some books had blue text while others had black. Dialogue color switched in some other scenes, too - for example, after "there's nowhere to run", Salamence's dialogue is black instead of red.

There's a few places throughout the library where the bookshelves are right against the bottom wall, so nobody could even approach them? It's not super noticeable, just seemed odd.

The green devices have a passability error.

Opening the trainer card in any scroll crashes the game. (I noticed you did have front sprites for King Shaymin and the astronaut, but it looks like they weren't named right?)

The whiteout message still says you went to a Pokemon Center.

The Spores 2 quest is broken. (It looks like the book event never turns the right switch on)

This roof is cut off -

There's some parts of the Sky Kingdom with visible void -

This might have been to go with the horror theme, but some bookcases in the north wing are missing tiles at the top.

Visible void in Wishing Star.

There's a few general typos that were too common for me to keep track individually -

Pokémon is missing the é everywhere
Interacting with a book has the message "It's a book called, (Title)" - the comma shouldn't be there

speedup the game- I think speedup is just a noun, not a verb? I might be mistaken here
Oh hello! - Oh, hello!
You're at the Great Library young lady - You're at the Great Library, young lady
Home to the most wonderful stories from across the multiverese! - multiverse
I forgot to introduce myself how rude of me... - I forgot to introduce myself, how rude of me...
It's very easy to get lost in the story so we always provide visitors with a special Pokemon to help them out...- It's very easy to get lost in the story, so we always provide visitors with a special Pokémon to help them out...
If you have any more questions please reach out - If you have any more questions, please reach out
There have been many theories including the most widley accepted of procreation in a fashion similar to humans. - There have been many theories, including the most widely-accepted of procreation in a fashion similar to humans.
However, this theory is quickly debunked with one clear piece of evidence. The lack of sex organs present on any Pokemon species to date. - These should be joined with a colon, since the second sentence is a fragment
With this observation it is a true mystery as to the origins - With this observation, it is a true
There is one researcher, a professor originally from the Bendol region who has expressed a compelling theory. - There is one researcher, a professor originally from the Bendol region, who has expressed
when it comes to Pokemon breeding and Pokemon eggs it may be a difficult answer - when it comes to Pokémon breeding and Pokémon eggs, it may be a difficult answer
I have a colleage - colleague
She told me about the, 'Legend of Two' - She told me about the "Legend of Two"
- Also, the font shows this as smart apostrophes - I think it might be worth it to just make them quotation marks instead, even if that's not grammatically correct.
The most sought after items were those that could heal a fainted Pokemon as the minerals were incredibly rare. - The most sought-after items were those that could heal a fainted Pokémon, as the minerals were incredibly rare.
But, thanks to modern technology and the power of science we have - But thanks to modern technology and the power of science, we have
This became the now widely distributed item known as the revive. - This became the now widely-distributed item known as the Revive.
The synthetic version wasn't a perfect replica, but, it was still able to restore a fainted Pokemon to at least half way back to full health. - The synthetic version wasn't a perfect replica, but it was still able to restore a fainted Pokémon to at least halfway back to full health.
Some trainers even repoirt -report
(Something fell out of the book) - Missing end punctuation
Fanstasy Books - Fantasy
I like the food from here don't you? - I like the food from here, don't you?
If you want to know more feel free to explore the library. - If you want to know more, feel free to explore the library.
But, where is "here" exactly? - But where is "here", exactly?"
The North Wing is for Horor books - Horror
East is Childrens books - Children's
Happy Reading! - Happy reading!
If you can read all three books I'll quiz you on the story... - If you can read all three books, I'll quiz
The existence of legendary Pokemon is an incredibly thing to think about. - incredible
Or even, a world without Pokemon at all. - Or even a world without Pokémon at all.
This system sounded strong in theory but in practice it was incredibly flawed and crime massively spread as a result. - in theory, but in practice it was incredibly flawed, and crime spread massively as a result.
Even today, Bendol is the most crime ridden region in the world and has a reputation for it - crime-ridden
However, law enforcement still holds full political power and is currently making an active effort to end crime once and for all. With individual operations intended to - once and for all, with individual operations
A recently discovered ancient city in the - A recently-discovered ancient city
But, when their chieftain and his son went missing, they fled - But when their chieftain
Refugees spread across the region although only a handful - across the region, although only a handful
Some of the most notable include the Legend of Two, the Great divide, - Divide should be capitalized
healthy diet along with some excersize - exercise
If you want to train your Pokemon to have certain stats be stronger make sure to train - certain stats be stronger, make sure
between two families who after generations of conflict - who, after generations of conflict,
you must train it everyday. - every day
Pokemon researchers come in all shapes and sizes but none are more - Pokémon researchers come in all shapes and sizes, but none are more
who conducts research there, however some may have - who conducts research there, however, some may have

