POKEMON GOLD PROGRESS, DAY 8
Today I went out and caught a Double (#235), and plan on determining how effective a Pokemon he is. I also decided to fish out the Neity (#177) and use it- it's a psychic bird, and comes complete with Nighthead (aka Nightshade) and Teleport already. Ultimately, I decided to put the Neity back and add the Himanattu (#191) to my lineup for a while- its MegaDrain attack is superbly effective on Rock and Water types, and I wanted to build it up to see if it evolves.
NEW POKEMON
Not a big day. I caught my own Maril (#183), and finally the Double (#235), a long-limbed apelike Pokemon with a paintbrush on the end of its tail.
PROGRESS
Still nobody in Asagi's gym, and no luck in Chouji Town, so I decided to go to the Alph Ruins and do some more Annoon hunting. I believe a scientist has told me if I can find all the Annoon types in the Iseki and fill up the Annoon Zukan, I'll get something useful. Annoon are pretty easy to battle now that I have higher level Pokemon, and they are only at level 5, so the MezamePower attack isn't strong enough to do much damage. But my work is cut out for me- so far I've caught 18 distinct Annoon variations, with at least 21 seen (3 of them got away- for now). And you gotta use your own Monsterballs to get them.
One further aspect of the Alph Ruins is that there are several different entrances to the main chamber where the Annoon hang out that are scattered around the game map to be discovered. To unlock the entrances when you find them, you must arrange a sequence of 16 blocks to complete a puzzle picture (so far, I've found four entrances, and each picture was an ancient carving of a different prehistoric or Legendary Pokemon). When you finish the picture, the floor will give way and plop you into the main chamber (don't worry, there's a ladder out).
One thing I didn't mention in the new game is that now Pokemon don't mind running away if they feel outmatched, so catching them isn't always easy. And it always seems the one you want the most is the one that gets away.
More trainers are asking for and giving me their Phone Numbers for their Pokegear. I'm finding this helpful, because when a trainer calls you and challenges you to another match, you can be assured that if you win you'll get more money. A nice way to keep you from running out of funds. Mom might wire you some, too.
I haven't done much with attaching items to Pokemon yet; I did find that you can buy a Mailbox for a Pokemon and assign it, and I believe they can access your PC with it and transfer stored potions or items they need from there.
I also entered the Park contest again (it was held today) and I took second place this time. I got to keep the Kairos I caught (Pinsir) and got a helpful item.
I'm beginning to suspect that the game has programmed special events on certain days and certain times. It may be "paced" so that you don't rush through it in a hurry and it appears that a player is going to have to take his or her time and make the best of things until the chance to move on becomes available. One clue I had is that the basement of the Department Store in Kogane lets you have access to "free items" lying around over a few days- the workers had moved more boxes out of the way and had opened a passageway to some items. Other items are still inaccessible, and it may be that a path to a doorway I see will be opened too...
Still plugging along. When you can't fight a Gym Leader, you go train your Pokemon and explore some more... and that's what I'm doing.
--Richard