(Self) References

Pokémon has expanded so much ever since the first games were released. As with anything that expands, new additions not only bring new things into play, but also information and data. In this way, Pokémon is not only a world of objects that are interrelated to each other, but also a repository of tidbits and details. So it makes sense to collect all these tidbits and details, and store as well as present them; this is exactly the task of sites such as BulbaPedia in keeping track and enabling the viewing of any information pertinent to Pokémon. However, it also makes sense to be able to have portions of this information on hand and able to be quickly processed, which is why I think it is absolutely important to keep and organize some information in different ways.

I play the main series of games, so I have to delve and dabble into the art known as VGC. VGC in and of itself is highly data-sensitive, so data on stats, moves, and so on is highly desirable and in fact necessary. In light of this, I keep a spreadsheet with as much vital information as possible on things that might be pertinent to VGC-style battling. The reason why I have a spreadsheet is that it makes calculations and filtering that much easier, since the data is numerical (in the case of the former) or repeated (in the case of the latter) or both. This in effect also makes comparison that much easier; this is something I have trouble doing when all the data are purely textual.

The only problem with this scenario is updating and management. With my own devised spreadsheet, I'm responsible for updating it myself and maintaining its organization. I regret that I haven't done so with everything that's new regarding the seventh generation. As a result, now I'm challenged to use it in my VGC efforts. What would be great is if the spreadsheet was managed in a collective manner like BulbaPedia, but that is a little too much to hope for, and that leaves me back at square one. It seems my solitary fending will continue.

Pokémon is a truly amazing world of monsters and things, but behind all those monsters and things also lies a wealth of data that if well-collected and organized will allow efficient perusal for any purpose, whether it be for the main series (and specifically VGC) or any other game in the franchise. Expansion is a certainty for Pokémon, and with expansion there will surely be more data on everything; keeping this data well-maintained is one way to help enjoy this expansion.