Pokémon Polished Crystal

This is a custom Pokémon game based on pret's disassembly of Pokémon Crystal.

In the short-term, it's going to be what the title says: an improved, polished version of Pokémon Crystal. Partly it will imitate MrDollSteak's ROMbase for FireRed: decapitalized names, new game mechanics like the Fairy type and Physical/Special split, and adding Pokémon, moves, and items from future generations. I'm also inspired by Mateo's Red++, which devamps certain FireRed features for a Red base, and adds some entirely original ones. I'm doing the same thing with HGSS, copying things like the Bellchime Trail and Gym Leader rematches, and making some tweaks out of personal preference. And finally, like Emerald Omega and FireRed Omega, the game will be harder. Levels are higher, parties are larger, bosses have held items and better movesets, and there's an equal playing field between you and the AI: no badge boosts for you, no arbitrary misses for them.

In the long-term, I want going to make an original game set five years after GSC, with a selection of Pokémon, moves, and items from all generations (including new evolutions and baby forms like Yanmega and Munchlax, personal favorites like Milotic and Gogoat, and maybe one fakemon Kangaskid/Kangascub/Kangaschan). I've had semi-concrete plans to make a Pokémon game for years, but an early attempt with RPG Maker 2000 never got anywhere.

I'm very impressed by the effort that's gone into disassembling Pokémon Crystal and making the code so well-organized. Thanks to making that open-source (and to the ROM hackers that inspired me), I'm finally making it a reality.

(Speaking of which, I borrowed Mateo's randomized Wonder Trading idea because the PokéCom Center is just perfect for it; the dialog about how "you can trade Pokémon with other people far away" is already there! I'm making the Pokémon you receive have random OT names, so if anyone whose ideas or code I use wants to appear there, let me know.)

To set up the repository, see INSTALL.md.

Features

• Add Fairy type from Gen VI:
  • Updated type chart, Pokémon types, and move types
  • Pink Bow (formerly Polkadot Bow) powers up Fairy-type moves
  • Added Moonblast, Play Rough, and Disarm Voice
• Catch all 251 Pokémon without trading:
  • Graveler, Kadabra, Machoke, and Haunter evolve by level-up instead of trading
  • Poliwhirl, Slowpoke, Onix, Seadra, Scyther, and Porygon evolve by held item instead of trading
  • Wild Vulpix on Routes 7, 8, 36 (at night), and 37 (at night)
  • Wild Mankey on Routes 9 and 42
  • Wild Primeape on Routes 9 and 42
  • Wild Mareep on Routes 32 and 43
  • Wild Flaaffy on Routes 42 and 43
  • Wild Girafarig on Route 43
  • Wild Remoraid on Route 41 (not Route 44; they belong with Mantine)
  • Encounter Mewtwo in Cerulean Cave
• Modern battle mechanics:
  • Physical/Special split, with display
  • Updated Pokémon base stats and move attributes
  • Steel does not resist Ghost or Dark
  • Type-enhancing items raise by 20%, not 10%
  • Light Ball doubles Pikachu's Attack as well as Special Attack
  • Critical hits do 150% damage, not 200%, but are more likely
  • Electric-type Pokémon are immune to paralysis, even from Tri Attack
  • Ice-type Pokémon are immune to freezing, even from Tri Attack
  • Fire-type Pokémon are immune to burns, even from Tri Attack
  • Steel-type Pokémon are immune to poisoning
  • Poison-type Pokémon always hit with Toxic
  • Roar, Whirlwind, and Struggle are unaffected by accuracy or evasion, like Swift
  • Growth raises Attack and Special Attack, by two stages in sunlight
  • Hidden Power is always 60 power
  • Curse is a Ghost-type move
  • Sandstorm does 1/16 damage per turn
  • Disable lasts for 4 turns
• Gameplay elements from future (or past) generations:
  • Hold B to use Running Shoes
  • Eggs hatch at level 1
  • Added X Spcl. Def
  • Copied most trainer levels and rosters from HGSS
  • Restored the Goldenrod City PokéCom Center from the Japanese version
  • Added Viridian Forest, Pewter Museum, and Cerulean Cave from RBY
  • Added Bellchime Trail from HGSS
  • Added Elder trainer class from HGSS
  • Rematch Gym Leaders in the Fighting Dojo like in HGSS
• Fix bugs:
  • Dragon Fang boosts Dragon-type moves, not Dragon Scale
  • Burn/Poison/Paralyze improve catch rate
  • Moon Ball catches Moon Stone evolutions
  • Love Ball catches opposite sex
  • Fast Ball catches flee-prone Pokémon
  • Medium-Slow growth rate experience underflow at level 1
  • HP bar lowers at the same speed even for high HP
  • Belly Drum needs to cut HP to raise Attack
• Aesthetic updates:
  • Title case for Pokémon, moves, items, trainers, types, etc
  • Restored original Japanese sprites for Beauty, Fisher, Medium, Sage, and Swimmer♀
  • Poké → ()PC on Pokémon Center signs from the Japanese version
  • Berry → Oran Berry, Burnt Berry → Rawst Berry, etc
  • Leppa Berry (formerly MysteryBerry) restores 10 PP, not 5
  • Pack → Bag
  • Enemy → Foe
  • Cooltrainer → Ace Trainer
  • Mysticalman Eusine → Mystery Man Eusine
  • Pink Bow → Silk Scarf
  • Elixer → Elixir
  • Tin Tower → Bell Tower
  • Olivine Lighthouse → Glitter Lighthouse
  • whited out → blacked out
  • Menu Account → Menu Captions
  • Mania → Kirk (Shuckie the Shuckle's OT)
  • ZephyrBadge → the Zephyr Badge, etc
  • Kanto has colored roofs
  • Match Nidoqueen's shiny palette with Nidoking's regular one
• Increased difficulty:
  • Default Set battle style
  • Enemy AI doesn't fail an extra 25% of the time with sleep or poison-inducing moves, or 40% of the time with stat drops
  • No badge boosts to stats or types
  • Improved items used by some trainers
  • Improved some trainers' rosters, movesets, and DVs (Gym Leaders, the Elite Four, and other bosses)
• Custom features:
  • A randomized Wonder Trade Hub replaces the PokéCom Center's Mobile Trade Corner
  • Individual party/day-care icons for each Pokémon
  • Politoed has 80 (+10) Speed to match its total with Poliwrath
  • Lugia and Ho-Oh know their signature moves when encountered at level 60
  • Rematch the Elite Four
  • New default player names
  • Goldenrod Game Corner offers Clefairy as a prize
  • Prof. Oak asks for the player's gender and name together
  • Color-coded starter Poké Balls
  • Change Game Corner prizes (Goldenrod sells Clefary for 800 coins)
  • Add trees for Sitrus Berry (Gold Berry) and Lum Berry (MiracleBerry)
  • Promote the Wise Trio from Sages to Elders
  • The foreign Rocket Grunt in Cerulean City uses the RBY Rocket sprite
  • Fly to the Rock Tunnel/Power Plant Pokémon Center
  • Menu blurbs (descriptions) are off by default
  • Always show numbers in Pokédex, even in Johto order