South wing

If you can locate it and return here I'll give you - return here, I'll give you
A mysterious Pokemon species called "Unknown" - The species is actually spelled "Unown"
a phonic of the human alphabet - nitpick, but a phonic is a sound - the Unown are based on letters, which can produce different sounds, so it's more accurate to say they're characters.
A man corrupted my money and power - A man, corrupted by money and power,
So, he spent a large sum of money - So he spent
It's round eyes - Its round eyes
some sort of Virus... - Virus doesn't need to be capitalized
the pressence of a - presence
orange and blue alien looking Pokemon - orange and blue alien-looking Pokémon

West wing

What killed them? Wondered the farmer - "What killed them?" wondered the farmer.
He began to notice some wild Pokemon and suspecting they had- and, suspecting they had
and were oozing puss out of their bodies - missing end punctuation
He awoke on an island, barely alive and quickly set up - an island, barely alive, and quickly
Giant Pokemon! The size of mountains roaming the island freely. Giant Pokémon, the size of mountains, roaming the island freely!
They were intimidating but one reached down its arm - intimidating, but one reached
towards the nearby forest almost as if - forest, almost as if
spewing reddish spores into the air creating a thick cloud- into the air, creating a thick
instanly withered them - instantly
Before long the farmer began to - Before long, the farmer
Until, he too - Until he too
Aha! Shouted the guests, storming back into the dinning room - "Aha!" shouted the guests,
It was you! We found this red mask and only you, the King's advisors were given those masks while we, the guests were given blue masks to wear -
Well done! Shouted the King as he rose up from his position. I can't believe you figured it out! - "Well done!" shouted the King as he rose up from his position. "I can't believe you figured it out!"
the "blood" was tasty Jam? - Jam shouldn't be capitalized
a santuary for all - sanctuary
Good morning King Shaymin - Good morning, King Shaymin
We need to get started sir as you have a very busy day - We need to get started, sir, as you
Alright alright Cherrim - Alright, alright, Cherrim
I'd get the flowers but can you remind me - I'd get the flowers, but can
He's a bit of a grump but he's - He's a bit of a grump, but he's
Thank you Cherrim, please - Thank you, Cherrim, please
Of course sir, - Of course, sir,
Greetings King Shaymin - Greetings, King Shaymin,
Hello sir, remember you insisted on getting the flowers yourself so don't be late. - Hello, sir. Remember, you insisted on getting the flowers yourself, so don't be late.
is green, neat huh? - is green, neat, huh?
Thanks for letting me stay in Sky Kingdom - missing end punctuation
If a fellow Pokemon attacks you don't be - If a fellow Pokémon attacks you, don't be
you're Shroomish right? - you're Shroomish, right?
But I don't got yar flowers - missing end punctuation
I'll find the theif - thief
investigate the volunteers then - volunteers, then
I don't know sir - I don't know, sir
you're right Cherrim - you're right, Cherrim
Sounds good to me sir! - me, sir!
What's good King man. - What's good, King man.
No, I love flowers though. - flowers, though
Ugh, nevermind. - never mind
what happened to the flowers King Shaymin? -flowers, King Shaymin?
You lazy bum what are you - bum, what are
Sorry Chimchar - Sorry, Chimchar
OTHER WAY rock brain!!! - OTHER WAY, rock
Did you hear that sir? - that, sir?
Yes, I did Cherrim. - did, Cherrim
You should go investigate sir, -
Thank you Cherrim. - Thank you, Cherrim
He's been asleep for days dummy. - days, dummy
We just have lumber no stinkin' flowers! - lumber, no
Wait, wait please be quiet. - Wait, wait, please
the suspect is a "big fella" it might be your boss. - "big fella", it might
So, it's not him then... - So, it's not him, then...
Not HIM Machop... - Not HIM, Machop...
Thanks for the help fellas. - Thanks for the help, fellas
Your welcome - You're welcome
We need to get back to work Machop. - We need to get back to work, Machop.
at the lumber yard sir? - at the lumber yard, sir?
You should go investigate sir, good luck! - You should go investigate, sir, good luck!
Thanks Cherrim. - Thanks, Cherrim.
Nice to meet you King Shaymin... - Nice to meet you, King Shaymin
a group of Dragon pokemon - a group of Dragon Pokémon
But, we desire a life of - But we desire a life

