Wednesday, June 7, 2023

Silph Arena Factions S2 Postseason Metas

I've already discussed the structure of the last postseason ever for Silph Arena Factions, but I haven't discussed its framework, which would mean the metas or formats. The reason they hadn't been divulged back then is because they were still in development, and since these are to be the ones to end all others in Factions, they had to be perfected... even up to this very day, the final day for entry of Pokémon teams for King of the Hill (more on this personally very soon). In any case, at this point, they do deserve discussion.

Great League and Ultra League are vastly different for both. In the Worlds Championships (which will start next week), they are "bring 8, ban 2" affairs that were teased earlier, but they also have a "block 2" element that can be used to prevent certain selections from being banned; this has the potential to be very dynamic because of its novelty. In King of the Hill, they are 6-a-side points-based formats with quotas of 19 and 17 for Great League and Ultra League respectively. The viable species are divided into four tiers with four point values (S with 7, A with 5, B with 2, and C with 1) from which Trainers as usual are demanded to build the best teams possible without "breaking the bank", for the best this competition now has to offer in its final stage.

Then there are the unique Battlefields for both. For the Worlds Championships, that would be called "Pandamonium", and this is the teased "novelty changing format". The format - which is standard 6-a-side - starts with a small selection of 17 species, and each week (Bout), new species are added, and some old species may be removed as well based on trends; it has a similar dynamic energy to the league formats above. For King of the Hill, the unique Battlefield is called "Ragnar" and is structured like a standard Silph Arena theme with allowed types (Water, Bug, Poison, Psychic, Ice, Dragon), "curated" species (Snorlax, Miltank, Greedent), and bans (Electric, Rock, and Dark types, Shadow Pokémon and 17 species) but using the "bring 8, ban 2" system for a little spice in this final competition.

Both Worlds Championships and King of the Hill also have two points of commonality, one of them being Master League, still 6-a-side. Its tiers and points still remain the same as they have been from Cycle 3 (S with 4, A with 3, B with 2, C with 1, and D with 0) plus the necessary ban list, still comprising Mega Evolution - at least, the forms that are absolutely not allowed, as other Mega Evolved forms are present in other tiers - and Primal Reversion. The only differences, as with Cycle 4, are the new species and forms that have been introduced since then, which have been assigned accordingly to the tiers. At the least, those who deal with this might find that the experience is essentially unchanged.

For the other point of commonality, that would be the Battlefield called "Echo". It's a slot-based Battlefield that recalls popular (but not too popular) species from previous Faction Battlefields with two picks from each group (four in all) of two or three prior Battlefields that comprises approximately 30-50 species. Accordingly, it uses the "bring 8, ban 2" system, and while some species are found across groups, the "species clause" (only unique picks) remains in effect as is standard for Silph Arena play. Shadow Pokémon is also banned, so this Battlefield becomes just a pure species showcase for Trainers, specifically against those of others once put into battle against others.

After dealing with Factions for however the length of time may be - whether briefly like for my Faction and a number of others, or the entire time as with yet others - once they're involved in these final competitions, the final test is at hand... perhaps also for the people who organize the Arena as well, as in the case of the development for the above. Now that they've been developed, the final battles of Silph Arena Factions can be initiated to see the ones that can come out on top - hopefully perfectly no matter the imperfections.

Three years ago: It's a-Mario Time
Four years ago: Going Big in Galar
Five years ago: Pokémon Archetypes
Six years ago: New Paradigms
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Tuesday, June 6, 2023

Notes on Development Notes

I may have said this too few or many times, but it bears repeating that Silph Arena is on the verge of going out, even if it's not for another two months. Before that happens, though, it is still pertinent to make other discussions on the things that have shaped Pokémon Go PvP as facilitated through the site. One of those is the themed cups and the development notes that are provided with them. Their insights are unique, which is why since the previous season to this one, I've incorporated a summary of them in my discussions of the themed cups.

These development notes have actually existed for the longest time, even under a previous name, the "Meta Insights". They had been called as such because these notes (and for that matter, the themed cups themselves) are developed by the Silph Arena Meta Team, whether by a certain preeminent member of the team or the team as a whole without individual credit. In more recent cases, that individual is one Matthew Brewer, who had recently been inducted as a part of the team... unfortunately as part of the "final batch", effectively.