To do:

• Remove unused code and resources to make room for new stuff
• Fairy type from Gen VI:
  • Improve Moonblast, Play Rough, and Disarm Voice animations
  • Replace some moves with BabyDollEyes, DazzlinGleam, Drain Kiss, and Fairy Wind
• Catch all 251 Pokémon without trading:
  • Add Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle to the Safari Zone
  • Move Kangaskhan from Rock Tunnel to the Safari Zone
  • Get the Silver Wing only after catching all three legendary birds (Articuno in Seafoam Islands, Zapdos above the Power Plant and new floors of Rock Tunnel, Moltres in Cinnabar Volcano) (like with the three beasts and the Rainbow Wing)
  • Add the Helix and Dome fossils (in Mt. Moon?) to be restored into Omanyte and Kabuto at the Pewter Museum of Science
  • Restore the GS Ball event for Celebi (get it from the Mystery Gift Machine)
  • Find the Old Sea Chart in the ruins of Pokémon Mansion on Cinnabar Island, and use it to reach Faraway Island and catch Mew
• Modern battle mechanics:
  • http://smogon.site/forums/threads/gsc-mechanics.3542417/
  • Update movesets, and move and item mechanics, to Gen VI
    • Prioritize having viable physical and special moves for each type
    • Moves that can be removed: Psywave, Mimic, Mirror Move
    • Moves that can be merged: Wrap/Bind, Self-Destruct/Explosion, Hi Jump Kick/Jump Kick, Protect/Detect, Defense Curl/Withdraw, Mean Look/Spider Web/Block, Lock On/Mind Reader, Scratch/Fury Swipes/Fury Attack, Bone Club/Bonemerang/Bone Rush, Morning Sun/Synthesis/Moonlight, Brick Break/Rock Smash, Heal Bell/Aromatherapy, Foresight/Odor Sleuth/Miracle Eye, Sleep Powder/GrassWhistle, Thief/Covet, Trick/Switcheroo
  • Gen III critical hit mechanics (ignore -Atk and +Def stat changes, don't ignore burn)
  • Gain experience from catching Pokémon like in Gen VI
  • Cure poison when it reaches 1 HP outside a battle, or don't damage at all outside battles
  • Sound-based moves bypass Substitute
  • Struggle does 25% recoil damage
  • Low Kick's power is based on weight
  • Beat Up works differently in Gen V
  • Ghost-type Pokémon cannot be trapped
  • Grass-type Pokémon are not affected by Powder moves
  • Sitrus Berry (formerly Gold Berry) restores 25% of max HP, not 30 HP
  • Oran Berry, Sitrus Berry, and Berry Juice activate at 1/3 HP, not 1/2
  • X Accuracy boosts accuracy, it does not ignore accuracy checks entirely
  • Boost CPU Pokémon's stats each by level^2/500 to simulate stat experience (max 20 boost per stat, i.e. half of what can be gained with vitamins)
  • Thunder ignores accuracy and evasion in rain
  • Rock-type Pokémon get Sp.Def boosted by 50% in a sandstorm
  • Grass-type Pokémon are immune to Cotton Spore, PoisonPowder, Powder, Rage Powder, Sleep Powder, Spore, Stun Spore, and Effect Spore
  • Ghost-type Pokémon are immune to the trapping effects of Block, Mean Look, Spider Web, Bind, Clamp, Fire Spin, Infestation, Magma Storm, Sand Tomb, Whirlpool, Wrap, Arena Trap, Magnet Pull, and Shadow Tag
• Gameplay elements from future (or past) generations:
  • Add Leafeon and Glaceon in slots 252 and 253
  • Replace Cleffa and Igglybuff with Sylveon and Togekiss
  • Replace some of {Stantler, Lickitung, Delibird, Wobbuffet, Shuckle, Sunkern, Sunflora, Hoppip, Skiploom, Jumpluff, Goldeen, Seaking} with some of {Weavile, Yanmega, Porygon-Z, Gliscor, Mamoswine, Honchkrow, Mismagius, Munchlax, Mantyke}
    • Tentative plan: {Delibird, Sunkern, Sunflora, Lickitung, Goldeen, Seaking, Stantler} become {Weavile, Honchkrow, Mismagius, Munchlax, Yanmega, Mamoswine, Gliscor}
  • Restore locations from RBY (Mt. Moon, Pokémon Tower, Fuschia Safari Zone, Cinnabar Island, Pokémon Mansion, Seafoam Islands, Kanto Underground, Lt.Surge's traps, electronics shop and vending machines in Celadon Dept. Store, Celadon Hotel)
  • Add locations from FRLG (Sevii Islands, Navel Rock, Birth Island)
  • Add locations from HGSS (Embedded Tower, Sinjoh Ruins)
  • Add Pokéwalker Routes from HGSS (e.g. Yellow Forest, where you can catch Surfing Pikachu) (put the Yellow Forest where the Johto Safari Zone is in HGSS?)
  • Restore unused memory game
  • Add Sweet Honey trees for Munchlax (replace Sweet Scent)
