You forgot the few exceptions part, silly.

Regarding T Ms, The cd's were their first appearance in the games, but they had previously appeared in a very different form in the TCG: These TM's looked like rounded, hollow boxes that seemed to work when you pot a pokemon in their pokeball inside. Just thought it was worth mentioning.

Regarding the Apricorns, an NPC in the original GSC versions (I can't speak for the remakes) says that you can "fit a special device to them" and use them to catch pokemon. I propose that it's this "Device" that does the real work in pokemon captures, and the rest of the ball is just the storage component. But why a berry would be suited to store Energy or Data is beyond me.

I think it does sort of make sense that H Ms contain less data then T Ms: consider moves like "Strength" and "Fly" in contrast with things like "Brick Break". Once in a while they turn out to be Boring, but Practical, is all. Presumably needing to store less data is what lets them fit on something that doesn't biodegrade upon use or however the T Ms magically disappear.

It's only "data" for familiarity's sake. Digital code and such are probably just one way to, well, access a certain flow of information that is inherent in the world. Think Avatar and its "USB-Ports" that the Navi use to connect to animals, and to talk to the planet itself and all. Pokemon can be converted into that sort of information, and computers are just humanity's only way to manipulate that data flow to a certain extent. Capricorns are harder to acquire, but work with the flow on its natural basis, or perhaps rather a compromise between natural and technological, since the capricorn still has to be manipulated to do a human's bidding.

I get it! The people of the Pokemon world have figured out how to use DNA computers!

Well, the Pokemon World DOES look more technology based. It's probably the same technology as the kind in Capsule Corporation.

This may be off topic, but what's is with the Psychics in the Pokemon world? Are there also Black Belts with Chi, as well?

edited 16th Mar '10 1:04:36 PM by asiacatdogblue

Speaking of Pokeballs, I figure that the traditional Apricorn Pokeballs utilize a spacial barrier/distortion effect by means of (Palkia has censored this to prevent untrained people from putting a hole into spacetime. AGAIN.) to create a pocket dimension inside the ball. Modern mass-produced pokeballs use electronic systems to replicate the effect.

Let's see... the presence of mass/energy conversion tech is ambiguous. Warp tiles exist, but we can't really see if they operate like a "zap!" teleporter, or instead use wormholes or Psi effects.

If Pokéballs do operate in a mass-conversion manner, they need some way to simulate an internal environment, since every in continuity I'm aware of time does pass within Pokéballs. (In the show, there's the whole awareness-of-surroundings thing, in the games poison has effects out of battle, etc.)

I can't see many people trusting their beloved partners to a computer simulation of dubious reliability (if a Pokéball gets destroyed while still occupied... brrr), or how a Pokémon could "break out" of one.

A space-warping or psi-based system seems a better fit. Given the historical involvement of a specific nut, the beam-rather-than-distortion effect seen in-show, the show's indicating that even ancient civilizations had Pokéball equivalents, harnessed paranormal effects seems most sensible. To me, anyways.

edited 16th Mar '10 10:25:04 AM by Tangent128

My idea is that the mechanism prevents the pokeball's contents from bursting out. Pokemon seem to break free of pokeballs with no ill effects except to the pokeballs.

Also, given enough willpower, your loyal Gardevoir can easily trip the release mechanism and pop out on her own to throw up a Light Screen to protect you.

If time passes in the Pokeball, what about James's Carnivine? Supposedly the poor guy was left in a bottlecap trunk for ten years. No wonder he's clingy.

Yeah, that's a bit sticky... presumably a "real" Pokéball would have a safety release timer.

It also implies some form of minimal sustenance in there, I guess.

You mean Kiai? Anime Candice was very fond of that word. Odd, considering you'd expect Maylene to be in that role.

Edit: If you meant "ki", I think that's been dealt with by Lucario and most of his trainers. Including Maylene.

New question: What are the possible explanations for traded Pokemon developing more quickly than ones that were caught normally? Given the tendency for such Pokemon to quickly and definitively outgrow their trainers (with all the loyalty issues that causes), could this be some form of overclocking on the part of the Pokeball?

edited 16th Mar '10 11:12:39 AM by FalconPain

Different trainers are going to train with different styles; some will be well suited to a particular Pokémon, while others less so.

Trading exposes a Pokémon to multiple styles, allowing them to benefit from the best aspects of each.

The lack of listening at higher levels could be thought of as a "not my real trainer!" reaction, but is really more of a gameplay imposition.

"Realistically", Pokémon are going to vary in attitude and loyalty, traded or not. No doubt in some cases one would have more respect for a new trainer.

Pokéball

Purpose

to be filled- Er, that is, to capture a Pokémon and contain them portably.

Operation

???

History

Apricorn-based Pokémon seals date back to antiquity.

In the past couple decades, the Pokéball proper has come into widespread use. First developed by Silph Co. in 19XX, the Pokéball is a capsule device structurally resembling a hollowed-out Apricorn; however, its design is primarily composed of electronic systems.

Beyond seamlessly integrating numerous convenience functions that Apricorn fittings struggle to find space for, these systems also boost the capture ability of a low-quality Apricorn extract gel to full-Apricorn levels, making the device much more cost-effective and mass-produceable.

Since the expiration of the original patent in 199X, competitors such as Devon have devised special-purpose and novelty variants.