Even so, the current and final season of Silph Arena has had some inconsistency in this regard. The themed cup for the previous month, which was Arcana and a derivative from Factions, seems to have no such notes, and this appears to be affirmed by a search of specific sources. The same also had seemed to apply to Ember that kicked off the season, but for this one, this was disproved by a simple URL substitution that revealed that the notes do exist... one month after my discussion of the themed cup. However, it was posted on the site with a timestamp of January 1, 2022, which likely means that many have missed it and didn't realize it.

For that, I feel the need to include the discussion of this errant edition of the development notes. Essentially, the Ember theme was built to spotlight the Fire type and neutral play without certain Pokémon becoming rampant, which is why the types are the way they are, including of the "curated" species. To do that, the bans had to remove threats from other types, "fallback" species (including those that dictate certain ways of battling), and hard-to-access counters. This was thought to be evident by Factions but later became slightly disproved as the individual competition went on.

Because of the impending disestablishment of the Silph Arena, there are no more themed cups from them to speak of, along with the development notes that customarily accompany them. But what does exist remains a fascinating insight into how the Silph Arena and its Meta Team ticked into creating the 40 themed cups that have since become well-known among the community in its PvP journey. It's a journey that has to end in two months, sadly, but at least some of the trails of it still remain - at least for the time being.

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Monday, June 5, 2023

Come to Me, Hidden Gems

Come to me, come to me
Come give me all your colors
I can see the shades of life
With you I'm feeling free
Come to me, come to me
Come give me all your colors
I can see the shades of life
With you I'm feeling free...
-- "Come to Me", Ace of Base

The previous Pokémon Go season and all Pokémon happenings therein led me to recall a rather somber song for the occasion of its ending. Now, at the beginning of this new season, I find that it makes me recall a more upbeat song instead, from one of my favorite music groups. Part of the reason is that the song is taken from the first album after they went into "dormancy" composed of previously unreleased songs, titled, ahem... "Hidden Gems", the same moniker as for this new season. So it is yet another musical inspiration.

Like many of the group's songs and pop music in general, it's a love song or one that alludes to it. Its lyrics tell of prospective lovers that might just be able to come together and devote themselves to that love. It almost acts as a proxy for the spirit conveyed by the title of the album it is placed in, as two "hidden gem" lovers who may someday find each other and become the partners of their dreams. Though it's not really a "title track", it could be considered to convey much of the same sentiments as one, if such a track had been commissioned.

In relating this to the Pokémon situation, this Pokémon Go season is called "Hidden Gems", so as I've initially discussed, it has to deal with finding those in all their wonderful forms. With the lyrics of the chorus as quoted above, in the finding of those "hidden gems", there is the sense that it's not just about finding them but also calling them to be found. And once they are found, they can then lend their support ("colors") that make the lives of Trainers all the more worthwhile (and "free") as the song suggests. This may be considered a natural consequence of the process.

As a theme, "hidden gems" implies a lot of prospective matters, from seeking them in their undiscovered state to displaying them as they are discovered. It applied very well for the music group's album - and this particular song from that album - and it may be expected as Pokémon Go adopts a season with such a title, suggesting the prospective matters for both itself and in Pokémon happenings in general. If anything, by both the season and the song, there should be some inspiration for Trainers to make the season all that it can be (found).

Three years ago: The Pokémon Battlefields
Four years ago: Holding Hands
Five years ago: Raid Preferences
Six years ago: Sympathy for Villains
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Sunday, June 4, 2023

Cosplay: ChibiCon 2023

Me: OK, so this convention has returned from last year.

Ash, Goh: Awesome!

Pikachu: Pi! ["Great!"]

Me: So, we've already discussed the specifics then, but there are a few changes this year, one of which I'd like to prefix.

Goh: What's different?

Me: This year, it's actually a two-day affair from yesterday. But of course, since it's far away and I have things to do, I can't get Ash to stay for that.

Ash: That's why we didn't talk about it yesterday!

Me: That. Also, because of that and other matters, that "radical thing" we discussed about will have to wait - possibly not for this convention.

Goh: I think I already know what you're up to with Ash - but we can talk about it when that happens... if it does.

Me: Shhhh - it'll be really nice, when (if) it can really get going. Speaking of getting going, you got there, Ash, so you can tell us what else changed.

Ash: The place changed from where it was last time! But it wasn't a problem getting there.

Me: Good thing I used to go frequently to the place by myself, so you know what to expect. 