  • Unlimited-use TMs from Gen V
  • Continuous Repel system from Gen V
  • Catch rate formula from Gen III
  • Money loss formula from Gen III when whiting out
  • Bill calls to switch boxes when one is full
  • Show stat changes and then absolute values on level up
  • Replace some Kanto music with RBY and HGSS tracks (Kanto locations, Mewtwo battle, etc)
  • Unown ? and ! from Gen III
  • Tune Gym Leaders' rematch movesets, levels, held items, and text
• Fix bugs:
  • Thick Club + Swords Dance Marowak Attack overflow (only in link battles?)
  • Fix Pokémon icons used as overworld sprites changing after viewing the party menu
  • Gym Leader rematch sprites don't face correctly (spriteface command issue?)
  • Fix delay before last text box when Wonder Trading
  • Fix attacks hitting a Flying Pokémon
• Aesthetic updates:
  • Use updated Pokémon palettes, including shiny ones (changed ones: Charizard, Kangaskhan, Paras, etc)
  • Add more locations on the Town Map (Ilex Forest, Cerulean Cave, etc)
  • Fix jagged black borders on Town Map (imitate HGSS?)
  • Improve certain shiny palettes (Dragonite, Scizor, Espeon, Ursaring, Forretress)
  • Show Pokémon portraits when using field moves
  • Better Substitute sprite
  • Low-pitched cries when fainting
  • Better Town Map without bold black borders (imitate landmarks from HGSS)
  • Big roofs like Pewter Museum on Silph Co. and Pokémon Tower
• Custom features:
  • Turn the News Machine into a Mystery Gift Machine (so you can get an Eon Mail for the lady in the PokéCom Center)
  • Allow three Wonder Trades per day, not just one
  • Faster text by default
  • Stereo sound by default
  • Select reorders Pokémon in party menu
  • Brief beeping with low HP
  • Send gift Pokémon to the PC if the party is full
  • Increase limits on Pokémon per box, number of boxes, coins in coin case, etc
  • More frequently successful fishing and Headbutting
  • More likely to find roaming Pokémon when on the correct route
  • Have someone in the Mt. Silver Pokémon Center show you Raikou and Entei in case you've never encountered them roaming (or the same old man in Pewter City who gives you the Silver Wing)
  • Have Moves as an option in the party Pokémon menu during battle (might be too complicated to avoid glitches since moves can be reordered; also graphics glitches when the mini sprite overwrites the back sprite)
  • Fourth stat screen showing Poké Seer's data
  • Color party/day-care sprites by species
  • Sell evolution stones in Celadon Dept. Store
  • Change in-game trades
  • Cameo battle with Valerie on the Bellchime Trail after the Suicune event (Clefable, Mr. Mime, Wigglytuff, Azumarill, Togekiss, Sylveon) (reward: TM for DazzlinGleam)
  • Battle with Agatha in Lavender Town (Gengar, Crobat, Haunter, Misdreavus, Arbok, Gengar)
  • Battle with Lorelei in Seafoam Islands (Dewgong, Cloyster, Piloswine, Slowbro, Jynx, Lapras)
  • Battle with Tsunekazu Ishihara in the Celadon Mansion dev room (Exeggutor, Mew, Jolteon, Dugtrio, Articuno, Rhydon)
  • Battle with Shigeki Morimoto, Shigeru Miyamoto, and Satoshi Tajiri
  • Battle Bill at some point (five Eeveelutions and Porygon)
  • Replace Cal in Trainer Hall with whichever gender character you don't pick
  • Include Lyra/Kotone as a friendly rival like in HGSS
  • Also include Green/Leaf somewhere (Victory Road?)
  • Encounter Yellow from the Pokémon Adventures manga in Yellow Forest (her Pikachus know Surf and Fly)
  • (Female) Pikachu that know Surf appear with a surf board; (male) Pikachu that know Fly appear with balloons
  • N would sympathize with the Ruins of Alph message about how "we depart for their sakes"
  • Allow Unown to learn AncientPower, Stored Power, and Cosmic Power (also make sure Togetic can learn Stored Power, AncientPower, Silver Wind, and Ominous Wind)
  • Silph Co. lets you onto more floors after restoring power; you can buy Repeat, Timer, Quick, and Dusk Balls
  • Catch more Gen II Pokémon in Johto and Gen I in Kanto (suggestions)
    • Make Houndour, Murkrow, Sneasel, Misdreavus, and Larvitar available earlier
  • Should Voltorb and Electrode be Electric/Steel to add another Steel-type?

