Open proposal for a Pokemon fangame to be made using Pokemon Essentials/RPG Maker:

SURVIVE AND CLIMB TO THE TOP TO BE KING

You are a trainer from a small village that desires only one thing: to be King of the Mountain. To become the King, you will cross the rugged wilderness, climb to the top of The Mountain, and obtain the legendary crown that lies at the peak.

But there’s one catch: there’s only one Pokemon Center + Pokemart in the world and it’s in your hometown. If you faint, you have to start your journey over from the very beginning.

Can you journey through thick forests, dry deserts, dank caves, freezing mountains, all while managing your supplies and defeating rivals to reach the peak and become the King?

RATION YOUR SUPPLIES



Your partner through the beginning of this journey is Meowth and his trusty skill Pay Day. Explore the areas outside of your village but survive to return home and stock up on supplies so you can journey farther and farther on subsequent runs.

Money will be scarce because no trainers will reward you with it when defeating them. Instead, they will offer Revives, Antidotes, Repels and other useful items. Strong rivals will await you, guarding important gateways but giving you even rarer items such as Ethers, PP Ups, and Full Restores.

Defeating these rivals and bosses will open up shortcuts through areas so subsequent journeys are shorter and unlock better supplies from the starting Pokemart now that their trade routes are open.

RATION YOUR POKEMON

Unlike the traditional games where having strong moves with low PP is ideal, this game design encourages you to keep weaker moves with lots of PP. What kind of playstyle will you adopt? What kind of Pokemon will you want on this journey? Will you keep strong friends and Struggle your way through or Run Away often with Healers to restore yourself?

For an even more heartless style of play, the game engine could be modified so you’re able to throw out any Pokemon in your current party without having to go back to the Pokemon Center. This way your Pokemon are truly disposable weapons and will show to everyone what a cruel monster you are. I don’t know if the Pokemon Essentials/RPG Maker engine can handle that as it is but I’m sure it could be modified to do so.

CONQUER THE MOUNTAIN, CONQUER YOURSELF

Once you reach the summit of The Mountain and obtain the crown, your journey isn’t over yet. To truly be recognized as King, you have to carry the crown back down the mountain and through the wilderness back to your hometown again, all while fighting your rivals who want to stop you at any cause. Fainting anytime during your journey back will send the legendary crown back to the peak, requiring you to start your trek to the top again.

SOMEONE PLEASE MAKE THIS

I’ve presented the bare bones of this game in hopes that someone will try to develop it because it’s too big for me to take on myself. Just the basis of it makes me wonder: what kind of techniques will speed runners develop? Will players naturally play this game Nuzlocke-style just to save time and prevent going all the way back to town? Will players even want to play a non-random roguelike-style game in the Pokemon engine?

TL;DR VERSION:

There’s only one Pokemon Center and PokeMart at the beginning.

Start with a Meowth with Pay Day.

You get no money from trainers.

If you die, you start from the beginning.

Get to the top of the mountain and back in one go.