Ash: There was a lot of space for the booths - and they were all labeled now!

Pikachu: Pi, pika pika chu. ["Yes, roomy and cozy."]

Me: What do you know? Looks like they did learn a lesson or two.

Goh: I'd like to know about the entertainment.

Ash: Sure! I can tell you about that. They mostly just had special guests and some dance groups.

Goh: No bands?

Ash: I didn't see one today, but I think there was one the day I didn't go.

Goh: Well, you know what, as long as the people are happy, it's great. What about the competitions? There must have been one... right?

Ash: Well, I, uh-

Me: I'll take this one. If I had sent Ash yesterday, I could have gotten him into the character parade. Today, there is (was) a performance competition instead, and I could have gotten Ash into it... if I had someone that could assist him in the performance. It's a team competition, you see.

Goh: Oh. I wish I could have helped out.

Ash: Maybe you can, someday! Think that can happen?

Me: It's a tall order, but I wouldn't say it's impossible. Just highly improbable at the moment.

Goh: So you ended up just having fun today.

Ash: Yeah, I guess.

Pikachu: Pika chu! ["Not just us!"]

Ash: But I think other people had fun with us too. I got to meet your friends - lots of them!

Me: I think that's completely valid. Lots of people know us after all. 

Ash: Oh yeah! You know what else had lots of people? The convention!

Goh: Let me guess: lots of space, but then lots and lots of people came.

Ash: Yeah. It got so bad that they had to break up the people who could go in - or up, because the convention was on the top floor.

Goh: And there were lots more people outside.

Ash: You wouldn't believe it! But it was a mall outside, so everyone still had fun.

Goh: Oh, it was in a mall too. That's why you had a good time.

Ash: Yeah, but... my friend, can I talk to just you for a bit?

Me: Sure, what is it?

Ash: So, I sat in the booth of one of your friends, and I'm not sure how this could work for just us. But then the booth was in a corner, so maybe that's the hard thing. 

Me: Well, I guess we might need to be in the center then, and we'd have to draw attention in a big way. Let me think up of ways, and I'll get back to you.

Ash: OK, so anyway, this chibi convention keeps getting less and less chibi.

Me: But you have to admit it's kind of spectacular that it keeps doing so after two years of rebranding.

Goh: It means people still like what they still like.

Ash: Just like us! You like Pokémon and we're glad to join you.

Me: On top of that, we get to share it with lots and lots of people. So, good job for today.

Ash: Thanks!

Pikachu: Pika chu! ["Thank you!"]

Me: Let's see if we can one-up this the next time it comes about - that certainly won't be a small (chibi) affair.

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Saturday, June 3, 2023

Rising Troubles, Falling Embers

Once, as my heart remembers
All the stars were fallen embers
Once, when night seemed forever
I was with you
...
Once, as the night was leaving
Into us, our dreams were weaving
Once, all dreams were worth keeping
I was with you
Once, when our hearts were singing
I was with you
-- "Fallen Embers", Enya

One takeaway from the previous Pokémon Go season, which was titled "Rising Heroes" and as noted in the end-of-season post, may be that as much as things were rising, they were falling as well. More specifically, something negative was on the rise as was something positive. It's a slightly depressing state of things that leads me to reminisce this song that became popular as another one of the artist's song became popular (thus, by the "coattail effect") due to another depressing circumstance.

The quoted lines are of the first verse and the third and final verse. These as well as the second verse and "bridge" (perhaps more appropriately a "chorus") bring up visions of what has been and what could have been, becoming a reminiscence for the positive things and a lament for the negative things. It's not a long song by any means, but what it lacks in length it makes up for in profoundness. And like for all songs by the same artist, the artist encourages those who listen to seek their own meanings for them.

Obviously, here the meaning pertains to that tumultuous season. Though the season was intended to have more positive spirits, some negative spirits - both foreseen and unforeseen - had to appear and mar the season just as much as the positive spirits became the hallmark of the season. And when all was said and done, they left impressions that the season could have been something more, with or without the downturns and no matter how unavoidable the situations were in any case.

That the season has passed is now a certainty, and it has left both distinct marks and gaping holes by what has happened. It achieved a few things but left quite a few more things to be desired, like the "fallen embers" addressed in the song above. It is to be reminisced for what it is and what it might have been, had things turned out for mostly the better. With the new season only just starting, that may be something to hope for, just as the "fallen embers" of certain Pokémon things have become evident.