Long-term

• New storyline set 5 years after Gen II
• Selection of 254 Pokémon from all generations
• Selection of 254 moves from all generations
• Separate IVs and EVs for Special Attack and Special Defense
• Separate shininess from IVs
• Hail
• Move Relearner
• Abilities
• Natures
• Overworld weather, or at least automatic when battles start
• Selection of up to 254 items from all generations (Zinc, PP Max, Dawn Stone, Dusk Stone, etc)
• Custom held items that prevent status conditions (based on unused game code)
• More Berries (Liechi, Ganlon, Salac, Petaya, Apicot, Lansat)
• Replace HM01 Cut with Machete item, and HM05 Flash with Bell Lantern item
• Make Rock Smash an HM
• Evening from 5–7 PM (change morning from 4−9 AM)
• First party Pokémon follows you like in Yellow or HGSS
• Separate bag pockets for usable items and held items
• Custom title screen and end credits
• Shiny Charm from Gen V increases shiny likelihood from 1/8192 to 1/1024
• Replace Poké Seer byte with <gender:1, shiny:1, whichability:1, nature:5> (or have one ability per species and use two bits for gender, instead of checking the base data for genderless)
• Improved AI
• Import some devamped music from future generations

See also

• Disassembly of Pokémon Red/Blue
• irc: freenode#pret