North wing -

A group of kids went to a summer camp and have lots of fun - and had
bumped the smallest boy in the group and he fell into - group, and he
He cried out for help but his friends ignored him - for help, but
but, all they could think about was the boy the left to drown. - but all they could think about
Throghout the night, the occasional croack of frogs - croak
They never found the boy, but, they did - the boy, but they did
extremely evasive and fightening - frightening
So, we pulled out our - So we pulled out
But, the ghost that I found - But the ghost that I found
a few strange Pokemon including Litwick but it's energy - strange Pokémon, including Litwick, but its energy
with it, but, the little guy - with it, but the little guy
It's okay sweetie - It's okay, sweetie
you're safe now little one - you're safe now, little one
my you look delicious sweetie - my, you look delicious, sweetie
but, the creature that saved her - but the creature that saved her

East wing -

One day Geodude found - One day, Geodude
It was his friend Starly who usually - It was his friend Starly, who usually
So, it put carried Starly way up - So it carried Starly way up
Once upon a time there lived - Once upon a time, there lived
by a strong dragon Pokemon but that didn't scare - by a strong dragon Pokémon, but that didn't scare
She asked the prince, how did you make it past the dragon? - She asked the prince, "How did you make it
It was Snorlax who lived in a big- It was Snorlax, who lived
What can I do for you Patrat? - What can I do for you, Patrat?
But, you have to take care of it. - But you have to
But, it's mother was no where to be found. - But its mother was nowhere
But, baby Togepi somehow knew - But baby Togepi
Wurmple was so full that he began to grow sleepy. It climbed up high - You switched from "he" to "it" here
But, one day she decided - But one day
What game should we play Wishing Star? - What game should we play, Wishing Star?
you found everyone 'Melia! - you found everyone, 'Melia!
You win 'Melia! - You win, 'Melia!
But, isn't he usually - But isn't he usually
Don't worry Jigglypuff - Don't worry, Jigglypuff
Croagunk why are you - Croagunk, why are you
Your welcome to play with us anytime Croagunk, but, to earn back their trust I think you should start -
Are you ready to go home 'Melia? - Are you ready to go home, 'Melia?
I guess your right - I guess you're right
Your welcome Amelia - You're welcome, Amelia
Very well then, - Very well, then,

where your father the mayor gave a speech - where you father, the mayor, gave a speech
But, were captured and taken - But were captured
a machine that when fused with the legendary Pokemon Celebi would turn - a machine that, when fused with the legendary Pokémon Celebi, would turn
But, he took you, his daughter with him - But he took you, his daughter, with him
But, where is here exactly? - But where is here, exactly?
or even when dear girl - or even when, dear girl
There is somethign hunting - something
so where do I go then? - so where do I go, then?
You must hurry Veronica - You must hurry, Veronica

Tomix9tomix · Mar 26, 2023

Just finished playing through this game.
Some thoughts:

Really cool idea for a game. I like games that are a series of distinct stories, Pokemon Bonfire Stories is a similar thing and it is a game that I hold dear in my heart. And then to see that idea take place in the grand idea of a library containing information on all the universes is really cool.

