Posted

Mar 18th 2009

I've had trouble finishing comics in the past, because my ideas are often much grander than my ability to draw can take them, and I become disappointed by the results when I try. As such, Daphnia will remain written and not drawn for a little longer. I feel like I've done this a million times.

However, I've been convinced to turn my 'Stories from The Other Side' into a comic, with surprising results. My method of storytelling works perfectly with the way I've drawn it out. I just have to do some backdrops and learn how to make an interactive comic in flash and issue #1 will be released! I'M SO SERIOUS!

ANYWAY, onto Pokémon news. I've revamped my gym team, making it more capable of absorbing moves bugs and psychics are generally weak to. While I've had a number of challengers, I seem to have hit a dry spell. I'm hoping the... four or so trainers raising new teams to challenge the gym haven't forgotten about me!

I've also been challenging the other prospective gyms, trying to scout out who fits where and if they need some help. I know I share Aaron's vision of having our league gyms representing the best of the best, which is why I've started the Breeding School program. The intention of Sheezy League Breeding School is really to lift the state of the battling community around here.

Not to sound rude, or elitist, but a majority of the people I've battled on Sheezy are amateurs, at best. Most of them go into battle with Pokémon they've caught in the wild and have leveled up in their initial playthrough, paying no mind to effort points, natures of genetics. That's okay if you're just a casual player, but you can't expect to win matches against someone even just a step above you, and it's especially awkward if you tend to be a braggart about your team. These people get big heads because their Pokémon are high levels, but completely misunderstand the finer mechanics that actually make a good Pokémon, or that online wifi sets levels automatically, making high levels pointless. (Most of my Pokémon have barely broken level 50 because of online auto-leveling.) Those that do breed often have a level of expertise escaping them... like they'll breed for natures, but don't know how to manipulate Individual Values. However, these trainers have spirit. They just lack the knowledge to make their Pokémon the best they can. I want to help them take the steps needed to be excellent trainers. Hence, the Breeder's School.

I also want to encourage everyone to take their Pokémon to competition, especially this summer in Nintendo's 2009 World Pokémon Tournament. I don't teach technique, but I do provide insight on how others can improve what they're trying. I think the worst thing is to tell someone what Pokémon to use or how to battle...some websites do that, and the result is a lot of the same Pokémon using a lot of the same movesets and effort spreads... there is nothing more personal than battling style.

The classes start today, I post the first one later this afternoon. Hopefully, when it is done, we'll see the Sheezy League grow in size with both new gyms and top trainers taking the gym challenge and collecting our badges.