Pokémon Postbellum Version (A Red/Blue hack)

[Tombstoner]

I've recently begun a project: to create a hack of the original Pokémon games and raise the difficulty bar to the max. Minor edits include the removal of all-caps words (other than "POKéMON"), buyability of limited-supply items (late in the game), as well as the title screen. If I can find the right tools, I may change even more, but for now, that is the plan. Here is a list of what I plan to do so far for dificulty:

• Change the starters to weaker Pokémon
• Change the wild Pokémon species
• Make the levels of opponents throughout the game increase much faster
• Lower supply of better items (for instance, only being able to buy Potions for a while)

Suggestions would be greatly appreciated. It's actually the main reason I posted this, because the project is in a very early phase. What I don't have the tools for:
- map/wild Pokémon editing
- trainer team editing (including Gym Leaders and Elite Four)
- an item price editor
What I'd like to be able to do, but is not necessary:
- change trainer/Pokémon sprites
- make Prof. Oak and Chief be opponents
That's all for now.

[atoms2ashes]

So it's like Touhou's Lunatic mode, minus the lolicon?

Sweet!

[Tombstoner]

After some consideration of the reason for the high-leveled stuff, changed the name. The idea is, there was a war, during which trainers trained excessively for protection and the wild Pokémon adapted to the tough environment. During this time, your rival and you lost everything you had. So, you go to Prof. Oak again to recieve starter Pokémon, one of three new ones that he was able to capture...
This will be said in the introductory dialogue.

[atoms2ashes]

So these Pokemon would be at level 5?

Or would Professor Oak train them up to adapt to the war environment?

[Wack0]

they'd probably be level 3.

[Tombstoner]

they'd probably be level 3.

Dunno how to change starter levels. I'm mainly just changing wild Pokémon and trainers (wild Pokémon start out at Lvs.6-10.)

[Molotov Madman]

Trainers that aren't Gym Leaders are not in the ROM code, because I found Brock's Pokémon but not any random Trainer's Pokémon, so this could mean that the Trainer's Pokémon are loaded into the RAM by the script.

But there isn't a script editor for R/B/Y, so I'm not sure what to do.

[Torchickens]

Trainers that aren't Gym Leaders are not in the ROM code, because I found Brock's Pokémon but not any random Trainer's Pokémon, so this could mean that the Trainer's Pokémon are loaded into the RAM by the script.

But there isn't a script editor for R/B/Y, so I'm not sure what to do.

Unless I'm mistaken I thought that the roster of the trainer's Pokémon depended on another value, which is set after the player speaks with the trainer, this is the same value managing what the level of the enemy Pokémon will be. For example, a value of 01 for a Youngster would probably give the first Youngster roster defined. This is why when performing the Old Man Trick glitch trainers can appear because the game will set this value to anything between B9 (185) and F5 (245) depending on the player's name. Such large values will try to bring up roster data which is undefined, so the game will bring up the data from elsewhere.

[Full Metal Glitch]

This was a random thought...

So saying, pokemon in the Unknown Dungeon will be levels 70-90? Or something like that?

And Mewtwo could be Level 100

[Tombstoner]

I'm thinking of probably changing generations for this, if trainers' Pokémon will not be able to be edited. Perhaps Gen IV, as its the most advanced one (I was originally doing RB just because I like RB. My next favorite generation is IV.)

[Full Metal Glitch]

I know. Gen IV has HG/SS in it anyway, so you can still mess around with Kanto

[Tombstoner]

I know. Gen IV has HG/SS in it anyway, so you can still mess around with Kanto

To be honest, I don't want to be too bothered with map editing. HG/SS would be nice though for the large level range, allowing it to potentially reach 100.

[Full Metal Glitch]

That's what I was thinking.

[IIMarckus]

Trainers that aren't Gym Leaders are not in the ROM code, because I found Brock's Pokémon but not any random Trainer's Pokémon, so this could mean that the Trainer's Pokémon are loaded into the RAM by the script.

I have no idea what you’re saying here. Trainers can be edited easily.

39D3B is a list of pointers to the first trainer of every type. First two bytes point to Youngster #1, second two bytes point to Bug Catcher #1, and so on. Following the pointer, you’ll get data like this:
<level><species><species>…<species><00> Youngster #1
<level><species><species>…<species><00> Youngster #2
and so on. Note that in general, all Pokémon are the same level (leaders, E4, and champion being the only exceptions).

Example: Youngster #1 has a level 11 Rattata and Ekans. Do you see why?