The game was pretty solid. I liked the fakemon, especially the "Wild Death" sprite in your parents room, that looked crazy. I think all the stories did a good job of feeling distinct from eachother. My favourite was probably the sci-fi one. I loved seeing all the virus sprites, and the reveal that it was deoxys causing it all made sense. Only really two small points of feedback:
-since not every bookshelf actually has flavour text to read, it would be nice if there was some indicator of which bookshelves you could talk to, like a sparkle graphic, or a bright red book graphic or something so that the player doesn't need to trial and error every tile.
-Having finished the game it feels like the intended order for the stories is Jirachi story>Shaymin story> horror story> alien story but there is no real indicator telling you which story you should do next. And if you do them out of order you end up very underleveled.

I would also just say, I thought the final reveal tying into cyber celebi was very cool. It was mind blowing to realise that we are playing as the mayor's daughter from that game. I look forward to what is to come next :) keep up the good work.

EDIT: I was just editing my VOD for youtube and I just saw the thank you for me and some other devs in the credits, that's really sweet and I appreciate that <3

Haunted Ditto · Apr 15, 2023

Hello, I just finished the game.

Here are my thoughts:

Very nice looking pixelart for the few Fakemon
Incentives for reading the books
Rewards were actually helpful (only plates fitting the Pokemon you get and not some random types like water, fire, etc.) and even the TMs were the perfect amount
Cool/cute stories referencing stories irl
Some interesting sequel potential

-Based on difficulty the order you can "finish" the interactive stories seems forced. The starter was only really helpful against Croagunk. All other boss fights were pretty much impossible with only one Pokemon (like the horror section). Then with the help of the Jigglypuff from that story, you can easily beat horror and fantasy. And Sci-Fi pretty much requires Haunter, because all the other Pokemon struggle against the inficted Pokemon.
- The reward Pokemon felt kinda random except Cherrim (Kids: I can't even remember seeing a Jigglypuff there. More fitting options would be Happiny, Pachirisu, Buneary or Croagunk imo; Sci-Fi: Makes kinda sense since there weren't any "obvious" options; Horror: Haunter is scary, but maybe Drowzee or Hypno would be more fitting since they like to put people to sleep)

I won't be talking about bugs since TechSkylander mentioned pretty much everything.
Overall a very solid game jam entry.

Lazy_$norlax · Jul 24, 2023

Loved the game.

Loved the side stories from the four sections overall and the new pokemon is charming to me. (named him ship)

My overall problem is that one of the book pokemon kinda dont register when I fully gave him the location (the one that looks for the spores part 2) another one would be the reward pokemon I understand the cherrim and jigglypuff (somewhat even though it just appears in the latter part of the story) but the other pokemon (haunter, lunastone,) not so much. I also suggest a shortcut from exiting the floors after finishing the story just like a shortcut in going to the story.

jeacky · Nov 22, 2023

hello,
i just finished the Game and its good. But i noticed how the Game crahed when i opened the Trainercard in the midel of an story. It took me like 1 and a half hour. I took my time searched for the Booktitles and found the most. Now i wand to evolve my Haunter but i cant im sad

Completed Pokémon and the Great Library

Pokemon and the Great Library Resources

TheDogDad

I love jam

TheDogDad

I love jam

TheDogDad

I love jam

TechSkylander1518

Wiki Dweeb

Tomix9tomix

The beetle is waking up

Haunted Ditto

Creator of Pokemon Pandora and Pokemon Climate

Lazy_$norlax

Rookie

jeacky

Novice

TheDogDad	32min