Remember those lectures and assemblies about drugs, recycling, and the like back in elementary school? We'd be reading some (required reading) book or completing the day's worksheets when without warning, the entire Xth grade or school population were called to the cafetorium/auditorium/gymnasium for at least an hour. The topics varied - it could've been one of those D.A.R.E. lectures, a lesson on recycling and protecting the environment, or some superficial "student of the month" presentation.
Over the years, most of us didn't take that lesson to heart. We instead looked forward to assemblies because they were a way out doing worthless busywork. They served as an excuse for us to talk with our friends or to check out whatever girl(s)/guy(s) caught our fancy. We listened less on whatever lesson was being served and focused more on other things - the female presenter's casually-provocative attire; a chance to finish up sixth period's written report that was due that day; catching up on our local gossip about so-and-so being a slut, and other things like that.
Because of this, we as
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| Wait, why am I blathering when I should be focused on a fun topic today? Whoops... |
"Wonder Trade," I reply. Read on to see what I mean.
CURRENT MUSIC:
Shota Kageyama - "The Kalos Power Plant"
Pokémon X & Pokémon Y: Super Music Collection
Today's Pokémon-centric entry requires me to put on some related music, and here it is - a musical piece from the 3DS Pokémon games. While "The Kalos Power Plant" has that "twenty minutes into the future" technology feel to it (I mean, look at the piece's title - where else would it be playing in-game?), it has this strangely-fitting "spelunking into the unknown" feel to it. It's perfect for exploring the recently-captured-by-the-villains power station, a newly-discovered cavern network in real life or Minecraft, or just relaxing in general.
*clears throat*
Hi. Remember how I said on Friday that I'd give you something to read for once? For the first time in ages, I'm delivering. Woo.
Digressing again. Let's move on.
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| Do you want to start a Wonder Trade? |
Personally, I thought this was a pretty neat addition to the games. Since the Game Corner and its slot machines were removed from the games post-Generation IV (thanks a lot, Europe and PEGI, there's been this void in my gaming life that until recently was unfillable. It was obvious that the Generation V Pokémon games (Black and White) didn't do me any good - and not just because there was no Game Corner. (I retired from the franchise because of how unfulfilling White was for me, remember?) It almost seemed like there'd be no virtual place for me to mindlessly waste my money and time.
With the release of the Generation VI games (and by extension: Wonder Trade), it's obvious that I now have a place to partake in virtual risky ventures. The new feature is a gamble that can be summed up in one question every player has asked at least once:
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| You have your good and bad payoffs... and then you have something so ridiculous that you could care less if you won or lost. The person who received this gem probably wasn't even mad. |
I've been the sender and recipient of all three examples. I've given away combat-ready Lv.50 Pokémon and received nothing but pathetic Lv.2/3 Bunnelby and Weedle in return. I've also been the jerk who gave out some lame Luvdisc and celebrated when a mostly-perfect-IV Aerodactyl was now in my possession. And then there were times where I sent out something at random, got something funny back, and had myself a good laugh. (So far, the two funniest things I've received were a Gourgeist named "2Spooky4U" and a female Mr. Mime named "Uncle Touchy" that also had a "naughty" nature. "r/im14andthisisfunny/," anyone?)
At first, this all sounds like one man bitching about things that will happen when one gambles. However, I'm positive that most (if not all) Pokémon X and Y players are guilty of getting all three results at least once. That's what turns this opinionated matter into a "serious" issue that should be dealt with. As of this writing, most of Wonder Trade is used by people dumping trash Pokémon on the Internet and praying for some jackpot return to land in their faces. What results is a system that gives far fewer returns when compared to how much is given away. It's no longer worth rolling the hard six. It's a deadly trap that sucks out any hope one may have had for the human race.
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| That's right - we're the Gastrodon. |
Then you have the trolls who purposefully pollute the Internet with horrible Bunnelby, Zigzagoon, and Pidgey (I can't even say "Rattata" anymore, because those things - as of this writing, at least - are surprisingly rare online)... or the people who receive a "horrible" trade offering their newly-acquired pocket monster off in hopes of not getting another "horrible" trade... and so on and so forth.
Remember the opening to today's entry? Well, here's how everything I've said so far ties together.
As I wrote out this entry, I decided to "be the change" I wanted to see in Wonder Trade. I put together a big bunch of Pokémon I'm willing to trade away that (I hope) helps make Wonder Trade better than what it's sunk to. To prove it, take a look at the three pictures I've enclosed below.
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| That's right - all these guys are good-quality Pokémon. A decent gamble, eh? |
| Piandao (4) | Houdini (4) | EZ Bake Oven (4) | Keese (4) | Yosuke (3) | Kerrigan (2) |
| Rebellion (4) | Melisandre (4) | Laundromat (4) | Proto-Drake (4) | Kunoichi (3) | Carl Jenkins (2) |
| Arya Stark (4) | Foxycodone (4) | Frozen Puns (4) | Echo 419 (2) | Froxanne (4) | Abracadabra (2) |
| Frostmourne (4) | RINGDINGDING (5) | Pokémon Fan (4) | Cherche (4) | Magaru (4) | Magic Jack (2) |
| Armorslayer (4) | Tim (4) | John Deere (4) | Thrash Metal (2) | Kerokero (3) | Magical Puns (2) |
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This will certainly prove to be an interesting experiment - not just because I'm making this a personal pledge to not give crappy Pokémon over Wonder Trade ever again, but because I know I'm not the only one who's "being the change." I'll post the results of my "change" later on this week and we'll see how my giant Wonder Trade session played out.
Until the 'morrow, everyone! Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!
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