Major Variants

• Great Ball - manufactured with a more rigorous quality assurance process. In addition, a more-refined Apricorn extract is used, boosting its capture power.
  • Safari Ball - a cosmetic variant commissioned by the Safari Zone.
• Ultra Ball - made with a much less diluted extract than Pokéballs and Great Balls, accounting for both its higher capture power and cost.
• Master Ball - provides virtually guaranteed capture; its production involves the concentrated extract of the specially-bred Purple Apricorn. This breed, though potent, is also extremely fragile and not very fertile. Thus, manufacturing is extremely expensive, making the average market value of a single Master Ball well over several million Pokédollars. It can only be reasonably acquired by very wealthy individuals (or researchers good at securing grants), making it a coveted prize in giveaways and competitions.

Niche Designs

• Premiere Ball - One of the first Pokéballs developed after the expiration of Silph's patent. Functionally identical to a normal Pokéball, the only advantage this variation gave was an appearance of class. Pokéball sales soared when Devon began the "Buy ten Pokéballs and get a Premiere Ball Free!" campaign.
• Luxury Ball - One of the first specialty Pokéball developed by Devon, this black Pokéball with red and gold trim was designed as an artificial substitute for the recently imported "Friend Ball", which are created from Green Apricorn not native to Hoenn. Using the significantly more common Black Apricorn, Devon achieved a partial duplication of the Friend Ball's calming effect towards Pokémon.
  
  For a short time after initial creation, the production of Luxury Balls was put on hold, due to unforeseen expenses. The production of Luxury Balls was eventually handed over to the Sinnoh branch of Devon Corporation.
• Net Ball - Upon the discovery of Water- and Bug-type Pokemon hoarding Cyan Apricorns, Devon tested the first prototype "Cyan Ball". Although basically the equivalent of a Pokéball, the prototype performed far superior than even an Ultra Ball when capturing Water- and Bug-types.
• Dive Ball - Devon Corporation's first attempt at a purely artificial, non-Apricorn based Pokéball met with disaster. Due to a lack of pressure, the Pokéball's novel compression system couldn't contain Pokémon with any degree of success. The project was about to be abandoned when a researcher accidentally dropped one of the prototypes into the ocean while sailing to a press conference. When the Ball was fished out of the water, it amazingly had caught a Pokémon. Though normally possessing inferior holding power to traditional Apricorn-gel containers, the Dive Ball's compression system can improve its containment strength by utilizing seafloor water pressure. Production models also use surrounding water as a heatsink, enabling the use of a higher-power compression system without overheating.

---

I should probably actually start a post, huh? Are these headings suitable?

edited 9th Nov '10 5:37:07 PM by Tangent128

I just have this to say: the Purpose section for the pokéball is already perfect.

Good work.

I've started adding flavor text to the above post. Sound reasonable so far?

"Apricorn gel"?

Other than that, it's pretty good.

Eh, I figured they'd use some processed form of the nut for cost reasons, and "Apricorn butter" is probably ridiculous.

Any opinions on the operating principle?

In that case the Master Ball is made from an extremely rare "Purple Apricorn" extract. Due to this manufacturing is extremely expensive, even though the process has been perfected by Silph co., making the average market value of a single Master Ball well over several million Pokedollars. Thus it can only be reasonably acquired by very wealthy individuals, or via various giveaways.

I've been wanting to post this gem:

http://www.funnyjunk.com/funny_pictures/182531/Poke+Science/

edited 19th Mar '10 2:48:39 PM by BattleMage

Heh, all this talk got me wanting to play the games again. I slotted in my copy of Pokemon: Blue Version and the first NPC i talk to explicitly says these words:

"Technology is incredible! You can now store and recall items and pokemon as data via PC!"

That clearly proves the pokemon as data theorem, Assuming everyone's willing to take to heart the off-hand comment of a random bystandrian. Not that there was much in the way of argument against it in the first place.

... I feel superfluous...

That explanation of the masterball's rarity doesn't quite match up with the games. Then again, the masterball's story has been different in every game.

In gen 1, a sign mentions that the Master ball is "coming soon", meaning that it's in development. Team rocket attacks Silph co. in hopes of obtaining the technology, and after Red drives them off, the president gives him their only prototype, and an employee mentions that they're shutting the project down (The obvious explenation is that they realized it would be too dangerous in the wrong hands).

The 2nd gen contradicts the 'only one in the world' aspect by having a second one available, though the chances of actually getting the second one are astronomical (Lucky Number Lottery). The one the player get's through plot progression was in the hands of Professor Elm, and I can't remember his explenation for having it (something about being a Professor?).

Third gen also has one available in the lottery. The one the player is likely to get is in the Team Aqua Base (2/3 games. It's the Magma base in Ruby). It's in a room that looks like an office, in the middle of a small Minefield. This implies that Archie/Maxie was keeping it nearby and under protection, but for some reason decided he didn't need it for his plans and left it behind when they went to steal the submarine (probably figuring the Orb would be enough). These Masterballs might actually be the Devon co.s version or not, it's never mentioned.

Fourth Gen, Cyrus gives it to you saying he respects your power and he doesn't need it (Checking the nearby computer explains why). Still, it's never explained how he had it in the first place. There's probably a lottery in these games too.

In Colloseum, Eugun gives you the masterball if you backtrack out of the final dungeon to ask him about the email he sent that was over the length limit. Again, no explanation on where it came from, though he could easily have had it for years.

In XD, the masterball is hidden in a secret part of the lab hidden underneath the lab the Snag Machine was developed in, and is referred to as an "ultimate weapon" to counter XD 001.

The general pattern seems to be that very few Masterballs were made, but not because making them is difficult. They didn't make many because they realized how much of a Game Breaker they were in the wrong hands. Some Masterballs were given to Professors or elite trainers who could be trusted with that kind of power; others did fall into evil hands, but these evil hands found other means of controlling the legendary power they were after.

As for the lottery? Who knows what they were thinking.

One imagines Gameplay and Story Segregation, nothing more.