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Friday, June 2, 2023

Lost (Last) and Innocent in Silph Arena

With the looming closure of the Silph Arena, it may be considered that its institution is facing a "lost innocence" of sorts. Such is the condition of things that were once thought to be infallible but then becomes irreversibly marred by certain happenings. In this case, it was thought that the Arena would survive for a very long time but had to close after a less significant chunk of time. Efforts to make peace with that "lost innocence" could then be hard, and in a way, that could be characterized by this month's themed cup, the very last one for the individual competitions, called "Innocent".

For this themed cup, the allowed species are of the Water, Flying, Psychic, Dragon, and Fairy types, with an additional four species, each one happening to be of the Poison type (Arbok, Swalot, Garbodor, and Dragalge). Any others of the Poison type are banned, as are the Fire, Ice, and Steel types. Furthermore, 13 other species are banned (the Galarian birds, Mew, and Hawlucha among them), and the full list can be seen on the page for the themed cup; Shadow Pokémon are also barred from use. The bans are quite numerous and fascinating, especially in light of the "curated" species.

As for the rankings, Jumpluff is tops on its list, roughly followed by a number of species of the Electric type (including Alolan Raichu and Dedenne), Water type (including Seaking and Azumarill), and Fairy type (including Florges and Togetic). Of the four "curated" species, the topmost one is Swalot, although it has more potential for putting away species of the other types above rather than - as expected by its Poison type - the Fairy type. It along with some of these high-ranking contenders may qualify as team essentials to be brought and faced against what others may bring to the table.

If it looks like the Fairy type is trying to take center stage in this theme, then that's not completely off the mark, as the development notes do state that the intent is just that, along with the creation of a broad species meta. Its fair resemblance to Naiad is also noted, as well as the creation of a neutral field for the Fairy type and to allow some minor Poison counters. That is exactly why the bans are as they are, to avoid outcompeting the Fairy types and to avoid certain species (not necessarily of but including the Fairy type) outcompeting others. In the end, this cup was designed for longevity with the exception of its organizer.

That seems to make a fitting end as well. After 40 themed cups (at least, for its individual competition), the end of Silph Arena is fast approaching and its "innocence" is becoming "lost". But before that can happen, this last themed cup may provide the competitors in the individual competition with the answers they need, with its neutral meta (or at least, as it is expected to be such). It won't change the fact that the Silph Arena its facing its fate after the several years of its existence, but at least Trainers can still revel in the "innocence" before its last and complete "loss".

Three years ago: Pokémon and Sign Language
Four years ago: A Daily Pokémon Routine
Five years ago: Missing Ranger
Six years ago: 3DS Pokémon Badges
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Thursday, June 1, 2023

The Season of Hidden Gems

The search for the little things that make the situation better, which I mentioned at the end-of-season post for the previous season, is of course a nod to the new season, which is called the Season of Hidden Gems. Literally, it might suggest that the season is about finding jewels that  can really shine, but are obscured by the environment. Figuratively, it ought to suggest that one should be going on an adventure this season in search of good and really good things, particularly those involving Pokémon in some way. And as usual, there are two ways to go about doing these.

One of those ways is with Pokémon Go as intended. Through the virtue of Niantic and the wonders of other "hidden gems" (or their purveyors thereof), many of the particulars of this season have been revealed, including dates for Community Day (all of them) and the all-important Pokémon Go Fest, which usually happens at this time of year. For the purposes of this blog, though, they'll have to remain "hidden gems" until the time comes to unearth them and polish them, and then show them off in all their glory. What I can say for now is that there are hidden potentials as well true (actual) gems, and they'll have to shine when they'll have to shine this time and beyond.

For the other way, that would be with the usual plethora of other Pokémon happenings. Unite already has its "hidden gems" and may be said to be expected to have other, similar "hidden gems" as this season progresses from the beginning (today) to its end in three months. This and all other Pokémon happenings are also expected to culminate in the true search for "hidden gems" in the form of the World Championships for all trending Pokémon games, this one and the above included.

How many "hidden gems" one can expect to uncover during this season may depend on the individual progressions one makes in Pokémon Go as well as other games, but it is certain that the efforts are twofold in the searching process and refining process. They will be the key for Trainers to dazzle and bring forth their brilliant shine in the forms that Pokémon battling may take, all of which are good things to be expected in this season.

One year ago: The Season of Go
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